The best way to prevent food allergies is to introduce the most common allergenic foods to babies early in life, as research evidence for peanut and egg has shown. Even during the current COVID-19 pandemic, the benefits of allergy prevention outweigh the very small risk of a severe reaction.

As clinicians and researchers in the field of allergy and infant nutrition, we are worried that COVID-19 may lead parents to delay the introduction of allergens to their babies. Parents may not feel comfortable taking their baby to an emergency room because of potential exposure to COVID-19, so they dont want to risk a severe allergic reaction requiring a hospital visit.

The most recent Canadian recommendations continue to apply during the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendations encourage parents to introduce allergenic foods to babies as soon as they start eating solids around six months, but not before four months of age. This applies to lower-risk infants as well, but is especially important for babies who are at higher risk of allergy due to eczema, other food allergies or an immediate family history of an allergic condition.

Many parents may be wondering if they should hold off on introducing allergens to their baby because of COVID-19. The answer is no. Despite the pandemic and some families trying to avoid the risk of an emergency room visit, introducing allergens to babies without delay is recommended. The risk of a severe allergic reaction when eating a new food for the first time is extremely low well below two per cent.

Delaying the introduction might put children at higher risk of allergies. If not introduced in infancy, the risk of an allergic reaction as a child gets older is increased, so its better to introduce early and not delay. There is evidence that in higher-risk infants, peanut introduction during infancy reduces the risk of peanut allergy by up to 80 per cent.

Its very unlikely that infants will react so severely to a new food that they will need an emergency trip to the hospital. To put it further into perspective, food allergies affect around two per cent to 10 per cent of Canadians, so even most older children will not have an allergic reaction to foods. The chance of a severe allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis is much less than two per cent, even in higher risk infants.

In the unlikely event that infants have a severe reaction and need to go to the emergency room, the risk of acquiring COVID-19 is also extremely low when proper infection control measures are adhered to. The risk of an infant dying from COVID-19 in the unlikely event that it is acquired while visiting the emergency room is even more remote since children have milder disease symptoms.

In Canada, the most common allergens are cows milk, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts, sesame seeds, fish and shellfish, soy and wheat. Pured foods, smooth nut butters diluted with breast milk or formula, or ground nuts mixed in pures are great ways for parents to introduce allergens safely in non-choking form for babies.

Its important that the allergen be introduced orally, meaning that the infant eats the food. We dont recommend rubbing it on the skin or lips to test for an allergic reaction as that may cause irritation that could be misinterpreted as allergy.

Parents can introduce these foods one at a time, always in an age-appropriate way for their baby, and without delays between the introduction of new foods. Allergic reactions usually appear very quickly, so parents can gauge reaction within a couple of hours following the meal.

Allergic reactions in infants will usually affect the skin (hives, itchiness, rash), gastrointestinal tract (vomiting, diarrhea) or respiratory system (wheezing). Parents should monitor the signs closely and take pictures of skin reactions as they seek advice from their family doctor. If there is a reaction, the food should be avoided until parents have consulted their health-care team, and decided on the next best steps to take.

Once an allergen has been introduced safely, it is very important to keep offering and serving it to the baby a few times a week to maintain tolerance. Aiming to include these allergens in the regular family diet is a practical way for parents to offer it often to baby.

The benefit of preventing the development of food allergy (which can affect the quality of life of the whole family for many years) is far greater in our professional opinion than the very small risk of experiencing a life-threatening allergic reaction and potentially exposing infants to COVID-19.

Read the original:
Peanuts, eggs and your baby: How to introduce food allergens during the coronavirus pandemic - The Conversation CA

The Scottish Government has outlined what the first phase of the reopening will entail.

This includes changes in guidance to allow for the planning of schools returning and the gradual resumption of key support services in the community subject to appropriate physical distancing and hygiene measures.

The following information is courtesy of Aberdeen City Council.

Local authorities, Police Scotland and other bodies have a central role to play in the implementing of the easing of restrictions and local authorities are central to the reopening planning and consultation process.

This will continue during the four phases of easing the lockdown but with a move from rules and regulations and enforcement to a more consensual approach with the public being asked to respect guidance.

Enforcement measures will remain and the focus of Trading Standards and Environmental Health officers will be on restrictions on those businesses that cannot yet open and physical distancing measures for those that can.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) remains the regulator for premises including manufacturing, construction, waste and sites subject to major hazards legislation.

Inquiries about working safely to protect people from Covid-19 at work can be raised with HSE.

Councils are the main regulator for retail, wholesale distribution and warehousing, hotel and catering premises, offices, and the consumer/leisure industries, including the requirements of physical distancing on these premises.

If you have concerns about a business in Aberdeen is not complying with the regulations, including physical distancing, you can report your concerns online via the relevant councils website.

Police Scotland has sole responsibility under the regulations for dealing with restrictions on movement and public gatherings not associated with the operation of a business.

All businesses and services must take all reasonable measures to ensure:

For retail business, breaches would include a failure to maintain one or more of the measures outline above. A business which opens despite being specifically prohibited from doing so by the regulations would also be a breach.

If you have concerns about a business in Aberdeen that is not complying with physical distancing as detailed above, you can report your concern here.

If the business is located in Aberdeenshire, you can report them here.

Hazlehead, Bucksburn, and Tullos Household Waste and Recycling Centres will operate from Monday on normal summer opening hours, from 10am to 7.45pm from Monday to Friday and from 9am to 7.45pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Tullos site will however be closed on Wednesdays.

Always check the Council website for the latest information before travelling to a recycling centre.

Sites will only open where it is considered safe to do so. It is not considered safe to open the site at Bridge of Don at this time. Demand is expected to be high when the sites first open, with queues likely, and the Bridge of Don site is accessed directly off busy main road where extensive queuing could be hazardous.

Dyce recycling centre is now close permanently as agreed at the Councils budget meeting in March.

To adhere with physical distancing rules, there are a number of changes to the way the sites operate:

Only one person per vehicle is permitted unless you are a blue badge holder and then you can bring a passenger to unload your waste if required.

As staff cannot help you unload please only bring to site what one person can safely carry.

No. Large vans or trailers are not permitted for now. The sites are expected to be busy when they reopen and banning larger vehicles will allow more vehicles to access the sites.

No, pedestrian access is not permitted at any time.

No. This is to ensure that physical distancing measures are observed. Visitors are asked only to bring what they can safely deposit in the skips themselves. If for any reason you need to speak to staff during your visit, please wave to get their attention and keep 2m distance at all times.

The range of materials accepted at the site at this time is restricted to household general waste, non-electrical bulky waste, garden waste and cardboard. No other materials are being accepted at this time.

The range of materials accepted at the sites is reduced to accommodate physical distancing measures on-site and help reduce queueing traffic by minimising visiting times and maximising the number of vehicles through the sites.

There are disposal outlets for other recyclables either via the kerbside collection and/or local Recycling Points at supermarkets, shopping centres and other convenient community locations.

You should keep them for now. Store them safely at home until they are accepted at the recycling centres.

No. White goods (e.g. washing machines, fridges etc) are not accepted just now. Check if your electrical goods supplier will remove and recycle your old item when they deliver your new one. Many do, although they may charge a fee. Alternatively, you could book a bulky uplift.

Do not bring waste at any time which has been used when Coronavirus symptoms have been present i.e. used tissues, wipes etc. This should be kept separately, double bagged and left for 72 hours before placing in your household bin.

No, commercial waste cannot be disposed of at Household Waste Recycling Centres at any time. This is a breach of the site licence and it must be disposed of via a licensed waste operator/site.

