Whether you love em or youre repulsed by them, oysters are a popular type of shellfish you can eat cooked, raw, or even pickled.

Folks have long considered oysters a delicacy and a natural aphrodisiac, but these libido claims are mostly anecdotal. However, oysters do offer some legit health benefits since theyre extremely nutritious.

Oysters are a good source of protein, zinc, selenium, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids that provide health-boosting nutritional benefits.

So, even if youre not Casanova, heres how oysters can actually benefit your health.

There are a few different types of oysters, but Pacific and Eastern oysters are the most common. Technically bivalve mollusks, these little critters hang out in the ocean and bays before you crack open their shells (via shucking) and slurp out their soft, meaty bodies for a snack.

A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of raw Pacific oysters offers these nutrients:

Oysters bring a boatload of nutrients to the table that can help your overall health. Heres the lowdown on the most prominent benefits you can get from oysters various nutrients.

Oysters are a great source of complete protein, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids your body needs to keep your muscles, bones, and tissues healthy.

According to a 2018 research review, eating enough protein can make you feel fuller and help with weight management. Foods full of protein also boost your levels of hormones like peptide YY, which help you feel full and satisfied.

Including optimal amounts of protein in your diet may also help with blood sugar regulation, which is particularly important if you have diabetes. Studies in folks with type 2 diabetes suggest that high protein diets may help lower high blood triglyceride levels, a significant risk factor for heart disease.

Oysters actually offer more zinc per serving than any other food.

You need zinc for immune system health, wound healing, growth, and development. Zinc deficiency is super uncommon in the United States, but if it happens, it can cause you to lose your appetite, hair, and sense of taste.

Zinc also plays a critical role in reproductive health, including sperm production which may be why oysters gained their aphrodisiac reputation. (The more you know )

Theres a whole range of B vitamins, but you specifically need B12 for nervous system function, DNA synthesis, and red blood cell production.

Lucky for you, a 3.5-ounce serving of raw oysters gives you more than 6 times the DV for B12.

If youre not a fan of other omega-3-rich foods, like salmon, you can get a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids from oysters.

Omega-3s are important for eye and heart health, brain function, growth, and development. They also have anti-inflammatory properties, and research shows that folks who eat a lot of omega-3s have a lower risk of heart disease and cognitive decline.

Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin (a part of your red blood cells that helps transport oxygen throughout your body).

Not getting enough of this essential mineral can have all sorts of negative health effects, including iron deficiency anemia and problems with growth and hormone production. Its particularly important to get enough iron if youre pregnant.

Some folks have trouble getting enough iron. Eating foods high in iron, like oysters, can help you meet your quota (though youll want to skip the raw shellfish while preggo). A 3.5-ounce serving of cooked oysters will give you 51 percent of the DV for iron.

Real talk: Oysters arent a huge source of magnesium, but every little bit counts when it comes to diet.

Magnesium is important for more than 300 different enzyme reactions in your body.

You need it to make new protein in your muscles, keep your nerves functioning well, and regulate your blood pressure and blood glucose levels. This mineral also helps support your immune system to protect you from invading nasties.

Oysters are one of the foods highest in selenium, with a raw spread boasting 140 percent of the DV (Brazil nuts are still the king, though ).

Selenium is an essential trace mineral critical for maintaining thyroid function and protecting against thyroid disease. In addition, selenium has antioxidant properties that help protect your cells from damage by free radicals.

Say what? It doesnt exactly roll off the tongue, but oysters contain a unique antioxidant called DHMBA. Scientists discovered this molecule pretty recently, and it appears to have powerful antioxidant effects.

A 2015 test-tube study found that DHMBA was 15 times more effective at addressing oxidative stress than a synthetic form of vitamin E called Trolox. Another lab study published in 2014 suggests that DHMBA may specifically protect liver cells from oxidative stress damage.

DHMBA may also help with heart disease a 2012 test-tube study suggests it could reduce oxidation of LDL cholesterol (the bad kind).

Just note: We still need more research in humans to find out just how DHMBA helps protect us from oxidative stress IRL.

Copper is a pretty forgotten mineral, and deficiencies are super rare. But youll get about 176 percent of the DV by slurping down some raw oysters.

Copper works with iron to help your bod form red blood cells. It also supports metabolic processes and the health of your bones, blood vessels, nerves, and immune system.

You need manganese to help enzymes function and to keep your bones, reproductive processes, and immune response in tip-top shape. It also works with vitamin K to help with blood clotting.

Manganese deficiency is actually super hard to diagnose, rare, and generally a bit of a mystery. But you can get a good dose of this mineral by snacking on oysters.

Even though oysters have a great nutritional profile, they get a pretty bad rap as a risky food, along with their shellfish siblings. Heres what to look out for.

Raw oysters may contain Vibrio vulnificus, a type of bacteria that lurk in the waters where oysters are cultivated. As the water gets warmer during the summer months, these bacteria can thrive. So no matter how fresh your oysters are, theres still a risk. And its impossible to tell by sight or smell whether oysters are contaminated.

