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The beauty industry is now valued at over USD $530 billion globally. Many women and men invest in constantly improving their looks and wellbeing. Australia, a population of 25 million, spends over $14 billion every year on healthy eating and its weight loss industry is about to reach $300 billion on just weight loss. Americans spend about $33 billion each year on weight loss.

It is safe to say that todays adults care a lot about fitness and their body image. We all want to feel beautiful and look the best we can. Unless you are one of the 0.05% of the population that was born with perfect skin and facial features, we need some beauty techniques and products on a daily basis to enhance and retain whatever we consider to be the beauty we want to achieve. Thankfully, beauty products such as makeup, face masks, eyelash curlers, and cosmetic procedures became available to allow beauty something we can attain, not just born with.

There is no more stigma about women who use technology or beauty products to enhance their looks.

Many women who frequent salons to get their eyebrows waxed, threaded, or tinted understand the pain of maintaining their eyebrows. Those with thin eyebrows who have to paint them daily are stressed about going into water in case their eyebrows simply disappear, making them feel naked and vulnerable. Eyebrows define many of our facial expressions. They can make us look sharp, fierce, or soft. They play an important part of the image we want to project.

Enter microblading. Microblading is a newly refined semi-permanent tattooing technique using fine-point needles which allows our eyebrows to retain ideal shape and colour without any additional effort. It takes about 2-3 hours to get done and lasts about 6-9 months. You can get retouched once a twice a year to maintain. Many women have thanked their lucky stars for microblading as they no longer have to worry about going in the pool for a swim or even the rain washing away their eyebrow makeup.

Face rollers have gained enormous popularity the past couple years thanks to social media influencers sharing the before and after of using such a simple gadget. A face roller, just as the name suggests, is a small handle with one or two rolling pins attached at the end. You can use it to massage and tighten the skin on your face. There are numerous benefits associated with using a face roller on a regular basis. Massaging of your skin keeps your skin tight and firm with enhanced blood circulation, helping your face stay trim. It also helps address puffiness in the morning. Such benefits are similar to botox and other anti-ageing products but without use of any chemicals. It is a must-have for any woman into face contouring.

Fitness is now a part of most adults lifestyle. Weight loss and building muscles help women and men feel incredibly confident in whatever they wear. It is now also a criterion on many dating apps as men and women want partners who also invest in their well-being and fitness. There are some who struggle with staying in shape, sometimes even due to genetics. Just because you are not able to naturally create a model-like or a body-builder-like shape for yourself, that doesnt mean that you are not able to achieve the same level of fitness and self-confidence.

CoolSculpting, a simpler procedure which freezes the fat content in some of your more stubborn areas such as the abdomen, can help you get rid of the fat bulges you havent been able to get rid of for years. While healthy eating habits and routine exercise is the only way to stay fit long-term, body sculpting procedures and techniques provided by specialised clinics such as Cosmos Clinic can help you get the leg-up you wouldnt be able to obtain otherwise.

All women desire long, lush eyelashes to accentuate their eyes. They add volume and liveliness to your looks. 10% of women have experience with eyelash extensions, which could be a quite expensive beauty routine and 2-week infills are required. The beauty industry experts developed eyelash serum to boost the growth and health of their natural lashes. While theres only one FDA-approved serum, there are many over-the-counter serums that are rated highly by the customers. You can apply the eyelash growth serum on your lashes just as youd with mascara. Make sure that you do some research on the product and brand beforehand.

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Four top beauty innovations that will boost your self-confidence - Australian Times

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Dermatologist Dr. Sandra Lee tugged, snipped, and cut at a lipoma for over 40 minutes to try and remove it from a woman's back in a recent YouTube video posted June 4 to her infamous channel, "Dr. Pimple Popper."

The lipoma or lump caused by slowly overgrowing fatty tissue was particularly difficult to remove because of its "bubbly" nature. The lump was dispersed through different parts of a large area on her back, making it harder to remove than a lump all in a singular area.

To make sure all of the fatty tissue was gone, Lee zapped the area with a cauterizing instrument to stop any bleeding caused during the extraction process. Once all of the tissue had been removed, the skin flap that laid over the incision was visibly flatter.

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"Now my hand's gonna shake because I've been squeezing you so hard," Lee said as she sutured her patient's large incision.

Watch Dr. Pimple Popper remove a 9-pound lump that was growing on a man's arm for nearly a decade

Dr. Pimple Popper reveals her nighttime skincare routine, and it only includes 3 steps

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Dr. Pimple Popper removed a 'big bubbly' lump from a woman's back by tugging, snipping, and cutting for over 4 - Business Insider India

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The Kades are founders of Gilded Skull Brewing and Blending Co., a brand new Massachusetts brewery that released its first beer last week. Its a happy moment for the couple on several levels, and one that almost didnt occur.

Back in 2012, Neil, a scientist by trade, started geeking out on home-brewing."I basically came home one day with stuff youre not supposed to start with oak barrels and $500 graduated cylinders and havent looked back," he says.

By 2017, the couple had engaged a lawyer, putting the concept of Gilded Skull to paper.

Then I got sick, says Kade, describing symptoms ranging from respiratory distress to severe acid reflux to a swollen abdomen and weight loss. And I never got better.

Lots of doctors ran lots of tests. In January 2018 an abdominal scan revealed a mass.

The first thing I thought was, Im done. Im gonna die, says Kade.

Kades diagnosis was cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer. The mass was within a few centimeters of his vena cava. The doctor wasnt sure if he could get it. Even with surgery, the survival rate for that kind of cancer is below 30 percent; its nearly nonexistent without it.

I found out the day after Christmas if I was going to be a candidate for surgery or if I was going to die, says Kade.

The news was as good as it could be. Kade was a candidate for the surgery, and he underwent a successful operation, removing the mass with clean margins. Many of his symptoms, though, remained, and Kade is still not in good health. He knows the chances of his cancer returning are high, and that those of his long-term survival are low.

My life was great, Kade says of his life before the diagnosis. I didnt appreciate it at the time. I suffer from anxiety and depression, which a lot of people do. I spent a lot of time stuck in my work life doldrums, the hour-and-a-half commute that I had. As soon as you get something like that, thats the only thing you can think of: That life has been so good, and it just started.

The Kades are making the most of his time. Though conditions arent perfect, the brewery is a go. The first beer from the metal and punk-inspired brand is Gilded Empire, a 7.2 percent ABV New England IPA hopped with Lotus, Citra, and Cashmere hops. Its being made at Castle Island in Norwood and distributed throughout Massachusetts through Craft Collective.

"Buying your beer in the store is the weirdest feeling but so cool," Kade posted a couple days ago on Instagram, holding up a 4-pack.

Kade doesn't know what the future holds, but says he's aiming for a new beer release every two to three months.

There is only now, he says. You have to do it now.

Gary Dzen can be reached at gary.dzen@globe.com.

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Craft brewer embraces a new life and a new beer - The Boston Globe

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The NBA is back.

Last week, the league's board of governors and the players' union both approved plans -- a 22-team, eight-game wrap-up to the regular season followed by a possible play-in tournament for the eighth seed and playoffs -- to resume the 2019-20 season on July 31 inside Walt Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.

As we count the days until tip-off in Orlando, our experts are breaking down each team's road to a restart, big bubble questions, high stakes and stats to know before basketball makes its return.

Note: NBA title odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.

