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This recipe first appeared on siabrainhealth.com.

Because we could all use a little comfort food right now.

Lets embrace our cravings without compromising our immune systems or contradicting our other efforts to maintain both physical and mental health.

With a few tweaks to classic recipes, we can enjoy the foods we love while supporting not suppressing our immunity.

First up: an immune and mood-boosting take on the classic crepe. With a base of almond and arrowroot flour, our beloved, bourgie French burrito becomes a nutritional powerhouse. Low in carbohydrates but high in good fats, we avoid the emotional rollercoaster of sugar highs and lows; in its place, we embrace the satiety and stability that accompany a healthy treat that tastes as good as a cheat.

Almonds are a fantastic source of vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that seems eternally upstaged by vitamin C. Make no mistake;vitamin E plays a critical role in immune function. The results of a 2005 study showed that vitamin E supplementation was associated with a significant improvement in resistance to influenzainfection in aged mice and a reduced risk of upper respiratory infections in nursing home residents.As a lipid-soluble vitamin, vitamin E is best absorbed when paired with fat yet another advantage of the almighty almond.

Arrowroot (a tropical tuber) has also been shown tohave an immunostimulatory effect: a2011 study revealed that a diet containing arrowroot significantly enhanced the production ofimmunoglobulins G, A, and M antibodies that help protect against bacterial and viral infections.

Both almonds and arrowroot also contain folate, a vitamin that helps produce neurotransmitters like serotonin (the mood transmitter) and dopamine (the reward transmitter). Amid troubled times, folate can regulate mood and help us remain optimistic; a 2012 study found that a diet high in folate may even decrease the risk of depression. To up the folate ante, fill your crepes with some leafy greens and avocado.

Rather than fighting those comfort food cravings all day (only to give in at night), weve found a way to have our crepe and eat it too.

Keto // Paleo // Dairy Free // Gluten Free // Grain Free

1 c Almond Flour

1/2 c Arrowroot Flour

1 c Nut Milk of Choice

3 Eggs

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil, Melted (+ extra for pan)

Dash of Sea Salt

* For sweet crepes, optionally add a teaspoon of vanilla.

Tasty Toppings

Savory: spinach, chard, arugula, watercress, mushrooms, caramelized onions, leeks, avocado, basil, pesto.

Sweet: hazelnut butter, melted unsweetened chocolate, strawberries, pomegranate seeds, chopped pecans, cacao nibs, cinnamon.

Read more:
Comfort without Compromise - Thrive Global

Kevin Uno, a 2019 Center for Climate and Life Fellow. (Photo: Martin Kirinya)

Kevin Unois a paleoclimatologist and Lamont Assistant Research Professor atLamont-Doherty Earth Observatorywho studies the role climate change plays in human population dynamics and migration.

Uno was named aCenter for Climate and Life Fellowin 2019. He received funding to examine how abrupt changes in climate affected Neolithic human settlement, diet, and abandonment in northwest Africa.

Unos project involves fieldwork at Gobero, an archeological site in Niger located in a small lake basin between the Niger River and Lake Chad. His work will reconstruct the climate conditions that led to the occupation and abandonment of the site and shed light on how different subsistence lifestyles influenced human resilience to climate change.

Whats the focus of your research?

My research focuses on understanding the role of climate and environmental change on humans over evolutionary timescales, reaching back over the last five million years or so. I develop records of dietary, vegetation, and rainfall changes in past ecosystems to better understand if and how evolutionary changes, such as the increase in human brain size or changes in our ancestors diets were influenced by environmental changes. One example of this: I recently measured carbon isotopes in hominin teeth to compare the dietary history of our genus,Homo, with other hominins over the last four million years. It turns out our ancestors diets took off on a different trajectory from other hominins starting about 2.5 million years ago.

Whats the problem youre trying to address with your Climate and Life funding?

The Climate and Life Fellowship is allowing me to take my research in a new but related direction to my previous research. One thing we dont know is how humans in different parts of the world will adapt to climate change. As an earth scientist and paleoclimatologist, I look to the past to understand how climate change has affected human populations. For my Climate and Life project, I am studying how climate change affected humans and animals at a relatively recent archeological site in Niger, located in the middle of the Sahara Desert. The site, called Gobero, was occupied from about ~10,000 to 3,000 years ago, during the African Humid Period. During that time, there was a lake at Gobero and we think most of the people there were fishing and living along its shore.

A view along the crest of a barkhan dune in the Sahara Desert, en route to Gobero, Niger in 2019. (All fieldwork photos courtesy of Kevin Uno)

A petroglyph on the way to Gobero. Rock art from the African Humid Period is common across the Sahara.

What do you find most exciting about the project?

The site of Gobero is the oldest known cemetery in the Sahara, so by far, the most remarkable thing about the site is the rich record of human occupation. Hundreds of burials have been discovered to date. This will allow me to reconstruct the diets and lifeways of the Gobero inhabitants. Our data show that they must have endured major climate fluctuations over decadal to centennial timescales, at times causing them to abandon the site. Seeing their responseto climate changes during the African Humid Periodwill provide new information about how populations in this region responded to major climate shifts in the past.

