By Stan Gudmundson

Peterson, MN

I absolutely despise what the radical left is doing to America and the world today. Tearing down statues, monuments, and trying to destroy history, good and bad, is much like Mao Tse-Tungs Cultural Revolution in its destruction of the old. As if history can be changed.

Their beliefs about and attitudes toward the past are silly. And infuriating. Its as if sanctimonious self-righteous 21st century purity could produce retroactive historical change.

Leftists seem to think that, were they able to change places with our ancestors, they would have believed and behaved differently. Thats fantasy. A case can also be made that revisionist historians suffer from the same delusional malady.

Were they able to do so, they would have had to do exactly the same things they did. Nothing would have been different. Time and circumstances have changed but human nature has not.

When Columbus came to the Americas, he launched an inevitable cultural clash that had to occur sooner or later. He just happened to be first. Moreover, it wasnt just a cultural clash. It was also an ecological clash that continues today as invasive species show us.

We dont exactly know what it was like here before Europeans arrived because the diseases they brought obliterated native American populations. And much of their cultures.

Now, imagine that you are a male child of a couple living in Norway or Sweden in the 1800s. By law, the farm you are grew up on will pass from your parents to your oldest brother. You will have to work for him or someone elses older brother or find other work in a time and place where there wasnt much other work. Going to sea was an option but it was a dangerous way to make a living. To make matters worse, a famine hits, something that periodically strikes Scandinavia. And the rest of the world. About 350,000 people starve to death this time.

Like many, many others you are desperate but have a chance to move to America and start a new life, free of primogeniture and Norways other limitations. You take it. When you arrive you learn English and stop speaking Norwegian. You are never, ever going back to the awful life in the old country.

If you were to be from the United Kingdom, your children will have a chance to grow taller than you because of an improved diet. Like the diet that historically allowed the British royalty to be four or five inches taller than peasants.

Because of the incredible mortality rate, in some parts of the world, children werent named until they were five years old. America offers hope. Maybe you can begin naming your children at birth.

You are joining people confronting stone age cultures now modified by the introduction of European horses and cattle. Moreover, Indian homes werent always static. Many moved often, fleeing from the predations of other tribes. Inter-tribal warfare and conquest is extremely brutal and, many kept slaves. When tribes in the southeast were relocated to Indian territory in Oklahoma, they brought with them at least 3,000 black slaves.

Pekka Hamalainen, in the book Comanche Empire, points out that Indian slave traders even captured Indians and Spaniards sending them to the horrible Caribbean sugar plantations. When the Spaniards once decided to stop trading for slaves, the Comanches killed their captives in front of the Spaniards. They publicly raped the women first as they continued to do after the Spaniards relented and began again trading for the slaves to save lives.

The Comanche tribe, establishing a way of life dominated by horses, controlled the southwest for upwards of 200 years. They could have easily wiped out European settlements in all of Texas, New Mexico, and areas to the north. To an extent, they tolerated them because they needed European trade goods. Especially guns.

Some Indian tribes, anxious to save themselves from Comanches and others came to missions begging to keep them safe. If they could. In exchange, many promised to become and did become Christians.

History is really grim and a mess. The left should stop pretending they are better than and would have behaved differently than our ancestors. They couldnt and wouldnt have.

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The phony criticism of history and our ancestors - Fillmore County Journal

Taking specific stepsto transform national food supply systems can help countries achieve climate goals and limit global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius, a new joint UN report on climate action has found.

Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions for Food Systems, published on Tuesday, by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), WWF, EAT, and Climate Focus, also reveals that nations are missing significant opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It also identifies sixteen ways policymakers could take more action, from farm to fork, to integrate food systems in their national climate strategies, that could also help improve food security.

According to the head of UNEP, while COVID-19 has exposed the fragility of food supply systems, the pandemic has also demonstrated that businesses and people are ready to build back better.

This crisis offers us a chance to radically rethink how we produce and consume food, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, said in a news release announcing the reports findings.

For example, reorienting consumption by halving food waste and catalyzing a shift towards more plant-rich diets, is also a powerful climate mitigation tool to take advantage of. It is up to us to seize this opportunity and put sustainable food systems at the heart of the green recovery, she added.

Improvements by as much as 25 per cent

Currently, diets and food loss and waste are widely ignored in national climate plans, but by adding them, policymakers can improve their mitigation and adaptation contributions from food systems, by as much as 25 per cent, said UNEP.

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change, every five years, countries are expected to revise or resubmit their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) steps that they will take to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

2020, therefore, presents policymakers with the opportunity to adopt food systems solutions and set more ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, in turn, improve biodiversity, food security and public health.

Food: more than a third of emissions

Food systems which gather all elements and activities that relate to the production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption of food account for up to 37 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions, offering plenty of space to improve.

Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF-International, called on governments to include climate and nature positive food systems approaches in revised and more ambitious NDCs submitted in 2020.