MORE: ESPN Daily podcast: Zach Lowe on the East and West races

Jump to a team:Bucks | Lakers | Raptors | Clippers | CelticsNuggets | Jazz | Heat | Thunder | Rockets | Pacers76ers | Mavericks | Grizzlies | Nets | Magic | BlazersPelicans | Kings | Spurs | Suns | Wizards

2019-20 record: 53-12 (.815)Vegas title odds: +275

Although Milwaukee's quest for 70 wins had officially ended before the pandemic halted play, the Bucks were still leading the NBA in victories this season. Simply put, Milwaukee remains in a serious title pursuit.

How they got hereGiannis Antetokounmpo hit the hiatus as the front-runner to repeat as the league's MVP with Milwaukee at 53-12. The Bucks have been dominant on the defensive end -- their 101.6 defensive rating is by far the best in the league -- but they did drop three straight games for the first time under coach Mike Budenholzer before the shutdown. Although Giannis is the clear-cut No. 1 option in Milwaukee, fellow All-Star Khris Middleton as well as Eric Bledsoe and the rest of the supporting cast bolster this contender.

1:48

Chiney Ogwumike breaks down her picks for the NBA Eastern Conference teams that have benefited the most, and who have been hurt the most, due to the halt of the season.

What's at stake?Over Antetokounmpo's tenure in Milwaukee, the squad has gone from a 15-win team in his rookie season to an East juggernaut by putting together a strong front office and players to complement his skill set. But what happens inside the bubble could affect Antetokounmpo's decision to remain in Milwaukee down the line. He obviously loves the city, but he wants to win now more than ever.

Big question after the layoff: Can the Bucks salvage their momentum?Although Bucks players remained in shape with in-home workouts, both Antetokounmpo and Middleton admitted to not playing basketball during the early stages because they didn't have access to a hoop before the practice facility reopened. So can guys get back in that winning mindset? Will they be ready? Budenholzer said that all along they were "operating and functioning [with] a mentality that we will play." Now that a plan to play is set, it's time for the East's best team to prove their dominant regular season was just the beginning.

Did you know?The Bucks have beaten opponents by an average of 11.3 points per game, which would be the fifth-largest average margin of victory in NBA history. The four teams ahead of them -- the 1972 Lakers, 1971 Bucks, 1996 Bulls and 2017 Warriors -- all won titles.

-- Eric Woodyard

2019-20 record: 49-14 (.778)Vegas title odds: +200

Just when the Lakers were rolling -- they won four of five, including statements over the Bucks and Clippers in consecutive games in early March -- the season stopped. Now LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Co. will regroup and try to give Los Angeles its first title since 2010.

How they got hereThe NBA's hiatus in response to the coronavirus pandemic was nearing the two-month mark in late April when James took to Twitter to refute a report that some within league circles were calling to scrap the season. "As soon as it's safe we would like to finish our season," he wrote, in part. "I'm ready and our team is ready. Nobody should be canceling anything." James, a top contender for MVP, playing alongside new teammate Davis, a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, appeared as motivated as ever to get back on track after a rocky first year in L.A.

1:45

Dave McMenamin discusses the Lakers' reaction to the NBA season returning as they have championship aspirations.

What's at stake?Quite simply, this is perhaps James' last and best chance to win his fourth NBA championship. At 35 and in Year 17 in the league, his hold on the sport can't last forever. The Lakers' success thus far has made Davis' future plans a foregone conclusion -- he holds a player option for next season, but nobody believes he won't be back in purple and gold. James and Davis should get a chance to run it back next season no matter what happens in Orlando, but with younger teams like Milwaukee, Boston, Philadelphia and the LA Clippers on the rise, now could be the Lakers' moment with key role player Dwight Howard headed to free agency and important contributors Danny Green and Rajon Rondo getting older.

Big question after the layoff: Could DeMarcus Cousins return to the Lakers?When we last left the Lakers, Cousins -- signed last summer and subsequently lost for the season with a blown knee -- had been waived to make room for forward Markieff Morris. There is speculation the league may allow expanded playoff rosters in the bubble -- perhaps carrying 17-20 players -- in order to have more reserves available should a rash of COVID-19 cases hit. With the extra time off to rehab, combined with potential expanded rosters, will Cousins make his return to L.A.? The former All-Star center would give the Lakers the stretch 5 they missed most of the season and, with crowd noise a nonfactor in Orlando's empty arenas, he could certainly have an impact as a vocal bench presence.

Did you know?James leads the league with a career-high 10.6 assists per game. At 35, he'd be the oldest player to lead the league in assists for the first time in his career.

-- Dave McMenamin

2019-20 record: 46-18 (.719)Vegas title odds: +1700

The defending champions will enter the restart firmly in second place in the East, three games ahead of Boston, and should still be in second when the playoffs start.

The NBA board of governors voted 29-1 to approve the league's format to restart the 2019-20 season in Orlando, Florida, sources told ESPN. Latest updates

Sources: 22 teams, 8 regular-season games Top seeds mull alternatives to home court Playoff projections: Surprises and upsets Next questions: Pay cuts and free agency

How they got hereWith Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green departing in free agency last summer, Toronto wasn't expected to remain in championship contention. And yet, despite every member of the rotation besides OG Anunoby missing significant time with injuries, the Raptors have stayed near the top of the East and remain a threat to make another deep playoff run.

What's at stake?Toronto's interest in pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021 is no secret. Another deep playoff run would add to the sales pitch. In the shorter term, the Raptors will have to decide what to do with several key free agents this summer -- led by guard Fred VanVleet and big men Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol.

Big question after the layoff: Will the much-needed rest pay off?The Raptors play a shortened rotation to begin with, and the cavalcade of injuries the team dealt with throughout the season took a toll on them. With a chance to enter the restart fully healthy and rested, Toronto will believe it can get back to a potential rematch with the Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals.

Did you know? Without Leonard, the Raptors have a better win percentage (.719) and average scoring margin (+6.5) than they did during last season's run to the NBA title.

-- Tim Bontemps

2019-20 record: 44-20 (.688)Vegas title odds: +325

Ever since the NBA came to a halt in March, the Clippers have been eagerly awaiting and preparing for the season to return with one single goal in mind: the resumption of their title chase.

How they got hereThe Clippers' season has been defined by patience. They had to wait 11 games before Paul George made his Clippers debut. They had to wait until Christmas to have a fully healthy roster. With little practice time because of the schedule, injuries and Kawhi Leonard's load management of a knee issue, the Clippers' chemistry didn't solidify until after the All-Star break. And just as the team began to get on the same page with new additions like Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson, the Clippers were forced into a holding pattern due to the pandemic.

2:58

Max Kellerman defends why he is picking Kawhi Leonard as the best player in the world over LeBron James.

What's at stake?The only focus the Clippers have had all season is on winning the franchise's first championship. Not long after the NBA suspended the season, Clippers management secured Peloton bikes and gym equipment to provide their players with home gyms. Lawrence Frank, Doc Rivers and the Clippers have held daily Zoom meetings and phone calls with coaches, players and staff members to not only keep everyone on the same page, but to also come up with any and every idea that could help the team win a title.

Big question after the layoff: Can the Clippers stay healthy with an unprecedented break in the season?When the season came to a halt, the Clippers were getting stronger, winning seven of eight games, with their only loss coming to the Lakers. Rivers made the health of his team entering the playoffs paramount, and nothing changes now. The hiatus should only help Leonard and George health-wise. But with players having not played in a game in months, the Clippers will ramp up Leonard, George and veterans like Lou Williams as safely as possible.

Did you know? The Clippers bench averages an NBA-best 51.5 points per game this season. The only other team to average at least 50 PPG off the bench since starts were first tracked in 1970-71? Last year's Clippers, who averaged 53.2 PPG.