How might this project advance understanding of the challenges posed by climate change?

The challenges posed by climate change are immense and they are incredibly variable depending on where you are on the planet. The climate and landscape at Gobero during the African Humid Period were probably similar to much of the Sahel region and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa today, where today over 200 million people live and largely survive through subsistence farming tied to the annual rains. I hope we can better understand how human populations in the Sahel and sub-Saharan Africa have responded to shifts in mean climate state in the past to help scientists and policymakers plan for the future. Major challenges in the region today include desertification and soil degradation due to agricultural practices and overgrazing. On top of this, the region faces rapid population growth, little access to education, and high rates of violence. All of these challenges are exacerbated by climate change, which directly affects food security.

A rare, translucent cryptocrystalline quartz flake from a stone tool at Gobero.

Stone tools collected at Gobero. Most were used for processing seeds and other food sources.

When it comes to finding solutions to climate change, what gives you hope?

I find it hard to be hopeful about climate change sometimes. Im currently homebound in New York City amidst the coronavirus outbreak that is ravaging my city and country. What has given me hope in this situation is the generosity, compassion, ingenuity, and actions of individuals to address the pandemic. The collective efforts here are making a difference. On the other hand, I am disappointed with the federal governments response and handling of the situation. In thinking about our response to climate change, I am similarly encouraged and hopeful when I see what individuals, research teams, and some in the private sector are doing to solve the problem, but similarly dissatisfied with our governments response. My hope is that the peoples voice prevails so that we can build a government that along with the people, will work to solve this universal and immediate problem.

Whats a good source of information for people who want to learn more about climate change?

The April issue ofNational Geographiccelebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Its a cleverly designed issue that has two covers. On one side the cover and content give the optimists view on what weve done to address climate change and where we are headed. Flip the issue over and you get the pessimists view. My son picked it up immediately and together weve been pouring over it from both sides. While there are numerous websites you can go to, I find this milestone issue ofNational Geographic, which gives two views of the climate change story as it unfolds, a wonderful way to look at the problem. Which way will humanity decide to go?

In Niger, Unos team witnessed modern human migration from West and Central Africa toward Tripoli, Libya, where migrants look for passage to Europe. Refugees are fleeing because of food insecurity or lack of work, both related to changes in agricultural yields that can be linked to current climate change.

This post was first published by theCenter for Climate and Life,a research initiative based at Columbia UniversitysLamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

Go here to read the rest:
Examining How Early Humans Responded to Climate Change - State of the Planet

From Prevention

My name is Samara McKellar (@samara.fit.wlj), and I am 21 years old. I live in Kansas City, Missouri, and I am in college working towards my degree in early childhood education. After having to go on blood sugar medication and struggling to find clothes I felt comfortable going out in, I realized my weight was holding me back. I decided to change my eating habits and lifestyle, and I've lost 125 pounds.

My weight issues have always been apparent in my life. When I was younger, I was slightly overweight, and it made me uncomfortable at times. When I was around 12 years old, I went to an endocrinologist for a check-up, since both of my parents are diabetic. They never officially diagnosed me as pre-diabetic, but my hemoglobin A1C levels (used to screen for diabetes) were high enough to put me on medication to try and lower them and keep me out of the diabetes range.

As I got older, I went from being overweight to medically obeseto then being identified by doctors as morbidly obese. I would try out unhealthy fad diets in high school that would only last a week at most, then I would overeat after giving up. I had many supportive friends and peers in high school, but there were definitely people who also made rude comments that made me feel less-than due to my weight and looks. I saw food as a comforting way to deal with my emotions.

I was 18 years old and 294 poundsand I was trying to find an outfit to wear to a get together with friends. I was getting so upset about how I looked in everything, and how I felt about myself. I couldnt confidently go out and wear the clothes that I found most girls my age wore. I decided in that moment that I had to stop feeling this way and living out that scenario.

On the first day of January 2018, I told myself that I would work on boosting my self-esteem and my health. I would really try to eat healthier, and just start with one habit at a time.

There are so many low-calorie foods that are still very dense. This helped me a lot in the beginning because it was hard for my body to adjust from over-eating a ton of food to eating a healthy amount for my weight. However, eating lots of foods like fruits, vegetables, and eggs helped me to feel full for longer, even though they were low calorie.

I chose an eating plan that recommended using a calorie calculator and determined how many calories I could have a day if I wanted to lose one to two pounds a week. I followed that range of calories and used apps like Carb Manager to help me track my foods. I liked the Carb Manager app because it easily displayed calories as well as macronutrients. I also followed a low-carb diet that allowed for about 50 net carbs a day.

I also cut out almost all beverages with added sugar. Before I started trying to change my habits, there were days Id have two sweet teas or lots of soda. Now, I stick to water, green tea, and Crystal Light beverages. I realized the empty calories in sugary drinks never actually filled me up.

