More Weight Loss Solutions

Archives

Archive for the ‘Diet Safely’ Category

Alcohol plays a prevalent role in many cultures, with many of us toasting to big life moments, enjoying happy hours with coworkers or friends, or simply indulging in a few drinks after a long, stressful day.

Of course, health experts have long cautioned against binge drinking, which roughly equates to consuming five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women in about two hours. If you've ever overindulged in your favorite drinks, you know that it typically doesn't feel great the next day, and repeated alcohol abuse can impact your mental and physical health.

But research has also shown that drinking alcohol in moderation can actually be beneficial for your health in some surprising ways.

Here are some of the most interesting ways drinking in moderation can benefit you, so long as you consume it safely and responsibly.

View post:
11 health benefits that have been linked to drinking alcohol in moderation - INSIDER

Comments Off on 11 health benefits that have been linked to drinking alcohol in moderation – INSIDER
Nov 2nd, 2019 | Filed under Diet Safely

Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of people with Heart Disease know the importance of making lifestyle changes to improve their condition around diet and exercise, and they want to make those changes. The problem is that they do not always know how to safely make those changes. MyHealthTeams identified two key areas in which people living with heart disease know they want to improve - but aren't sure what to do or how to start:

Quality of Life

The impact of heart disease on daily life is wide-ranging, with survey respondents reporting challenges including:

"People living with heart disease are grasping for practical advice about how to eat and exercise to better manage their condition, and they're seeking emotional support and lifehacks to help them deal with the personal and social impacts of the disease," said Eric Peacock, co-founder and CEO of MyHealthTeams. "This requires thinking beyond the pill and creates opportunities to engage patients beyond the doctor's office. Today's consumers play an active role in improving their health, and many of us across the healthcare ecosystem can further empower them -- starting by listening to and addressing their priorities."

This research was conducted among the more than 21,000 registered members of MyHeartDiseaseTeam. 233 individuals responded to the online survey. Full survey findings are available: https://www.myheartdiseaseteam.com/resources/the-results-are-in-what-patients-with-heart-disease-want-most-from-their-cardiologists-is-information-not-new-treatments. Additional graphics are available upon request.

About MyHealthTeamsMyHealthTeamsbelieves that if you are diagnosed with a chronic condition, it should be easy to find and connect with others like you. MyHealthTeams creates social networks for people living with a chronic health condition. Millions of people have joined one of the company's 33 highly engaged communities focusing on the following conditions: Crohn's and colitis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, fibromyalgia, pulmonary hypertension, spondylitis, eczema, myeloma, hyperhidrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, leukemia, lymphoma, irritable bowel syndrome, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, hemophilia, hidradenitis suppurative, depression, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, COPD, chronic pain, migraines, food allergies, obesity, HIV, PCOS, endometriosis, breast cancer and autism.MyHealthTeams' social networks are available in 13 countries.

SOURCE MyHealthTeams

MyHealthTeams

Continue reading here:
People With Heart Disease Want Lifestyle Tips and Empathy From Their Doctors 550% More Than They Want New Medications - PRNewswire

Comments Off on People With Heart Disease Want Lifestyle Tips and Empathy From Their Doctors 550% More Than They Want New Medications – PRNewswire
Oct 31st, 2019 | Filed under Diet Safely

ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 30, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hurricane-force winds are fueling the spread of wildfires in Northern and Southern California, causing hundreds of thousands of people to be evacuated from their homes and Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency. To help vulnerable dialysis patients in the path of the fires, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) has activated its Disaster Relief Program, the nations only rapid-response system that provides emergency financial assistance to dialysis patients.

When disaster strikes their communities, disaster relief grants from AKF help patients replace lost medications and special renal diet foods, pay for temporary housing and transportation to treatment, and replace clothing and personal essentials lost due to the natural disaster or the need to evacuate without notice.

The destructive wildfires have already created extensive damage, and much of the state is without power. Schools and businesses have been closed for safety, and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) has been shutting off electricity and gas in an effort to help prevent the wildfires from spreading. The power outages include people on PG&Es list of customers who require electricity in their homes to run medical equipment, such as home dialysis machines.

We are very concerned about how dialysis patients are faring in this emergency situation, and are prepared to help them with disaster relief grants beginning today, said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF president and chief executive officer. Emergency evacuations and power outages create very challenging, life-threatening situations for these patients. Patients in the fire zones are faced with losing all their belongings, including their medicines and their renal-friendly foods, when they evacuate their homes. Those who dialyze at home need electricity to complete their treatments, and those who dialyze in a center that is without power have to find an alternative place for treatment during lengthy and widespread outages.

Missing just one dialysis treatment due to a power outage puts a patients life at risk. PG&Es shutoffs this month have caused multiple dialysis centers to close and dialysis patients, particularly in rural areas of California, to evacuate to find places they can safely dialyze. Having dialysis treatment schedules affected by power outages causes additional burden and stress for dialysis patients during a time they should be focusing on staying safe during a natural disaster.

Any California dialysis patient affected by the wildfires who needs an AKF disaster relief grant should contact their dialysis social worker for information on applying, or call AKF directly at 800.795.3226.

