Bernard J. Wolfson September 9, 2020

If your life these days is anything like mine, a pre-pandemic routine that included regular exercise and disciplined eating has probably given way to sedentary evenings on a big chair, binge-watching reruns of your favorite TV series while guzzling chocolate ice cream or mac n cheese.

But lets not beat ourselves up about it. Several doctors I spoke with recently said most of their patients and many of their colleagues are struggling to maintain healthy habits amid the anxiety of the pandemic. The Quarantine 15 (pounds, that is) is a real phenomenon.

The double challenge of protecting our health, including our immune systems, while battling unhealthy temptations is a struggle everyone is dealing with, says Dr. David Kilgore, director of the integrative medicine program at the University of California-Irvine.

Well before COVID-19, more than 40% of U.S. adults were obese, which puts them at risk for COVID-19s worst outcomes. But even people accustomed to physical fitness and good nutrition are having trouble breaking the bad habits theyve developed over the past five months.

Karen Clark, a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, discovered competitive rowing later in life, and her multiple weekly workouts burned off any excess calories she consumed. But the pandemic changed everything: She could no longer meet up with her teammates to row and stopped working out at the YMCA.

Suddenly, she was cooped up at home. And, as for many people, that led to a more sedentary lifestyle, chained to the desk, with no meetings outside the house or walks to lunch with colleagues.

I reverted to comfort food and comfortable routines and watching an awful lot of Netflix and Amazon Prime, just like everybody else, Clark says. When I gained 10 pounds and I was 25, I just cut out the beer and ice cream for a week. When you gain 12 pounds at 62, its a long road back.

She started along that road in July, when she stopped buying chips, ice cream and other treats. And in August, she rediscovered the rowing machine in her basement.

But dont worry if you lack Clarks discipline, or a rowing machine. You can still regain some control over your life.

A good way to start is to establish some basic daily routines, since in many cases thats exactly what the pandemic has taken away, says Dr. W. Scott Butsch, director of obesity medicine at the Cleveland Clinics Bariatric and Metabolic Institute. He recommends you bookend your day with physical activity, which can be as simple as a short walk in the morning and a longer one after work.

And, especially if you have kids at home who will be studying remotely this fall, prepare your meals at the beginning of the day, or even the beginning of the week, he says.

If you havent exercised in a while, start slow and gradually get yourself up to where you can tolerate an elevated heart rate, says Dr. Leticia Polanco, a family medicine doctor with the South Bay Primary Medical Group, just south of San Diego. If your gym is closed or you cant get together with your regular exercise buddies, there are plenty of ways to get your body moving at home and in your neighborhood, she says.

Go for a walk, a run or a bike ride, if one of those activities appeals to you. Though many jurisdictions across the United States require residents to wear masks when out in public, it may not be necessary and may even be harmful to some people with respiratory conditions while doing strenuous exercise.

Its clearly hard to exercise with a mask on, says Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases at Stanford Universitys School of Medicine. We go hiking up in the foothills and we take our masks with us and we dont wear them unless somebody starts coming the other way. Then we will put the mask on, and then we take it off and we keep going.

If you prefer to avoid the mask question altogether, think of your house as a cleverly disguised gym. Put on music and dance, or hula-hoop, Polanco suggests. You can also pump iron if you have dumbbells, or find a cable TV station with yoga or other workout programs.

If you search on the internet for exercise videos, you will find countless workouts for beginners and experienced fitness buffs alike. Try one of the seven-minute workout apps so popular these days. You can download them from Google Play or the Apple Store.

If you miss the camaraderie of exercising with others, virtual fitness groups might seem like a pale substitute, but they can provide motivation and accountability, as well as livestreamed video workouts with like-minded exercisers. One way to find such groups is to search for virtual fitness community.

Many gyms are also offering live digital fitness classes and physical training sessions, often advertised on their websites.

If group sports is your thing, you may or may not have options, depending on where you live.

In Los Angeles, indoor and outdoor group sports in municipal parks are shut down until further notice. The only sports allowed are tennis and golf.

In Montgomery County, Maryland, the Ron Schell Draft League, a softball league for men 50 and older, will resume play early this month after sitting out the spring season due to COVID-19, says Dave Hyder, the leagues commissioner.

But he says it has been difficult to get enough players because of worries about COVID.

In the senior group, you have quite a lot of people who are in a high-risk category or may have a spouse in a high-risk category, and they dont want to chance playing, says Hyder, 67, who does plan to play.

Players will have to stay at least 6 feet apart and wear masks while off the field. On the field, the catcher is the only player required to wear a mask. Thats because masks can steam up glasses or slip, causing impaired vision that could be dangerous to base runners or fielders, Hyder explains.