Due to the restrictions imposed during the Coronavirus crisis we are unable to say when or if sites will open normally as they used to. We will continue to review the situation in line with Government guidance and work to ensure that our sites are operating as fully as possible within the safety guidelines that are required to keep staff and site users safe.

In line with the Scottish Governments announcement and in common with all local Scottish authorities, we anticipate schools in Aberdeen will re-open on 11 August 2020.

We await guidance from the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers in order to confirm our arrangements.

This is not a decision that Aberdeen City Council can take in isolation but in consultation with the Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers following the receipt of guidance from the Scottish Teachers Negotiating Committee.

We cannot speculate on that and cannot comment until negotiations are concluded and a way forward agreed. Information will be shared with staff as soon as it is available.

No, the Scottish Government is taking a different approach to learning and ask that we deliver a blended model of teaching a mixture of part-time study in school and learning at home.

Physical distancing will still need to be observed. It is likely that the curriculum and timetables will be slightly different.

Class sizes will be significantly smaller in order to accommodate physical distancing. Pupils will spend some of their time in class and some of their time learning at home. Time in school will gradually increase as soon as it is safe to do so and in line with Scottish Government guidance.

For example, some children could attend on alternate days, mornings only or may have set day and times to attend over the week. The service is currently exploring what this will look like in individual schools and will be sharing plans with parents, carers and children and young people as soon as they are able to.

Schools will implement physical distancing measures. For example, staggered arrivals, departures and break times and providing classroom seating that takes 2 metre distancing into account.

The service is currently determining the capacity of each school and will only be able to take decisions on spaces used for delivering in school learning when this has been done.

We are currently in the process of determining how many teachers will be in a position to deliver in school learning. Some staff may continue to deliver in home learning if they are shielding and cannot attend school buildings.

Aberdeen schools and teachers have already been innovative in using home learning during lockdown via online tools such as Google Classroom and this will continue in supporting the blended model. We have ensured that children without home wi-fi access have received laptops and dongles so that they can also participate.

Our aim is always to ensure that no pupil is disadvantaged and that will continue to be the case.

Staff will carefully consider the aspects of curricular areas being taught to ensure physical distancing. This may lead to changes in the order of courses.

Staff will carefully consider their plans to ensure that in school learning doesnt put any child or young person at risk.

Colleagues are currently considering the implications of physical distancing measures on toilets and changing rooms.

All schools will develop a school specific plan which will be shared with parents and carers. Plans will include the rationale for decisions being taken.

Teachers will have a vital role in ensuring that schools are ready from day one of re-opening. This includes curriculum setting, setting lessons, agreeing how best to structure the blended approach and rotas.

There will also be a requirement for training given that we are in unprecedented circumstances with regard to teaching with physical distancing requirements.

Individual risk assessments will be completed to help us plan for children and young people with the most complex needs.

Given the delays to the ELC Expansion capital programme, and the need for physical distancing arrangements, we will not be in a position to deliver 1,140 hours this year. The Early Years team will be contacting families in the near future.

In the meantime, we still aim to maintain our statutory requirement to deliver 600 hours per year where possible.

We are currently reviewing our Emergency Childcare and Hub provision to attempt to continue to deliver a service which enables children to access their in school learning.

We are working closely with colleagues from across the Council and transport providers to explore restrictions fully.

We will advise families of any changes necessary as soon as we are clearer on the impact of physical distancing arrangements on transport.

Schools are currently using Local Authority guidance to deliver transition support. Individual schools will contact families if there are any changes to their transition programme.

In the first instance it is likely that children and young people in school over lunchtime will be asked to bring a packed lunch. Free school meal vouchers, which can be used at supermarkets, will continue to be provided.

The SQA have advised that they intend to run the exam diet next year. We will continue to be guided by SQA.

No. That is planned for later phases of the route map.

Park toilets are to remain closed to the public. Toilets will be open when it is safe to do so and in accordance with government guidance.

From 8am on May 29.

There are many benches across our green spaces and there are no current plans to stop the public using them subject to the public adhering to the national guidance on physical distancing.

These benches may be welcomed by some members of the public who require to rest during their walks, exercise etc

Yes. Along with grass cutting, the tree squad, mechanical street sweeping and manual litter picking, invasive weed spraying and the Countryside Rangers team are set to start back to work.

The public will be expected to respect physical distancing rules. All work starting back will be one-person operations i.e. ride on mowers, mechanical sweeping and litter picking.

Services and tasks have been risk assessed and changes have been made to depot layouts etc to ensure physical distancing and safety of staff as per government guidelines.

Grass cutting was not seen as a critical service and has been stood down for the last 10 weeks in the interests of public safety. Grass cutting and some grounds maintenance will begin on Monday morning at multiple locations with services being rolled out across the city over the course of the week. Parks, open spaces, cemeteries and road verges will take priority.

Our priority will be the areas that are being well used by the public for exercising and where we want to ensure accessible open spaces. We also want to ensure that our cemeteries are cut. The initial start back and the first cut will take much longer than usual. It may be that this year some areas cannot be cut.

We aim to start back with the house garden maintenance programme. We will look to undertake as many cuts as we can before the end of the season.

To manage travel demandand adherence to physical distancing,the Council is to roll out temporary measures for city streets to allow people to walk, cycle, and queue for buses and shopping.

Measures are being designed to support the NHS guidance on physical distancing and include pedestrianisation, pavement widening, temporary bike lanes, and one-way walking systems, andwork will start on installing measures in next few days.

No the Council will not be re-opening all of their buildings in phase 1. The process of re-opening buildings is under review to consider various issues including physical distancing, government guidance and the wellbeing of staff and customers.

There will inevitably be delays to the completion of construction works due to the pandemic.

We will not know the impact of the lockdown until our contractors are able to assess their works, the impact of the lockdown and the working constraints related to maintaining physical distancing to carry out work tasks.

Continue reading here:
What happens now Covid-19 lockdown restrictions have entered phase one? - Aberdeen Evening Express

If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission. How this works.

The ketogenic diet (or keto diet, for short) is a low-carb, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits.

In fact, over 20 studies show that this type of diet can help you lose weight and improve your health (1).

Ketogenic diets may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimers disease (2, 3, 4, 5).

Here is a detailed beginners guide to the keto diet.

The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkins and low-carb diets.

It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain (6, 7).

Ketogenic diets can cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with the increased ketones, has numerous health benefits (6, 8, 9, 10, 11).

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It lowers blood sugar and insulin levels, and shifts the bodys metabolism away from carbs and towards fat and ketones.

There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, including:

However, only the standard and high-protein ketogenic diets have been studied extensively. Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods and primarily used by bodybuilders or athletes.

The information in this article mostly applies to the standard ketogenic diet (SKD), although many of the same principles also apply to the other versions.

There are several versions of the keto diet. The standard (SKD) version is the most researched and most recommended.

A ketogenic diet is an effective way to lose weight and lower risk factors for disease (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13).

In fact, research shows that the ketogenic diet is far superior to the often recommended low-fat diet (2, 14, 15, 16).

Whats more, the diet is so filling that you can lose weight without counting calories or tracking your food intake (16).

One study found that people on a ketogenic diet lost 2.2 times more weight than those on a calorie-restricted low-fat diet. Triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels also improved (17).

Another study found that people on the ketogenic diet lost 3 times more weight than those on the diet recommended by Diabetes UK (18).

There are several reasons why a ketogenic diet is superior to a low-fat diet, including the increased protein intake, which provides numerous benefits (14, 19, 20).