About the American Kidney Fund

The American Kidney Fund (AKF) fights kidney disease on all fronts as the nations leading kidney nonprofit. AKF works on behalf of the 37 million Americans living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, with an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney diseasefrom prevention through transplant. With programs that address early detection, disease management, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation and advocacy, no kidney organization impacts more lives than AKF. AKF is one of the nations top-rated nonprofits, investing 97 cents of every donated dollar in programs, and holds the highest 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator and the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

For more information, please visitKidneyFund.org,or connect with us onFacebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Alice AndorsAmerican Kidney Fund240-292-7053aandors@kidneyfund.org

Originally posted here:
As California wildfires force massive evacuations, American Kidney Fund activates Disaster Relief Program to help vulnerable dialysis patients - Yahoo...

Comments Off on As California wildfires force massive evacuations, American Kidney Fund activates Disaster Relief Program to help vulnerable dialysis patients – Yahoo…
Oct 31st, 2019 | Filed under Diet Safely

Chiropractic Economics October 28, 2019

As Octobers National Chiropractic Health Month comes to an end, doctors of chiropractic and their staff are encouraged to this week give one last effort via social media, e-news and their communication outlets to raise the profile of chiropractic.

Back pain remains one of the most prevalent and disabling conditions worldwide, and various chiropractic organizations are sharing back-injury prevention and strengthening tips in addition to information on the value of a conservative approach to back pain treatment.

As the overuse and abuse of prescription opioid painkillers in the United States remains a top public health problem, its essential for health care consumers and providers to understand that spinal manipulation and other conservative approaches can treat musculoskeletal conditions such as low-back pain effectively and safely.

The American Chiropractic Association has also launched a campaign to enact federal legislation that would allow DCs to perform to the fullest scope of their license in Medicare, which currently serves more than 55 million seniors. To support the National Medicare Equality Petition go to acatoday.org/equality to ensure the aging population receives full access to chiropractic care.

Encourage patients to:

For additional opportunities for activism this month by doctors of chiropractic please click below:

ACA National Chiropractic Health Month Tool Kit

See the article here:
End National Chiropractic Health Month with an act of... - Chiropractic Economics

Comments Off on End National Chiropractic Health Month with an act of… – Chiropractic Economics
Oct 31st, 2019 | Filed under Diet Safely

Congratulations are in order, readers. This week, I celebrated my first anniversary at Hello Homestead at the Bangor Daily News. It may seem like small potatoes, but its a big deal for me I havent lived anywhere for a full year since I graduated college. Its a satisfying milestone, but also bittersweet. I traveled through most of my early twenties, and sometimes, I miss the adventure. No matter where I am, though, nothing brings me back to the days haggling with hand gestures, living out of a backpack and sleeping under the stars quite like the smell of smoking meat.

Smoking meat is one of the earliest forms of food preparation and preservation, dating back to the Paleolithic era. Formaldehyde, alcohol and other chemicals in wood smoke act as natural preservatives, kill microbes and slow fat oxidation, while drying the meat removes moisture that promotes bacterial growth.

Smoking meat (as opposed to applying direct heat) tenderizes tough cuts and gives meat a unique flavor. When burned, different woods break down into compounds with unique, complex smells and tastes. Smoldering cherrywood, for example, imparts a hint of fruity sweetness, while mesquite smoke leaves a savory, earthy flavor.

Cultures all over the world smoke meat. Everywhere I traveled, someone always seemed to be smoking something, whether it was lamb spit-roasting on the bustling streets of Marrakesh or guinea pig smoking in the volcano-vistaed backyard of a farm in Ecuador.

No matter what is being roasted or how and where, for that matter the smoky, meaty scent fills me with adventurous nostalgia. Now that I have settled down in Maine (happily, I might add), learning how to smoke meat for myself seemed like a great way to keep those memories alive.

Sam Schipani | BDN

Colt Knight, state livestock specialist and assistant professor at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and his homemade smokehouse.

From the start, I knew exactly who to recruit for my meat-smoking adventure: Colt Knight, state livestock specialist and assistant professor at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. I met Colt while working on a story about a tech-based rural education program he runs using hand-crafted GPS collars for cows.

At the time, he mentioned that he was building a smokehouse in his backyard. Plus, he hosts a number of meat-processing and preparation workshops, including an upcoming Barbeque 101 workshop that features you guessed it smoking meat.

I called Colt up, and he invited me to his house for a smoking lesson. His smoker was all set up, and he had pork belly prepared for an (ironically, perhaps) all-American smoked classic: bacon.

Though you cant go wrong with smoked Southern barbecue or New York City pastrami, no smoked meat has captured the American cultural consciousness quite like bacon. Bacon mania a phenomenon so pervasive that it has its own thoroughly-cited Wikipedia page took over the country in the late-aughts. For a while, it seemed like bacon was in everything from milkshakes to mints.

This year, though Bacon Nation is sitting on over 40 million pounds of unsold pork belly because producers rushed to meet Chinese pork demand after an outbreak of African swine fever. Though exports may eventually even out the excess, some of that pork belly will find a way into ours (bellies, that is) for now.

