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For the past two years, the FDA has been investigating a strange development in dog health. The agency started hearing reports that more pups than usual were developing a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart to weaken and grow larger.

Typically, veterinarians see this issue in large dogs. Some breeds, such as Doberman pinschers, Great Danes and others, are genetically predisposed to the condition, which slowly saps the heart of its ability to efficiently pump blood. This can lead to fainting, weakness or death. But recently, dogs that arent considered at risk of the heart disease, like golden retrievers, started showing up to veterinarian offices with enlarged hearts. Veterinarian providers began talking amongst themselves and observed that some of these dogs were eating grain-free food kibble and soft canned food formulated without corn, wheat and soy. It begs the question: Could these heart troubles stem from a dogs diet?

That's what prompted the FDA and other research groups to investigate the health effects of grain-free dog food. For the most part, researchers have a lot to learn about this supposed relationship, which is a familiar situation for the profession. All of us that are in this from an academic standpoint are the first to admit that nutrition of dogs and cats is woefully behind that of other animal species and humans, says Greg Aldrich, a pet nutritionist at Kansas State University. The more investigators learn, the closer they come to gaining broader understandings about what keeps our pets healthy.

A stroll through the ever-expanding pet care aisle could leave any owner confused about what food to buy. A few decades ago, this might not have been the case. Thats when grain-free varieties first emerged, and the products took up little shelf space. This type of dog food appeared, in part, because some breeders and owners concluded that commodity foods like soy and other grains must somehow be lower quality, Aldrich says. The science doesnt back up that idea. But that didn't stop the product from taking off. It emerged from nothing to a prominent part of the marketplace, Aldrich says.

To replace starches in grain-free kibble, companies introduced substitutions like sweet potatoes, lentils and legumes. But these "new" ingredients could leave dogs with low levels of an essential protein building block called taurine. Legumes might not be an adequate source of two precursor nutrients that dogs' bodies rely on to make taurine. To add to that, it's also possible that these alternative starches can ferment in dogs' intestines and may foster taurine-degrading microbes creating a one-two punch of nutrient deprivation. Several grain-free formulas also throw in more unusual or exotic protein sources, like lamb, duck and kangaroo all of which might provide less taurine, or make the precursor nutrients less effective.

These possibilities are just that possibilities, Aldrich says. Researchers have yet to conclusively prove whether or not these ingredients cause enough taurine deficiency to create heart problems in dogs. In one study, dogs on grain-free diets had some heart measurements that were larger than those of dogs on traditional kibble, but they didnt show any taurine deficiency. When seven of the dogs that had heart abnormalities switched to traditional diets, the researchers saw their condition improve. Other research looking at beagles found that when the pups ate grain-free diets that supplemented with taurine, their taurine levels were comparable to those of dogs on normal food.

When it comes to golden retrievers, diets that cut out grains but include legumes might be especially troublesome. A 2020 study linked this type of diet with taurine deficiency and heart abnormalities in goldens that were consistent with dilated cardiomyopathy. The researchers also found that goldens with heart problems were more likely to be fed dog food produced by smaller companies.

In fact, of all the dogs with this particular heart issue reported to the FDA recently, golden retrievers are the most represented breed. The agency thinks this is because of a reporting bias, as social media pages dedicated to the breed might have encouraged owners to bring their pets to the vet, but its also possible that some breeds are more sensitive to taurine deficiencies.

In fact, its likely that a range of other life factors beyond diet influence whether or not dogs develop this heart problem. Researchers dont know if obesity, diabetes or other health conditions make a dog more likely to develop dilated cardiomyopathy, Aldrich says. The influence of household chemicals or pesticides is similarly unclear.

If dietary factors are to blame for dilated cardiomyopathy, it's also possible that the problem might be related to overall recipe formulations used by some brands rather than single ingredients. What seems to be consistent is that it does appear to be more likely to occur in dogs eating boutique, grain-free, or exotic ingredient diets, writes Lisa Freeman, a veterinarian at Tufts University, in a Cummings Veterinary Medical Center blog post. A quality, nutritious dog food needs a range of considerations, including rigorous quality control and extensive testing, she writes. Not every manufacturer can do this.

When it comes to selecting dog food, the consumer is often making an educated guess at best. Though there are basic requirements each manufacturer is supposed to meet, theres no Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, Aldrich says. If youre unsure, aiming for a middle of the road dog food variety is a safe bet.

Like with humans, the standard dietary recommendations dont work for every dog, Aldrich points out. It might be the case that nutrition recommendations should be tailored to each breed, as theres so much variance from tiny Yorkies to mastiffs the size of adult men. We want to be there, but we're just not, he says.

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Grain-Free Diets Have Been Linked to Serious Heart Problems in Dogs - Discover Magazine

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It seems fitting that a government lacking in substance is now urging the nation to lose some of its own. At the end of July it launched its anti-obesity strategy, boosted by evidence that Covid-19 hits overweight people hardest. Today saw a more targeted soup-and-shakes weight-loss plan aimed at people with type 2 diabetes.