Without action on how we produce and consume food, we cannot achieve our climate or biodiversity goals, which are the foundation to achieve food security, prevent the emergence of diseases and ultimately deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Affordable and accessible diets

Gunhild Stordalen, the Founder and Executive Chair of EAT a non-profit organization that works towards catalyzing a global food system transformation added that fixing food systems goes beyond supporting the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

Shifting to regenerative, carbon-absorbing production and adoption of healthy, predominantly plant-based diets that are affordable and accessible, as well as halving food waste and loss, are crucial actions that must be included in countries NDCs and integrated in their climate action plans with clear ambitions, she said.

As we enter the Decade of Action, lets make it the decade of delivery for a healthy, sustainable and equitable food future for all, added Dr. Stordalen.

Actiontowards transformation

The sixteen actions identified in the report include reducing land-use change and conversion of natural habitats, which could reduce emissions by some 4.6 gigatonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide, or Gt CO2e, per year.

Comparably, reducing food loss and waste, which accounts for 8 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions, could reduce emissions by 4.5 Gt CO2e per year. Similarly, improving production methods and reducing methane emissions from livestock, could reduce emissions by up to 1.44 Gt CO2e per year.

Much greater reductions, could be achieved by shifting to healthier and more sustainable diets with a higher proportion of plant-based than animal-based foods could avoid emissions of up to 8 Gt CO2e each year. But, no current national climate plans explicitly discuss more sustainable diets.

Eliminating excessive meat consumption, improving storage facilities and reducing food waste is good for our health and improves food security, said Charlotte Streck, Co-founder and Director of Climate Focus, a think tank that provides advice on international climate policy to public and private actors across the globe.

With a check-list and concrete examples of activities and targets, this report provides guidance for policymakers to integrate food systems in their national climate strategies, she added.

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Decisive Action and Change Needed to Reform and Rebuild a Better Lebanon - Modern Diplomacy

Editors Note: In order to help communicate with the citizens of Moore County, Health Department Director Robert Wittmann has partnered with Dr. Paul Kuzma to prepare a series of articles meant to inform the public about COVID-19 and public health.

There has been a lot of information about COVID-19 and the efforts to contain it. Less has been written about how to protect yourself at an individual level.

While there is no way to completely eliminate your risk of contracting COVID-19, or to ensure that you dont get a severe case, there are steps you can take to improve your odds of staying healthy. Here are a few simple ways to reduce your risk while improving your health.

n Optimize your pre-existing health conditions.

It is widely recognized that people with significant medical conditions have worse outcomes and higher death rates if they develop COVID-19. These conditions include: obesity; chronic kidney disease; type 2 diabetes; serious heart disease; COPD; cancer; immune suppression; and sickle cell disease.

While it is not possible to eliminate these diseases in most people, it is possible to optimize them. It is more important than ever to work with your health care providers to get yourself in the best condition possible.

Think of it like preparing to play a big game or run a marathon. The better condition you are in at the start, the better you will fare during the event, and the quicker you will recover afterward. So make sure you see your providers, take your medicines and get your health as optimized as possible. It is safe to go to your doctors office, so dont delay necessary health care.

The most important things you can do for your health are:

n Exercise. Lose excess weight. Stop smoking.

Exercise is probably the single most important thing that anyone can do for their health. Our bodies are machines that are meant to be used. Walking is the easiest and best exercise for most people. If you are able, 30 to 60 minutes of walking at as brisk a pace can work wonders. For those that cant walk, there are exercises that can be done while seated or standing in your home.

Exercise helps with weight loss, diabetes, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, immune function and mental health.

We are fortunate in Moore County to have excellent resources for exercise. If you need professional guidance, there are physical therapists and personal trainers in our community, and FirstHealth has a program called Exercise is Medicine that can help you get started.

n Improve your nutrition with a healthy diet and vitamins.

There have been some interesting findings on the role of vitamin and nutritional deficiencies and their role in the risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe disease. Some deficiencies can impair the normal functioning of our immune system.

Most vitamin and mineral deficiencies are best managed by eating a healthy diet that includes a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Since it is not always possible to meet all of our nutritional needs this way, you may want to consider vitamins. Some suggestions:

Vitamin D. Vitamin D is an important modulator of immune function and a number of researchers recommend optimizing Vitamin D levels to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 disease. This may also reduce the risk of influenza.

Our body naturally produces Vitamin D when we are exposed to sunlight. It is present in foods, is added to most milk, and is available as a nutritional supplement. The recommended upper limit of daily Vitamin D supplementation is 600-800 international units (15-20 micrograms). High doses of Vitamin D can cause side effects and should be taken only under medical advice.

Zinc. Zinc is available as a supplement and in lozenge form. A review in 2013 found that zinc supplementation reduces the duration and severity of the common cold, which is caused by a corona virus. Correction of zinc deficiency may reduce the severity of COVID-19.