Symptoms can include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and even a potentially life threatening blood infection.

Oysters can carry Norwalk-type viruses and enteroviruses that can make you v. sick. The mollusk can also be contaminated with heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury that are no good for your health.

Along with bacteria concerns, this is why the CDC recommends you stick to eating cooked oysters. And kiddos, pregnant and breastfeeding folks, and those with compromised immune systems should avoid eating raw seafood like oysters.

Shellfish are notorious for being a major (and potentially life threatening) allergen. So if you have a known allergy to other shellfish, like shrimp, skip the oysters.

Although its more common for folks to be allergic to crustaceans like prawns and crabs, you can absolutely be allergic to oysters too.

You can opt to poach your oysters in red wine sauce, fry them in beer batter, coat them in chili pepper and red onion salsa, add them to a broth the list goes on.

If youre not looking to live on the wild side (and risk a nasty case of food poisoning ), you can enjoy oysters in so many ways beyond raw and chilled with a side of lemon.

Here are some tips for safely cooking oysters:

If youve opted for shucked aka already opened oysters, you can also try the following:

And if you decide to shuck the oysters yourself, be extremely careful and use a special oyster shucking knife (no one likes a dinnertime urgent care visit!). Youll also want to wrap the hand holding the oyster in a kitchen towel for grip and protection.

Then, its simply a matter of placing the tip of the knife at the base of the oysters hinge and twisting it to pry the shell open.

Oysters are a seafood fave that are a great source of nutrients like protein, zinc, selenium, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids.

But raw or undercooked oysters may contain potentially harmful bacteria that could make you seriously ill. So if you fancy adding oysters to your diet, cook them thoroughly to avoid getting sick.

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Oyster Nutrition and Health Benefits - Greatist

Inflammation is the natural response of the body to infection or injury, but there is a point where it can cause harm. "We need a little inflammation," says Edwin McDonald, MD. "We would die if we did not have inflammation. Chronic inflammation, however, is another story. Chronic inflammation can damage healthy cells, tissues and organs. Over time, it can lead to diseases like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease." Here are five proven ways to stop inflammation, according to experts. Read onand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.

What you eat (or don't eat) has a significant impact on inflammation. "I want to emphasize that people really need to focus on their pattern of eating as opposed to eating a few particular foods to reduce inflammation," says Dr. McDonald. "There's no miracle food out there that's going to cure people with chronic inflammation. You need to have an anti-inflammatory lifestyle and diet. That said, Mediterranean and plant-based diets, which are low in red meat and processed foods, can offer some protection against chronic inflammation. So can foods with antioxidants, such as nuts, olive oil, dark chocolate, beans, fruits and vegetables."

Ok, so it's impossible never to stress but, at least try and manage your stressit will help lower inflammation. "When stress becomes chronic and mismanaged it is a detriment to our health and well-being," says Robert Kress RPh. "Prolonged stress leads to hyper physiological levels of cortisol. This alters the effectiveness of cortisol to regulate both the inflammatory and immune response because it decreases tissue sensitivity to cortisol. As the human body heals, inflammation becomes a response to stress. Like stress, inflammation is beneficial, although when stress becomes chronic, it can lead to constant tissue breakdown and impairment of the immune system."

RELATED: I'm a Doctor and These are 5 Supplements to Never Buy Again

If gyms are not your thing, don't worryresearch shows just 20 minutes of moderate exercise can help fight inflammation. "Each time we exercise, we are truly doing something good for our body on many levels, including at the immune cell level," says Suzi Hong, Ph.D, Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "The anti-inflammatory benefits of exercise have been known to researchers, but finding out how that process happens is the key to safely maximizing those benefits."

RELATED: Signs You Have Diabetes, Say Physicians

Good sleep is vital for good healththere is simply no way around it. "Physical and psychological stress brought on in part by grinding work, school and social schedules is keeping millions of Americans up at night," says Michael Irwin, MD. "America's sleep habits are simply not healthy. Our findings suggest even modest sleep loss may play a role in common disorders that affect sweeping segments of the population."

RELATED: Sure Signs You Have Atrial Fibrillation, Say Physicians

There is growing evidence that time-restricted eating could have a positive impact on inflammation. "New research on time-restrictive eating and intermittent fasting shows timing may affect inflammation," says Dr. McDonald. "Certain genes responsible for our inflammation are turned on and off at different times of the day. So if we eat at a time when those inflammation genes are turned on, that may potentially increase our risk of inflammation. Is eating at 1 a.m. going to have the same effect on inflammation as eating at 8 a.m.? I'd say they're probably going to be some differences."6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Proven Ways to Stop Inflammation Anywhere on Your Body Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

(The Daily Dish) Two years into a pandemic and nearly half of Americans report that theyve put on extra pounds. Turning to fad diets or cleanses may be tempting for those looking for a quick fix or dramatic drop in weight. However, experts warn that these diets dont work.

