The ketogenic, or "keto," diet has become widely popular in recent years, as celebrities like LeBron James and the Kardashian sisters have touted it as a surefire way to drop pounds fast.

In fact, a 2019 survey of registered dietitian nutritionists ranked the keto diet as the most popular diet in the US. Here's how you can follow the keto diet and critical information to know about its health benefits and risks.

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan. "[It is] low enough in carbohydrates that it would induce ketosis," says David Levitsky, PhD, a professor in the division of nutritional sciences at the Cornell University College of Human Ecology.

Ketosis is a physiological state in which your body burns fat rather than carbohydrates for fuel, which can help some people lose weight.

According to Levitsky, if you're eating keto, you should minimize your intake of carbohydrate-rich foods, such as:

You should also aim to maximize your intake of fatty foods, such as:

Here is an example seven-day Keto meal plan you can follow. However, you should consult with a registered dietitian to determine the right serving size and nutritional breakdowns for your own unique health needs.

Avocados are a good source of healthy fats. Photo by Cathy Scola/Getty Images

Breakfast: Baked avocado with egg and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste

Lunch: Chicken salad with onion, feta cheese, olives, and a small amount of oil-based dressing

Dinner: Beef stew with carrots, shallots, bell peppers, and your choice of herbs and aromatics like thyme and garlic

Roasted chicken is high in protein. Douglas Sacha/Getty images

Breakfast: Whole milk greek yogurt with almonds

Lunch: Roasted chicken breast topped with mozzarella cheese

Dinner: Fish tacos with lettuce wraps instead of tortillas top them with guacamole, pickled red cabbage, radishes, and a squeeze of fresh lime

You can add tuna salad over lettuce. DebbiSmirnoff/Getty Images

Breakfast: Crustless broccoli quiche

Lunch: Tuna salad with avocado, capers, and a small amount of mayo

Dinner: Cauliflower crusted white pizza with cheese (no sauce) and your choice of healthy low-carb toppings like basil, mushrooms, olives, jalapenos, pepperoni, or chicken

Top your omelette with sriracha for added spice. abbesses/Getty Images

Breakfast: Southwest breakfast omelet with cheddar jack cheese, scallions, and bacon

Lunch: Hummus with carrots, bell peppers, and celery wrapped in freshly sliced turkey

Dinner: Riceless (or cauliflower rice) stir fry loaded with chunks of chicken, snap peas, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots with a sprinkle of peanuts

Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. gbh007/Getty Images

Breakfast: Onion and green pepper hash with chicken sausages

Lunch: Deviled eggs with a small side salad

Dinner: Roasted salmon with a side of spicy Brussels sprouts

Stuffed peppers are easy and delicious. BDMcIntosh/Getty Images

Breakfast: Cottage cheese with cup of raspberries

Lunch: Grilled shrimp lettuce wraps topped with a spicy chipotle aioli and side of unsweetened coleslaw

Dinner: Stuffed peppers with seasoned ground turkey and melted cheese on top

Buttered chicken is high in protein. Cavan Images/Getty Images

Breakfast: Breakfast bowl with fried eggs, avocado, chopped green peppers and cauliflower rice

Lunch: Salmon pesto zucchini noodle salad

Dinner: Crockpot butter chicken with plenty of roasted vegetables and no rice

Eating keto may improve your health in a few ways, according to research:

It can help you lose weight. A 2020 meta-analysis found that overweight or obese people lost more weight on the keto diet than they did on low-fat diets, especially those with type 2 diabetes.

Levitsky says that weight loss can help lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels, which is quite beneficial for people with diabetes or high blood pressure, as well as those who may be at risk for these conditions. However, people with type 1 diabetes should not try the keto diet, as it may cause serious side effects.

It can prevent epileptic seizures. The keto diet was originally invented as a possible treatment for epilepsy in the 1920s. Some research in mice has found that it can reduce brain inflammation, though the exact mechanisms for how it can treat seizures in humans are unclear.

A small 2018 study found that 87% of adults with "drug-resistant epilepsy" reported that their quality of life had improved after three months on a keto diet. About 76% had less severe seizures, and more than 50% had fewer seizures overall.

Although eating keto does not have any known "long-term deleterious effects," says Levitsky, it is not without risk. Some risks of the keto diet include:

Therefore, it's best to adhere to the keto diet for a short period of time, Levitsky says. The recommended minimum is two to three weeks the typical length of time it takes to reach a state of ketosis and the recommended maximum is six to 12 months.

Some people should avoid the keto diet entirely. This includes those with existing conditions affecting the following organs or body parts:

The keto diet is a relatively safe and effective way to lose weight in the short term. However, once you incorporate carbs back into your diet, the pounds will likely creep back on, Levitsky says. To lose weight, you should talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian who can help create an individualized plan for your goals.

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An easy 7-day keto meal plan to boost your protein intake and cut carbs - Insider - INSIDER

Intermittent fasting is having a moment. Whether you prefer to eat keto or plant-based or are just trying to make up for some extra indulging over the holidays, everywhere you turn someone is extolling the virtues of this simple, flexible diet strategy, where you eat for a window of time (usually 8 hours) and then fast and let your body go without any food for a longer window (usually 14 to 16 hours). This allows your your body to metabolize the food you eat and then shift from burning that as its fuel to burning fat for fuel.

Adam Sandler to Kourtney Kardshian swear by intermittent fasting for weight management and other health benefits, according to the founders of Zero, the worlds most popular fasting app with 7 million users. Launched byDr. Peter Attia, a fasting expert, this app's popularity shows that it's not always as intuitive as itsounds, and some people need a little helpful coaching, insights, tracking, custom plans, in order to make intermittent fasting work.

