Category Archives: Diet And Food

Hydrogen sulfide is a stinky toxic gas, but it has health benefits when released in small amounts inside the body. Thats why eating more plant proteins is linked to longevity

High-protein diets are having a moment. In any grocery store you can now buy a protein bowl, pick up a protein box of eggs and nuts for lunch, or snack on a protein bar.

But theres evidence that restricting which proteins you eat particularly cutting back on meat could be important for healthy aging. The surprising reason: it forces the tissues to make hydrogen sulphide (H2S), a gas thats poisonous if inhaled and smells like rotten eggs, but promotes health inside the body.

As a physiology researcher, I have long been interested in the strange role of H2S in the body. This is not a gas anyone wants around. It stinks, is a component of flatulence, and its toxicity has been linked to at least one mass extinction.

And yet, the body naturally produces small amounts of it as a signalling molecule to act as a chemical messenger. Now, we are starting to understand the link between diet and H2S production.

Diet restrictions that increase longevity

Less can be more when it comes to food. When scientists have put organisms on carefully balanced but restricted diets, these organisms have substantially increased healthy lifespans.

This holds true for yeasts, fruit flies, worms and monkeys. In mice, such diets reduce cancer risk, strengthen the immune system and improve cognitive function.

But because aging and longevity are complex processes, it has been difficult for researchers to pin down the mechanisms at work. Recent studies have shed new light, and it is apparent that H2S plays a crucial role.

Studies since the 1990s have shown that reducing intake of certain sulphur-containing amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, can increase longevity in rats by around 30 per cent. More recently, a collaborative team involving me and led by scientists at Harvard, performed a series of animal studies in which we restricted the intake of two sulphur amino acids cysteine and methionine to study what effects this had.

It caused the animals to ramp up production of H2S in their tissues, which triggered a cascade of beneficial effects. These included increased new blood vessel generation, which promotes cardiovascular health, and better resistance to oxidative stress in the liver, which is linked to liver disease.

But it remained to be seen whether similar effects would occur in humans. Earlier this year, a study using data from the 11,576 adults in NHANES III, the U.S. national nutrition survey, delivered evidence that they do. It found that reduced dietary intake of these sulphur amino acids is linked to lower cardiometabolic risk factors, including lower levels of cholesterol and glucose in the blood. Cardiometabolic risk factors are those linked to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Eat less meat, live longer?

The upshot of this research is that theres good evidence that limiting intake of foods containing high levels of sulphur amino acids can reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, and promote healthy aging. In North America, most of us are a long way from achieving this. Because these sulphur amino acids are abundant in meat, dairy and eggs, which feature prominently in our shopping carts, we eat on average 2.5 times our daily requirement of them.

Red meat is particularly high in sulphur amino acids, but fish and poultry white meat also contain a lot (the dark meat has less). Switching to plant-based proteins would help reduce this intake.

Beans, lentils and legumes are good sources of protein that are also low in sulphur amino acids. But beware: soy protein, which is the basis of foods like tofu, is surprisingly high in sulphur amino acids. Meanwhile, vegetables like broccoli contain lots of sulphur but not in amino acid form.

One important caveat is that sulphur amino acids play vital roles in growth, so children should not adopt diets that are low in them.

Other roles for H2S

It might seem odd that a toxic gas can help maintain health, but it may reflect the origins of life on early Earth when the atmosphere was much richer in sulphur gas than it is today. Indeed, we are starting to appreciate how fundamental H2S signalling may be. For example, it has also been shown to reduce inflammation, opening the door to potential new treatments for arthritis or potential use as a painkiller.

The trick is delivering H2S where its needed safely. Several pharmaceutical companies are working on compounds that bind it while in transit through the body, and release it in tiny doses in the tissues. In time, these could be used as preventive measures to support healthy aging. This would be useful because the drawback of a low-sulphur amino acid diet is that humans are notoriously bad at sticking to such plans long-term.

In the lab, we can control experimental diets. In the real world, people snack or grab a burger when they dont want to cook. If delivery mechanisms can be made reliably and cheaply enough, it could be possible to gain the health effects of increased tissue H2S without dictating what people eat.

Rui Wang, Dean, Faculty of Science, York University, Canada

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

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BEYOND LOCAL: The scientific reason you should consider adding more plant protein to your diet - Sudbury.com

ANANTNAG, FEBRUARY 7: A meeting of the District Level Advisory Committee (DLAC) on Safe Food & Healthy Diets under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Anantnag Anshul Garg was held in DC office Anantnag.

The meeting was attended by DPO ICDS,CMO(Vice Chairperson),Assistant Commissioner Food Safety/Designated Officer (Member Secretary), representatives of SSP, GM DIC, CEO & AD Food , other members, social activists, legal experts & persons from food agencies.

Talking about the mandate of the committee, the AC Food Safety (Designated Officer) said that the committee has to ensure smooth implementation of FSSA 2006 & compliance with rules and regulations there under besides promotion of fortified foods in ICDS & MDM & development of nutritional & food safety literacy amongst the citizens by convergence with Poshan Abhiyan & SBM programmes.

The Committee also oversees the registration of food business units, surveillance of food items, monitoring of inspections, sampling, enforcement, prosecution and adjudication related to food safety.

Furthermore, it monitors; the quality & safety of Milk & Milk products, grievances of food sellers as well as consumers, training of the unit holders, food borne diseases etc, the officer informed. The meeting was informed that more than 4000 food business units have been registered in the district so far. Every month, 32 food samples are collected & sent to labs both in & outside the UT to establish their safety & quality.

Besides, the routine inspection of milk and milk products is done and the below standard samples are destroyed on prima facie condition & quality by the Food Safety Officers.

The grievances are disposed off within the stipulated time as provided in the act. The chairman directed the Designated officer to register all food units in Anantnag town by the end of March 2021 along with inspection cum awareness drive among the bakers with main focus on hygiene, quality & quantity of ingredients and shelf life of the end product. "Initially, the drive should be more of a hand holding and awareness type than an enforcement type," he added.

He also directed to co - opt officials from Legal Metrology, Food and Municipalities in these drives. While highlighting the importance of conforming to the legal standards by food business units, retailers, bakers etc, he stressed upon officers to coordinate with each other so that the ultimate aim of providing quality and safe food to the citizens at genuine rates is envisaged. Replying to a suggestion from DPO ICDS about ensuring nutritious, healthy & safe food in ICDS & MDM, he urged for issuance of advisories to the Decentralized Panchayat Food Procurement Committees associated with ICDS & MDM with provisions on list of better quality food sellers, flagging the harmful foods without indicating any bias to any brand or seller, fortification of food, special focus on malnutrition areas , incentivizing the best performing Panchayats etc. so that beneficiaries are benefited in the best possible way.

He also directed the concerned to ensure adherence to the laid down standards with respect to use of caffeinated drinks & warnings indicated therein besides total ban on selling of such drinks and Gutkhas to the children & minors.

All the participants including social activists, representatives from private food firms etc put on their valuable suggestions during the meeting.

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DC Anantnag convenes meeting of DLAC on Safe Food & Healthy Diets, asks to ensure adherence to the laid down standards - Cross Town News

Forget which comes first, the chicken or the egg. The more important question is: Are eggs good or bad for your health?

Unfortunately, science cant seem to settle on a definitive answer to that either.

Just last year, a large Harvard analysis of 215,000 people found that eating one egg per day was not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Now, a new study of over 500,000 people has found eating even a portion of a whole egg with its cholesterol-laden yellow yoke increases the risk of dying from all causes, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

In fact, the overall risk of death went up by 7% for each additional half a whole egg eaten per day, according to the study published Tuesday in PLOS Medicine.

Experts were skeptical.