Even when fad diets seem to make sense, the results can be counterintuitive. For example, eating fewer calories can lead to hormonal changes that stimulate appetite and make people crave higher-calorie foods,according to research.

Some fad diets even cut out entire food groups, such as wheat, gluten, or dairy, which contain nutrients needed for good health.

One reason people believe fad diets work is because of powerful marketing campaigns that tell them so, but what generally sounds too good to be true often is.

The American Heart Association and other health organizations encourage maintaining a healthy weight and they emphasize the importance of healthy eating patterns over trendy diet fads or dramatic weight loss programs.

Research-supported healthy eating patterns include the Mediterranean diet and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet that are low in animal fats, high in fiber from fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, and include lean meats, fish, and poultry for protein.

These patternshave been shownto improve heart and brain health, reduce chronic illness and help people live longer.

TheAmerican Heart Association(AHA) is anonprofit organizationin the United States that funds cardiovascular medical research,educates consumers on healthy livingand fosters appropriatecardiaccare in an effort to reducedisabilityand deaths caused bycardiovascular diseaseandstroke.

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Fad diets seem to make sense but the results can be counterintuitive - ABC4.com

The gastrointestinal tract is one of the most complex systems in the human body, home to trillions of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms. But to keep our gut health in check, we need to include prebiotics in our diets.

Prebiotics are a special type of fiber that humans cant digest but our gut bacteria can, so they feed the good bacteria in the gut and thereby support digestive health, explains Dr Michelle Braude, medical doctor, nutritionist and founder of The Food Effect.

Knowing the links between nutrition and gut health can have a significant impact on your overall health. Here, well look more in-depth at what prebiotics are, how they work and most importantly where you can find them in your diet.

Probiotics and prebiotics may sound similar, but many people dont know the difference between the two. Theyre both beneficial for our gut health, but they work in different ways, says Braude. Probiotics are good bacteria found in certain foods or supplements. So when we eat these foods or take probiotic supplements were populating our gut with beneficial bacteria. These microbes then use prebiotics as food so they can thrive and grow in numbers its like fertilizer for our friendly bacteria.

Research suggests that the composition and function of your gut microbiota is a direct reflection of your genetic make-up and current lifestyle and as such, changes constantly. In fact, any alterations to your diet can modify the structure of your microbiome within 24 hours. If these changes are highly beneficial to your health, the foods or particular nutrients that triggered these changes can be classed as prebiotics.

There are a wide variety of natural food sources available that contain probiotics and prebiotics, and also many good quality supplements, Braude. Foods that are high in prebiotic fiber include Jerusalem artichoke, asparagus, garlic, onion leeks, beans and pulses.

The unique properties of prebiotic foods come from specific nutrients such as dietary fiber and other components that the human body is not able to digest fully. They move through your digestive system largely intact and, when they reach the intestines, these prebiotics are metabolized by the residing microbes. This process generates what are known as biologically active end products that have a direct impact on our physiology, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) acetate, propionate, and butyrate.

The short chain fatty acids inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria as well as helping to regulate electrolyte balances in the body which are also important for good digestion and bowel movement, explains Jackie Hodson, co-founder of The Gut Reset Bootcamp.

Inulin is a type of dietary fiber that generates particularly large quantities of short-chain fatty acids. Multiple studies have reported the beneficial impact of inulin on digestive health, particularly in relation to chronic constipation. Theres also evidence that this nutrient may lower cholesterol levels, regulate blood sugar, improve immune responses and enhance the absorption of minerals.

Fructooligosaccharides and oligosaccharides are complex carbohydrates that are largely resistant to human digestive enzymes and can have a big impact on our health and wellbeing. Humans encounter them very early on, with newborn babies getting a dose of these prebiotics in their mothers breast milk. In fact, the amount of oligosaccharides present in human milk is greater than the amount of protein. Its a key component in forming a babys immunity to pathogens and response to inflammation.

Research suggests that oligosaccharides form a strong line of defense against multiple different pathogens. For example, they can prevent and treat infections by disrupting the life cycle of harmful bacteria and stopping them from replicating in your body. They can also have beneficial effects on our metabolism and can be particularly helpful for treating type 2 diabetes.

Prebiotics have a particularly beneficial effect on various gastrointestinal issues, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC), bloating and diarrhea. IBS is a common chronic condition that affects up to 21% of the general population. There isnt a single effective treatment for IBS, but evidence suggests that poor gut health plays a major role in the development and so prebiotics may be effective in reducing the severity of symptoms.

Similarly, studies have shown that prebiotics may be highly effective for treating CIC and several types of diarrhea. They may improve stool consistency and number of bowel movements, as well as reduce bloating.

When it comes to weight management, there is mounting evidence that prebiotics could help to address obesity and corresponding metabolic disorders. Individuals with a normal body mass index tend to have a different set of gut microbes to those who suffer from obesity. Modifying the gut microbiota with the right prebiotics could pose as an effective complementary therapy for people who struggle with weight loss.

