Illustration: Margalit Cutler

Ever since Chloe Wises infamous Bagel No. 5 Chanel moment in 2014, food and humor have pervaded the Canadian artists work and life and together, those elements comprise a sort of ethos. For me, it was never really a question: What should I paint? Should it be people?, Wise explains. It was just, like, I paint people Im a lover of humans. We have sex, and food and shelter and sleep but sleep is boring.

Wednesday, December 2Coffee, which I have every morning and which I make at home with whatever I have this time it was Peets and soft-boiled eggs with focaccia I made around 11 p.m. because Im into sourdough, as we all are in 2020. This particular focaccia had sesame seeds in the dough. It was a cute one. This was also lunch.

Ive always been into cooking. I hope I dont get into trouble for saying this, but I dont have a real kitchen; Im not supposed to have one in my studio. What I do have is a Breville smart oven and induction burner, and I have been cooking on that for years in the studio. COVID has gotten me into baking cause I hadnt done sourdough previously. So Im in full sourdough mode, which is very funny when you dont have a real kitchen.

My oven is essentially a glorified toaster oven, but it does the job. I can only cook such small amounts, so Ive learned how to paint and, honestly, with oil-paint-covered hands, I throw a bunch of vegetables in the oven, go back to painting, hear the beep, beep, and then I come back and take it out. But things are often room temperature, and Ill do them throughout the course of the day. If I dont have a friend over for dinner or a reason to cook dinner, I probably will just paint until four in the morning, and then my back will hurt and I wont have eaten and its a whole nightmare, so its good when a friend is like, Im coming over for dinner.

That means I have to stop painting, and I have to wash my hands because Im feeding someone else and I dont want to feed them oil paint unless they want it but, you know, its about consent here.

Baking has been cathartic in a way, but its also been really useful because I dont find sourdough to be that time-consuming. I mix it, and then I paint, and then I fold it a bit, and then I paint, and then I have enough dough that I make a couple of mini-loaves, and then all week I have bread for myself. So you heard it here first sourdough is a time-saver. Thats my hot take.

I made dinner for my friend Carly. She loves my cooking, and I cook for her all the time. Salmon on top of fennel. Its kind of like the Alison Roman recipe because I love that cookbook Dining In, which has proved to be useful during COVID. So its like a cast-iron skillet with shallots, fennel, capers, butter, salmon, and then I put that in the oven, and then I serve that to my friend with my sesame focaccia. And some organic Swedish Fish called DelishFish.

Thursday, December 3I had coffee. Skipped breakfast. I had a weird brunch-lunch, which was prosciutto with figs and mozzarella. I just put them into little rolls while I did work, basically. I love figs, and then it was my assistants birthday, so I ordered her some cupcakes from Mollys Cupcakes.

I got her a bunch of different kinds. I told her to take them home, but I shared one with her safely, by the way that was blueberry cheesecake.

That night, I went out for dinner if you can believe it. I went to the Odeon, which I missed so much. My week that Im recording doesnt necessarily reflect my normal weeks because I hadnt gone out at all, but I went out twice on this weekend.

I went with three friends and we had the kale Caesar. I had the burger and too many martinis. Im a rare or medium-rare for the burger. Im not a sicko. Well-done is messed up. And fries as well. Naughty day. There was like a corn-flake cookie for dessert, and then we had whiskey at my house afterward, which as a combination is not ideal but, you know, I was fine. I dont want to set a bad example.

Friday, December 4Woke up late. I usually wake up at nine and have coffee the second I wake up and then start working, but this past week I went to bed at four many of the nights because I was either staying up super-late painting, or Id have dinner with a friend and theyd leave and Id keep painting, or Id have, like, the Odeon night and stay up super-late.

So this morning, I baked. I usually make a big batch of the sourdough and then Ill separate it out. I made a big loaf, a little loaf, and I made myself a little squiggle baguette, a squiggly little S.

Thats all I ate all day cause I woke up late, and that night I actually went to the Odeon again because it was Jenna Gribbons exhibition at the Journal Gallery and they had a dinner for her. To make it COVID-safe, it was very few people just the artists she had painted. The premise of her exhibition was she painted other painters. I was so honored. I was brought to tears. She did a painting of me. Its so lovely, especially because she painted my paintings in the background. Shes so talented.

I hadnt been to an opening and gallery dinner in so long, and it was just other artists because the gallerists sat at a different table. Like, we were at the kids table, so it was refreshing to be with people that I hadnt seen, even though we had to first take our safety very seriously. Everybody else had martinis, but I had tea because I was hung-over from the martinis of yestereve.

I had roast chicken with a side of broccoli rabe. I will say that Im usually much more vegetarian than I was this week. Then we had the sugar doughnuts for dessert. Theyre like brown-sugar-coated little doughnut dudes with a caramel dipping sauce. Really good.