Since zinc has direct antiviral activity, it may be prudent to suck on a zinc lozenge immediately if you feel the beginnings of a sore or scratchy throat. This may inhibit the virus before it can get a foothold in your body. High levels of zinc can cause side effects, so high dose zinc supplementation is not recommended.

Selenium. Selenium is an element that is necessary for cellular function. Research has demonstrated an increase in certain viral infections in people with selenium deficiencies. In China, people who lived in areas with low natural selenium levels had worse outcomes with COVID-19. Selenium is present in some foods and is in many multivitamins. Excess selenium can be toxic so high doses are not recommended.

Vitamin C. Vitamin C is available through diet and supplements. While there is no direct evidence of reduced infection with COVID in people who take Vitamin C supplementation, it plays an important role in immune modification, the bodys inflammatory response, and has antiviral activity.

So do these simple things today to reduce your risk of developing severe COVID-19. Exercise. Eat a healthy diet and include some fresh fruit and vegetables. Consider taking a multivitamin and address any vitamin deficiencies. Suck on a zinc lozenge at the first sign of a sore throat. Get out in the sunshine. Quit smoking. Work with your doctor on your overall health. Take your medicines as prescribed.

It isnt difficult to take some concrete steps today to reduce your risk of severe COVID disease. In fact, these steps are the foundations of good health.

Dr. Paul Kuzma has practiced medicine in Moore County for more than 20 years and is currently completing his Master of Public Health degree at Johns Hopkins University.

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Column: Simple Things Can Be Done To Guard Against COVID Illness - Southern Pines Pilot

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - The death of 'Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman at age 43 from colon cancer hit many people hard.

"The African-American ethnic population has the highest rate of colorectal cancer of any ethnicity in the United States," said Dr. John Sayles, a colorectal surgeon with Sentara Healthcare.

Sayles says there is no one answer as to why there is a racial disparity in colon cancer.

"There are many inequalities. That could be socioeconomic status, lack of access to testing sites and transportation," said Sayles.

According to the American Cancer Society, from 2012 to 2016, colorectal cancer rates in African-Americans were 20% higher than in whites, and death rates jumped 40% higher.

The Health Equity team at Sentara is looking into how economic status, access to health care, transportation and other social determinants effect health in order to identify potential causes of health inequity in our community. They're working in partnership with community physicians, organizations and all Sentara facilities to achieve more equitable health care.

"While colon cancer rates are actually diminishing, they are going up in the younger population because they are not expecting it so they are not going to get an evaluation," said Sayles.

Sayles urges African-Americans to get screened at the age of 45. Screenings usually begin at age 50 and occur every 10 years.

"Early detection is huge. You find polyps early, then you have a better chance of a cure," he said.

Be aware of early warning signs.

Blood in stool, changes in bowel movement, shape and size, mucus in stool and pain can be later symptoms, Sayles explained.

He said diet and lifestyle prove to be key preventative measures to lower your colorectal cancer risk.

"Don't smoke, [eat a] balanced diet, limit processed foods," he said.

Continued here:
Colon cancer one of many health disparities recognized in Hampton Roads - wtkr.com

The world is hurtling toward an unprecedented hunger crisis.

As many as 132 million more people than previously projected could go hungry in 2020, and this years gain may be more than triple any increase this century. The pandemic is upending food supply chains, crippling economies and eroding consumer purchasing power. Some projections show that by the end of the year, COVID-19 will cause more people to die each day from hunger than from virus infections.

What makes the situation unmatched: The massive spike is happening at a time of enormous global food surpluses. And its happening in every part of the world, with new levels of food insecurity forecast for countries that used to have relative stability.

In Queens, New York, the lines snaking around a food bank are eight hours long as people wait for a box of supplies that might last them a week, while farmers in California are plowing over lettuce and fruit is rotting on trees in Washington. In Uganda, bananas and tomatoes are piling up in open-air markets, and even nearly give-away prices arent low enough for out-of-work buyers. Supplies of rice and meat were left floating at ports earlier this year after logistical jams in the Philippines, China and Nigeria. And in South America, Venezuela is teetering on the brink of famine.

Well see the scars of this crisis for generations, said Mariana Chilton, director of the Center for Hunger-Free Communities at Drexel University. In 2120, well still be talking about this crisis.

COVID-19 has exposed some of the worlds deepest inequalities. Its also a determining force in who gets to eat and who doesnt, underscoring global social divides as the richest keep enjoying a breakneck pace of wealth accumulation. Millions of people have been thrown out of work and dont have enough money to feed their families, despite the trillions in government stimulus thats helped send global equities to all-time highs.

On top of the economic malaise, lockdowns and broken supply chains have also created a serious problem for food distribution. The sudden shift away from restaurant eating, which in places like the U.S. used to account for more than half of dining, means farmers have been dumping milk and smashing eggs, with no easy means to redirect their production to either grocery stores or those in need.