-- Ohm Youngmisuk

2019-20 record: 43-21 (.672)Vegas title odds: +1500

The Celtics head into the restarted season in a bit of a bubble themselves in the East standings -- three losses behind the second-place Raptors and three losses ahead of the fourth-place Heat.

How they got hereAfter all of the tumult that followed Boston throughout last season, this season couldn't have been more different. The Celtics had hardly a moment of difficulty at any point, cruising on a 55-win pace while seeing both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown take significant leaps. Daniel Theis more than capably stepped into the starting center spot vacated by Al Horford, and Kemba Walker provided the stable leadership the franchise needed, even as he dealt with a knee issue for the final few weeks before the shutdown.

0:43

Jalen Rose predicts the Celtics to come out of the Eastern Conference when the season resumes on a neutral court.

What's at stake?Oddly, not a lot. Boston is good enough to make a deep playoff run and could even reach the NBA Finals for the first time in a decade. But for a team with a young core under contract through next season and beyond, this should be far from Boston's final shot at making noise in the postseason.

Big question after the layoff: Is Kemba healthy?Walker first missed games because of a knee issue, and then struggled upon his return. If he's fully healthy, Boston will be a threat to beat anyone. There's one other question surrounding the Celtics: Where will the 76ers wind up? Boston would be thrilled if Philadelphia can slide ahead of the Pacers and get into fifth place in the East. While NBA fans would love a Celtics-Sixers showdown in the first round, Boston would not -- Philly won three of four meetings this season by an average of 10.3 points before a 116-95 Celtics win in the rivals' final meeting.

Did you know?Who says only Houston can play small ball? According to the Elias Sports Bureau, 93.4% of Boston's points have come from players 6-foot-8 or shorter, the highest percentage by any team in a season since the 1989-90 Warriors (94.8%).

-- Bontemps

2019-20 record: 43-22 (.662)Vegas title odds: +2200

There was a new feel for the Nuggets this season, with that uncomfortable "E" word hovering over them: expectations. They've been viewed all season as a top-tier contender, and for the most part, played like it.

How they got hereThe start of 2020 was full of attrition for the Nuggets, but they weathered the storm to maintain their place among the West's elite. And they did it largely behind the brilliance of Nikola Jokic. He carried them through an injury-filled January to set up the stretch run for Denver as they pushed for the postseason. Jokic is what props the Nuggets up, but in the weeks before the shutdown, Jamal Murray was getting healthy and progressing. Their two-man chemistry, combined with some well-rounded, versatile depth, has the Nuggets in the conversation.

What's at stake?Last season was a resounding success for Denver despite a seven-game second-round defeat to the Blazers. This season, that kind of exit would be viewed as a disappointment. The playoffs ask questions you can't anticipate, and they take storylines and narratives and amplify them. If the Nuggets struggle, it'll be about the pairing of Jokic and Murray. It'll be about the future of Paul Millsap and Jerami Grant's contracts. It'll be about what they're missing, not about what they have. When you get good, it's what comes with the territory.

Big question after the layoff: What will Jokic look like?There's no polite way to say it, but with Jokic's self-admitted issues with fitness in past seasons, taking almost three months off could be a recipe for thickness. But according to Murray, it's the opposite. "Joker got a little four pack," Murray said of Jokic suddenly looking slimmer after working out heavily during the coronavirus shutdown.

Did you know? Jokic leads the Nuggets in total points, rebounds and assists, which he has done in each of the previous two seasons. According to Elias, Jokic could join LeBron James (2011-13 Heat) and Wilt Chamberlain (1965-67 76ers) as the only players in NBA history to lead their teams in all three categories for three straight seasons.

-- Royce Young

2019-20 record: 41-23 (.641)Vegas title odds: +6000

The Jazz will finish the season without second-leading scorer Bojan Bogdanovic (wrist surgery) and with a spotlight on the dynamic between the cornerstone duo of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell.

How they got hereIt had been a strange season for the Jazz even before their two best players became the sport's poster boys for a pandemic after becoming the first NBA players to test positive for the coronavirus. Utah had a 19-2 stretch sandwiched by a lot of so-so basketball. Mike Conley Jr. had a harder time than anticipated adjusting to his new surroundings and system after spending the previous 12 seasons in Memphis. The Jazz had to remake the bench in midseason, trading for Jordan Clarkson, cutting Jeff Green and promoting Georges Niang and Tony Bradley to key rotation roles. Utah had won five of six games before Gobert's positive test halted the season, and coach Quin Snyder felt like he had found some rotation solutions. But it's back to the drawing board after Bogdanovic's surgery.

What's at stake?Any expectations have been diminished drastically by the loss of Bogdanovic, a 20-point-per-game scorer whose 41.4% 3-point shooting was a critical element of the Jazz's spacing. Could Gobert's playoff performance impact potential offseason extension discussions? He's eligible for the supermax, but it's hard to see the small-market Jazz offering that much to a center who isn't a primary scorer, no matter how dominant Gobert is defensively and on the glass.

Big question after the layoff: Can Gobert and Mitchell mend fences?Jazz sources are adamant that they can and will, even if they won't be singing kumbaya by the campfire, noting that they've had numerous, positive conversations with each other and in various virtual group settings over the last several weeks. But the question still lingers, particularly since Mitchell has declined to address his issues with Gobert publicly.

Did you know? Donovan Mitchell is averaging a career-best 24.2 points per game. That's the highest scoring average by a Jazz player since Karl Malone in 1999-2000. Malone, Adrian Dantley and Pete Maravich are the only players in Jazz history with a higher single-season scoring average than Mitchell.

-- Tim MacMahon

2019-20 record: 41-24 (.631)Vegas title odds: +4000

Miami is primed to make a push in the bubble behind a fully rested and healthy Jimmy Butler. If Bam Adebayo can continue his star trajectory and veteran Andre Iguodala can provide veteran guidance, coach Erik Spoelstra has to like the chances of his team being able to make a run.

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How they got hereThe biggest revelation for the Heat wasn't just how quickly they jelled behind Butler and Adebayo -- it was the immediate impact of the younger players on their roster. Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Derrick Jones Jr. all played important roles in the Heat's success and depth. It will be interesting to see how much of a playoff impact former Finals MVP Iguodala -- acquired from Memphis at the trade deadline -- has with his new team.

What's at stake?The challenge for the Heat is finding out just how far their current core can take them. Do they have enough with this group to push to the top of the East, or will they come up short and have to add another star-caliber piece when free agency opens?

Big question after the layoff: How will the neutral site impact Miami?The Heat went 27-5 at home but 14-19 on the road this season. For a team that had an inside track at home-court advantage in the first round before the season was suspended, how the Heat respond to neutral-site games is key.

Did you know? Adebayo is on pace to become the first player in Heat history to average 10 rebounds and 5 assists per game.

-- Nick Friedell

2019-20 record: 40-24 (.625)Vegas title odds: +6000

Before the league shut down, the Thunder and Jazz were set for a game that would've tilted the current four and five seeds in the Western Conference. On the surface, the Thunder don't seem like a possible top-four West contender, but strictly by the numbers, that's what they've become.

How they got hereIt was a rocky start for OKC, going 6-11 out of the gate with a variety of close losses and big questions. But it all turned right around Thanksgiving, with Chris Paul asserting himself as the league's most dominant crunchtime scorer and the Thunder's chemistry blossoming around a dynamic three-guard lineup. Since Thanksgiving, the Thunder are 34-13, piling up the second-most wins in the league in that span behind only the Bucks.