Evidence also suggests that the communication between our brain and gut microbes may play a significant role in mental health. However, evidence from clinical trials investigating the link between depression, anxiety and the use of prebiotics is mixed and more studies are needed to establish the nature of this connection.

What happens in our gut will have an impact on our entire body. Every year brings new evidence about the importance of keeping our gut health in check, so adding prebiotics to our diet can be a great way to keep our guts in good working order.

To get the most benefit, we need to ensure that we include multiple different types of prebiotics in our diets. One key thing to remember is that the bacteria follows the diet, not the other way around so diversity is important, says Hodson. If you eat poorly, the bad bacteria will increase, and then you are at risk of dysbiosis which is an overgrowth of pathogenic organisms in the gut.

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Prebiotics: What are they and how can they benefit our health? - Livescience.com

MT. PLEASANT. MICH. Tom Idema's office is surrounded by model planes.

He flew the A6-Intruder over Vietnam. He flew over 300 missions over there, said Idema.

The model planes were built by his father. Now they transform his office at Central Michigan University into a miniature airfield, but it's not the only transformation in his life.

When I started the program I was 320 pounds," Idema said, We blew right through the 300-pound mark without much difficulty which was really motivating.

Idema has lost 86 pounds since January of 2021. He did it with the help of an app offered through his company's health insurance plan.

We found people had very personal, very unique blood glucose responses to meals. We developed an algorithm that based on clinical data and microbiome data could actually tailor the diets to the individual, said Eran Segal, the co-founder of DayTwo.

He has been researching individual glucose reactions and the microbiome, or your gut bacteria for more than a decade.

We saw that just the data was showing us that different people will respond very differently to the same food so that suggests that no one-size-fits-all diet will ever work for everybody. We really need to tailor these diets at the individual level, said Segal.

The results for some, including Idema, have been remarkable.

My A1C when I started was a 10.2, its dropped to a 5.5. A 5.5 is really really good. In fact, its considered to be in remission, Idema said.

That is something thats worth repeating Idemas Diabetes is in remission. It's an impressive feat that doctors say is a great sign of how much his health has improved.

However, some say just like one-size-fits-all may not work for diets, an app alone may not be all you need.

I caution just because like Im saying, theres other factors that if you ate a sandwich one day and you see a spike in the next day, it could be playing different roles, or if you rely on just that one reading it might be misinformation that you think, 'oh, I cant eat sandwiches because my blood sugar was rising,' said Meredith Thivierge, a nutritionist with Johns Hopkins.

She says several factors in addition to diet, like hormone levels, being sick, stress and other factors can impact your glucose levels. While nutrition apps like Idema's can be a powerful tool, she says you should always consult with your doctor and licensed nutritionist.

Still, Idema says his results have changed his life.

My primary care physician has taken me off all my diabetic medications, he said.

He says the ease of using his phone helped him in a big way.

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New technology brings nutrition to your phone with powerful results - Denver 7 Colorado News

Our propensity for packaged ramen lunches, frozen pizza, too much pasta and then soda to wash it all down doesnt only put our personal health at greater risk over the long run highly processed diets are damaging the planet, a group of scientists argues.

Thats because were killing off diverse plant offerings in favor of only a handful of grains for human consumption and to feed the animals we eat mainly for beef, pork and chicken.

The connection between human health and environmental factors was laid out in new research and a commentary published this week in the journal BMJ Global Health.

Ultra-processed foods, such as sweetened or salty snacks, soft drinks, instant noodles, reconstituted meat products, pre-prepared pizza and pasta dishes, cookies and candy, are made by assembling food substances, mostly commodity ingredients, and cosmetic additives, such as color and emulsifiers, through a series of industrial processes.

More than 7,000 edible plant species can be used for human food, but fewer than 200 species have significant production.

Consequently, dietary patterns worldwide are becoming increasingly more processed and less diverse, having an impact on agrobiodiversity the variety and variability of animals, plants and microorganisms used directly or indirectly for food and agriculture, impacting soil health and farmings long-run profitable resilience as well.

More than 7,000 edible plant species can be used for human food, but fewer than 200 species had significant production in 2014, the latest year for complete data, and just nine crops accounted for more than 66% by weight of all crop production, the report said.

Asmuch as 90% of humanitys energy intake comes from just 15 crop plants, and more than four billion people rely on just three of them: rice, wheat and maize, also called corn depending on where its grown.

Dont miss: Every whale is worth $2 million? Why its time to add the value of nature to GDP

Nations with rising economies are joining the already developed world in these edible shortcuts whose benefit might be shelf-life, convenience and sometimes price. Branding and food culture broadly also play a role. Currently, their consumption is growing fastest in upper-middle-income and lower-middle-income countries.

Additionally worrisome to these authors is that the long-run impact isnt amplified at the many global conferences tackling climate change and biodiversity loss.