Don Cameron of Terranova Ranch in California took a hit of about $55,000 this year on his cabbage crop. Almost half the loss $24,000 came because Cameron decided to donate to local food banks after demand from his usual customers dried up. He had to pay for the labor needed to do the harvesting and truck loading. He even needed to cover the cost of some bins and pallets to get supplies moved. It wouldve been a lot cheaper to just let the crops rot in the field.

We know other parts of the country need what we have here. But the infrastructure has not been set up, as far as Im aware, to allow that. There are times when there is food available and its because of logistics that it doesnt find a home, said Cameron, who still ended up destroying about 50,000 tons of the crop since nearby food banks can only take so much cabbage.

Initial United Nations forecasts show that in a worst-case scenario, about a tenth of the worlds population wont have enough to eat this year. The impact will go beyond just hunger as millions more are also likely to experience other forms of food insecurity, including not being able to afford healthy diets, which can lead to malnutrition and obesity.

The effects will be long lasting. Even in its best-case projections, the UN predicts that hunger will be greater over the next decade than forecast before the pandemic. By 2030, the number of undernourished people could reach as high as 909 million, compared with a pre-Covid scenario of about 841 million.

The current crisis is one of the rarest of times with both physical and economic limitations to access food, said Arif Husain, chief economist with the UNs World Food Programme.

By the end of the year, as many as 12,000 people could die a day from hunger linked to COVID-19, potentially more than those perishing from the virus itself, charity Oxfam International estimates. Thats calculated based on a more than 80% jump for those facing crisis-level hunger.

Projections for increased malnutrition also have a profound human toll. It can weaken the immune system, limit mobility and even impair brain functioning. Children who experience malnutrition early in life can see its impact well into adulthood.

Even the mildest forms of food insecurity have lifelong consequences, said Chilton of the Center for Hunger-Free Communities. Problems with physical and cognitive development in children and adolescents can hamper the chances of staying in school or getting a job, continuing a cycle of poverty.

Government programs, food charities and aid organizations have mobilized across the globe, but the need far outstrips their reach. The UNs WFP aid group alone needs a record $13 billion for the year to deliver food in 83 countries, and at the start of the second half faced a shortfall of $4.9 billion to meet the goal.

Hunger can spark seismic shifts in the political landscape. Going back to the days of the French Revolution, food insecurity has sent people into the streets demanding better conditions. Surging food prices were part of the economic crisis that helped fuel recent protests in Lebanon and demonstrations over shortages erupted in Chile earlier this year.

Deep-seated inequalities along gender and racial lines also correspond to disproportionate impacts from hunger. In the U.S., for example, Black Americans are two-and-a half times as likely as their White counterparts to have low or very low access to enough food for an active and healthy life. Globally, women are 10% more likely to be food insecure than men.

We have to make sure that were addressing gender inequality if the international community is not doing that, we will fail to avoid the worst of the hunger crisis, said Tonya Rawe, a director at hunger relief and advocacy group Care.

Data from the UN show that throughout the world, there are more than enough calories available to meet every individuals needs. But even in the U.S., the richest country in the world, almost 2% of the population, or more than 5 million people, cant afford a healthy diet (one that protects against all forms of malnutrition). More than 3 million Americans cant afford to even meet basic energy needs. In India, 78% of people cant afford healthy diets thats more than 1 billion people. Those figures dont even take into account the pandemic and its lasting effects.

Costs and logistics prevent food surpluses from being easily shifted to areas without. Thats the dilemma faced by potato farmers in Belgium. When freezers filled during the pandemic, most of their spuds werent fit for food banks or grocers. The main variety thats grown to meet demand from places like the countrys famous fry shops get black and blue spots after just a few days, said Romain Cools of industry group Belgapom. Sales to supermarkets quickly stopped after complaints, and a bulk of the regions 750,000-ton surplus was instead used for animal feed or biogas.

Its hard to take surplus milk in Wisconsin and get it to people in Malawi its just not realistic or practical, said William Moseley, a geography professor at Macalester College who serves on a global food-security panel.

Despite the abundant supplies, food is growing more expensive because of bungled supply chains and currency devaluations. Costs are up in parts of Africa and the Middle East and theyre also rising in developed countries, with Europeans and Americans paying extra to stock their fridges.

Even within major food-producing countries, being able to afford groceries is never a given.

Latin America, an agriculturally rich region that exports food to the world, is leading this years surge in hunger, according to the UNs WFP.

In Brazil, a huge cash-distribution program has helped millions and driven poverty rates to historic lows. But that hasnt met all the need. In the countrys northeast, Eder Saulo de Melo worked as a guard at parties until the virus arrived. With events suspended, he hasnt been paid in months. Hes been locked out of the emergency cash program and the 130 reais ($25) he gets in regular monthly aid goes to energy, water and gas bills, leaving little to feed his three children. Baskets of non-perishables, vegetables, bread and eggs from a non-governmental organization are the familys main sustenance.

I needed to stop buying fruit and meat, he said. Instead of a slice of chicken, I buy offal to make a soup.

