Glucose Goddess's Golden Rules for Eating Well During Pregnancy
Inchauspé's entire career has been built on planning and knowledge. The French biochemist and New York Times bestselling author has offered herself up as a guinea pig—wearing a continuous glucose monitor and tracking how different foods spike her blood sugar, which in turn affects mood, brain fog, nerve function, and more—and sharing the quantifiable data online.
'My eating habits pre-pregnancy were (and still are) built around balancing my blood sugar levels, or glucose,' Inchauspé says. 'There are a few core tenets to that: Starting every day with a savory, protein-rich breakfast with 30 to 40 grams of protein—favorite culprits being skyr yogurt, eggs, or any leftover protein from dinner. I make sure to eat vegetables first at my meals to help flatten the glucose spike of the meal, as veggies contain fiber, which coats the intestines with a protective mesh. I eat carbs at most lunches and dinner, but I always 'clothe' them—meaning I pair them with protein, fat, or fiber. I also love sugar and anything chocolate-y, so I implement hacks to eat those with less impact on my glucose levels: always after meals, never on an empty stomach. Pre-pregnancy, I also had coffee every morning, but didn't drink alcohol.'
During her pregnancy, she made a few changes to her eating habits. First up, caffeine. 'I cut out coffee, which I think helped. That's anecdotal, of course—but both times I got pregnant, it happened in the month I stopped drinking coffee. I believe removing that stressor made a difference for my body, and some small studies suggest that caffeine might interfere with conception and implantation, so I gave it a try.'
She also began altering her diet before she was pregnant, known as epigenetics. 'There's a common myth that the baby will just take whatever nutrients they need from you—but that's not true,' she says. 'Your nutrient levels matter a lot in terms of what will be available in the womb for your growing child. So I wanted to build up my stores beforehand. A main focus, for instance, was increasing my omega-3 levels—especially DHA, which is essential for fetal brain development. It takes time for DHA to build up in the body, so I started early with some high-DHA supplements daily.'
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NY Times' erroneous cover photo of Gazan child joins series of media blunders framing stories against Israel
The New York Times recently attempted to downplay a significant error that was plastered on its front page. But when it comes to the legacy media's coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, the Gray Lady is in good company. Last month, the Times ran the somber headline, "Young, Old and Sick Starve to Death in Gaza: 'There Is Nothing.'" Accompanying it was a grim image of a malnourished infant and his mother. The caption read, "Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, about 18 months, with his mother, Hedaya al-Mutawaq, who said he was born healthy but was recently diagnosed with severe malnutrition. A doctor said the number of children dying of malnutrition in Gaza had risen sharply." Critics quickly called out the Times for prominently featuring Mohammed, whose image was featured by numerous other media outlets, without mentioning that he has a genetic disorder. New York Times Admits Using Misleading Cover Photo Of Emaciated Gaza Child The Times finally addressed the major omission on Tuesday with an editors' note buried underneath the lengthy story that had already circulated for more than four days. "This article has been updated to include information about Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, a child in Gaza suffering from severe malnutrition. After publication of the article, the Times learned from his doctor that Mohammed also had pre-existing health problems," the editors' note stated. Read On The Fox News App A spokesperson for the Times released a statement saying, "Children in Gaza are malnourished and starving, as New York Times reporters and others have documented. We recently ran a story about Gaza's most vulnerable civilians, including Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, who is about 18 months old and suffers from severe malnutrition. We have since learned new information, including from the hospital that treated him and his medical records, and have updated our story to add context about his pre-existing health problems. This additional detail gives readers a greater understanding of his situation." "Our reporters and photographers continue to report from Gaza, bravely, sensitively, and at personal risk, so that readers can see firsthand the consequences of the war," the statement added. Notably, that statement was shared by the Times' communications account, which has less than 90,000 followers on X, and not the Times' main account, which has more than 55 million followers. The Times wasn't alone. Outlets across the globe, including the BBC and NPR, similarly promoted such images without the context of the child's genetic disorder. Ever since Hamas carried out its gruesome terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, news organizations have largely framed the war as the Jewish State carrying out a disproportionate military response and being responsible for the suffering among the civilians in Gaza. And in doing so, several reports were walked back for various errors that all side against Israel and for the benefit of the Palestinian cause. Within days of Oct. 