What's at stake?The Thunder have been riding a wave of positive momentum throughout the season. They have big offseason questions looming, like possibly trading Paul to kickstart an inevitable rebuild that could include moving pieces like Dennis Schroder or Steven Adams. But along with it, coach Billy Donovan's deal is up after this season. He has validated his coaching chops all season long, ascending into the Coach of the Year conversation, but where does he fit if the roster dominoes start to fall?

Big question after the layoff: Is the chemistry intact?The Thunder currently hold the longest winning streak in the Western Conference. So, it's only three games, but they walked onto the floor against the Jazz on March 11 with as much momentum as they'd had all season. Their last complete game was a stirring, emotional win in Boston on a last-second steal that pushed them to 16 games over .500. What has made the Thunder so dangerous this season has been their connection and chemistry. Paul sets the tone but has given plenty of space for Schroder to elevate as a scorer and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to develop as a floor leader. Paul has gone to extended lengths to try to maintain some of that chemistry during the shutdown, but it's one thing to get together on a weekly Zoom call; it's another to make timely decisions in the last minute of a one-possession game.

Did you know?The Thunder have 16 wins when trailing entering the fourth quarter this season, twice as many as any other team in the NBA and two shy of tying the 1962-63 Lakers for the most such wins in a season in the shot-clock era (since 1954-55).

-- Young

2019-20 record: 40-24 (.625)Vegas title odds: +1500

The Rockets, who appeared to be running on fumes before the season was suspended, should be refreshed and ready to resume the NBA's great micro-ball experiment.

How they got hereIt's been a roller coaster of a season for the Rockets, who underwent a significant roster remodeling over the past year. It started with the summer trade for Russell Westbrook. The midseason, all-in commitment to small ball (signified by trading Clint Capela and a first-round pick in a multi-team deal that brought Robert Covington to Houston) was influenced by the desire to unleash Westbrook in the open floor. The 6-foot-7-or-less Rockets started fast, but they faded, losing four of their last five games before the shutdown.

2:12

Kendrick Perkins sees the Rockets as heavy title favorites after seeing James Harden's dedication and apparent weight loss during the pandemic.

What's at stake?It's no secret that there is a strong probability that the Rockets will have a new head coach next season. That's been widely known since contract extension talks with Mike D'Antoni broke down (twice) in unusually public fashion. There are rumblings around the league that general manager Daryl Morey's job status could be in jeopardy as well, but owner Tilman Fertitta was adamant he wouldn't consider firing Morey (who has several years remaining on his contract) after the tweet that caused the Rockets and league's relationship with China to deteriorate, and Fertitta hasn't wavered on that stance. You can never be sure, especially if Morey is at the wheel, but the Rockets' core likely returns intact next season regardless of the results in Orlando.

Big question after the layoff: Can James Harden get his groove back?Harden had a historic two-month run, averaging 39.0 points per game on a sizzling 66% true shooting percentage from early November to early January. His heavy workload -- both in minutes and the effort it takes to generate shots as an iso player facing frequent double teams -- appeared to take a toll on him. Those numbers dipped significantly (29.0 points, 57.2% true shooting percentage) in his past 22 games as he struggled from 3-point range. Harden committed to conditioning during the hiatus, and if he regains MVP-level form and Westbrook continues his success in small-ball lineups, the Rockets will be dangerous.

Did you know? Since switching to the small-ball lineup on Jan. 31, the Rockets have been out rebounded by 9.4 rebounds per game, the worst rebounding differential in the NBA during that span. Over a full season, that would rank as the third-worst differential since rebounds were first officially tracked in 1950-51, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau.

-- MacMahon

2019-20 record: 39-26 (.600)Vegas title odds: +12500

The Pacers have flown under the radar all season long. But despite dealing with injuries and going through a massive roster overhaul in the offseason, Indiana still found itself in the mix for a top-four seed in the East when the season was brought to a halt.

How they got hereVictor Oladipo, the team's talisman, did not play his first game until Jan. 29. Malcolm Brogdon, the team's marquee free-agent signing, missed 17 games due to injuries. And yet Indiana still managed to find itself in fifth place in the East when the season was suspended behind a frontcourt of T.J. Warren, first-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner.

What's at stake?Whether Indiana can become a real contender in the East, or just a nice middle-of-the-pack playoff team, will likely center around whether Oladipo can return to the form he displayed during the 2017-18 season, when he was an All-NBA selection. What his future looks like, as well as whether Indiana tries to continue forward with the tandem of Sabonis and Turner long term, could be impacted by what happens in Orlando. Oladipo can become a free agent in 2021.

Big question after the layoff: What version of Oladipo will arrive?His final game before the season was suspended was his best game of the season -- a 27-point outburst against the Celtics. If Oladipo can play at an All-Star level next to Brogdon, Indiana is going to be a much more difficult team to face in the East playoffs than some might think.

Did you know?Indiana has been eliminated in the first round in each of the past four postseasons. The Pacers are one of eight teams to make the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, but they are the only one not to win a round.

-- Bontemps

2019-20 record: 39-26 (.600)Vegas title odds: +2500

Philadelphia was one of the NBA's most confusing teams this season. But after the long layoff, the 76ers will enter the bubble healthy and with a real chance to capitalize on their immense potential.

How they got hereThe Sixers entered the season expected to battle with the Bucks for the top spot in the East. Instead, Philadelphia swung wildly back and forth from game to game, posting the NBA's best home record (29-2) as well as the worst road record (10-24) of any playoff team in the league. They also dealt with ongoing turmoil about free-agent addition Al Horford's fit, Ben Simmons' continuing lack of a 3-point shot and Joel Embiid dealing with more injuries.

What's at stake?There may not be a team with more at stake than the Sixers. If this team flames out, will coach Brett Brown be dismissed? Will Horford be traded? Would the Sixers consider moving on from either Simmons and Embiid? So many things have changed the past few years in Philadelphia that it's hard to believe even more could be in store.

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Everything to know about the NBA's 22-team restart at Walt Disney World - ESPN

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By: David R. Montgomery, Jennifer J. Otten, & Sarah M. Collier

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic shutdowns haveseverely disruptedand spotlighted weaknesses in the U.S. food system. Farmers, food distributors and government agencies are working toreconfigure supply chainsso that food can get to where its needed. But there is a hidden, long-neglected dimension that should also be addressed as the nation rebuilds from the current crisis.

As scholars who study different aspects ofsoil,nutritionandfood systems, were concerned about a key vulnerability at the very foundation of the food system: soil. On farms and ranches across the U.S., the health of soil isseriously compromised today. Conventional farming practices have degraded it, and erosion has shorn away much of it.

Iowa has lost abouthalf the topsoilit had in 1850. Since they were first plowed, Americas farmland soils have lost abouthalf of their organic matter the dark, spongy decomposed plant and animal tissue that helps make them fertile.

The soil that produces our nations food supply is a weakened link slowly failing under ongoing strain. This breakdown isnt as dramatic as what happened in the 1930s during theDust Bowl, but it is just as worrying. Human history holds many examples of once-thriving agricultural regions around the world wherefailure to maintain soil healthdegraded entire regions far below their potential agricultural productivity, impoverishing the descendants of those who wrecked their land.

We believe there is an urgent need torebuild soil healthacross the U.S. This can help maintain harvests over the long run and lay a solid foundation for a more resilient food system. Investing in soil health will benefit environmental and human health in ways that arebecoming increasingly apparent and important.