The hunger estimates for this year have a high degree of uncertainty, and the diseases devastation is largely unknown, the UN cautioned about its figures.

The UNs Food and Agriculture Organization began tracking global hunger in the mid-1970s. Current data cant be compared past 2000 given revisions in methodology, said Carlo Cafiero, team leader for food security statistics. But general trends can be observed, and they show that hunger moved lower over the past several decades until a recent reversal started in 2015, spurred by by climate change and conflicts.

The increases in the last few years are nothing like what is forecast now even the best-case of the UNs tentative scenarios would see hunger surge in 2020 more than the past five years combined. And when looking at other notable periods of need in the world, such as the Great Depression, the level of food surplus that exists today is without comparison thanks to the advent of modern agriculture, which has seen crop yields explode.

Its impossible to look at the situation and not think we have a problem, said Nate Mook, chief executive officer of food-relief group World Central Kitchen. This pandemic has really exposed the cracks in the system and where it starts to break down.

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Hunger may kill more people than COVID this year - Press Herald

Written by Jayashree Narayanan | Pune | Published: September 2, 2020 5:30:26 pmMira Rajput Kapoor bears it all in an interaction with indianexpress.com. (Source: Mira Rajput/Instagram; designed by Gargi Singh)

Mira Rajput Kapoor needs no introduction. The young mother, who often shares parenting tips to favourite recipes and skincare routines on Instagram, has managed to create a niche following for herself. Recently, Mira shared her kitchen secrets as part of Tata Sampanns #SpiceUpYourHealth campaign where she was seen alongside chef Sanjeev Kapoor, nutritionist Kavita Devgan, and Dr Manoj Nesari, advisor (Ayurveda), Ministry of AYUSH, talking about her belief on kitchen spices for health and well-being and how she and her family make it a point to incorporate them in their everyday lives.

She said, I have always been health-conscious, but with the current pandemic, immunity and health have become more important than ever! My go-to spice for immunity-building is haldi. It is such a versatile ingredient and has been known for its immunity-building properties for centuries it blends so well in any kadha. I ensure my family has immunity-boosting haldi-kadha daily I believe it helps spice up our health from within and also the natural oils present in spices further add to their goodness.

From spices to diet and fitness for women, Mira shared a bit more in an email interaction with indianexpress.com.

Excerpts:

How have you been spending your time during lockdown?

I have used this time to bond with everybody at home and I think everybody is spending time in the lockdown doing all the things around the house that we never necessarily gave importance to. Whether it is cooking food, keeping your house a certain way, or spending time with your family; these are things I am enjoying. What I am also enjoying is learning new recipes, cooking food, and spending time with kids, teaching them how to cycle and watching movies/series with Shahid (Kapur; husband), and also catching up with relatives.

What do you enjoy cooking the most?

I cook for my family out of love, and these days it is more often than it used to be before. Its just simple home food every day. Once in a while, we cook pizza with cheese. But I have started to enjoy cooking simple wholesome Indian food.

ALSO READ |From Ayurvedic kadhas to herbal meals: Immunity boosters are now serious business

Your take in common kitchen spices.

I think spices are integral to the Indian way of cooking and associate them with taste. But they also have numerous medicinal properties, and the way Ayurveda explains the uses is far more medicinal than taste. My favorite spice is haldi, because it has got so many benefits and there are so many different ways you can use it. You can use it in your tadka, you can add it to your kadha, you can add it in your milk and even apply it on your skin. The second most important thing for me is the seasoning salt and nothing is more essential than adding salt to your food. Also, I prefer salty food over sweet food so thats why my second favorite ingredient is salt.

Have you been using these spices to build immunity during the pandemic?

One kadha that I have in the morning is made using haldi, ginger, and black pepper in hot water. It helps me spice up my health and boost immunity. It is also extremely refreshing and detoxing.

Can you elaborate on your fitness mantra?

These days people are more worried about immunity, eating wholesome, and staying healthy. For me, fitness is important in all aspects mind, body, and soul. It is a combination of working out, going for a walk, playing with kids, meditation, yoga. All of these things make you physically and mentally fit and sound.

Which is your favourite cuisine?

Most of the time I enjoy eating home food. But whenever I want something different, then I really enjoy Thai food. It is definitely my favourite.

ALSO READ |Lockdown diet: Feel sluggish and have digestive troubles? Avoid these foods

Juggling multiple roles, people tend to overlook me-time. Whats your take?

Me-time is something you should never give up on. And I do not think it applies to only women. Each person needs me time to recharge. But many times women are multi-tasking a lot more and amongst it all, we often forget to have me-time and thats when you realise you are snapping or your mood swings happen and you are not looking at yourself. Me-time allows you to maintain mental and physical balance, which is very important. It allows you to maintain a sense of equilibrium, helps to remain positive and happy. So whether you enjoy exercise, watching a movie, chatting with your friends or maybe look-out for some interesting pieces of jewellery. Anything that you do for yourself, and with yourself is very important. Make sure that your fitness is not restricted to your body but extends to your mind as well and is combined with your diet.