Common to both initiatives is the advice to exercise more and eat less. It seems as pure and virtuous as Mom and apple pie (well, maybe minus the pie). But as a strategy for weight loss it has a basic and fatal flaw: it doesnt work.

I learned this through bitter experience. Several years ago I carefully cut back on my eating, and sure enough, the kilos fell away. So did my sanity. Feeling hungry most of the time had made me grumpy, irritable and obsessed by the next meal. I was leaner but meaner.

When I hit my target weight I was careful not to go back to old habits. So it was deeply disturbing when I could not stop my lost weight piling back on with a vengeance. Twelve months later I was at least as heavy as I had been before. Anecdote is not evidence, of course. But my case is an example of a well-established fact: the vast majority put back on all the weight they lose when dieting, or even more.

The reasons for this are complicated, but the basic principles are clear enough. The simple energy-in-energy-out model treats the body as though it were a machine, always burning its fuel in the exact same way. Instead, nature favours organisms that can adjust their energy expenditure in accordance with what is available.

The human body is such a homeostatic, self-regulating system. Deprive it of calories and it starts to burn fewer of them, and tries to horde away any excess as fat. So all the time the dieter is congratulating themselves on their weight loss, their body is wondering what the hell is going on, and doing all it can to reverse it.

Evidence is mounting that body weight is not determined purely by calorie intake. How we metabolise our food depends on what kind of food it is, not just how much energy it contains. We dont yet know exactly what makes a difference, but we have lots of evidence that people get fatter when they eat more highly processed foods, especially refined carbohydrates. They are also slimmer when they eat more home-cooked meals. So a serious anti-obesity strategy would require the government to take on the food industrys promotion of highly processed foods.

The apparent success of the soup-and-shakes strategy in trials is no vindication of old-school calorie-counting. Its not just that the trials were highly controlled and participants had serious health conditions and so were highly motivated. More importantly, the success heralded was in remission of type 2 diabetes, not weight loss. While 35.6% of participants were in remission after two years, only 11.4% had maintained a 15kg weight loss. Since the results after two years were significantly worse than those after one, we dont yet know whether even these gains are sustainable. The study is encouraging for diabetes treatment, but it is not even close to being evidence that sustainable weight loss is achievable for most people.

We should be less obsessed by weight in itself anyway. Ive seen meta-studies that suggest all-cause mortality is lowest in people who are actually slightly overweight. Even a recent Lancet study, which suggested the officially healthy body mass index of 25 was indeed optimal for health, still showed that increases in risk are minor for the moderately chubby.

Government calls to reduce our weight assume we can control what in reality we can merely influence. The most we can control is the kinds and amounts of food we eat, how much we exercise, whether we smoke and how heavily we drink. If you do that and are a little overweight, you are going to be much healthier than a couch potato who stays slim through endless cans of diet Coke and cigarettes.

If the government wants to help people to eat better, its main priority should be ending what is often called food poverty more accurately described as poverty, full stop. The poorer you are, the more likely you are to be overweight, almost certainly because of the way poverty limits your food choices. If people cannot afford good food, or the fuel to cook from scratch at home, telling them to eat less and better is pointless.

Of course we should all try to take responsibility for our own health. But we can be responsible only for what we have the power to do. That is limited not just by basic biology, but by what is on our shop shelves and in our wallets. Tackling those problems requires controls on business and greater redistribution of wealth. The government rejects both on ideologic grounds, and instead promotes dieting and personal responsibility, preferring flawed common sense to the evidence.

Julian Baggini is a writer and philosopher

See the original post here:
It'll take more than a soup-and-shakes diet plan to tackle obesity in the UK - The Guardian

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Norah Nabkey has always been more nervous than her two older siblings.

Living in a global pandemic, however, has further heightened the 7-year-olds anxiety levels. Its made her fear leaving the house or visiting her grandparents. She has asked her mother, What happens if I get sick? Am I going to die?

Its so hard to drive home caution without instilling fear in your kids, said Brooke Nabkey, a mother of three in Ada Township. She was already an anxious kid to begin with and weve sort of created a monster.

This summer, she just crumbled.

Across the state in Grand Blanc, Michelle Counts has grappled with finding balance between keeping her three sons vigilant and aware of the dangers of the virus that has hospitalized multiple family members and friends, while not overwhelming them.

I wouldnt say depression but the majority of kids have dealt with fear surrounding things, Counts said. Both my little ones have voiced being scared, I dont want to go back to school, get corona and die ... they miss being with their friends but they dont want to lose their life or spread it.

The Nabkeys and Counts arent alone. Over the last five months, mental health experts across the state have noted elevated levels of stress, anxiety and depression among people of all ages, including children and teens.

The pandemic, along with attempts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in communities, have altered routines, isolated youths from their friends, teachers and coaches, and raised concerns over the threat of the virus itself.

