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Over the past several years, the U.S. has made significant strides toward equality for people of all genders and sexualities, with landmarks such as the legalization of same-sex marriage by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 and the election of Danica Roem, Virginia's first openly transgender candidate, in 2017. And on June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Despite this progress, LGBTQ+ people continue to experience discrimination that negatively impacts their physical and mental wellbeing. Transgender and gender-nonconforming people in the U.S., particularly Black transgender women, remain at increased risk of fatal violence and sexual assault. Studies also show that LGBTQ+-identifying folksespecially people of colorface higher rates of food insecurity than their straight and cisgender counterparts. And while many LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. have access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), some food banks and pantries have denied services to people due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

In the face of this discrimination, LGBTQ+ community leaders around the globe continue to fight for lasting change. In honor of Pride Month, Food Tank is highlighting collectives, farms, and other organizations that are working to strengthen LGBTQ+ representation in the food system and give back to their communities.

1.Chaseholm Farm, Pine Plains, New York

Located in New York's Hudson Valley, Chaseholm Farm is a third-generation operation run by siblings Rory and Sarah Chase. While Rory oversees the creamery and cheesemaking operations, Sarah manages the farm and livestock. With her wife, nutrition therapist Jordan Schmidt, Sarah achieved Organic certification for the farm and moved to holistic management practices, including 100 percent grass feeding.

2.Cuir Kitchen Brigade, New York City

Launched after Hurricane Mara hit Puerto Rico in 2017, Cuir Kitchen Brigade is a collective that works in solidarity with people impacted by climate change, oppressed by governments, and marginalized due to sexuality and gender identity. Cuir Kitchen Brigade provides food relief on a mutual aid model, runs solidarity and ancestral learning trips to Latin America, and hosts workshops on canning and fermentation to help queer, transgender, Black people, Indigenous communities, and people of color be more resilient to climate disasters.

3.Cultivating Change Foundation, San Francisco

Through relationship-building events, partnerships, and discussions, Cultivating Change Foundation seeks to create a global network of LGBTQ+ agriculturists and their allies. Using advocacy and education, the foundation provides resources and materials to help LGBTQ+ farmers feel empowered and elevated within their communities and professional fields. In June, the Foundation typically holds a three-day global agriculture conference in Des Moines, Iowa, to bring together LGBTQ+ agricultural workers, diversity professionals, and other experts working toward a more equitable food system.

4.Diaspora Co., Oakland, California, and Mumbai, India

Owned and managed by self-identifying queer women of color, Diaspora Co. is an organic spice business working to decolonize commodity crops from India, while uplifting small farmers. Diaspora Co. reduces the spice supply chain to only involve itself, small farmers, and the consumer. Doing so allows small farmers to earn more money and maintain control over the crops they grow. The company also works with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to identify additional ways they can support farmers working with Diaspora Co.

5.Fierte Agricol, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec

Fierte Agricol is a nonprofit organization that works to unite LGBTQ+ people in agriculture. Through focus groups, the organization provides a safe space for individuals to discuss their experiences as LGBTQ+ farmers. The organization also works with stakeholders and other professionals to raise awareness on sexuality, gender identity diversity, and challenges that LGBTQ+ people in agriculture may face.

6.Finca Morada, North Miami, Florida

Finca Morada is a cooperative -acre permaculture farm in North Miami, Florida, that is organized around the concept of "wild culture." They define "wild culture" in opposition to consumer culture, and in favor of interdependence with nature and traditional, Indigenous land management. "At our heart-center is environmental, racial, LGBTQ, gender, social, & food justice, inspired by nature's magic, radical interdependence & wild diversity," they write. Finca Morada means "purple farm" in Spanish, and the farm uses purple as a way to honor the land's previous owner and as a symbol of diversity, the royalty of nature, and the fluidity of binaries between red and blue.

7.GayFarmer,Germany

GayFarmer is a professional association made up of over 500 individuals from the LGBTQ+ community who work in professions such as agriculture. The association is helping individuals in green sectors establish professional connections with corporations and other workers. GayFarmer also organizes specialized groups for people of specific LGBTQ+ identities to provide additional support for members. GayFarmer's website also promotes members' products to help them gain visibility in the marketplace.

8.Homestead Ranch, Oskaloosa, Kansas

Courtney Skeeba and her partner, Denise Whitesides, operate Homestead Ranch, a small family farm located in Oskaloosa, Kansas, that specializes in sustainable goat farming. The farm strives to reduce waste, nurture the land, and educate consumers on the source of their food. The farm sells goat milk-based shampoo, soap, and other body products online, at local farmers markets, and boutiques.

9.Hudson Valley Seed Company, Accord, New York

In 2004, Ken Greene was working as a librarian when he started the country's first seed library, as a way to support local food systems. A few years later, his seed library became the Hudson Valley Seed Company, which he launched with his partner, Doug Mueller. They focus on heirloom, local, and organic seeds, and were one of the first companies to sign the Open Source Seed Initiative. Every year, the Hudson Valley Seed Company also commissions contemporary artists to design storytelling-oriented "art packs" for their seed varieties.