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From immunity to diet and fitness: Mira Rajput Kapoor reveals it all - The Indian Express

What Is The Wellness Wheel? Heres How It Can Help You Lead A Plentiful, Balanced Life The wellness wheel is a self-evaluation activity that helps you to understand in which areas you are thriving, or struggling.

The Oxford English Dictionary definition for wellbeing is as follows:

The state of being or doing well in life; happy, healthy, or prosperous condition; moral or physical welfare.

But, what exactly does it mean to be or do well?

Most people often associate wellbeing with physical and mental wellness. However, there is more wellbeing than our physical and mental state.

Dr. Bill Hettler understood this, which is why he founded the National Wellness Institute (NWI) and created the first wellness wheel.

The first iteration of the wellness wheel, created by Dr. Hettler, was an interdependent model for the six dimensions of wellness.

Since its conception, the wellness wheel has evolved, and most experts agree now that there are 7 key dimensions to wellness. These dimensions are interconnected and all contribute to healthy living.

The wellness wheel is a holistic model that can help individuals enrich their lives by enabling them to become aware of and make choices that will lead to a more successful existence.

According to the NWI, the wellness wheel can help explain:

The wellness wheel makes it easy for individuals to identify areas of their lives in which they are thriving, as well as those in which they are struggling by encouraging them to reflect on each of the dimensions of wellness.

The core principle behind the wheel of wellness is that balance is key to achieve a state of wellbeing. Since all dimensions of wellness are interconnected, an imbalance in one area can prevent you from living life to the fullest and maintaining a state of wellbeing.

Since it is a visual aid, the wellness wheel can help you clearly identify areas of wellness in your life that are probably neglected or that have been left unchecked for some time. If this is the case, you might be feeling unstable, stressed, anxious, or simply unwell.

Keep in mind that life is not static. Neither is your wellness.

The wheel of wellness is a tool that you can use periodically to evaluate how you are doing over time and how your wellbeing has changed and is impacting your goals and life.

While the original wellness wheel included six dimensions, most models today include 7. Here are the 7 dimensions of wellness that make up the wheel:

The physical dimension of wellness is about supporting your physical body, its health and safety. This area of wellness is concerned with elements like physical activity, nutrition, sleep/rest, flexibility, strength, and getting medical care when needed.

Below are some questions and statements that can help you gauge how you are doing in the physical dimension. Its a short wellness wheel activity.

Spiritual wellness is about finding purpose and meaning in your life. This is done through your values and beliefs, and how your actions are shaped by and aligned with them. Many also see spiritual wellness as an opportunity to connect with something greater than themselves; though for many this may be a religious affiliation, others find it by practicing mindfulness or meditation and being curious about the world/environment that surrounds them.

Below are some questions and statements that can help you gauge how you are doing in the spiritual dimension.

The intellectual dimension is about recognizing your own creative and stimulating mental activities. This dimension of wellness focuses on expanding your knowledge and sharing it with others. Some elements concerned with intellectual wellness include: creativity, problem solving, learning, curiosity, and critical thinking.

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Below are some questions and statements that can help you gauge how you are doing in the intellectual dimension.

The environment and your surroundings play a key role in your overall wellbeing. Therefore, environmental wellness is about how you interact with your environment, how you understand it, and how it impacts you. While the natural environment is part of this, environmental wellness is concerned with the environment that you immerse yourself in your day to day activities, like your home, your workspace, your car, etc.

A safe, clean, and clutter free environment can work wonders for your wellbeing.

Below are some questions and statements that can help you gauge how you are doing in the environmental dimension.

Often addressed together, this dimension concerns itself with finding fulfilment in your work. Part of this fulfillment is oftentimes influenced by your financial stability and how it impacts your life. To evaluate your financial and occupational wellness you need to think about your job satisfaction, your finances, and your career ambitions.

Below are some questions and statements that can help you gauge how you are doing in the financial and occupational dimension.

The social dimension of the wellness wheel is all about the quality of your relationships and how you interact with others, whether they are family, friends, strangers, or colleagues. Having a strong network of people that support us plays an important role in our wellbeing and in some cases can help prevent a variety of problems, like feelings of isolation, loneliness, and stress.

Below are some questions and statements that can help you gauge how you are doing in the social dimension.

Emotional wellness is all about your feelings and emotions. Are you able to understand your feelings? Are you able to express them? How do you take care of and manage your feelings? This dimension of wellness highlights the importance of recognizing your emotions and accepting them as they come. Having strong emotional wellness can help you better adapt to change and cope with stress.

Below are some questions and statements that can help you gauge how you are doing in the emotional dimension.

Once youve gone through all seven dimensions and evaluated how you are doing in each, its time to take a deeper look at what could be impacting your overall wellness.