This week was a lot of meat for me. I was vegetarian for ten years, and my mom is an amazing cook, so from the time I was 13 years old onward, Id be in the kitchen while she was making dinner, and Id be making a vegetarian version of whatever she was making. I was never gonna go into food or anything, but I had to cook a lot when I was younger, and a lot of the food sculpture I do is not only because food occupies a really important space in terms of community and identity, but also because I love food.

Theres this amazing girl, Paris Starn. Her Instagram is incredible. Were doing a dinner together next week actually for Hannukah. Shes amazing. I just was shown her Instagram, and I started being this absolute stan, and I went to this pop-up she had. Shell post recipes which is very generous of her, and Ill screenshot them and follow through and ask her questions.

I feel like whether its baking bread or painting or anything you want to learn, were so blessed in the digital-information age. Setting aside all the problems it gives us, were really blessed to have a lot of information at our fingertips if we want to find it. My ultimate procrastination is thinking, like, I should be painting, Ill start cooking. I should be cooking, Ill keep painting. But cooking comes up quite a bit.

In the summer, I learned to fish and forage. Baking sourdough and fishing and foraging theres a pattern here. I love to learn a thing that makes me not have to order. For me, it was never really a question: What should I paint? Should it be people? It was just like, I paint people because I love faces, I love people. Were social beings. Im a lover of humans, and so that was never a question. Similarly, food. It wasnt a question.

Saturday, December 5I had some sourdough bread and butter and coffee. I keep my butter at room temperature on my table next to a big bowl of Maldon salt, so I can take bread and just do dippers while Im having coffee.

I went to go see some art uptown also very rare for me but I left the house and I was hungry. My friend and I stopped at this bougie, organic-y spot that I had never seen before. Im thinking its called Biologique, but thats literally a moisturizer brand. It was something like that. I had a raw key-lime pie a little circle made out of, I dont know, chickpea flour or grass or something, and a charcoal latte, which sounded healthy but was just hot sugar.

That night, I went to Virginias with my friend Paul and my boyfriend, Eric. Virginias is a really good, sneaky spot. Amazing burger, which I had, even though I couldnt believe I was having a burger twice in one week. But I had to. Its so good there. I split it with my friend, and we also split the burrata and fries. I had a Moscow Mule, and, later, at midnight, it became my birthday, and I turned 30.

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Excerpt from:
Chloe Wise Keeps Her Butter Warm and Close - Grub Street

Humans come in a variety of heights and genetics play a key role in determining whether you will be short or tall.

Theres much more than just heredity to consider before assuming a person will automatically be the same height as their parents. Medical conditions, hormonal deficiencies, and more can all contribute to how tall you are.

Read on to learn about all of the components that contribute to a persons natural height.

Genetics are among the prominent factors that contribute to how tall youll be.

As a general rule of thumb, your height can be predicted based on how tall your parents are. If they are tall or short, then your own height is said to end up somewhere based on the average heights between your two parents.

Genes arent the sole predictor of a persons height. In some instances, a child might be much taller than their parents and other relatives. Or, perhaps, they may be much shorter.

Such key differences may be explained by other factors outside of your genes that contribute to height.

Aside from genetics, there are other factors to consider that can determine a persons height, especially during childhood and adolescence.

While eating more vegetables wont automatically make you taller, getting adequate nutrition during your growing years is critical in human development, including your height.

A diet based on whole, nutritious foods can ensure you will grow up to the height your genes might dictate. On the flip side, a poor diet could lead to a shorter stature compared to your parents.

Eating healthy isnt so simple for all families. Children of a poor socioeconomic status may be at risk of a lack of access to nutrition, along with poor access to adequate health care. This, in turn, can contribute to a shorter height.

You may notice that boys grow slower than girls at first, due to differences in puberty milestones. Overall though, adult males tend to be an average of 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) taller compared to adult females.

During puberty, hormones are essential for regulating body growth. These include thyroid hormones, human growth hormones, and sex hormones such as testosterone and estrogen.

Any abnormalities in these hormones could alter growth as well as your overall height. Children who develop hypothyroidism (low thyroid) or pituitary gland disorders may experience shorter than average height compared to their parents.

Rarely, hormonal disorders can contribute to being taller than normal. For example, gigantism is caused by too many human growth hormones produced by pituitary gland tumors.

Some conditions present at birth may dictate a persons height. For example, achondroplasia (dwarfism) is a rare bone growth disorder that runs in families.

Another congenital disorder that can cause short stature is known as Turner syndrome. This rare condition causes delays in puberty. Unlike achondroplasia, Turner syndrome doesnt run in families.

Other congenital disorders lead to a taller than normal stature. These include Marfan and Klinefelter syndromes.