Despite many years of research this question about eggs and health has not been answered, with multiple observational studies over the last few decades showing conflicting results some suggesting moderate egg intake is good, while others suggesting it may be bad, said Riyaz Patel, a consultant cardiologist at University College London.

This study, although well conducted, unfortunately only adds more noise to the discussion, Patel said in a statement.

The study results are problematic because they only asked people once about their egg consumption, then followed them for many years without checking to see if their diet had changed, said Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Theyre only getting a snapshot in time, said Willett, who is also a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

The conclusions of this study are overblown, said Ada Garcia, a senior lecturer in public health nutrition at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, in a statement. Blaming eggs alone for an increased risk of cardiovascular disease is a simplistic and reductionist approach to the concept of diet and disease prevention.

The poultry industry has long touted the incredible, edible egg. For a mere 75 calories, they say, an egg delivers 7 grams of high-quality protein, 5 grams of fat and 1.6 grams of saturated fat, along with iron, vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin.

Eggs are affordable, making them a cheap nutritional powerhouse for families with limited food budgets. Many people on popular low-carb diets such as keto also rely heavily on eggs in their meal plans.

The problem, of course, is the level of cholesterol in the yellow yolk of eggs: One large egg yolk can deliver about 185 milligrams of cholesterol.

Cholesterol is not a bogeyman. Made by the liver, cholesterol is in every cell in the body and is used to make hormones, vitamin D, digestive compounds and more. Sometimes a persons body can make too much cholesterol, leading to a buildup of waxy plaque in blood vessels and later cardiovascular disease.

There is a role played by cholesterol in our diet, but its more complicated than we used to think, said Willett, who has spent over 40 years studying the effects of diet on the occurrence of major diseases.

Nutritional guidelines used to recommend an upper limit of 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day. Today guidelines suggest eating as little as possible by keeping saturated fats to less than 10% of daily calories.

The key, Willett said, is to look at the overall nutritional pros and cons of the food, as well as what the food is replacing in the diet.

Take fish, for example. Fish contain cholesterol, but also provide essential omega-3 fatty acids critical to optimal health.

And saturated fats from butter, whole dairy and fatty cuts of meat have a much more profound impact on raising levels of LDL (low-density lipoproteins) in the blood than sources of dietary cholesterol such as eggs.

If someone replaces eggs with doughnuts, other refined starches and sugar or saturated fats, Id rather they eat eggs, Willett said.

But for someone who really wants to be in optimal health. putting the emphasis on plant-based protein sources like steel-cut oatmeal and nuts would be a better way to go.

Certain populations may want to watch their intake of eggs, however.

Someone whos having a difficult time having to use medication for their blood cholesterol levels probably would be better off keeping eggs on the low side, Willett said. Eggs dont have to be totally eliminated, but I think the old recommendation of not more than two eggs per week for most people is actually still a good recommendation.

People with Type 2 diabetes should be wary as well. The 2020 Harvard study found a higher intake of eggs by people with Type 2 diabetes was associated with increased cardiovascular risk, a link that has been duplicated in previous studies.

Can eggs yolks be safely replaced with egg whites? The new PLOS study found replacing half a whole egg with an equivalent amount of egg whites or egg substitutes reduced death from cardiovascular disease by 3%.

In my view the recommendation made by the authors to replace whole eggs with egg whites/substitutes is not supported by the entirety of evidence available, said UCLs Patel.

Most studies have not looked at eggs without yolks, Willett said, mostly because consumption of egg whites is pretty low in the general population. The lowest risk is replacing eggs with nuts and plant-based sources of protein.

Patel added: I do not think this study changes the general advice, that for most people, eggs can be eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet, unless they have been advised not to for a specific medical or dietary reason.

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Are eggs good or bad for you? The truth may be somewhere in between - ABC17NEWS - ABC17News.com

As part of his testimony in front of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last week, OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh emphasized the importance of truck drivers being able to find a hot meal and a place to use the restroom.

Pugh testified on Thursday, Feb. 4 at a four-hour virtual hearing titled Protecting Transportation Workers and Passengers from COVID: Gaps in Safety, Lessons Learned, and Next Steps.

While much of the hearing focused on all aspects of the transportation industry and keeping workers safe during the pandemic, Pugh reminded lawmakers of the challenges that truck drivers face to do something as simple as sitting down and enjoying a well-balanced meal.

Its very important, Pugh said. I hate to say its life and death but when youre riding around in a freaking box thats 6 by 6 or something and spend all of your time in there, its nice to be able to get out and go in somewhere and wash your hands and be able to sit down in something that doesnt move and be able to get a good square meal.

Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., also called attention to the problem at the hearing and underscored the importance of finding the correct balance between keeping everyone safe during a pandemic while still providing truckers essential services.

I agree that we must protect workers from COVID by ensuring that they have proper PPE (personal protective equipment) and proper policies in place to make sure they are safe, Stauber said. But protecting workers from COVID not only means protecting them from the virus. It also means protecting their jobs and their ability to make a living.

The job of a truck driver was especially difficult during the beginning of the pandemic, when stay-at-home orders left few places to eat and some shipper and receiver facilities denied truckers the use of their restrooms.

Some businesses claimed that limiting access was a way to control the spread of the virus to their employees, Pugh said. These policies were counterproductive. As the most transient community in America, truckers must have the ability to wash their hands after handling freight, paperwork, and business equipment to help combat the spread of the virus. During any future public health crisis, Congress must work with the logistics community to ensure that truckers have access to restrooms.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has been supportive of the Federal Highway Administrations decision to let states allow food trucks to operate at highway rest areas. However, OOIDA has been disappointed to see that many states havent given the go-ahead.

Unfortunately, very few states embraced this solution, Pugh said. As COVID cases surged across the country this fall and states renewed or expanded dining restrictions, truckers against found themselves struggling to find warm, quality meals while on the road.

Moving forward, we encourage Congress to not only allow states greater flexibility in permitting food trucks at rest areas during crises but to expand daily access to hard-working truckers by reversing the federal ban on the commercialization of rest areas. LL

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OOIDA's Pugh to Congress: Truckers need access to hot meals - Land Line Media

The allocation of Rs 1,06,606 crore by the 15th Finance Commission for strengthening the public health infrastructure, accounting for 0.1% of GDP, was unexpected as hitherto, FCs were reluctant to earmark grants as the determination of spending preferences was considered the prerogative of elected governments. States revenue spending continues to hover around 5% while overall health spending for India in 2018-19 was a measly 0.96% of GDP.

Like never before, the FC established a Working Group for Health with representation of corporate hospitals that led most to believe there was a greater thrust towards privatisation. But Covid seems to have impacted thinking towards strengthening public health. The grant was provided in two categories: Rs 70,051 crore to be spent by local bodies for gap filling in primary healthcare infrastructure diagnostics and buildings, effectively scaling up the Kerala model.

Due to variances in the capacities of the local bodies across states, implementation could be challenging. However, Rs 5.6 lakh per panchayat per year for five years can incentivise states to innovate, reconfigure the design and re-engineer a more accountable system based on local participation and decentralisation of responsibilities.

The second category is Rs 31,755 crore for strengthening rapid responses to epidemics laboratories in 469 districts; skill training of medical and non-medical personnel in district hospitals; and construction of critical care hospitals in 362 districts. Government has only agreed to the recommendation related to local bodies.

For a better understanding of health spending in actual terms, the FC and the Budget pronouncements need to be read together. As a starter the Budget itself provided for Rs 78,866 crore a 7.6% increase to the revised estimates of the previous year, after discounting Rs 14,217 crore spent in the last quarter for Covid related expenses like ramping up beds, procuring PPEs, masks, ventilators etc.