Whatever form of exercise you choose, remember it wont keep you healthy unless you also reduce consumption of fatty and sugary foods that can raise your risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension all COVID-19 risk factors.

Kim Guess, a dietitian at UC-Berkeley, recommends that people lay in a healthy supply of beans and lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds, as well as frozen vegetables, tofu, tempeh and canned fish, such as tuna and salmon.

Start with something really simple, she said. It could even be a vegetable side dish to go with what theyre used to preparing.

Whatever first steps you decide to take, now is a good time to start eating better and moving your body more.

Staying healthy is so important these days, more than at any other time, because we are fighting this virus which doesnt have a treatment, says the Cleveland Clinics Butsch. The treatment is our immune system.

This KHN story first published onCalifornia Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

This story can be republished for free (details).

Subscribe to KHN's free Morning Briefing.

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Exercise and Diet Are More Important Than Ever With Virus at Large - Exercise and Diet Are More Important Than Ever With Virus at Large Bernard J....

The fusion of work-life-school and at-home togetherness is taking its toll on the best of us. Our workdays are longer, with the break normally found in a commute, no matter how short, reduced to a few steps from bed to makeshift office. Working mothers, in particular, are adding to their regular jobs by shouldering much of the burden of housework and childcare. Unless we are deliberate about it, it can be easy to let our boundaries slip away.

Healthy boundaries are essential to any relationship, including the ones you have at work. Your personal limits are an expression of your values. They let others know what you care about and how you define acceptable and unacceptable behavior. While it seems simple enough, for many of us setting boundaries, and enforcing them, is challenging.

Of course, in your professional life, theres the extra factor of how to meet your personal needs without putting your paycheck at risk. Responding to a boss or client who oversteps can be more stressful than dealing with a friend or partner where you feel like youre on an equal footing.

Here are some strategies to try if setting and enforcing boundaries is challenging for you.

Treating your coworkers with respect is fundamental. When you recognize and abide by their boundaries, theyre more likely to reciprocate.

Take care of your mental and physical well-being and feel confident about your worth. Eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. Remember your accomplishments and treat yourself like a close friend.

If you want others to honor your boundaries, its important for you to understand them first. Think about your core values and priorities. How will you react if someone keeps asking you to do something that makes you uncomfortable?

Be prepared to discuss your position. Whats important to you, what your values are, may be different from whats important to your boss or client. Communicate with each other instead of making assumptions.

Offer compromises and alternatives that allow everyone to meet their needs. Maybe youd be happy to work some hours on the weekend to make time to help your child with schoolwork.

There may be some issues where you just need to draw the line. Let the other person know your reasons when you think that youre being asked to do something impractical or even unethical, and again, see if there are alternatives you can offer up.

Overall, learn to advocate for yourself. Keep track of your accomplishments. Ask for feedback to help you evaluate your performance. When it is time to set a boundary, do it with confidence.

You might be tempted to let some violations slide, but consider the consequences. Others are more likely to recognize your limits if you stick to them.

You need to protect your time as well as your self-esteem. Let others know what hours youre available for office matters instead of checking emails, texts, and phone messages around the clock. For example, leave wherever you are and go out for lunch. Check out when you are on vacation.

We may think that setting boundaries will damage our careers or hurt our reputations, but the reality is that when its done the right way, we do just the opposite. Setting boundaries enables us to be more productive by saying no to things that waste our time. We improve our relationships with colleagues by opening lines of communication and clarifying expectations; and we reduce stress, increase satisfaction in our jobs, and create a greater sense of overall well-being. And right now, who couldnt do with that?

Amy Kanis a leadership coach, with a focus on womens advancement and authentic leadership.

Excerpt from:
9 easy ways to set boundaries at work to improve your life - Fast Company

Where I stopped reading the email:

In these unprecedented times, we are all feeling additional stress, from concerns about catching a frightening disease to wondering how we are going to educate our children as we work from home. And that is why it is especially important now, more than ever, to look after ourselves, slow down and take the time to think about artichokes

How was your weekend? I hope you are staying healthy!

It is a difficult time for us all. Studies show that Americans have gained an average of 16 pounds since the beginning of the COVID-19 virus. But our scientists at Nosuch Laboratories have been working hard on developing healthy and nutritious ways to satisfy our anxious cravings with foods that are healthy and nutritious.