There are a few different smoking techniques including low-temperature cold smoking primarily used to preserve meat, high-temperature hot smoking and barbeque smoke-roasting. We would be doing the former, Colt explained. He was already equipped with lump charcoal (never briquettes, he said some are made with lighter fluid that leave a chemical flavor) and dried hunks of applewood.

Just like in wood-fired stoves, smoking wood is generally seasoned, not green. Also you should avoid softwoods, such as pine, cedar and spruce. The porous wood will burn too fast and hot, leaving unpleasant flavors. Besides, the resins in softwoods can release hazardous, potentially-carcinogenic chemicals.

I also asked Colt about some other health concerns, including Listeria bacteria, which can grow in smoked meats when the internal temperature is not properly monitored. In fact, pregnant women are advised not to eat smoked meat at all, lest they pass Listeria-related neonatal infections to their child. Im not trying to get pregnant, but I still wanted to know the risks.

Colt explained that the curing process which usually takes about a week, and he would prepare in advance would help us avoid such nasty bacteria. Curing is essentially soaking the meat in salt, a key step in meat flavoring and preservation. Curing removes moisture and makes meat inhospitable for microbe growth that causes spoilage (and, apparently, Listeria). As a bonus, removing that moisture also makes the meat easier to smoke.

With my food safety fears assuaged, I was finally ready to start makin bacon. Even though Colt had cured bacon for our smokehouse experience in advance, he wanted me to experience all the steps of the process, including making the cure and preparing the meat for the curing process.

Colt lent me a psychedelic apron, and I donned a pair of food-safe gloves. Things were about to get messy.

First Colt pulled a giant fatty slab of pork belly out of a cooler. Fatty meat retains moisture better in the smoking process plus, the streaky marbling was perfect for bacon. He used the tip of his knife to point out where the meat was pulled off the ribs.

Sam Schipani | BDN

Pork belly with a knife indicating where the meat was separated from the ribs.

We cut the meat into slabs that would be small enough to put into gallon-sized freezer bags for curing. I was hesitant with the knife at first, but eventually, I let the blade do the work. With the right knife-work, it was like cutting through butter.

Then came curing. Colt used an old Kentucky curing recipe with equal parts kosher salt, maple syrup and brown sugar, plus a touch of pink curing salt. Curing salt, comprised of sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite, is controversial because of its potential carcinogenic effects. Scientists in the United Kingdom even called for banning nitrates in meat for fears of the cancer-causing effects.

While large amounts of nitrates are toxic, Colt explained that they play a key role from a food-safety perspective in curing meat. Moderation is key. We weighed the slabs of meat to figure out how much of the cure and more importantly, how much curing salt we were going to use.

I was less shocked by the sprinkle of curing salt than I was by the cups full of kosher salt, sugar and syrup we combined for the cure. It was just a reminder for me: bacon, while delicious so, so delicious is by no means a diet food (sorry, keto-maniacs).

We slathered on the cure and rubbed it in. Then, I slid my slabs of meat in a freezer bag. Colt explained that the meat needed to cure in the refrigerators for seven days (one week for every inch of thickness, he explained, and my slabs of pork belly were 1 inch thick). He recommended flipping the bag every day so the flavors can sneak into every nook and cranny. Over the course of the week, the meat should darken and stiffen.

Luckily, Colt had the pre-cured meat ready for my visit. We rinsed the meat to remove some of the excess salt and patted it dry.

Then, we started the smokehouse. Colt said that he modeled his smokehouse off of an old Applachian-style smokehouse he remembered from when he was a kid in West Virginia.

We waited for the temperature to reach around 90 degrees so we could begin cold-smoking. Colt realized that maybe we should have started the smokehouse earlier, but we decided to enjoy the beautiful day while we waited. I played with Colts extremely well-behaved basset hound, who needed a little bit of attention after we kept her so far from the delicious meats.

Sam Schipani | BDN

Staff writer Sam Schipani with Colt Knight's basset hound.

Once the smoke was tumbling out of the smokehouse vent, it was time to hang the meat inside. The porky belly looked and smelled beautiful: meaty divas with fog machine entrances.

Once again, though, waiting was the name of the game. Colt explained that the pork belly would have to smoke for four to six hours (sometimes more he said he takes it out when he likes the color). Some meats even require days to properly smoke.

I nearly panicked. I couldnt play with Colts dog for four to six hours; my editor would kill me. Silly me Colt, of course, was prepared with smoked pork belly that was ready for the next step: slicing. Colt said he even popped the pork belly in the freezer for a while beforehand to make it easier to slice.

Still, I struggled. My knife skills were still lacking, and I sliced the bacon too thick and uneven to properly cook. Colt was patient, but he could tell I was frustrated. He decided to break out the deli slicer. He was a little worried that I might slice my finger off. Little did he know, I was experienced with intimidating spinning blades from my pallet art experience.

Finally, the bacon was ready to cook. Colt hooked up a griddle and added our thick, freshly smoked slices. (Is there anything as musical as the sound of sizzling bacon? I think not.) Ever the gourmand, Colt also grilled the bread in the extra bacon fat.

The first bite of my bacon sandwich (fully loaded with five slices of bacon, carcinogens be damned) was divine. I may not have been abroad, but that scrumptious sandwich felt like the start of a whole new kind of adventure.