Marfan syndrome is caused by connective tissue enlargements, while Klinefelter syndrome occurs when males are born with an additional copy of the X chromosome.

Overall, theres no way you can increase your height. Each person is born with genes that will help dictate how tall they become, but other factors such as inadequate nutrition or medical conditions may alter this outlook.

Hormonal conditions may be the few exceptions. If a lack of thyroid or human growth hormones is detected during childhood, then taking medications may help reverse the effects on height.

However, once you reach adulthood, taking hormonal replacements wont make you taller. At this point, your full height has already been achieved, and taking any medications or supplements wont make a difference.

Its important to focus on good nutrition during childhood, but sticking with these habits will also contribute to your overall health into adulthood and beyond regardless of your height.

Poor posture and lack of exercise can also contribute to poor stature, so correcting these items may help increase your height (or the appearance of it).

Its widely regarded that your genes will dictate how tall you become. However, there are other exceptions to this rule, including your gender, access to nutrition, and any underlying medical or congenital conditions you may have.

See a doctor if you have any concerns about your height, or if you have a child who isnt reaching their growth milestones. They can discuss nutritional issues with you, and they may help rule out the possibility of any hormonal issues.

See original here:
Is Height Genetic? Why and Why Not? - Healthline

Nearly everyone has been in a situation where passing gas would be embarrassing. Choosing to hold in or delay flatulence from escaping is often the polite thing to do. But holding in a fart for too long isnt good for your body.

If you decide not to release a fart, some of the gas will be reabsorbed into the circulatory system. From there, it goes to the lungs for a gas exchange throughout the pulmonary circulation system and is expelled through breathing.

While this isnt a mouth fart, per se, its the gas from the fart coming out of your mouth.

So how often does this really happen? And can holding in flatulence all the time hurt your body in the long run? Lets cover all of that and more.

Farts, also called flatus, are a natural part of your digestive process. Bacteria in your intestines create gases as they break down and metabolize the food that you eat. These gases expand your colon, giving you a feeling of fullness and discomfort. The gas needs a place to escape, and usually, its through your rectum.

When you block a fart from escaping, some of the gas can pass through your gut wall and be reabsorbed into your bloodstream. From there, it can end up being exhaled through your lungs, coming out of your mouth via exhaling.

You wont be able to taste a fart that escapes through your mouth.

Flatulence is made up of swallowed air and gas produced by bacteria in the colon from undigested carbohydrates. It smells bad due to the breakdown of various foods into certain gases, primarily sulfur-containing gases. These arent reabsorbed by your body.

Gas escaping through your mouth isnt the only possible side effect if you try to hold flatulence in.

Swelling and bloating in your abdomen can be caused when youre gassy and deny that gas an exit. A bloated belly can make you more prone to belching.

When you have a lot of gas, you may feel uncomfortable. But trapping the gas in your body by holding in a fart can take that discomfort to the next level. Cramping and pain can occur from holding in flatulence.

If you regularly hold in flatus, its possible that air pockets will begin to form inside of your digestive tract. If these pockets become infected or inflamed, you can develop the digestive condition diverticulitis.

If gas that is a part of flatulence is making its way out of your mouth, anyway, does that mean its OK to fart into someone elses mouth?

Well, its not proper custom unless youre a young child, but it wont cause pinkeye, spread a virus or cause giardia, an infection of the digestive tract thats caused by a parasite.

All three of those are commonly spread myths.

It has no medical side effects because flatus only contains gas. There shouldnt be any fecal particles in it. The spread of fecal particles is necessary to cause any of the conditions above.

Holding in your flatulence can feel necessary out of common courtesy, but dont make it a habit when you dont have to hold it in. Gas from your intestines will get out one way or another, even if it has to travel back into your bloodstream and escape through your mouth.

View post:
Can a Fart Escape In Your Mouth? Another Reason to Not Hold It In - Healthline

After Zack and Mackenzie Vernon lost about 30 pounds each on a diet that replaced meals with shakes, they decided to open three shake and tea bars in St. Louis and Franklin counties. They opened their third store in Washington this November at 1145 Clock Tower Plaza.

Bold Nutrition sells shakes advertised as meal replacements. They vary in flavor from banana bread to the classic vanilla, and its menu lists 18 teas for sale from Grape lush to herbal.

Its kind of perfect for people that are in a hurry, on-the-go type thing or that have a certain job where it doesnt give you the time to really sit down, Zack Vernon said.

Globally, the market for fruit- and dairy-based smoothies is expected to grow each year, according to Mordor Intelligence. Between now and 2025, it is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 7.2 percent, and the biggest market is in North America.

One year ago, the husband and wife duo opened the first shake bar in Wildwood, Zack Vernon said. Six months later, they opened a second location in Pacific. Immediately following that opening, customers encouraged them to open a third in Washington.