Future global food systems fora, biodiversity conventions and climate change conferences need to highlight the destruction of agrobiodiversity caused by ultra-processed foods, and to agree on policies and actions designed to slow and reverse this disaster, said Trish Cotter, the global lead of the food policy programat Vital Strategies, and her co-authors.

Read: Plastic was found in human blood for the first time. Is this a public health risk?

The authors pointed to an ongoing study of 7,020 ultra-processed foods sold in the main Brazilian supermarket chains, which found that their five main ingredients included food substances derived from sugar cane (52.4%), milk (29.2%), wheat (27.7%), corn (10.7%) and soy (8.3%). As a result, peoples diets were less diverse, with ultra-processed foods replacing the variety of wholefoods necessary for a balanced and healthy diet.

One study tied every 10 percentage-point increase in the share of the diet made up of ultra-processed foods to more than a 10% increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

As for human health, heavily processed foods are often high in sugar, fat and empty calories. Consuming lots of these foods has long been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, or an early grave brought on by such factors as obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, cancer and depression.

Studies separate from the biodiversity probe linked eating more than four daily servings of ultra-processed foods to a 62% higher risk of premature death compared to eating little or none of these foods. Another tied every 10 percentage-point increase in the share of the diet made up of ultra-processed foods to more than a 10% increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Both studies by design did not look directly at the breakdowns of commodity components in these diets, but rather just recorded eating behavior and health conditions over a subjects lifespan.

Another issue of concern in the biodiversity report was that ultra-processed food production used large quantities of land, water, energy, herbicides and fertilizers, causing environmental degradation from greenhouse gas emissions and accumulation of packaging waste.

Read: Sustainable agriculture is the next way ESG investors can fight climate change

And: 8 ways to save lives and money for World Water Day we each waste up to 30 gallons a day

The link between humans and lost biodiversity can have greater consequences than nutritional concerns, including evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic is the result of human interaction with the animal kingdom.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that three out of every four new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals. Most scientists see a link between deforestation, habitat change and pandemics.

From Zika to West Nile, Ebola to SARS, Nipah to COVID-19, deforestation has had a hand in many of the worlds worst viral outbreaks as lost habitat brings animals in closer contact with humans.

Read: Cookies and wet markets: Heres where coronavirus and climate change collide

Broadly, the medical community has sounded a throaty call for more attention on the health effects from climate change.

In an effort last year that brought many voices on board, global warming was declared the greatest threat to public health, a claim made even while COVID-19 was spreading rampantly.

That unprecedented joint statement emerged from more than 200 U.S. and international medical journals.

The medically-trained editorial staffs of such leading publications asThe Lancet andThe New England Journal of Medicineand others insist that global leaders must do more or be faced with a global crisis for health, especially for vulnerable age groups and developing nations that will be impossible to reverse.

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Processed foods like ramen packets and frozen pizza can hurt your heart --- and the globe, study says - MarketWatch

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. Hills Pet Nutrition Inc., a global leader in science-based pet nutrition, will expand in Warren County with a $15 million investment over the next three years, creating 25 full-time jobs.

With this investment, Hills will add a packaging line at its facility on Turner Court in Bowling Green to increase capacity in response to the growing demand for the companys expanded product offerings. Hills currently employs 171 people at the location and will add additional roles in production, technology, food safety and administrative support as the company transitions to 24-hour operations, seven days a week. Work on the expansion is expected to begin in 2022 and is slated to be completed by early 2025.

As a longtime member of the Bowling Green community, we are proud of our continued growth and our ability to add more jobs in the area, with a focus on attracting diverse candidates, said Steve Nelson, plant manager for Hills Pet Nutrition. Working at Hills is much more than a job. Our diets help transform the health of pets and enrich their special relationship with their families. As a company, we are committed to making a positive impact in everything we do from sustainability to animal welfare to our community involvement.

A subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive Co., Hills was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Topeka, Kansas. The company opened its Warren County facility in 1987 and has invested more than $150 million in the operation over the past three decades.

To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in February preliminarily approved the company for up to $4.5 million in tax incentives through the Kentucky Reinvestment Act (KRA). KRA is designed to help companies make significant capital investments to become more competitive, retain employment and increase productivity and efficiency.

By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability assessments.

For more information on Hills Pet Nutrition, visitHillsPet.com.

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Hill's Pet Nutrition to add 25 employees with Bowling Green expansion - The Lane Report

Your relationship with food plays a huge role in your health and well-being.

Physiologically, your body needs food for fuel, nourishment and ultimately for sustaining life itself. But food is so much more than a biological necessity.

It's the cultural linchpin that helps us bond and build connections, share experiences and create memories. Then there's the emotional component. From bringing comfort, stirring nostalgia and channeling love to serving as a coping mechanism or an outlet for celebration. Food plays a myriad of roles in our lives.

For these reasons and more, paying attention to your connection with food is imperative. "Your relationship with food is arguably one of the most important relationships in your life and should be made a priority," agrees Maryann Walsh, Florida-based registered dietitian and certified personal trainer.