Smoking meat can be capital-intensive and time-consuming, but it is immensely rewarding if youre looking for flavor. The food safety concerns are legitimate, but its easier to navigate through them than it may initially seem (especially if you start with tutelage from an expert like Colt). Certain tools will make the process easier and smoother, and they could be expensive or difficult to DIY (Colt said it only took him a few days and some YouTube videos for him to make his smokehouse, but sans carpentry skills, it would probably take longer).

After a smoking lesson, though, I feel like I could smoke my own meat safely and effectively if I had the proper tools. I wonder if my landlord will let me build a smokehouse in my second-floor city walk-up.

See more here:
I tried smoking meat. Here's how it went. - Bangor Daily News

Comments Off on I tried smoking meat. Here’s how it went. – Bangor Daily News
Oct 31st, 2019 | Filed under Diet Safely

Almost one-year-old Magpie is happy and playful after her owner, Lily Clarkson consulted the veterinarian about her food diet. Credit: Courtesy of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Popular diets may lead to a ruff life for pets.

Pet owners wanting to put their animals on vegan, vegetarian, grain-free, raw or other homemade diets may not be uncommon, but it also may not be the best for the animals, an expert at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State said.

Valerie Parker, a veterinary nutritionist at Ohio State, said diet trends can put animals health at risk because they can lack nutrients, and pet parents should remember that animals arent people when it comes to food.

In the last few years, there has been an increase association shown in some dogs eating a grain-free diet and developing diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy, Parker said. Cardiomyopathy is a heart disease that causes an enlarged heart muscle, making it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body according to Mayo Clinics website.

Parker said dogs can eat grain-free diets, but it has to be done safely and correctly if owners prefer that method by consulting their vet on brands of grain-free food that contain more nutrients. She also said people shouldnt assume that foods that work for them will also work for their pet because animals have different nutritional needs than humans.

Lily Clarkson, the owner of an almost 1-year-old Australian cattle dog and Australian shepherd mix, Magpie, said she became overwhelmed when seeing all the different diet options for her puppy.

At first, she wasnt sure which option to choose but heard good things about a grain-free diet, and though Magpie didnt have any of the problems that grain-free diets are intended to help with, she wanted to avoid the potential for future problems by starting grain-free.

Parker said there are some health risks that have been associated with vegan diets in dogs, and cats especially have shown amino acid deficiency or other nutrient deficiencies.

If its just a home-prepared vegan diet, then it might have multiple nutrient deficiencies associated with it, Parker said. It can cause derangements of calcium in the blood. It can lead to fractures and diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy.

Since initially starting Magpie on a grain-free diet, Clarkson said shes switched her to a whole-based diet food called Purina Pro Plan after meeting with her vet.

Theres a ton of research that goes into that brand of food, so I can know exactly where her food is coming from, Clarkson said.

Parker said that when she does nutrition consults, she has owners fill out a form of the animals diet history so she has a good understanding of what theyve been eating. In order to determine the best option, Parker said she takes an individualized approach with the animals using their breed, weight and medical history.

Parker said theres a lot of good information online regarding animal diets, but making sure its coming from a reputable source like a certified vet nutritionist is necessary.

Absolutely go to your veterinarian. There is so much information on the internet, and you dont know where some people are getting their information, Clarkson said. Veterinarians are professionally trained, so why not go to your vet, whos an expert in that area?

More:
Human diets may not be best option for pets - OSU - The Lantern

Comments Off on Human diets may not be best option for pets – OSU – The Lantern
Oct 30th, 2019 | Filed under Diet Safely

At 5 oclock last Friday, at the peak of rush hour, a group of safety advocates stepped out into the middle of busy Lyndale Avenue in an attempt to cross the street. Under normal circumstances, they knew that theyd be taking their lives into their hands. This was the exact block where 54-year-old Theodore Ferrara was hit Oct. 13 while trying to scramble across the busy four-lane street that carries traffic through the dense Wedge and Whittier neighborhoods and beyond. He died three days later.

At first glance, the idea of change on Lyndale might seem hopeless. The Hennepin County arterial street has very high traffic volumes more than 24,000 cars a day. But recent moves by Ramsey and Hennepin Counties this year are signs that the conventional wisdom about four-lane roads might be changing. Both counties have become more aggressive about implementing three-lane road diets, as engineers and policy makers have begun to push the boundaries of where safety measures might work. These new designs, on streets like Broadway NE and Maryland Avenue, might be a sign of a safer approach to urban streets in the Twin Cities.

Almost all of the deadliest streets in Minnesota cities have one thing in common: They are four-lane undivided roads in walkable urban neighborhoods. These kinds of streets are particularly dangerous because they allow drivers to change lanes and speed around slowing or stopped cars. As anyone who has ever driven south down Hennepin Avenue well knows, without a turn lane, left-turning traffic can clog up the center lane for blocks, and drivers routinely speed and swerve amid the chaos.

Its these unpredictable encounters that make four-lane roads so perilous, and the speed-inducing design quickly turns deadly when pedestrians get involved. While state law requires drivers to stop for people trying to cross the street at a corner (even without a striped crosswalk), the four-lane design means that often drivers will whip around a stopped car and hit the poor soul trying to get across the street.