7, the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry claimed that Israel bombed Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital through an airstrike that resulted in over 500 civilian casualties. Subsequent reporting and intelligence found there was an explosion in the hospital's parking lot stemming from a misfired rocket fired by Hamas ally Islamic Jihad, resulting in a death toll a tiny fraction of what Hamas had first alleged. Media Has Egg On Its Face For Allowing Hamas To Set Initial Tone Of Gaza Hospital Coverage Without Skepticism The New York Times published the headline "Israeli Strike Kills Hundreds in Hospital, Palestinians Say." The paper later admitted it "relied too heavily on claims by Hamas, and did not make clear that those claims could not immediately be verified." CNN similarly pushed the narrative, running the headline, "Israel hits hospital and school in Gaza as blockade puts healthcare system in state of 'collapse.'" The headline was later changed to "Hundreds likely dead in Gaza hospital blast, as Israeli blockade cripples medical response." CNN, too, issued a correction. "This article on the Gaza hospital blast initially did not clearly attribute claims about Israel's responsibility to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza," CNN's correction read. "Israel later said a 'misfired' rocket by militant group Islamic Jihad caused the blast and produced evidence to support its claim. US President Joe Biden said the Israeli position is backed by US intelligence. CNN's forensic analysis of images and videos suggests a rocket fired from within Gaza caused the blast, not an Israeli airstrike." As documented by journalist Drew Holden, a slew of news outlets fell for Hamas' falsehood, including The Associated Press, Reuters, CBS News, The Washington Post, MSNBC, Politico, Axios and the BBC. Some never issued corrections. The Washington Post had a similar front-page blunder in July 2024 in its coverage of the Israel-Hezbollah escalation that occurred at the time. The Iran-backed terrorist group in Lebanon launched its deadliest assault against Israel since the Oct. 7 attack on the northern town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, resulting in at least 12 dead and dozens injured, all of them children and teens who were playing on a soccer field. The Post's cover featured a large image of Israelis mourning the death of 11-year-old Alma Ayman Fakhr al-Din. However, underneath the image, the Post ran the headline, "Israel Hits Targets In Lebanon," referring to Israel's retaliatory strikes against Hezbollah. Wasington Post Blasted For Distorting Israel-hezbollah Escalation On Front Page After sparking outrage on social media, the Post issued an editors' note. "The headline and subheadline that accompanied a July 29 Page One photo and article about Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon did not provide adequate context. The headlines should have noted that the Israeli strikes were a response to a rocket strike from Lebanon that killed 12 teenagers and children in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. The photo depicted mourning for one of those victims, as the caption noted," Post editors wrote. In January, the Post quietly edited a report after it was asked about its citation of a pro-Palestinian group that the United States government had designated a "sham charity" for a terrorist organization. The "Democracy Dies in Darkness" paper published a story about the Palestinians who were released from Israeli custody as part of the hostage agreement made with Hamas. "According to Samidoun, an activist network supporting Palestinian prisoners, the group includes journalists, activists, teachers, students and close relatives of high-profile Hamas figures," the Post wrote, including a link to a Samidoun article published earlier in the week. Washington Post Cites Pro-palestinian Group Us Government Declared A 'Sham Charity' For Terrorist Organization Samidoun, however, was singled out by the Biden administration last October as being financially linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which has been designated as a terrorist organization by numerous countries, including the U.S. and the European Union. The Post article had referred to the PFLP as a "small leftist armed group." "Organizations like Samidoun masquerade as charitable actors that claim to provide humanitarian support to those in need, yet, in reality, divert funds for much-needed assistance to support terrorist groups," said Bradley T. Smith, the then-Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. "The United States, together with Canada and our like-minded partners, will continue to disrupt those who seek to finance the PFLP, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations." Among the prisoners released and reported on in the article was Khalida Jarrar, a PFLP member accused by Israel of supporting terrorism. Fox News Digital inquired about The Washington Post's citation in January. After an exchange with a spokesperson about a deadline for an official response regarding the newspaper's language, The Washington Post updated and added a "clarification" to the story without informing Fox News Digital. "Those released include journalists, activists, teachers, students and close relatives of high-profile Hamas figures, according to Samidoun, a group supporting Palestinian prisoners that the United States says is a fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is under U.S. sanctions," the