In some cases, youth have been further affected by seeing loved ones get sick or die from the virus that has killed more than 6,400 Michiganders since mid-March. Others have had their home life impacted by a parents loss of income due to the associated economic recession.

Across the state and the nation, weve seen an increase in anxiety and trauma symptoms, said Lauren Kazee, a social worker whose career has focused on the mental health and wellness of youth. It has impacted different people in different ways.

Michigan has not yet compiled data on the mental health impact of the coronavirus pandemic. But the state is working in partnership with school leaders and mental health experts to prepare for the fallout by providing schools and parents with additional resources.

In April, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the state would provide funding to make a program known as Michigan Cares free to children, teachers and parents for the 2020-21 school year. The program, presented by the non-profit Michigan Virtual, provides free digital lessons focused on developing social, emotional and mental well-being skills.

Hindering the states response is an already apparent shortage in access to mental health services, Kazee noted.

We were already looking at such a huge need, a huge gap in service provisions and providers around mental health and to compound it with a pandemic has exponentially increased the need for these services, Kazee said.

Elevated risk of trauma, suicide

In June, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services in West Michigan published a report forecasting the profound impact that the COVID-19 crisis would have on the mental health of Michiganders.

Due to the emergence of the disease and its impact on our lives and economy, many of the conditions that are known to increase risk for suicide are now in place in Michigan, reads an executive summary of the report.

The report includes children and adolescents among the groups who are especially at risk for a behavioral health crisis. They are at a higher risk for trauma and suicide due to being isolated from positive external supports, witnessing increasingly stressed family members and may be experiencing a lack of parental engagement as families try to balance work, homeschooling and childcare.

The economy could also play a role. In July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Michigans unemployment rate at 8.7% -- a drop from Junes 14.9%.

Heightened unemployment rates suggest a potential for increased child abuse and neglect instances as well, according to the Pine Rest report. Individuals who are victims of child abuse and neglect have three to five times greater odds of suicide than others.

For teens, the impact of social distancing may be particularly difficult, and teens who are experiencing social isolation are two times more likely to attempt suicide, the report states.

Among the recommendations called for by Pine Rest is for Michigan to continue to scale up teletherapy and telepsychiatry, and to urgently address shortages in the mental health workforce by retraining those whose jobs have been eliminated to work in entry level positions in the mental health field.

How to address the news with your children

Brooke Nabkey has taken differing approaches to keeping her children informed with the coronavirus based on what they can each handle. She lets her 12-year-old son Simon watch the news with her and they discuss it.

But for Norah, its better to filter the news.

With my son, Im showing him the world, she said. But for Norah, Im keeping the world away because thats what she can handle. When we watch the news or read an article, we can set it aside. But as a 7-year-old, everything she has stays right there in front of her.

Michelle Counts said her family initially kept a close eye on news related to the pandemic, but as things became too sad she limited her sons viewing and began coming up with activities to distract them like projector movies in the yard or making crafts on the weekends.

We decided lets not drown ourselves, she said. We know its out there, but lets not be so into it that were not living.

Bob Sheehan, executive director of the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan, noted that children start to make sense of the world around them around ages 5-7 years old. Youth 6-12 years old are more likely to ask questions and talk to their parents than older teens, who tend to rely more on discussions with their peers than their parents.

When it comes to informing your kids about the pandemic, he recommends finding a middle ground between scaring them into complying with safety guidelines and keeping them informed on how to minimize the risk of catching the virus.

You can tell them we wear masks to protect ourselves like we wear mittens in the winter, or wash our hands after going to the bathroom, or look both ways before we cross the street, he said. We dont show our kids horrendous crashes to teach them, we just say look both ways before crossing and alert them to the danger.

Sheehan recommends putting your kids on a news diet. Too much can be overwhelming, but not enough could leave them only learning from their peers. He noted that some kids will link the pictures and headlines of civil unrest related to police brutality with the pandemic, if the fact that theyre separate issues isnt explained to them.

Returning to schools

As students begin returning to school, both virtual and in-person, Kazee said its going to be just as vital for teachers to address their students emotional and social health as it is to get them back on track in math and science.

I think itll be important for us to really go slow, for schools to have permission to not push academics first and really attune to social and emotional needs of their students, Kazee said. Were coming into a unique situation we havent faced before.

To help schools prepare to welcome back students, both virtually and in-person, The Michigan Department of Education partnered with School Based Mental Health Professionals Coalition to create a pandemic return to school toolkit.

The toolkit provides resources for administrators and teachers, as well as parents and students. It focuses on disease prevention, but also addresses the underlying long-term effects of the pandemic, including the impact of collective trauma on students and their families.

Theres been a lot of focus on how to check in with kids as they come back, Kazee said. Thats the focus of meetings Ive been in.

If schools and mental health providers are able to bring in protective factors to offset the impacts of the pandemic, Kazee anticipates that theyll be able to build resilience in students and prevent lasting negative impacts down the line.