I believe that weight loss is 80 percent diet and 20 percent exercise. Going to the gym helped motivate me to keep my eating on track. I wanted to keep my word to myself to eat healthy and make sure all the hard work I put in at the gym wouldnt go to waste by cheating too much on my diet. The gym also helped lift my mood and put me in a positive mindset when thinking about my weight-loss journey.

Usually my workouts consist of walking one-and-a-half or two miles on the treadmill, then doing 5 to 10 minutes on the StairMaster. After that, I will do some arms, abs, or legs.

I knew nothing about fitness and health before I had decided to seriously change my habits, but I became informed and dedicated. I went from a size 22 to a size 8. I am also happy to say, I no longer need that diabetes A1C medication. My blood work has come back at normal levels since losing so much weight.

I feel like a truly happy person on the inside, and so much healthier and free. I still enjoy my treats and my cheat meals in moderation, but I have found a new passion in my life. This journey made me realize how important self-love is regardless of size or weight. My weight and health were holding me back, and getting healthy was the best decision Ive ever made.

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Read the original here:
I Lost 125 Lbs. With This Low-Carb Diet And Got Off Diabetes Medication I Was on Since My Teens - Yahoo Lifestyle

Last week Governor Wolf recommended all Pennsylvanians begin to wear face masks in an effort to reduce person to person transmission of COVID-19. With the number of Coronavirus cases on the rise in Berks County and Pennsylvania, how else can we protect ourselves from COVID-19?

Is it possible to increase your health enough to improve your chances with COVID-19? There is no cure or vaccine for the novel Coronavirus. However, staying healthy is the best way to give your body a fighting chance.

As people age, their immune systems change, making it harder for their bodies to fight off diseases and infection. Who is at risk? Older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease.

Stefano Sarge is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Personal Trainer. A graduate of Governor Mifflin, Sarge is the co-founder of Ampersand Integrated Wellness, a local wellness company focusing on healthy lifestyles, managing injuries or other health related issues.

Now working from home himself, Sarge says the best way to begin an exercise routine is to get outside into nature. Its been shown and even supported with studies to help fight off anxiety and depression.

If youre just starting out, just look for things around your house says Sarge. Even if you dont have any weights you can use gallons of water. You can use broomsticks or use your couch and tables. Whatever you have, just keep it basic.

In addition to items around the house, Sarge suggests starting a daily routine of basic movements like squats, push ups, or planks. Most importantly, Sarge says this is the time to figure out what you like and dont like to do.

I would say my number one recommendation is to set up a schedule, develop a routine for yourself. The more you can make your workout consistent the easier its gonna be for you and its definitely gonna be a challenge at first.

Its not all about the workout, its also about the food you put in your body. There are no specific diets, or special foods, that will directly boost your immune system. However, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise will increase your overall health, and give your body a better shot at defending against diseases and illnesses.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, good nutrition lowers peoples risk for many chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, some types of cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis. An overall healthy lifestyle must include good nutrition, regular physical activity, no smoking and stress management.

So what can you do to improve your immune system? Local certified nutrition and wellness consultant, Whitney George, fills us in. The number one thing that people can do first to improve the immune system response and function is to drop sugar from their diets.

Added sugars, refined carbohydrates, foods made out of flour, and even natural sources of sugars that are high glycemic like dried fruits, impair white blood cell function. Coinciding with the importance of sugar reduction for immune function is to increase non-starchy vegetables in the diet says George.

To maintain a balanced diet, George recommends eating 6-8 cups of non-starchy vegetables per day and 1/2-1 cup of low sugar fruits like berries, kiwi, and grapefruit.

It is from these plant foods that we get an abundance of phytonutrients like quercetin, rutin, luteolin, myricetin, resveratrol, and apigenin, which have immune strengthening properties says George.

Food sources of zinc (oysters, clams, shrimp, pumpkin seeds, liver) and vitamin C (red bell peppers, broccoli, rose hips, citrus fruits) are also imperative to support the immune response and keep it balanced and not tipping into the cytokine storm (which is the mechanism for death in those suffering from COVID pneumonia). Balancing blood sugar is key.

George also recommends pairing your non-starchy vegetables with high quality protein sources that are sustainably sourced (pasture-raised, grass-fed, wild caught) and healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, olives, avocado, coconut, coconut oil, nuts and seeds.

With everyone staying at home, take out is also a popular choice and a good way to support local businesses. So how can you eat out and still eat right? In general, when ordering from any restaurant, it is important to stick to the basics listed above says George.

Think about a plate that is 1/2 to 3/4s non-starchy veggies, paired with a protein source that is grilled or baked, not fried, and if you want to choose a starch, try to choose a whole grain like brown or wild rice or one that is not processed like a baked sweet potato.

BCTV and Berks Weekly are working together to bring you the stories of our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. This media partnership is made possible in part by the support of Berks County Community Foundation.