If you're one of the millions of intermittent fasters who havetried it recently and not had great luck with it, or didn't see the weight drop off, there may be simple shifts you can make (like what you're eating during the on hours) to get the results you crave.

If you need a little help losing weight and eating healthier, while you're intermittent fasting, an all you're hearing is how "great" and easy it is from friends, we say turn to a source you trust, since expert advice is always the way to go. We asked Nicole Grant, RD, CNSC the lead dietician for the Zero Fasting app, the most popular IF coach in the app store, for her best tips on how to do IF right

Nicole Grant:While some people believe that fasting is another fad diet, the practice has been going on for centuries. So, it isnt an entirely new concept. However, I believe the uptick in popularity has come from a wider understanding of the non-weight loss related benefits. There are so many other positive outcomes from IF that can be experienced including boosted energy, reduced inflammation, accelerated cellular repair, improved body composition, and it can even be an effective tool to mitigate risk for metabolic syndrome.

Nicole Grant: Every individual body responds to fasting a little differently, due to genetics, current health, pre-existing conditions, and lifestyle, to name a few. However, for an average healthy person, there is a general timeline of expected metabolic responses. Between 0 and 4 hours after a meal, your body is still going through the process of digesting, utilizing and storing the last thing you ate. It takes the carbohydrates, protein and fat you consumed and turns them into glucose, amino acids and fatty acids to be used as energy or to be stored for later use. Once your body shifts out of that anabolic phase, the next 416 hours are dedicated to catabolism, [the breaking down of food into smaller molecules to burn as energy] lowering of blood glucose, lowering insulin levels, and triggering glucagon, to start breaking down glycogen (stored glucose in the body).

Between16 and 24 hours is generally when fat burning starts to become more dominant and 24+ hours is when we start seeing the body switch to a ketogenic state, where many of the longevity benefits start coming into play. Exactly which benefits you will experience depends on the duration of your fast as well as many of the individualized characteristics noted above (health, genetics, etc.). We suggest establishing a plan and approach thats best for your health, lifestyle, and specific goals in order to achieve the results you want.

Nicole Grant: We dont like to promote IF as a diet for rapid weight loss. Instead fasting should be seen as a tool that can be used in conjunction with better nutrition, exercise and other lifestyle practices to enhance overall health in a prolonged, sustainable way.In addition to that, we encourage people to establish and understand their why for fasting. By identifying what each individual wants to accomplish with fasting and having a clear goal in mind, it will help them to make safe and informed choices about what type of fasting and duration is right for them.

If the goal is to lose weight, the individual also needs to keep in mind where they are starting at, from a health perspective. Those who have more severe metabolic issues or who have more weight to lose will likely respond differently than those who start out a bit healthier.

Nicole Grant: The biggest pitfalls of fasting are the misconceptions that surround the practiceits not just a weight-loss strategy. There are many different benefits to fasting as outlined above, and based on the persons goal, fasting can provide different results and outcomes for people.Fasting is also not always the best choice for everyone. We do not recommend fasting for those who are Type I diabetic, pregnant or have had a history of disordered eating. In addition, those who take medications and supplements should also consult with a doctor prior to fasting to discuss any possible precautions that may need to be taken.

Nicole Grant: Zero acts as a personalized fasting coach that offers expert insights, tips, education, and resources for users. It also includes various helpful features, the timer feature for example is very popular and reminds users when they are able to break their fasts. Zero also recently announced Challenges which offers a fun way to stay motivated! Through Challenges, users can fast alongside Zero experts, invite friends to join, and achieve their goals.

Nicole Grant: When breaking a fast, consuming protein in the first meal is important because it helps to initiate the rebuild and repair phase. Some recommended plant-based options include organic, fermented soy, sprouted nuts/seeds and possibly some legumes/grains if those are tolerated and digested well in that individual. In addition, general nutrition guidelines of choosing whole foods, low in added sugars, and minimally processed items will be important to focus on outside of a fast.

Nicole Grant:One reason why I think fasting has become more mainstream is that it isnt a diet, its a practice that can be incorporated into a healthy way of eating throughout someones lifespan, and has a low barrier of entry. You dont have to pay for a system or regiment, its truly putting intention behind when you eat.

Unlike diets where people are on the program for a certain duration of time and then they revert back to their old eating habits, fasting is a timeless practice that can be used to benefit a variety of people.

The most popular fasting zone is catabolic,where you break down energy in the body, followed by anabolic where you build up muscle, followed by fat-burning, autophagy and finally deep ketosis.

According to data, a 16:8 fast is the most popular, where you fast for 16 hours and eat within the next 8, followed by 18:6 (fasting for 18 hours, eating in a 6-hour window), then 20:4, and then 13:11.Ascertain your best rhythm. Figure out what type of fast works best for you.

Setting goals is key to a successful fast. Managing weight is the #1 goal of those who fast, followed by increased energy, increased clarity, increased longevity, and finally detoxing.

Time isn't enough. Time restriction, caloric restriction and dietary restriction are the three variables that you should be keeping in mind when fasting, according to Dr. Attia, chief medical officer for Zero. "Time restriction is when you eat, when you dont eat; calorie restriction is how much; dietary is what you eat. The right way to do this is to have a strategy for all three and cycle through them."

People want to be healthier in quarantine and IF can help.Zero saw an uptake of 3M+ sign-ups since March, when the pandemic forced people into their homes for work and play, and your home became y our gym, so fitness and diet apps had a surge in popularity.

Continue reading here:
Intermittent Fasting Not Working? Here's What Could Be Going Wrong, By an RD - The Beet

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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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.

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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)

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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:

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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.

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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.

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