Everybody loves chocolate, right? Youre probably familiar with carob, the natural chocolate substitute. Now were happy to announce the introduction of CARE-OB, a new healthy alternative to carob

Good morning! In these unprecedented times, we are all finding ways to eat right and stay healthy. Fiber is beneficial to us all, and is an important part of any diet. That is why I am superexcited to introduce our new line of cabbage-based liqueurs

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Neman: Where I stopped reading the email - STLtoday.com

Benefits of Coconut Milk: We all crave to have a refreshing drink after a long, tiring day at work. We all have that surge to sip on a cooling, hydrating drink dont we? So, why not try something new, get over the regular lemonade, and try Coconut Milk! The thick, milk-like fluid comes from the white flesh of mature brown coconuts, a fruit of the coconut tree. Also Read - Mediterranean Diet May Protect Against Rheumatoid Arthritis Suggest Studies

It has many benefits to offer- coconut milk has a thick consistency and a rich, creamy texture. People down south commonly use this milk to prepare multiple cuisines. And it is a common ingredient across the world. A lot of people prepare smoothies, pouring it into their coffees, desserts, and rich sauces. Also Read - COVID-19:Experts Says Obese Young Adults More Likely To Get Affected From The Deadly Virus

Just FYI, Coconut water and Coconut milk are not the same, coconut water is usually found in green coconuts. Coconut water is the clear liquid that comes out of the young and green coconut. Although, coconut water also has great health benefits. Also Read - 7 Indian Destinations For Solo Travel If You Are A Woman

The coconut milk is prepared by grating flesh from a brown coconut and soaking it in water, straining it to produce a milk-like consistency.

Did you if you consume Coconut milk in moderation, it can be beneficial for your health as well as your beauty regime? Coconut flesh is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5, and B6, and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. It is lactose-free, so if you want to switch from regular cows milk, heres a substitute. A lot of vegans opt for coconut milk.

Here we give you five benefits of adding that sweet coconut milk to your diet:

1. Good for your Heart: Coconut milk is rich in lauric acid, which might have a positive effect on cholesterol levels in men and women.

2. Can help you lose those extra kilos: According to a study, Coconuts have 12% medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), and capric and caprylic acid which do not get stored as fat in your body. It also helps in promoting the production of ketones and induces satiety, which may help in reducing a few kilos.

3. Repairs damaged and dry hair: Coconut has moisturizing properties that can be used to treat dry, itchy scalp. Massage the coconut milk for 5 minutes, followed by a hot towel that will help moisturize your hair. Coconut Milk also helps in promoting hair growth, it has essential nutrients that will promote hair growth.

4. Say Bye-Bye to Acne: The fats in the coconut milk do not clog pores of the skin which helps in preventing Acne. Did you know by applying coconut milk on your face you can prevent aging? Well, it does. It has vitamin C which helps to maintain the elasticity and flexibility of your skin.

5. Helps in controlling Diabetes: It helps to control blood glucose levels, it also has antioxidants properties that maintain insulin secretion in the body.

Experience this tasty milk alternative today!

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Benefits of Coconut Milk: 5 Best Ways to Add Coconut Milk to Your Diet For Better Health - India.com

Plant-based or cultivated seafood is a small sector, but a growing one, according to The Good Food Institutes 2019 U.S. State of the Industry Report on Plant-Based Meat, Eggs and Dairy.

In 2019, there were numerous product launches, including New York-based Good Catchs plant-based tuna, which debuted at Whole Foods Market, Thrive Market and Fairway Markets. Meanwhile, New York-based Ocean Hugger Foods showcased its own plant-based tuna, Ahimi, and launched a plant-based eel product at the National Restaurant Association show. The new product is created by altering the texture and flavor of eggplant to resemble that of freshwater eel, or unagi.

Family-owned Van Cleve Seafood Co., based in Spotsylvania, Va., launched a plant-based line, Wild.Skinny.Clean, with Crab-less Cakes and plant-based pink shrimp. Tyson Ventures investment in San Francisco-based New Wave Foods, the first major investment by a conventional meat company in the plant-based seafood space, opened a door for the Springdale, Ark.-based meat company. For a company like Tyson, seafood has been out of reach in the past, because of production systems. Plant-based seafood can be produced in the same facility as other plant-based meat products, however, making it practical for Tyson.

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The Fight for the Center of the Plate - Progressive Grocer

ADELAIDE, Australia For most meat eaters, theres nothing better than a perfectly cooked steak. Unfortunately, a new report says grilling red meat is also cooking up trouble for your heart. A University of South Australia study finds certain cooking methods produce a compound that may increase the risks for heart disease, stroke, and diabetic complications.

When red meat is seared at high temperatures, such as grilling, roasting or frying, it creates compounds called advanced glycation end products or AGEs which when consumed, can accumulate in your body and interfere with normal cell functions, researcher Dr. Permal Deo says in a university release.

Researchers reveal red and processed meats which undergo high-heat caramelization see a significant rise in AGEs. Eating these meats can increase a persons daily AGE intake by 25 percent. The study warns this increase can contribute to vascular and myocardial stiffening, inflammation and oxidative stress all signs of degenerative disease.

Researchers look at the impact of two distinct diets, one full of red meat and one high in whole grains, dairy, nuts, and white meat. The diet with white meat also avoids grilling foods, choosing to steam, boil, stew, and poach the proteins instead.