Originally posted here:
Berks Fitness and Nutrition Experts Weigh in on Staying Healthy at Home - bctv.org

As COVID-19 run rampant through the United States, many Americans may be wondering what they can do to improve or boost their immune systems, as a healthy immune system is one of the best defenses against the devastating effects of the virus.

Dr. Patrick Proctor, a cardiologist with HeartSouth in Alabaster, said residents dont need to take an array of multivitamins and supplements to have a healthy and strong immune system. He said the best way to do that is through eating a balanced diet.

Our bodies dont tolerate deficiencies in micronutrients very well, he said.

Micronutrients refer to the vitamins and minerals that humans need for energy production, immune function, blood clotting, growth, bone health, fluid balance and several other processes. Zinc, folic acid, vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, iron and copper are examples of micronutrients.

I commonly see people identify one substance and they find and consume foods that are high in that one thing, thinking that theyre helping their immune system, Proctor said. In reality, they havent done themselves a favor at all because theyre forgetting about balance.

Proctor said the over consumption of some micronutrients, like vitamin A, can actually cause other problems. This is most seen when people take high doses of micronutrients in pill-form. Proctor urged residents not to rely on herbs and supplements to boost their immune systems.

When consumed properly through food, vitamin A helps to build up the surface of the eye,mucous membranesand the skin be effectivebarriersto bacteria and viruses, reducing the risk of eye infections, respiratory problems and other infectious diseases. Foods rich in vitamin A are typically bright in color, like sweet potatoes, carrots, red bell peppers, mangoes and eggs. Dark, leafy greens, such as spinach, are also good sources of vitamin A.

Proctor said many peoples diets are lacking the right mix of fruits and vegetables. Peoples diets tend to include a lot of fast food and high-starch foods, he said.

Another way to ensure that the body is primed to fight off viruses is by eating protein-rich foods like eggs, lean meat, nuts and seeds.

A common myth is that exercise will weaken your immune system, Proctor said. This has been studied extensively and exercise has been found to improve circulation, which is also important to the immune system.

Another thing thats important to note is that smoking will lower the bodys defenses against respiratory infections like COVID-19. Excessive consumption of alcohol will do that same thing.

Proctor said one of the most common mistakes made when it comes to immune system health is inadequate sleep.

Poor sleep will impact your immune system, Proctor said. There are a lot of people experiencing chronic sleep deprivation. The benefits of proper sleep go well beyond immune system function.

See the rest here:
Doctor shares advice on how to boost your immune system - Shelby County Reporter - Shelby County Reporter

Nothing makes us feel more connected than when a global health crisis sparks on one continent and jumps to the next, and then the next, as fast as the one we are in. From China to Italy, Spain, the US and back to Asia, the coronavirus made us realize that what happens in one market around the world has real ramifications everywhere.

So it's no surprise that the health, ethical, and planetary effects of plant-based eating are being touted now.Consumers are beginning to come to terms with the full impact ofour collectiveeating habits on the earth and the people aroundus. From our fashion choices, even"vegan" ones that end upcreating more plastic waste to "superfoods" like almonds, that use more water than almost nearly any other plant on the planet, plant-based or vegan consumers are asking: What istruly sustainable? And howdo our choices impact not just our own health but that of the planet and other human beings in communities far from our homes?Here are some simple ways to consider compassion and humanity along your mindful plant-based journey.

While consuming a plant-based diet is by-and-large better for our health and the environment, a sometimes overlooked element to consider is the human cost of our food choices. Do you know where your coconut oil comes from? Your quinoa? One of the most well-known cases of an over-consumed crop is the popularity of quinoa, which first helped support the farmers of Peru and then, when it took off as a "trendy" food five years ago, sent them into relative poverty when other countries began to produce it and take market share away from them.

Understanding the impact of your diet is the first step to consuming more mindfully. A simple Google searchthat includes [BRAND] + ethics or [FOOD ITEM] + sustainability is a great place to start. Another great place to start is through the quiz on foodprint.org, which estimates the carbon impact of your current diet. Try it.

Depending on the item it brings a range of results, for example, tortilla chips + sustainability gives you the results of a range of tortilla chip producers' sustainability mission while searching chocolate + sustainability brings about a bunch of articles about the cacao supply chain, which makes us think more about where our snacks and sweets come from.

To keep up with the latest agricultural news,perusesites like Acres USA, Modern Farmer, Edible Magazine andAnthropocene Magazine (Anthropocene is a newly minted term that refers to our current industrial era, in which the changes on earth are driven by humans). All these are great ways to learn more about what's happening in the food supply chain.

Keeping track of the most ethical foods is as daunting as the constant back and forth about what is healthy or not (such as the great coffee debate). There are a few simple guidelines to keep in mind that will help you be a more mindful consumer.