Were you able to identify areas in which you are struggling or feel that you can improve on? If so, which ones?

A good question to ask yourself as you seek to understand your wellness wheel is: why. Why is a particular area of wellness less full than others? Why is this imbalance happening? Why have you prioritized other areas but not this one?

Once youve answered your why, you will be better equipped to create an action plan that will help you balance your wheel of wellness.

Think about what actions you can take and what resources you can take advantage of to boost your wellbeing and find balance in all dimensions.

Wellness is a journey, not a destination. So consider doing a wellness wheel activity every now and then; afterall, an important part of wellbeing is checking in with yourself regularly. You might find that certain circumstances change your priorities and affect different areas of your wellbeing at different times.

The goal of creating a wellness wheel and evaluating how you are doing is to identify if there are any imbalances that are preventing you from leading a plentiful, happy life so that you can take the necessary steps to change that.

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What Is The Wellness Wheel? Here's How It Can Help You Lead A Plentiful, Balanced Life - AllWork.Space

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Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that most people get enough of when they eat animal-based foods like meat, dairy, and eggs. But if youre a vegan or a vegetarian who goes light on the lacto-ovo, you might be B12 deficient.

Your body needs B12 for DNA health, making red blood cells, and neurological function. Too little B12 and youre at risk of developing pernicious anemia (more on that in a second).

You can stick to your veg diet and get enough B12 if you know what to munch on. Here are the best vegetarian sources of vitamin B12.

These are the B12 MVPs if youre a vegetarian:

Vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy products can get enough B12 from those animal-based foods.

Vegans, on the other hand, will have to lean on plant-based foods like:

The deets on what to eat.

Those dark green sheets of nori wrapped around your sushi rolls are a good source of vitamin B12. Nori is made from dried seaweed (aka red algae). Its a popular ingredient in Japanese food, and tastes like the ocean itself.

Besides using it to hold your sushi together, you can eat the crunchy sheets as a snack, or chop it up to add Japanese flair to rice, salad, and soup.

Research shows some mushrooms (shitake, black trumpet, golden chanterelles, Lions mane) contain B12.

This study estimates you would have to eat 50 grams of shitake mushrooms to get your daily dose of B12. If that sounds like quite a mouthful, remember you dont have to get all your B12 from one food.

Eat as many or as few mushrooms as you care to and make up the balance from other sources listed here.

Many breakfast cereals are fortified, meaning they have nutrients like vitamin B12 added. If youre a cereal fan, check your favorite boxs nutrition label to know how much of the recommended daily allowance of B12 you can get from one serving.

If you happen to eat your cereal with cows milk, there will be even more B12 in your breakfast.

Some companies that produce alternative milks and faux meat products add B12. Check the label of your favorite plant milks and plant-based meats for their vitamin B12 content.

Nutritional yeast is one of those magical ingredients you can add to food for a nutrition and flavor boost. Some say it tastes cheesy, but its totally veg-friendly.

B12 and other B vitamins are usually added, making it a great way to meet your daily needs.

Sprinkle on popcorn and chips, or add a scoop to sauces and vegetarian stews.

Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese naturally contain B12 and lots of it. If you drink a cup of milk and eat 8 ounces of yogurt, youre pretty much set for a day.

Any ol cheese will have some B12, but Swiss is the superstar with 27 percent of your daily needs in one slice. Also, try feta and Brie because yum.

One large boiled egg will get you 1/4 of the way to your daily B12 needs. So, should you eat 4 boiled eggs and smash that goal? Theres no shame in your egg game.

If youre trying to get more protein in your diet (some vegetarians find it a challenge), eggs are a decent way to do that too.

Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and contains some variable level of vitamin B12. The same is true of other traditionally-made fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles.

Its tricky to get more B12 in your diet from these foods though. Commercial processes usually kill the bacteria that produces B12.

If youre into DIY fermentation though, you could sneak in some extra vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 is literally an essential nutrient. Its a big deal for bodily functions like:

How much is enough?

Remember B12s super important job of helping you make red blood cells? Without it, you face pernicious anemia.

The main sign of pernicious anemia is fatigue because you dont have enough healthy red blood cells to deliver oxygen throughout the body.

Other complications of B12 deficiency are neurological disorders and poor cell division.

Here are symptoms to watch for:

A 2013 review of research summarized the prevalence of B12 deficiency among vegetarians:

Check in with a doctor and have them request blood work and assess you for vitamin B12 deficiency. Its totally treatable, and long-term complications are less likely if youre treated early.

Because the highest levels of vitamin B12 are found in meat and animal-based foods, vegetarians and vegans need to be aware of plant-based sources.

Dairy and eggs are a good option for vegetarians who eat those foods, but its also possible to get enough B12 from foods like seaweed, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, and fortified cereals.

While B12 deficiency can have serious health consequences, its easy to identify and treat. If you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, remind your doctor to keep an eye on your B12 levels.