Soil is the foundation of the U.S. food system. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and oils come directly from plants grown in soil. Meat, poultry, dairy products and many farmed fish come from animals that feed on plants. Wild-caught fish and shellfish, which provide a tiny fraction of the typical American diet, are virtually the only exception.

As populations around the globe ballooned over recent centuries, so did pressure to force more productivity out of every available acre. In many parts of the world, this led to farming practices that degraded soilfar beyond its natural fertility.

In the Southeastern U.S., for example, agricultural erosion stripped soil from hillsidesa hundred times fasterthan the natural rate of soil formation. Today farmers in the Piedmont, from Virginia to Alabama between the Atlantic coast and the Appalachian mountains, coax crops from poor subsoil rather than therich topsoil that early European settlers praised.

Researchers, government agencies and nonprofit groups recognize soil degradation as a national problem and have started to focus on rebuilding soil health. The U.S. Department of AgriculturesNatural Resource Conservation Servicehelps farmers improve thehealth and functionof their soils. Nongovernment organizations are recognizing the need torestore soil health on agricultural lands. And the 2018 farm bill directednew attention and funding to soil health programs.

Beyond growing food, soils support human, public and planetary health. Well before the current pandemic, experts in public health and nutrition recognized that modern agriculture wasfailing to sustainconsumers, the land and rural communities. This insight helped spur the emergence of a new multidisciplinary field, known asfood systems, that analyzes how food is produced and distributed.

But work in this field tends to focus on the environmental impacts of food production, with less attention to economic and social implications, or to links between farming practices, soil health and the nutritional quality of food. Many studies narrowly focus ongreenhouse gas emissions from agriculturewhen addressing soils and sustainability, without including the manyecological benefits that healthy soils provide.

To be sure, man-made climate change is a major long-term threat to human and planetary health. But soil health is just as critical in its own right. Human actions havealready harmed agricultural productivityin areas around the world. And when soil is degraded, food production systems areless able to weather future challengesthat we can expect in a changing climate.

The study of soil health can also have its own blind spots. Often agricultural research focuses solely on crop yields or the impact of individual conservation practices, such asadopting no-till plantingorplanting cover cropsto protect soil from erosion. Such analyses rarely consider linkages driven by dietary demand for specific foods and crops, or the effects of farming practices on thenutrient content of forage and cropsthat sustain livestock and humans.

Food systems experts have called for transforming food production to improve human health and make agriculture more sustainable. Some researchers have proposedspecific dietsthat they argue would accomplish both goals. But fully understanding connections between soil health and public health will require greater collaboration between those studying food systems, nutrition and how we treat the soil.

Now that COVID-19 has deconstructed much of the national food supply network, it would be a mistake to pour efforts into simply rebuilding a flawed system. Instead, we believe it is time to redesign the U.S. food system from the ground up, so that it can deliver both soil health and human health and be more resilient to future challenges.

What would it take to do this? The foundation of a revised system would be adoptingregenerative farming methodsthat integrate multiple soil-building practices, such as no-till, cover crops and diverse crop rotations to restore health to land. It would also take creating and expanding markets for more diverse crops, as well as expandingregenerative grazingand promoting reintegration of animal husbandry and crop production. And it would require investing in research into the linkages between farming practices, soil health and the nutritional quality of foods and what that all could mean for human health.

In sum, we think its time to rethink the food system, based on a recognition that providing healthy diets based on healthy soils is critical to achieving a healthier, more just, resilient and truly sustainable world.

David R. Montgomery, Professor of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington; Jennifer J. Otten, Associate Professor, Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, and Sarah M. Collier, Assistant Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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While feed conversion and average daily gains have more often been used as measurements of success, Dr Russell Fent, Director of the Swine Technical Group at Ralco, a global nutrition company that focuses on natural approaches to improve nutrient conversion in plants and animals, argues that mortality and full market value hogs are greater indicators of success.

Currently, only 64 percent of hogs raised in the US reach market at full value.

This is something that has been commonly accepted over time, said Fent. No matter what type of production or industry that you are in, the fact of losing 30 percent of product that becomes low value or no value is really inefficient.

Dr John Deen at the University of Minnesota has conducted work that looks at attrition in pigs, and although his work included stillborn piglets and mummies, he found that most attrition comes in the form of mortalities, culls and lightweight pigs at market.

Deen has also looked at what components contribute to variation in profitability. The most common parameters used to measure success in pig production are average daily gain and feed conversion rates, but those components might not be the most important, said Fent.

The impact of mycotoxins through losses in commodity quality and livestock health exceeds $1.4 billion in the United States alone, according to the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. This guide includes:

Dr Deen points out that while those components are certainly components of profitability, what contributes most to variation in profitability are mortalities, culls and lightweight pigs, and certainly, an eye opener in terms of how to address that from a profitability standpoint, said Fent.

The swine sector in the US has focused, in recent years, on growing more pigs and increasing productivity. While the sector has done an excellent job in improving selection for litter size, it has led to some challenges. As litter size increases, for instance, average birth weight per piglet drops. Furthermore, the percentage of pigs born at under one 900 grams of body weight has increased linearly as litter size has increased.

Fent presented data on the distribution of piglets by birth weight. Broken down into increments of half pounds of body weight, the data reveals that more than 10 percent of the studied population fell under 2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) of body weight. Mortality rates correspond with birth weights and were as high as 59.4 percent in piglets born under 1.5 lbs., 35.1 percent in piglets born at body weights of 1.51.9 lbs., and 22.7 percent in piglets born at 2.02.4 lbs.

Piglets born at very low birth weights ranging from 1.5 lbs. to 1.9 lbs. are rare, though, and would normally be considered non-viable.

Really, we would have a tougher time of dealing with those pigs and improving their liveability and success after that, said Fent.

Beyond that, though, there are opportunities to improve success through interventions, especially those born in the 22.9 lbs. range.

The greatest points for intervention to improve the number of full-value market pigs occur in the early stages of growth, especially at the start at lactation and in the nursery. In fact, the greatest percentage of body weight variation throughout the growth cycle occurs during lactation and in the nursery phase.

In a 2018 study that looked at the long-term performance of pigs, it was determined that in a normal growth cycle, pigs born at less than 2.65 lbs. were 1.5 times as likely to be in the last group that goes to market, said Fent. Furthermore, pigs that were less than 10.74 lbs. at weaning were 7 times more likely to be in the last group that goes to market, he said.

To reiterate, what they found was that lactation and nursery phases were the two most critical periods in relation to growth suppression and also increasing weight variability, and so those would be areas that we could focus on, said Fent.

Management can impact piglet health, growth and liveability during gestation as well. Gestation diet composition, feed amount and sow body condition all contribute to piglet health and viability. Research conducted at the University of Minnesota shows that boosting health and immunity in the sow through the use of oregano essential oils can also boost health in piglets. Specifically, essential oils, according to their studies, improve colostrum quality and passive immunity in piglets.

The study tracked the same piglets from start to finish and found those that came from sows that were fed oregano essential oil had greater body weight throughout the entire growth cycle. The study also showed advantages in terms of curbing pre-weaning mortality.

This is an example of an early intervention upstream, before the pigs are born, giving an intervention to sows, have an effect in piglets all the way downstream until market, said Fent.