Yourbest betis to eat local, seasonal foods that don't need to get put on a ship or plane to get to your door. Loweringour carbon footprint is beneficial to the most vulnerable populations, including people of color and working-classfamilies, who aredisproportionately affected by climate change. Eating locally grown food not only reduces carbon emissions but supports small farmers and the food usually delivers more nutrients because it's fresh.Find a CSA near you throughLocalHarvest.org.

Efficient shipping options are easier than ever through aggregators likeThrive Market, Instacart,and Mercato that each finds the products you seek and delivers itfrom a variety of local vendors. Thesesites do the curation for you so you dont have todrivearoundlooking for plant-based foods. Imperfect Foods is a great option that helps reduce waste by shipping less-than-beautiful but perfectly edible produce that otherwise would have been thrown out.

Another possibility: grow your own! The US has seen a resurgence of Victory Gardenssince the sheltering at home orders have gone national, and growing your greens is one way to reduce your reliance on traditional grocery stores.To get startedhere is a guide for indoor gardening, even in a tiny apartment or basement.

The journey to be a more ethical consumer goes beyond what we eat. In our globalized economy, many other systems play a part in our relationship to the world and people around us. When making buying decisions, plant-basedconsumers could consider the impact of the packagingour food comes in. Are your meal kits sent to you in low-waste packaging? Here is a master list of sustainable alternatives for common products.

There are many organizations that do great work to help consumers make ethical consumption. Some of them include Fair Trade, Food Is Power, Equitable Food, and Fair Food Program. The Foodprint initiative has many useful resources for understanding the carbon impact of your diet and has a guide to sustainable food labels to look out for.

The good news? Adopting a plant-based diet does inherently have a net positive impact on the global food system. Eating local, seasonal foods, staying informed, and using your voice to amplify the rights of others are just a few ways to have a say in how your diet affects the earth. Were all in it together.

See the original post here:
How Plant-Based Eating Impacts Communities and The Environment - The Beet

You will already be regularly washing your hands and social distancing, but many of us are still likely to become infected with coronavirus. Doing what you can now to improve your health and boost your immune system will help your body cope. Thankfully, the majority of cases are mild and you should recover within a week, though if your symptoms are persistent it is vital to seek medical advice from NHS 111 rather than try to continue to manage at home. With that in mind, heres what you can do to put yourself in the best position to help your recovery.

Tom Wingfield, a physician and clinical lecturer in infectious diseases at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, says you should avoid anything that damages your lungs stop smoking, and dont expose others to secondhand smoke. Open fires are not great, and if you have allergies that irritate your lungs, avoid what you can. One upside of the lockdown is that air pollution has decreased. And, says Wingfield, [general aerobic] exercise will help your lungs.

There is no magic supplement. The advice is as its always been: reduce your alcohol consumption, exercise, sleep well and reduce stress. A varied, balanced diet, with lots of vegetables and fruit, is important, but there is little evidence for most vitamin and mineral supplements.

Getting out in the sun each day can also be beneficial, says the GP Amir Khan. The majority of people have low vitamin D because we dont have enough sunlight in the UK, and we are coming out of winter. Vitamin D levels will be depleted, so theres no harm in taking a vitamin D tablet.

Many people who are suspected of having had the virus report at least one day of fatigue. Now is not the time to try to tough things out. Your body is using all its energy to fight a virus that is infecting cell after cell, says Khan. Even with mild symptoms, youll have some days when you feel fine and other days when you are tired and achey. You can potter around the house and make food if you need to, but you shouldnt be doing any more than that and, where possible, you should be on the sofa or in bed.

Once you develop a fever, he says, your body is starting to use energy to raise your core body temperature to make it an unfavourable environment for the virus to reproduce. You shouldnt wait until you feel tired [to rest], because by then youve expended too much energy already.

Khan says: Everybody should be sticking to two to three litres of fluid a day as normal. When you have a fever, says Saira Ghafur, an honorary respiratory consultant at St Marys hospital in London, you can become dehydrated, so you need to make sure that even if you dont feel like it, youre drinking as much as possible. If you feel youre not peeing very much, thats another sign youre very dehydrated and should seek medical advice.

Take paracetamol, rather than ibuprofen. There has been concern that ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory, could reduce immune function and make coronavirus symptoms worse, but there is not enough evidence to confirm this. Still, the advice is to take paracetamol for fever and muscle pain instead. If you have been prescribed ibuprofen and develop symptoms of Covid-19 then discuss that with your medical practitioner, says Wingfield.

Khan has seen advice online about taking vitamin C to treat coronavirus but that doesnt mean you should be trying this at home. It has been used intravenously in very, very high doses in hospitals in China. Thats a big difference to what you get in a tablet. The jury is still very much out in terms of using intravenous vitamin C for coronavirus.

Taking a vitamin C tablet from the chemist or supermarket wont stop you getting an infection and it wont help treat the infection, says Khan. And certainly dont try to take very high doses.

