COVID-19 is harming public health, clearly affecting those who have tested positive. But its reach is much more widespread.

I've seen an uptick in stress, a drop of physical activity, and dip in social interactions. The fallout is likely to exceed the direct harms of COVID-19, but worsening health and well-being also makes us more susceptible to the novel coronavirus and its complications.

It's a good time to take both a break from the news and a few deep, meditative breaths. One place to start is giving yourselftime and compassion around learning new social-distancing habits.

Behavior change can be frustratingly difficult and only happens slowly. In my clinic, I've found it hard to overcome my reflexive habit of greeting patients with a handshake. It has taken several weeks to switch to a reverential, hand-at-my-heart bow that I hope conveys at least as much respect and good will.

Among the most important behaviors to gradually learn or relearn: diligent and frequent hand washing, refraining from handshakes, avoiding touching your face, coughing or sneezing into a tissue or handkerchief, avoiding individuals showing signs of illness, and steering clear of crowded locations.

Many of these "new" practices are not at all new; they're just good advice for preventing typical viral infections that we should have taken more seriously in the past. For now, for most of us (and I recognize this could change), the risk of influenza exceeds the risk of COVID-19. Over the last decade, the CDC estimates that influenza kills between12,000 and 61,000Americans each flu season, compared to less than50 U.S. COVID-19 deaths and less than 5,000 worldwide.

It is critical to be physically active, possibly in new ways.

Regular exercise is an effective stress management tool. Maintaining or improving your fitness level can also reduce the risk of viral infection and even the chances of severe COVID-19 complications. Low intensity physical activities, such as walking, are helpful, especially for older people and those with existing chronic conditions. If you can, try to achieve the recommended goal of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.

Given that Americans made6 billion visits to gyms or studios in 2018, keeping active may require new strategies. This includes digital technologies that allow you to be active in your home rather than at the gym, yoga studio, or dancing venue. Many great online resources are available.

In this distressing time, maintaining or adopting stress reduction strategies is part of keeping healthy. Chronic stress can make us more susceptible to viral infections. Figure out what works for you. I find meditation, yoga, walking, strenuous exercise, relaxing with my partner, being in nature, and creative activities all to be calming and reinvigorating.

If you or a loved one needs more help, reach out to your health care provider or therapist for depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns.

Social isolation is bad for your immune system and health, so we need to find new ways to maintain our connections to others, whether at work or in our communities. Connecting over Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat often isn't enough.

For me, video conferencing is more effective, but only when everyone uses the camera. To get the most of video work meetings, it's important to devote time to catching up on personal lives, so that the interactions aren't just about business. Try out innovative ideas: if you're hesitant to meet someone for coffee, plan a digital date instead.

Beyond remaining physically active, mentally calm (or aiming for it), and socially connected, pay attention to other health behaviors. Make sure you obtain seven or more hours of high quality sleep each night. Eat a heart-healthy, plant-predominant diet that emphasizes fibrous vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. Say no to that extra cookie.

COVID-19 has spawned unprecedented uncertainty, but it's also created new opportunities.

Be inventive and take advantage of new possibilities generated by the pandemic. Instead of eating out, for example, get back to cooking healthier meals for yourself and family. While working from home, take the chance to interact more with your partner, children and/or pets. If you're no longer commuting, use the extra time to schedule daytime exercise while you're at home.

Don't let protecting yourself against coronavirus cause your health to take a plunge. While it is important to keept the pandemic in perspective while taking it seriously, the usual strategies for keeping yourself healthy are themselves important precautions against COVID-19.

Randall Stafford, MD, PhD, is a professor of medicine at Stanford and practices primary care internal medicine. His research focuses on chronic disease prevention and treatment, but he also has broad experience in public health and infectious disease epidemiology.

Image by Shutterstock

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Even if you are virus-free, COVID-19 is affecting your health. Here's what to do - Scope

NewsEnvironmentMadeleine Cuff meets the individuals rationing everything from showers to sausages to meet strict, self-imposed carbon budgets

Friday, 13th March 2020, 8:45 pm

After speaking to them all I decided I had to give a carbon diet a go. I start out with the aim of targeting the one tonne a year, which gives me a daily budget of 2.74kg of carbon to play with.