The study finds participants eating a diet with red meat and processed grains have much higher AGE levels in their blood. Although researchers are still working to figure out how exactly AGEs affect your health, they add red meat plays a major role in putting AGEs in your system.

The message is pretty clear: if we want to reduce heart disease risk, we need to cut back on how much red meat we eat or be more considered about how we cook it, co-researcher Peter Clifton adds. If you want to reduce your risk of excess AGEs, then slow cooked meals could be a better option for long-term health.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death worldwide. According to the CDC, heart disease accounts for one out of every four deaths in the United States each year.

The study appears in the journal Nutrients.

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Red meat even worse for you when you cook it on the grill, study says - Study Finds

Gerrit Cole has a home run problem.

Look, the New York Yankees have plenty of issues, and Cole is hardly the biggest of them, but when you sign the most lucrative contract for a pitcher in baseball history, the expectations are skyscraping, especially in New York and for a storied franchise that has not been to the World Series since 2009.

Cole is 4-3 with a 3.63 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 52 innings heading into Thursday's start against the Orioles, who happen to be improbably breathing down the necks of the Yankees for the eighth and final playoff spot in the American League. As Cole has slumped so have the Yankees. He's 0-3 in his past four starts, and the Yankees have lost all four of those games in the midst of a 5-15 slump that led general manager Brian Cashman to head to Buffalo to give the team a pep talk. New York finally got back in the win column Wednesday.

David Schoenfield joins Buster to talk about the struggles of the Yankees in general and Gary Sanchez in particular, among other topics. Listen

The number that stands out for Cole is 13 home runs allowed. That rate over 212 innings, which is how many he pitched for Houston in 2019, translates to 53 home runs. To put that in perspective, the only pitcher to allow 50 or more home runs in a season was Bert Blyleven, who allowed 50 for the Twins in 1986.

Cole entered the season as the consensus Cy Young favorite in the AL after a dominant campaign with the Astros in which he won his final 19 regular-season decisions and set a record for starting pitchers with a 39.9% strikeout rate.

What has happened?

It isn't just the home runs. Cole's strikeout rate, though still impressive, is down to 32.9%, his average exit velocity allowed has increased from 87.6 mph to 91.1 (which puts him in the bottom 10% of all pitchers), and he has pitched seven innings just once in nine starts after doing so 15 times in 33 starts last season.

Let's dig in to some of the numbers, starting with what has happened on those 13 home runs:

July 23: Adam Eaton, 2-2 count, 98.1 mph fastball (406 feet to RF)

Staked to a 2-0 lead over the Nationals in the top of the first, Cole wanted to go up in the zone but left the pitch middle-in, and the second batter he faced in his Yankees career hit it out.

2 Related

July 29: Dwight Smith Jr., 0-0 count, 95.7 mph fastball (389 feet to RF)

This one came late in the game on Cole's 101st pitch with the Yankees holding a 7-1 lead over the Orioles. Smith turned on an inside fastball at the knees.

Aug. 3: Jay Bruce, 3-2 count, 98.7 mph fastball (418 feet to RC)

A third-inning home run that tied the game 1-1, this pitch was up in the zone, though over the middle of the plate, and the Phillies' Bruce knocked it into the bullpen at Yankee Stadium.

Aug. 8: Jose Martinez, 2-0 count, 96.1 mph fastball (428 feet to LC)

Cole really had to work against the Rays, as Martinez's home run came on his 107th pitch, even though it was only the fifth inning. Martinez was sitting fastball up in the count, and Cole threw one right down the middle.

Aug. 14: Alex Verdugo, 1-1 count, curveball (375 feet to RF)

As with the previous four home runs, the Yankees were ahead when Cole allowed this one. It was a curveball in off the plate, with a strike probability of just 21%, but Verdugo golfed it into the second deck at Yankee Stadium for the Red Sox.

Aug. 19: Ji-Man Choi, 2-1 count, changeup (413 feet to RC)

With this flat changeup on the outer third of the plate, Choi displayed impressive raw power by reaching for the pitch and crushing it well into the bleachers at Yankee Stadium. The second-inning home run gave the Rays a 1-0 lead.

From the games that matter most to what the matchups would be if the season ended today, we get you ready for baseball's wild sprint to the finish.MLB Playoff Push

Aug. 19: Mike Zunino, 1-2 count, 97.8 mph fastball (428 feet to CF)

This was an awful pitch to a bad hitter. Zunino hit .104 with two strikes in 2019. He's hitting .119 with two strikes in 2020. Catcher Gary Sanchez wanted the pitch away, but Cole threw this one dead center, and Zunino hit it out to center field.