Dont pin your hopes on superfoods or the social media posts about alkaline foods (a virus doesnt have a pH level, and you cant change the bodys pH level through diet). What about garlic? It may help reduce the length of things like a cold, but wont prevent it, says Khan. And theres no evidence it has any effect on coronavirus.

Its far from clear. On Monday, the author JK Rowling shared a video of Sarfaraz Munshi, the head of urgent care at Queens hospital in Romford, London, demonstrating breathing techniques that he said could relieve symptoms and prevent someone developing a secondary pneumonia infection. People with asthma and those recovering from pneumonia are often helped by respiratory physiotherapists, says Wingfield, who can help support your breathing with exercises. The main thing you are trying to do is make patients lungs open as much as they can and try and get rid of some of the fluid and inflammatory material.

Coronavirus, says Khan, causes inflammation around the alveoli, the air sacs at the peripheries of the lungs, and it can damage them. It reduces your lung capacity. If you are safely managing your condition at home [on advice from a doctor or the NHS 111 service], then breathing exercises might help.

What youre really doing there is forcing air into the alveoli by taking big breaths in and holding the alveoli open, and that will help clear any excess mucus, pathogens, as well as stop them from becoming hardened, which can happen. This is with the caveat that you are safe to stay at home and you dont need to be in hospital. If theres any chance of pneumonia, you should be in hospital.

However, Laura Breach, a spokeswoman for the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care (ACPRC), says while the exercises should be harmless for healthy individuals, she would not advise them, adding that they could make symptoms worse in someone suffering breathlessness. Although Munshis video was well-intentioned, the ACPRC says the techniques are not correct (it is preparing its own video). If you did try the exercise, you only need to take three or four breaths so as not to hyperventilate and become dizzy, and if you have coronavirus symptoms, there is no need to make yourself cough as part of the exercise. We would always encourage nose-breathing rather than mouth-breathing, because your nose is really important in humidifying the air that you breathe in and catching any particles in the air, says Breach.

There is no evidence these exercises will help healthy people prepare for the illness, she says. There are patients with longer-term respiratory conditions and we do teach them techniques to give them a better starting point. If its something you should be doing then your healthcare professional will have already advised that. Instead, the ACPRC says: Propping yourself up with pillows, or leaning forward onto the back of a chair can be beneficial to breathlessness.

Wingfield also questions whether the exercises can aid recovery from coronavirus its a slightly evidence-free zone and says if you are having trouble breathing, you should seek medical help rather than simply try to follow breathing exercises at home. But they can keep your lungs moving, and some people might find these exercises meditative and stress-relieving, says Wingfield. Ghafur agrees: None of this is evidence-based.

One of the big things in intensive care that were seeing with a lot of patients, says Ghafur, is you have to put them on a ventilator in what we call a prone position, which basically means youre lying on your front. Its not in any recommended guidance for patients who are not in intensive care, but if youre able to lie on your front for a while that can help breathing. Theres no harm in trying it, she says, but only if youre generally fit and healthy. Do not try to lie on your front if you are older, infirm, have mobility problems or are pregnant.

Lying continuously on your back is not ideal. If you can sit and take deep breaths in and out, that will help any respiratory condition youre taking in a bigger lungful of air and that will help remove any mucus. However, she adds that there is no evidence that this will improve your recovery.

More:
Do breathing exercises really work? UK doctors on how to protect against coronavirus and manage symptoms - The Guardian

The national crisis over the coronavirus has resulted in governments deliberately shutting down much of Canadas economy and throwing millions of people out of work. Some journalists have speculated about whether we are entering another Depression like that which began in 1929, as though they have some recollection of what that was like. In fact, almost no one alive today actually remembers that era. Even those of us who have heard word-of-mouth stories from survivors of the Depression, as I did growing up, are elderly people now.

My father, Thomas Lyman, was born in 1910, the oldest of four brothers, in Dresden, Ont., between London and Detroit. My mother, Antoinette Phelan, the oldest of eight children in her family, was born in 1912 in Mount Forest, two hours northwest of Toronto. They came to adulthood in the early 1930s and survived the Great Depression. There was nothing great about it. It was a nightmare in peoples lives that lasted for over 10 years and did not really end until the Second World War. Today, we know that it was the result of widespread drops in world commodity prices and sudden declines in economic demand and credit, which led to sharp reductions in global trade and rising unemployment. Let me describe that in human terms.

It was a nightmare in peoples lives that lasted for over 10 years

There wasnt a national labour force survey, as there is now, but estimates are that, at times, as many as one-third of working-age people in Canada were unemployed. It was extremely difficult to get a job. If you did, the wages were very low. Employers could basically dictate the terms of employment. My father was lucky to be hired by the Canadian Bank of Commerce (a predecessor of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) to work as a bank teller in a small branch in Mount Forest, where he met my mother. My mother worked as a cashier in a five and dime, what today we would call a convenience store, and after business hours she did her chores on a farm. They spent the entire Depression in Mount Forest. The bank, however, prohibited its employees from marrying (they might produce children and ask for a raise) so my mother and father dated from 1930 until 1940 when he enlisted in the Canadian army, married and left for six years in Europe.