There are a lot of people that live in this area that commute into Pacific for work, so after we heard that for, you know, the first couple weeks we were open, we decided to start looking for the next spot, he said.

On a local scale, Zack Vernon knows customers by name. When customer Katie Barnes came in ordering her usual, he immediately made her caramel latte shake with a doughnut shot. She was one of the Pacific customers requesting the Vernons add a location closer to home, she said.

Theres so much more to it than just shakes and tea, Zack Vernon said. We get to meet people every day, and like Katie, for instance, youre on a personal level.

To start this new phase in their careers as business owners, Mackenzie Vernon, 33, quit her job as an office coordinator at Mercy South, and Zack Vernon, 36, quit his job at a GM dealership he had for seven years.

I would rather do this, maybe make a little bit less money, but actually have some kind of positive impact on the people who come into my door, Zack Vernon said.

The couple paid for the Washington store with money they had saved, and it cost between about $5,000 and $8,000 to start, Zack Vernon said.

Read more here:
Vernons Expand Bold Nutrition Business With Washington Location - The Missourian

A survey by Pew finds that more than half of people who shifted to work from home after the coronavirus hit would like to keep that arrangement, and many others would like the flexibility to work outside the office some of the time. Also in health news, your sleep may be affected by diet, flu shots are up this year and volunteering may have a surprise benefit.

Philadelphia Inquirer:Post-Pandemic, Most Americans Who Can Want To Continue Working From HomeMost Americans now teleworking from home want to keep doing so, with more than half saying they would work remotely after the pandemic, a new Pew Research Center report finds. The national survey of U.S. adults reveals that while the coronavirus may have changed the location of our jobs whether in an office or from home it hasnt significantly reshaped our work duties and culture for a majority of employed adults. (Arvedlund, 12/11)

The New York Times:How Foods May Affect Our SleepThis has not been a very good year for sleep. With the coronavirus pandemic, school and work disruptions and a contentious election season contributing to countless sleepless nights, sleep experts have encouraged people to adopt a variety of measures to overcome their stress-related insomnia. Among their recommendations: engage in regular exercise, establish a nightly bedtime routine and cut back on screen time and social media. But many people may be overlooking another important factor in poor sleep: diet. A growing body of research suggests that the foods you eat can affect how well you sleep, and your sleep patterns can affect your dietary choices. (O'Connor, 12/10)

CNN:Ellen DeGeneres Announces She Has Covid-19Ellen DeGeneres announced on Thursday that she has tested positive for Covid-19. The popular talk show host tweeted the news from her verified Twitter account. "Hi Everyone," DeGeneres wrote. "I want to let you all know that I tested positive for Covid-19. Fortunately, I'm feeling fine right now. Anyone who has been in close contact with me has been notified, and I am following all proper CDC guidelines. I'll see you all again after the holidays. Please stay healthy and safe." (Respers France, 12/10)

And in news on the flu --

The Hill:CDC Reports Record Flu Vaccine DistributionApproximately 188 million doses of the flu vaccine have beendistributedthroughout the U.S., the most ever during a single influenza season, according to data published Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The CDC noted that the country hit the record late last month, with an estimated 44.5 million adult flu vaccinations administered in pharmacies by Nov. 21, a 46 percent increase from 2019. (Castronuovo, 12/10)

Also

ABC News:Doctors Facing Burnout Could See Job Repercussions For Seeking AntidepressantsAs a freshly minted psychiatrist, the last step on my path to practicing medicine was to complete an application for medical licensing in my home state. Every physician, after completing residency training, is required by law to apply and obtain a license in the state he or she intends to practice. On the application, I came across the ominous question: Have you currently or in the past been diagnosed with a mental illness that might affect your ability to perform your job? (Safai, 12/10)

KHN:I Found My Secret To Feeling Younger And Stronger. The Pandemic Stole It Away.Back in early January, before COVID-19 was as familiar as the furniture, I went in for my annual physical. My doctor looked at my test results and shook his head. Virtually everything was perfect. My cholesterol was down. So was my weight. My blood pressure was that of a swimmer. A barrage of blood tests turned up zero red flags. What are you doing differently? he asked, almost dumbfounded. (Horovitz, 12/11)

See the original post:
Heading Back To The Office After The Pandemic? Maybe Not So Fast! - Kaiser Health News

The coronavirus pandemic has dominated the headlines and our daily lives for most of this year. Medical News Today has covered this fast-moving, complex story with live updates on the latest news, interviews with experts, and an ongoing investigation into the deep racial disparities that COVID-19 has helped unmask.

However, this hasnt stopped us from publishing hundreds of fascinating stories on a myriad of other topics.

We begin with the good news that it may never be too late to start maintaining a moderate weight, even for people over 60 years old. And in related news, a plant-based diet might help people achieve weight loss, according to a new study covered by Medical News Today this week.