10.Humble Hands Harvest, Decorah, Iowa

Humble Hands Harvest operates a small organic farm in Iowa using regenerative practices to grow organic vegetables. To support the LGBTQ+ farming community, the farm holds the Queer Farmer Convergence, an annual event uniting LGBTQ+ farmers to reduce the isolation felt by LGBTQ+ farmers and to combat racist and capitalist practices in agriculture. Additionally, the farm created the Queer Farmer Network to revolutionize the agriculture industry and rural community.

11.Interlocking Roots, United States

Interlocking Roots is a network of self-identifying queer and transgender Black and Indigenous people of color (QT*BIPoC) who work as chefs, educators, farmers, and food justice advocates. The network organizes gatherings and uses digital platforms, like Instagram, to create safe spaces for QT*BIPoC people to connect. Interlocking Roots is currently working on a podcast to share stories about QT*BIPoC folks who are using food and agriculture to decolonize the agri-food industry.

12.Lesbian Natural Resources, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Established in 1991, Lesbian Natural Resources (LNR) assists lesbians interested in maintaining community land and preserving rural ecosystems. LNR offers a variety of programs to combat food insecurity and racism and help members of their community access land. They also connect members to grants to help them sustain their work.

13.Mill Creek Farm, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Johanna Rosen and her partner, Jade Walker, run Mill Creek Farm. This educational farm and environmental center provides low-cost, chemical-free produce to local communities and people of color in need of assistance. Mill Creek Farm integrates sustainable practices, like crop rotation and companion planting. The farm also engages with the local community by hosting after-school gardening and cooking clubs, field trips, and internships and fellowships to help local youth.

14.Moxie Ridge, Fort Edward, New York

Moxie Ridge is a farm and creamery in northeast New York State that specializes in pork, fully free-range chicken and eggs, and a selection of fresh and ripened goat cheeses from goats milked by hand. Moxie Ridge is run by Lee Hennessy, who came out as transgender last year and is committed to respecting land by using traditional management practices. On the farm, he accomplishes brush clearing with the help of the goats, pastures are "mowed" by grazing horses and sheep, and pigs act as tillers and root removers.

15.The Okra Project, United States

The Okra Project is a collective addressing food insecurity within the Black transgender community. The collective delivers healthy and culturally appropriate meals prepared by Black transgender chefs to Black transgender people experiencing food insecurity. To lend support globally, the Okra Project developed the International Grocery Fund, which provides US$40 grants to Black transgender people around the world who are food insecure. The Okra Project also established the Byokra series, monthly wellness sessions for Black transgender people.

16.Queer Farmer Collective,Denver, Colorado

Queer Farmer Collective is a community organization working to engage the LGBTQ+ community in agriculture, while removing barriers that prevent LBGTQ+ people from participating. Using organized events, the organization hopes to inspire its network to grow their own food and uses donations to provide financial support to various farmers. Queer Farmer Collective also shares resources and advice for their farmers on its Facebook page.

17.Rainbow Chard Collective, Canada

The Rainbow Chard Collective is an organization made up of farmers, food activists, and students working to create awareness for LGBTQ+ farmers and promote sustainable agriculture. The Rainbow Chard Collective holds events and workshops, conducts research on sustainable living, and mentors youth individuals by leading workshops at camps. The Collective also advocates for increased government support for small farmers.

18.Rise and Root Farm, Chester, New York

Karen Washington, a Black farmer and community activist, wants to build a different agricultural narrative, inclusive of all races, genders, and sexualities. Her farm, Rise and Root Farm, is -owned by people in the LGBTQ+ community. Washington created Rise and Root Farm to be a place of healing for diverse and marginalized communities particularly important today, as black farmers work to call attention to not only their own contributions to the modern food system but also the impact of the slave trade on the development of global food chains.

19.Rock and Steady Farm and Flowers, Millerton, New York

The self-identifying queer- and women-owned cooperative Rock Steady Farm & Flowers uses sustainable agricultural practices and community partnerships to advocate for marginalized communities in the food system. The farm provides food to food pantries, social justice nonprofits, and local businesses, like florists and restaurants. The organization also partners with LGBTQ+ resource centers to increase healthy food access for and educate youth about agriculture.

20.Sweet Digz Farm, Richmond, British Columbia

Kareno Hawbolt and her partner, Kimi Hendess, founded and operate Sweet Digz Farm in Richmond, Canada, where they strive to implement sustainable farming methods to grow vegetables and herbs. Sweet Digz partners with other local farms to expand their market and operates a community supported agriculture (CSA) program. Sweet Digz also manages the SHAREit Forward Fund, an initiative which provides fresh produce to local neighbors in need.

21.TransGenerational Farm, New York City area

Founded and operated by Jayne Henson, a transgender woman, the TransGenerational Farm near New York City is using agriculture to connect the LGBTQ+ community and educate them on the agri-food industry. The farm employs regenerative practices, like reusable landscape fabric, and operates a CSA program. TransGenerational Farm is currently in the process of establishing a CSA scholarship program for individuals who want to join the CSA program, but are financially unable to do so.