report now reads. The "clarification" at the bottom of the report states, "A previous version of this article referred to Samidoun as an activist network that supports Palestinian prisoners. However, it failed to note that the United States says the group is an international fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which Washington has placed under sanctions." In February, the BBC aired a documentary called "Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone," featuring narration from a 13-year-old boy named Abdullah, but the film failed to disclose that Abdullah was the son of senior Hamas official Ayman Alyazouri. The BBC pulled the documentary from its online streaming platform just five days after it was aired, and issued an apology. "Since the transmission of our documentary on Gaza, the BBC has become aware of the family connections of the film's narrator, a child called Abdullah. We've promised our audiences the highest standards of transparency, so it is only right that as a result of this new information, we add some more detail to the film before its retransmission. We apologise for the omission of that detail from the original film," the BBC said in a statement at the time. Bbc Report Finds Gaza Documentary Narrated By Hamas Terrorist's Son Breached Editorial Standards An internal review concluded last found that the BBC was unaware of Abdullah's lineage prior to the documentary's broadcast, but three members of the production company Hoyo Films did know that the boy's father was a Hamas official. 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NBC News posted on X, "Around 14,000 babies could die in the next 48 hours if many more aid trucks do not reach Gaza, the U.N.'s humanitarian chief says." The claim was repeated on MSNBC by NBC News international correspondent Matt Bradley, telling anchor Ana Cabrera that "14,000 babies could die in the next 48 hours if the status quo in terms of humanitarian aid persists." "The UN warning that as many as 14,000 babies could die in the next 48 hours, Israel blocking all food and medicines now for nearly three months, saying it's trying to pressure Hamas to release hostages, including, of course, the four Americans believed to be dead," ABC News chief foreign correspondent Ian Pannell told "Good Morning America" co-host Robin Roberts. "The urgent warnings tonight about the humanitarian crisis worsening in Gaza. The U.N. now warning 14,000 babies could die within 48 hours," ABC's David Muir teased viewers on "World News Tonight" before turning to Pannell. 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"About my tweet yesterday, I meant to say the sense of randomness caused by the strikes in residential neighborhoods has terrified Iranians. As we've reported, Israel has said the strikes are targeted," Fassihi said. Fox News' Brian Flood, David Spector and Rachel del Guidice contributed to this article source: NY Times' erroneous cover photo of Gazan child joins series of media blunders framing stories against Israel Solve the daily Crossword
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Why does your mind goes 'blank'? New brain scans reveal the surprising answer
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. You look up from your phone screen and suddenly realize you weren't thinking about anything. It's not a lapse in memory or a daydream; it's literally a moment when you're not thinking of anything at all. Neuroscientists have a term for it — mind blanking — which they define as a brief, waking state when conscious thought simply stops. Scientists used to think our waking minds were always generating thoughts, but recent research shows that's not the case. Mind blanking is now recognized as a distinct conscious state associated with changes in arousal, which in neuroscience refers to alertness and responsiveness to stimuli. Studying this curious state could shed light on how consciousness works, some researchers think. "For some, it's kind of a blip in the mind, and suddenly there's nothing," Thomas Andrillon, a neuroscience researcher at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research and the Paris Brain Institute, told Live Science. "But not with that feeling, 'There was something that I forgot.'" Often, people are unaware of the lapse until they are prompted to answer "What were you just thinking about?" "When we interrupt them randomly," Andrillon continued, "it's clear it's more frequent than what people realize." Although the frequency of this phenomenon varies among individuals, various studies suggest about 5% to 20% of a person's waking hours may be spent in this state. Related: Super-detailed map of brain cells that keep us awake could improve our understanding of consciousness An investigation of 'mind blanking' In a study published in the July issue of the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Andrillon and his team used electroencephalography (EEG) — which involves placing electrodes on participants' heads — to measure brain activity while people experienced lapses in attention, such as mind wandering or mind blanking. Mind wandering occurs when people's thoughts drift to tasks or ideas unrelated to the one at hand, while mind blanking involves the absence of all thought. While wearing EEG caps, participants watched numbers flash rapidly on a display screen. They were instructed to press a button every time a number appeared except for 3, which they were told to skip. This task tests how quickly people react when a response is required and how well they can inhibit that response, when necessary. Because most of the presented numbers required a response, people often pressed the button by mistake when they saw a 3 onscreen. The researchers paused the task once a minute to ask what the participants were thinking, finding that they were either focused on the task, their mind was wandering, or they were experiencing a "mind blank." Participants pressed the button more quickly when their minds were wandering, whereas their responses slowed noticeably during mind blanking, suggesting these two mental states are distinct. Brain activity told a similar story. The EEG data showed that the participants' brain activity tended to slow down slightly more when their minds were blank than when they were wandering, compared to the baseline of their paying attention. 