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As we enter the 2020s, mobile phones increasingly dominate our daily lives. Some of us older folks still use them to make calls, but more often we are sending and receiving texts, emails, Facebook messages and Snapchats.

Or were looking at photos and videos on Instagram and YouTube. And Facebook. And Snapchat.

Or were watching full movies and television series on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Apple TV+, or Disney+.

Or were catching live sports on several of the above, plus ESPN, NFL Network, or one of many other apps Im not hip enough to know about.

Some call it an addiction, or even an epidemic. I dont know if I believe all of that, though I will admit that kids who can operate a cellphone better than I do may have a different experience by the time theyre in their thirties.

I decided that I needed to limit my time on these devices and apps. And I feel like Ive been more productive as a result.

The Internet is littered ironically with articles and blog posts about how to limit ones time on social media and consuming visual entertainment. But I never paid much attention, sure I was not frittering away all my time on my device.

Then Apple, perhaps to help combat this wasting of hours, introduced the Screen Time feature on its iPhones.

I still didnt pay much attention, until I started trying to balance more plates. And as my commitments grew, my free time shrunk.

Or did it?

When looking ahead at how I could get everything done and still sleep, I thought about the entertainment hours I could cut.

I could not stop reading new books. In fact, I needed to make time to read more.

Cutting television and movie viewing was the first logical choice. But how much time would that really save me every day?

The report was not flattering. I had, on average, three hours of visual entertainment I could cut. And as I dug deeper, a bigger problem emerged: social networking.

All the time mindlessly scrolling through social media was adding up. Adding up, on some days, to more than four hours on my phone consuming memes and status updates and reading pointless arguments.

The truth was stunning. On some days, I was spending an entire workday on my phone getting nothing done. There is a section on the Screen Time app for productivity, but it was the smallest bar on the graph. By far.

As a first step to limiting my time on social media and television/movies, I borrowed a trick from my struggles with overeating.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Keeping my phone in a different area while working helped immediately. If the phone wasnt in my pocket, constantly buzzing and asking to be checked, I didnt.

Of course, the distractions offered by the phone are also available on the Internet via my laptop. (If I used a tablet, the same would apply.) And when I began finding my browser open to Twitter or Facebook or Amazon Prime, I realized Id have to take it a step further.

It took a few minutes, but I eventually figured out how to turn off the internet on the Wi-Fi for my computer. (Yes, it is possible.)

Without instant access to the Internet or my cellphones data, I was cut off from the distractions.

I could turn the wireless capability back on and retrieve my phone from its hiding place, obviously. But trying it out, even for a few hours, was liberating. In those three hours, I could write or edit or do whatever work needed to be done noticeably faster.

Next up was creating a schedule. I considered going eight straight hours cut off from the digital world, but two things occurred to me.

First, my cellphone is the best way to reach me for emergencies. The thought of an eight-hour delay from getting such news was unsettling.

Also, Ive gone eight hours straight with no breaks, and its not conducive to producing quality work, no matter what field youre in.

So I now take a 15-minute break in the morning and the afternoon, and a longer lunch around midday, with no more than three hours between them.

And its only during these breaks that I check social media on my phone or computer. I try to adhere to this schedule even on the weekends, with moderate success.

I indulge a bit in the evenings, but I now find it easier to reach for a book even if its on the Kindle app on my phone rather than the endless scroll of social media.

By the time you read this, itll have been about three months since I went on my device diet. I highly recommend it to anyone who feels like they need more hours in the day.

Read more here:
Reality Check: Need more time in the day? Go on a device diet - Brownwood Bulletin

This is part ofCanadian Health and Wellness, a series in which Corus radio stations nationwide dig into health issues facing Canadians with the help of some of todays most respected diet and exercise practitioners. Read the rest of the series here.

When it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, most health professionals will tell you that it starts with what you put into your body.

But what do we need to eat to fuel our bodies when were working different jobs? Basically, it depends on how much of your day you spend sedentary.

It comes down to the energy requirements and what the physical demands are, says registered dietitian Katrina DuBois.

If you are being more physically active, you are going to need more food just because youre moving a lot more than somebody whos sitting all day, and your needs for protein and carbohydrates are going to be a little bit higher than somebody whos not moving as much.

The sedentary worker

The biggest challenge that office workers face is the fact that food is all around us now, and theres a tendency to almost overdo it while youre eating at work, says Heidi Bates, director of integrated dietetic internship at the University of Alberta.

Popping down to Starbucks for that coffee and a muffin which doesnt seem like much if you dont make the right choice and have a very simple coffee and a very small muffin, your morning snack could actually be the calorie equivalent of a full fast-food meal.

DuBois agrees and says people who are sitting for long periods of time say, an office worker or a long-haul truck driver need to imagine a dinner plate and split that plate into quarters when planning their meals.

Its really important to keep in mind that we need half of our plate coming from vegetables, she said. So were really loading our plate with that fibre, really lots of high-end vitamins and minerals, so that were fuelling our body with that, and its going to help keep us full for longer periods of time. And the other quarter of our plate, its going to be coming from protein, and then the last quarter, grains and starches.

Both experts agree that eating something healthy and small every two to three hours is the best way to keep the more sedentary worker focused and productive through the day.

That way, youre keeping the amount of sugar in your blood, which is fuelling your brain, kind of constant across the whole day, Bates says.

The active worker

For someone who needs to fuel their body to be more active throughout the day, dietary choices shouldnt change too much from what a more sedentary worker would eat, but DuBois recommends imagining that same dinner plate and splitting it into thirds instead.

A third is coming from the protein, a third coming from grains and a third would be coming from vegetables, she says.