To the regular health budget, three new items have been added Rs 13,192 crore as first tranche of the FC grant for local bodies; Rs 35,000 crore for the Covid vaccine; and Rs 64,180 crore, spread over six years, under a new initiative the PM Atmanirbhar Swasthya Bharat Yojana. The PMASBY is expected to undertake strengthening 29,000 primary healthcare facilities, establish integrated laboratories in districts and blocks, nine biosafety laboratories, four Regional Institutes of Virology, and strengthen the surveillance systems and the National Centre for Disease Control etc.

While the first two grants are administered by the finance ministry, there is no clarity on the PMASBY grant as it does not find mention in the Budget whether it will be an additionality or be subsumed in the existing NHM budget.

Considering the severe economic downturn due to Covid, it is gratifying that the health budget has not been slashed as in the case of nutrition, education and rural employment. However, given that this was a once in 100 years moment, expectations were of a fundamentally transformative response. It was therefore the moment when government should have boldly opted for massive capital spending to build the battered health infrastructure and strengthen public health capacities at all levels of care.

Besides, uncertainties surround the new grants. While we have only an announcement of the FM regarding the PMASBY, the FC grant for strengthening primary care through local bodies is conditional on the states establishing the State Finance Commission, revising property taxes etc. Such an attempt of releasing conditional grants for local bodies by earlier Commissions failed as devolution of functions, funds and functionaries as required under the 73rd and 74th Amendments is considered to be a politically risky reform that most states are reluctant to undertake.

Regarding the allocation for vaccine, since the spending is by the finance ministry not health, it will be for actuals, with no scope for utilising savings, if any, for health infrastructure strengthening. After all the sordid drama, the story seems to have the same ending. How many more Covid like pandemics does India need to face to make health a central concern is a question on everyones mind.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

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Are we budgeting for a safe and healthy India? Uncertainty surrounding the new grants is disheartening - The Times of India Blog

As of February, guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is clear: Travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. CDC recommends that you do not travel at this time. Delay travel and stay home to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

Yes, our editors took these trips pre-pandemic. And, no, for the most part we havent been boarding planes. But we think now is as good a time as any to plan an idyllic getaway for when the world opens up again. Until then, well dream on.

Peninsula Papagayo sticks out into the Pacific Ocean like a crooked little finger in the far northwest corner of the province of Guanacaste. It lies between the more popular surf-oriented beaches around Tamarindo and the remote wilds of Santa Rosa National Park. What makes it worth seeking out is the way it straddles aspects of these two worlds, blending access to rugged wilderness and luxurious accommodations in a location that lies between ocean and bay, mountains and coast.

You can step out of your hotel room and, within a few minutes, find yourself hiking along jungle paths as monkeys swing overhead.

Elizabeth Lavin

The peninsula is essentially a large gated community inside a tropical dry forest, with multimillion-dollar homes, an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, and two luxury resorts: the Andaz Costa Rica and the Four Seasons Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. But strict regulations have helped restrain the footprint of this development to preserve the peninsulas natural ecology. Its a delicate balance, but one that works. You can step out of your hotel room and, within a few minutes, find yourself hiking along jungle paths as monkeys swing overhead, or swimming over rocky coral reefs with stingrays and sea turtles. For nature lovers who dont want to sacrifice the perks of a pampered vacation getaway, it is hard to think of a more ideal spot.

The Four Seasons sits at a narrow neck near the tip of the peninsula, which allows you to walk from its bayfront beaches to the ocean in a matter of seconds, while restaurants, bars, and watersport rentals are always a stones throw away. The Andaz is the new kid on the block, and what it lacks in the Four Seasons boisterousness it makes up for in intimacy. Designed by Costa Rican architect Ronald Zrcher, the Andazs treehouse-like accommodations blend sensitively into the forest canopy, and rooms offer stunning views of a bay that doubles as a humpback whale sanctuary during migration season.

Elizabeth Lavin

Elizabeth Lavin

Krill Joy: Designed by Costa Rican architect Ronald Zrcher, the Andazs treehouse-like accommodations blend sensitively into the forest canopy, and rooms offer stunning views of a bay that doubles as a humpback whale sanctuary during migration season.

You never have to leave the resorts gates, but after a few days playing on the peninsula, I was eager to escape. Renting a car and heading down the coast led to a string of beautiful beaches. The grungy hippie haven of Tamarindo has been attracting expats for decades, but youll be happier seeking out more out-of-the-way spots like the semi-secluded crystalline waters of Playa Conchal. Adventurous travelers will be rewarded pushing on farther south along Costa Ricas infamously difficult roads. Playa San Juanillo offers a rocky expanse of coastline as tempestuously sublime as Big Sur. At the Ostional Nacional Wildlife Refuge, a local guide will lead you onto the beach at dusk to witness another quintessentially Costa Rican ritual: baby sea turtles hatching in the sand and flapping their way into the sea. Peter Simek

What do you do when you have 620 acres of jungle but only 1 mile of prime beach access? You create an eco-friendly wonderland, where resorts are carefully set back from the ocean in a dense, tangled network of mangroves, protected from hurricanes and connected by a series of canals and lagoons. You may think you want an ocean view, but here you quickly learn theres something better. Like being deposited by boat on the dock of your lagoon-facing suite, with a private butler waiting to make you a welcoming tequila cocktail and an open-air shower to rinse off your previous life.

There are four separate properties on site, including the Rosewood Mayakoba, which offers boat and butler service for its lagoon-facing studio suites

Elizabeth Lavin

The Mayakoba Dive & Water Sports Center offers dive training and certification, snorkeling, jet skiing, kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, and volleyball

Elizabeth Lavin

Mayakoba was developed at the turn of this century, with oversight by biologists and ecologists. There are four separate properties on site: the aforementioned Rosewood, the swankiest of the lot with its boat and butler service; the Asian-inspired Banyan Tree, with private villas and plunge pools; the more mod and modest Andaz, with hotel room options; and the Fairmont, the largest and most family-friendly property (with a food and beverage program overseen by Dallas own Michael Martensen). You can travel among them all by boat, buggy, or bike. And the beach, with bars and restaurants servicing each resort, is a short jaunt away.

We asked Dallas-based travel agent Sam Murphy for some of her top tips for clients.

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Theres no lack of activities. There are four tennis courts; the Greg Norman-designed El Camalen golf course; private snorkeling tours; a marina that can outfit all your favorite watersports; and a re-created Mexican village square complete with a Catholic chapel, arcade for the kids, and a cantina with the best tostadas youll ever eat. You can even rent the VanDutch yacht of Skyfall fame, upholstered in Herms, for about $7,000 a day.

There are also two dozen restaurants to choose from. My most memorable meal was on my last night, at the Rosewoods La Ceiba Kitchen & Garden, an open-air dining experience under the outstretched arms of a sacred Mayan tree. I was met with a lemongrass margarita in a taza de barro, and escorted through a fairy-lit garden filled with herbs and peppers to a long wooden table. Caribbean lobster and hibiscus-glazed lamb chops, seared in front of us over traditional zapote wood, were served family style, accompanied by wines from Mexicos oldest vineyard.

My dining companions and I outlasted the mariachis and the last embers of the grill. Strangers at the start of the night, we were baring surprising parts of our souls and laughing to tears by the end. I swear it wasnt the tequila. It was that magic ceiba tree.Kathy Wise

Courtesy of Amanyara

Courtesy of Amanyara

At Amanyara, set along the secluded Northwest Point Marine National Park, wildlife abounds. The reefs are home to hawksbill turtles, bonefish, and humpback whales, while hundreds of migratory bird species frequent the 870- yard beach.