The increased ketones, lower blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity may also play a key role (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26).

For more details on the weight loss effects of a ketogenic diet, read this article.

A ketogenic diet can help you lose much more weight than a low-fat diet. This often happens without hunger.

Diabetes is characterized by changes in metabolism, high blood sugar and impaired insulin function (27).

The ketogenic diet can help you lose excess fat, which is closely linked to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and metabolic syndrome (28, 29, 30).

One study found that the ketogenic diet improved insulin sensitivity by a whopping 75% (29).

Another study in people with type 2 diabetes found that 7 of the 21 participants were able to stop using all diabetes medications (28).

In yet another study, the ketogenic group lost 24.4 pounds (11.1 kg), compared to 15.2 pounds (6.9 kg) in the higher-carb group. This is an important benefit when considering the link between weight and type 2 diabetes (2, 31).

Additionally, 95.2% of the ketogenic group were also able to stop or reduce diabetes medication, compared to 62% in the higher-carb group (2).

For more information, check out this article on the benefits of low-carb diets for people with diabetes.

The ketogenic diet can boost insulin sensitivity and cause fat loss, leading to significant health benefits for people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.

The ketogenic diet actually originated as a tool for treating neurological diseases such as epilepsy.

Studies have now shown that the diet can have benefits for a wide variety of different health conditions:

However, keep in mind that research into many of these areas is far from conclusive.

A ketogenic diet may provide many health benefits, especially with metabolic, neurological or insulin-related diseases.

Any food that is high in carbs should be limited.

Here is a list of foods that need to be reduced or eliminated on a ketogenic diet:

Avoid carb-based foods like grains, sugars, legumes, rice, potatoes, candy, juice and even most fruits.

You should base the majority of your meals around these foods:

It is best to base your diet mostly on whole, single-ingredient foods. Here is a list of 44 healthy low-carb foods.

Base the majority of your diet on foods such as meat, fish, eggs, butter, nuts, healthy oils, avocados and plenty of low-carb veggies.

To help get you started, here is a sample ketogenic diet meal plan for one week:

Always try to rotate the vegetables and meat over the long term, as each type provides different nutrients and health benefits.

For tons of recipes, check out these 101 healthy low-carb recipes.

You can eat a wide variety of tasty and nutritious meals on a ketogenic diet.

In case you get hungry between meals, here are some healthy, keto-approved snacks:

Great snacks for a keto diet include pieces of meat, cheese, olives, boiled eggs, nuts and dark chocolate.

It is not very hard to make most restaurant meals keto-friendly when eating out.

Most restaurants offer some kind of meat or fish-based dish. Order this, and replace any high-carb food with extra vegetables.

Egg-based meals are also a great option, such as an omelet or eggs and bacon.

Another favorite is bun-less burgers. You could also swap the fries for vegetables instead. Add extra avocado, cheese, bacon or eggs.

At Mexican restaurants, you can enjoy any type of meat with extra cheese, guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

For dessert, ask for a mixed cheese board or berries with cream.

When eating out, select a meat-, fish- or egg-based dish. Order extra veggies instead of carbs or starches, and have cheese for dessert.

Although the ketogenic diet is safe for healthy people, there may be some initial side effects while your body adapts.

This is often referred to as the keto flu and is usually over within a few days.

Keto flu includes poor energy and mental function, increased hunger, sleep issues, nausea, digestive discomfort and decreased exercise performance.

To minimize this, you can try a regular low-carb diet for the first few weeks. This may teach your body to burn more fat before you completely eliminate carbs.

A ketogenic diet can also change the water and mineral balance of your body, so adding extra salt to your meals or taking mineral supplements can help.

For minerals, try taking 3,0004,000 mg of sodium, 1,000 mg of potassium and 300 mg of magnesium per day to minimize side effects.

At least in the beginning, it is important to eat until youre full and avoid restricting calories too much. Usually, a ketogenic diet causes weight loss without intentional calorie restriction.

Many of the side effects of starting a ketogenic diet can be limited. Easing into the diet and taking mineral supplements can help.

Although no supplements are required, some can be useful.

Certain supplements can be beneficial on a ketogenic diet. These include exogenous ketones, MCT oil and minerals.

Here are answers to some of the most common questions about the ketogenic diet.

1. Can I ever eat carbs again?

Yes. However, it is important to significantly reduce your carb intake initially. After the first 23 months, you can eat carbs on special occasions just return to the diet immediately after.

2. Will I lose muscle?

There is a risk of losing some muscle on any diet. However, the high protein intake and high ketone levels may help minimize muscle loss, especially if you lift weights.

3. Can I build muscle on a ketogenic diet?

Yes, but it may not work as well as on a moderate-carb diet. For more details about low-carb or keto diets and exercise performance, read this article.

4. Do I need to refeed or carb load?

No. However, a few higher-calorie days may be beneficial every now and then.

5. How much protein can I eat?

Protein should be moderate, as a very high intake can spike insulin levels and lower ketones. Around 35% of total calorie intake is probably the upper limit.

6. What if I am constantly tired, weak or fatigued?

You may not be in full ketosis or be utilizing fats and ketones efficiently. To counter this, lower your carb intake and re-visit the points above. A supplement like MCT oil or ketones may also help.

7. My urine smells fruity. Why is this?

Dont be alarmed. This is simply due to the excretion of by-products created during ketosis.

8. My breath smells. What can I do?

This is a common side effect. Try drinking naturally flavored water or chewing sugar-free gum.

9. I heard ketosis was extremely dangerous. Is this true?

People often confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis. The former is natural, while the latter only occurs in uncontrolled diabetes.

Ketoacidosis is dangerous, but the ketosis on a ketogenic diet is perfectly normal and healthy.

10. I have digestion issues and diarrhea. What can I do?

This common side effect usually passes after 34 weeks. If it persists, try eating more high-fiber veggies. Magnesium supplements can also help with constipation.

A ketogenic diet can be great for people who are overweight, diabetic or looking to improve their metabolic health.

It may be less suitable for elite athletes or those wishing to add large amounts of muscle or weight.

And, as with any diet, it will only work if you are consistent and stick with it in the long term.

Read the article in Spanish

Continued here:
The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner's Guide to Keto

GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Consumers Energy has released 19 rescued turtles back into their natural wetland habitat.

Juvenile Blandings Turtles were rescued in the fall from the construction path of the Saginaw Trail natural gas pipeline replacement project. Now they have been returned to their wetland habitat in Genesee County, according to a Thursday, May 28 Consumers Energy news release.

Eggs of adult females were safely removed from the pipeline path in 2019, then returned when construction was complete.

Natural gas pipeline project carves 29-mile path through Genesee County

Consumers Energy is proud to play a key role in helping the Blandings Turtle, a species of special concern in Michigan, survive and thrive, said Dennis Dobbs, Consumers Energys vice president of enterprise project management and environmental services.

Our dedicated and caring pipeline employees embraced our commitment of leaving it better than we found it by working to protect and enhance wildlife and valuable habitat while modernizing our pipeline system, Dobbs said.

A herpetologist contracted by Consumers Energy incubated the eggs and nurtured the juvenile turtles over the winter until they were large enough to have a good chance of survival from predators, the release states.

Consumers Energys pipeline employees also enhanced the turtle release habitat by placing trees removed from the pipeline path into the wetlands to create additional protective cover, basking sites and food sources like aquatic insects and tadpoles.

The Blandings Turtle is listed as a species of special concern by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It is protected by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and proposed for federal protection.