But I quickly realised Ive blown my days budget just going into the office. The return journey, which involves a train and tube ride each way, adds up to about 3.6kg of emissions. Add my morning shower into the mix, which is about six minutes long and 180g of carbon, and Ive already overshot by an entire kilo.

Thats just the start. As a journalist, I spend most of my day firing off emails, talking on the phone, and researching stories on the web. All that data use adds up to just over 1kg of carbon. Im vegetarian, so breakfast, lunch and dinner only add up to about 1.3kg of carbon. It could go a bit lower without the cheese, but not by much.

At home, I have a renewable electricity supply. But my gas heating is coming on for about three hours a day at this time of year, clocking up 1.8kg of carbon, and washing up after dinner eats up another 540g.

Could you live on a low carbon diet?

All in all, I blow way past the 2.7kg target, hitting 8.5kg for the day. That doesnt even include regular tasks like running a load of laundry. And the strange thing is that the things I counted as green, like using a reusable coffee cup, actually have very little impact on my carbon footprint. If I want to go ultra low carbon, it will take more than avoiding plastic waste.

The next day I try again. I turn off the heating and survive with just a hot water bottle. I trim my shower down to three minutes. But Im too scared to cycle through London traffic to work so I still get the train, and I still have to do my job, so my data use stays the same.

Still, I shave about 1kg off my daily total. If I replicated that for the whole year, Id be living a 2.7 tonne lifestyle. Not bad.

But if I adopted a long-term carbon diet I would quickly run into some polluting problems. Although I have cut down on how much I fly, I still do jet off a few times a year for work and holidays. That would have to go.

Meanwhile, my parents live down in Cornwall, so I criss-cross the country quite a bit on trains to stay in touch. Those visits would be tricky, even on a 2.5 tonne budget for the year. But if Im honest, Im not sure if I would ever be willing to give them up.

Living on a carbon diet shows that personal choices like how much heating you use, what you eat, and how you travel, are a major factor in how large your carbon footprint gets. But its also a reminder that for most people, the carbon impact of going to work or heating their home is beyond their control. To go ultra low carbon, well need to change systems like what powers our buses and trains, as well as our lifestyles.

Meet the carbon dieters

Rosalind Readhead, climate activist and independent London Mayoral candidate, London

Living on one tonne of carbon for the year, starting September 2019

Six months ago I started an experiment to live on one tonne of carbon for the year, the amount experts think should be the global per person average from 2050. That breaks down to a daily carbon budget of about 2.7kg a day.

What really surprised me was the carbon impact of public transport. I live in London, and going to Oxford Street and back on the tube is 900g. That is really taking up a hefty amount of my daily budget. So Ive been walking and cycling a lot more.

When I started the lifestyle in the autumn it was great because it was harvest time. I was eating virtually all plant-based food and having really good food. But as it got into winter the tomatoes go, the peppers go, and it became more stressful.

Some of the vegans have really come down hard on me because Im not completely vegan. But I had to have some cheese in my life. I have worked out that 25g of cheese, if the rest of my meal is plant-based, is doable. And Ive my milk consumption down from four pints to two pints a week.

After a month or so of researching you get an instinct for judging how many grams of carbon something is. Its a bit like calorie counting. And anything you can pick is a carbon freebie. I have a quince tree in the garden which did quite well this year, and every quince I pick off that tree is a carbon freebie.

Im halfway through the experiment and Ive been through quite a long winter. If I was to do this project for the long term, I would need to upgrade my heating system, as I cant really use it at the moment. Im using the showers at my local lido to wash three times a week, and limiting how much heating I use to do the washing up.

The first thing I will want to do at the end of the year is get out of London. I might have to break my budget because I think it will be really hard to spend the whole year here. I want to go to the beach in Devon this summer. I can get there by public transport, but I worked out that getting there is about 12 or 13 days of my budget. We really need to decarbonise public transport.

Lloyd Alter, Design editor of Treehugger.com, Toronto, Canada

Living on an annual carbon budget of 2.5 tonnes since January 2020

A lot of people say personal actions doesn't matter because it's all the big corporations, the electrical companies, giant conglomerates that are putting out all the carbon. But we are their customers! We are buying what they are selling.