What greeted us at our pavilion through the floor-to-ceiling windows was something out of a postcard: blue sky, bluer water, and a private ocean cove guarded by limestone peninsulas on either side. We sat on our beach chairs and listened to the waves crash against the rocks, until hunger pangs finally made us move.

A golf carthow guests navigate the vast property situated on the shores of an 18,000-acre nature preservetransported us to the restaurant for dinner. The Asian-inspired poolside meal prepared by one of Amanyaras private chefs began with papaya salad and ended with mango sticky rice so addictive I finished off both our portions.

Courtesy of Amanyara

Courtesy of Amanyara

Only lakeside yoga could pry me from my cloudlike bed the following morning at 8. The breeze carried the aroma of incense as I moved into downward-facing dog. Chakras aligned, I explored more of the resort, including the tennis and sand volleyball courts, Pilates studio, soccer field, and a villa (with its own recording studio) that Prince had owned years ago.

Later, we boarded a snorkel boat with the resident marine biologist to explore the nearby reef, part of Northwest Point Marine National Park. The fish and coral were impressive, until we spotted an eagle ray and a sizable reef shark along the 7,000-foot sea wall drop-off, about 40 feet below our half-submerged snorkel tubes.

Back at shore, with salt caked in our hair, we filled up on more seafood and relaxed in our cove until the setting sun signaled it was time for cocktail hour. After whiskey smashes and dinner, we decided to go for a walk on the now-deserted beach. The waves were lit only by the stars.Christiana Nielson

Weekend Warrior: The Park Hyatt St. Kitts, which opened in 2017, includes two on-site pools and the Sugar Mill Spa & Sanctuary.

Elizabeth Lavin

Winding through the streets of St. Kitts, an island nestled in the Eastern Caribbean, roughly 1,200 miles from Miami, the taxi Im riding in passes lush greenery and colorful houses. There are more monkeys on this island than people, the driver jokes, as I spot budding mango trees with half-eaten fruit lying at their trunks.

Im here in June 2019 for the islands annual three-night Caribbean music festival (this year, tentatively June 2426), the largest in the world. For a couple of decades running, the St. Kitts Music Festival has generated millions of dollars for the local economy, and it now draws more than 27,000 attendees. Caribbean artists stack the lineup, punctuated by popular acts like French Montana and Ella Mai, along with legendary Motown crooner Smokey Robinson.

The Sugar Mill Spa & Sanctuary features an outdoor meditation and yoga space inspired by the islands historic conical sugar mills.

Elizabeth Lavin

Between late-night soca sets, I find time to drink and dine. At the Park Hyatts Fishermans Village restaurant, overlooking Banana Bay with the neighboring island of Nevis in the distance, I enjoy open-air seating and ceviche; coconut curried shrimp and rice; and what will quickly become my Kittitian cocktail tradition, the Dark and Stormy, made with ginger beer and dark Caribbean rum.

The next day, I board a water taxi for a seven-minute ride to Nevis, famously known as Alexander Hamiltons birthplace. Goats run freely alongside my ATV as I visit old sugarcane mills and walk the beach at Black Sand Cove. Day drinking takes on a new meaning as I joyously go limin, as they say here, passing time at Sunshines Beach Bar & Grill with its signature Killer Bee cocktail.

Back in my room, I step barefoot onto the patio, soaking in the mountainous terrain. The music now a memory, I allow the sounds of the ocean, wind, and monkeys to rock me to sleep. Leah Frazier

Sitting 45 minutes northwest of Puerto Vallarta on the Riviera Nayarit, the Four Seasons is one of two resorts inside a private peninsula known as Punta Mita, a gated slice of coastal Mexico with guts that are all jungle, golf carts, dim roadway lights, and roundabouts. The Four Seasons is scenic and secluded, home to 173 casitas and 31 suites revamped in 2014.

You could spend a week or more under the spell of the resorts service. You could lean oceanward from the infinity pool and sprawl out on the beach. You could feast at Dos Catrinas, the open-air, two-story restaurantone of several at the resortwhere they haul out a tray of four salsas when you sit down. You could sip Mexican craft beers that may surprise you. You could drop your kids, if you have any, at the resorts daycare and then order poolside sushi at the adults-only swim area. You could get massages on the beach or at the elaborate spa; Im told the cactus treatment is really quite nice. You could go diving or surfing. You could watch the sun fall into the ocean beyond the palms from your patio, finding your well-stocked minibar all too convenient. Do all these.

The Tail of the Whale is a bucket-list par-3 where the green is set on a giant rock formation some 200 yards out into the ocean.

Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita

If water hazards are your thing, try snorkeling or paddleboarding.

Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita

But Punta Mita offers something even more special for anyone who enjoys swinging a golf club. It has two Jack Nicklaus-designed courses, both of them among Golf Digests top 15 in Mexico, both of them striking a nice note between playable and challenging, both of them a pull-hook from the Pacific Ocean. Pacifico has become known for the Tail of the Whale, a bucket-list par-3 where the green is set on a giant rock formation some 200 yards out into the ocean; its an optional 19th hole you can walk to only when the tide is low, and otherwise amphibious vehicle is required.

Almost everything in Punta Mita is made to slow your pulse. A 6-iron over choppy waters isnt one of them. Shawn Shinneman

Golden Hour: At Sunset Keys waterside restaurant, you dine on lobster tail, crab cakes, and the best Key lime pie in Key West with a side of ocean breeze.

James Lennon, Courtesy of Sunset Key Cottages

We arrived at the Margaritaville Key West Resort & Marina late in the afternoon to catch a ferry for the short trip across the harbor to its sister property, Sunset Key Cottages, where wed be staying. It was like we had shown up late to a party. There was a mix of tourists and locals already gathered at the marina for the sunset, watching the sky light up with swirls of peach and orange and purple, as vivid as the tie-dyed t-shirts from the tourist-trap shops behind us.

The situation only improved when we left our cottage for dinner at the on-island restaurant Latitudes, a table for two on the edge of the water with palm trees hovering above.

A few minutes later, the ferry (the Lil Princess) took us directly toward that riot of color and the private island where our private cottage with full kitchen and wraparound terrace was located. The cottage was called Paradise andlooking out through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the beach and the ocean beyond itit felt a lot like it. Especially when we took the provided Bluetooth speaker out onto the porch and danced to Buena Vista Social Club, getting into the rhythm of the place, just 90 miles from Cuba.

The situation only improved when we left our cottage for dinner at the on-island restaurant Latitudes, a table for two on the edge of the water with palm trees hovering above. We dined on lobster tail, crab cakes, steak tartare, and the best Key lime pie in Key West, a claim that it seems every establishment in the city is required by law to make, no different from passing health inspections and keeping up with building codes. (It was good.)

The next morning, we relaxed with massages in the spa nearby the restaurant and then unwound even further on chaise lounges on the private beach about a dozen steps from our back door.

Later, we explored more of Key West, seeing Ernest Hemingways old home and Judy Blumes current bookstore (Books & Books), as well as giant iguanas that looked like forgotten miniature dinosaurs; ancient trees with bizarre roots and tangled limbs that might have been alien species (especially a sprawling kapok tree near the resort); and chickens. So many chickens. Pretty much everywhere on every street, strutting around like they owned the place. I guess maybe they kind of do. And you can, toofor a few nights. Zac Crain

The Tropic Air flight from Belize City to San Pedro is brief and breathtaking, a 15-minute tour through the jungle of the mainland over the turquoise waters of the worlds second-largest coral reef. The heart of the Ambergris Caye, San Pedro was once a sleepy fishing village, and despite booming development, the colorful town still epitomizes island living with its sandy dirt roads and relaxed pace.