22.Truelove Seeds, Philadelphia

Truelove Seeds is a Philadelphia-based seed company that partners with over 20 urban and small-scale rural farms to produce rare, open pollinated, and culturally important seeds. Several staff members and growers Truelove works with identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community. Truelove Seeds aims to support community food sovereignty, Indigenous cultures, and regenerative agriculture by including growers as integral decision-makers for seed-keeping.

23.Urban Oasis Project, Miami

The Urban Oasis Project works to increase access to local, fresh food in South Florida. The organization runs farmers markets, provides free Food Justice Veggie Boxes to families in need, plants gardens, and more. President Art Friedrich, who identifies as a queer man, told Food Tank that LGBTQ+ identity is important to his work; at times 40 percent of the stalls at their main farmers market are run by LGBTQ+ vendors, many of whom are also people of color.

24.Westside Urban Gardens, Los Angeles, CaliforniaNate Looney, a Black transgender farmer and veteran, is the founder and CEO of Westside Urban Gardens, an urban agricultural start-up farm located in Los Angeles, California. Westside Urban Gardens helps members of the LGBTQ+ community by hiring them and teaching viable skills for future employment. Through the use of hydroponic cultivation and aquaponics, the farm uses approximately 90 percent less water than soil-based outdoor farms.

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Tori Roloff very likely meant no harm by her latest Instagram Stories post.

She almost definitely just wanted to share some new and cute photos of daughter Lilah.

In doing so, however, the beloved Little People, Big World star may have revealed a rivalry within her own family that appears to be more intense than ever before.

Allow us to explain

At this point, theres no disputing the fact that Jacob Roloff does not see eye-to-eye with Audrey Roloff.

The in-laws are vastly different in terms of their religious beliefs and how they view the world, which has recently prompted Jacob to call Audrey out for her inaction when it comes to the Black Lives Matter movement.

This feud isnt new, however.

We started writing about Jacob and Audrey not getting along back in 2017.

Tori, however, is as mild-mannered as they come.

She has never said a cross word about Audrey, and yet there have been hints here and there that these family members arent exactly best friends.

A somewhat recent case in point?

Audrey was the only relative NOT to congratulate Tori on social media after the latter welcomed her second child in November.

Its fine if Audrey and Tori dont totally get along, of course, but Toris latest Instagram post has seemingly exposed the depths of this non-relationship.

A few days ago, Tori posted a precious picture on her Instagram Stories of her daughter laying on the carpet next to a friends baby.

As you can see below, Lilah is rocking a matching rose-printed t-shirt and shorts set with a floral headband in the snapshot, which Tori has captioned as follows:

meeting another baby for the first time: a series.

Many followers took a look at these words, thought for a moment and realized:

Wait a minute! Lilah was born in November! And Audrey and Jeremy expanded their family six weeks later with the arrival of son Bode!

So if Lilah is only meeting a baby for the first time here, then that means she has never met her cousin, right?!?

Theres really no other conclusion too be drawn if what Tori wrote above is accurate.

To be fair, of course, COVID-19 hit in March and almost everyone in America has been under quarantine ever since.

But to also be fair, Bode was born two months before this outbreak, meaning there was plenty of time for the families to get together before this virus took over the world.

Earlier this month, Jacob unfollowed Audrey after years of disagreements over politics.

Tori has not taken the same step, nor would we expect her to do so.

We doubt theres any real bad blood between these women, they just arent especially tight.

Which is fine, of course. Its just notable.

And also a little bit sad.

Husbands Zach and Jeremy are twins and, in an ideal world, their wives would be besties and the cousins would also be good friends for life.

Alas, this isnt an ideal world.

The Roloffs are partly popular because they seem to all get along and theyve avoided any sort of real scandal over the years.

Is this alleged rivalry between Tori and Audrey a scandal? No, we wouldnt say so.

Its just worth keeping an eye on as things go forward.

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My 600-Lb Life's Brandon Is Making Music With His Fiance Taylor After Weight Loss Triumph - News Lagoon

TUCSON, Ariz. The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to affect our lives and according to a recent WebMD poll, nearly 50% of women and 22% of men in the U.S. say they've gained weight because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Deborah Wright with WW Arizona says a lack of activity and stress made the process more difficult for members. WW Arizona centers were shut down in March for COVID-19 protection, but teams quickly modified operations by enhancing communications via phone, zoom and social media.

We knew to give them resources like videos on YouTube. Some of the best trainers in the country offered free stuff during this time. There were videos that werent normally available. Some have come on because of the webinars, they say this is an opportunity for me to do it my way, Wright said.

Amy Musick has been on her weight loss journey since 2016. She says panic buying and empty shelves at stores made it hard to maintain her goals, but she made it work. Shes lost 70 pounds so far and has about 30 more to go. She says if she can do what it takes to lose the weight anyone can.

