Leslie Glass's Blog, page 402
January 26, 2018
Does Wearing a Surgical Mask Prevent the Flu?
You already know to get the flu shot (and it’s still worth getting), wash your hands copiously, and keep a low profile if you’re sick so your flu is not contagious to others. Now, concerned folks are taking prevention a step further, donning surgical masks—both to avoid getting the flu and to prevent the spread of the flu they already have. Mask-wearers are even proudly posting pictures under #flumask on Instagram.
But is masking your face a smart strategy, or merely an overreaction to flu fear?
“Yes, a surgical mask can help prevent the flu,” Dr. Sherif Mossad, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, tells Health. “Flu is carried in air droplets, so a mask would mechanically prevent the flu virus from reaching other people.” It would work both ways, says Mossad, preventing transmission of the flu virus to others and for keeping a mask-wearer from picking up an infection.
Surgical masks to prevent the flu can be found in major drugstores and online, and yours doesn’t need to be fancy to help. “A simple disposable mask is fine, just be sure the packaging notes that it protects against airborne particles,” Dr. Susan Besser, a family medicine doctor with Mercy Personal Physicians at Overlea in Baltimore, Maryland tells Health. And splurge for a value-sized pack. “Disposable is best and you should discard your mask after each use,” says Besser. “If a mask gets wet—and it will by simply breathing into it—the effectiveness of its protective effect is reduced.”
Remember that a mask is not 100% effective and should complement, not replace, other strategies. If you have the flu, the number one thing you can do to avoid spreading it to others is to stay home, notes Besser. And to avoid picking up the bug yourself, “hand washing is always number one,” she says. Getting your flu shot and covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze (with the crook of your arm, not your hand) are still imperative.
While a surgical mask is a solid flu-fighting strategy in general, if you’re perfectly healthy and simply looking for (increasingly elusive) peace of mind, experts are not completely sold on the necessity of adding a mask to your flu-avoidance routine.
“I think wearing a mask all the time in public places to prevent transmission of the flu is not recommended for the vast majority of the population,” says Mossad. Patients with weakened immune systems (due to disease, medications, or transplants), on the other hand, should have a mask handy in case they find themselves in a confined space with another person who is coughing.
Besser concurs: “My personal opinion is masks for healthy individuals are more annoying than useful. If you are really using a mask for protection or prevention, you would have to wear it practically 24/7 to avoid any possible contact. But if you are actively ill, please do wear a mask. Help keep others healthy and avoid the spread of the flu.”
This article originally appeared on Health.com
The post Does Wearing a Surgical Mask Prevent the Flu? appeared first on Reach Out Recovery.
What are weight loss supplements and what do they do
The proven ways to lose weight are eating healthful foods, cutting calories, and being physically active. But making these lifestyle changes isn’t easy, so you might wonder if taking a dietary supplement that’s promoted for weight loss might help.
This fact sheet describes what’s known about the safety and effectiveness of many ingredients that are commonly used in weight-loss dietary supplements. Sellers of these supplements might claim that their products help you lose weight by blocking the absorption of fat or carbohydrates, curbing your appetite, or speeding up your metabolism. But there’s little scientific evidence that weight-loss supplements work. Many are expensive, some can interact or interfere with medications, and a few might be harmful.
If you’re thinking about taking a dietary supplement to lose weight, talk with your healthcare provider. This is especially important if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, or other medical conditions.
What are the ingredients in weight-loss dietary supplements?
Weight-loss supplements contain many ingredients—like herbs, fiber, and minerals—in different amounts and in many combinations. Sold in forms such as capsules, tablets, liquids, and powders, some products have dozens of ingredients.
Common ingredients in weight-loss supplements are described below in alphabetical order. You’ll learn what’s known about whether each ingredient works and is safe. Figuring out whether these ingredients really help you lose weight safely is complicated, though. Most products contain more than one ingredient, and ingredients can work differently when they’re mixed together.
You might be surprised to learn that makers of weight-loss supplements rarely carry out studies in people to find out whether their product works and is safe. And when studies are done, they usually involve only small numbers of people who take the supplement for just a few weeks or months. To know whether a weight-loss supplement can help people lose weight safely and keep it off, larger groups of people need to be studied for a longer time.
Common ingredients in weight-loss dietary supplements
INGREDIENT
DOES IT WORK?
IS IT SAFE?