Head 20 minutes south of the airport, where youll find Victoria House, a gorgeous, colonial-style property with luxurious suites, casitas, and family-friendly houses facing the water.

Elizabeth Lavin

Hop on a golf cart (the preferred mode of transportation on La Isla Bonita), and head 20 minutes south of the airport, where youll find Victoria House, a gorgeous colonial-style property with luxurious suites, casitas, and family-friendly houses facing the water. The shore is sandy and manicurednot a beach, per se, but a perfectly lovely place to sunbathe and sip a mojito.

Hook Em: Ambergris Caye may be the easiest-to-reach bonefish, tarpon, and permit fishing destination in the Caribbean. Dallas-based Tailwaters Fly Fishing will set you up with a fully outfitted trip.

Elizabeth Lavin

Besides, San Pedro offers something much more exciting than splashing on the coast: the Belize Barrier Reef is brimming with sea life, providing world-class snorkeling and diving just minutes away from the island. The Hol Chan Marine Reserve and aptly named Shark Ray Alley are the most popular spots, but youd be wise to avoid the crowds and head straight to Mexico Rocks, a less-traveled reef complex north of San Pedro. Youll see hordes of colorful fish, rays, sea turtles, and, if youre lucky, a shimmering barracuda the local guides have named Peter.

The possibilities for day trips from San Pedro are practically endless. Experienced divers may journey to the alluring Great Blue Hole. Those looking for a leisurely sail can take a catamaran to the nearby Caye Caulker, a tiny bohemian isle thats big among young crowds; or Goffs Caye, a remote, picture-perfect sandbar thats not too far from where you can see endangered manatees in the wild. Dallas-based Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co. offers flats-fishing excursions for bonefish, tarpon, barracuda, and more. For a quick change of scenery, make the half-hour drive on bumpy roads through mangrove swamps to Secret Beach, a deceivingly named spot to take in the sunset with a drink in hand.

Victoria Houses Palmilla Restaurant is nice for a formal dinnerand theyll provide a romantic, waterfront setup upon requestbut for lunches and snacks in town, check out Belizean favorites El Fogon and Elvis Kitchen. As far as nightlife, Sunset Lounge, a trendy rooftop patio, is your best bet for cocktails and dancing. Or set up shop in a floating innertube at the famous Palapa Bar, where you can cool off in the water and listen to live local music. Natalie Gempel

The resort is positioned on the private tip of a peninsula on a quiet bay far from the party beaches of Elvis Acapulco.

Elizabeth Lavin

I wouldnt have imagined that my 48th birthday would be the best of my life, but after a Thai massage, a mole cooking class, a tequila and antojito tasting, a surprise birthday cake with a tennis racket made of chocolate on top, and a spectacular cliff-top viewing of my last sunset of 47accompanied by a strangely balletic performance by a pod of pelicansI had to admit it was.

There is nothing like this place, but I dont really want to tell you about it. I dont like sharing. I also dont particularly like sand or the ocean winds that usually blow it into my gas permeable contact lenses, feeling like tiny glass shards. Which is why the Banyan Tree Cabo Marqus is made for me.

Start with the fact that Acapulco recently opened a new, modern terminal, and American Airlines just introduced a direct flight from Dallas. It takes about 10 minutes to get from the gate to the exterior, and vice versa. Add to that the fact that East Coasters from both above and below the border have to take a connecting flight to get here, so they tend to stay on the Gulf side, leaving Acapulco, on the Pacific coast, mostly to upscale vacationers from Mexico City and South America. Plus, the resort is positioned on the private tip of a peninsula on a quiet bay far from the party beaches of Elvis Acapulco. Yes, please.

Night Swimming: Private villas are set on top of a rocky cliff, with mountains to your right, the Pacific Ocean in front of you, and a landscaped jungle full of flowering trees and tropical birds to your back.

Elizabeth Lavin

From the patio of Saffron, the resorts signature Thai restaurant, you can see the lights of Acapulco across the bay. The concierge will happily arrange an excursion to see the famous La Quebrada Cliff Divers

Elizabeth Lavin

And the views. Youre on top of a rocky cliff, with mountains to your right, the Pacific Ocean in front of you, and a landscaped jungle full of flowering trees and tropical birds to your back. You can view it all from the heated infinity plunge pool on your private villas lanai, while waiting for your private chef to show up with a barbecue grill to cook you a six-course meal of grilled surf and turf that youll enjoy, with only nominal embarrassment, in your bathrobe.

This isnt really a place for kids, adventure seekers, or ocean swimmers. Its a place for reading three memoirs in three days, skinny dipping in your private pool, and finding yourself staring out at the horizon for far longer than you ever thought you could. Its a place for me.K.W.

The 76-square-mile Grand Cayman is a tax haven in paradise where a quiet billionaire has bought up more land than the government owns and is rebuilding it in his image. That billionaire is the investor Kenneth Dart, and his latest project is the Kimpton Seafire, which stands near the edge of Seven Mile Beachs long footprint of development. It was the islands first new resort in more than a decade, and it seems tailor-made for those who value outdoor yoga and bootcamp sessions and appreciate complimentary wine poured at 5 pm. (This is all included in your resort fee; yoga mats are in every room.)

Each of the 266 rooms features floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the ocean and private patios. The suites offer automated blinds, making it easy to stay in bed and watch the sunrise. Youll want to walk the beach in the morning, lazily dip in the ocean in the afternoon, and watch the sun set over the horizon as night falls.

Free Parking: Beachfront bungalows offer daily break- fast delivery, an in-room crafted nightcap, loaner PUBLIC Bikes, and extra privacy.

Courtesy of Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa

Of course, Cayman isnt all Seven Mile Beach. Make time for Stingray City, where the undulating creatures will nibble on squid from between your fingers. Locals will send you to Mango Tree, in George Town, where you can feast on braised oxtail and wash it down with a Caybrew, the locally made lager. At night on the West Bay, Macabuca, the tiki bar behind the fancier Cracked Conch, lets you sip a mai tai while watching divers disappear in the dark water.

The coral reefs here are some of the Caribbeans most highly protected, so prioritize snorkeling or scuba diving. Cemetery Beach is just a mile from the Seafire, where you can rent snorkeling equipment and swim out a couple of hundred yards to a reef. (Make sure you bring a life vest and flippersthe water is about 10 feet deep.) On the north side of the island, Rum Point offers the same picturesque views as Seven Mile with fewer tourists and shallower waters for swimming.

There is some local angst about the influence of big money here. Calico Jacks, the divey beach bar next to the Seafire, plans to move after 15 years when its lease is up. The rumor is that Dart wants to open a wine bar. As the bartender tells me about this, I can hear reggaeton blasting from a nearby pavilion, where about a dozen locals are playing dominoes and drinking beer. They hand me a Budweiser. Seven Miles resorts arent far, and neither are moments like this. Matt Goodman

Cinnamon Shore

Courtesy of Cinnamon Shore

Not all enviable beach destinations require a flight and a passport. If you can fit your gear in a car and keep the kids entertained for a 6.5-hour drive south, you dont even have to cross state lines for a proper toes-in-the-sand experience. The residents of Port Aransas have rebuilt their beach community since the ravages of Hurricane Harvey four years ago, and three master-planned resort communities have emerged on the shores of Mustang Island. Branding themselves The New Texas Coast, they offer opportunities to buy or rent a beachfront property. The Charleston-style vacation homes at Cinnamon Shore and Sunflower Beach range from cozy cottages to a three-story manse that can sleep up to 10 (plus 10 more in the bunkroom). C.N.

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11 Beach Vacations a Flight Away From Dallas, Once It's Safe to Travel - D Magazine

SINGAPORE - Reunion meals for some families will take on a different form and taste this year.