That was a tough thing I kind of determined this is what were dealing with so Im going to do my best to make it a game and try and put meals together. I thought, OK, this is available on the shelf Ill put it together with this and thats dinner. Weight gain is so personal whether its 5 pounds or 55 pounds or no matter what you have to lose it affects you at a core level, Musick said.

Since the start of the pandemic Weight Watchers Arizona transitioned into 185 webinars and virtual workshops per week to keep members on track and those workshops are here to stay.

One thing about virtual workshops that has given a little bit of anonymity to the member as far as their body size were seeing larger members participate because they have a better comfort level with that, Wright said.

Musick says while things seem out of control in todays world theres always a way to take control of your own health.

Here it is the world has completely fallen apart and like Deb said Im able to control something when the world is out of control. Im able to control what I put in my body how I move, Musick said.

Right now theres one WW Arizona center in Tucson and ten in Phoenix. As for the cost- the first three months are free, then members pay $52 per month.

Locations are slowly starting to reopen with strict CDC guidelines.

Were requiring face masks of course and limited access to the suite as far as members coming in, Wright said.

WW Arizona information: https://www.weightwatchersaz.com

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Weight gain during the COVID-19 pandemic - KGUN

Its hard to believe its been 20 years since the longest game in modern NHL history went down between the Flyers and Penguins. Thankfully, after 152:01 of playing time, the Flyers won Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, tying the series up at two games apiece.

The names and players that went down in history during that game continued on from that moment, having memorable careers in different ways. When it comes to the Flyers, where are some of those household names in 2020?

Lets take a look:

Craig Berube spent two different stints in Philadelphia 1986-87 through 1990-91 and 1998-99 through 1999-00. He then finished his 17-year career in the NHL as a player-assistant coach with the Philadelphia Phantoms.

Just a few years later, he found himself movingthrough coaching positions within Philadelphia with both the Phantoms and Flyers. Eventually, on Oct. 7, 2013, Berube was named head coach of the Flyers and brought his team to the playoffs in 2014. Just one season later, he was relieved of his coaching duties though, he didnt stay out of a job for long.

He joined the Blues organization by coaching the Chicago Wolves, itsAHL affiliate team. Once again, he moved up the rankings from assistant coach to interim coach following the firing of Mike Yeo on Nov. 19, 2018. Who wouldve thought that he was going to take a team that was dead-last in the league come the New Year and turn itinto Stanley Cup champions? This was the first time Berube ever held the coveted Stanley Cup as a player or coach in his career.

Keith Jones spent the last three seasons of his nine-year career as a Flyer, playing 131 games and tallying 74 points (27 goals, 47 assists).

A few years after Jones officially hung up his skates in 2001, he turned to the broadcasting side of the game. He became a television analyst for NBCSNand is also NBC Sports Philadelphias very own color commentator for the Flyers.

Nothing beats rewatching Keith Primeau'sgoal that finally ended the longest game in modern NHL history. Following his first full season with the Flyers in 2000-01 and leading the team in goals (34) and matching his career best in points (73), he was named the 13th captain in franchise history.

He continued his time as captain through the early games of the 2005-06 season. After suffering a concussion that ended his season and dealing with post-concussion syndrome, he announced he would be retiring from the league in September 2006.

For some time, Primeau held two front office positions with the ECHLs Las Vegas Wranglers. He also received a degree in liberal studies from Neumann University in 2011.

Theres no denying the legacy former Flyer Mark Recchi left on the NHL. Twenty-two years in the league were divided among seven separate teams the majority of the time was spent divided between the Flyers and Penguins. After parting with the Flyers, Recchi found himself victorious with the Hurricanes in 2005-06 and with the Bruins in 2010-11, winning the Stanley Cup for the second and third time of his career.

After announcing retirement in June 2011, Recchi finished his career with 1,652 games played and 1,533 points (577 goals, 956 assists). On June 26, 2017, he was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

He has spent most of his time since 2014 with the Penguins, having worn a few different hats through the years including player development coach, director of player development and even assistant coach. He won two more Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.

Chris Therien spent just shy of 12 years in Philadelphia with the Flyers, only being broken up by a small stint in Dallas with the Stars via trade in 2004. A head injury cut his final season in the NHL short, but he finished his career having played 764 games and tallying 159 points (29 goals, 130 assists).

Therien, who also goes by Bundy, has spent the majority of his post-playing career working on the broadcasting side of the game. He was previously a color commentator for the Flyers on NBC Sports Philadelphia and 97.5 The Fanatic. He is now the lead analyst for Flyers Pregame Live and Flyers Postgame Live on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

An 18-year career was only the beginning of Rick Tocchets journey in the NHL.

Having spent the majority of his time in Philadelphia, Tocchet became a favorite for all fans based off his early style of play as a fighter. He later developed his game and became a well-respected forward and leader among teamshe played for.