Aug. 26: Ronald Acuna Jr., 3-2 count, 97.3 mph fastball (473 feet to LC)

Facing the first Braves hitter of the game, Cole threw a good fastball on the outside corner. Acuna didn't miss it, hitting a 114 mph rocket.

Aug. 26: Dansby Swanson, 2-1 count, slider (354 feet to RF)

Cole fanned Swanson earlier in the game with a steady diet of power sliders, and he threw a good one on 1-1 on the outside corner, but the umpire called it a ball. Cole came back with another slider, but it didn't move at all and hung up in the zone, and Swanson got enough to send it into the first row of seats. Really, this was the first semi-cheap home run Cole had given up.

Aug. 26: Marcell Ozuna, 1-1 count, curveball (469 feet to LC)

Two batters after Swanson, Ozuna gave the Braves a 4-0 lead with another mammoth home run off Cole's knuckle-curve that kind of rolled over the middle of the plate.

Aug. 31: Ji-Man Choi, 1-2 slider (360 feet to RF)

Choi didn't hit it all that hard -- at 95.3 mph, this is the "softest" of the 13 home runs -- but he snuck it into the second row of the short porch at Yankee Stadium to give the Rays a 2-0 first-inning lead. The hit made Choi 7-for-11 lifetime against Cole, with three home runs and three doubles. Go figure.

Aug. 31: Kevin Kiermaier, 1-1 count, 97 mph fastball (411 feet to RF)

"Gerrit Cole is kind of in shock right now," Yankees announcer Paul O'Neill said after Kiermaier's 110 mph blast on an inside fastball -- his hardest-hit ball of the season.

Baseball is back! You can watch 2020's 60-game sprint all season on ESPN.

Sunday, Sept. 13Astros at Dodgers, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 16Dodgers at Padres, 4 p.m.Mets at Phillies, 7 p.m.

On ESPN and the ESPN App; all times ET.Don't have ESPN? Get instant access.

Sept. 5: DJ Stewart, 1-0 count, 96 mph fastball (353 feet to RF)

A towering fly ball to right field at Camden Yards -- with a 43-degree launch angle -- Stewart's first hit of the season broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning. Cole then fell apart after an error extended the inning and allowed four unearned runs following Stewart's home run.

"I try to take the good stuff from it, but in the end, especially right now, I just feel like it wasn't good enough," Cole said after the game. "Some really nice pitches tonight, some really nice sequences, but in the end, when the pitches mattered, we kind of fizzled out."

Eight of the 13 home runs Cole has allowed have come on fastballs, but only two have come when Cole was ahead in the count. That's kind of what you might expect: Cole is still pretty untouchable with two strikes, so hitters will try to jump the fastball, especially when ahead in the count. Of course, that was the approach hitters used last year as well, when 17 of the 29 home runs Cole allowed came off his four-seamer.

As you can see from the pitch locations listed above, Cole's command within the strike zone hasn't been quite as elite as we've seen in the past, and he has left too many fastballs in hittable locations. His swing-and-miss rate on his fastball is what jumps out to me:

2019: 37.6%2020: 25.0%

Fewer fastballs in the right location leads not just to fewer swing-and-misses but also to more counts favorable to hitters, which means they can sit on the fastball. Also, Cole's average fastball velocity is down a tick, from 97.1 to 96.5, which could be a minor factor.

Current playoff bracket, key games ESPN+ Stock Watch | MLB standings Predictions | Handicapping the NL race

Maybe he's simply throwing too many meatballs? We can tally the number of fastballs determined to be "mid-mid" of the strike zone -- meatball location, in other words. In 2019, 10% of Cole's fastballs were mid-mid; in 2020, it's ... 10%. So that's not the issue. (Batters are doing a little more damage on those pitchers, however. In 2019, Cole allowed six home runs all season on mid-mid fastballs. He has already allowed four in 2020.)

The skeptics out there could suggest that Cole is missing the Astros' secret sauce -- their infamous ability to get pitchers to increase their spin rates on fastballs. This is what Trevor Bauer insinuated a couple of years ago, when he tweeted in reference to the Astros, "If only there was just a really quick way to increase spin rate."

Well ... Cole's spin rate on his four-seam fastball is down very slightly, from 2,530 rpms to 2,503. That doesn't seem like a big factor, but the vertical drop on his fastball has increased from 10.9 inches to 11.6, which means it isn't holding its plane quite as well. That's how you get so many swing-and-misses on those fastballs up in the zone.

These are all minor issues. It's also just nine starts. It's worth noting that through his first nine starts last season, Cole was 4-4 with a 3.88 ERA. He had one more bad outing a couple of starts after that, and then he went 16-0 with a 1.78 ERA in his final 22 outings.

Of course, Cole doesn't have four months to make his adjustments this year. He (along with a few of his teammates) needs to make them now.