African mango
Beta-glucans
Bitter orange
Caffeine
Calcium
Capsaicin
Carnitine
Chitosan
Chromium
Coleus forskohlii
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
Fucoxanthin
Garcinia cambogia
Glucomannan
Green coffee bean extract
Green tea and green tea extract
Guar gum
Guarana (see the section on Caffeine )
Hoodia
Kola (or cola) nut (see the section on Caffeine )
Mate (see the section on Caffeine )
Probiotics
Pyruvate
Raspberry ketone
Vitamin D
White kidney bean/bean pod
Yerba mate (see the section on Caffeine )
Yohimbe
Ephedra, an ingredient banned from dietary supplements
Ephedra (also called má huáng) is a plant containing substances that can stimulate your nervous system, increase the amount of energy you burn, increase weight loss, and suppress your appetite. In the 1990s, ephedra was a popular ingredient in dietary supplements sold for weight loss and to enhance athletic performance. In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned ephedra in dietary supplements, concluding that it isn’t safe. Ephedra can cause nausea, vomiting, anxiety, mood changes, high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat, stroke, seizures, heart attack, and death.
How are weight-loss dietary supplements regulated?
The FDA is the federal agency that oversees dietary supplements in the United States. Unlike over-the-counter and prescription drugs—which must be approved by the FDA before they can be sold—dietary supplements don’t require review or approval by the FDA before they are put on the market. Also, manufacturers don’t have to provide evidence to the FDA that their products are safe or effective before selling these products.
When the FDA finds an unsafe dietary supplement, it can remove the supplement from the market or ask the supplement maker to recall it. The FDA and the Federal Trade Commission can also take enforcement action against companies that make false weight-loss claims about their supplements; add pharmaceutical drugs to their supplements; or claim that their supplements can diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent a disease.
For more information about dietary supplement regulations, see the Office of Dietary Supplements publication, Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know.
Can weight-loss dietary supplements be harmful?
Weight-loss supplements, like all dietary supplements, can have harmful side effects and might interact with prescription and over-the-counter medications. Many weight-loss supplements have ingredients that haven’t been tested in combination with one another, and their combined effects are unknown.
Tell your healthcare providers about any weight-loss supplements or other supplements you take. This information will help them work with you to prevent supplement-drug interactions, harmful side effects, and other risks.
Fraudulent and adulterated products
Be very cautious when you see weight-loss supplements with tempting claims, such as “magic diet pill,” “melt away fat,” and “lose weight without diet or exercise.” If the claim sounds too good to be true, it probably is. These products might not help you lose weight—and they could be dangerous.
Weight-loss products marketed as dietary supplements are sometimes adulterated with prescription drugs or controlled substances. These ingredients won’t be listed on the product label, and they could harm you. The FDA puts out public notifications about tainted weight-loss products
.
Interactions with medications
Like most dietary supplements, some weight-loss supplements can interact or interfere with other medicines or supplements you take. If you take dietary supplements and medications on a regular basis, be sure to talk about this with your healthcare provider.
Choosing a sensible approach to weight loss
Weight-loss supplements can be expensive, and they might not work. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to follow a healthy eating plan, reduce calories, and exercise regularly under the guidance of your healthcare provider.
As a bonus, lifestyle changes that help you lose weight might also improve your mood and energy level and lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
From the NIH
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8 Ways To Feel Less Stress and More Joy in 2018
From Jessica Migala @ Health.com: What if we told you that there’s a way to dial back the stress you deal with in your daily life, to feel more joyful and less overwhelmed? That’s the premise behind self-care—a buzzy term you’ve probably heard a lot about or even tried to practice. The trick to making self-care pay off is to incorporate it into a regular part of your life. With 2018 upon us, make this the year you do just that.
“Self-care is something we tend to forget about because it can almost seem as if you’re being selfish,” says Apryl Zarate Schlueter, author of Finding Success in Balance: My Journey to the Cheerful Mind. “But we need to give to ourselves. Otherwise, you can run low on energy and put negativity out there instead of positivity.” These are the expert-backed self-care suggestions to take on this year—and find more happiness over the next 12 months.
Take Vacations
You always tell yourself you’re going to do it—pack a bag, book a flight, and head somewhere exotic or so far off the beaten path, you can breathe and just be. In 2018, start planning. “People forget to take advantage of having a vacation from work,” says Schlueter. “It allows you to slow down so you can speed back up when you get back.” No paid time off at your company? Steal away for a long holiday weekend, then and milk every minute of your time away so you come back refreshed and restored.
Try Workouts Outside Of Your Comfort Zone
We don’t have to tell you about all the benefits of regular sweat sessions. And while you might have found a specific routine that works for you, stretching your boundaries with something new can fill you with pulse-pounding adrenaline, challenge your skill set, and give you another reason to make it to the gym every day. For Schlueter, checking out a flying trapezes class was her fitness self-care. “That was my zen place where I could socialize, work out, and have fun,” she says.