For my low-carbon year I very quickly decided that I wouldnt count every cup of tea and every latte. All of those things are really rounding errors.They dont ultimately make a huge amount of difference

The three big items are housing, food and travel. A few years ago I downsized significantly, I cut my house into a duplex and I live in the ground floor and rent out the upper floors. I cycle almost everywhere, and hardly ever eat red meat - although my son is a cheesemonger so that makes cutting out cheese tricky.

My big lesson from my first month of doing this was that its a bit elitist. You can only do this kind of thing if you are lucky enough that you can work from home. That you are rich enough that you can buy a nice e-bike like I did. If I had a normal job downtown, it would be impossible for me to do.

But it hasnt all gone to plan. I had to fly to New York last month to meet the new owners of the website where I work. Basically it was equivalent to 31 days of my carbon budget. And last week my daughter had a birthday party and her husband cooked steak. I havent had steak for months, and just that meal blew two days worth of carbon budget. These are really hard choices that we all have to make.

I couldnt even possibly get close to doing one tonne. Ive picked a target at 2.5 tonnes, that basically if you dont drive, you dont fly, you dont eat red meat, and you dont live in a vast house in the suburbs, then you can actually accomplish it.

Peter Kalmus, climate scientist, California

Living on two tonnes a year

In 2009 I looked at my own emissions. Before I sat down and ran the numbers I had no idea that flying was going to be the dominant source of my emissions. I was flying a lot because I was a scientist and was going to lots of conferences and meetings, and it added up to 75 per cent of my emissions.

Back then my annual emissions added up to about 20 metric tonnes. Im now living on two tonnes a year of emissions.

The main change for me was to stop flying. My last flight was in 2012. I got on the plane and it felt really wrong, I felt like I was stealing from my kids. But if there were carbon free planes I would definitely start flying again

The second biggest change was to switch from a regular diet to a plant-based diet, which I did in stages. That was pretty easy for me.

And I dont drive in fossil fuel cars anymore because it feels really gross to me. But thats easy now because electric cars are available. We have a Tesla and a Nissan Leaf at home.

We use 100 per cent renewable electricity, which just means that our electricity bill is a little higher every month. We do still use natural gas. Thats something that I havent managed to fix yet, although I have plans for using heat pumps which run on electricity.

The further down you go the harder it gets. I have found it quite easy to go to two tonnes per year. To cut that in half again would be very difficult. You could do it, but you're going to be in your own little world and other people are going to think that you are a bit of a nutter, and they wont follow you. So I dont advocate for people to go crazy to try to go down to one metric tonne a year or even lower than that.

You can get obsessed about this. The point is that we need systems change. We need collective change. By reducing our own footprint we express emergency, and that I think helps push for collective change that we need.

More here:
Carbon diets: Meet the people living ultra low-carbon lifestyles and cutting down emissions - inews

Lately, Ive been reframing the unique features of my body as gifts from generations before me. I imagine my smile as belonging to my ancestors who found reasons to smile despite great adversities. I wonder if my back that allows me to stand tall belonged to men who refused to cower in fear. Did my hips belong to women who found rhythm in the crashing waves of the Caribbean Sea?

I wonder when I started to hate these gifts, when I started to pick them apart full of resentment. Maybe it was in my preteen years, when I was bombarded with ideal images of women with thigh gaps. Or maybe when I tried my first fad diets. I am not exactly sure where it started, but it has left me with a complicated understanding of food and weight that has followed me to this campus. However, my understanding of my body has changed after I recently ended a phase of dieting.

As I have built a new relationship with my body, I have started to notice difficult trends in the way we might speak about our bodies and perpetuate fatphobia and diet culture on this campus.

The most difficult part of diet culture that I have confronted is food. Last semester, my favorite dining hall was Hewitt. I loved the variety of food and staff; however, more cynically, I also loved that every dish had a calorie label attached to it. This helped feed my obsessive need to calculate every calorie I ate, which is a toxic part of diet culture.

We clearly delineate between the good and bad food on this campus. JJs with its burgers, pancakes, and sweet treats is where the bad foods live. Ferris salad lines and John Jays grain bowls and smoothies are where I can pat myself on the back for choosing a good food. However, this notion of good and bad is complicated by the fact that the first time I had access to three actual meals a day is when I attended Columbia.