My hope is we want kids to have some type of routine and progress academically but we cant do it without addressing the social and emotional impacts of all of this, she said.

Michelle Counts youngest sons, Caden, 14, and Jordan, 11, will be starting the school year with remote learning through Grand Blanc Community Schools. To combat distractions from learning at home, shes setting up a phone- and video-game free area of her house with desks for completing school work.

Im nervous about that, she said. Its so easy to get distracted and I dont want them falling behind. I work from home but my job can be so demanding. I worry that a bunch of kids may struggle.

New counseling services emerge

Between January and June 2020, Michigan saw a 33.7% decline in the use of its mental health services for kids 17 and younger. Utilization declined each month from January through April, likely due in-part to the governors stay-home order to slow the spread of COVID-19.

That doesnt mean the need for those services declined though.

Its like after a car wreck, you see people walking around before they realize they broke their arm, Sheehan said. Thats what were seeing. Then there comes a wave of calls, people not taking their medications, and a rise in anxiety.

In May and June, Michigan reported a rise in mental health service use from the prior months, though with a notable difference in service type. While face-to-face contacts dropped significantly, virtual and phone-based counseling services grew exponentially.

Michigan has seen a significant increase in virtual forms of mental health services since the beginning of the year, due in part to the coronavirus pandemic. (Courtesy | MDHHS)

Kazee called the growth in telehealth and teletherapy a silver lining for the pandemic. She said youth have shown in many cases that they feel more comfortable and are more honest during these sessions. She also noted that some providers are experimenting with text-based services as well.

Im hoping it will increase accessibility for those services, Kazee said. Were trying to think outside the box.

That doesnt mean tele-medicine is right for everyone. Brooke Nabkey said shes tried it with her daughter Norah, but its harder for her to focus than during in-person sessions.

Nabkey has seen improvements in her daughters anxiety levels since she began speaking with a therapist and taking lexipro, a medication that helps to restore balance of serotonin in the brain. Shes using virtual counseling in the short-term, but is looking forward to a return to normal.

As weeks of the pandemic have turned to months, Nabkey said she and her husband have gotten better at helping Norah through her anxiety. The therapy and medication have helped her to verbalize her feelings, Nabkey said.

Last week for the first time we took her to a restaurant again; we sat outside and she was OK as long as we explained the safety measures, like a constant reassurance of how were going to stay safe, she said.

We try to be patient but its hard to rally understanding for it if you dont suffer from it. Its trying to be logical and anxiety isnt logical.

For more information, visit the states mental health resources website, here. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions also has resources available, here.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS:

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nosewhile in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/.

Read more on MLive:

Wednesday, Aug. 26, coronavirus data by Michigan county: See counties with highest, lower infection rates

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Put your kids on a news diet and other tips to coping with anxiety during a pandemic - mlive.com

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September through December is the best time to fertilize a cool-season lawn, research has shown.

Not sure if you have cool-season grass? The answer is simple. If it stays green all winter, then it is cool-season. If it turns brown in the fall, assuming it is healthy, it is a warm-season lawn.

This only applies to grass. Most perennial plants, like trees and shrubs, should not be fertilized from August until the end of October. Fertilize an azalea now and it may start growing instead of entering dormancy like it is supposed to in the fall. Summer annuals can be fed as long as they are growing.

Lawns can be fed in the spring but only with light applications. Too much nitrogen can lead to summer disease problems. Most cases of brown-patch disease happen when too much nitrogen was applied in March or April.

What should the lawn be fertilized with? For decades most people used the good old stand-by: 10-10-10. They figured if it was good enough for the farmers crops, it was good enough for their lawn. There are two problems with that. The fertilizers used by farmers are formulated to be applied to agricultural crops. They do not work as well in landscapes.

The other problem occurred in recent years. About five or so years ago most, if no all, states passed laws that said phosphorous cannot be used in lawn maintenance fertilizers unless there is a recent soil test that states it is needed. The middle 10 in 10-10-10 says that the fertilizer is 10% phosphorous by weight. Therefore, 10-10-10 will be illegal to use on lawns in most cases. You can still use it to establish a new lawn, but there are better products.

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IN THE YARD: Getting a lawn into a proper diet is important to its health and growth - GoDanRiver.com

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Virtuous chefs are forever trying to convince us that a healthy diet can still be rich in voluptuous flavors.

The meat-and-potatoes crowd those who enjoy their steaks, buttery casseroles, cream sauces and whove never met a macaroni and cheese they didnt like dont buy it.

But with Good for You: Bold Flavors With Benefits, chef Akhtar Nawab makes a persuasive case that gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan diets can be as intensely flavored and satisfying as any other. Fully versed in Indian, Mexican, Italian and Southern cuisines, Nawab doesnt just practice a healthful-eating lifestyle, hes the living proof it works.