Get Intimate
Sexual activity and orgasms have lots of legit health benefits, from easing stress to relieving headaches and boosting brain activity. Considering that just 20% of women reported masturbating in the past month, according to research in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, you may find that you have some catching up to do in the self-love department. No disrespect to sex with a partner, but sometimes going solo is the simplest way to snag those body benefits.
Start Saying ‘No’
This one little word has a whole lot of power over your mood and happiness. “Saying no to someone or something is a great form of self-care. Not only is it allowing you to avoid something you don’t want to do, but it gives space in your life to say yes to something you do,” says Schlueter. While it may be difficult at first, you’ll notice it gets easier to speak up and voice your needs as time goes on.
Splurge On More Events Or Experiences
Sure you’ve heard that money can’t make you happy. But actually, there is a way that it can, according to research: Spend your dough on experiences rather than stuff. That’s why a great self-care move is to plunk down cash on something that feels indulgent yet you’ve always wanted to do or see. Maybe it’s finally catching Hamilton, booking a luxurious spa day, or signing up for a yoga retreat. It’s completely up to you as long as you know it will bring you joy.
Wake Up With Gratitude
Maintaining a happy, lighthearted perspective on the day can be tough, especially when there’s a million things going on. But a positive outlook is a gift you can give yourself by pledging to start or end each day reminding yourself about all that’s good in your life. “Thinking about one thing you’re grateful for reinforces a positive mindset, which prevents you from defaulting to the negative,” says Schlueter. It takes less than a minute to score this mood boost.
Set Regular Coffee Or Wine Dates With A Friend
One misnomer about self-care is that you should be alone while doing it. Not so. Connections with friends and family are the foundation of a happy life. In a 2014 study in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, feeling satisfied with your friendships was what mattered most when it came to being content. These days, most of us rely on social media when it comes to keeping up with friends. Make a point in 2018 to carve out more face time.
Soak Up The Sun
Mother Nature may be just the therapy you need. Getting outside can ease a bad mood or anxiety, suggests a study in the journal Proceeedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Day trips for long hikes or beach strolls are always restorative, but even a walk through some local woods or time spent on a bench in a garden can make you feel calmer and more at peace—and perhaps more aware of beauty, magic, and wonder.
Need professional help to overcome emotional trauma? Visit Recovery Guidance to find professionals and treatment choices near you.
The post 8 Ways To Feel Less Stress and More Joy in 2018 appeared first on Reach Out Recovery.
Beat Winter Stresses With Mini Mind Breaks
70% of adults say they experience anxiety daily. For 30%, the anxiety is constant. But what to do? I take a Mini Mind Break. We, at ROR, have become addicted (pun intended) to our mini mind breaks.
Why Your Body Needs A Mini Mind Break
When our bodies process anxiety, it triggers the flight or fight response, releasing a surge of adrenaline. This worked well to protect our ancestors from dinosaur attacks and is still useful today in emergencies. All too often, our bodies are geared up to fight emergencies that never happen. In his book, Retraining the Brain, Dr. Frank Lawlis explains,
“Here’s what’s going on in the anxiety-filled brain: Fears and stress trigger an anxiety storm in your brain – which in turn creates chaos that your brain tries to resolve, but can’t. Instead, it just lingers there, endlessly spinning with surges of raw shocks. In psychological terms, that means you’re in a chronic (which means constant) state of anxiety.”
When trouble hits, my adrenal glands leap into action, flooding my body with hormones. My heart beats faster and my breathing kicks into high gear. My muscles brace for the anticipated hit, and my pupils lock-in on the target. This is my body’s conditioned response to stress, but my body couldn’t keep up with my fears. I eventually lost an adrenal gland. Dr. Lawlis’s circle breathing offers a one-minute fix that turns my body around.
All too often the idea of pausing for a minute here and another minute there is lovely but impractical. To help you get positive again, we’ve developed these simple Mini Mind Breaks. Each video lasts approximately one minute and is perfect for viewing on the go during a stressful day.
Please consider the one-minute beach vacay as our gift to you this gloomy winter. May every gray day and challenging situation find you breathing yourself toward the rebirth of spring. Take a minute every day to get away and get re-centered.
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January 25, 2018
This Key Factor Helps Drinkers Cut Back
From Science Daily: January is a popular month for people trying to reduce their alcohol intake but how successful are they in doing so? A new study by the University of Bristol that assessed data on the drinking patterns of nearly 3,000 drinkers who reported that they were planning to reduce their alcohol consumption found that very few managed it when followed up six months later.