Growing up, the expectation was to eat what was available, which was mostly school lunches and snacks from the corner store, so I never really learned about a balanced diet. Since coming to college, I have had the freedom to develop my own personal eating habits for the first time in my life. In the beginning, I latched onto notions of good and bad food, thinking that my prior diet was all bad. It has taken me a while to recognize good and bad food as just food. I am allowing myself to go to JJs and not feel guilty for indulging in fries, ice cream, and chicken wings, while also enjoying peaches and broccoli.

Growing up in the food deserts of North Miami, my diet rarely included nutritious and balanced meals. As I adapted to the differences in eating culture on college campuses, I also had to confront my own understanding of diet culture. As I balanced my classes and new experiences with the plentiful access to food, I naturally gained weight. With little understanding of what a balanced diet should look like, I easily fell into the cycle of binge eating and guilt followed by sometimes extreme eating restrictions in an attempt to lose weight.

Sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldnt, but either way, I was in an endless cycle of dieting. It felt like the number on the scale reflected my self-worth as I grappled with the changes in my body. However, as I began to explore my body, especially with the help of amazing digital communities like @theunplugcollective, I started to re-evaluate these concepts of diet culture. I realized that as I was growing and changing, so was my body, and sometimes that meant tighter jeans or looser fitting shirts. And that was okay.

As spring break approaches and people swarm to Dodge Fitness Center for last minute workouts, conversations about body image may arise. I hope we remember that we are more than the five pounds we lose, and the slice of cake we indulge in after a tough midterm. As Ketogenic, Paleolithic, and fasting diets bombard our social media feed, I hope we remember that fad diets will not make up for our unbalanced understanding of our bodies. It is your body that allows you to share a smile and laugh with your friends, that helps you navigate through the difficult city of New York, and enjoy the warmth of the sun. The dimples, love-handles, cellulite, and freckles once belonged to someone before you, and I hope you cherish those family heirlooms.

When Kwolanne isnt balancing the sophomore year workload, student council, research, and sleep she loves engaging with new people. Dont be shy, for questions, concerns, or just a cup of coffee you can email her at k.felix@columbia.edu or shoot her a DM on Instagram @Kwolanne. You can take a sip of Intersectionali-Tea on alternate Tuesdays.

To respond to this op-ed, or to submit an op-ed, contact opinion@columbiaspectator.com.

See original here:
Inheriting your body: coming to terms with changes - CU Columbia Spectator

The hottest luxury and A List news

Activist Jameela Jamil is celebrating on Twitter today after a detox tea company was fined $1 million for failing to disclose sponsored ads and making misleading claims.

The company, Teami, was hit with the fine by the Federal Trade Commission and has previously worked with the likes of Cardi B and Alexa Vega - both of whom were sent formal warnings by the FTC.

Jamil retweeted a report by blog The Fashion Law about the news on Twitter, captioning it, I f**king TOLD Ya. (Flicks hair).

(Getty Images)

Jamil, who became famous for her blistering attacks on the appetite suppressant and weight loss industry last year, has actually previously criticised influencers that have worked with Teami.

She actually shared Cardi Bs Teami post when it first went up in 2018, writing, They got Cardi B on the laxative nonsense detox tea. GOD I hope all these celebrities all shit their pants in public, the way the poor women who buy this nonsense upon their recommendation do. Not that they actually take this s**t. They just flog it because they need MORE MONEY.

After Cardi B responded to her, saying that she would never s**t my pants cause theres public bathrooms everywhere, Jamil told her, Regarding her response: she will never s**t her pants, not because of bushes, but because she probably doesnt ever take the products she promotes... during her promotional video she keeps looking at the name of the product on the cup... almost as if shes never seen it

(Getty Images)

Teami Tea, whose products claim to have weight loss, detoxing and antibacterial properties, agreed to a $1 million settlement with the FTC last week. This came after it was initially set at $15.2 million (the amount the company made off the products) but was changed due to an inability to pay according to Law.com.

The FTC goes into the case in more detail on its website, discussing claims made specifically about one of its products (the Teami 30 Day Detox Pack) which claimed to help consumers lose weight, and that its other teas fight cancer, clear clogged arteries, decrease migraines, treat and prevent flus, and treat colds. The FTC alleged that they were made without reliable scientific evidence.