See the rest here:
New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has a home run problem. What's going on? - ESPN

In a season when we would usually be out cheering on our local sports teams, we are spending more time at home and repeating a new mantra: Wash your hands, practice social distancing, wear a mask.

But what if you could play offense instead of defense to fend off colds and viruses? What if adjusting your daily habits could build your immunity to help your body fend off illness, not only this year but every year?

Thats not only possible, says Katie Moksnes Bowman, its something she encourages her patients to do every day.

Stress is the number one way we increase inflammation in the body, says Moksnes Bowman, a licensed acupuncturist and Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) for Northwestern Health Sciences University. She says inflammation can affect digestion, sleep patterns, pain, and your bodys immunity.

The key to improving your immunity is to reduce inflammation in your body.

The amount of stress that has been created from the pandemic is causing issues for people physically and emotionally, she says. In Chinese medicine, your digestion matters, sleep matters, your immune system matters.

When I am in practice with a patient, we talk about sleep, bowels, diet and movement at every single treatment. I really want to work with them where theyre at.

She sees patients ranging from professional athletes to seniors with mobility issues and everyone in between, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment.

In Chinese medicine, we really view the body as a whole, she says. For example, if a patient has shoulder pain, Moksnes Bowman proceeds knowing the shoulder does not work independently from the rest of the body.

"The amount of stress that has been created from the pandemic is causing issues for people physically and emotionally. In Chinese medicine, your digestion matters, sleep matters, your immune system matters." Kate Moksnes Bowman, Northwestern Health Sciences University

If you are not digesting your foods properly, if youre not getting a good nights sleep, she says, I can do a ton of work on your shoulder, but its not going to repair well.

To help patients improve their health and build their immunity, she suggests small changes in diet and exercise, such as drinking enough water, reducing caffeine and sugar consumption, adding anti-inflammatory foods to their diet, and getting more movement every day.

I am not going to overhaul your whole diet, she says. If you do not want to stop eating pizza, I cannot make you stop eating pizza. But she might suggest that you try goat cheese on your pizza or sample a cauliflower crust.

I see myself as a reminder person, she says. I have patients come in and I say, How did your diet go this week? Did you eat something green? That means a plant, you know, not a green Jolly Rancher.

That question always gets a laugh, but the point is that little changes can make a difference in reducing inflammation and improving immunity.

When we are talking about diet and exercise, both of those things reduce inflammation and so does sleeping. Sleeping is a time to repair your body, Moksnes Bowman says. Asked what tops her list as the most important step, she says: Its not a hierarchy for me. Its more of a circle than a list, because all of those things are going to influence the next thing.

Small adjustments in diet and exercise are something patients do on their own between clinic visits, where Moksnes Bowman and other practitioners offer a range of therapies, from acupuncture and massage to cupping, Gua Sha, herbal medicine and even recipes to help improve your immunity.

If you have a lot of stress and are getting the common cold five times a winter, I would suggest you consider herbal medicine, she says. She advises against buying supplements in the grocery aisle. Seek a health professional who is specialized before taking Vitamin D, C or Elderberry syrup. They are all really good things, but theyre not always the right thing for everybody. Its always important to make sure you are taking the right amount.

Creating good sleep habits and a good sleeping environment are important, too. If you are on your phone or watching TV at night, the blue light from the device stimulates a part of the brain that doesn't allow you to fall asleep as well, she says.

Improved diet and exercise, combined with acupuncture or other types of Chinese medicine, can reduce inflammation over time by increasing blood flow and releasing endorphins, which Moksnes Bowman describes as that calm, happy hormone. That is our own bodys way of reducing pain in the body.

And that calm, happy hormone can lead to a good nights sleep, as described in a text from one of Moksnes Bowmans patients, who said: I cant believe how much my sleep improved by getting acupuncture.

The results arent anecdotal, she says. Sleep-tracking devices demonstrate that acupuncture can improve sleep; they record how well and deeply you are sleeping and if you are waking frequently during the night.

And while youre getting those extra ZZZs, your body is resting and fortifying its immunity.

One of the side effects of social distancing and working from home has been an increase in loneliness. Moksnes Bowman says that after a brief shutdown of the NWHSU Bloomington Clinic several months ago, she noticed two things when the clinic reopened: Patients who had missed appointments were in pain, and they were lonely.

People wanted to talk for so long, she says. I made my treatments a bit longer so patients could just talk, because people were feeling lonely.

She and other practitioners frequently refer patients to therapists, Tai Chi or Pilates instructors or others when they see an opportunity to help the patient move, relax or sort things out. Taking a deep breath and getting some release is also good for building a sense of well-being.

Think of amping up your immune system as the ultimate DIY project. Add some green to your diet, make sure you drink enough water, cut out some caffeine and get enough sleep for starters, and then add some acupuncture or massage. Together those steps can help fortify your immunity.