One of the bigger challenges of eating healthy for someone like a construction worker may come from the fact that a fridge and a microwave arent readily available. In that case, chef Lisa Lindquist recommends reaching for a thermos and bringing along chili or soup with a lot of protein and easy-to-store snacks.

Something like beef jerky or some grapes or something for an afternoon snack will help you avoid being depleted, Lindquist says.

The athlete

For an athlete, the caloric intake to fuel their body through training, practice and games may be even higher than the average active worker, but an athletes diet also tends to take more prepping and planning.

Theyre going to be requiring a lot more food to keep their energy levels up and to keep their productivity levels high because thats going to relate directly to how their productivity is being affected, DuBois said.

But there still isnt one formula for all when it comes to an athletes diet. It can vary widely from sport to sport and even from position to position in a given sport.

Linemen are big, powerful guys, and their diet can have more fat in it because they need to be bigger in general, Edmonton Eskimos wide receiver Natey Adjei said. They need to keep their weight on because part of their job is keeping grown men away from our quarterback. So they need to have as a good mix of fat and muscle on their body. So, you know, with their diet, itd be typically a lot different, more calories.

However, Adjei, who needs to stay nimble and light on his feet as he attempts to score a touchdown, focuses on lean proteins and very balanced diets.

Youre getting all your food groups: youre getting your protein, youre getting your carbs, youre getting your grains in every meal and also your vegetables, he said. So everything is included, and it needs to be lean.

For Edmonton Oilers forward Sam Gagner, his diet changes depending on his schedule.

For myself, I always find that if I can get as many carbs as I can post-game, I tend to respond a lot better, he said. During the day, Ill limit carbs a little bit more. And then around my training, you add some more into it.

Not only are you spending a lot of energy playing the game, but theres the stress factor of thinking about it all day and that kind of stuff. You got to try to get as many nutrients as you can post-game to make sure you recover for the next day.

Finding balance

Regardless of the type of work you do, Bates, DuBois and Lindquist all agree that its important to find what works for you to fuel your body but also allow you to enjoy life.

Its what you do most of the time that counts, Bates says. At every office, youre going to have those events where somebody shows up with something. But its when it starts to be an everyday feature of things things can really add up.

Lindquist says planning your meals ahead can help you to stay on track.

Meal planning makes a big difference because you want to set yourself up for success, so whenever you can plan ahead and kind of visualize what those events are going to look like for you, then you can make really good choices ahead of time and still allow yourself to enjoy it, too, and enjoy some treats, Lindquist says.

Meanwhile, Adjei says he takes a break from his balanced diet every now and then.

Its kind of like, you know, pride at the end of the week, Adjei says of so-called cheat meals. Like you went through a hard week of practice, you got through the game, and now its time to try to relax and treat yourself before you get back into the grind.

- Global News

Originally posted here:
BEYOND LOCAL: Experts say how you should fuel your body depends on your line of work - TimminsToday

It's a way of thinking about eating that takes you back to babyhood, when you ate what you wanted for as long as you wanted and when full, turned away.

Intuitively, your baby self knew when you'd had enough, thank you, so you shut your mouth. And you didn't open it to food again until you were hungry.

"It's a backlash to diet culture. People are getting sick of being told what to do," said Tribole, who has authored nine books on nutrition.

"It's time to let go of a dieting system that is toxic," said Resch, a nutrition therapist who specializes in eating disorders. "The data show that 95% of people who go on diets fail at them, and if they've lost weight, two thirds of them gain even more weight back."

"The only alternative is to start trusting the body and feeling the freedom and enjoyment of food that comes with that," she said.

So forget the word "diet." Intuitive eating teaches you to listen to your body's cues about food, once your mind is free of the "dos and don'ts" of eating.

10 Principles

The scientific mechanism behind intuitive eating is called "interoceptive awareness," or the ability to perceive physical sensations that arise within the body.

"Intuitive eating is really instinct, emotion and thought," Resch said. "It's the instinct, hunger, fullness. What we like, what we don't like. But you also monitor your emotions and your thoughts because the cognitive distortions, the diet myths that are in our culture, can affect our eating."

Studies show people who are in touch with their body's needs have enhanced wellbeing and quality of life, Tribole said.

"People who score high on intuitive eating have more body appreciation, they enjoy their eating better, they have less disordered eating," such as restrictive eating, meal skipping, chronic dieting, and feelings of guilt and shame about food, Tribole said.

How does one learn -- or relearn -- how to become an intuitive eater? By following 10 basic principles, say Tribole and Resch.

Discover the satisfaction factor

If you aren't experiencing pleasure from the food you eat, then you'll never feel satisfied by eating. Yet many people deny themselves foods that will "hit the spot."

"To me, satisfaction is the guiding force of intuitive eating because if you put your focus on being satisfied, then it's going to inform hunger, fullness and respecting your body, and it's going to inform making peace with food," Resch said.

"Satisfaction is the vehicle to get you to decide to start eating when comfortably hungry, rather than not hungry at all," she adds, while stressing that weight control is not a part of intuitive eating.

Reject the diet culture

This is a key principle in intuitive eating -- rejecting the "toxic" diet culture that says you have to look a certain way in order to be an acceptable person worthy of love and acceptance.

You will never -- ever -- get on a scale while eating intuitively, say Resch and Tribole.

"Weight stigma, which is part of diet culture, basically says there's something wrong with you if you're not conforming to that culturally thin ideal," Resch said. "But what if you are DNA programmed to be in a larger body? It's cruel and toxic to tell people that they need to shrink to conform."

The danger of dieting, said Tribole, is that it works in the short term. But she added science has shown that within two to five years, the weight comes back -- in spades.

"Our model is about engaging in healthy behaviors that are sustainable," Tribole said. "Weight is not a behavior. So intuitive eating is all about taking the focus off weight."