The turtles have a lifespan of over 80 years, but dont reach sexual maturity until they are about 20 years old. Hatchling and juvenile turtles suffer very high mortality rates from predators, particularly raccoons. It may take one adult female decades to produce enough turtles to help keep the population stable.

Its a really good feeling to know that because of our efforts these turtles could be here for the next generation of Michiganders to enjoy. Were very proud of that, Dobbs said.

12 rare turtles with names like Thor and Taco released into wetlands

Last spring, a separate group of 12 juvenile Blandings Turtles were released after being successfully incubated and given a head start that included acclimating to natural temperatures, eating a live diet and learning to catch food themselves.

The Saginaw Trail Pipeline replacement project is a four-phase, $610 million project to modernize natural gas infrastructure in Saginaw, Genesee and Oakland counties. The work is part of Consumers Energys Natural Gas Delivery Plan, a 10-year plan to create a safer and more reliable, affordable and clean system.

More than 30,000 frogs, toads, salamanders, turtles and snakes have been safely relocated from the pipeline path over the past three years of construction on the Saginaw Trail Pipeline, according to Consumers Energy. Other animals protected during pipeline work include several species of nesting birds and small mammals.

The first phase, completed in 2017, ran 18.5 miles from northern Genesee County into Saginaw Countys Spaulding Township. The second phase, completed in 2018, included an 18.5-mile path through Spaulding, James, Swan Creek, Thomas and Tittabawassee townships. The third phase, included 29.2 miles of 24-inch steel pipe from the Clio city limits south to Grand Blanc.

A fourth and final phase of the project covering 28.2 miles -- from Grand Blanc to Clawson Control in Oakland County -- is scheduled to begin in 2020.

A look at phase 3 of the four-phase Saginaw Trail Pipeline project by Consumers Energy currently underway in Genesee County. The third phase running from Clio to Grand Blanc is expected to be completed by October 2019.

Read more:

Consumers installing new gas pipeline through federal wildlife refuge

Proposed pipeline involves 650 landowners in Saginaw, Genesee, Oakland counties

Consumers Energy prepared to avoid disruption to service amid coronavirus outbreak

Consumers plans long-term fix to problems with some Saginaw gas meters

Read the original post:
19 rare turtles released into Genesee County wetlands - MLive.com

GENEVA, N.Y., May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --RealEats, a ready-to-eat meal delivery service that uses innovative sous-vide style packaging to make real food simple, today announced that it is joining forces with the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), a nationwide nonprofit founded alongside Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative. Together, the organizations will support PHA's mission to leverage the power of the private sector to bring lasting, sustainable change that improves the food supply in pursuit of health equity. RealEats is the first meal delivery service company to partner with PHA.

All of RealEats' meals use a patent-pending methodology and packaging technique inspired by the classic "sous-vide" style of French cuisine. This unique vacuum packaging naturally locks in the freshness of real food and allows RealEats' customers to safely enjoy healthy, nutrient-dense meals free of preservatives, additives or junk of any kind without the usual preparation and cleanup associated with cooking a meal or assistance from a microwave. Most of RealEats' packaging is also made from recycled or recyclable materials and keeps meals naturally fresh for a week when refrigerated, resulting in reduced packaging and food waste.

Founded in 2010, PHA was created to combat childhood obesity in conjunction with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative. PHA works with hundreds of organizations across the supply chain food producers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers to transform the food landscape in pursuit of health equity.

According to Earnest Research, the grocery and food delivery industry has experienced year-over-year sales growth of up to 45% since early March. RealEats has seen its average order values increase by 20% during the same time frame, while new order volume has increased by 120%. PHA has been watching the rise of direct-to-consumer meal delivery services, with a specific focus on services like RealEats that promote healthy eating initiatives and meet PHA's philosophy and approach to healthy eating.

"Partnership for a Healthier America is continually working to accelerate market innovation that is improving the landscape of food and Real Eats is doing that," said Nancy E. Roman, President and CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America. "RealEats' meals and its innovative packaging set it apart from others in the prepared foods market, and we plan to work together to get further, faster."

Unlike most meal delivery services, RealEats provides healthy, farm-to-table meals that stay fresh for up to seven days when refrigerated using real ingredients primarily from the company's carefully selected network of local farms in upstate New York, close to its kitchen. The meals, all of which are dietician-approved, can be prepared in six minutes or less and are key to maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet that will not take away time from consumers' busy schedules. RealEats is dedicated to enhancing the experience of eating at home by making it beneficial, quick and easy for people to enjoy real food.

"The core of RealEats' mission has always been to make it simple for people to access the nutritional benefits of real food," said Dan Wise, CEO of RealEats. "Our pot-to-plate meals are a highly innovative way to safely, simply and efficiently deliver delicious, real food nutrition to consumers. This makes our meals a healthy and hygienic weapon in the fight for a healthier food future, which is more important than ever right now for adults, children and families across the country. We are honored to be recognized as a PHA partner and look forward to continuing to make the experience of eating more enjoyable and healthier for all Americans."

RealEats currently ships its meals including gluten-free, dairy-free and plant-based options to customers in 28 states, with distribution continuing to expand. See how RealEats is transforming the marketplace by visitingRealEats.com.

About RealEatsRealEats was founded in 2017 by Dan Wise with a mission to build a healthier food future by making it simple for anybody to enjoy real food. Celebrity Chef Aliya LeeKong leads the company's culinary efforts, developing seasonal menus that incorporate fresh, local produce that is clean, sustainable and nutritionally dense. RealEats currently serves 28 states. For more information about RealEats and to join the real food movement, visitRealEats.com, or find us on Facebook atFacebook.com/RealEatsFood, Instagram at@RealEatsFood or Twitter at@RealEats.

About Partnership for a Healthier AmericaPHA's mission is to leverage the power of the private sector to transform the food landscape in pursuit of health equity. In 2010, PHA was created in conjunction with Former First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! effort. PHA identifies, accelerates, and celebrates voluntary business practices that improve or increase choice or lead to new norms and behavior around food and physical activity. Most important, PHA ensures that commitments made are commitments kept by working with unbiased third parties to monitor and publicly report on the progress our partners are making. For more information about PHA, please visitwww.ahealthieramerica.organd follow PHA on Twitter@PHAnews.

Read the original:
RealEats Recognized by Partnership for a Healthier America as Improving Health and Wellness through Its Innovative "Fresh Meal" Product Line...

Bananas and milk is a common combination often featured in smoothies and shakes.

However, despite the popularity of this pairing, many believe that bananas and milk may not quite be a match made in heaven.

In fact, the internet is flooded with claims that consuming bananas and milk together can damage digestive health, cause congestion, and wreak havoc on your waistline.

This article takes an in-depth look at whether eating bananas with milk is healthy.

There are several potential benefits of consuming bananas and milk together.

Both bananas and milk are rich in several important nutrients.

For example, milk is a great source of protein, potassium, B vitamins, and phosphorus (1).

Its also rich in calcium, an essential mineral that plays a key role in bone health, muscle contractions, nerve function, and more (2).

Meanwhile, bananas are loaded with fiber, manganese, potassium, and vitamin B6 (3).

Like other fruits, bananas are high in vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin that doubles as an antioxidant to protect against cell damage (4).

Enjoying bananas and milk together can help squeeze more nutrients into your diet and boost your intake of several vitamins and minerals.

What you eat after working out is incredibly important. In fact, filling up on the right foods can fuel muscle growth, enhance performance, and speed recovery.

For example, eating a good amount of protein after exercise can help repair tissues and promote muscle synthesis (5).