Recipe: Gazpacho with Poached Shrimp

The first-generation son of Indian parents, Nawab grew up in 1970s Louisville, Ky., marked by white bread and The Brady Bunch, he writes in Good for You. He was a chubby kid his Muslim Indian mother was an accomplished home cook who gained even more weight his first year in college, eventually topping 250 pounds.

After dropping out of college, he returned home and went on a joyless diet working with a nutritionist. Combined with exercise, he was able to lose weight. After culinary school in California in 1994, he went to work in the Bay Area, which led to working under superchef Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern, Craft and Craftbar in New York. Today, Nawab who says hes not vegan but calls his diet plant forward and mostly gluten-free owns Alta Calidad in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Otra Vez in New Orleans.

Good for You:

Bold Flavors With Benefits

By Akhtar Nawab

Chronicle Books

224 pages, $29.95

Recipe: Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Tamarind and Cashews

Good for You synthesizes Nawabs secrets for making healthful food taste like not-so-healthful food. He accomplishes this by building flavor using spices, roasted chiles, herbs, aromatic brines, spiced marinades, seeds and nuts.

Flavor, he emphasizes, doesnt always have to employ fats. Instead, his recipes benefit from concentrated tomato paste, romesco sauce, cashew pure and a vegan soubise that makes dishes taste like they are full of butter and cream. He developed the recipes for these building-block sauces and marinades by making full-fat recipes and then stripping away the unnecessary.

From there, I replaced whatever I thought was missing with something that would add a nutritional benefit and amplify flavor, he writes.

Seeing is believing: The cookbooks photographs for dishes such as bison burger with paleo Thousand Island dressing; gluten-free bread (made with almond flour and ground flaxseed); pumpkin pancakes dripping with maple syrup; meatballs with cremini mushroom sauce; and turkey lasagna show that clean eating can be good eating.

Recipe: Cauliflower Rice Biryani

greg.morago@chron.com

Excerpt from:
How one chef builds flavor without the fat - Houston Chronicle

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From social media influencers to great aunt Bess, everyone has an opinions about the best habits for a healthy lifestyle. But whether youve gone all-in on apple cider vinegar or think the latest health fads are all hype, the choices you make can have long-term health consequences.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.Policy

Healthy lifestyle habits can slow or even reverse the damage from high cholesterol or high blood sugar, says lifestyle medicine specialist Mladen Golubic, MD, PhD. You can reverse diabetes, obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease.

Here, he sifts through the noise to help you choose the best lifestyle habits to prevent chronic diseases.

The leading causes of death worldwide are chronic diseases, Dr. Golubic says. And they include the usual suspects:

But you can prevent many of these chronic conditions by addressing their root cause: daily habits. About 80% of chronic diseases are driven by lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise, he says.

To prevent chronic disease, Dr. Golubic recommends adjusting your habits in these five areas:

His advice is straightforward: Eat plants that are whole, unrefined and minimally processed. Eating plant-based foods helps reduce diabetes, heart disease and cancer risk.

There is evidence that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. This diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains fish, olive oil and nuts.

Other evidence suggests that consuming a fully plant-based diet can even reverse chronic, diet-related conditions, including advanced heart disease. This diet eliminates meat, dairy and eggs and includes whole foods such as vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruits. It is the most compassionate and the most sustainable diet, Dr. Golubic says, and the one he recommends most.

I suggest you experiment. You dont have to go fully vegan tomorrow, he says.

Avoid refined and processed plant foods. Start by preparing one new plant-based meal a week.

Moving helps all your bodys systems. Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week.

If that seems daunting, Dr. Golubic recommends starting small. Most of us can walk. So start with a 10-minute walk. Repeat this two or three times a day, he says. Then try to walk faster, have a minute of more intense walking or climb a flight of stairs. If walking is not an option, any physical activity will do. Simply move more and sit less.

Shoot for seven to nine hours of restful sleep each night. But if you just cant help burning the midnight oil, try to:

Chronic stress is not your immune systems friend. Try mindfulness, meditation and gratitude to relieve stress and improve your physical and mental health.

We tend to self-medicate with food, but there are healthier ways to relieve our stress, worries and concerns, Dr. Golubic says.

Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the state of being more present and aware of what you sense, feel and experience. Its a great way to cope with stress and relax.

Dr. Golubic suggests two ways to master mindfulness:

Meditation: If youre new to the practice, 44 breathing, or box breathing, is a great place to start. Heres how it works:

Do this for five minutes three times a week, building up to 20 minutes a day.

Gratitude: Practicing gratitude is a good antidote for stress as well. In studies, burned-out healthcare workers who performed acts of gratitude such as remembering three good things or writing gratitude letters reported positive effects on their well-being after a few weeks.

Throughout our days we tend to notice more things that are not going well and pay little attention to positive moments, Dr. Golubic says. We are likely to feel better when, in the midst of a hectic day, we recognize and remind ourselves about all the gifts we have in life.