And keep in mind that this year, none of that replaces the need to frequently wash your hands, socially distance wherever possible and wear a mask when its not.

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Located in Bloomington,Northwestern Health Sciences Universityis a pioneer in integrative natural health care education, offering degree programs in chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, medical assisting, medical laboratory programs, post-bac/pre-health, radiation therapy, and B.S. completion. At press time, itsBloomington clinicis open to the public and services include chiropractic care, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, naturopathic medicine, Bloomington Clinic offers integrative, natural care for the entire family in one location.

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Immune-Boosting Strategies to Stay Ahead of the Cold - Mpls.St.Paul Magazine

Thomas L. Friedman| New York Times

About four years ago, without asking anybody, I changed my job description. It used to be New York Times foreign affairs columnist. Instead, I started calling myself the New York Times humiliation and dignity columnist. I even included it on my business card.

It had become so obvious to me that so much of what Id been doing since I became a journalist in 1978 was reporting or opining about people, leaders, refugees, terrorists and nation-states acting out on their feelings of humiliation and questing for dignity the two most powerful human emotions.

I raise this now because the success of Joe Bidens campaign against Donald Trump may ride on his ability to speak to the sense of humiliation and quest for dignity of many Trump supporters, which Hillary Clinton failed to do.

It has been obvious ever since Trump first ran for president that many of his core supporters actually hate the people who hate Trump, more than they care about Trump or any particular action he takes, no matter how awful.

The media feed Trumps supporters a daily diet of how outrageous this or that Trump action is but none of it diminishes their support. Because many Trump supporters are not attracted to his policies. Theyre attracted to hisattitude his willingness and evident delight in skewering the people they hate and who they feel look down on them.

Humiliation, in my view, is the most underestimated force in politics and international relations. The poverty of dignity explains so much more behavior than the poverty of money.

People will absorb hardship, hunger and pain. They will be grateful for jobs, cars and benefits. But if you make people feel humiliated, they will respond with a ferocity unlike any other emotion, or just refuse to lift a finger for you. As Nelson Mandela once observed, There is nobody more dangerous than one who has been humiliated.

By contrast, if you show people respect, if you affirm their dignity, it is amazing what they will let you say to them or ask of them. Sometimes it just takes listening to them, but deep listening not just waiting for them to stop talking. Because listening is the ultimate sign of respect. What you say when you listen speaks more than any words.

Ive seen firsthand the power of humiliation in foreign policy: Vladimir Putins macho act after Russias humiliation at losing the Cold War; Iraqi Sunnis who felt humiliated by a U.S. invasion force that pushed them out of Iraqs army and government, stripping them of rank and status; Israeli Sephardic Jews who felt humiliated by Ashkenazi Jewish elites, something Bibi Netanyahu has long manipulated; Palestinians feeling humiliated at Israeli checkpoints; Muslim youth in Europe feeling humiliated by the Christian majority; and China questing to become the worlds dominant power, after what Chinese themselves call their century of humiliation at the hands of foreign powers.

When George Floyd was being held down by three policemen, one with a knee on his neck, as he pleaded for his mother and onlookers filmed on their phones, he was not just being restrained he was being humiliated. Resistance to the daily humiliations of racism has fueled the Black civil rights movement from its inception to Black Lives Matter.

In a much talked-about new book, The Tyranny of Merit: Whats Become of the Common Good? Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel (disclosure: he is a close friend) says the politics of humiliation is also at the heart of Trumps appeal.

Trump was elected by tapping a wellspring of anxieties, frustrations and legitimate grievances to which the mainstream parties had no compelling answer, Sandel notes. These grievances are not only economic but also moral and cultural; they are not only about wages and jobs but also about social esteem.

Unless Biden finds a way to speak to the sense of humiliation felt by many working-class voters, Sandel warns, even Trumps failure to deal with the pandemic may not be enough to turn these voters against him. The reason? Resentment borne of humiliation is the most potent political sentiment of all, Sandel explains.

Sandel argues that the polarized politics of our time, and the resentments that fuel it, arise, paradoxically, from a seemingly attractive ideal the meritocratic promise that if you work hard and go to college, you will rise. But this ideal sends a double message.

It congratulates the winners but denigrates the losers, he writes, because it creates the impression that a college degree is a precondition for dignified work and social esteem while devaluing the contributions of those without a diploma. This has led many working people to feel that elites look down on them, creating the conditions for the politics of humiliation that Trump exploits.

Elites have so valorized a college degree both as an avenue for advancement and as the basis for social esteem that they have difficulty understanding the hubris a meritocracy can generate, and the harsh judgment it imposes on those who have not gone to college, Sandel says.