Piglets are born with very little stored energy in their bodies, which means it is critical to get them nursing as soon as possible. At this critical stage, Fent offered another intervention that could aid in piglet development. When given to all piglets at birth, bioactives from bovine colostrum administered to piglets on day one in a single dose have been shown to improve weaning weight and lower pre-weaning mortality by as much as 3 percent. But when given to the bottom 20 percent of pigs by birth weight only, results improve substantially, said Fent. In fact, studies showed that pigs at an average birth weight of 2.59 lbs. showed an increased weaning weight of 0.6 lbs. over the control, but pre-weaning mortality was reduced from 12 percent (control) to 4 percent (with intervention).

Supplemental milk replacers in the farrowing crate have also been show to improve weaning weight. Furthermore, the percentage of pigs that were weaned at less than 8 lbs. of body weight was reduced by more than half. Their growth was tracked through to finishing where the percentage of pigs that reached full market value increased by 7.64 percent.

I would point out that the Birthright milk-fed pigs were actually five days less on feed when they went to market, on average, than the no-milk fed pigs, said Fent.

Results are greater when targeting opportunity pigs, said Fent. In a study that looked specifically low birth weight piglets that were pulled off the sow and raised exclusively on milk replacers, the pigs that received milk replacement were almost 3 lbs. heavier at weaning than those left on the sow. But probably the biggest advantage was in mortality rates. On average, the study showed that mortality of low birth weight piglets exclusively on milk replacer decreased to 5 percent, while those left on the sow had a mortality of 26 percent. At finishing, the milk replacer piglets showed a 10 lb advantage over those left on the sow.

Creep feeding is another lactation intervention that could impact later development, said Fent. While studies show that there is no statistical difference in terms of average daily gain and mortality when creep feeding is used as a lactation intervention, growth performance improves significantly.

This tells us that those pigs that have been fed creep feed in the crate, they knew what feed was and recognised what it was when they went to the nursery, said Fent. When they went to the nursery they could then eat feed quicker, and they got on feed sooner.

Getting onto feed quicker did translate into greater average daily gains once in the nursery, he added. Pigs that lose weight in their first week in the nursery will take more time to get to market.

In the nursery, research shows that complex diets have an advantage over simple diets, said Fent. Simple diets are those made up of less digestible and less palatable ingredients, such as corn, soybean meal and DDGS. Complex diets, on the other hand, include highly digestible, easily utilised and highly palatable ingredients, including dried whey/whey permeate, plasma protein, oat ingredients, fishmeal, highly palatable simple sugars and yeast products.

Complex early nursery diets, said Fent, improve overall health and nutrition and minimise overall health challenges. Utilising purified amino acids and easily digestible protein sources helps to support optimal gut health and promote gut barrier function and nutrient absorption. The result, according to a University of Nebraska study, is improved weight growth by as much as 26.3 lbs. when compared to pigs on simple diets.

More recent data shows that pigs that were fed a complex diet in the early nursery phase had a 4 lb. weight advantage when they got to that later finishing phase.

Before implementing any of these strategies, Fent advises growers to first identify their appropriate sub-population of opportunity pigs. This might mean tracking pigs by birth weight or body weight to see where they are within the population. Once opportunity pigs are identified, producers should choose intervention strategies that best fit their farm, their management style and overall economics, and track those pigs to see what impact their interventions had on full market value.

While feed conversion and average daily gains have more often been used as the greatest measures of success, if the pig doesnt make it to market, ultimately, its just money lost.

The greatest potential for profitability can be looking at the number of mortalities, culls and lightweight pigs and improving the number of full value market hogs that get to market at the end of the day, Fent concluded.

Melanie Epp is a freelance agricultural journalist from Ontario, Canada.

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Its time to take the conversation from dietary fiber, healthy fat, antioxidants, and vitamins and start shining a bit of light on those minerals! Not to downplay the importance of these nutrients, yet they always seem to get more of the limelight.

Minerals especially essential minerals calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, potassium, sodium, zinc, and, of course, copper are found in plentiful supply in a variety of foods for good reason. They play vital roles in hundreds of bodily functions that keep us alive.

With that said, theres one mineral, in particular, thats been making the news lately: zinc. Like its other trace mineral counterparts, zinc plays a major role in the body, especially when it comes to sustaining a healthy immune system.

byrev/Pixabay

First off, minerals are broken down into essential minerals that are necessary for survival versus non-essential. Then you take those groups and break them down into major minerals (macrominerals) and trace minerals (microminerals). While you need major minerals in larger amounts, your body only needs small amounts of trace minerals to remain adequately supplied.

All minerals are necessary to activate enzymes molecules with important jobs in the body and they play major roles in hundreds of other bodily functions. Each mineral has a specific set of tasks, from boosting the immune system to regulating smells and tastes to creating DNA and red blood cells.

PIX1861/Pixabay

When we talk about nutrition, we oftentimes forget to highlight the importance of minerals or only focus on the major minerals instead of major and trace.

Luckily, even though zinc is a trace mineral, its also widely hailed due to its importance for a functioning human body, plus it also happens to be thesecond-most-abundant trace mineral in your body after iron.

Zinc lives in our cells and is most well-known for its ability to help the immune systemfight off invadingbacteriaandviruses. While immune boosters have been trending for a few years especially within the last year zinc has many other duties including making proteins and DNA, helping with growth and development, during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood aiding in wound healing, and its also important for proper senses of taste and smell.On top of these essential tasks, zinc is also necessary for the activity of over 300 enzymes that aid in metabolism, digestion, nerve function, and many other processes.

derneuemann/Pixabay

Even though a zinc deficiency is extremely rare, it does happen from time to time. Therefore, its a good idea to become familiar with the symptoms and how it manifests.

A severe zinc deficiency leads to, obviously, more severe symptoms, yet most zinc deficiencies manifest with impaired growth and development, delayed sexual maturity, skin rashes, chronic diarrhea, impaired wound healing and behavioral issues. As zinc plays a crucial role in your immune system and wound healing, a zinc deficiency may also include the inability to heal or heal very slowly, as well as an increased likelihood of infection or the inability to fight said infection or illness.

A mild form of zinc deficiency includes symptoms such as diarrhea, decreased immunity, thinning hair, decreased appetite, mood disturbances, dry skin, fertility issues, and impaired wound healing.

There are certain factors that put you at a higher risk of a zinc deficiency such as people with gastrointestinal diseases, such as Crohns disease those who suffer from sickle cell anemia or chronic kidney disease, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and breastfed infants.

You may also be at a higher risk of zinc deficiency if you practice a strict vegetarian or vegan diet. Therefore, its important to make sure you are eating a well-balanced and meticulously crafted plant-based diet every day!

13107714/Pixabay

We know what zinc is, what it does for our body, and what happens when we dont get enough of it. So, what are the perks those extra health benefits that we love so much of this vital trace mineral?

More than ever right now is a great time to start integrating natural sources of immune system support. Luckily, getting the right amount of zinc through your diet is a great start!

Zinc plays a vital role in immune cell function and cell signaling, therefore if you dont have enough zinc or suffer from an actual zinc deficiency it can lead to a weakened immune response. In fact, after reviewing seven different studies, it was found that consuming 80 [to] 92 mg per day of zinc may [help] reduce the length of the common cold by up to 33 [percent].

The truly amazing thing about zinc and healing is that it not only supports normal wound healing, but its also been found that zinc can actuallyacceleratethe healing process!

In fact, zinc is so effective it is commonly used inhospitals as a treatment for burns, certain ulcers, and other skin injuries.

How does it work?

Due to the fact that zinc plays critical roles in collagen synthesis, immune function, and inflammatory response, its also a natural agent in the healing of skin wounds. Taking a closer look at zinc and your skin, it turns out that these two are pretty cohesive! Your skin holds a relatively high amount about 5 [percent] of your bodys zinc content.