Traffic engineers live with the deadly outcomes because four-lane roads can handle higher volumes of car traffic, especially at intersections with stoplights. The three-lane road diet street design, where turning traffic takes up a center lane, also creates more congestion at busy intersections. Because of the traffic concerns, for years the conventional wisdom stated that three-lane designs only worked to a certain point. On any road with higher volume than, say, 16,000 cars per day, a safer three-lane would was not seen as possible, because it would create too much congestion and driver frustration.

Or at least, thats what the engineers thought would happen. This year, at least in the Twin Cities, the industry standards are beginning to change. In the wake of persistent crashes, first Ramsey and now Hennepin County are implementing four-to-three-lane conversions on arterials with far more traffic than in years past.

Honestly, the foundation really was set a few years ago when [the county] did the Johnson-to-Payne section [of Maryland], said Trista MatasCastillo, who represents the area on the seven-member Ramsey County Board. It came from the community response, and people pushing because of a pedestrian fatality there. When we have fatalities, it really gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect.

The case MatasCastillo references was particularly tragic, when a woman named Elizabeth Durham was killed by a driver of a box truck while trying to cross Maryland Avenue after putting her son on a school bus. After Durhams death, neighbors on the East Side began pushing the county to rethink how it prioritized pedestrian safety. Soon after, county engineers tried out a yearlong test of a three-lane road design on Maryland Avenue near the site of the crash. After a year of data collection, and some community back-and-forth about traffic versus safety, the changes became permanent.

This year, Ramsey County went further, making the three-lane design change on a busier part of Maryland Avenue even closer to the Interstate 35E on ramps. The new design pushes the ADT envelope the threshold of average daily traffic where three-lane designs are considered to work well well beyond the previous standards.

(For the record, the threshold varies by city and county across the country: In Chicago, the limit is 18,000; in Seattle, its 25,000 cars per day.)

Engineers tried out a yearlong test of a three-lane road design on Maryland Avenue. Later, they made the change permanent.

So this street was really dangerous, explained MatasCastillo. Public Works said people were driving average speeds at 47 mph. It is completely residential on both sides of the road. You have peoples front porches, and cars going 50 miles per hour. There were accidents frequently and pedestrians being killed.

The new design has been in place for months, and even with the high traffic volumes, few drivers have been complaining to the county.

It actually works, explained MatasCastillo, who lives just blocks away from the Maryland test. The commuters lost time was minimal, it feels safer, and people can walk.

As with their other test designs, Ramsey Countys Public Works Department has been collecting ongoing data to evaluate the traffic impacts of the change. According to Erin Labree, the deputy director of program delivery for the county, they are collecting information about speeds, crash rates, congestion wait times, turning patterns, and traffic on neighboring side streets to try to evaluate whether drivers are speeding through the neighborhood out of frustration.

Traffic volumes are really high, higher than what we thought a three-lane could handle, said Labree. Its really on the high end, but we did trials to see how it functions, and it functions relatively well. The peak hour in the morning and the evening is when we see congestion occur, but at the other the times of day it operates really well plus there are the added safety benefits for people trying to cross the road.

Even better, crashes are down on Maryland Avenue compared to how it was working in the past. Results are so encouraging that new three-lane designs are being rolled out in other places. After a series of tragic crashes this summer took the lives of three people crossing the street, county engineers have installed road-diet conversions on Larpenteur Avenue and McKnight Road on the north and east borders of St. Paul.

Our takeaway from the Maryland Avenue project it that it has been a success, said Labree. We are looking at more of our four-lane undivided roads in the county, and because traffic volumes [here] are on the higher end of what we have on other roadways, we really expect to do more of these conversions.

Not wanting to be left behind, a similar road diet revolution is gaining traction in Hennepin County. In northeast Minneapolis, where busy-but-dangerous four-lane roads have been the norm for generations, a new three-lane design is pushing past previous engineering boundaries. Earlier this fall, the county installed a new three-lane design on a key stretch of Broadway Street NE, dramatically calming traffic on what was once a chaotic car sewer.

[The county] was scheduled to do a straight mill and overlay, curb to curb, explained Kevin Reich, who represents the area on the Minneapolis City Council. But a lot of conversation had gone their direction from constituents, residents, and some of the business folks about how it functions.

Broadway NE carries around 18,000 cars per day, fewer than Maryland, but the countys decision to adopt the three-lane design means that big changes might be coming for other dangerous arterial roads throughout Minneapolis.

Broadway had been a mini-freeway from the perspective of many constituents, and they were hoping that some of these conversions could make it feel safer, and make some of traffic patterns work a little better, there are dedicated turn lanes that make it better for go and flow, explained Council Member Reich.

According to Bob Byers, an engineer for Hennepin Countys Transportation Planning Division, the Broadway road diet is the highest volume three-lane design the county has ever done. As he explained in an email, the new design has been working surprisingly well, and theyve heard mostly positive comments from community members.

Staff has been driving the corridor during the peak hours, explained Byers. The travel times appear to be very similar, within a minute or two, of what they were when it was a four-lane. This is most likely due to the chaos and left turn blocking that occurred as a four-lane [road].