Consuming carbs can also rebuild glycogen stores in your muscles, which may have been broken down for fuel during your workout (6).

Milk, in particular, is often recommended as a post-workout snack due to its content of high quality proteins like whey and casein (7).

Bananas are also a great option that can help provide carbs to replace glycogen stores in your muscles (8).

For best results, try pairing milk and bananas in a post-workout smoothie for a simple way to bump up your intake of both protein and carbs.

Bananas and milk are both rich in a number of important nutrients. They can also be combined and enjoyed as a healthy, post-workout snack to promote muscle growth and enhance recovery.

Despite the possible benefits of pairing milk with bananas, there are a few potential downsides of this common combination.

Though milk and bananas are both very nutritious, they each provide a moderate number of calories in each serving.

For instance, one medium banana has 105 calories (3).

Similarly, 1 cup (237 mL) of whole milk packs 149 calories (1).

While both ingredients are fine in moderation, enjoying multiple servings of bananas and milk each day can cause your calorie intake to start stacking up quickly.

Without making other adjustments to your diet, this may contribute to increased weight gain over time (9).

Based on Ayurvedic food principles, bananas and milk are two ingredients that are considered incompatible.

Ayurveda is a holistic form of medicine thats focused on balancing several forms of energy within your body to promote better health (10).

According to Ayurveda, eating bananas and milk together can diminish agni, or fire, which is the entity responsible for the digestion and metabolism of foods (11).

Consuming bananas and milk is also anecdotally claimed to contribute to sinus congestion and increase the production of toxins in your body.

However, while some research suggests that an Ayurvedic diet may be beneficial for weight management, theres little research on how it may affect other aspects of health (12, 13).

Furthermore, theres also no evidence to suggest that combining foods, such as bananas and milk, can interfere with digestion or be harmful to health in any way.

Though bananas and milk are fine in moderation, eating multiple servings without adjusting your diet may cause weight gain. According to Ayurveda, bananas and milk are considered incompatible, though theres no research to support this.

Bananas and milk are both tasty and rich in important nutrients.

Though bananas and milk are considered incompatible according to Ayurveda, theres no research to support the claim that they harm your health or digestion.

Therefore, these two nutritious ingredients can be safely enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy, well-rounded diet.

Link:
Bananas with Milk: A Great Combination or Bad Idea? - Healthline

The Franklin Street Cycle Track in Richmond by the author.

Two months after cities across the globe began making more space for people to safely walk and bike, could Richmond finally be on the verge of piloting its own slow streets program?

With transit ridership tanking, white-collar professionals working from home, and everyone across the board driving less, the two modes of transportation most in demand since COVID-19 struck the nation have been two of the oldest and cleanest ways to get around: by foot and by bike.

This renewed interest in walking and cycling has focused on two main objectives: to provide essential workers with safe routes to and from their jobs and to give those cooped up at home more space to exercise for their physical and mental health. Cities across the globe appear locked in a heated competition to make their urban areas as healthful and livable as possible, so what can Richmond do to catch up?

A movement gains momentum

In the United States this newfound slow streets movement began in Oakland, California and similar to the miles of safe spaces created for people has expanded rapidly. In a matter of weeks the Bay Area city has built out 20 miles of slow streets with a plan to increase that number to 74over 10% of the citys total street gridwithin the next couple of months.

Drawing on inspiration from the European concept of a living street that asserts roads must be designed to prioritize the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and children, such slow or open streets dont block off vehicular traffic completely but rather attempt to slow cars down and keep out thru traffic with barriers like traffic cones or sawhorses.

Based upon a survey the City of Richmond tweeted out, it appears the River City may be moving towards some open street pilot projects of its own, albeit far slower than the rest of the nation. With input from community leaders, city council members, and the broader public, Richmond has the chance to transform its cityscape to not only respond to this immediate public health crisis but also to address the intransigent inequities left behind by decades of segregation, redlining, and destructive urban renewal programs. So what changes should Richmonders ask for?

Time for a road diet

With driving down by half or more and walking and biking at historic highs, the most straightforward solution to Richmonds crowding problem would be to shift space from the former to the latter. Converting lanes on overbuilt roads into wider sidewalks, bioswales, or cycle tracks isnt a new idea. City planners have long referred to this best practice as a road dieta technique to reduce the number of lanes in order to boost roadway safety.

In the 1950s during White Flight, huge portions of Richmond city streets were converted into six to eight lane pseudo-highways to accommodate suburban (largely White) commuters at the expense of the more diverse, lower-income urban dwellers who remained. With ample space and terrible safety records, these roadways offer Richmond low-hanging fruit ripe for a road diet.

Grove Avenue is just a highway funneling people out to the counties that pretends to be a city road, said Jeremy Hoffman, a member of the Scotts Addition Boulevard Association. The protected bike lanes added to Franklin Street, Patterson Avenue, and Brook Road are good models for Grove. The City should move the current parking spots over into a travel lane and add a protected bike lane. That would basically extend the sidewalks and help people walking and jogging there to feel more comfortable by using the bike lane as a buffer. This model worked in other parts of the city, so why not here?

If Hoffmans proposal were to be implemented, Richmonders could enjoy a 2.1 mile-long uninterrupted walking and biking route from I-195 all the way to Three Chopt Road. Similar calls have rung out requesting road diets for Monument Avenue and Carytown as well due to their popularity among joggers and walkers. However, Hoffmans idea to boost road safety and add an amenity to Grove Avenue need not be limited to Richmonds more affluent West End.

Tired of seeing her half of the city neglected, Sheri Shannon of Hull Street Action a community revitalization group in Manchester has called for pedestrian improvements on Richmonds Southside where most neighborhoods never got infrastructure added after annexation from Chesterfield County. I am advocating for better sidewalks first, especially in the 8th and 9th districts. In many areas, sidewalks are nonexistent and we see people taking unsafe routes just to get to the bus stop, said Shannon.

Dr. Mike Jones, City Councilmember for Richmonds 9th District, wholeheartedly agrees. Down here weve been waiting on this deferred dream of walkable streets for decades. Id like to make all of Hull Street as narrow as it is in Manchester the whole way out to the county line, he said in an interview. Why cant I bike from Chippenham to Downtown? Its because its not safe to do it, but we could do it. We need to transform Richmond so people can walk and bike all over the city.

Slower is better

One of the unfortunate (yet predictable) consequences of Americas underinvestment in quality spaces for people to walk, bike, or simply get outside has been the over-policing of crowding, especially directed at people of color. The pandemic triggered a fierce debate on the evils and merits of density in our cities, but the true danger stems from overcrowding. A small town with just one park can experience dangerous levels of visitors just as many of our overlooked urban green spaces provide safe solitude in which to stretch your legs.

As popular outdoor destinations across Richmond such as Browns Island or the lawn at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts fill up, the threat of contagion and over-policing grows. To ease said pressure, advocates across America have been placing sawhorses, cones, or other minor obstacles at the ends of their streets with a friendly request to those who dont live on their block to please find another route. The demand for open streets has grown so strong that some guerilla slow streets have already been spotted throughout the city.

1st District City Councilmember Andreas Addison understands residents frustration with Richmonds built environment. Our lack of infrastructure makes it hard for people to comply with social distancing even in front of peoples houses our sidewalks are too narrow, he said. Thats why Addison has proposed creating a slow street on North Sheppard Street that would span the Museum District from Scotts Addition to Carytown.