Social connectedness, or loving people, keeps you emotionally and physically healthy. Even when physical distancing is the norm, virtual connections can be transformative.

We have tremendous access to technology to help us avoid social isolation, Dr. Golubic says. Almost everybody has a cell phone, so you can be in touch with people and tell them how you feel about them. Even work emails signed, I hope youre OK, or, stay well, make a difference.

There are a few reasons it can be hard to get a handle on our habits, including:

To make healthy habits stick, Dr. Golubic suggests you:

Read the rest here:
5 Healthy Habits That Prevent Chronic Disease Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

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Eleanor Frederick / For The Times-News| Times-News

Ready to enjoy a way of eating that is great tasting and good for you? Then the simple, delicious and satisfying Mediterranean way of eating may be right for you.

Created by N.C. State Extension and the Community and Clinical Connections for Prevention and Health Branch of the North Carolina Division of Public Health, MedInsteadofMeds.com is filled with recipes and resources that make Med Month a great time of year to start eating the Med way.

The Med way reects a way of eating that is traditional in the countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea and includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts, seeds, and olive oil and limits highly processed foods and added sugar. This approach to eating has been extensively studied and is associated with promoting health and decreasing the risk of many chronic diseases including some forms of cancer, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

As such, the Mediterranean way of eating is recommended around the world, including in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

In 2019, the Mediterranean diet won the gold as 2019's best overall diet in rankings announced recently by US News and World Report. The analysis of 41 eating plans also gave the Mediterranean diet the top spot in several subcategories: best diet for healthy eating, best plant-based diet, best diet for diabetes and easiest diet to follow.

More: Lighten up your favorite comfort foods

Fortunately, the Med Instead of Meds program isnt all about pasta and olive oil (although theres nothing wrong with those tasty ingredients!) The program also lends itself to creative and delicious uses for much of the fresh harvest available in fall.

Wild mushrooms and barley risotto

Serves 6

Barley is a great grain with lots of nutty flavor and a nice bite. We often see barley in soup, but it can be used for many dishes. This risotto takes advantage of this grains great taste and creamy texture when cooked using this method. Risotto is often thought of as a dish made with rice, but it is actually a cooking method. It seems hard at first, but it is not difficult. Just get a glass of your favorite beverage, stand and stir and contemplate life for a few minutes. The extra effort is worth the trouble. This dish is a great example of adding lots of vegetables in a grain dish to decrease calories and boost fiber.

Ingredients:

6 cups mushroom, vegetable, or chicken broth

1 cups water

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup minced onion

cup red wine

3 cups sliced or coarse chopped mushrooms, any variety or combination

1 cups uncooked barley, rinsed (do not use quick cooking)

6 cups baby spinach or Swiss chard (chopped)

cup grated parmesan cheese (omit to make this dish vegan)

1 tablespoon butter (omit to make this dish vegan)

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring broth and water to a simmer.

2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or large chefs pan. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add red wine and cook until almost evaporated.

4. Add the mushrooms and cook stirring often until they begin to release their juices.

5. Add barley and cook for 1 minute.

6. Add 1 cup of warm broth and stir continuously until almost all of the liquid is absorbed.

7. Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time while stirring. Keep adding broth until barley is cooked through and tender (about 35-45 minutes). Add a bit more broth. Dish should be a bit loose at this point as it will continue to thicken.

8. Stir in spinach and allow to wilt.

9. Add more broth if the dish is too stiff.

10. Stir in balsamic vinegar, cheese and butter if using.

11. Taste and add pepper and adjust seasoning if needed.

Apple cucumber slaw

Serves 2

Dont just pickle those end of the season cucumbers. Combine them with crisp apples and other veggies that have a crunch for a light and easy fall salad.

Ingredients:

1 apple, cut into matchsticks (use a sweet apple such as Red Delicious, or a tart apple such as Granny Smith)

English cucumber or garden cucumber, chopped,

sweet onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped fine

cup white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Serve immediately, or chill in refrigerator until serving.

Microwaved baked apples

Serves 2

This is a super easy and super delicious dessert or snack. Any apple will work, but firm apples such as Fuji, Gala, or Braeburn work best. You can change it up with different spices to suit your tastes.

Ingredients:

2 apples

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Core the apple, leaving the bottom intact.

2. In a bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon the sugar mixture into the apples.

3. Place the apples in a deep casserole dish and cover with the lid.

4. Microwave for 3-4 minutes or until tender.

5. Let the apples sit for 2 minutes before serving.

Eleanor Frederick is the family and consumer sciences agent for the Alamance County Cooperative Extension Service.

The following story appears in the Sept. 2020 edition of Alamance Living magazine. If you want to read more stories like this, pick up a copy of the magazine at various locations in Alamance County, or call 336-227-0131 to subscribe so issues will be mailed to your home.