Make peace with food

Once you have a "don't eat" sign on a food, Resch said, you'll only want it more.

"The brilliant survival part of our brain recognizes that the organism is in danger and is being starved, and sends out chemicals to get you to overeat emotionally," she said.

To combat this, Tribole suggests listing all the foods you reject or restrict, and then rank them from "scariest" -- what you think is worse for you or makes you gain weight -- to least "scary."

Pick one (maybe the least scary, Tribole suggests) and then a couple of hours after a meal, find a calm, quiet place and eat as much of that food as you like.

"Making peace with food means giving yourself license to eat. There's no judgment. There's no good food, there's no bad food," Resch said.

By bringing out the "peace pipe" with that food, you end its power over you, she said.

"It will help you make sure that all foods are 'emotionally equivalent,' " Resch said. "They may not be nutritionally equivalent, but they're emotionally equivalent, meaning that you have the same emotional reaction to whatever you eat -- you don't feel guilty or bad about eating something."

Sound too good to be true?

"After a couple of days, all my clients end up with really great balance," Resch said. "They want a salad because that instinct in your body wants balance."

Honor your hunger

Hunger is not the enemy, say Resch and Tribole. It's your body's signal for survival, and thus deserves to be treated with respect. By learning to "honor" your hunger, they say, you can heal your relationship with food -- and learn to trust your body.

A key principle is not waiting until you're ravenously hungry to eat.

"Then you're in that primal hunger, as we call it, where you can't think straight and you just got to get the food in as fast as you can," Resch said.

Signs of hunger may vary from person to person. Some might feel a "subtle gnawing" in the throat or esophagus; other might get sleepy and lethargic; still others might get a headache; or have no signs at all until they begin to eat (and overeat). Those signs can flux when sleep deprived, traveling or stressed at work as well.

Learning your unique signs of hunger will put you on the path to getting back in touch with your body's needs, say Resch and Tribole.

Feel the fullness

Once you've learned how to recognize your hunger, it's time to feel the fullness. That's difficult in a busy culture which encourages eating while working, on our smartphones or driving in the car.

To counter that, the intuitive eating philosophy recommends making meals "sacred time," as much as possible. The idea, Tribole said, is to create a space free of distraction, including TVs, smartphones and other electronics. Eat sitting down. In the middle of the meal, pause, and ask yourself how you feel -- any signs of fullness?

If that's tough, Tribole has a "3-bite option." After the first bite, check in and see how you feel about the food -- pleasant, unpleasant or neutral? In the middle of the meal, pause for bite two and do the same while checking for signs of fullness. At your last bite check in again and rate your fullness -- does it feel good, bad or neutral?

She even has another tip: Try eating a meal with your non-dominant hand. That's one way to get your mind to pay attention!

Challenge the food police

At some point along the intuitive eating journey, the food police ingrained in your brain will begin to guilt you, say Tribole and Resch. How could it not when you've spent your life in a culture that tells you what is good and bad to eat? Or shames you for the size and shape of your body?

"The psychological part of it is so powerful," Resch said. "We have to be aware of what is accurate thinking and what is distortive thinking by diet culture."

The solution is to say a loud "No!" to those thoughts in your head, she said. If you have trouble, reach out to a trained nutritionist or counselor.

Cope with emotions without using food

Everyone eats for comfort now and again. That's ok, Resch said, and becoming connected with your body will allow you to recognize when you're stress eating or sad eating. That's because you'll realize you're not hungry.

"We have to be aware of how our emotions may cause us to make different decisions about eating," Resch said. "It's getting to the point where you can separate the emotions of comfort from using food in a destructive way."

Food doesn't fix feelings, Tribole said. Try reaching out to friends and family, taking a walkabout in nature, meditating, even reading or playing with a pet. You could also find a good counselor.

"Talking about your wellness and health can lead to increased physical health and emotional health," Resch said. "And then we just have to really listen to hunger and fullness and get back in tune with that."

Respect your body | Feel the difference | Gentle nutrition

These last three pillars of intuitive eating are broader than just understanding your relationship with food.

"The whole point of intuitive eating is about either healing or cultivating a healthy relationship with food, mind and body," Tribole said. "It's really an inside job. It's listening to what's going on with your entire body."

That means addressing all aspects of health, Resch said: "Enough sleep, stress reduction, work-life balance, exercise that makes you happy, all the things that you do as part of self-care and wellness."

But be careful about embracing the "wellness movement" until you have freed yourself from the diet culture, Resch said.

"So many people are avoiding certain foods and saying it's for wellness, but really the intent is to change their bodies, she said. "The wellness movement can be a cover for getting thinner.

"Anytime there is a focus on weight loss, it will sabotage the intuitive eating process, " Resch added, "because someone will eat something that is not on the diet and get into that same cycle of, 'I feel bad that I ate it. Now I'm broken it and I'll keep eating it.' "

Resch said it also means rejecting society's negative opinion about your body -- if you have experienced that -- and banishing your own sense of shame. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes.

"I've been in practice 38 years and there are many people who are just absolutely in tune with their bodies, and with eating, and they live in larger bodies," Resch said. "They've been larger all their lives and they are healthy -- great cholesterol, great blood pressure -- cause their bodies are meant to be there."

"The majority of us are born with all of this internal wisdom about eating," Resch said. "We just need to listen to it."

More here:
Intuitive eating: The anti-diet, or how pleasure from food is the answer, say its creators - CNN

Sacramento, La Quinta and San Luis Obispo are among the cities that have been awarded gas tax dollars to create protected bike lanes by eliminating or reducing the size of lanes used by motor vehicles.

When Governor Newsom signedExecutive Order N-19-19 September 20, he directed the already controversial, voter-approved gas tax money away from fixing local highways (as voters were promised) in favor of rail projects. Simultaneously, cities have been using the funding not to improve roads or increase auto lanes, but instead for ongoing road diets and increasing bicycle lanes.