Sometime in the 1930s my grandfather lost his farm in Dresden and moved his family to Windsor, Ont. There he got a job working in Detroit for the Detroit Free Press. With no television and no internet, newspapers were almost as fail-safe employers as banks were. Times have changed.

For the most part, though, wages were so low that even employed people could afford only the fewest of non-essentials. There was little entertainment. My father reminisced once that a big night out was when four friends shared the cost of a case of beer and played cards all evening.

The birth rate dropped by a third. Tens of thousands of young men could not find work and were not eligible for even the meagre welfare provided by governments then, so they lived in shanty towns and moved from area to area (often as hideaways on railway boxcars) depending on the season.

Hundreds of thousands of people and businesses went bankrupt. The banks often seized the farms and other property of the people affected, so families were left homeless. Farm production dropped. If you lived on a farm, your main diet was often root crops and rhubarb. Many people got scurvy; almost everyone was hungry much of the time. The poor diets and bad living conditions shortened lives; children often had to leave school after Grade 8 so they could work and help support the family. Both wages and prices dropped throughout the 1930s. In Western Canada, two-thirds of the rural population was forced onto relief, the small support available from governments.

For many, the worst effect of the Depression was the sense of hopelessness it engendered. No one who has ever heard first-hand accounts of what that was like would ever want to experience it.

When people today talk about the possibility of so extending the shut-down of the Canadian economy as to place us on the path to a Depression, they have no idea what that would mean. I hope they never find out.

Robert Lyman was born in 1946, precisely nine months after his father returned from the war. He grew up in Windsor and currently lives in Ottawa.

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Yes, times are tough, but let's not pretend it's anything like 1929 - Financial Post

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the esophagus, or food pipe. The esophagus is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.

Eosinophilic esophagitis causes chronic inflammation in the esophagus, which can make it difficult for a person to eat, drink, or even swallow saliva. A person may also experience related symptoms, such as heartburn, nausea, and malnutrition.

Both adults and children can get eosinophilic esophagitis. In children, the condition can lead to developmental issues, such as stunted growth.

In this article, we provide information on the symptoms and causes of eosinophilic esophagitis. We also outline the dietary and medical treatment options available.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the esophagus.

In people with EoE, white blood cells called eosinophils build up within the inner lining of the esophagus. These eosinophils release substances that cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation of the esophagus may lead to symptoms such as difficulty eating or swallowing.

EoE is a rare condition, affecting about 1 in 2,000 people. However, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology state that the condition is becoming more common, though this may be partly because increased awareness has led to more diagnoses.

EoE can develop in children or adults and in people of all ethnicities. People who develop EoE typically have preexisting allergies, such as:

Experts have suggested that these allergies may trigger EoE in some cases.

The symptoms of EoE may differ from person to person. However, some of the more common symptoms include:

Children who develop EoE may become irritable and refuse to eat or drink. As a result, they may experience developmental problems, such as stunted growth.

Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that is not usually present in the esophagus. In EoE, eosinophils accumulate in this part of the body, causing inflammation of the esophageal tissues.

Scientists have noticed that many people who develop EoE have some type of allergy. As such, the consensus is that a persons immune response to an allergen may cause the accumulation of eosinophils in the esophagus.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, abnormal immune responses to foods are the leading cause of EoE. However, experts do not yet fully understand the mechanism by which foods trigger EoE.

Other potential allergens that could contribute to EoE include:

According to the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders, specific genes may also play a role in the development of EoE.

To diagnose EoE, a doctor will ask about a persons symptoms and whether they have any allergies.

If the doctor suspects EoE, an upper endoscopy (UE) will be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. A UE involves passing a long, flexible tube called an endoscope down the esophagus. A small camera on the end of the endoscope allows the doctor to look for inflammation.

During the procedure, the doctor may take a small sample of the esophageal tissue for further examination. The presence of eosinophils within the sample would indicate EoE.

A person who receives a diagnosis of EoE may require further medical tests to identify any allergens underlying the condition.

In most cases, a doctor will recommend an elimination diet, which involves removing food triggers from the diet and monitoring the effect on EoE symptoms.

Occasionally, they may use a blood test to detect a type of immune cell called immunoglobulin E (IgE), which a persons immune system releases in response to certain allergens. High levels of IgE indicate that the body is overreacting to an allergen.

A skin prick test is also an option. This test involves using a fine needle to insert a small amount of a suspected allergen beneath the skin. Redness or swelling at the site of the skin prick test suggests an allergic reaction to the substance.

However, blood tests and skin prick tests may not be useful, as they commonly produce false-positive results. Also, as experts believe that EoE may not be IgE-mediated, these tests may have little to no value.

There is currently no cure for EoE. However, a combination of dietary changes and medical treatments may help manage inflammation and alleviate symptoms.