Cardi B (AP)

In addition to this, a number of Teamis sponsored partners were hit with a warning to prominently disclose paid endorsements - which included a screenshot of their post - and told influencers that they could be subject to legal enforcement action by the FTC.

Additionally, it told the influencers in question to provide a written response to this letter...describing what actions you are or will be taking to ensure[you] conspicuously disclose your relationships.

In the letter specifically addressed to Cardi B, the FTC wrote, You were paid by Teami, LLC (Teami) to create this post. In a federal court complaint filed today, the Federal Trade Commission alleged that the post was deceptive because it lacked a clear disclosure that you were paid to promote Teami products.

(Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

It also included guidelines set out by the FTC regarding paid sponsorships, which have become increasingly strict in recent years (and especially following controversies such as Fyre Festival).

These for example include making sure that a sponsored disclosure is clear and conspicuous - meaning that it can be seen above the Read More button and makes it completely clear that the post is a paid-for one.

In the case of Cardi B, who shared a video, they also warned her to explicitly disclose sponsorships in her videos moving forwards - saying, Because the video could be viewed without anyone seeing a disclosure, you should disclose any material connection in the video itself, and not just the text portion of your post.

Other influencers to work with Teami, including Kylie Jenner, did not appear to receive a letter.

Andrew Smith, the director of the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection, said, Social media is full of people peddling so-called detox teas, promising weight loss. Companies need to back up health claims with credible science and ensure influencers prominently disclose that theyre getting paid to promote a product.

Jamil has previously been instrumental in encouraging social media platforms to crack down on the promotion of diet products and cosmetic surgery, which led to both Instagram and its parent company Facebook putting age restrictions on the content.

Read the original post:
Jameela Jamil celebrates on Twitter as diet tea company hit with $1m fine and Cardi B reprimanded - Evening Standard

New York, March 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Ketogenic Diet Market: Global Industry Analysis, Trends, Market Size, and Forecasts up to 2025" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05874283/?utm_source=GNW 4% over the forecast period from 2019-2025. The study on ketogenic diet market covers the analysis of the leading geographies such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW for the period of 2017 to 2025.

The report on ketogenic diet market is a comprehensive study and presentation of drivers, restraints, opportunities, demand factors, market size, forecasts, and trends in the global ketogenic diet market over the period of 2017 to 2025. Moreover, the report is a collective presentation of primary and secondary research findings.

Porters five forces model in the report provides insights into the competitive rivalry, supplier and buyer positions in the market and opportunities for the new entrants in the global ketogenic diet market over the period of 2017 to 2025. Further, IGR- Growth Matrix gave in the report brings an insight into the investment areas that existing or new market players can consider.

Report Findings1) Drivers The rising number of obese people worldwide The growing number of health-conscious people Diverse health benefits associated with the ketogenic diet2) Restraints The ketogenic diet has side effects like muscle cramps, nausea, and others3) Opportunities Various innovative new product launches in keto diet products

Research Methodology

A) Primary ResearchOur primary research involves extensive interviews and analysis of the opinions provided by the primary respondents. The primary research starts with identifying and approaching the primary respondents, the primary respondents are approached include1. Key Opinion Leaders associated with Infinium Global Research2. Internal and External subject matter experts3. Professionals and participants from the industry

Our primary research respondents typically include1. Executives working with leading companies in the market under review2. Product/brand/marketing managers3. CXO level executives4. Regional/zonal/ country managers5. Vice President level executives.

B) Secondary ResearchSecondary research involves extensive exploring through the secondary sources of information available in both the public domain and paid sources. At Infinium Global Research, each research study is based on over 500 hours of secondary research accompanied by primary research. The information obtained through the secondary sources is validated through the crosscheck on various data sources.

The secondary sources of the data typically include1. Company reports and publications2. Government/institutional publications3. Trade and associations journals4. Databases such as WTO, OECD, World Bank, and among others.5. Websites and publications by research agencies

Segment CoveredThe global ketogenic diet market is segmented on the basis of product type, and distribution channel.