Some are doing without lohei for fear of spreading droplets during auspicious cheers, while others are doing away with steamboat to avoid accidental cross contamination. One family is not even having meat.

For the first time, there will be no steamboat and meat dishes at Mr Kelvin Ng's reunion dinner at home.

The 48-year-old grew up in Malaysia eating exotic wild animal meat, such as flying fox, snake and wild boar, during family gatherings.

But the emergence of animal-derived infectious diseases in recent times such as Covid-19 and Sars has made him rethink his food choices.

The business development director (Asean) at Green Monday Group, a plant-based lifestyle platform, became a flexitarian in June last year. A flexitarian's diet is centred on plant-based foods and vegetables, with a reduction in meat and dairy foods.

Mr Ng's reunion meal with his wife, 14-year-old son and mother will feature a do-it-yourself vegan popiah spread in place of a steamboat.

They will roll their own popiah using ingredients such as Beyond Beef, OmniMeat strips that tastes similar to chicken, JUST plant-based egg, sweet turnip, crushed rice crackers, bean sprouts, chilli and black sesame soy sauce.

Mr Ng says: "We will maintain the communal style of dining because everybody still sits around the table and takes the food using serving spoons for each ingredient and sauce. It's just like we do for a steamboat, except this is a healthier meal."

The family will still be doing lohei but it will be a vegan one prepared by Mr Ng. He is using ingredients such as carrot, cucumber, turnip, crackers and OmniMeat strips, which he says make for a "tasty replacement" for the raw fish typically used in a yusheng dish.

Ms Jennifer Shim, a dietitian at Parkway East Hospital, notes that a vegan diet or meal has generally low or negligible cholesterol content. Healthy cholesterol levels are associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

Going vegan, Ms Shim adds, also encourages one to eat more fruits and vegetables, increasing the intake of fibre, antioxidants and a variety of vitamins and minerals.

For retired teacher Neo Puay Hwa and her family, they are playing it safe by not having both lohei and steamboat.

"In previous years, there will usually be at least 20 family members squeezing around the table to lohei, which is the fun part. But with the restrictions on the number of visitors this year, it won't be as fun and memorable," the 63-year-old says.

Only eight visitors a day are allowed in a household and people are encouraged to limit visiting to at most two other households a day.

Instead of steamboat, Ms Neo's family will cook and place a big pot of pork bone and seafood soup in the kitchen, from which they can scoop their own portion with a serving spoon.

"We don't like the idea of having uncooked food around and not having our masks on when we speak," she says.

Dr Raymond Fong, chief and senior consultant at Changi General Hospital's Department of Infectious Diseases, says that while it is a common Asian practice for people to share food using their own cutlery, it is highly discouraged.

"Double dipping of sauces is also not a hygienic practice, and individual sauce portions should be provided for each guest," he adds.

While serving cutlery should be used, he warns that they can also be contaminated by dirty hands which may carry viruses.

"Hence, one should not touch one's mouth, nose and eyes when using the serving spoons and chopsticks - unless they have sanitised their hands," he says.

Agreeing, Associate Professor Sophia Archuleta, head and senior consultant at National University Hospital's Division of Infectious Diseases, advises people against having buffets.

"Buffets tend to increase the contact between diners' hands and common surfaces as people share serving ware. It is best to serve individual portions and practise hand hygiene," she says.

Those who are going ahead with their steamboat and lohei plans should wash their hands thoroughly before handling food, Ms Shim says.

"Use separate utensils for raw and cooked food, ensure that food is cooked thoroughly by cooking them in batches and use a serving spoon when scooping food from the steamboat pot," she adds.

For auspicious cheers during lohei, Prof Archuleta advises using the DJ Beng lohei Web-based app. The free app allows users to tap their phone screens to play pre-recorded auspicious phrases.

"Singing, yelling and speaking loudly can spark a Covid-19 cluster in the community - like what happend during last year's Chinese New Year celebration at Safra Jurong," she cautioned.

That celebration, held in the ballroom of Joy Garden restaurant on Feb 15 last tear, accounted for 47 cases in Singapore.

Mr Raymond Seah will be using the app when he tosses yusheng at home with his family.

The 56-year-old retail assistant says his family initially did not want to have lohei due to fears of contamination, but decided to go ahead after finding out about the app.

Mr Seah says: "Lohei is a festive ritual that is said to bring prosperity for the new year ahead. I think that if we use the app, portion the food out using clean serving spoons and stick to the eight-visitor limit, it is still possible to have an enjoyable Chinese New Year."

Ms Jennifer Shim, a dietitian at Parkway East Hospital, offers six tips on how you can maintain a healthy diet during the festive period.

1. Do not go visiting on an empty stomach

You are more likely to overeat on an empty stomach. Thus, ensure that you have your proper meals or take a high-fibre snack such as oats, nuts or fruits before heading out.

This will help you to avoid over-eating when you come across high-calorie treats such as pineapple tarts, bak kwa, or prawn rolls.

2. Choose your drinks wisely

Another way to control your calorie and sugar intake is to choose or ask for beverages that have the Healthier Choice symbol. They are lower in sugar.

You can also ask for non-sweetened beverages. These include buckwheat tea, roasted barley tea, green tea, Chinese tea, lemon or mint water, herb-infused water or plain water.

3. Enjoy a treat but set a limit

Chinese New Year goodies can be irresistible and you can easily overeat them if you are not careful. PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

Chinese New Year goodies can be irresistible and you can easily overeat them if you are not careful.

You can still indulge in some of the goodies by setting some limits. For example, you can set a limit on how many pineapple tarts you intend to eat in a day or try a bite-size bak kwa instead of a large piece.

4. Choose fresh food over processed food

Instead of high-calorie bak kwa, you can choose fresh and healthier alternative snacks such as mandarin oranges or nuts.

If you are cooking, use fresh ingredients such as lean meat or skinless poultry instead of processed food items such as fishballs and sausages. The fresh items are generally lower in salt and fat.

5. Slow down and mind your portions

To prevent others from topping up your plate, take your time with your food and make sure that there is always food on your plate.

Slowing down while eating can help you to avoid overeating as well. Remember that it takes up to 20 minutes after eating to feel full.

You may also want to use a smaller plate to help you to eat less.

6. Exercise while you visit

Burn some calories while going for a home visit.

When appropriate, walk to your next destination. Taking the stairs instead of the lift is also a good way to increase your physical activity levels.

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Playing it safe this CNY: No steamboat, no lohei, more hygienic practices - The Straits Times

Its Super Bowl weekend a moment that many people, at the start of the season, did not think wed ever see.

After all, when the season kicked off with the opening of training camp in late July, we were in the middle of Covid-19 spikes around the country, and football is the very definition of a contact sport contact being one of the activities weve been exhorted to avoid in order to avoid getting sick and slow the spread of the virus.

Yet here we are: Super Bowl LV with the Kansas City Chiefs facing off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Florida; 25,000 fans in attendance, including 7,500 specially-invited (and previously vaccinated) health care workers, sitting alongside 30,000 cut outs. The fans will all get PPE kits that include KN95 masks when they get to the stadium. And yes, even the vaccinated fans will be required to wear one.

The story of how we got here how the NFL was able to start and finish its season mostly without igniting major Covid-19 outbreaks is a fascinating one for sports fans and scientists alike. It was published last week as a report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, one of journals published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It turns out many of the lessons learned during the season-long experiment are helpful beyond the gridiron, and are applicable to society at large.

Back in the summer, many wondered how football with its tackles, huddles, heavy breathing, sweat and spit spewing, packed locker and weight rooms, loud cheering from fans could make it through an entire season without igniting Covid-19 outbreaks left, right and center.