Those leadership abilities were put to use quickly after he retired following the 2001-02 season. He soon found himself behind the bench and coaching various teams with different positions over the next two decades assistant coach for the Avalanche being his first official gig in 2002-03. Tocchet saw two Stanley Cup victories with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.

Just a little bit of a month following that second win, he was named head coach for the Coyotes on July 11, 2017 a title that he still holds today.

Brian Boucher had quite the rookie year, his best and most impressive outing having to be the five-overtime game against the Penguins. He found himself in Philadelphia with the Flyers on three separate playing stints throughout his career. His second timecoming when the Flyers made their thrilling 2009-10 Stanley Cup run,in large part due to holding his ground in a shootout victory against the Rangers on the final day of that regular season.

Boucher is now a studio analyst on NBCSN and NHL Network. To this day, he still holds the NHLs modern record for the longest shutout streak (332:01). This was set in the 2003-04 season when he played for the Coyotes.

Click hereto download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.

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Today, Tendo AB is a young company developing soft and minimalistic exoskeletons for people with disabilities in their hands due to a spinal cord injury. However, the first version created of the concept was not made for people with a spinal cord injury it was not even made for people on earth. The initial concept, which developed to become the starting point of the company Tendo, was created during a research course undertaken by founder Sofie Woge in collaboration with NASA in Houston; and was made to be used in space.

During the course Woge realised that, while astronauts exercise a lot in space to stay healthy, they do so with very little focus on their hands, grip strength and fine motor skills; all of which are vital for them to be able to perform their duties. Her solution was a glove which offers resistance in all movements, so that the muscles in the astronauts hands could stay activated despite the lack of gravity. The product could also offer support when needed on space walks, for example, or in the future landing on Mars. Woge has close acquaintances with rheumatism; so to her, the connection between the effects suffered by astronauts and by those who lose their grip strength due to illness, old age or injury was abundantly clear. She decided to continue her work after her graduation from Lund University; and so Tendo was born.

For the first year, Woge worked mainly alone with occasional support from friends at a student incubator called VentureLab in Lund, Sweden. She then brought in a team offering great competencies within mechanical engineering and robotic control, consisting of Robin Gustafsson and Pontus Renmarker. The team moved to Odense in Denmark to gain support from one of the greatest robotic clusters in the world, Odense Robotics. Within six months, the team had its first prototype up and running and Joe Sarawut Kopfer joined the company. Their combined competences made an excellent team with knowledge within industrial design, entrepreneurship, mechanical design and robotics.

Since then, Tendo has grown and the technology has been refined into a slim, motorised wearable robotic exoskeleton an active orthosis which assists the user to grip, hold and release objects; thereby regaining their gripping abilities and by extension their independence. The product has a patented actuator system consisting of artificial tendons which run along the fingers, batteries, and a motor. The grip is created by pulling the tendons like a puppeteer. It has an intuitive control without covering pressure sensors or buttons, using the bodys signals as a source. It is a revolutionary control system capable of assisting and enhancing a signal to which the body itself does not respond, as is the case with people who are paralysed. Tendos innovative technology contributes to life changing possibilities for users, conferring increased independence and resulting in high saving potential for society.

Although there is not yet a product on the market which can completely be compared to Tendo, there are similar solutions however, Tendos product boasts a range of key properties which distinguish from others, including its intuitive control, small size, grip strength; and the fact that the product assists the user when gripping objects (flexion), as well as giving active support to open the fingers (extension) again. Through a persistent effort, Tendo has developed an energy efficient and innovative mechanical solution within a slim, compact device, resulting in a product around a quarter the size and weight of its closest competitor.

From the beginning, the product has been developed and created in collaboration with the target user base, meaning the team has been able to gain knowledge which could not be drawn through passive research or conjecture. This partnership has allowed Tendo the privilege of a window into the lives of its users, to see the challenges and frustrations that they live with every day. Tendos unique advantages have been extensively confirmed both by users and occupational therapists; and the innovative solution, combined with the companys close co-operation with users and clinics, has attracted the interest of both competitors and customers. The phrase This is the first exoskeleton that makes sense has been expressed on several different occasions.

Imagine waking up one day and not being able to use your hands. Suddenly, everyday activities such as holding a glass of water, getting dressed, brushing your teeth, grocery shopping or holding cutlery become a daily struggle. About 5% of the worlds population struggle with everyday activities that others take for granted, due to a weak grip. Whether this is due to an injury, arthritis or a stroke, all of which are becoming more common in todays ageing society, it can lead to physical isolation and a continuing need for assistance.

One particularly vulnerable group is those who are paralysed because of a spinal cord injury. In Sweden alone, nearly 6,000 people are living with a spinal cord injury; and the incidence rate is 150 new cases yearly. Many patients were under the age of 30 at the time of the injury and the impact on daily living is often severe: the attendant loss of movement and sensation often leads to limitations which requires continued assistance, and this consequently leads to a significant loss of independence and quality of life (QOL).