The NIHR School for Public Health Research-funded study, published in Addiction, led by Dr Frank de Vocht from Bristol Medical School, aimed to find out whether peoples’ motivations to reduce intake did result in reduced alcohol consumption. Key reasons for wanting to reduce alcohol intake included: to lose weight, improve fitness levels, save money, and avoid health problems.
A total of 2,928 drinkers at risk were interviewed and around 20 per cent reported that they wanted to cut down on their drinking. When followed up six months later, those who had not made plans to cut down on their drinking had reduced their alcohol consumption by the same amount as those who had.
Dr Frank de Vocht, Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology and Public Health Research from Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences (PHS), said: “Alcohol consumption is of particular concern to the UK’s public health. We wanted to find out if motivation alone changes limiting intake. Sadly, although people start with good intentions, our results suggest that something more is required for those intentions to make a difference.
“For people who are serious in their intention to reduce consumption, obtaining structural support, for example by signing up to the Dry January campaign, may help. Alternatively, smartphone apps are also being tested as a way to help people reduce their intake, but it’s too early to say whether these can make a difference.”
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research School for Public Health Research (NIHR SPHR).
Need professional help to quit drinking? Visit Recovery Guidance to find professionals and treatment choices near you.
The post This Key Factor Helps Drinkers Cut Back appeared first on Reach Out Recovery.
Parents Who Bought Booze Sent Wrong Message
From Science Daily: There is no evidence to support the practice of parents providing alcohol to their teenagers to protect them from alcohol-related risks during early adolescence, according to a prospective cohort study in Australia published in The Lancet Public Health journal.
The six year study of 1,927 teenagers aged 12 to 18 and their parents found that there were no benefits or protective effects associated with giving teenagers alcohol when compared to teenagers who were not given alcohol. Instead, parental provision of alcohol was associated with increased likelihood of teenagers accessing alcohol through other sources, compared to teenagers not given any alcohol.
Alcohol consumption is the leading risk factor for death and disability in 15-24 year olds globally. Drinking during adolescence is of concern as this is when alcohol use disorders (ie, dependence on or abuse of alcohol) are most likely to develop.
“In many countries, parents are a key provider of alcohol to their children before they are of legal age to purchase alcohol. This practice by parents is intended to protect teenagers from the harms of heavy drinking by introducing them to alcohol carefully, however the evidence behind this has been limited,” says lead author Professor Richard Mattick, University of New South Wales, Australia. “Our study is the first to analyse parental supply of alcohol and its effects in detail in the long term, and finds that it is, in fact, associated with risks when compared to teenagers not given alcohol. This reinforces the fact that alcohol consumption leads to harm, no matter how it is supplied. We advise that parents should avoid supplying alcohol to their teenagers if they wish to reduce their risk of alcohol-related harms.”
The study recruited teenagers and their parents between 2010 and 2011 from secondary schools in Perth, Sydney and Hobart (Australia). The teenagers and their parents completed separate questionnaires every year from 2010 to 2016 including information about how teenagers accessed alcohol (from parents, other non-parental sources, or both), binge drinking levels (defined as drinking more than four drinks on a single occasion in the past year), experience of alcohol-related harm, and alcohol abuse symptoms. In the final two years, teenagers were also asked about symptoms of alcohol dependence and alcohol use disorder that could predict alcohol misuse problems in the future.
At the start of the study, the average age of the teenagers was 12.9 years old and by the end of the study the average age was 17.8 years old. The proportion of teenagers who accessed alcohol from their parents increased as the teenagers aged, from 15% (291/1910) at the start of the study to 57% (916/1618) at the end of the study, while the proportion with no access to alcohol reduced from 81% (1556/1910) teenagers to 21% (341/1618).
At the end of the study, 81% (632/784) of teenagers who accessed alcohol through their parents and others reported binge drinking, compared with 62% (224/361) of those who accessed it via other people only, and 25% (33/132) of teens who were given alcohol by their parents only. Similar trends were seen for alcohol-related harm, and for symptoms of possible future alcohol abuse, dependence and alcohol use disorders. The group of teenagers supplied with alcohol from both their parents and other sources were at the greatest risk of the five adverse outcomes, potentially as a result of their increased exposure.
Importantly, teenagers supplied with alcohol by only their parents one year were twice as likely to access alcohol from other sources the next year. As a result, the authors suggest that having alcohol supplied by parents does not mitigate risk of it being supplied by other people, and that parental provision of alcohol did not appear to help teenagers deal with alcohol responsibly.