The new horizons for making street safety change means that design change might finally be coming to some of the Twin Cities most dangerous streets, like Hennepin, Lyndale, Franklin, and Lowry Avenues in Minneapolis, or Dale, Hamline, or 7th Streets in St. Paul.

Dale Street, replied Trista MatasCastillo when I asked her about what streets might benefit from the next road diets. It comes up every single day, [but] it is currently not in the plan. I keep bringing it up. I hope we can do it before someone dies, that we can do these [design changes] not only in response to death but proactively.

For the people who took over Lyndale Avenue last Friday, holding signs with messages like Just Tryna walk n exist or Lives > Lanes, the changes cant come soon enough. Even during rush hour, it should not require a coordinated mass movement to simply and safely cross the street.

Here is the original post:
Risky Hennepin and Ramsey County streets are increasingly being put on 'road diets' - MinnPost

Comments Off on Risky Hennepin and Ramsey County streets are increasingly being put on ‘road diets’ – MinnPost
Oct 30th, 2019 | Filed under Diet Safely

Testosterone is the main male sex hormone. It plays a key role in male development, and low levels can affect sexual function, mood, energy levels, hair growth, bone health, and more (1, 2).

Levels of this hormone naturally decline with age, with studies suggesting that hypogonadism, a condition in which the body doesnt produce enough testosterone, affects 39% of men aged 45 and over in the United States (3).

Though hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most common way to treat low testosterone levels, many men seek natural supplements or foods that can boost their testosterone levels.

Recently, Brazil nuts have become more popular among men, as they are said to help raise testosterone levels and aid fertility.

This article explores the effects of Brazil nuts on testosterone.

Brazil nuts are said to boost testosterone levels due to their high selenium content.

A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving provides a whopping 988% of the Daily Value (DV) (4).

Several studies have shown that taking a selenium supplement may improve testosterone levels or aid male fertility by enhancing semen quality (5, 6, 7).

For example, a test-tube study in sheep cells found that supplementing with selenium activated genes and pathways that enhanced testosterone production (8).

Similarly, a 26-week study in 468 men with infertility noted that taking 200 mcg of selenium along with 600 mg of N-acetyl-cysteine daily increased testosterone production, sperm count, and sperm quality, compared with a placebo (9).

Another study in 690 men with infertility observed that taking 200 mcg of selenium along with 400 units of vitamin E for 100 days improved sperm motility and appearance in 53% of participants. Plus, 11% of men in the study were able to get their partners pregnant (10).

However, in some studies, a high intake of selenium through foods or supplements had either no effect on testosterone levels or negatively affected sperm motility (11, 12).

Also, its worth noting that most of these studies use selenium supplements rather than foods high in selenium, such as Brazil nuts.

This highlights the need for more research on Brazil nuts effects on testosterone levels specifically.

Some studies show that high selenium intake may improve testosterone levels, sperm motility, and sperm quality. Still, more studies are needed to confirm this effect.

Aside from raising testosterone levels and aiding male fertility, Brazil nuts have been linked to many other impressive health benefits, including:

While these findings are promising, more human studies are needed before recommendations can be made regarding Brazil nuts potential to help treat these conditions.

Brazil nuts are a good source of antioxidants, may have anti-inflammatory effects, and have been linked to benefits for the thyroid gland, heart, brain, and blood sugar levels.

Though Brazil nuts offer health benefits, eating too many can be harmful.

Research has shown that eating more than 5,000 mcg of selenium per day, or approximately 50 Brazil nuts, can cause selenium toxicity (27).

Signs of selenium toxicity include gastrointestinal issues, hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue, skin lesions or rashes, and muscle and joint pain. In severe cases, selenium toxicity may cause kidney failure, heart failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and even death (28).

However, reaching toxicity levels through diet alone is quite rare.

Other studies have found that too much selenium, especially from supplements, is linked to poor blood sugar control, as well as a higher risk of diabetes and prostate cancer (29, 30, 31).

Selenium has a tolerable upper intake level of 400 mcg per day, which means you can safely consume up to this amount without adverse effects. That is equal to 4 average-sized Brazil nuts per day (27).

Try to limit yourself to one to three Brazil nuts per day to be safe.

Eating too many Brazil nuts can be harmful due to their high selenium content. Try to limit your Brazil nut intake to one to three per day.

Though Brazil nuts may help raise testosterone levels, more research is needed before it can be recommended for this purpose.

Fortunately, other strategies to boost your testosterone levels are supported by more research, including:

In some cases, low testosterone could be due to an underlying medical condition, so its important to speak with your healthcare provider if you think you have low testosterone.

Common symptoms that occur with low testosterone include fatigue, low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, depression, hair loss, and muscle loss (3).

Regular exercise, sufficient sleep, minimizing stress, losing excess fat, and eating a healthy, varied diet may help raise testosterone levels. If you suspect that you have low testosterone levels, seek advice from your healthcare provider.

Current research on Brazil nuts, testosterone, and male fertility is mixed.

While several studies have linked higher selenium intake to increased testosterone levels and improved sperm motility and quality, others have found no effect.

This highlights the need for more research in this area, especially on the link between foods high in selenium, such as Brazil nuts, and testosterone.

If you think you may have low testosterone levels, its best to speak with your healthcare provider before trying natural treatments, as low testosterone levels could indicate an underlying health condition.