And like any relationship, it requires constant tending and frequent check-ins. "It's not always appealing to do the work because it can seem like it will be more tedious and take longer versus just doing a strict diet to shed the pounds quickly, but without establishing a healthy relationship with food the results are often short-lived," notes Walsh.

At its core, a healthy relationship with food involves relieving yourself of the pressures of trying to eat 'perfectly'. "It makes eating feel effortless," says Kimmie Singh, a fat-positive registered dietitian nutritionist based in New York. "It looks like feeling connected to and honoring your needs around hunger, fullness and pleasure," she adds. Meaning, you eat when you feel physical hunger and are able to stop when you feel comfortably full.

In addition, "it means that you're able to be flexible and don't feel guilt or shame around your food choices," says Kirsten Ackerman, a non-diet registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor.

This means not placing any particular food group "off-limits" or restricting it to only specific "cheat days." Nor binge eating or feeling bad about occasional indulgences.

For example, if you come across your favorite dessert at a party, you'd be able to enjoy a reasonable portion of it without feeling bad about itinstead of overindulging or suppressing that want out of guilt.

In a nutshell, "someone with a healthy relationship with food feels in control around food, versus feeling like food has control over them," says Walsh.

Consequently, this allows you to spend all of that energy on doing things that really matter to you and help you connect with your most authentic self, Singh explains.

"When you have a healthy relationship with food, it becomes a powerful tool to fill your cup. On the flip side, a damaged relationship with food can steal all of your time, energy and attentionrobbing you of being fully present in your life," notes Ackerman.

"Unhealthy relationships with food typically start with restriction," says Ragen Chastain, ACE-certified health coach, functional fitness specialist and co-author of the HAES Health Sheets. "This can include restrictions around the amount of food, calorie counting, restriction of certain types of food without any medical reason, etc. That restriction then drives disordered eating patterns or food obsession which can then trigger guilt and shame," explains Chastain.

These feelings of guilt and shame can, in turn, fuel more chaotic behaviors around food. "So not only is the stress of guilt and shame harmful to you physically, but the resulting behaviors around food are often damaging as well," notes Ackerman.

"The other extreme is seeking comfort in food to a point where it is detrimental to ones health," says Walsh. Think binge-restrict cycles that keep the body and food at war with each other.

Other common signs of an unhealthy relationship with food include constant fixation on what you're going to eat next, hiding or sneaking foods or using exercise as a means to compensate for what you ate, adds Ackerman.

"Its also common for people that are struggling in their relationships with food to have a difficult time experiencing pleasure in eating," says Singh. You may feel out of control when eating your favorite foods or you may be fixated on how eating certain foods may impact your weight or overall appearance. "Its a red flag when someone views eating as a tool to control their appearance. This can turn eating into an all-or-nothing experience where one constantly feels like they're doing something 'bad' or 'good'," Singh explains.

"Food is just food. Eating certain foods shouldnt make someone feel bad about themselves," adds the nutrition expert.

"I think it starts with realizing that you arent the problem, diet culture isa multi-billion dollar industry that works as hard as it can to create unhealthy relationships between us and food," says Chastain.

So the decision to extricate yourself from diet culture and disordered eating while figuring out how to relate to food in a healthy way is the most important step, notes the health coach.

Here are other key strategies to achieve a healthier relationship with food, according to diet and nutrition experts:

It's also imperative to check in with yourself from time to time, says Walsh. If you notice that your struggle with food is becoming overwhelming or affecting other areas of your life, please reach out to a qualified weight-inclusive health and wellness professional at the earliest.

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How To Build A Healthy Relationship With Food, According To Experts - Forbes

At 7-7 in the first game of the Swiss Open final, HS Prannoy rushed to the net and with a hop, put away what looked like a certain kill. Not quite. Jonathan Christie, at the other end, caught the shuttle between his legs inches off the ground and sent it rocketing back. The Indian stood motionless, watching it land on his empty backhand side as Christie broke into a smile, happy with his tweener and showmanship.

Over two games - 21-12, 21-18 - the Asian Games champion stuck to solid defense and sharp play at the net to deny Prannoy his first BWF Tour title in half a decade at the Swiss Open Super 300 in Basel. Christie was hungry too, this weekend marked his first final since October 2019.

Both Prannoy and Christie have had headline-grabbing wins against top names on their CVs, but they've lacked the Tour titles to show for their class. In their previous four meetings, the Indonesian had prevailed on three occasions.

In the final against a Prannoy who appeared resurgent through the week, Christie played the lines well. He used his high-risk, tight net shots to force errors from the Indian with a high success percentage. Christie pushed the pace following the mid-game interval of the first game and appeared to have more mileage on his feet. His cross-court returns, like the one that landed smack on the line to bring up 17-10, ticked the boxes of placement and precision on most occasions.