'The connectivity changes as if the inner workings of the brain were specific, in a way, to that state," Andrillion said. EEG data is great for tracking rapid changes in brain activity, but it can't pinpoint exactly which brain regions are involved. That's in part because it records brain waves through the skull, and the signals blur as they make their way through the brain tissue, fluid and bone. Andrillon explained it's like listening through a wall. You can tell if a group inside is noisy or quiet, but you can't tell who is talking. The EEG results from the study suggest that during mind blanking, the brain's activity slows down globally, but the technique couldn't identify specific areas. That's where functional MRI (fMRI) came in. 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Typically, when we are awake and conscious, our brain regions are connected and communicating but not synchronized, as they appear to be during mind blanks. "What we think happens in the case of mind blanking is that the brain is pushed a little bit toward the side of synchronization," Andrillon said. "That might be enough to disrupt these sweet spots of consciousness, sending our mind to blank." Research into mind blanking is still in its early stages, but Andrillon and Demertzi noted that its similarity to brain patterns seen during deep sleep may offer an important clue as to its function. Deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, coincides with important cleanup work for the brain. It clears away accumulated waste, cools the brain, conserves energy and helps reset the system after a full day of mental activity. RELATED STORIES —Why do we forget things we were just thinking about? —Electronic' scalp tattoos could be next big thing in brain monitoring —'Hyper-synchronized' brain waves may explain why different psychedelics have similar effects, rat study reveals Andrillon and Demertzi suggested mind blanking may act as a mini-reset while we're awake. Demertzi said it's like "taking five to steam off" or "to cool your head." Early studies in Demertzi's lab suggest sleep-deprived people report more mind blanks, adding support to this idea. Both researchers stressed that this state is likely a way for the brain to maintain itself, though "it's not ideal for performance," Andrillon said. Andrillon believes it's possible but unlikely that there are people who have never experienced mind blanking. Detecting a mind blank can be a challenge. "It can require being interrupted," Andrillon said, "to realize, 'OK, actually, there was no content.'"
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'Starving' Gazan teen in viral photo actually suffering from genetic disease, COGAT says
COGAT's post follows The New York Times amending its article that detailed starvation in Gaza on Tuesday to include that a similar child, who had a pre-existing medical condition. Disclaimer: This article contains discussions of sensitive issues, including childhood illness and starvation. The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said that a pictures of a Gazan youth being portrayed as starving is actually suffering from a genetic disease in a post on X/Twitter on Thursday. Abdul Qader al-Fayoumi, 14, was treated in Israel in 2018 for his disease, which COGAT did not specify. COGAT denounced Hamas's "twisted agenda" of "cynically exploiting" sick Gazans, and blamed international media for believing it. Israel continues medical evacuations from Gaza, COGAT confirmed, stating that 180 patients and their escorts were transferred from Gaza to treatment in the European Union and Jordan on Wednesday. COGAT's post follows The New York Times amending its article that detailed starvation in Gaza on Tuesday to include that a similar child featured in the story and its front page, Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, had a preexisting medical condition that impacts his appearance. Morocco joins other countries in increasing aid deliveries A cargo plane owned by the Royal Moroccan Air Force landed in Ben-Gurion Airport on Thursday morning with humanitarian aid for Gaza which will be delivered via trucks. Bahrain requested to join the list of countries providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, an Arab source familiar with the matter told N12 on Thursday morning. Israel is currently reviewing the request, and Bahrain is likely to begin joining airdrop operations next week, the report added. Currently, the UAE, Egypt, and Jordan are the only countries assisting Israel in providing aid, but approval has been given to Germany, Spain, Belgium, and France, according to the report. Shir Perets contributed to this report. Solve the daily Crossword