But the attempt to get California drivers out of their cars and onto public transit or bicycles isnt working out as central planners hoped.

Newsoms latest road plan for California eliminates two important highway expansion projects on vital freight corridors in Central California. Plans to increase stretches of Highway 99 from four to six lanes in the Central Valley have been put on the back burner.

Governor Newsom is intentionally starving us out of our roads, Assemblyman Jim Patterson told California Globe in October. Voters approved SB 1 with the promise that our crumbling highways would get the attention they deserve. Instead of building capacity, our gas tax funds are being siphoned off to fund Newsoms favored pet-projects, Patterson said. Governor Newsoms promise not to forget about the Central Valley is full of hot air, just like his climate plan.

Its as if the Governor wants California residents to reach back to the 19th Century when bicycles and trains were the only transportation, other than horses and wagons.

Coinciding with Californias reduction of automobile lanes and the increase of bicycle lanes in congested cities comes a new report from California Healthline showing that more cyclists died in traffic accidents from 2016 through 2018 across the state than during any three-year period in the past 25 years. California Healthline is a service of theCalifornia Health Care Foundation, which says it is especially focused on strengthening Medi-Cal.

However the article claims the increase in bicycle fatalities is because there are more autos on the road and bigger autos like SUVs often have larger blind spots than those of smaller cars, making it more difficult to see a cyclist. And it was not noted that California routinely has the highest number of bicycle-related fatalities of any statein the United States.

The article also omitted how many bicyclists were not wearing helmets.

The more people are driving, the higher the probability of an incident, said Jennifer Boldry, director of research at PeopleForBikes, a national nonprofit that advocates for greater bike access and safety, California Healthline reported.

The obvious conclusion for the pro-cycling, anti-auto crowd is to reduce auto lanes, reduce speed limits, encourage more bicycling and less auto driving. It might be a nice goal, but in California it is not realistic with the state spread out across more than 160,000 miles.

Sacramento, La Quinta and San Luis Obispo are among the cities that have been awarded gas tax dollars to create protected bike lanes by eliminating or reducing the size of lanes used by motor vehicles, the Los Angeles Times reported. The goal of the project is not just to make Sacramento a more bicycle-friendly city but also to improve public safety, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said.

These were streets with some of the highest numbers of fatal and serious crashes in the city, Steinberg said. When we looked at why, the primary collision factor on the streets was unsafe speeds. And one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to reduce the speeds is to reduce the number of travel lanes.

Sacramento has implemented this scheme by removing lanes for autos, and adding bicycle lanes right next to traffic. This has caused daily lengthy backups on major arteries leading into and out of downtown. This has also caused many drivers to cut through residential areas, adding significant traffic on streets once reserved for children riding bikes, mothers pushing strollers, walkers, joggers and dog walkers.

And, doesnt idling traffic also emit more of the dreaded greenhouse gas?

Matt Rocco, a spokesman for the California Department of Transportation said, Road diets, like other operational improvements, can help improve the flow of traffic and improve safety for the motorists, bicyclist and pedestrians.

Attempts to force people out of their cars have not worked. Lane and road diets only cause more congestion and pollution and bicycle fatalities when autos and bicycles are forced to share the road.

According to the National Motorist Association, increased traffic on residential streets is often caused by the mismanagement of the main arterials and collector streets. When cities improperly install stop signs, mistime traffic signals and underpost speed limits that have no relation to actual vehicle speeds, drivers will find other streets that flow better.

The City of Sacramento has been implementing road diets for many years, creating total chaos downtown, and in urban residential areas. Streets that were once two-way with four lanes are now one way with two lanes, or with one lane and increased bicycle lanes.

Roundabouts have been added in some downtown urban residential and light commercial areas with disastrous results; emergency vehicles cannot navigate around them.

And autos have fewer places to park. What the central planners fail to take into consideration is that not everyone in Californias big cities lives and works downtown. Even people who choose to live downtown dont all work within walking distance some actually leave downtown daily to work in large data centers in the suburbs, manufacturing factories in the outlying industrial areas, retail areas, and office complexes away from downtown.

In May, the state Senate approved a bill requiring Caltrans to develop policies that encourage the creation of more bikeways, sidewalks and crosswalks on state highways that are surface streets, the LA Times reported.

Motorists are fighting back, the National Motorists Association reported. In 2017, commuters using two important commuting thoroughfares in Playa del Rey became so enraged that they not only formed two groups to fight city hall but also started a recall campaign against the city councilman who championed the road diet in the first place. In October, the city reversed the road diet.

Bicycle fatalities will continue as long as urban planners continue to try and force people out of their cars. Motorists deserve roads that not only work, but can also be put to work, National Motorists Association said. That means allowing people the freedom to travel to the destination of their choice when they want with the least amount of interference. That is a fundamental principle of the American way of life. It also means keeping roads open for the movement of goods and services that is essential for society as a whole.

In 2016, the National Motorists Association launched aSTREETS THAT WORKinitiative designed to influence lawmakers and educate the public on the societal benefits of freedom of mobility.The NMA initiative is the antidote for Vision Zero, which aspires by government mandate and at great cost fiscally and in terms of personal autonomy to reshape urban transportation.

STREETS THAT WORKadvocates for:

As for the California Healthline article, they never questioned anyone except bicycle advocates. Consequently, there was no discussion of the physics involved when bicycles and autos mush share the road physics always wins.

Dave Snyder, executive director of the California Bicycle Coalition, or CalBike, said many California cities have made significant progress in improving infrastructure in recent years, resulting in safer roads for cyclists. Still, he said, more needs to be done in more places, California Healthline reported.