Experts, in both sports and public health, had their doubts.

Think of the size of football rosters, and think of the nature of the sport with contact on every play. It may be unlikely that the NFL can get in a full season, veteran sportscaster Bob Costas told me and Anderson Cooper during a CNN coronavirus town hall in late July.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci incurred the wrath of former President Donald Trump on Twitter a month earlier when he told CNN, Unless players are essentially in a bubble insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall. If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year.

But bubbling up wasnt in the cards. Dr. Allen Sills, the NFLs chief medical officer since 2017, told me it was neither practical nor appropriate to construct a bubble like the NBA had. While the entire basketball season could be played out at a single location, with football, it just wasnt possible.

When the NFL decided to proceed with the season, Sills and other NFL officials faced the unprecedented challenge of how to make football as safe as possible for everyone, from the staff to the players and their families.

I feel like its the right thing to do to try to learn to live with this virus. I really do, Sills said back in July.

This is a struggle that people are dealing with in all facets of life. Schools, businesses, places of worship. Everyones trying to figure out, can we reopen and do some of our activities and still mitigate risk? And I think its really important that we take the approach of trying to learn how to live with this pandemic as best we can, he said at the time.

So, in collaboration with the NFL Players Association, the CDC and other health experts and advisers, the NFL developed a plan to move forward. It included mitigation and surveillance measures in facilities and during travel and games. Those measures included mask wearing; testing on a regular basis and genetic fingerprinting of the virus for positive cases; physical distancing; proximity tracking devices that captured information about who spent how much time with whom; contact tracing; hand washing; and facility disinfection and the rescheduling of games as well as education of staff, players and their families. In all, the plan covered about 11,400 players and staff from 32 teams across 24 states.

On September 10, when the Kansas City Chiefs kicked off against the Houston Texans in the first game of the season, there were just under 6.4 million confirmed Covid-19 cases in the US, with a seven-day average of more than 35,000 new cases a day. That seemed like a lot back then, but by point of comparison, the country now has topped 26 million confirmed cases, with a seven-day average of about 137,000 new cases a day.

But while cases in the whole country exploded, the NFL was relatively untouched. According to the MMWR report, there were 329 confirmed Covid-19 cases between August 9 and November 21. Thats just 2.9% of the 11,400 players and staff tested statistics any state would be proud of.

And when unpublished results through January 30 were tabulated, the NFL said, there had been approximately 957,400 tests administered with an overall positivity rate of less than 0.1%.

Only three people one player and two staff members were hospitalized briefly and there were no deaths, Sills told me when I interviewed him again for this story earlier this week.

One key component built into the NFLs plan was flexibility the ability to pivot to a new strategy if a Covid-19 outbreak emerged.

One of the things weve all learned in the medical community about this pandemic is it breaks rules. It doesnt follow what we think might happen. And so weve had to really try to pay very close attention to what our data is telling us and to be willing to bend and adapt and modify our protocols, Sills said.

Was it smooth sailing? No. An outbreak early in the season forced the NFL to examine the data and slightly change direction.

Early in September, we had an outbreak in Tennessee and we went in and really dug into that and tried to understand how the transmission occurred despite our protocols, explained Sills.

While the CDC defines close contact as being within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over 24 hours, Sills said the NFLs data found transmission had occurred in less time and at greater distances. They were able to tell because all the players and staff were required to wear proximity devices that captured the consecutive and cumulative time of interactions among people within 6 feet of one another.

Thats when we began to realize it wasnt just 6 feet in 15 minutes, said Sills, who noted not all close contacts are created equal. And so we began to stratify contacts into what we call high-risk close contacts and just sort of regular contacts.

That meant the exposure they needed to limit had to be expanded to what Sills termed eating, greeting and meeting.

Meeting inside: even if youre more than 6 feet apart, if youre in a poorly ventilated room for a long period of time, if someones positive, there can be transmission inside those rooms. Eating together: most people dont have a mask on when theyre eating. And then greeting: just the social interactions outside the facilities. When you interact in the community, if someone is positive and you go and get a haircut or you have a massage at your house, he said.

In response to this new information, several league-wide changes were put into place. The first involved tighter restriction for seven days when a positive test result was received; the second was more frequent testing; and the third was expansion of contact tracing and transmission risk assessment that focused on identifying high-risk contacts.

But now, in addition to time and distance during an exposure, high-risk contacts also took into account face mask use (including the type and the fit) and the ventilation in the setting where that exposure took place.

We came up with this four-part matrix, which said, lets think about, what is the ventilation status of the exposure? Whats the mask status of the individuals? Sills said. We also then would consider how much cumulative time of exposure and the distance. If youre failing in two or more of those categories, thats what we considered a high-risk close contact.

The biggest lesson of all, according to Sills? I think the biggest thing we learned, which is not shocking to those of us in the medical profession: Universal masking works. Its the most effective strategy that we have.

While the NFL certainly has more resources than most other organizations, the lessons that emerged from the great experiment can potentially be used in other situations.

When you boil it all down, it wasnt the fact that we tested every single day. It wasnt the fact that everyone wore a fancy proximity tracking device everywhere they went. What prevented transmission was mask usage, avoiding in-person meetings, staying in the open-air environments, not eating together, prompt symptom reporting, isolation of anybody thats exposed. None of those things that I just mentioned take a lot of resources, Sills said.

In other words, theyre the same basic rules we have known since the beginning of this pandemic with more evidence than ever that they actually work.

Its a lesson you can apply this weekend, whichever team you are rooting for. Play it safe; dont turn your Super Bowl gathering into a superspreader event mask up, keep physical distance, make sure theres plenty of air circulation, and please dont double-dip into the guacamole.

Excerpt from:
How playing it safe allowed the NFL - and the rest of us - to have a Super Bowl - ABC17News.com

By Natalie Blando-George

February 09, 2021

Customized diets and lifestyle changes could be key to optimizing mental health according to Binghamton University researcher Lina Begdache, PhD 08, whose work was published in Nutrients in December 2020.

There is increasing evidence that diet plays a major role in improving mental health, but everyone is talking about a healthy diet, said Begdache, an assistant professor in the Health and Wellness Studies Division of Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

We need to consider a spectrum of dietary and lifestyle changes based on different age groups and gender, she said. There is not one healthy diet that will work for everyone. There is not one fix.

Lina Begdache is an assistant professor in Binghamton University's Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Image Credit: Jonathan Cohen.

She and her research team conducted an online survey to examine food intake, dietary practices, exercise and other lifestyle factors in these four subpopulations. Over a five-year period (2014-19), more than 2,600 participants completed the questionnaire after responding to social media posts advertising the survey. The team collected data at different timepoints and seasons and found important dietary and lifestyle contributors to mental distress defined as anxiety and depression in each of the groups.

Key findings of this study:

The study also found there were seasonal and geographic triggers that affect mental well-being.

Begdache and her team split the respondents into two age groups because human brain development continues into the late 20s. For young adults of both genders, quality of diet appears to have an impact on the developing brain.

Young adults are still forming new connections between brain cells as well as building structures; therefore, they need more energy and nutrients to do that, Begdache said.

As a result, young adults who consume a poor-quality diet and experience nutritional deficiencies may suffer from a higher degree of mental distress.

Age is also the reason high caffeine consumption was associated with mental distress in both young men and young women.

Caffeine is metabolized by the same enzyme that metabolizes the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen, and young adults have high levels of these hormones, Begdache said. When young men and women consume high levels of caffeine, it stays in their system for a long time and keeps stimulating the nervous system, which increases stress and eventually leads to anxiety.

This is an important finding, since young adults tend to consume high levels of coffee, energy drinks and soda, most of which are loaded with caffeine.