“While governments focus on prevention through school-based education and enforcement of legislation on legal age for buying and drinking alcohol, parents go largely unnoticed. Parents, policy makers, and clinicians need to be made aware that parental provision of alcohol is associated with risk, not with protection, to reduce the extent of parental supply in high-income countries, and in low-middle-income countries that are increasingly embracing the consumption of alcohol.” Says Professor Mattick.
The authors note some limitations, including that teenagers from low socioeconomic status backgrounds — for whom alcohol-related issues are more common — were underrepresented in the study. In addition, the binge drinking measure (defined as drinking more than four drinks on a single occasion in the past year) was conservative, which may affect the associations identified.
The results may not apply to other countries, in particular where there is lower alcohol consumption than Australia, and the research does not account for the amount of alcohol supplied by parents, or the context in which it is given.
Writing in a linked Comment, Professor Stuart Kinner, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia, says: “An important strength of the study is the careful adjustment for potential confounders. Nevertheless, it is difficult to exclude the possibility that some parents provided alcohol to their children in response to other, unmeasured risk factors, such as alcohol expectancies… Further research is required to better understand why some parents choose to supply their children with alcohol… The findings by Mattick and colleagues strongly suggest that parental supply of alcohol to adolescents does not protect against future alcohol-related harm, and might in fact increase risk. However, before drawing firm conclusions, it will be important to replicate this finding in larger samples that permit more granular characterisation of both exposures and outcomes, and in samples with at least proportionate representation of socioeconomically disadvantaged families. In view of the substantial role of alcohol in the burden of disease for adolescents, evidence-based prevention of alcohol-related harm across the social gradient is crucial.”
Need professional help to quit drinking? Visit Recovery Guidance to find professionals and treatment choices near you.
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Metabolism Experts Debate Breakfast Choices
And there’s so much conflicting research that it’s hard to keep track. Some studies show that the meal jump-starts your metabolism, promoting weight loss. Others suggest it doesn’t make much difference whether you skip it or not. Still others find skipping breakfast may help you lose weight.
So to set the record straight—or at least get the most up-to-date info, we reached out to a team of professionals who agreed to provide some much-needed clarity.
These experts have read the research, have helped plenty of clients get healthy, and know how to eat well and stay healthy. Here’s what they say.
Cynthia Sass, RD is a New York Times bestselling author and contributing editor for Health magazine, sharing her expertise with clients and on programs like the TODAY Show and Good Morning America. Jennifer Markowitz MS, RD, is a dietitian and nutritionist who works with clients to help identify the best approach to a healthy diet and holistic health. And Kelly Allison, PhD, is the director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Weight and Eating Disorders.
We asked these pros to help answer some of the most common questions when it comes to discussing breakfast importance for our health, and we’re presenting them here, in their own words:
Does skipping breakfast cause you to gain weight?
Jennifer Markowitz: “I think, unfortunately, that a lot of people ask this question and hope to find one right answer for a one-size-fits-all solution.
I’ve come to the conclusion that if you’re someone who does eat breakfast, you need to continue eating breakfast. The truth is that most of the time, the caloric intake throughout the entire day is indeed the same if you’re eating breakfast or not. But the difference is that breakfast jump-starts your metabolism. I’m also familiar with research that shows one thing people who are able to maintain weight loss have in common is that they are eating breakfast.”
Cynthia Sass: “I do see people who eat breakfast first thing in the morning go on to not eat as much later that night, which is a big factor for weight management for my clients. Anecdotally, clients who would have a healthy, normal lunch, in addition to a breakfast, tend to do better at dinnertime.
If they get up early and the only time they’ve eaten during the whole day is lunch, that’s when I see that portion sizes and food choices tend to be harmful. Snacks, in addition to any meals you might have, also play into this—keeping the feeling of hunger in check throughout the day does make a difference.”
Kelly Allison: “Whenever I consider this, I remember that the research findings are mixed and the studies are mixed. There’s an inherent relationship that those who are eating earlier in the day tend to be correlated with a lower body mass index. But it has to do with the individual’s circadian rhythm and the 24-hour cycle that they’re on.
The question you should be asking instead is how early do you need to eat for optimal health? The newest research that’s come into play shows that dieters should manipulate the timing of eating, and how long you’re eating, to be only 10 or 11 hours out of the day. Do you start at 8 in the morning? What’s realistic for you; what time can you get home and enjoy dinner and comfortably stop eating for the day?”
Beyond weight gain or weight loss, is there another reason why breakfast plays a role in our health?
Cynthia Sass: “A big advantage that breakfast can have is the ability for you to fit in more food groups that you might normally have trouble fitting in. Normally, I’d recommend five servings of fresh vegetables each day for my clients—that’s not the easiest thing for some to get in every day.