Some people see 2,000-pound or larger vehicles going 40 to 60 miles per hour within a few feet of them, and they think, No way. Thats not safe, and its not fun, Snyder said. Theres no reason why that has to be. Theres no reason why we cant create networks of bikeways, even on the main streets, that are protected from that high-speed traffic.

As the National Motorists Association concludes, motorists have the largest majority of any interest group in the country. Collectively, we have a mighty big voice when it comes to things like road diets and traffic calming.

More here:
Governor's Theft of Gas Tax Funding: Reduction in Auto Lanes, Increased Bike Fatalities - California Globe

Most people have heard about the necessity of including omega-3 fats in their diets, but they are unsure of the food sources that supply them. Busy work schedules and long days tempt people to eat quick and easy meals from a fast food restaurant or pre-made dinners from the freezer. A steady diet of manufactured foods can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, as well as a lack of essential omega-3 fats.

Omega-3 fats are essential to good heart health. The inclusion of omega-3 rich foods in the diet are believed to considerably lower the risk of fatal heart attacks. Over the centuries, the human diet has changed drastically. The hunter-gatherers who subsisted on their hunting and fishing skills along with the natural plant life they gathered, had a diet that contained a balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fats.

Most of the food they consumed was low in total fat and saturated fat. As humans have become more dependent on manufactured foods, including vegetable oils and margarine, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is out of balance from the original 2:1 to 10-20:1.

The primary benefit of omega-3 fats is improved heart health. Your cardiovascular health benefits from lower blood pressure, fewer triglyceride concentrations, and an improved endothelial function, which promotes the growth of new blood vessels.

Omega-3 fats also contribute to healthier and stronger bones, protection against both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, reduced risk of Crohns disease, and lessens the chance of developing autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and nephropathy.

Medical research has determined omega-3 fats assist in promoting the growth of new blood vessels and are antiarrhythmic, antithrombotic, antiatherosclerotic, and anti-inflammatory. Some research suggests omega-3 fats also reduce the risk of Parkinsons and Alzheimers disease.

The foods listed here contain natural omega-3 fats. Avoid processed foods that have added omega-3 fats.

These are just a few of foods containing omega-3 fats, and the list starts with items containing the highest quantity. An online search will provide you with many more foods, and you are sure to find some you will enjoy adding to your diet.

Omega-3 fats are necessary for good heart function and health. If you havent been getting an adequate supply in your diet, start adding omega-3 fat-rich foods to your daily meals. Your whole body will benefit from this essential food element.

Read the original:
The Importance of Omega-3 Fats to Overall Health - Taste Terminal

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Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Recent data shows that one person dies every 37 seconds in the U.S. from heart disease. About 647,000 Americans die from heart disease each yearthats one in every four deaths.

Some of the major factors contributing to heart disease include stress, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, smoking and congenital heart defects.

Fortunately, about 80% of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, are preventable. Meaning, by sticking to a healthy lifestyle you can keep heart ailments at bay for good.

Here are seven surefire tips to keep your ticker in the best shape, according to experts:

#1 Stay physically active.

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"Exercise, especially aerobic exercises like running, cycling, dancing or swimming, is essential for optimal cardiovascular health," says Dr. Amnon Beniaminovitz, a multi board-certfied cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology. Besides helping you maintain or reach a healthy weight, aerobic exercise helps lower blood pressure, reduce stress, increase HDL and improve blood sugar regulation. In addition, "it promotes positive physiological changes, such as encouraging the heart's arteries to dilate more readily," tells Dr. Beniaminovitz. "It also helps your sympathetic nervous system (which controls your heart rate and blood pressure) to be less reactive," he adds. According to a Harvard Health Publishing report, exercising regularly also helps grow more blood vessels by expanding the network of capillaries. "In turn, muscle cells boost levels of the enzymes that allow them to use oxygen to generate energy. More oxygen-rich blood and more efficient metabolism: it's the formula that explains why people who exercise regularly enhance their endurance and strength," it explains. Dr. Beniaminovitz recommends establishing a morning workout routine, ideally lasting 30-40 minutes. Here are three kinds of exercises that are great for your heart health. Other than that, try to keep moving throughout the day as largely a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of developing heart-related issues, even if you workout regularly. So take the stairs, have walking meetings, invest in a standing work station or take a short walk during lunch break. Bottom line: Stay physically active as much as possible.

#2 Load up on whole foods.

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Eating mostly whole foods that are free from any kind of additives is crucial for better cardiovascular health. "A heart-healthy diet consists of lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, legumes, eggs, poultry and healthy fats (fatty fish, olive oil, etc.)," says Rachel Berman, registered dietitian and general manager of Verywell. Both Dr. Beniaminovitz and Berman recommend following the Mediterranean Diet. Dr. Beniaminovitz also suggests keeping a food log to help monitor your daily diet and make better food choices. Here are some heart-healthy foods you should eat more often:

#3 Cut back on processed foods.

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Processed foods are packed with harmful ingredients like trans fat, saturated fats, MSG and added sugar and sodium. "Trans fats, both artificial and naturally-occurring, raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels," says Dr. Beniaminovitz. "Eating trans fats is also linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes," he adds. Similarly, "consuming foods that contain saturated fats also raises the bad cholesterol levels in your blood, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke," explains the cardiologist. Meanwhile, eating salty foods increases the amount of sodium in your bloodstream. "Extra sodium in the blood pulls water into your blood vessels, increasing the total amount or volume of blood inside them. With more blood flowing through your blood vessels, the blood pressure increases," says Dr. Beniaminovitz. "Its like turning up the water supply to a garden hosethe pressure in the hose increases as more water is blasted through it," he explains. Over time, "high blood pressure may overstretch or injure the blood vessel walls and speed the build-up of gunky plaque that can block blood flow. Also, the added pressure tires out the heart by forcing it to work harder to pump blood through the body," tells the heart specialist. "Consuming too much added sugar is just as bad for your heart health," says Berman. It can contribute to high blood pressure, weight gain, diabetes and inflammationall of which are linked to a higher risk of stroke and heart attack. "The recommended amount of added sugar for an average adult is less than 100-150 calories per day," tells the dietitian. Here are ten processed foods that are worst for your health.