The team also split respondents based on biological sex, since brain morphology and connectivity differ between men and women. Put simply, the male brain is wired to enable perception and coordination, whereas the female brain is built to support analysis and intuition. Begdache and her team believe these differences may influence nutritional needs.

I have found it in my multiple studies so far, that men are less likely to be affected by diet than women are, said Begdache. As long as they eat a slightly healthy diet they will have good mental well-being. Its only when they consume mostly fast food that we start seeing mental distress.

Women, on the other hand, really need to be consuming a whole spectrum of healthy food and doing exercise in order to have positive mental well-being, she added. These two things are important for mental well-being in women across age groups.

While the research team didnt find many foods associated with mental distress in mature men, nuts were shown to have a positive effect on their mental health. Consuming nuts has been shown to strengthen the brainwave frequencies associated with different cortical regions in the brain.

Interestingly, men with a high level of education reported greater mental well-being than those with lower levels of education. According to Begdache, higher education improves brain efficiency and may alleviate the impact of age on brain function connectivity.

Education works the same way as exercise on the brain, Begdache said. Using your muscles causes the brain to release a growth factor that is the same one released doing cognitive functions.

According to Begdache, current recommendations for food intake are all based on physical health; there are no recommendations for mental health.

She hopes that will change and that her work will play a role in making those changes.

I hope to see more people doing research in this area and publishing on the customization of diet based on age and gender, she said. I hope that one day, institutions and governments will create dietary recommendations for brain health.

Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle and Mental Distress among Young and Mature Men and Women: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study, appeared in the Dec. 23, 2020, issue of Nutrients.

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Bespoke nutrition and fitness: More than a fad, essential for mental health - Binghamton University

When was the last time you tried a new diet and felt great, got to eat what you loved, and successfully lost weight? It may have never happened. Most diets leave you feeling hungry, deprived and then when you inevitably "cheat" and eat satisfying food, you end up defeated.

Yet it is possible to fill up on healthy, satisfying foods, have energy, and successfully lose weight, according to nutrition expert Nicole Osinga, a Registered Dietician who created The VegStart Diet as a way of helpingyou lose weight the healthy way, while still eating what you love, and filling up on plant-based meals and snacks that are so full of healthy ingredients, energizing antioxidants and filling fiber, that you never feel deprived, hungry or sluggish, and you lose weight in a sustainable way that makes it easy to keep it off.

Last week,we hosted Osinga on Facebook Live to discuss the health benefits of a plant-based diet, weight loss, and everything you need to know about our most popular meal plan,The VegStart Diet.

Osinga, a well-known nutritionist, created healthy, filling, low-calorie recipesfor the VegStartDiet, which are designed to help you lose weight while eating the foods you love, like pasta and bread, comfort food like soup, and even tasty sweet or crunchy snacks. The recipes are delicious, as confirmed by the 1.2million TikTok viewers who loved the Roasted Carrot and White Bean Soup. Osingadoesn't believe in extreme dieting andconsiders The VegStart a "sustainable weight loss program," so there's no worry of going hungry.

The program also includes a full meal plan with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and snacks for Monday through Sunday,helpful shopping lists, and expert tips, plus a supportive community group, and live videos with Osinga so you can ask her one-on-one questions.

Aside from the diet questions, Osinga speaks the truth about the importance ofindulgences like wine, chocolate, and desserts. She shared her go-to cheat meals, how totreat yourself the healthy way, plus the tastiest plant-based proteins, and the most useful ingredients that everyone should have on hand. If this is your first approach to a plant-baseddiet or you started eating plant-based a while back, when meat alternatives weren't around, you probably have a lot of questions. Here are the top questions about weight loss and plant-based dieting,explained and answered by Nicole Osinga.

Nicole Osinga RD:I don't believe in extremes. I believe in sustainable changes. I have a lot of conversations with people today about this topic. If we're looking to lose weight, The VegStart diet program is designed for weight loss but certainly, everyone's individual needs are different. The diet focuses on sustainable weight loss that is still going to keep you feeling satisfied and meet your nutrition needs because we don't want to become nutrient deficient when we're sort of trying to follow something.There's definitely a lifestyle change aspect to the diet if you're not plant-based already.

Nicole Osinga RD:It's a great evidence-based way of eating that has been shown to reduce the risk of various conditions like cardiovascular diseases, and a number of cancers. I'm working part-time at the hospital in the cancer care clinics. So, I deal with people often who have various diagnoses and Irecommend those patients eatplant-based foods.

Nicole Osinga RD:It might be overwhelming to find different ways to cook those plant-based proteins and how to incorporate them into your family's meals, but find those proteins you like and focus on incorporating them into your diet.

Nicole Osinga RD: Probably my favorite is tempeh, followed by tofu which is a big one, and edamame...I love the ease of cooking it like typically I buy it frozen. I might just thaw it or put it in like a stir fry.

Nicole Osinga RD: I'd have to say basil and oregano. Those are definitely my go-to spices. I also love paprika, cumin, and cinnamon. I certainly have a sweet tooth so I like to add cinnamon into my overnight oats. I like the smoky flavors of cumin and paprika on my tempeh.

Nicole Osinga RD: I take a B12 supplement and an iron supplement. I mean, just because you follow a plant-based doesn't mean you're going to be low in iron, but I'm a runner as well. I'm a female of childbearing age. So, I'm sort of at a higher risk for iron deficiency. But you can also get the B12 from nutritional yeast and plant-based milk instead of taking a supplement.Sometimes I will takea plant-based omega-3 supplement, but again, you can get omega-3s in flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. The bottom line is, you certainly don't have to supplement, you can get enough nutrients through food but those are just ones I take for extra assurance.

Nicole Osinga RD: Whenever we're enjoying desserts, I call them fun meals. They sure don't have a ton of nutrients as our other meals do, but whenever we're enjoying them, eat them without guilt because if we have guilt we won't have acceptance then that's when it turns into you eating the whole bag of chips or chocolates. When we feel good about eating something we're likely to acknowledge it quicker. I normally say to aim for 90% regular meals and 10% fun meals. It's ok to have three fun meals per week, and the rest should be healthy meals. Definitely leave some room for un!

Nicole Osinga RD: The biggest thing you want to do is to feel sated. Of course, you want to meet those nutrient needs because we're not going to hit those long-term weight loss goals if we're feeling deprived. Whatever changes you're going to make, just make sure you can sustain them. I see so many people in my practice that are yo-yo dieters give up. That cycle is going to continue if we do things that are so, so restrictive. I saw someone yesterday in my practice who was eating one meal a day, just, that's it. That system worked for them, but, for most people, that's not going to besustainable.

Nicole Osinga RD: Not necessarily. If you're eating a whole food plant-based diet, you're eating beans and tofu for protein, and tofu costs $1 or $2 for a block, and you can get beans for less than a dollar. If you live in a warmer climate you obviously have better access to fresh produce all year round, but it's okay if to use frozen produce like I do because I live in Canada. I think it's cheaper to eat plant-based and it's a great way to save money.

Nicole Osinga RD: Just keep going. The best part is, you can keep mixing those recipes into your day-to-day routine anduse those lessons and tips you learned from TheVegStart diet. If you started meal prepping and planning, keep going with that. The calorie level of the diet is around 1,400 a day and if that works for you, continue doing that buy you can always make modifications to the recipes. I would recommend making more plant-based meals. The Beetposts new recipes every day so you know where you can get them. Try to make a plant-based diet part of your lifestyle.

Nicole Osinga RD:Personally, when I first went plant-based, about 10 years ago or so, I had a slow transition but it only took a month after eating this way to feel a noticeable difference.

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How to Lose Weight and Still Eat What You Love By a Nutritionist - The Beet