For individuals with injuries to the higher vertebrae, such as C5, aids such as powered wheelchairs has proven life changing in terms of the mobility and the freedom the aids return to their user. However, when listing the most important function for QOL, hand function is ranked the highest above even the ability to walk and bowel function. Despite this, the only available solutions today for this target group are expensive and complicated surgical procedures followed by a long rehabilitation, or a physical assistant who follows and helps the person in all situations. Tendos goal is to deploy robotic technologies, such as exoskeletons and active orthopaedic devices, to enable the same revolutionary freedom for hand function as the assisting wheelchair did for mobility.

Early in the products development Tendo met Johan, a man in his mid-40s who has suffered paralysis in almost his whole body for over 20 years. He is paralysed from the shoulders down but has some mobility in his right arm, but still lacks hand function as well as movement in his left arm and hand. After meeting Johan, the team created a custom-made version for him to evaluate. Within 15 seconds of the product being placed on his hand, Johan was able to eat, drink and write on his own for the first time in over 20 years. Johan participated in a dinner with his friends; and with the help of Tendo technology he was able to grip his fork, let it go to take a sip of his wine, pause, make a toast and take part in the conversation all without a personal assistant. It was clear that this ability led to a tremendously increased feeling of independence and quality of life a joy that was shared by everyone around the table.

After shifting focus from astronauts in space to people living on earth with a disability, the concept necessarily had to make quite drastic changes. Demands related to size, aesthetics, usability and the whole aspect of being able to operate a product without any existing hand function put the team to the test. The first functional prototype turned out to be about three times as strong as a person would ever need a true ironman version of the glove. Therefore, the next version could be drastically reduced in size and weight to make it truly wearable. Not only did the prototype change over time, but so did the target group. Initially, the prototype was made for people with rheumatic diseases and stroke; and it created a two-finger grip between the thumb and index finger called the pinch grip. However, after meeting more people like Johan the team realised that users with a high spinal cord injury had an even more drastic need and such severe gripping problems that this was where the product could create the most value.

The long term goal remains to include a wider target group consisting of stroke patients and similar users, but the first product is geared specifically towards people who are paralysed due to a high spinal cord injury. After including this new user group into the discussions, the team quickly realised that the product could give a lot of value to the new target group even if it only assisted the thumb, creating a key grip. The number of fingers involved was balanced towards to size of the product and a decision was made. However, since the final product will initially be custom made, this can be adapted to some extent depending on the users need. Today, the product weighs less than 200g and covers only the thumb and forearm. It is slim enough to be worn under a sleeve and offers independence by enabling everyday activities that you and I take for granted, such as holding a fork, grasping a key to lock your own door or to enjoy a glass of wine.

The beauty of the patented Tendo Technology is that it can be applied to more body parts than just the hands. By using the same Tendo Technology, the team can assist an elbow, shoulder or knee, thus making everyday life accessible for more people; while providing the company with the possibility to scale up within several market segments.

Sofie WogeTendo AB+46733310414www.tendoforpeople.se/

This article is for issue 14 of Health Europa. Clickhere to get your free subscription today.

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Tendo AB: This is the first exoskeleton that makes sense - Health Europa

That protests expand globally, or rather, through different countries, does not mean necessarily that it is globalized in a strong sense that it articulates with solid ties and builds a truly global response to the capitalist world system.

On the one hand, it is important to distinguish between global actions and global movements. On the other, faced with the hypothesis that we would be facing new political cultures without such an internationalist effort, it would be necessary to deepen the debate on the changes in the "social movement form" and in the types of activism today. Although they continue to coexist with more traditional formats, they force us to question previous lenses to grasp cognitive, generational and identity dislocations, with important repercussions on practices of resistance, political articulations and conceptions and horizons of social transformation.

In Classical geopolitics, there was a strong "geodeterminism", which links the provision of political actions to environmental conditions or places. Moreover, the predominant anthropocentrism allowed for unlimited territorial expansion and capital accumulation, in an effort to "domesticate" nature and natural resources.

Although the ecosystem boundaries have long been crossed, the pandemic seems to have opened an inflection with regard to the importance that the environmental issues and the possible geopolitical scenarios acquire vis--vis social and economic models.

In the contemporary political debate, three different projects dispute the directions of the post-pandemic world:

These projects seem to open up three possible scenarios, which do not occur in a "pure" mode and can interwoven in multiple ways, although all have their own logic: the recovery of the most aggressive logic of economic growth; the adaptation of capitalism to a "cleaner" model, although socially unequal; or the transition to a new model, which implies a radical change in the ecological, social and economic matrix.

In view of these projects and scenarios, it is important to ask ourselves the implications of each of them. The implementation of "business as usual" implies an even greater strengthening of militarized globalization, of the biopolitics of authoritarian neoliberalism, and of a model of destructive despoliation that would lead, predictably, to even more catastrophic scenarios, including wars and the deepening of the eco-social crisis. Terms such as "return to normality" or even "the new normal" justifies and ensures this type of scenario, based on the anxiety of a large part of the population to recover their social lives and/or employment.