Read more from the original source:
Enjoy Autumns bounty the Mediterranean way - Burlington Times News

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National Nutrition Month (previously called National Nutrition Week) is celebrated in India every year during September to spread awareness about nutritional needs, deficiencies and malnutrition. Heralding the beginning of this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about new initiatives and campaigns the Indian government is looking to undertake during the recent Mann Ki Baat episode on Sunday.

While an initiative like the creation of an agricultural fund that spreads awareness about crops grown in each district and their nutritional values is much needed, its the PMs idea of nutritional report cards that is more striking.

Calling for nutrition cards that work like report cards in schools, he said that this move would help spread nutrition awareness among students. Though it might just do that, school kids in India arent the only subset of the population who need exposure to such knowledge.

Why everyone needs a nutrition report card

Nutritional deficiencies and malnutrition are prevalent among all sections of the Indian population and a report card detailing individual deficiencies, their effects and how to overcome them would be handy for all. A blood test, urine test, stool test, your BMI, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio - these are the true subjects of anybody's basic health report card, says Akanksha Mishra, a nutrition and wellness expert associated with myUpchar. All of these tests may help you get an idea of which micronutrients your body lacks.

Micronutrients, or vitamins and minerals, are some of the most important components of the human diet, Mishra says. Vitamins and minerals are not automatically produced by the body, so it is important that a person should get them from their diet. Unfortunately, the majority of the Indian population do not know the value of these nutrients and do not know the sources that will fulfil the need for these nutrients.

As per a study published in Nutrition in 2019, Indian studies conducted among children and pregnant women have consistently shown pandemic proportions of micronutrient deficiencies in the subcontinent, but similar deficiencies in apparently healthy adults are seldom recognised. The same study then goes on to describe how urban adults with no health issues to report had a high prevalence of deficiency of vitamin A, vitamin D, and B vitamins like B2, B6, B12 and B1.

A 2018 study in the Indian Journal of Medical Research underlines the fact that despite advances in meeting nutritional requirements since 1947, especially where micronutrients like iodine and vitamin A are concerned, iron-deficiency anaemia affects 50-60 percent of the Indian population. Another study in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care in 2018 shows that 80-90 percent of the Indian population of all age groups and high-risk groups alike are vitamin D deficient, which is simply alarming.

Nutritional deficiencies and how to deal with them

Micronutrient deficiencies pose a huge burden on the Indian population but lets not forget that macronutrients also matter. Protein is an essential macronutrient that is required to carry out many body functions, Mishra explains. Called the building block of life, protein helps build muscle and facilitates many hormonal functions. But protein deficiency is more prevalent in India than you think. The reason behind this is that the Indian diet is rich in carbohydrates rather than protein, and we do not know about the importance of this essential macronutrient.

But thats not all, because overnutrition - the type of malnutrition people rarely focus on unless the need to lose weight is impressed upon them - of certain nutrients is also becoming persistent in India. Meals that are high in calories, full of simple carbs, saturated fats, sugar and high sodium are being chosen over healthier options because of easy availability and time-saving benefits, Mishra says.

People have been steadily moving towards simple carbs or easily-available junk and processed foods. Ready-to-eat and frozen foods are taking the place of homecooked chapatis and rice, homemade healthy snacks are being replaced with packaged snacks and jaggery as a sweetener has almost disappeared from our diet. She adds that junk and processed foods, and joints that offer them, are now easy to get in small towns as well, leading not only to a major dietary shift in the nation but also nutritional deficiencies due to it.

You might think taking dietary supplements can help you overcome these nutritional deficiencies but prevention is better than cure - and the only way to do that is by following a balanced and nutrient-dense diet. A balanced diet contains all the nutrients in a balanced way. Your diet should have complex carbohydrates, good amounts of protein-rich foods, such as pulses, legumes, milk and milk products, eggs, chicken, fish, and a lot of fruits and vegetables to complete the requirement of vitamins, minerals and fiber, Mishra recommends. Add good quality of healthy fats in your diet by adding nuts, seeds, olive oil, sunflower oil, etc and a sufficient amount of water should be consumed daily. This type of diet can fulfill all the nutritional requirements of your body without any supplementation.

Following the ritucharya diet according to Ayurveda may also help create nutritional balance. The governments initiative to launch a nutrition report card can also help this adoption of healthier diets and nutrition awareness along. Such a document that takes all forms of malnutrition - micro and macro-nutrient deficiencies as well as overnutrition and obesity - into account at the individual or grassroots level could definitely be handy for all Indians wanting to lead their optimum, healthy lives.

For more information, read our article on Nutritional deficiency.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.

See more here:
National Nutrition Month 2020: PM Modi urges use of ..cards for school kids; heres why all Indians need them - Firstpost

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By Stan Gudmundson

Peterson, MN

I absolutely despise what the radical left is doing to America and the world today. Tearing down statues, monuments, and trying to destroy history, good and bad, is much like Mao Tse-Tungs Cultural Revolution in its destruction of the old. As if history can be changed.