#4 Manage stress.

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While some amount of stress is actually good for you, the key is to keep stress and anxiety from spiraling. "Excessive stress can lead to an increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, inflammation and abnormal heart rhythmsall of which are bad for your ticker," says Dr. Beniaminovitz. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), deep breathing and realistic goal setting are some ways to manage your stress levels effectively. Here are a few more tips to control and reduce stress.

#5 Say no to smoking.

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"Studies after studies have shown that quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do to ensure better cardiovascular health," says Dr. Beniaminovitz. "It causes inflammation and damage to all vascular beds and is a major cause of heart attacks and strokes," he adds. Moreover, research highlights that smoking elevates heart rate, tightens major arteries and can cause an irregular heart rhythm, all of which force your ticker to work harder, states Texas Heart Institute. Even passive smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. According to the CDC, secondhand smoke causes nearly 34,000 premature deaths from heart disease each year in the U.S. among nonsmokers.

#6 Watch your alcohol intake.

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"Alcohol is a direct cardiotoxin and is bad for your heart," says Dr. Beniaminovitz. "Excessive drinking can lead to the weakening of the heart, increased inflammation, high blood pressure, higher LDL or bad cholesterol levels," says the cardiologist. "Heavy drinking may also prematurely age arteries over time, particularly in men, when compared to moderate drinkers," says the American Heart Association. Moreover, "binge drinkinghaving five or more drinks in two hours for men or four or more drinks for womenmay put you at higher risk for atrial fibrillation, an irregular or quivering heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke and heart failure," it adds. "If you dont drink already, dont start. If you do drink, talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of consuming alcohol in moderation," suggests AHA.

#7 Make sleep a priority.

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"Poor sleep increases the levels of stress hormones (like cortisol and adrenaline) in your body. These hormones lead to an increased production of glucose, which can contribute to diabetes and obesity," tells Dr. Beniaminovitz. "These stress hormones also increase baseline heart rate and blood pressure causing the heart to work harder," he says. Poor sleep also adversely affects our food choices, making us crave more carbohydrate-rich foods like candy, fries, sugary beverages, etc., adds cardiologist. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults (aged 26-64) should get seven to nine hours of sleep per night while older adults (aged 65+) should sleep for seven to eight hours every night. If you've trouble falling asleep, check out this helpful guide from Mayo Clinic.

And lastly, don't forget to request your healthcare provider to conduct screening tests for blood pressure, cholesterol and coronary artery disease during your regular visits.

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Seven Simple Ways To Boost Your Heart Health - Forbes

Start (Dec. 31): 447 lbs.

Last week: 437 lbs.

This week: 433 lbs.

Total lost in 2020: 14 lbs.

Ive written about my weight-loss struggles many times in this column over the past six years, and although I have not yet struggled with any major issues so far this year, I know that eventually life will knock me down again, and Ill have to work hard to get back up.

Eating more of a whole-food, plant-based diet seems to be working well. I only eat meat and dairy a couple of times a week now, and I feel much better mentally and physically on the days Im not eating animal products. My digestion has certainly improved!

And with 14 pounds down in four weeks, I must be doing something right. Ive been here before, and these are the early days. Im looking forward to getting past 30 pounds down. Then Ill know Im on a roll.

Im still not getting as much exercise as Id like, but Ive been going to Fitness Revolution at least once a week. My goal is to get there between three and five days a week, but tweaking my work schedule seems to be a process; I cant just flip a switch and make it happen. Ive got to figure it out, and soon.

I like to hear about other peoples weight-loss stories on YouTube. I recently found a channel I like called Krocks in the Kitchen. It was launched on March 31, 2019 by a couple from St. Louis who have transformed their lives by eating a whole-food, plant-based diet. Combined, theyve lost almost 300 pounds since June 22, 2018.

Brian and Jessica Krock share stories about what theyre eating and how theyre feeling, videotaping themselves in the kitchen. I like it because its genuine. Like me, they are using the media to keep themselves accountable, so I can relate.

The latest episode is titled Weight Loss Adventure Update: Jessicas Struggle to Stay on Track. Once she admitted to losing will power and eating too many peanut butter cups while her husband wasnt watching, it was like reliving my own struggles. She had another starting tomorrow moment. Its something Ive been dealing with most of my life, and it will never end. Her struggle is real. I felt it, and Im thankful she shared the video with us.

Were all there with you, Jessica. You can do it!

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Inspired by 'Krocks in the Kitchen,' the struggle is real - Lake Placid Diet by Andy Flynn - LakePlacidNews.com | News and information on the Lake...

Dr. Michael Desiderio

By DR. MICHAEL DESIDERIO

You probably know that your sweet tooth affects your waistline, but did you know it can also be harmful to your heart?

A 2014 study showed that a diet high in sugar puts you at a greater risk of dying from heart disease, even if you arent overweight. If at least 25% of calories in your daily diet come from added sugar, you are twice as likely to die of heart disease than if your diet included less than 10% of total calories from added sugar.

Sugar can affect your heart by:

Increasing the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Spiking blood sugar levels (and so insulin levels), which increases your risk of obesity and heart disease.

Stopping triglycerides (fat in the blood connected with cardiovascular disease) from breaking down.

Lowers the level of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) while raising LDL (bad cholesterol) levels.