Under his vision the three northernmost blocks of Sheppard that currently serve two directional traffic would become one way like the rest of the street. A new 15mph speed limit wouldnt cut off cars completely, but it would make it a lot safer for pedestrians and cyclists to share the road without fear of being run over. Those who dont live on Sheppard would hopefully use Belmont Avenue instead just one block over. Sheppard Street began its life as a trolley-only easement, so a new slow street would simply revert the road back to its multimodal roots.

I cant improve the infrastructure quickly, but I can shift the expectation towards safer streets for everyone to enjoy, said Addison. We can push drivers onto the roads that are better suited to get them where they need to go while also making Sheppard a more walkable connection for everybody else. The councilmember also hopes the increased foot traffic that would result from making Sheppard a slow street would help the small businesses along that corridor like Buddys Tavern, Akida Sushi, and Sheppard Street Tavern.

Across the James, Keya Strudwicka resident of British Camp Farms in Richmonds 8th Districtis disappointed by the infrastructure the City put in a couple years back to slow down traffic in her neighborhood. She hopes this current crisis could finally prompt a rethink of traffic safety in her neck of the woods on Southside as well, specifically in front of her childrens school.

The streets in our community are very narrow and make it unsafe for anyone to walk, said Strudwick in an interview. If people have to get out of a cars way then they literally have to jump into the ditch. Elementary schoolers are especially vulnerable; its not even safe for them to walk to the school in the neighborhood in which they live.

The two roundabouts on Dorset Road were intended to calm traffic in front of Broad Rock Elementary, but Strudwick says dangerous crashes continue to plague her neighborhood as drivers dont yield or navigate the roundabout properly. Over the last few weeks alone shes heard of several crashes. Even the sign in the roundabout at Welford Avenue got knocked over in a crash, and so far no one has come to fix it. A slow street is something I think would be worth exploring in the short term, but I still dont know how we would address traffic coming through at unsafe speeds, she said.

Whether or not a slow street in front of her childrens school could be a solution to such dangerous driving, Strudwick welcomes the chance at change in her area. We need to bring more attention to the southside of Richmond and let our civic leaders know that there are concerned residents down here who want the best for our kids and our community too. Ive noticed more of the progress being made north of the river, so it would be great for us to begin shifting our attention to making changes south of the river as well, she said.

Open the streets

Although the level of change being contemplated may seem radicaleven temporarily, the changes being called for by city officials and River City residents alike have become nothing short of commonplace these days. 100 miles in New York City, 25 miles in Baltimore, 20 permanent miles in Seattle, and the list of cities opening up more space for people to safely bike and walk for their commute or exercise grows ever longer. How long will Richmond continue to avoid making any changes to benefit the health and mental well-being of its residents?

If Richmonders like Hoffman have their say, not long. I dont get how there is so much room for fewer cars going so much faster and still the same amount of room for the many more people biking and walking? So much has changed about our day to day lives yet nothing about our streets has changed to accommodate this new reality, he said. The demand for more space to bike and walk is there, but we havent yet made any efforts to accommodate that demand.

A quick coronavirus survey by Richmond 300, the citys master planning process, corroborates such claims. The top four features residents want all relate to the walk- and bikeability of their neighborhoods.

From Richmond's Master Plan.

There is no way to look on the bright side as our country speeds toward over 100,000 deaths due to COVID-19, but city leaders have the power to flatten the curve of another crisis: the rapid increase in traffic deaths.

From March through May of last year the Commonwealth recorded 185 deaths on its roadways; however, even with driving down by 70% across the state Virginia has clocked 140 traffic fatalities during that same period this yearonly a 25% drop.

Such statistics bare out the recklessness too many people have seen with their own eyes. Just last week a driver in Richmond was speeding, and careened over a median on Broad Street, and struck a GRTC Pulse bus.

If implemented right, open streets policies like road diets and slow streets have the potential not only to ease our current crisis but also to lay the foundation for a healthier, safer, and more equitable future.

Its all possible, said Councilmember Jones. We just have to be willing to do it.

Wyatt Gordon is Greater Greater Washington's Virginia Correspondent. He's a born-and-raised Richmonder with a master's in Urban Planning from the University of Hawaii at Mnoa and a bachelor's in International Political Economy from American University. Previously he's written for the Times of India, Nairobi News, Civil Beat, Style Weekly, andRVA Magazine. You can find him on Richmond's Northside.

See the original post:
Richmond inches toward opening its streets Greater Greater Washington - Greater Greater Washington

Jacqui Robbins was advised to stay away from all non-family members, and even to keep distance between herself and husband Jim, for 12 weeks when lockdown was announced in late March. Heres how they are getting on, nine weeks in...

I HAD great news this week, I have finally been discharged from the intensive care unit at the Royal Brompton Hospital and have been told that I can keep reducing my steroid intake so by the end of July I shall finally be off them altogether.

I will then have to think of a different excuse for all the weight gain although I think being in lockdown seems to be the new one.

In all honesty I have bucked the weight gain trend and have tried very hard to lose weight during this period.

I am hoping to emerge from lockdown like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. This has not quite happened the split ends, bad roots and hairy top lip are not helping me. I have managed to lose half a stone though. I am not good at sticking to diets and I have tried many. I know a lot of people say about cutting out the carbs, but I just dont like having my food choices restricted.

So I have not removed anything from my diet I have simply cut down on the calories I have each day and track what I eat on an app called MyFitnessPal. I think tracking the food and tying to stick to a calorie goal naturally helps you make the right choices, but if you really want that bag of onion rings then you can.

It has been a hard week this week. Georgia has been very up and down emotionally. I really think she is struggling with not seeing her friends or having interactions with other people her age.

I hate seeing her get upset and angry and am sure the neighbours do not like the screaming either, being a young girl she really knows how to hit those high notes.

I feel really guilty all the time that I am letting her play too much on her Switch or watch too much TV/YouTube and just in general not doing enough for her. Social media really is a double-edged sword, it gives me lots of ideas of things to make and do with Georgia, but on the other I see parents doing loads of great things with their children and feel like an underachiever.

I am pretty certain as a parent its natural to never feel good enough.

For now though I will put it to the back of my mind and head out into the garden to enjoy the sunshine. Everything is so much better when the sun is shining.

Jims diary

Due to the lovely weather we have been enjoying, Ive been able to get out again with Georgia to play golf and enjoy our exercise.

We both managed to hit some decent shots and only lose a couple of balls.

Our new favourite place to explore is Plaums Pit in Rodbourne. Finding new places is certainly one of the fun parts of the lockdown and Plaums Pit is a lovely lake tucked away behind the Cheney Manor Industrial Estate.

My other new find was Buscot Weir, which was great as I could take Georgia swimming. This is an activity she has really been missing since the lockdown started.

I loved seeing her being so excited to be able to swim again despite it being absolutely freezing in the water. Hopefully the water will warm up over time if we go back during the summer and well be able to spend more time swimming there.

Since it is half-term, we have slowed down on the home-schooling this week, but we had a huge amount of fun yesterday making a kaleidoscope. This was surprisingly easy and led to lots of good learning.

As Ive been following the news, I was certainly a little apprehensive when I went out shopping this week.

Lots of the media coverage has suggested that people might start to give up on the lockdown after the Dominic Cummings scandal.

I was delighted to see that this wasnt the case in Swindon and that people were just as careful to ensure that they were social distancing and I felt just as safe as I have up until now that I can do my shopping pretty safely and minimise any chance of bringing home the virus to Jacqui.

All of the rules were being followed, which was great, and we had more good news this week, as Jacqui has officially been discharged from the care of the intensive unit at the Royal Brompton.