The Global Ketogenic Diet Market by Product Type Fruits and Vegetables Beverages Nuts and Seeds Poultry and Eggs Meat Seafood Other Products

The Global Ketogenic Diet Market by Distribution Channel Online Channels Retailers Supermarkets and Hypermarkets

Company Profiles Ample Foods Inc. Danone S.A. Keto and Company Ancient Nutrition Abbott Nestle S.A. Love Good Fats Perfect Keto Zenwise Health Pruvit Ventures, Inc. Other Companies

What does this report deliver?1. Comprehensive analysis of the global as well as regional markets of the ketogenic diet market.2. Complete coverage of all the segments in the ketogenic diet market to analyze the trends, developments in the global market and forecast of market size up to 2025.3. Comprehensive analysis of the companies operating in the global ketogenic diet market. The company profile includes analysis of product portfolio, revenue, SWOT analysis and latest developments of the company.4. IGR-Growth Matrix presents an analysis of the product segments and geographies that market players should focus to invest, consolidate, expand and/or diversify.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05874283/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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Global ketogenic diet market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 5.4% over the forecast period from 2019-2025 - GlobeNewswire

No matter where you are, theres no excuse to avoid breaking a sweat. You dont need to join a gym and dedicate an hour a day to getting your dream body. There are ways to work those muscles and tone up even while youre sat at your desk in the office, or on the bus to work. PureGym PT Kasumi Miyake tells Express.co.uk how.

Exercising, playing sport, or going for a walk is hugely beneficial for our physical and mental health.

Fitness expert Kasumi Miyake said: Life can get busy and working out might be the last thing you want to do.

Its important to remember though that you shouldnt ever feel guilty if you dont have the time to exercise, take things day by day and just try to include exercises where you can.

The PT has shared her top tips with Express.co.uk to show that it is possible to fit in exercising during all sorts of day-to-day activities.

READ MORE-HIIT workout: At home training plan - cardio exercises to boost weight

Most of us dont have the luxury of being able to walk to work, and instead hop in the car or take public transport.

Thats no excuse to slack on your step count, though.

Kasumi said: Your commute to work is a great way to fit in some light cardio, simply getting off the bus or train one stop early and walking the rest will get more steps into your day.

At work, if you have the option to take the stairs instead of the lift then those extra steps up and down stairs work all your major lower-body muscles, including glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves.

Nearly a third of the nations professionals admit that their job has caused them to gain weight.

Being sat down all day and faced with temptation of free food and vending machines.

Kasumi suggested: If you want to get a bit of extra exercise in and become the most popular person in the office offer to make people a tea or coffee more often.

Going around the desks collecting cups, walking to the kitchen, then distributing them all means youll be out of your seat and getting some light cardio into your day.

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Even if youre bound to your computed all day and have no time to take a lunch-break stroll, you can still get those muscles moving.

She said: When you are at you desk, you can even do some stretches whilst youre getting on your with to-do list.

Do some arm circles - lift your other arm up so its outstretched at right-angles to your body, and then move your arm in circular motions clockwise for 10 seconds.

Do this again in reverse.

Performing this stretch a few times a day can be a great way to help remind yourself to reset your posture, which can often suffer when sitting for extended periods of time.

Do you often find your arms ache after whipping up a delicious meal?

This is especially noticeable when making a cake, but cooking is actually a great workout for your body.

Kasumi recommended: Give your arms a workout by unplugging your kitchen gadgets and mixing and whisking by hand. Remember to alternative your hands to even out the workout.

Whilst youre waiting for something to cook in the oven you can fit in a few in-kitchen moves.

If youve always wanted to master a push up, you can try a modified version with the help of your kitchen worktop.

Stand away a little away from your worktop, then with your hands shoulder-width apart on the worktop lean forward so your body is at a diagonal angle.

Slowly push yourself up from the worktop, doing three sets of 10 reps.

Sometimes the most mundane tasks are more important than going to the gym- going to the supermarket has to be done!

Dont feel bad, though, as Kasumi says doing your weekly shop can be a great way to get some extra steps in.

She said: If youre travelling by car, get more steps into your day by parking your car further away from the store entrance than you usually would.

Youre not at a gym or running in the great outdoors, but that doesnt mean you cant activate your muscles.

Kasumi said: Cleaning and doing chores around the house can help to increase your physical activity while making your house sparkly clean.

A great tip is to add some walking lunges when youre doing your hoovering or just when youre pottering around the house.

This exercise works out your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps, she said.

To prevent feeling like the ultimate couch potato, fit in some squats while binge watching your favourite shows.

Kasumi suggested trying half squats first.