Continued here:
Brazil Nuts and Testosterone: Is There a Link? - Healthline

Comments Off on Brazil Nuts and Testosterone: Is There a Link? – Healthline
Oct 30th, 2019 | Filed under Diet Safely

Sand and Steel Fitness, a top-rated personal training and fitness gym in Alexandria, Virginia, will expand into a new state-of-the-art training facility on November 1. The new location, two and half times the size of the original gym, is conveniently located at 5418 Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria's fast-growing West End neighborhood. A one-minute walk from the Van Dorn Metro, right off the Van Dorn Beltway 495 exit, offering plenty of parking, Sand and Steel Fitness is the ideal work-out location for anyone looking for a personal, high-quality fitness experience.

Co-owners Paul Roberts and Dawn Anderson are leaving their South Alfred Street location in Old Town in order to expand offerings and services to clients. In addition to Sand and Steel's proven personal training program, the gym will now be able to offer group classes and an open gym, as well as mobility and nutrition coaching. Classes will include yoga, CrossFit, CoreFit, powerlifting, suspension training via Total Resistance Exercises (TRX), kettlebell work, and more. To celebrate the opening of the new gym, Sand and Steel Fitness is offering 25% off personal training rates, group classes, and workout plans.

"Our expansion is a strategic move to increase member options and value. We want to provide the very best coaches, an ideal environment, along with more classes so clients can get even more out of their relationship with Sand and Steel Fitness," said Roberts. "Our new location will provide free group fitness classes to our Get Steel Strong members, a game-changer for results and value."

Passionate about helping people maintain a healthy body and move safely so that injuries can be prevented, Anderson and Roberts created their personal training program five years ago. Roberts has a background as a biomedical engineer and developed a proprietary methodology by analyzing the data of thousands of individual clients and their workout results. The team works with clients to identify goals and create plans to achieve results in the most efficient and effective way.

"People think that getting healthy is going to be hard or that they can't feel better. With our program, you only need four to six hours per month to start noticing results," added Roberts. "So many of us are living with chronic pain and stress. Our mobility training, Beyond Stretch class, and yoga offerings help reduce those issues and teach effective movement."

In addition to offering personal training and group classes, Sand and Steel offers one-one-one nutrition counseling for building customized diet and weight loss plans. A muscle mass, inflammation, and body fat scan is included with each nutrition session for tracking and modification of the member's existing diet.

Roberts studied biomedical engineering, in addition to computer science, at Johns Hopkins University, and went to law school at Rutgers. He met Anderson in 2010 at the Hogan Lovells law firm. Roberts left the firm after a weightlifting injury left him unable to type, and he began studying fitness and mobility exercises to improve his health and prevent injury. Anderson has fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, and also turned to fitness and nutrition to provide relief. The business partners and engaged couple opened Sand and Steel in 2013.

For more information on Sand and Steel Fitness personal training in Alexandria, nutrition coaching or Alexandria CrossFit classes, visit SandandSteelFitness.com or call 703-854-9960. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Read more:
Sand and Steel Fitness Moves to Larger Location in West End - Patch.com

Comments Off on Sand and Steel Fitness Moves to Larger Location in West End – Patch.com
Oct 30th, 2019 | Filed under Diet Safely

Erin Jackson has a lot going on. The 40-year-old commercial airline pilot flies 737s for American Airlines out of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, and lives in a suburb of the city with her five kids (ages 12 to 19) and husband, also an airline pilot, who has two grown kids of his own.

But "I have a great support system", she said.

She and her husband try to fly opposite schedules so that someone can always be home; her ex-husband lives close by and is very involved with the kids; and her father helps out, too.

When she's not flying four-day routes across the US, Jackson also volunteers on the board of the International Society of Women Airline Pilots, which supports and recruits female pilots; women make up only 6 percent of the worldwide pilot population, according to Women in Aviation International.

READ MORE:* Why airlines need more female pilots at the controls* Travel dilemmas: Confused by code sharing? Don't be* The rants of a sassy stewardess

Jackson has flown for 21 years and worked as a flight instructor and regional pilot before joining American two years ago.

"People are entrusting their lives to us," she said. "As they walk onto my airplane, they're trusting that I got enough sleep, that I'm healthy and eating right, and I have the mental acuity and I've done the preparation to safely get them from point A to point B so they can relax and watch a movie."

Here's how she does that.

Q: What do wellness and self-care mean to you?

A: For me, it's a preferred lifestyle. It's not just a diet, an exercise set that I'm into right now. It's all-encompassing, everything from what I'm putting into my body to what I'm spending my time doing when I'm on the road.

Q: Take me through your routine on days when you're flying, and not.

A: My routine before I fly starts the day before, because I do meal prep. When you're gone for three or four days in a row, it's hard to eat healthy if you don't plan it out. The bag that I bring with me is half-tote and half-cooler. In the tote part is where I keep all the things that I need for flying, like my flight manuals, my work iPad, a safety vest.... In the cooler part is where I'll put my meals.

Pixabay

Healthy snacks such as almonds are an essential on long trips.