She will still work with the asthma team to monitor her breathing but the hospital are very pleased with her progress and wont need to see her again.

Recent council meetings held online such as scrutiny and the mayor-making have seemed to go well. Last night, we held the first virtual planning meeting.

It has been great to be able to have these meetings start up again and keep the business of the council running, so big thanks to the officers who make it all possible.

Read this article:
Week 9 of Jacqui and Jim Robbins' self-isolation diary for the Adver - Swindon Advertiser

Cathy Gassenheimer, Special to the Advertiser Published 4:16 p.m. CT May 28, 2020

Cathy Gassenheimer is the executive vice president with the Alabama Best Practices Center.(Photo: Contributed)

What are you doing to take care of yourself during the COVID-19 pandemic? Is self-care part of your coping strategy in these unprecedented times?

We all feel a need to stay in touch and in tune with others, particularly our loved ones. We miss our colleagues. Many of us are learning to work at home, and educators are very much feeling their responsibilities to students and parents. To boot, we are all developing a new appreciation for safely hunting and gathering food and other essentials.

So much to do. And yet, its alsoreally importantto devote some time to self-care.

After a particularly rough day, involving 5-6 zoom calls, I was exhausted and felt like a slug! And, while I had accomplished a good deal that day, my body didnt seem to feel that way.

I realized something had to change. Reflecting on options, I first decided that I needed to take advantage of where I am sheltering in place our lake cabin. I wanted to energize myself, focus on work, and also get my body moving a bit.

So I decided to take a 5-minute walk every hour, starting around 7:15 and ending at 4:00. My path involves walking up a steep driveway, back around the house, up a steep hill, and up to the backsteps. It just takes 5 minutes. Im outside, looking at the sky, the lake, and Im moving.

Its made all the difference in the world to my work days. I feel energized and productive! And, I treat myself at the end of the day by taking a two-mile leisurely stroll.

Of course, there are times that I have to skip an hour if Im on a Zoom call, or fudge a bit about the time, but Im getting between 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, and Im feeling better!

During one of our ABPC staff zoom calls, I described my self-care strategy and asked assistant director Stoney Beavers and program coordinator Dakota Punzel to share what they are doing.

From Stoney: For my self-care point, I would probably say that the best thing for me is getting outside in the morning and again in the afternoon. We are grilling out a lot and eating on the back porch. Im working more in the yard, and weve planted a small garden and a pollinator flower garden. I dedicate most of Saturday to yardwork, and then we have a lazy afternoon playing games or watching another Star Wars episode, which Mckinley has really gotten into lately. Other than that, I am trying to get in a daily workout and a walk with the family in the afternoon. If I have time after all animals are fed, I do a short morning meditationor guided breathing exercise.

And from Dakota: During the quarantine, I have taken measures to maintain a physically healthy lifestyle and it has maintained my mentalhealth as well. My wife and I are active and tend to go to the gym several times a week. Once the quarantine hit, we decided we were not going to allow the closures to disrupt that routine. We invested in a few pieces of equipment and built a very basic home gym to continue working out.

The regular exercise, combined with maintaining a healthy diet, has staved off a lot of anxiety and depression that we might have experienced otherwise. While this is focused on fitness, I do not believe that the physical activity was the most important aspect. It has been our continuation of our shared routine and the driving towards an achievable goal that has really helped keep us centered during the quarantine.

Cathy Gassenheimer is the executive vice president of the Alabama Best Practices Center in Montgomery. In partnership with the Alabama State Department of Education, ABPCfacilitates high-quality, professional learning for three different networks of educators: district and school leaders (Key Leaders Network), schools (Powerful Conversations Network), and school-based instructional coaches (Instructional Partners Network).

Read or Share this story: https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/opinion/2020/05/28/while-we-take-care-others-we-need-take-care-ourselves/5278666002/

Read the original post:
While we take care of others, we need to take care of ourselves - Montgomery Advertiser

Having grown up surrounded by people who were mostly white and non-Muslim, I can see how others might view some of the practices of Islam and Ramadan as irrational, or even alien.

However, fasting for Ramadan for the first time in years has changed my mental health for good.

Ramadan is a 28 or 29-day lunar month running up to Eid al-Fitr, one of the biggest Islamic festivals. For many, it entails focusing on self-betterment and helping others but you're also supposed to abstain from food and water from dawn until dusk every day for a month.

From the outside, fasting might seem extreme but my memories of Ramadan are some of the happiest I have.

My father was a lapsed Catholic before he reverted and married my mother so, though I was raised Muslim, my siblings and I had the best of both worlds.

With my dad's parents, I have fond memories of trick-or-treating at Halloween, painting eggs on Easter, and decorating Christmas cakes.

As I got older, my relationship with Islam changed. Ruqayyah Moynihan

At home, Ramadan, Sar (pre-dawn) breakfasts felt like midnight feasts. There were homemade advent-style calendars counting down the days to Eid, dinner parties for Ifr (dusk) meals, and show-and-tell days where my mom would bring in henna and craft supplies for Eid cards.

After spotting the new moon, we'd wake up to wrapped gifts, decorations, and lights. Both sides of my family, neighbors, friends, and classmates would turn up to the house in their best clothes for food, fireworks, and party games.

Eid and Ramadan brought everyone I loved together and were more exciting than my own birthday.

As I grew up, family and friends dispersed, and the novelty of Ramadan and Eid wore off.

Throughout my younger years, being surrounded mostly by peers of irreligious or lapsed Christian backgrounds had never been a bad thing for me; I'd even been placed on a pedestal for my differences.

When I was eight, shortly after the September 11 attacks, I tried to join in with my usual crowd at recess, and it became evident I was being ignored. Bewildered, it turned out one girl's parents had forbidden her from playing with me because my family was Muslim.

This event set the tone for the two decades that followed. Terms like "Muslim," "half-caste," "ugly," "brown," and "P*ki" came to be thrown around interchangeably, and everything that had once set me apart in a positive way became a burden.

High school, a predominantly white and non-Muslim space, saw me yearning for inclusion.

My parents chose to raise me Muslim from a young age. Ruqayyah Moynihan

It was incredibly isolating to have my mixed, Pakistani, and Muslim roots held up against a white (and often antireligious) backdrop. Conversely, I was also shunned for being overly liberal as a Muslim.

All of this took a toll on my wellbeing.

I got into trouble at school, experiencing disordered eating, wound up in problematic relationships, and suffered from body image issues colored by racism.

In my formative years, I was desperate to gain acceptance and tried to erase my background: it was easier than batting off stereotypes that often dipped into racism.

I shunned wearing shalwar kameez, Pakistani clothing introduced to South Asia by Muslims. I anglicized my name. I avoided catching the sun to stop my "visibly Muslim" and Pakistani heritage seeping through. My behavior drew ire from my family, but I felt withdrawn and unenthusiastic when Ramadan came around.

Bonds with family members continued to erode, and I drifted apart from any sense of community. I lost friends, and struggled to make new ones.

By my early twenties, I'd stopped observing Ramadan entirely. After my naani (maternal grandmother) died in 2015, I was left estranged from my family. I had no reason to fast and no one with whom to observe Ramadan: I discarded my Pakistani and Islamic heritage.

If I couldn't win and wouldn't be accepted as a "good Muslim," I decided I wouldn't be any sort of Muslim at all.

Denying my Muslim upbringing, regardless of my beliefs, was farcical. Ruqayyah Moynihan

After a period of little contact with my family, however, I realized that denying my Muslim upbringing, regardless of my beliefs, wasn't the right thing to do.

By not acknowledging my background, I was missing out on so much.