Veggies can be incorporated into breakfast, whether it be an omelet, or a blended smoothie, or shredded zucchini or kale into a cup of oatmeal. I tend to see that those who have a savory breakfast as compared to a sweet one will be more inclined to dig into office snacks or become hungrier than usual before lunch, and veggies are a great way to enjoy a savory breakfast.”
Kelly Allison: “With my patients, I always ask: what time do you get up? When do you start feeling hungry? Realistically, what time can you eat early as possible, rather than having you eat so late in the day that you’re up against bedtime when you finally stop eating or snacking.
If you get up at 7:30, I ask them, can you be finished with all of your eating by 7:30pm? If you’re eating lunch at 1030 or 11, it’s fine—but where I see skipping breakfast as a huge problem is when my patients lose control at lunchtime. They’re making poor food choices and eating bigger quantities than if they had a reasonable breakfast and comparable lunch.
A common misconception might be that people who eat only one or two meals everyday have free reign to eat whatever they want, but that’s not the case.”
Does time have anything to do with the importance of breakfast, or any other meal for that matter? How does our metabolism relate to breakfast?
Kelly Allison: “What we know is that breakfast influences our circadian rhythm, and when that first meal is given earlier in the day versus later towards lunchtime, glucose levels respond better generally and the body in turn burns more of the fat and calories rather than storing them.
There are metabolic benefits to eating earlier in the day, and for people who don’t eat breakfast, that doesn’t happen. If you go too long without eating and then try to be active during the day, you’re slowing everything down and then introducing calories when glucose levels have already dropped.
The body functions best when there’s a reliable source of energy, especially when you get up and start moving around.”
Jennifer Markowitz: “We’ve had a prolonged rest after sleeping—but breakfast helps to signal that we’re awake, we’re working during the day, and let’s our bodies know to start getting things moving.
The first meal you have is giving you fuel, pumping the gas so to speak, and getting the body ready to go. Metabolic changes, hormones, and the body’s insulin is [more] regulated when people choose to eat breakfast.
Another thing is our mood—when we’re feeling ‘hungry,’ we’re more likely to reach for that donut or pretzel, and if we only have caffeine first thing in the morning, you’re more likely to have a crash. Daily ability is a key issue when it comes to breakfast and metabolism, and if you’re feeling more sluggish or not performing in the morning and throughout the day, it might be because you’ve chosen to skip out on that early meal.”
Cynthia Sass: “The time at which we first eat and then stop eating can have a huge affect on health. People are winding down in the evening, we’re not moving around as much, and if skipping breakfast makes you more likely to eat during this time, it’ll work against you.
It makes more sense to eat more before active hours and eat less before quiet hours. One can’t retroactively burn calories: if you don’t have calories when you actually need them and then eat them when you don’t need them, it’s a problem.”
What are some of the best foods dieters can eat during breakfast? Why?
Kelly Allison: “You’re better off to have a mixed nutrient meal, with a little bit of carbs, a little bit of fat, and sources of protein, too. Your body can take a mixed nutrient meal in and actually use it—nourish your body without spiking glucose.
But it’s important to realize that this is truly case by case. If you’re bodybuilding, for example, breakfast may be different. Mixed nutrients are always key for many patients, though.”
Jennifer Markowitz: “Simply having a meal in the morning doesn’t always mean success. What are you choosing to eat first? As with all meals, we should try to get a combo of protein, healthy fats, and fiber, which is the winning trio to help you feel full. Seek out nuts and fruits, eggs, avocados, greens, whole grains with fiber. Avoid packaged sugary cereals, nutrition bars, and also protein shakes; shakes can be great, but some can be loaded with sugar, and a lot of milk. One of the best ways to use leftovers, in my opinion, is to actually eat them for breakfast. Throw last night’s veggies into an omelet. This kind of meal kicks your metabolism to process the rest of the day’s meals in the right direction.”
Cynthia Sass: “In my opinion, the quality of the breakfast you’re eating makes a huge difference. If you’re someone who is eating pancakes with syrup and butter, or processed Pop Tarts, perhaps that’s why you’re not seeing much of a difference in weight management.
Studies show that metabolism responds to different kinds of calories as far as the quality of the calories you’re consuming, and if you transition from eating processed calories to more natural sources of energy, you could see a huge difference. 500 calories from a packaged blueberry muffin compared to 500 calories of oats, blueberries and cinnamon is processed differently. A calorie isn’t just a calorie; the quality of what you’re eating makes a big difference in terms of how your body responds and what it does with those calories.”