Vitamin D has made regular appearances in the Recovery Room throughout 2020, and this week it features again with news of its links with a healthy, diverse gut microbiome.

Meanwhile, a report finds that stevia, a sweetener of choice for millions of people, may also be entangled with the bacteria that live in our guts, and possibly not in a good way.

We also explore how running and walking compare for achieving weight loss and fitness goals, with another article to help improve your athletic mobility before venturing out, which could help you avoid the dreaded shin splints.

Below are 10 recent stories that may have gone unnoticed amid all the COVID-19 fervor.

Its never too late to maintain a moderate weight, according to new research covered by MNT this week.

United Kingdom researchers analyzed how much weight people lost after participating in an obesity program. Those in the over-60 age group lost an average of 7.3% of their body weight, while participants in the under-60 age group lost 6.9%.

Age should be no barrier to lifestyle management of obesity, concludes the lead researcher. Our report proved popular this week, with nearly 30,000 sessions to date.

Learn more here.

Another of this weeks most popular articles looked at recent evidence supporting the role of a plant-based diet in weight loss.

In the study, researchers split 244 participants into two groups. One group followed a low fat vegan diet for 1 month, eating fruits, vegetables, pulses, and grains in serving sizes comparable to what they would normally eat. The second control group did not change their dietary habits.

The vegan diet group lost an average of 14 pounds and saw a decrease in insulin resistance and visceral fat, while the control group experienced no such changes. One participant in the study decided to make a permanent change to their lifestyle and diet.

Click below to read more about this study and its implications.

Learn more here.

Vitamin D has frequently appeared in the headlines this year, mainly relating to claims that it could help people resist the effects of COVID-19. However, there is mixed evidence for the benefits of widespread vitamin D supplementation.

This week, MNT reported on a new study that found people with the highest levels of active vitamin D in their blood have the greatest microbiome diversity. Their guts also hosted more friendly bacterial species.

This raises the question of whether high levels of active vitamin D support a healthful, diverse gut microbiome, or there is simply an association between the two. We taker a closer look at the study and its limitations in our third-most-popular news article this week.

Learn more here.

A recent Recovery Room featured a comparison of running vs. biking for fitness and weight loss. This week, our editors turned their attention to walking vs. running for heart health, weight loss, and more.

Both are excellent forms of exercise for weight loss and heart health, but the benefits and risks depend on a persons goals and current health and fitness levels.

This article looks at how walking and running compare for specific health benefits, before considering the risks associated with each form of exercise, and which a person might find most appropriate.

Learn more here.

One of the risks of running is the development of shin splints, a type of injury caused by overuse and stress. They can be painful, and while there is no known cure at present, doctors usually recommend rest and reduced activity levels for recovery.

However, it may be possible to reduce the risk of shin splints by performing exercises to improve athletic movement.

In this new article, our editors looked at the symptoms and possible causes of shin splints, before recommending 8 foot and ankle stretches that may help avoid them. Each exercise is illustrated with animations to help you complete each stretch correctly before your next run.

Learn more here.

Existing tests for Alzheimers disease can be inaccurate, invasive, or difficult to perform. For example, taking a sample of cerebrospinal fluid via lumbar puncture is one such technique, but it might put off some people.

PET scans are another method, but theyre expensive and require technology that might not be available.

This week, we reported on the potential discovery of a more accurate and noninvasive way of predicting Alzheimers that analyzes protein levels in a blood sample. The researchers have called for a larger study to replicate their findings, and also produced a related app for clinicians, pending confirmation.

Learn more here.

This week, MNT also reported news of the possibility of treating people less able to control impulsive or impatient behavior.

Previous research has linked low serotonin levels in individuals with such behavior, but now, scientists in Japan may have identified two regions of the brain responsible for this.

This discovery in mice could lead to the development of novel treatments for humans. Our article explains how the researchers measured impatience and used optic fiber implants to observe this in the brain.

Learn more here.

MNT marked World AIDS Day 2020 on December 1 with the launch of a new resource presenting the latest evidence-backed information and resources in one easy-to-access hub.

Though huge global inequality in the distribution of information and effective treatment remains, the success of antiviral therapy means that many people with HIV go on to live long lives following their diagnosis.

However, the increasing number of older adults with HIV still face challenges to their physical and mental health, as this new article reveals.

Learn more here.

Many people consider stevia a safe, zero-calorie alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners. However, new evidence suggests that by disrupting our gut bacteria, stevia may be harmful to our health after all.

In this article, our editors dig deeper into the study, which looks at two forms of the sweetener, and how the findings may shape future guidelines for stevia intake.

Learn more here.

Finally this week, we published an in-depth article on group therapy. This form of psychotherapy aims to help people manage a range of mental health concerns, such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, substance use disorder, and many more.