I generally try to avoid eating meat; I'm not a strict vegetarian, but it's actually a little bit easier to travel knowing that I don't have to keep anything really cold. I have a really amazing bean and corn salad that I make with a cilantro dressing. I make a tofu pad thai peanut meal that I eat with rice. I also keep a bag of raw almonds in my tote. It's a fantastic snack and a great way to get some energy.

Usually I'm up by about 6:15am.If I have to work a late flight that night, I'll get the kids on the bus and come back and take a nap.

The hard thing about being a pilot is there's not always structure, so day-to-day, it's going to be different. There's variety, and you've got to have flexibility while still finding time to make sure that you know you're staying healthy. I made a commitment to myself that every day I'm home, I'll find time to work out.

I usually try to make a 9:30am class at the gym, and then I run my errands. After my errands, I come home, and I'm here for when the kids get off the bus. There's something just about every night, between baseball and basketball. All of my kids are musicians, too. We try to eat dinner together, and usually we make it work.

Q: What do you do to relax when you're on the road?

A: I do yoga in my room. I usually just lay the hotel towel on the floor and find a routine on YouTube. It's tempting to just get out of my uniform and veg the whole rest of the night, but just getting in a little bit of movement helps me feel better and brings things down for the day.

The interesting thing about being a pilot is that you're using your brain a lot to fly an airplane. I've found that if I don't find a way to physically exert some energy, I'm tired from my day, but I'm not physically tired. Sometimes I'll FaceTime my family depending on what time of day it is, or my husband if he's in another city.

And I get caught up on emails - I do this when I'm lying on the floor and I'm doing leg lifts. When you are a parent and in aviation, sometimes it's like trying to conduct an orchestra from a thousand miles away. I'm on the floor trying to get some physical exertion, and I'm emailing a teacher back or one of my board members back.

123RF

Texting friends and family can help when you're feeling lonely on the road.

The nice thing about my husband being a pilot is sometimes I call him to unwind about my day, and he understands what I'm saying. It goes back to having a support system. I chat with my best friends almost every day over text messages, or we send each other funny memes.

Q: Do you get lonely when you're travelling? What do you do to combat that?

A: It can be lonely to be travelling on the road for so many days in a row by yourself, away from your family. We [airline employees] all have that same understanding. We have this phrase, "the four-day family". We'll say, hey, let's meet downstairs at the hotel restaurant for dinner at 6. It's a nice little camaraderie type of thing.

Q: What does your sleep schedule look like when you're on the road?

A: I have different work schedules based on what time of day I'm operating the aircraft. I always try to get a workout in. Having physical activity is imperative to getting a good night's sleep.

When I go to sleep, I always try to keep the temperature about the same as it is at home. I keep a water bottle next to me. Typically, I move the hotel air conditioning system's fan to the "on" position, so there's a little bit of white noise in the room. If I get a hotel whose air system doesn't do that, I have a white-noise app.

Q: How do you recover from jet lag and prevent getting sick?

A: Even though I don't travel across a lot of time zones, I try to make sure that I'm avoiding coffee late at night and staying hydrated so that I can go to sleep when I need to, to get my full eight hours before I fly the next day.

Not getting sick is a concerted effort. I take a multivitamin every day. I avoid drinking a lot of pop. I'm a firm believer of, if you put good things in your body and you take care of yourself, then you'll generally be a healthy person.

123RF

Having physical activity is imperative to getting a good night's sleep.

Q: How do you keep your mind sharp?

A: I think it all goes back to what I'm putting in my body for overall health. Vitamin B really helps with mental acuity, so that's in the vitamin I take. I really try to stay healthy and balanced and get plenty of rest.

I like to read when I'm on my off time, and I play Words with Friends with a couple of friends on my phone. I actually just got a book called Nerves of Steel,by Tammie Jo Shults [the captain who landed the severely damaged Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 last year]. I review my manuals every so often, too.

Exercising your mind and doing those things helps keep your mind sharp. It's about using it just like any other muscle.

Q: What muscles are you working when you pilot a plane, and do you target those when you work out?

A: It's probably mostly my arm muscles, and some core and my legs. Takeoff and landing are the most physical parts of flying the plane. Obviously you need arm muscles to rotate and pull back on the controls when you're taking off.

When you're coming in to land, you're using your arm muscles, too. I have one hand on the thrust levers and the other hand on the yoke, and my feet are controlling the rudder to stay aligned with the runway if there's a crosswind. I still do an overall-body workout. The class I go to at home uses weights, so I'm getting toning. I think keeping tone is important.

BRIAN VAN DER BURG/LA TIMES/TNS

Takeoff and landing are the most physical parts of flying the plane, says the American Airlines pilot.

Q: What does a really good day look like to you?

A: The reason I got into the field I'm in is because I love to fly airplanes - the exhilaration of being in the air and being in control of this magnificent, beautiful machinery and dealing with the airspace and the weather. A great day for me is being able to pass on my love of aviation to somebody in some way.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Read more here:
They have our lives in their hands - so how does an airline pilot take care of herself? - Stuff.co.nz

Comments Off on They have our lives in their hands – so how does an airline pilot take care of herself? – Stuff.co.nz
Oct 30th, 2019 | Filed under Diet Safely
Weight Loss Solutions
matomo tracker