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Best Vitamin B12 Foods for Vegetarians and Vegans - Greatist

The only way to achieve something in life, is through single-minded devotion to that particular goal, and constant hard work to help you reach it. A workout regime is no different. There is a reason why it is referred to as the fitness lifestyle and not just a fitness hobby. Sometimes, however, its hard to stay motivated all the time, especially when the world is in the throes of a global pandemic that has stranded everyone at home. Most public places have remained closed during the coronavirus-led lockdown, particularly gyms and sports clubs.

For motivation, we can look to some of the most recognisable faces in the Hindi film industry, who despite being 40 or above have not let themselves slack for even a moment. Not only do these actors excel in their craft, they are all family men who not only inspire their children but us as well, to keep pushing and working hard for our fitness goals. Their Instagram pages are littered with their workout pictures and regimes that are certain to keep anyone motivated.

Akshay Kumar

The actor may be 52 but he has never been fitter in his life. He is easily one of the most good looking and fittest of all Bollywood celebrities. He sets such fitness goals for himself that he is the only one capable of pulling them off. From performing his own stunts, swimming with weights, working out with wooden beads, doing gymnastics, and training in martial arts, Akshay Kumar has done it all and then some. His diet is completely vegan and consists of only home-cooked meals.

Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar has gone through many body transformations for his various roles. For his upcoming role as a boxer in Toofan, he once again gained 15 kilos in 6 weeks. With abs that could cut glass and rock-hard biceps, he is the epitome of fitness currently. In an interview, Farhan Akhtar also commented, For me, fitness is a way of life and not just a routine. Irrespective of my craft, I choose to live a healthy and disciplined lifestyle. Ive always refrained from indulging in things that could have adverse effects on my body.

Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik Roshan has been the talk of the entire industry in terms of his physique and dancing abilities since his debut in Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (2000). And there has yet to be a moment where he has disappointed. Roshan works hard and eats right to ensure that his body keeps looking the way it does and even though the actor turned 46 this year, he definitely does not look it. His work out regime includes high intensity cardio and weight training and he is a firm believer in eating small meals at regular intervals to keep hunger pangs at bay.

Anil Kapoor

Anil Kapoor is keeping as fit at the age of 63 as he was at 33. The actor can be spotted at the gym various times in a week through his Instagram and he is looking finer by the day. To such an extent that it is often hard to believe that he is the father of 35-year-old Sonam Kapoor. People often joke about how he looks younger than this son-in-law, Anand Ahuja. If you are looking for inspiration to get your own body transformation under way, look no further than Anil Kapoors Instagram page.

Saif Ali Khan

At the age of 49, Saif Ali Khan is still giving all of us not just fitness but lifestyle goals. Saif Ali Khan is not just a man of many talents but also a doting father to his 3 children, and a fourth on the way. To keep in shape for his roles in Laal Kaptaan and Sacred Games, Saif followed a balanced diet that includes rice, dal and vegetables and mixed it up with yoga and cardio when it comes to working out. A behind-the-scenes video of Laal Kaptaan was shared by the makers, showcasing just how hard he worked to get into the skin of his character.

Arjun Rampal

There are very few men who look as dashing as Arjun Rampal does, even at the age of 47. Of the many things he is known for in Bollywood, his ripped physique is certainly on the top of the list. He keeps himself fit through various outdoor exercises like running, swimming, playing sports like football and even practising karate. He is not that much of a stickler when it comes to his diet as he is a complete foodie. He also commented that thanks to his good metabolism, his unwanted fat intake is easily burnt away.

Sonu Sood

Sonu Sood is one person who goes above and beyond to maintain his fitness and also encourages others to do the same. On his birthday, the actor gave away free gym memberships to fitness enthusiasts in Mumbai, Nagpur, Delhi, and Punjab. In an interview he also said that, It makes me happy when they send me pictures of themselves getting fitter, and a lot of their health problems healed. These are the things that give me a high and feel that Im doing something good.

Suniel Shetty

Another gym enthusiast, even at the age of 58, Suniel Shetty is looking fitter than ever. For him fitness has always been a priority and his workout routine includes a bit of everything, like yoga, weight training, cardio and other outdoor activities. He also recently joined a nationwide wellness campaign called WIN (Wellness Indoors Now) that encourages people to stay fit and improve their lifestyle from the comfort of their homes. He also did a TVshow called Indias Asli Champion a few years ago, a reality stunt show to find the fittest Indian.

Shahid Kapoor

Though this talented actor may not be 40 yet, he certainly is on the right track when it comes to overall fitness. The 39-year-old actor may have started his career in Bollywood as a fresh-faced sweetheart but has quickly transformed into the heartthrob we know and love today. Shahid loves to experiment with his workout regime which include planks, push-ups, dead-lifts, cardio and weight training. He works out for more than 2 hours a day for 6 times a week and if that is not dedication, we dont know what is.

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Bollywood Dads: Celebrity fathers over 40 who are setting lockdown fitness goals - Hindustan Times