In the case of adapting to a green capitalism, deep geopolitical and geo-economic adjustments seem likely. According to this vision, a green makeup is no longer enough, a process that began with the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and the "adjectivation" of development as "sustainable". The situation now requires going a step further.

And we know that, if capitalism accepts it, it does so not necessarily for the protection of the environment, but because this may be a way to maximize profits. The new strategies of coexistence between the accumulation of capital and the environmentalist imaginary may give more room for autonomy to local politics, but also deepen North/South inequalities and environmental racism.

However, it is necessary to be fair: this predominantly "adaptive" scenario is still strongly disputed. On the one hand, an important part of the dominant collectivities, especially in the North, understands that it is a path to follow. On the other hand, political forces that defend social justice and sustainability seek to stress it in various ways, towards a rupture and an integral reconfiguration.

This is the case of proposals that claims for the "decolonization" of the rationale of the Green New Deal from the South; or that critically discuss their assumptions, but ground them in other realities such as Latin America, Africa or Asia, giving more importance to the State and to the contributions of popular movements, with the objective of promoting, as Maristella Svampa and Enrique Viale suggest in the context of Argentina, a great ecosocial and economic pact that can address some national realities and serve as a basis for essential North/South democratic dialogues.

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Covid-19 and the new global chaos - Open Democracy

Theres an Arctic heatwave: its 38C in Siberia. Arctic sea ice is the second lowest on record, and 2020 may be on course to be the hottest year since records began.

For many people, such news induces a lurch of fear, or avoidance closing the webpage because they dont want to hear yet more bad news. A few might think Its just weather, and roll their eyes.

How can we make sense of such an event? Climate is subtle and shifting, with many drivers and timescales. But we can use this northern heatwave to illuminate the complexity of our planet. We can break this question into parts, from fast to slow.

Fast: the immediate effect is to increase wildfires. Siberia has seen zombie fires reignited from deep smouldering embers in peatland. This is bad news, releasing particulate air pollution and more carbon in 18 months than in the past 16 years. The immediate cause? Here in the mid-high northern latitudes, we live in unstable weather under the influence of the polar jet stream. This rapid current of air high above our heads drags weather in a conveyor belt from west to east, with alternating patches of cold and warm air, low and high pressure. Sometimes the weather patterns get stuck, creating a stable period of weather, like a heatwave. This is one long, severe example.

Does climate breakdown make this blocking more likely? Maybe. The jet stream is created by the contrast between cold polar air and the warmer south. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the global average: that means less north-south contrast, so the jet stream can become more wobbly and meandering. Loops break off like the oxbow lakes of school geography lessons, stranding particular weather patterns in one place.

And why is the Arctic warming faster? Because sea ice and snow are so bright. When they melt with global warming, the ocean and land beneath are darker, so they absorb more of the suns heat. Their loss amplifies our warming.

The current low in Arctic sea ice is itself partly the result of the Siberian heatwave, amplifying the usual year-to-year fluctuations. But the trend is down: the more CO2 we emit, the more the planets temperature rises, and the more sea ice we lose. Scientists predict the Arctic will start seeing summers without sea ice by 2050.

But its not irreversible. Its not a tipping point. The sea ice would return if we could cool the climate again. Unfortunately we know only three ways to do that: extract vast amounts of CO2 from the air with trees or technology; reflect the suns rays at a planetary scale; or wait, for many generations.

This Arctic heatwave is a sharp spike on top of the global warming trend. Thats what makes it more intense, more likely and more of a warning: its a taste of the future predicted for Russia, if we burn quickly through our fossil fuels.

The real fear around the Arctic for the longer term, I find when talking to people, comes from the idea of runaway warming from methane release. Warming could release stores of methane a strong greenhouse gas from permafrost or frozen sediments at the bottom of the ocean, which would add to the warming from our own activities. There is more than twice the amount of carbon in the permafrost as in the atmosphere, and thawing has already begun.

There are big local impacts damage to roads and buildings, because the ground can no longer bear so much weight, and an appalling story involving what appears to be anthrax release from thawing burial grounds. Permafrost thaw was even blamed by a Russian mining company for the recent collapse of a fuel reservoir, contaminating the river with 20,000 tonnes of diesel, though other factors were probably also involved.

So could this Siberian heatwave, or ones like it, trigger catastrophic warming? I see much fear about amplifying methane feedbacks, including the false idea that climate scientists dont consider them (we do, just separately to the main global climate models). Yet for several years there has been growing evidence that this risk is less than originally thought. Carbon stored in permafrost and wetlands is predicted to contribute around 100bn tonnes of CO2 this century. Thats a lot, but we add around 40bn tonnes ourselves every year. The methane at the bottom of the ocean would take centuries to release, so as long as we limit global warming we should keep those stores mostly locked up. There are uncertainties, of course, but the stores impact on warming is likely to be tenths of a degree, not several degrees.