Do you have any tips for those who may not regularly eat breakfast? How can we successfully fit in this meal each morning?
Cynthia Sass: “One of the best tactics I have with my clients is a stepladder approach: Start with just one food that you can incorporate into a breakfast or morning snack. It could be a small handful of nuts, a quarter cup of almonds or pistachios on it’s own completely.
Choose something that is compact that can provide some healthy fat, fiber and protein, and pack overall good nutritional value into the first thing you’ve eaten in the morning. My clients notice they’re starting to wake up hungrier each day, and add more healthy options to their daily routine until they’re comfortable with a full meal.”
Jennifer Markowitz: “The best way to really make sure you’re getting breakfast in is planning it the night before. One of my all time favorite breakfasts—for myself and patients, too—is overnight oats. It’s such a simple thing that you can plan and make in a batch.
Try batching any kind of food, even if it’s just boiled eggs, or greens and toast. Do not be afraid to eat breakfast at work, either—you don’t have to eat like you’re not at home just because you’re not in your kitchen. Bring some staples, like peanut butter and fruit, into the office if need be.”
Kelly Allison: “I like to put it this way—if you were a parent, you wouldn’t leave the house without packing a diaper bag. It’s the same idea here: you have to take care of yourself, and spending those extra five minutes even the night before will pay off in the long run.
If breakfast seems to be a problem for you, focus on preparing things that is ready to go. If you’re truly interested in optimizing your health, figuring out how to fit breakfast into your schedule is very important.”
This article originally appeared on CookingLight.com
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FDA Rejects ‘Lower-Risk’ Cigarette Alternative
The penlike device heats Marlboro-branded sticks of tobacco but stops short of burning them. It is already sold in more than 30 countries and Philip Morris aims to make it the first “reduced risk” tobacco product ever sanctioned by the U.S.
The votes Thursday by the panel of Food and Drug Administration advisers on the marketing of the iQOS device are nonbinding. The FDA will make a separate decision on whether to allow the product on the market, and — if so — how it could be marketed to consumers.
FDA clearance would mark a major milestone in efforts by both the industry and government officials to provide alternative tobacco products to U.S. smokers. The adult smoking rate has fallen to an all-time low of 15 percent, though smoking remains the nation’s leading preventable cause of illness and death.
The nine-member panel voted on several statements that Philip Morris wants to use to market iQOS. According to the company, the heat-not-burn approach reduces exposure to tar and other deadly byproducts of cigarettes.
But panelists expressed doubts that company studies, primarily from animals and laboratory experiments, could predict lower rates of diseases and death in humans. They voted unanimously, with one abstention, that the studies did not show that the device reduces deadly diseases tied to smoking.
“I voted no because, based on the evidence presented to us, it was premature to make such a claim,” said Deborah Ossip, of the University of Rochester’s public health department.
The panel only supported one of the company’s proposed statements: that switching completely to iQOS from cigarettes reduces exposure to harmful chemicals. That claim was considered the least significant because it does not establish a health benefit.
This week’s meeting and FDA’s ultimate ruling are being closely watched by both the tobacco industry and the public health community amid debate over whether alternative products, including electronic cigarettes, should play a role in reducing the enormous toll of smoking, which contributes to 1 in 5 U.S. deaths.
Philip Morris believes its product is closer to the experience of smoking than e-cigarettes, which will make it more attractive to smokers. iQOS produces a tobacco vapor that includes nicotine. The FDA is in the process of beginning to regulate e-cigarettes, which did not come under the agency’s authority until 2016. E-cigarettes don’t use tobacco but vaporize liquid usually containing nicotine.
The United Kingdom is one of the more than 30 countries where iQOS is sold.
Richard Etrata, a London tailor, said iQOS has helped him cut down on smoking.
“I haven’t smoked a single cigarette for two and a half weeks,” said Etrata, visiting a retail store in downtown London where Philip Morris sells the device. “I did vape for a week but it was useless. The scent didn’t do anything for me.”
Unlike the U.K. and most other countries, the U.S. government has broad authority to regulate a number of aspects of the tobacco industry, including new products. Under a 2009 law the FDA can permit sales of new tobacco products shown to be less dangerous than what’s currently available and to approve marketing claims about reduced harms.
The FDA itself has much at stake in the review of iQOS and similar tobacco products in development.
Last July, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb laid out a proposal to begin pushing U.S. consumers away from traditional cigarettes toward products that deliver nicotine without all the harms of cigarettes. But the FDA has not yet allowed any company to market a tobacco product as “reduced risk,” compared to cigarettes.