Its inevitable that as we age our bodies will begin to experience certain changes. Some of these are completely natural such as that silver, gray hair or those extra wrinkles around your eyes yet there are a handful of age-related diseases that we can have an effect on early on in life.

While more research is being conducted, preliminary findings discovered that zinc may significantly reduce your risk of [these] age-related diseases including other pernicious diseases such as pneumonia, infection, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Scientists believe this may be, in part, due to those zinc-related immune system boosting agents zinc may relieve oxidative stress and boost the activity of T-cells and natural killer cells. This means the body is more adept and able to fight off infections.

No matter who you are, where you live, or whether were in the middle of a pandemic or not, managing a healthy inflammatory response and decreasing unnecessary bodily inflammation is a huge part of a healthy body! Inflammation has been linked to a slew of chronic diseases and conditions, such as heart disease and cancer and even plays a role in your mental health and may lead to mental decline.

When it comes to zinc and inflammation, its all about that oxidative stress! Turns out oxidative stress leads to chronic inflammation. Zinc has been found to decrease oxidative stress and [therefore] reduces levels of certain inflammatory proteins in your body.

Hearty Black Bean Soup/One Green Planet

Alright, we get it! Zinc is important and we need to make sure its included in our diet on a regular basis. Luckily, zinc is naturally present in a majority of plant-based food, which makes our lives just that much easier. With that said, more knowledge is always better! Here are a few of the best and richest sources of zinc in the plant kingdom.

Legumes are not only a rich source of plant-based protein and a stellar meat-substitute, but they also happen to be one of the richest sources of zinc.Specifically, youll want to focus on getting your weekly or daily dose of chickpeas, lentils, and beans.For instance, 100 grams of cooked lentils contain around 12 [percent] of the [daily value of zinc].

Of course, there is a slight caveat when it comes to legumes. These plant-based superpowers also contain something called phytate, which are antinutrients that inhibit the absorption of zinc and other minerals, meaning zinc from legumes isnt as well absorbed as the zinc from animal products.

Not to worry though! Phytates aredrasticallyreduced and the bioavailability of zinc is increased by heating (think soups and stews!), sprouting, soaking, or fermenting legumes. Luckily, sprouted and fermented legumes are quickly becoming a popular commodity, which means you can find them at your local health food store or online.

Legumes are versatile in the plant-based kitchen. They can be used to make a salad, soup, stew, or a meatless recipe! Try out a few of these unique creations: Everyday Chickpea Curry, Lentil Loaf, Lemony White Bean Dip, or this Hearty Black Bean Soup.

One of the easiest ways to boost the overall nutritional value ofanyplant-based meal is to simply sprinkle some of your favorite seeds on top. If you happen to have sprouted seeds, thats even better!

When it comes to getting more bang for your daily zinc buck, try incorporating hemp seeds.

Hemp seeds are not only an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, but theyre also a rich source of zinc three tablespoons of hemp seeds contain 31 [percent] and 43 [percent] of the recommended daily intake for men and women, respectively.

If hemp seeds dont jam with your taste buds, you also get a healthy dose of zinc from squash, pumpkin, and sesame seeds.

Hemp seeds offer a surprising amount of healthy fat and oils. This makes them truly diverse when it comes to plant-based cooking. Try out a few of these hemp seed-based recipes: Coconut Hemp Milk, Easy Tahini Granola, Seed Crackers, or these Cherry Hemp Out Bars.

Pretty much any nut that you desire will boost the nutrient content of your entire day! Nuts are a great source of healthy fats, protein, fiber, and a slew of vitamins and, yes, minerals.

If youre looking to get your daily dose of zinc from nuts, then youll want to incorporate pine nuts, peanuts, cashews, and almonds. To narrow it down further, start with cashews, which offer 15 percent of your daily value of zinc for every ounce.

Cashews are the creamiest of the nut family, meaning theyre perfect for those creamy treats! Try a few of these delightful cashew-rich recipes: Chickpea Tempeh Tacos With Cashew Crema, Blueberry Pie Ice Cream, Roasted Cashew Nut Butter, or this Raw Carrot Cake With Cashew Vanilla Frosting.

Yes, theres lots of debate and even more opinions out there about whole grains. The thing that cant be debated about these plant-based foods is the fact that they are rich in vitamins and minerals.

When it comes to whole grains and zinc content, youll want to focus on wheat, quinoa, rice, and oats. Luckily, if you cant do gluten, then quinoa, rice, and most oats (depending on the facility they are processed in) are naturally gluten-free!

One cup of cooked quinoa offers around 2 mg of zinc, which is about 13 [percent] of your daily value, while one cup of cooked long-grain brown rice offers around 1.2 mg of zinc, which is about 8 [percent] of your daily value.

Keep in mind that, just like legumes, grains also contain phytates, which bind to zinc and reduce its absorption. Therefore, finding yourself some good sprouted versions of these whole grains will boost that zinc intake!

Try a few of these whole grain-filled recipes: Blueberry Walnut Crumble Bars, Rice with Olives and Basil, Apple Quinoa Salad, or this Whole Wheat Bread.

Dark Chocolate is one of those plant-based foods (as long as you find a vegan brand!) that jumps out with a ton of nutrients! Its vilified due to the fact that most dark chocolate bars are also filled with added, refined sugars.Therefore, when choosing your dark chocolate, make sure its free of sugar additives and dairy products!

Besides those factors, dark chocolate happens to be one of the best sources of zinc offering about 30 percent of your daily value per 100-gram (3.5 ounce) bar of 70 [to] 85 [percent] dark chocolate.

With that said, remember that everything is better in moderation, especially dark chocolate, which is also super high in healthy fats!

Try a few of these dark chocolate recipes: Apricot, Almond, and Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars, Healthy Toasted Coconut Almond Truffles, Raw Nutella Bars, or these super unique Chilli Chocolate Tacos.

Looking to get your mineral-knowledge fix? Its probably best to start with those uber essential minerals. Here are a few articles to get you started!

Super-Seedy Muesli Bars/One Green Planet

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help withchronic inflammation,heart health,mental wellbeing,fitness goals,nutritional needs,allergies,gut healthandmore!Dairy consumption also has been linked many health problems, includingacne,hormonal imbalance,cancer,prostate cancerand has manyside effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading theFood Monster App with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about theenvironmentalandhealth benefitsof aplant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to theOne Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please considersupporting usby donating!

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A STUDY in the North-East has found half of the children who received free school meal vouchers are reporting a significant drop in their intake of fruit and vegetables since schools closed in March.

Research by Northumbria Universitys Healthy Living Lab found over 50 per cent stated they had eaten no fresh vegetables across a three-day period following the UKs Covid-19 lockdown.

Almost half reported having eaten no fruit in the same period, yet many reported a large increase in consumption of sugary drinks and snacks.

The findings of the study have been released today, a week after many English schools re-opened their doors to children in selected year groups.

Northumbria Universitys Healthy Living Lab is one of the UKs leading research centres into issues around the provision of child feeding programmes and holiday hunger.

Researchers were keen to investigate what children entitled to free school meals would be eating when it became apparent that the UK was going to enter a period of lockdown and schools would be closing their doors to all but the most vulnerable pupils and children of key workers.

Although the Department for Education implemented a shopping voucher scheme worth 15 per child per week in England to provide support for those children who would normally receive free school meals, many parents and schools reported a number of issues with the scheme and the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland chose to introduce alternative schemes.