Early in the second game, Prannoy looked like he might mount some sort of comeback. His smashes down the line from the back of the court were drawing weak returns from Christie, crashing into the net on most occasions. But the Indian didn't play them often enough to sustain pressure on the world No 8, who steadily wrested momentum and clinched the title.

2 Related

For Prannoy, this was his first Tour final since the US Open in July 2017, when he had won the title. Only a day ago, he had overcame a quick-footed world No 5 Anthony Ginting to make the final. Formerly ranked 8 in the world, he's placed at No 26 now and trying to find his way back into the top-15.

Being outside the top-25 bracket means that he'd be ineligible for federation-funded travel to tournaments. After paying from his pocket to sustain himself on the Tour and sucking himself dry of savings, the Indian found himself back in the top-25 recently. "You're constantly worried if you'll fall off the top 25. It doesn't help that the rankings haven't been unfrozen and results from three years ago are still being counted. Since I was in the top-25 my last three tournament expenses were paid for by the federation. I'm on the edge now again in my rankings. It's not a great space to be in mentally," he said.

Over the past seven months Prannoy has been working on areas that he admits to have earlier overlooked. Namely - understanding his gut, focusing on breathing mechanics and seeking mental support.

"I realised I was breathing very hard during matches and not recovering well. Proper breathing can lower the heart rate and it quickens the recovery process too. It's also helping me with my rib cage issues," he said.

Since September last year, with GoSports Foundation's help, he began working with the Bangalore-based Invictus high performance lab and made a few major readjustments to his diet. Chief among them was doing away with bread, milk and rotis.

"Knowing your gut and being aware of what foods don't agree with your body can be life changing. I'm learning to do that. Also having a sports psychologists' team whom I can speak to after a bad tournament is helping me set goals. After losing in the All England quarterfinal last week, I remember feeling lost for the next four days. I see lots of other players struggling with week after week of bad results and nowhere to turn. It's like a conveyor belt. You turn up for a new tournament feeling just as sh** as in the previous week. I was doing the same for a long time. For many players the whole process - perform, deal with disappointment, move on to the next match, comes very naturally. Not for me. I knew I needed help and there's no shame asking for it," he said.

Prannoy is now practicing the "reverse process" of his earlier years. "Until a few years ago, all off-court activities - whether it was sticking to a disciplined diet or physical training regime were for me, secondary to badminton. I've realised that's no good. My focus is now on ticking the off-court areas well. Once I do those, I'll be able to hang in longer in the matches, and last until a breakthrough," he added.

With his first final in five years, Prannoy already taken the first step.

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Prannoy loses the final but tweaks in diet, training prove effective - ESPN

Do anxious feelings tend to bubble up suddenly while youre at work? Do you get nervous just thinking about your job? Does your mood change come Monday morning, or Sunday evening, for that matter?

If your anxiety revolves around work, you might be experiencing workplace anxiety, also known as work stress. And youre most certainly not alone.

According to Mental Health Americas 2021 Mind the Workplace report, almost 83 percent of respondents felt emotionally drained from their work. And 85 percent or nearly 9 in 10 workers reported that job stress affected their mental health.

Of course, you dont need to go into an office or job site to experience workplace anxiety. You can experience these feelings when working from home, too. (Zoom anxiety, anyone?)

But the situation is far from hopeless. Heres everything you need to know about workplace anxiety, along with practical strategies for reducing and managing work stress.

First, its not always easy to tell whether youre experiencing workplace anxiety or symptoms of an anxiety disorder.

The tell-tale sign? Your anxiety is limited to work.

Annia Palacios, a licensed professional counselor (LPC) with Tightrope Therapy, offers a few key signs of workplace anxiety:

How do you know when your symptoms might relate to generalized anxiety disorder or another anxiety condition?

Anxiety disorder symptoms are persistent, consistent, and negatively affect several aspects of your life, says Emme Smith, a licensed psychotherapist and CEO of GraySpace Counseling Group.

The key difference between the two, explains Alexandra Finkel, LCSW, a licensed psychotherapist and co-founder of Kind Minds Therapy, is that workplace anxiety generally develops in response to stress at work. An anxiety disorder, on the other hand, tends to develop, and persist, regardless of your work circumstances.

Learn more about the signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders.

Workplace anxiety can involve a wide range of symptoms.

According to Palacios, you might:

You might also experience a sense of dread when you think about going to work and feel overwhelmed once you get there, says Boone Christianson, a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) and author of the book 101 Therapy Talks.

Workplace anxiety can involve physical symptoms, too. These might include:

A number of factors can contribute to workplace anxiety, and these can vary from person to person.

For example, says Palacios, work stress may stem from:

According to Kimberly Wilson, PhD, LMFT, an organizational psychologist and therapist, you could also develop workplace anxiety if your job:

In some cases, your work stress can also have a deeper, more subtle underlying cause or contributing factor.

For example, says Christianson, maybe youve had negative experiences in the past with making phone calls, or your boss reminds you of your dad. Maybe your college professors harsh criticism sharpened your sensitivity to any kind of feedback on writing-related tasks.