If cleared in the U.S., iQOS would be marketed by Altria, the largest U.S. cigarette maker.
Content Originally Published by Time
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Healthy Relationships By The Numbers
Do you know the difference between healthy relationships and unhealthy ones? Many people have not had enough exposure to what a healthy relationship looks like to know. What is different about a healthy relationship as opposed to an unhealthy one. Here are some answers.
5 Hallmarks Of A Healthy Relationship
Can Speak Up For Yourself: You’re not afraid to voice your thoughts or let your partner know if something is bothering you
Partners Respect Each Other: Your wishes and feelings have value. You respect what the other person feels, but value your own feelings equally
There Is Compromise: You find a way to compromise in a safe and healthy way when dealing with issues on which you don’t agree
Each Person Is Supportive: You build each other up. Neither puts the other person down. You encourage each other to try new things when inspiration strikes
Respect The Other Person’s Privacy: You don’t feel the need with to know or to share everything, including your password or other private information
10 Freedoms Found In Healthy Relationships
Go out with your friends without your partner
Enjoy activities and hobbies alone
Not feel the need to share texts or emails
Feel heard and respected for who you are
Don’t feel the need to give in if there is a disagreement
Eat and prepare foods you like, even if your partner doesn’t want them
Call anyone, anytime
Drink or not drink
Not feel pressured to check in, but will do so as a courtesy
Set a boundary and know it will be honored
8 Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship
Your partner acts possessive and jealous
You feel as though you are walking on egg shells at times
Your partner breaks your things or threatens to
She or he threatens to harm him/herself because of you
Your partner has big mood swings, goes from raging to complimenting you
Your partner texts or calls you constantly and seems obsessed with you
He or she forces you to have sex, or go farther sexually than you want
You have to follow unspoken rules in order to keep the peace
If you are unsure whether your relationship is an unhealthy one take this quiz. Be sure to connect with your support system and understand that a person can only change if they want to. Take a minute to be sure your relationship is healthy and worth your time and effort.
Content sourced from Loveisrespect.org
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January 24, 2018
Herbal supplements shouldn’t be mixed with some prescription meds
Doctors know that herbs can affect medication regimens, wrote the researchers, from the South African Medical Research Council, in their new paper. But because people often don’t disclose to their healthcare providers what over-the-counter drugs and supplements they’re taking, it’s difficult for scientists to keep track of which drug and supplement combinations should be avoided.
The new review analyzed 49 case reports of adverse drug reactions, along with two observational studies. Most people in the analysis were being treated for heart disease, cancer or kidney transplants, and were taking warfarin, statins, chemotherapy drugs or immunosuppressants. Some also had depression, anxiety or neurological disorders, and were being treated with antidepressant, antipsychotic or anticonvulsant medications.
Among the case reports, researchers determined that herb-drug interactions were “probable” for 51% of the reports, and “highly probable” for about 8%. About 37% were classified as possible herb-drug interactions, while only 4% were considered doubtful.
In one case report, a patient who took statins complained of intense leg cramps and pain—a commonly reported side effect—after drinking three cups of green tea a day. The reaction was attributed to green tea’s effects on statin levels in the blood, the researchers wrote, although they say more research is needed to rule out other possible causes.
In another report, a patient died after having a seizure while swimming, even though he was regularly taking anticonvulsant drugs for his condition. His autopsy, however, showed decreased levels of those drugs in his blood, likely due to the way Ginkgo biloba supplements—which he’d also been taking regularly—had affected their metabolism.
Taking herbal supplements has also been associated with worsening depression symptoms in people taking antidepressants, the authors wrote in their paper, and with organ rejection in those who had received kidney, heart or liver transplants. For cancer patients, chemotherapy drugs have been shown to interact with herbal supplements including ginseng, echinacea and chokeberry juice.
The analysis also showed that patients taking warfarin, a blood thinner, reported “clinically significant interactions” after taking herbal medicines containing sage, flaxseed, St. John’s wort, cranberry, goji juice and chamomilla. These herbs may affect the metabolism of warfarin, the researchers hypothesize, which may reduce its anticoagulation abilities or cause bleeding episodes.
The authors say that more studies in the laboratory—and more thorough observations of real people—are needed to provide stronger evidence about specific herb-drug interactions. “This approach will inform drug regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical companies about the need to update information in package inserts of medicines to avoid untoward adverse effects, based on available data,” they write.
It also serves as a reminder that patients should always disclose any medicines or supplements they’re taking—even products marketed as natural or herbal—to their doctors and pharmacists, especially when they’re prescribed a new drug.
Content originally Published by Time
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