Their beliefs about and attitudes toward the past are silly. And infuriating. Its as if sanctimonious self-righteous 21st century purity could produce retroactive historical change.

Leftists seem to think that, were they able to change places with our ancestors, they would have believed and behaved differently. Thats fantasy. A case can also be made that revisionist historians suffer from the same delusional malady.

Were they able to do so, they would have had to do exactly the same things they did. Nothing would have been different. Time and circumstances have changed but human nature has not.

When Columbus came to the Americas, he launched an inevitable cultural clash that had to occur sooner or later. He just happened to be first. Moreover, it wasnt just a cultural clash. It was also an ecological clash that continues today as invasive species show us.

We dont exactly know what it was like here before Europeans arrived because the diseases they brought obliterated native American populations. And much of their cultures.

Now, imagine that you are a male child of a couple living in Norway or Sweden in the 1800s. By law, the farm you are grew up on will pass from your parents to your oldest brother. You will have to work for him or someone elses older brother or find other work in a time and place where there wasnt much other work. Going to sea was an option but it was a dangerous way to make a living. To make matters worse, a famine hits, something that periodically strikes Scandinavia. And the rest of the world. About 350,000 people starve to death this time.

Like many, many others you are desperate but have a chance to move to America and start a new life, free of primogeniture and Norways other limitations. You take it. When you arrive you learn English and stop speaking Norwegian. You are never, ever going back to the awful life in the old country.

If you were to be from the United Kingdom, your children will have a chance to grow taller than you because of an improved diet. Like the diet that historically allowed the British royalty to be four or five inches taller than peasants.

Because of the incredible mortality rate, in some parts of the world, children werent named until they were five years old. America offers hope. Maybe you can begin naming your children at birth.

You are joining people confronting stone age cultures now modified by the introduction of European horses and cattle. Moreover, Indian homes werent always static. Many moved often, fleeing from the predations of other tribes. Inter-tribal warfare and conquest is extremely brutal and, many kept slaves. When tribes in the southeast were relocated to Indian territory in Oklahoma, they brought with them at least 3,000 black slaves.

Pekka Hamalainen, in the book Comanche Empire, points out that Indian slave traders even captured Indians and Spaniards sending them to the horrible Caribbean sugar plantations. When the Spaniards once decided to stop trading for slaves, the Comanches killed their captives in front of the Spaniards. They publicly raped the women first as they continued to do after the Spaniards relented and began again trading for the slaves to save lives.

The Comanche tribe, establishing a way of life dominated by horses, controlled the southwest for upwards of 200 years. They could have easily wiped out European settlements in all of Texas, New Mexico, and areas to the north. To an extent, they tolerated them because they needed European trade goods. Especially guns.

Some Indian tribes, anxious to save themselves from Comanches and others came to missions begging to keep them safe. If they could. In exchange, many promised to become and did become Christians.

History is really grim and a mess. The left should stop pretending they are better than and would have behaved differently than our ancestors. They couldnt and wouldnt have.

Follow this link:
The phony criticism of history and our ancestors - Fillmore County Journal

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Highlights

Building immunity is no child's play. You have to work on it consistently; you cannot just pop vitamin pills one day and begin to imagine that your body is now resistant towards diseases. According to Delnaaz T. Chanduwadia, Chief Dietitian, Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre, Mumbai, "good immunity begins from the moment you are conceived. However, one can work towards eating right and supporting the immune system. Building the immune system begins with fuelling the body correctly". The correlation between immunity and diet has been spoken about many times, and it turns out that our kitchen pantry is actually loaded with ingredients that may just be more than mere flavouring agents for our curries. Our spices particularly can help rev up our immunity naturally, and hence, must not be ignored. You can include them in your meals and even drinks. This Black Pepper, Turmeric, Cumin Tea is a fine example.

(Also Read: National Nutrition Week 2020: How To Make Giloy Kadha To Boost Immunity )

Black pepper is replete with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also enriched with vitamin C that helps build immunity naturally. The golden spice turmeric is also gaining immense popularity across the world for it anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial properties. In addition to keeping your immunity strong, it also helps soothe the discomfort that is tied with flu. Ingesting cumin seeds or jeera is also known to do wonders for immunity, digestion, weight loss and overall health. Here's how you can combine them all in this healing beverage.

(Also Read: 7 Best Turmeric Recipes | Easy Ways To Add Haldi To Your Diet )

Turmeric is replete with antioxidants

How To Make Black Pepper, Turmeric, Cumin Tea For Immunity

Ingredients:

Method:

Try making this tea at home and let us know how you like it. Do not consume it more than 2-3 times a day.

(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)

About Sushmita SenguptaSharing a strong penchant for food, Sushmita loves all things good, cheesy and greasy. Her other favourite pastime activities other than discussing food includes, reading, watching movies and binge-watching TV shows.

Read the original post:
Immunity: This Black Pepper, Turmeric, Cumin Tea Makes For Healing Concoction Against Cold And Flu - NDTV Food

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