We explore how it works, who might find it useful, the different types of group therapy, its effectiveness, and how to find sessions, along with information on costs and Medicare coverage.

At a time when in-person group therapy may not be possible in many locations, the article also shares evidence that web-based sessions are effective.

Learn more here.

We hope this article provides a taste of the stories that we cover atMNT. Well be back with a new selection next week.

We publish hundreds of new stories and features every month. Here are some upcoming articles that may pique our readers interest:

View original post here:
The Recovery Room: News beyond the pandemic December 11 - Medical News Today

You might remember the freshman 15 that first-year college students gain after months of boozing and poor diet choices without Mom looking over their shoulders.

Well, after months of spending a lot more time at home than usual, we now have the COVID 19.

Nineteen might be an exaggeration. But a study from Weight Watchers over the summer found that Americans had gained 12.5 pounds on average during the pandemic.

The start of a new year is always a time for resolutions to get in shape.

But with so many Americans having spent the last nine months or so at home and gyms closed or offering limited access well, I expect New Years resolutions to take on a new sense of urgency in 2021.

For many of us, getting back to normal will mean a newfound commitment to shed the pounds we put on in 2020. And for most of us, shedding the COVID 19 starts with eating better.

One diet stock is well-positioned to benefit from a flurry of New Years resolutions.

Its a smart way to play the generational trend of healthier living. One of the largest players in a booming beverage market, it boasts an estimated 30% market share:

This diet-friendly beverage was a $3.5 billion business back in 2015. By 2022, sales should top $7.3 billion.

The trend toward healthier living didnt start with COVID-19, of course. But the pandemic gave it a major boost and a major sense of urgency.

People struggling with obesity and diabetes are at higher risk for COVID-19. That was enough to convince my father-in-law to quit drinking and lose weight.

Hes lost close to 30 pounds since all of this started, and hes not done.

And now that he knows how it feels to be healthier, he has little interest in putting on the weight again. His lifestyle changes are permanent, or at least long-lasting.

Once the immediate crisis of the pandemic passes, well see public health officials making a newfound push to tackle obesity. We may not see another true pandemic for another century. Only time will tell.

But this year made clear that the obesity epidemic is a major threat to public health. You can expect the folks in charge to help nudge people away from junk food and into healthier choices.

The trend in this diet-friendly beverage is only getting started.

The company that weve identified to benefit from the trend rates a 97.8 in Adam ODells Green Zone Ratings system, meaning it scores higher than all but about 2% of stocks in our universe:

This stocks impressive Green Zone Rating.

Now, the story gets even better.

Not only is this highly-rated stock well-positioned to benefit from healthier living in 2021 and beyond but there is a potential catalyst to make it skyrocket and soon.

You see, this is a heavily-shorted stock. That sounds bad. If traders are selling it, it must be at risk of a major decline, right?

Not exactly. Remember: When you short a stock, you eventually have to buy it back. Youre hoping it falls so you can buy it back cheaper.

But if the stock rises, youll have to buy it back at a higher price. And here is where it gets fun. If several short sellers try to cover their positions at the same time, you end up in a buying frenzy that can cause the shares to rocket higher.

This is what traders call a short squeeze, and its caused the untimely heart attack and death of many a short seller.

I believe were on the verge of something like that today. The short interest in this stock is super high. The most recent data from late last month shows 7.7 million shares sold short, which represents 36 days of average trading volume.

A days-to-cover figure of even 5 can be cause for concern. And again this stocks figure is 36.

Imagine the potential pent-up buying here. If we get a proper short squeeze which isnt unlikely if the shares keep pushing higher we could see a major move higher.

Throughout this Holiday Investment series, weve told you about stocks that we recommended and are up big (one as much as 240%!)

But this one is a little different. You see, even our premium Green Zone Fortunes subscribers dont know about this stock yet.

Chief Investment Strategist Adam ODell and I are working on the December issue of the newsletter right now. Well release the details to our readers next Wednesday, December 16.

That means you can join today and be in this stock from the beginning!

When we reach out next year to tell Money & Markets readers how well this diet-friendly beverage stock performed as Americans tried to shed the COVID 19, youll already be in the know.

Click here now to find out more. Youll get the details on each of the stocks we covered in this weeks Holiday Investment series and youll get first dibs on this New Years stock next Wednesday!

Plus you can get exclusive access to Adam ODells Millionaire Master Class special report today for only $1.

While were planning for the new year, why not make your portfolios health a priority for a low price that you have to see to believe?

Money & MarketscontributorCharles Sizemorespecializes in income and retirement topics. Charles is a regular onThe Bull & The Bearpodcast. He is also a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg and Fox Business.Follow Charles on Twitter@CharlesSizemore.