Yet every tonne of CO2 released from permafrost means one tonne fewer we can emit if we are to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Every years equivalent of our emissions brings our deadline closer. Every tenth of a degree of warming brings us closer to our target of 1.5C and makes more permafrost thaw, and the impacts of climate breakdown worse for the most vulnerable people and species of the world.

The Arctic heatwave shows us that there are few simple stories in climate change. There is always a mix of natural and human influence, bad news and slightly-less-bad news, and occasionally even hopeful news. So, more than ever, we need to avoid over-simplifying or slipping into easy tropes like Were all doomed or Its all weather, but to try to understand the details. Perhaps there is one simple story though: every bit of warming we avoid will help keep our planet a more familiar and an easier place to live on.

Dr Tamsin Edwards is a senior lecturer in physical geography at Kings College London

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The Arctic heatwave: here's what we know - The Guardian

Everyone who is in a weight loss program has hit a plateau at least once in their decent to a healthy weight. When you first start a new exercise and diet program, you often lose a lot of weight quickly as you burn many more calories than you consume and shed water weight.

As you lose weight however, you need fewer calories to maintain your body, and you no longer have the relatively easy pounds of water weight to shed. On top of this, your body learns the new routine and learns how to do the exercises they are used to as efficiently as possiblemeaning fewer calories are being burned.

All this can lead to you no longer losing weight, or even gaining a little bit back even though you are still sweating it out every day. While restricting your diet even more and exercising even harder is an option, you may be able to break the plateau by changing your routine.

Mixing it up

If you're a runner, you may be steadily increasing on time and distance. You may be able to break out of your plateau by choosing to do sprint exercises or if you're a weight lifter, switching to maximum volume instead of maximum weight. These changes are approaching the same goals, but in a different way that may help you see improvements.

Overtraining can actually lead to poorer performance. If you are working hard and never taking breaks, your body won't be able to change. Your body needs rest in order to rebuild the muscles you broke down during exercise, so if you never give your body the chance to rest, you won't see the results you are working for.

If you are counting calories carefully, it may be worthwhile to recheck how many calories you need in order to have a deficit at your current weight. If you have lost a significant amount of weight already but are still using your starting calculations, you may no longer be in deficit.

If you aren't counting calories, now may be a good time to start a food diary. If you aren't aware of how much you are eating, or just how many calories are in your favorite foods, you may be over eating without realizing it.

It may also be that you are simply not doing enough any more. As you grow, it gets easier for your body to meet the demands of a normal workout. You can help break out of that by developing a new skill. Maybe you've only ever hit the treadmill and want to try weights instead. Maybe you've never done a push up, or have focused exclusively on weights and want to try cardio. What ever it is that challenges you, give it a try. It may be the break you need.

If you're in a plateau, there could be a lot of reasons why this is happening. Try using these tips to break out of it, and get back on the path to better fitness.

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Not losing weight anymore? This can help - Jill Lopez

The best thing about making shakes is that you can use any fruit as per your taste preference, but at the same time adding fruits that can blend well without causing any reaction are the ones you should add to your shakes and smoothies. If you want to give your body the much needed boost of energy post workout, then this Papaya Banana Pomegranate shake is perfect for you.

To make this easy shake, take a juicer, add 400 gm pomegranate seeds and extract the juice. Next, cut papaya and banana, take a blender, add the fresh fruits along with pomegranate juice, blend all this into a smooth blend.

Next, add in chopped almonds and cashew nuts, then add 3 tablespoon condensed milk. If you want to make it a bit more healthy, then replace condensed milk with unsweetened fat milk and to add some sweetness you can add some honey. Blend it all again with some crushed ice and serve chilled. This heavy shake can be a perfect healthy meal replacement.

Both pomegranate and papaya are a good source of fiber, folate, magnesium and other vitamins, which will give your body the right amount of nutrition to stay energized and hydrated throughout the day. Moreover, the addition of nuts will add a tasty twist and amp up the health quotient of your shake.

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Get back to shape with these homemade weight loss shakes - Times of India

The best thing about making shakes is that you can use any fruit as per your taste preference, but at the same time adding fruits that can blend well without causing any reaction are the ones you should add to your shakes and smoothies. If you want to give your body the much needed boost of energy post workout, then this Papaya Banana Pomegranate shake is perfect for you.

To make this easy shake, take a juicer, add 400 gm pomegranate seeds and extract the juice. Next, cut papaya and banana, take a blender, add the fresh fruits along with pomegranate juice, blend all this into a smooth blend.

Next, add in chopped almonds and cashew nuts, then add 3 tablespoon condensed milk. If you want to make it a bit more healthy, then replace condensed milk with unsweetened fat milk and to add some sweetness you can add some honey. Blend it all again with some crushed ice and serve chilled. This heavy shake can be a perfect healthy meal replacement.

Both pomegranate and papaya are a good source of fiber, folate, magnesium and other vitamins, which will give your body the right amount of nutrition to stay energized and hydrated throughout the day. Moreover, the addition of nuts will add a tasty twist and amp up the health quotient of your shake.

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Homemade weight loss shakes to help stay in shape - Times of India

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