Increasing blood pressure through increasing sodium accumulation in the body.

Sugar is added to most processed foods, which most Americans consume daily. Refined sugars are also found in all of the sweet treats lining your pantry shelves. They are even found in yogurts, salad dressings, ketchup, and other common condiments. On average, Americans consume 66 pounds of sugar per person per year. That equals nearly 20 teaspoons per day.

Limiting Sugar In Your Diet

Limiting sugar in your diet can not only decrease your risk of heart disease, but it can also help with your overall health. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends sugars should not take up more than 10% of your daily calories (based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet). The American Heart Association recommends women should not consume more than 24 grams of sugar per day, and men should have no more than 36 grams. Just four grams of added sugar is equal to one teaspoon.

Tips to limiting sugar, include:

Read all food labels. Sugar can be hidden on labels. Sugar may be named brown rice syrup, barley malt, beet sugar, agave, and sucrose.

Avoid processed foods. By cooking with whole foods and shopping the outside aisles of the grocery store, you can naturally decrease sugar consumption and increase the amount of vegetables and fruits you eat.

Avoid sugary drinks. Replace soda with carbonated water with a squeeze of lemon or splash of fruit juice.

Remember that all calories are not equal. You should work to eat a balanced diet with 30% lean protein, 30% good fat, and 40% low-glycemic carbohydrates.

Sugar can also be very addicting. The more you consume, the more you crave. Moderation is the key to staying healthy and keeping your heart healthy. It is important to ignore the constant barrage of advertising and messages tempting you to eat more sugar your heart and your waistline, will be better for it.

Michael Desiderio, DO, is a cardiologist at UPMCs Heart & Vascular Institute. He earned his medical degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and completed his residency at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio. He completed a fellowship in cardiology at Morristown Medical Center, N.J. Dr. Desiderio sees patients in the Health Innovation Center at UPMC Williamsport, 740 High St. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Desiderio, call 570-321-2800.

STATE COLLEGE Physician assistants, Nathan Wolcott, PA-C and Scott Minor, PA-C, have begun working with the ...

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How sugar affects the heart | News, Sports, Jobs - Lock Haven Express

The New England Journal of Medicine is widely regarded as perhaps the most prestigious medical journal in the world. It has an acceptance rate of five per cent, meaning that only one in 20 articles submitted is judged by experts to be worthy of publication. That doesnt mean the rejected papers are not based on sound research; most eventually get published in lesser journals. But the New England Journal looks for the cream of the crop. Thats why I pay particular attention to papers published in this journal, such as a recent article on the Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease. Even more so when the article is the work of Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist Dr. Mark Mattson, renowned globally for his research in the area of intermittent fasting.

Intermittent fasting does not mean cutting out a Snickers bar between meals. It refers to a systematic eating pattern that places emphasis not on what food should be eaten, but rather on when it should be consumed. Intermittent fasts fall into three general categories. In alternate day fasting, days of very low-calorie intake are alternated with days of regular eating. The 5:2 variety dictates eating normally on five days of the week but restricting calories to under 700 on two non-sequential days. In daily time-restricted feeding, all food is consumed in a six-to-eight-hour window, essentially resulting in a 16- to 18-hour fast. Most people who engage in this version finish supper by about 7 p.m. and do not eat again until lunch the next day.

Of course, the question is why anyone would want to engage in any of these torturous regimes. Simply put, it is because there is accumulating evidence that calorie restriction provides benefits beyond the obvious weight loss. It has long been known that reduced food intake in animals results in an increased life span. The assumption has been that the benefits of reduced calorie intake are due to a reduction in the generation of free radicals as a consequence of metabolic processes. However, it appears that there is another factor involved. Typically, in experiments in which rodents are put on a low-calorie diet, they are given their daily allotment of food in one dose that they generally consume within a few hours. This means that essentially, they are on a 20-hour fast. This results in metabolic switching, a term with which we have to become familiar to understand the benefits that are attributed to intermittent fasting.

The main source of energy for cells is glucose. During respiration, glucose serves as fuel, providing energy as it reacts with oxygen to yield carbon dioxide and water. It is this process that is also accompanied by the production of those troublesome free radicals. The main source of glucose are carbohydrates in the diet and when these are severely restricted, as in fasting, the body switches to fats as an alternate fuel. But fats are not used directly, they are converted in the liver to ketone bodies that then are metabolized yielding energy. This is commonly referred to as a state of ketosis.

It turns out that these ketones are not just fuel for cells, but are also signalling molecules that regulate the expression and activity of various proteins and other biochemicals that influence health and aging. It seems that metabolic switching, which is a result of periods of fasting, is perceived by the body as a signal to go into survival mode since no food is coming in. Cells respond by improving control of blood pressure and blood sugar, producing more antioxidants and curbing inflammation.

Most of the fasting studies that have produced promising results have involved animals, but some human trials are starting to emerge. Improvements in insulin sensitivity, verbal memory, resting heart rate, and cholesterol levels have been noted in short-term clinical trials. In rodents, experiments have shown reduced occurrence of spontaneous tumours with daily calorie restriction or alternate-day fasting. Suppression of the growth of induced tumours has also been observed. Furthermore, the animals show increased sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapy. Stimulated by these observations, a number of human trials examining the effect of intermittent fasting on breast, ovarian, prostate, endometrial, colorectal and brain tumours are underway. Pilot studies are also examining possible benefits of intermittent fasting in multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, surgical outcomes and athletic performance.

Obviously, we have to temper this discussion with the all-too-often-stated disclaimer that more research is needed. But it is forthcoming. Dr. Valter Longo at the University of Southern California has some interesting results with his Fasting Mimicking Diet. For five days, people consume only special prepackaged foods that provide 1,000 calories the first day and 725 the other days and are said to have a unique combination of nutrients that trick the body into thinking it is fasting. Repeating the cycle monthly for three months has resulted in weight loss as well as a drop in blood sugar and cholesterol. But going hungry for five days is challenging and the meals are expensive.