See the rest here:
New Year, New Me A New Way to Profit From Resolutions - Money and Markets

Ryan Garcia has quickly transitioned into one of the best in the lightweight division. Garcia remains undefeated inside the boxing ring and has registered 20 straight wins inside the squared circle. 17 of those wins have come via way off knockout. Garcia continues to be a top name in the world of boxing.

Needless to say, boxing fans around the world are always interested in knowing more about their favorite boxers. They wish to be completely immersed in their lifestyle, starting from how they lead their life. Based on their insane physiques, their diets also become a subject of interest.

Heres taking a look at Ryan Garcias diet and what makes him one of the most devastating punchers in the lightweight division. Garcia is coming off impressive back-to-back first-round KO wins. He is scheduled to take on Luke Campbell for the interim WBC lightweight championship in next month.

Garcia revealed what he eats to stay in shape and keep his body right. Garcia also introduced his chef, Manny Duran, who specifically takes care of Garcias diet which begins with yogurt early in the morning.

KingRy said,Usually I dont eat anything before my five-mile run. I go on a five-mile run before any day starts and then I come back and do eight rounds of shadow boxing.

Garcia revealed that it depends on how he is feeling after work-out in order to decide whether he needs to eat. He said, Sometimes I wont eat at all.

Garcia savors on avocado b-rolls. Garcias personal chef especially cooks the avocado b-rolls by adding Turkey, two ounces of cheese, mixed with an egg along with whole grain bread in breakfast for The Flash.

I feel good. I perform good. So I want my food to taste good You need a little bit of salt to retain that water you want to keep.

Jumping to snacks, Ryan Garcia likes to have hard-boiled eggs. However, even that is hard to get by because according to Garcias chef, King Ryan rarely gets hungry. Duran revealed, Sometimes I am just staying around, waiting for him to order something and he just doesnt feel hungry.

Guacamole. ground turkey, pico, and fresh sauce together from mouth-watering turkey lettuce wraps comprise Gracias lunch. However, if you were wondering what Ryan Garcia eats for dinner. Well, some of you might be surprised to know he doesnt. Garcia doesnt have dinner, and thats that.

Continued here:
Everything You Need to Know About Ryan Garcias Diet - Essentially Sports

Your morning mocha or favorite spaghetti dish may be doing more than providing fuel, nutrition, and calories to your daily diet. Over time, foods and drinks with a dark pigment and high acidic content can also lead to stains on your teeth.

So what types of foods and beverages are the biggest tooth-staining culprits? In this article, well take a closer look at the top offenders that can cause your pearly whites to lose their sparkle and become discolored.

According to Joseph Salim, DMD, acidic foods and drinks like red wine can roughen and open up the pores within the enamel of your teeth.

As the enamel becomes rougher and its overall surface area increases, this can pave the way for the colors found within foods and beverages we consume to become etched to the surface of your teeth, Salim says.

He explains that this phenomenon can happen when drinking red wine. The acidic nature of this beverage can etch the enamel and allow the dark red particles of wine to adhere to its surfaces.

Your morning brew might be one of the main culprits behind your stained teeth.

Coffee contains tannins, a type of chemical compound called a polyphenol, that can cause color compounds to stick to your teeth.

Like coffee, tea contains tannins that can stain your teeth. The good news is that theres a simple way to cut down on teas tooth-staining abilities.

One 2014 study found that adding 2 percent milk to tea can significantly reduce the ability of tea to stain teeth. More specifically, researchers determined that casein, a protein in milk, was responsible for preventing tea-induced stains.

Blackberries, blueberries, pomegranates, and other dark berries contain a dark pigmentation that can cause staining on teeth.

Salim says tiny organic particles can penetrate the pores in your tooth enamel and remain attached. If your teeth have a higher porosity, this will lead to more persistent stains. Thats why your teeth can turn purple and may continue to have a purplish hue after eating blueberries.

Like deep-colored fruits, dark-pigmented juices like cranberry, grape, beet, pomegranate, and blueberry can also discolor your teeth.

Regularly sipping on a can of sugar-laden cola can also cause your teeth to become discolored. Thats because acidic drinks like soda can cause erosion of your enamel.

When enamel is eroded, it wont only make the tooth more susceptible to staining. It will also allow the dentin of the tooth, which is naturally darker and yellower than the enamel, to show through, Salim explains.

According to one 2012 study, both energy drinks and sports drinks are associated with the breakdown of enamel, which contributes to stains.

This study also indicated that energy drinks seem to have higher acidity and enamel dissolution associated with them than sports drinks.

If you want to keep your pearly whites looking their best, you may want to take precautions when eating tomato-based sauces like the kind you typically have on pizza or spaghetti.

Not only are tomato-based sauces bright in color, but theyre also acidic. Rinsing your mouth out with water after eating this kind of sauce can help prevent your teeth from getting stained.