The researchers worked with almost 60 nine-to-twelve-year-olds in London and the North East of England who completed specially designed questionnaires on their eating, sleeping and physical activity across six days.

Data were collected on three consecutive days before, and three consecutive days during, lockdown.

The questionnaires were returned to the researchers by parents for statistical analysis.

The preliminary findings show a significant decrease in the amount of fruit children have been eating.

Before school closures they ate, on average, just over one portion of fruit per day.

During the three-day reporting period during lockdown, almost half of the children (45%) said they hadnt eaten any fruit, with the remaining children eating an average of half a portion of fruit per day.

Similar results were seen in the childrens responses on the amount of vegetables they had eaten.

More than half of the children (55%) said they had not eaten any fresh vegetables during the three days during lockdown.

The mean vegetable intake dropped from just over two portions per day when children were attending school, to an average of half a portion per day at home.

However, a four-fold increase was reported in the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks consumed, together with a substantial rise in the amount of crisps, chocolates and sweets being eaten.

Childrens consumption of unhealthy snacks increased from an average of one over the three days when they were at school to six portions across three days at home during lockdown.

The researchers also asked if the children had skipped any meals.

Approximately 25% said they had skipped at least one meal a day prior to schools closing usually their breakfast and this increased to 35% following lockdown.

Professor Greta Defeyter, director of the Healthy Living Lab said: These preliminary findings make for pretty horrific reading. As a nation our shopping habits have changed, with an increase in shopping online and shopping locally. However, if a parent doesnt have internet access or has a low data allowance, cant afford the minimum shop for free delivery, or lives in a food desert that is populated with fast food takeaways then it is hardly surprising that, in the absence of free school breakfasts and free school lunches, some childrens overall dietary intake has changed. While I welcome the fact that more supermarket chains are now included in the DfEs voucher scheme the preliminary findings in our report highlight wider, systematic, societal failures.

Baroness Boycott, chairwoman of the charity Feeding Britain agreed.

She said: "The social and economic consequences of coronavirus are exposing millions of people in our country to hunger and malnutrition.

"As these preliminary findings show, we need a seamless year-round programme of nutritious meals for all children which incorporates school breakfasts and dinners, as well as a continuation of that service, alongside enriching activities, during the holiday periods. The automatic registration of all eligible families for Healthy Start vouchers the take-up of which is pitifully low would also increase the flow of fresh fruit and vegetables to young children.

Professor Defeyter said there is a high probability that children from lower socio-economic backgrounds will be most disadvantaged when the new academic year begins in September, given the combination of a lack of healthy nutritious food and the educational learning loss experienced due to school closures, which will disproportionally affect disadvantaged children.

She called for a universal school meal service and school breakfast club programme to be made available to all children, to ensure equal access to a healthy diet to promote health, and learning, adding: Our report highlights the importance of free school meal provision, and the importance of access to healthy, nutritious food in every community. We believe that all children have the right to access nutritious healthy food within their community and school.

In the immediate term, we urge the UK government to rethink school summer holiday provision to ensure that all children from low income households are provided with the opportunity to access healthy food, cultural, social and physical activities during the upcoming holiday period

Expansion of the DfEs funded holiday provision programme will support parents in childcare provision and their return to work, reduce parental stress, ensure children receive healthy, nutritious food that complies with school food standards, and provide a solid foundation for an extended school programme to provide long-term support to address educational learning loss.

Dr Emily Mann, who also worked on the study, said that parents and schools had reported difficulties in accessing the food voucher scheme.

We already know that households with children eligible for free school meals are at risk of food insecurity. Parents and schools in England complained about the time taken to receive the vouchers and said some shops refused to accept them as they are limited to certain supermarkets.

The additional 15 per child from the food vouchers has not enabled the lowest-income households to move out of this risk area, especially at a time when household income is likely to have suffered due to the economic impact of the pandemic.

The full report is entitled The Free School Meal Voucher Scheme: What are children actually eating and drinking?

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DUBAI: Egyptian actor and singer Mohamed Ramadan responded this week to a Facebook user who made a demeaning comment towards his son.

The star, who has been filming a video clip at home for his latest song Coronavirus, took to his social media to share a picture with his three-year-old son during the shoot.

I taught my son Ali how to disinfect his room in theCoronavirus clip, Ramadan wrote to his 10.2 million Facebook followers.

A Facebook user commented on the post saying: Black like his father The disaster is that no one from his family has the beauty of their mother nor her color.

A few minutes later, the 32-year-old artist shared a screenshot of the comment and wrote: I am proud of my color and the color of my father and my children, who God created, and I am happy that my children are going to grow up to be against racism especially that their mother and father are of different colors.

Ramadan is married to Nesrine Abdel Fattah, with whom he shares three kids.

It is not far back that Ramadans name was trending on social media. Last month, he faced backlash online with people saying he paid Spanish actor Enrique Arce to wish him a happy birthday.

Arce, who stars as Arturo Romn in the widely popular Netflix show La Casa De Papel, responded to these comments with a video saying:Just to make things clear I dont know Ive been told that theres a big thing happening right now. This is from Red One, he contacted me (and) he told me you are the greatest, Arce said, speaking to Ramadan, in the video.

I am following you on Instagram. I hope we get to work together man. Ive heard you are pretty great, so I hope I get to meet you someday in person.

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5 reasons to add flaxseed to your diet - Arab News

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Food Love by Might Be Veganrecently launched to provide plant-based food to those in need. The program focuses on families in the Black, Brown, and low-income communities who are experiencing food insecurity, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, and accounts for those not currently being served by food banks because of a lack of transportation or identification.

A woman asked Kimberly Barnes, founder of Might be Vegan and the Food Love initiative, regarding this project, Why do we always have to segregate people by color? Why cant it just be low-income families PERIOD?Barnes found that low-income families are dying twice as often due to COVID-19 complications. Barnes drew on her previous experiences working at food banks, where she learned that most people were given sodium-laden, non-perishable foods that exacerbate existing conditions such as hypertension.

Food Love by Might Be Vegan was born from a desire to want to see my people live explains Kimberly Brown.

The story began in April when Barnes read, The coronavirus is killing Black and Latino people in NYC at twice the rate that its killing white people, according to preliminary dataSoon, multiple states were reporting similar phenomena, and what may have been perceived as an isolated occurrence is now considered a macrotrend. Black people are reported to carry a 40% higher rate of hypertension and a 60% higher rate of diabetes compared to their white counterparts. Both illnesses have been tied to adverse COVID-19 outcomes.In conjunction with the data, many of the frontline jobs farmworkers, grocery workers, and transit workersare held by members of the Black and Brown communities, exposing them more often to risk. The terrible reality of most of these communities was their lack of access to healthy, fresh foods, clean air, and green space.The Food Love program aims to combat these issues through delivering plant-based foods, which are known to reverse diet-related illnesses and build immune systems, straight to families doorsteps.

Kimberly Barnes partnered with community organizers and those working in public health around the country to identify needs among the individuals they serve. Program volunteers then match the brands with individuals within their region so they are able to access fresh, healthy plant-based food that is delivered directly to them. The program also provides supplementary educational materials to families, which are designed to help them incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets.

Im not saying I want to be the 911 for food, but I want to be as close as I can, shares Barnes.

To help the Food Love initiative, donate through the GoFundMe link here.

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Food Love by Might Be Vegan Helps Minority Communities Get Plant Based Food with Direct-to-Door Delivery - VEGWORLD Magazine

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