One of the deepest political divides in American politics today is between those with and those without a college degree. In the 2016 election, Trump won two-thirds of white voters without a college degree.

Trump, who himself had been looked down on by New York City elites, understood that the familiar fight between Democrats and Republicans over how to grow the pie and how to distribute the pie was ignoring a deeper sentiment among many white working-class Americans.

These traditional Democratic voters felt that liberal elites were looking down at them, new immigrants were superseding them and foreigners were laughing at them. And Trump became the fist in the face that his voters threw back at all of them.

Biden is right that Trump botched the pandemic, violated constitutional norms and inflamed racial tensions all good grounds for throwing him out of office, argues Sandel. But Biden could win this argument and still lose the election. He must find a way to show that he understands those who feel disrespected and are drawn to Trump for that reason even though most of his policies dont help them.

How can he change that? Sandel and I put our heads together and thought, well, maybe Biden should go on a tour of Trump country, focusing on rural counties and towns in the Midwest, and just listen to Trumps base, both to learn and as a sign of respect.

Then, at the first presidential debate, Biden should ignore Trump and his buffoonery and speak about what he had learned by talking to likely Trump voters.

Biden could talk about where he agrees with them and where he disagrees with them and why the ultimate sign of respect. That is how Biden can get at least some Trump devotees to see that working-class Joe from Scranton not Billionaire Don, born with a silver spoon in his mouth is the one who really hails from their side of the tracks and can be trusted (a very important word) to look out for them.

When it comes to politics, a lot of people dont listen through their ears. They listen through their gut, and Biden, more than any other Democratic leader today, has the ability to connect there.

Trumps goal in this campaign is to separate Biden from Biden voters by making it as difficult as possible for Biden voters to vote. Bidens goal should be to separate Trump from Trump voters by showing that he respectsthem and their fears even if he does not respect Trump.

Thomas Friedman is a columnist for The New York Times.

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Thomas Friedman: Who can win America's politics of humiliation? - Palm Beach Post

Jennifer Aniston is one of the most beloved and highest paid actresses in Hollywood. However, early on in her career she faced challenges that seem shocking considering how successful she eventually became.

Aniston began working in Hollywood in the early 90s, starring in the 1993 movie Leprechaun and appearing in off-Broadway plays and several television shows. But her life changed forever when the actor scored the role of a lifetime playing Rachel Green on the NBC comedy, Friends.

Getting the part wasnt as easy as it looked. Anistons agent even advised her to lose a significant amount of weight to increase her chances of getting work.

In the beginning of her career, Aniston wasnt getting the roles she craved. She wanted to become an actor just like her mother and father, John Aniston and Nancy Dow. But getting cast in quality productions was trickier than she anticipated.

Saul Austerlitz recalled in the book Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show that Defined a Television Era that Anistons agent gave her some blunt advice about what she could do to get better parts, Cinema Blend reported.

He said, She had to lose thirty pounds if she wanted to stay in Hollywood. Los Angeles was a tough place to be an actress it was a tough place to be a woman and Jennifer Anistons agent was reluctantly leveling with her.

RELATED: Jennifer Aniston Made This 1 Change in Her Diet That Really Made a Difference

The agent allegedly told Aniston that she wasnt overweight, but rather that actors had to lose weight because the camera made everyone look heavier.

Aniston was hardly fat everyone could see she was beautiful but as the show she would one day become indelibly associated with later made a point of noting, the camera added ten pounds, Austerlitz continued.

The Friends alum addressed the conversation during a 1996 interview with Rolling Stone. My agent gave it to me straight, she said. Nicest thing he ever did. The disgusting thing of Hollywood I wasnt getting lots of jobs cause I was too heavy.

Shortly after giving up mayonnaise on white bread and dropping 30 pounds, Aniston got the role of Rachel Green. It was never explicitly stated that she got the role because of weight loss. But thats clearly what she and her agent both think.

These days, Aniston takes pride in consuming a healthful diet and refusing to conform to unrealistic beauty standards. She practices yoga plus incorporates cardio, never pushing herself too hard but still sticking with a schedule.

For meals, Aniston is a fan of intermittent fasting and green juice for breakfast. Her advice for maintaining a healthy diet are simple and timeless. I dont let eating habits get out of control where I need a reset button, Aniston told Yahoo. Its pretty clear: Eat as much organic fruits and veggies as you can, keep sugar [intake] low, drink tons and tons of water, and get good sleep.

The Morning Show star also takes time to meditate and focuses on maintaining both her mental and physical health. Plus, ignoring anyone who tries to say she must reach a certain weight to score a role.

Originally posted here:
Jennifer Aniston Admits She Lost 30 Pounds to Nab Role on 'Friends' -- 'I Wasn't Getting Lots of Jobs 'Cause I Was Too Heavy' - Showbiz Cheat Sheet