Dark-pigmented sauces like soy sauce and balsamic vinegar are also known to stain teeth.

According to Rene Y. DellAcqua, DDS, the high acid content in foods like vinegar can cause the enamel to break down, allowing a stain to set in.

Basically anything you put into your mouth that can stain a linen napkin has the ability to cause stains on your teeth, she says.

Sweets and candy, especially dark varieties like chocolate, can cause mild staining to your teeth, Salim says.

Additionally, a lot of hard and gummy-type candies contains colored dyes that can settle on your enamel.

Your favorite foods and beverages might not be the only thing to blame for tooth stains. If youve noticed discoloration on your teeth, the following offenders could be responsible, too.

Tobacco stains can be caused by smoking cigarettes, pipes, cigars, or chewing tobacco.

Salim explains tobacco products can affect the color of your teeth because of the presence of the following two chemical compounds:

You can get intrinsic stains from antibiotics such as tetracycline if taken before the age of 7, says Jennifer Jablow, DDS.

Tetracycline chelates the calcium deposition while your adult teeth are forming. This can cause bands or stripe-like dark discoloration that can be very hard to get rid of, she explains.

Wear and tear on your teeth over time can also cause your teeth to look discolored. After years of brushing your teeth, the enamel gradually wears down and gets thinner. This allows the yellowish-colored dentin underneath to show through, which can make your teeth look darker and stained.

An infection in your tooths pulp the soft core or tissue beneath your tooths enamel and dentin layers can cause your tooth to become discolored.

Advanced tooth decay can cause a breakdown of the pulp which, in turn, can damage the root of your tooth and give it a grayish-black appearance. A root canal may be needed to clean out the decay and infection.

Trauma to a baby tooth can affect the growing adult tooth, which can sometimes make the adult tooth look yellow if the enamel doesnt form properly.

Trauma can also make an adult tooth look darker if the enamel chips away, exposing the naturally yellower dentin layer underneath.

Preventing stains or at least minimizing them is possible with a few at-home tricks and tips. If youre dealing with stubborn stains and discoloration, you may need to see your dentist for an in-office procedure.

Food and drinks with darker pigments, tannins, or high acidic content can lead to tooth staining or discoloration over time.

The good news is you dont have to give up your favorite foods and beverages to keep your teeth looking good.

By brushing your teeth after eating and drinking, swishing with water, practicing good dental hygiene, and opting for tooth-whitening procedures or kits, you can help ensure that your smile stays white and bright.

Link:
Foods That Stain Teeth: 9 Tooth-Staining Foods and Drinks - Healthline

For many who can afford it, burgers, steaks or frozen pizza form a regular part of their diet. In many supermarkets unhealthy fast food is often cheaper than vitamin-rich fruit and vegetables. But what we eat impacts not only our health, but the environment. A quarter of all climate-damaging emissions currently come from agriculture.

However, not all food production has a negative effect on the climate. Meat for example, contributes more to warming our planet than fish, eggs or plant-based foods, in large part because cattle emit the greenhouse gas methane, and because forests are often cleared to create land dedicated to beef production. But other factors, such as how often we eat it and whether we source it from a local farmer or from far away, also play a role in the CO2 footprint of meat.

ClimatechangeandfoodproductionBecause the consequences of climate change such as drought or extreme rainfall can destroy harvests and are impacting crop growth in ever more places around the world, we need to find alternatives. Not just alternatives to meat, but food sources that are available to people all over the world and which ensure sufficient supply.

The learning pack Food for the future feeding the world in a climate-friendly way offers solutions to questions such as: How do we ensure food production doesnt exacerbate global warming or take up too much space? How can farmers adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change? How can I create a climate-friendly diet that allows me to eat my favorite foods?

Environmentally-friendlyfoodinclassThe materials are suitable for children and young people from the age of 12 and enable teachers to tackle the topic of environmentally-friendly food in a playful and interactive way. The material can be used free-of-charge for non-commercial purposes.Thislearningpackincludes:

For in-person lessons:Please begin by downloading the "booklet for teachers" when you are preparing your lessons. There you will find copies of all of the worksheets, including explanatory handouts and solutions. You will find the booklet available as a PDF file below under "Downloads."

Fordistancelearning:When conducting lessons online, please also download the interactive "workbook for participants" along with the "booklet for teachers." You will find both under "Downloads." You may then send the workbook PDF file to participants as an email attachment. The workbook includes the worksheets but not the solutions. Participants may then complete their work alone on their computers, save the work and mail it back to you. Participants will require Acrobat Reader to complete the booklet. It is available here to downloadfor free.

WritetousIf you have questions about our Global Ideas learning packs or if you need a print version of the material including the DVD, please contact us at: globalideas@dw.com

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Food for the future feeding the world in a climate-friendly way - Deutsche Welle