It is always meaningful to ask experts what change they have made in their life as a result of their research. Mattson says he eats within a six-hour window every day. And thats from the horses mouth.

joe.schwarcz@mcgill.ca

Joe Schwarcz is director of McGill Universitys Office for Science & Society (mcgill.ca/oss). He hosts The Dr. Joe Show on CJAD Radio 800 AM every Sunday from 3 to 4 p.m.

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The Right Chemistry: Intermittent fasting is hard. But does it work? - Montreal Gazette

The World Stroke Organization (WSO), which represents more than 55,000 stroke specialists, is the only global body to focus exclusively on strokes, which have affected 80 million people living in the world today. In 2014 the WSO launched its Global Stroke Bill of Rights campaign, aimed at identifying key priorities for the care of stroke patients. Professor Michael Brainin, President of the WSO, tells HEQ about the burden, treatment and prevention of stroke.

14 million people will have a stroke this year and 5.5 million will die as a result of a stroke. Globally the disease accounts for 116 million years of healthy life lost each year. The incidence and prevalence of stroke have a profound impact socially and for individuals and families, the results can be catastrophic.

Around half of stroke survivors are likely to experience life-changing disabilities. Because stroke is a trauma in the brain, the effect of stroke can be wide-ranging, from loss of mobility, communication difficulties, changes in cognition and emotional impact. Relationships, work and family finances can all be adversely affected.

Stroke is however preventable, treatable and beatable. Almost all strokes are linked to a small number of risk factors such as hypertension, exercise, smoking and diet, that can be addressed through low cost public health interventions. Public awareness of stroke symptoms can help people to recognise the signs of stroke and seek emergency treatment in hospital. Access to clot-busting drugs, development of stroke units and specialist rehabilitation can significantly improve the outcomes for patients, while stroke support in the long term can also really improve the quality of life for survivors and caregivers.

WSO is working to advance policy drive change on all of these fronts from our alliances and partnerships with other NGOs and the UN, to providing health system roadmaps to drive improvements to quality stroke care. We also work with our members around the world to raise awareness of stroke risks and symptoms.

Digital solutions have a huge role to play across the continuum of stroke many of us now have sophisticated apps and tools, either on our wrist and or in our pocket that have the potential help us to address stroke risk factors or even recognise a stroke. The Stroke Riskometer is a stroke-specific example: it helps people identify their five-year risk of stroke and to identify and measure the impact of their prevention steps.

Digital technology also has a role to play in improving the speed of diagnosis by enabling mobile brain scanning, diagnosis and treatment en route to hospital. In countries such as Brazil, Philippines and India, mobile solutions are helping neurologists to work with remote healthcare teams to improve diagnosis and treatment for acute stroke patients.

The potential is enormous, the challenge is perhaps is to keep firmly focused on evidence of patient benefit digital technologies, like any other intervention, need to have a robust clinical evidence base.

The Global Stroke Bill of Rights is the product of a significant global consultation which aimed to identify key aspects of stroke care that survivors and caregivers felt would have made the biggest difference to the care they, or their loved one received. The document doesnt have the legal obligations of an international human rights agreement, but it does provide a set of solid patient-centred principles that providers and professionals can use to guide their decision making.

The Bill of Rights is also useful as an advocacy tool for stroke support organisations and health professionals to use to drive improvement in local services. Ideally, we would want to see any institution or organisation providing stroke treatment and support to sign up to the Global Stroke Bill of Rights, display it prominently in their institution and to regularly review and benchmark services against the principles it contains.

Collaboration around the development and implementation of national stroke strategies, that identifies and addresses gaps in current knowledge and stroke expertise across the care continuum is essential.

From developing and supporting public education programmes to building the knowledge and skills of consultants that will broaden access to game-changing thrombectomy treatment, healthcare providers can provide invaluable insights on how governments can turn the tide on stroke.

With its global perspective and membership WSO can provide advice and support with the development of these strategies. Our Roadmap to Quality Stroke Care provides a tool to continuously improve the quality stroke care in every resource setting, Drawing on a strong evidence base, the resource can support clinicians and managers to work together to prioritise action, address capacity gaps and monitor impact.

There is a growing body of stroke research that provides strong advocacy content for professionals. The recent European Stroke Organisation survey highlights key regional challenges and priorities for the development of stroke services.

Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) has worked with researchers at Kings College London, to quantify the economic burden of stroke and show how investment in stroke units which significantly improve patient outcomes could free up resources across the health and social care system. All of these resources together provide models and compelling evidence for policymakers that healthcare professionals can use to help identify gaps and advocate effectively.

The complex nature of stroke requires specialist service across the continuum which is best achieved through the development of integrated national stroke strategies that address prevention, acute treatment, rehabilitation and long-term support for survivors and caregivers.

Firstly, we really need to prioritise implementation of population-based prevention strategies that will help address the stroke pipeline action on smoking, alcohol, diet and exercise will also help governments to address other non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cancer and dementia. Specific to stroke a focus on detecting and managing hypertension and atrial fibrillation would address two key clinical contributors to stroke.

For treatment, access to stroke units and looking at maximising the opportunities provided by thrombolysis and endovascular treatments would reduce the severity of stroke-related disability which, alongside investment in specialist rehabilitation, has the potential to massively reduce the long term health and social care.

Professor Michael BraininPresidentWorld Stroke Organization

Please note, this article will appear in issue 12 ofHealth Europa Quarterly, which will be available to read in February 2020.

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Optimising policy and digitisation in stroke treatment - Health Europa

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