This year, in an effort to try and reclaim some of what I had let go, I chose to join my family in observing Ramadan, staying at my parents' house.

I fasted, performed Salat (an Islamic meditative ritual performed five times a day), and practiced mindfulness. It didn't just transform my relationships with food and my body; it altered my sense of purpose and direction, and gave me ownership over my choices.

I used to think of many aspects of Ramadan as unnecessary, mindless rituals that just "weren't for me," particularly fasting.

When I chose to fast this year, though, it didn't just test my self-discipline; it transformed my relationship with eating.

For years I had become rigid in whatever I could control in my life, including my diet. Structure had become a safety net on which I was reliant.

I'd forgotten how much I enjoy making food and sharing it with others. Ruqayyah Moynihan

Fasting forced me to let go of this need to be in control or follow a certain routine. It helped me moderate my approach to nutrition, and allowed me to just enjoy cooking and eating.

Though I had fewer meals, I ended up putting time and love into food, cooking with others, trying new things, sharing meals, and reconnecting with my heritage through family recipes.

Fasting won't help everyone. Many people I know simply can't fast for some, fasting and doing your job safely are mutually exclusive. Health conditions like diabetes, eating disorders, or immunity problems can make fasting unsafe.

But I've been much more mindful of how I eat since Ramadan ended.

Over the years, I'd come to derive self-worth from achievements I felt I had to earn it.

As an amateur pole athlete, I was so worried about falling behind in fitness that I hadn't stopped to consider the fact I might have been overexercising before Ramadan: working out is fine while fasting, but my normal workouts were leaving me sore, drained, and lethargic.

I realized that in pushing my body to feel a sense of accomplishment, I'd been losing sleep and getting dehydrated well before Ramadan started.

I'd punished myself for not being strong or flexible enough or for not picking tricks up immediately. It dawned on me that, just by functioning while fasting, my body was doing an amazing job.

Though I love pole, fasting forced me to confront the fact that exclusively strength-based and high-impact exercise just wasn't good for my body or my mind. I'd become too fixated on achieving and had forgotten why I liked pole in the first place.

I've often been unkind to my body where pole is concerned and pushed it too hard. Ruqayyah Moynihan

Since Ramadan ended, I've continued to rest when I need to, and tried not to feel guilty about it.

Having felt genuine thirst, I've remembered to drink more and have even tried yoga, which I'd never thought I'd enjoy.

I've been more mindful of not overworking myself in other ways, too I remember to step away from my screen more often and to stick my head out the front door to breathe in between meetings.

In many ways, fasting forcing me to conserve energy and cut back on pole training was a blessing in disguise: I thought I'd feel lost, but instead was able to indulge in so much I'd forgotten I loved.

I rediscovered a love for art and playing music and spent time baking with my sister. I messed around with henna, and read book and all of it was just for the sheer enjoyment.

As a kid, I dreaded my mom asking me to join her for Salat, though it never took long.

Salat is a ritual performed at dawn, midday, evening, dusk, and night. It entails a few cycles of verses recited in Arabic coupled with set motions, and it's not exclusive to Ramadan; it's meant to be done through the year.

I can recite and have memorized parts of the Qurn, but never took the time to study classical Arabic. Reciting words I couldn't really understand felt like a boring, mindless chore.

After performing Salat, I'll never dismiss rituals or meditation again. Ruqayyah Moynihan

I decided to join my family for Salat this Ramadan, and it proved to be a calming escape. The verses are repetitive, but reciting them has proved to be a retreat from a noisy mind. It's melodic and meditative, especially at dawn or twilight with birdsong.

Knowing there are millions of people pausing at the same time and moving in unison is also a pretty powerful feeling. I doubt the intended purpose of Salat is to "zone out," but taking regular breaks to focus on movement and sound has been grounding.

It helped me to understand why people meditate and do breathing exercises.

Fasting and pausing during the day also helped me consider things I normally take for granted feeling alert, warm, and full in the day, having a roof over my head, the means to afford what I need, and a warm home.

Having time to reflect on what I have, I feel very fortunate to live in a place where I was neither forced to observe Ramadan nor was I banned from doing so. Fasting and Salat helped me find gratitude in small things. Ruqayyah Moynihan

Fasting andperforming Salat also brought back memories of my naani, since when I was younger I'd always participated in both alongside her.

I was able to mourn not just my grandmother, but everything our family and I lost when she died we'd become scattered and lost cohesion. The one final connection I had to Pakistan, which I have never visited myself, was gone, and I never really grieved.

Recalling what it was like to perform Salat alongside my naani helped me remember things about her that I'd forgotten.

I grew up in a Muslim household but had the best of both worlds on both sides of my family. Ruqayyah Moynihan

Until I felt curious enough to retry fasting this month, I didn't realize how isolated I'd become.

My choice to cut myself off from Muslim practices, including Ramadan, had led me to miss out on an accepting and supportive community, on friends, and on family.

As an adult, being with my family in Ramadan hasn't always been easy, or even possible, but being reunited with them this year, I was able to reminisce and make new memories, too.

Even just taking time to look back on happy memories with family members has been rewarding. Ruqayyah Moynihan

It also allowed me to open up more about all the issues I've felt unable to confront for years.

Though well-meaning peers have lectured me on how it's backward, regressive, or extreme to fast when I'm "not even religious," for the most part, coworkers and non-Muslim friends have helped me feel reassured, too.

In fact, friends taking an interest and even poking fun at me for not eating has helped me to feel more included than I ever thought I could. Totally unprompted, many non-Muslim friends wished me "Ramadan Kareem" or "Eid Mubarak," and many even offered to fast alongside me.

I couldn't see friends or cousins for Ifr this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but I've made an effort to keep in touch with and open up to Muslim friends, old and new. It's helped me see there's room for me in many accepting groups of people.

Losing privileges I take for granted helped me think about what really matters to me, and to stop worrying about how people will view my choices.

Rather than feeling anxious or hopeless about things that aren't in my control, Salat forced me to stop and enjoy the moments I had, and to focus on how I could make the best of bad situations rather than try to control them.

It also made me pause to consider whether the things I've always claimed to be important to me, like spending time with family and friends or making travel plans, were being reflected in my day-to-day decisions.

Losing privileges I take for granted helped me contemplate what really matters to me. Ruqayyah Moynihan

For two decades, I consistently had reductive stereotypes thrust upon me an angry Muslim, a zealot, a failed Muslim, an observant, or an oppressed one.

I felt that I was being denied a more nuanced cultural identity among Muslims and non-Muslims.

Some people still condemn Ramadan as unhealthy, then tout the benefits of intermittent fasting; others judge and dismiss the more contemplative aspects of Ramadan as ritualistic. Some say my fasts won't count as I'm not a "real" Muslim.

However, after fasting this year, I realize that I don't care whether I'm considered adherent, liberal, or devout enough to have earned a label Muslim or non-Muslim. I don't need to explain or justify everything I do.

I didn't fast or do Salat for anyone else; I chose it for myself. Learning to walk away from judgmental conversations helped me protect my mental health, and I've been fortunate to find friends I can trust, respect, and open up to.

I can't and won't ever entirely belong to one single community, but I now know that I don't need to in order to matter.

Read more:

How to work out and eat to maintain muscle and fitness while fasting during Ramadan

How to support your Muslim coworkers who are fasting during Ramadan

7 things you should avoid saying to a fasting coworker during Ramadan

Originally posted here:
I fasted for Ramadan after shunning the ritual for years, and it changed my mental health for good - Insider - INSIDER