Elimination diets can help a person identify their trigger foods so that they can avoid them in the future. There are different types of elimination diet, which vary in terms of convenience and effectiveness.

A doctor may recommend one of the following three elimination diets:

Empiric elimination diets involve removing all foods that commonly affect EoE. Such foods include:

Food test-directed elimination diets involve eliminating any food that a person has previously shown sensitivity to during a skin prick test.

After eliminating these foods from the diet, a person monitors their symptoms to check for any improvement.

Elemental diets involve using a special formula to supplement or replace the diet. The formula contains a combination of amino acids, which provide nutrition without triggering EoE.

Elemental diets are the most extreme treatment option, and doctors usually only recommend them for children. However, they may be necessary if other approaches are not working.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have not yet approved any medications for the treatment of EoE. However, the following treatments may help manage inflammation or alleviate symptoms:

Most people with eosinophilic esophagitis will require ongoing treatment. However, the disorder is unlikely to cause further chronic illness or affect life expectancy.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the esophagus. People who have the condition may experience difficulty eating and drinking, which can lead to complications, such as weight loss and malnutrition.

The exact cause of EoE remains unclear. However, most people who develop the condition have preexisting allergies. Experts generally agree that these allergies may contribute to EoE.

There is no cure for EoE. However, a combination of dietary changes and medical treatments can help reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms.

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Eosinophilic esophagitis: Definition, symptoms, and treatment - Medical News Today

A map of planned changes to Liberty StreetCity of CincinnatiIt took roughly seven years to go from suggestions by neighborhood groups to fleshed out plans to wrangling at City Hall to reality, but it's finally here: work began this week on an effort to make Liberty Street safer for pedestrians and once again tie together the northern and southern halves of Over-the-Rhine.

The $7.4 million worth of alterations now underway along Liberty Street touch three neighborhoods and mark the first significant changes to the major OTR thoroughfare since the 1950s, when it was dramatically widened, proponents say.

"We have two different sides of the community," Over-the-Rhine Community Council President Maurice Wagoner said today. "It's difficult to cross Liberty Street and be safe going back to both sides of the neighborhood... It's been very gratifying to bring this neighborhood and make it one, instead of 'north of Liberty and south of Liberty,' again after 60 years."

The changes will include one less lane of traffic; medians; bump-outs at Sycamore, Main, Walnut, Vine, Race and Elm streets and Central Parkway; pedestrian islands; trees; and other features stretching from Sycamore Street to Central Parkway.

That's a busy seam between the two parts of OTR where pedestrians experience significant danger. Other improvements including repaving will stretch from Reading Road in Pendleton to Dalton Avenue in Queensgate. The intersection of Liberty Hill and Liberty Street will also receive a traffic light.

Council member Jeff Pastor lived on Sycamore Street when he was a child, he says.

"I've taken my own life in my hands many times as a kid just trying to cross Liberty," he said. "I watched my grandmother do the same thing. I think much of the job on city council is to fix the scars in our city. Liberty Street is one of those scars and this project will see one of our 52 neighborhoods attached back together."

The road narrowing was among the proposals brought to council in 2013 by representatives of the Over-the-Rhine Brewery District in northern OTR. But it encountered years of political turbulence.

Cincinnati City Council May 1 last year voted 8-1 to approve a road diet for Liberty Street though that plan was a little different from original proposals.

Concerns about on-street parking, access to FC Cincinnati's coming stadium and the cost of moving a major water main that runs underneath Liberty Street all played into a protracted fight around the proposed alterations.

Supporters of narrowing the street say the artery, widened in the late 1950s at the expense of a number of buildings, is a barrier for pedestrian flow between the two sides of OTR.

"There are two schools that sit directly on Liberty Street," Cincinnati City Council member Chris Seelbach said today. "Young kids cross this seven-lane highway every day. We wanted to make it safer. Second, we wanted to try and bridge Over-the-Rhine back together."

But those opposed to narrowing the street pointed out that it connects the neighborhood and the West End to both I-71 and I-75, and that the coming FC Cincinnati soccer stadium is likely to bring more congestion and traffic to the area.

The new compromise plan will reduce Liberty Street to six lanes. That's one more lane than the original five-lane plan drawn up after several years of community input and study, but one less lane than an alternate plan supported by Mayor John Cranley that would have added bump-outs to some sections of the road while keeping it at seven lanes. The seven-lane plan would have preserved parking on both sides of Liberty Street. The so-called five-lane plan would have potentially restricted parking on both sides during peak hours.

The compromise plan will end up reclaiming less right-of-way for future development than the five-lane plan would have 10 feet but also preserves most of the parking on the street, the city says, and won't cause the relocation of a water main that would have cost roughly $800,000.

Council member Seelbach, who long championed the original five-lane plan, called the eventual project underway now an example of how differing sides can come together and get things done.

Work should be done by March 2021, Seelbach says.

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Work Finally Begins on Liberty Street Narrowing Project in Over-the-Rhine - Cincinnati CityBeat

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