As Palacios also points out, being an anxious person or having a pre-existing anxiety disorder can make us more likely to experience workplace-specific anxiety.

For example, she notes, if you already live with anxiety you might go straight to the worst-case scenario. Consequently, your workplace might become a significant source of stress if you (mistakenly) assume:

Workplace anxiety can feel overwhelming and unrelenting. But with a few small steps, you can successfully overcome or manage your work stress.

The triggers of work stress arent always obvious. Writing out moments when you feel nervous throughout the day will help you find patterns or triggers, says Smith.

Maybe you regularly feel nervous and nauseous before weekly team meetings, or you have trouble concentrating on anything after you encounter one specific co-worker.

Identifying specific situations that increase your stress levels can help you figure out the best strategy to handle them going forward.

Worry in the form of what-ifs is a common type of workplace anxiety, says Max Maisel, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist in Los Angeles who specializes in anxiety disorders and OCD.

To better understand whats going on and explore possible solutions, you can try asking yourself questions about those what-ifs until youve uncovered your core fear. Maisel suggests Why is that a bad thing? and What does this mean about me? as good questions to start with.

How do you know youve found your core fear?

Typically, its when you can no longer ask Why is this a bad thing? or you feel a gut sense that you hit on something viscerally important, says Maisel.

When youve reached that place, he suggests acknowledging the story without assuming its true and then thanking your mind for trying to protect you.

From there, you can gently challenge the fear by asking yourself:

When you get anxious and stress levels soar, your natural inclination might be to respond with self-criticism.

Instead, try to be patient and understanding with your reactions.

How? You can start by labeling and leaning into your feelings. You might simply say, Im feeling frazzled right now, and thats okay.

Similarly, you can also think about treating yourself like youd treat a close friend or family member, says Maisel.

You might say something like, Its OK to feel overwhelmed. Youre doing a lot. But youre doing the best you can.

You can recalibrate your emotions by taking small, short breaks throughout the day, according to Palacios. For instance, she suggests:

When anxiety pulls your mind elsewhere, you can also try the 54321 technique to ground yourself in the present moment, says Finkel.

To practice, she says, simply name:

Find 14 more mindfulness tricks to ease anxiety.

During and after exercise, the body releases calming neurotransmitters that create an overall feeling of well-being, says Karlene Kerfoot, chief nursing officer at symplr.

Exercising before work can help your body cope with workplace situations that may cause anxiety, and exercise after work can help place you in a different mindset where you can better cope with such feelings, she says.

When big projects and presentations produce anxiety, getting organized can help reduce feelings of overwhelm, says Finkel.

She suggests:

In other words, try to use your anxiety to propel you to accomplish tasks instead of putting them off.

Could some boundaries help keep your work-related stressor in check?

If your stress relates work-life balance or work relationships, Finkel suggests:

Get more tips for setting healthy boundaries.

Finding something to laugh about can release tension, shift your perspective, and stimulate positive neurotransmitters, says Kerfoot. Humor can even help you take yourself, not to mention your workplace, less seriously.

To give yourself a good laugh:

If you have a workspace, you can create a mini sanctuary or retreat that offers solace during stressful or anxiety-provoking situations, says Smith.

For example, she says, you might:

If you dont have a designated workspace, you can assemble a kit that provides a quick shot of relief during stressful moments at work, says Wilson.

Your kit can include items that soothe your senses and help you move.

Wilson offers a few examples:

Strive to create a life filled with relationships, events, and activities outside of work that bring you joy, peace, and happiness, Kerfoot recommends. She goes on to explain that a fulfilling life outside of work can:

To get started, consider the people, places, and pastimes that bring you joy and calm. How can you add them to your days?

If youre dealing with workplace anxiety, professional support can be incredibly helpful.

How do you know when help from a therapist might have benefit?

Theres no right or wrong time to connect with a therapist, Palacios says, so this decision will be unique to everyone.

In general, however, she recommends seeking professional help when you want your life to be different but you havent found it possible to make changes on your own.

Specifically, Palacios says, this could mean you:

A therapist can offer support with:

Check out our guide to finding the right therapist.

Workplace anxiety is common, but its very manageable. Small steps, like understanding your triggers, setting boundaries, and taking restorative breaks, can go a long way.

That said, if your work stress becomes difficult to cope with alone, dont hesitate to seek professional support. A therapist can always offer compassionate guidance with identifying possible causes and exploring your options for addressing them.

Above all, remember: You deserve to work in a safe, reasonable environment.

Margarita Tartakovsky, MS, has been writing for Psych Central and other websites for more than a decade on a wide range of topics. Shes the author of the mental health journal Vibe Check: Be Your Best You (Sterling Teen). Shes especially passionate about helping readers feel less alone and overwhelmed and more empowered. You can connect with Margarita on LinkedIn, or check out her writing at her website.

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Workplace Anxiety: Signs, Causes, Tips to Cope - Healthline