She said: Squatting to halfway between fully standing and having your thighs parallel to the ground can be done in front of the TV do three sets of 20 reps to start.

Kasumi also recommended wall squats.

She said: Stand with your head and back against the wall, with your feet shoulder-width apart slightly away from the wall then lower yourself into a seated position.

Hold this for as long as you can to see the best results.

Alternatively, if youve had a particularly active day, sit in front of the TV on the floor and do some stretches

If youve suddenly hit the hay and realised you forgot to fit any exercise in today, you could try some windshield wipers.

Kasumi directed: Lay on your back with your arms outstretched so youre a T shape, then lift both legs in the air and bend your knees so your calves are parallel to the ground.

While keeping your body still, rotate your hips to one side without letting your legs touch the floor.

Then return to the centre, and repeat on the other side.

If you really want to impress, do three sets of 10 reps.

If youd like to work on your calves, you can skip the weights at the gym and get your workout done at home.

While youre brushing your teeth or washing dishes you can do some heel raises.

She said: They are really simple, just rise up onto your toes and then lower back onto your heel. We suggest three sets of 10 to 20 reps.

View post:
How to exercise without really exercising: On the commute, in office, and MORE - Express

A "reckless" and "opportunistic" businessman who dealt online slimming pills which caused the death of a Wrexham Glyndwr University student with bulimia has been jailed for seven years.

Bernard Rebelo, 32, from Gosport in Hampshire, was twice convicted of killing Eloise Parry, 21, after the Court of Appeal last year ordered a retrial at the Old Bailey.

He had already served almost 10 months in custody before being handed his second sentence on Wednesday.

Ms Parry, from Shrewsbury in Shropshire, died in April 2015 after taking eight "extremely toxic" pills containing the poisonous Dinitrophenol (DNP), described online as "the devil's cut agent".

Rebelo was accused of buying the yellow powder from a chemical factory in China and selling it on, in tablet form, to people around the world, including Ms Parry.

The court previously heard how Ms Parry had been diagnosed with the eating disorder bulimia at the age of 17, and became "psychologically addicted" to the chemical after she started taking it in February 2015.

Side affects of DNP included multiple organ failure, coma and cardiac arrest.

In part of a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Parry's mother, Fiona Parry, said her hopes for her daughter had been "destroyed."

"Eloise had many problems in her life but I always hoped they would be sorted," she said.

"In the latter part of her life there were positive signs that things were getting better. She was working towards achieving her goals.

"She had plans for the future including travelling and seeing the world, not just a career.

"When Eloise died, her life was undone and her plans were unravelled. In that moment, my hopes were destroyed."

Following the sentence, she said: "It all feels unreal. It's still never a situation you want to find yourself in. It's overwhelming.

"If I really stop to think about it, I don't function."

She said that the person that would be most affected was her other daughter Rebecca, who had just turned 17 when her sister died.

She said: "At the end of the day, the sentence doesn't bring Eloise back. She doesn't get another chance, and as a family we have to go away and live with that.

"There hasn't just been one victim, to what he [Rebelo] has done. Although I don't know who they are, there must be many more families."

Mrs Parry added that she wished that people would "just remember the best" of her daughter.

"I hope they remember the good times, the smiles and the joy she brought to others, she said.

Sentencing Rebelo, Mrs Justice Whipple said that he had shown a "blatant disregard for risk of death" by selling the substance that was "not fit for human consumption".

"DNP is an extremely toxic substance. It is a yellow powder which was originally used in making munitions in World War One," she said.

"It was banned in the USA in 1938, because it was dangerous and unsafe and not fit for human consumption. DNP has a market in the UK amongst bodybuilders and those that want to lose weight.

"There is no safe dosage for DNP: even small amounts can have devastating consequences. In consequence, DNP has a staggeringly high mortality rate."

The judge said that taking DNP was akin to playing "Russian Roulette", adding: "You don't know if you are going to live or die.

"Eloise Parry had a distorted body image and a morbid desire for thinness. She had been a regular customer of yours in the weeks leading up to her death.

"By selling her the DNP, you caused her death - it is that simple."

Mrs Justice Whipple said that Rebelo had "encouraged" other customers to buy his product using "reckless sales talk", despite acknowledging the dangers in online posts.

She added that Rebelo had used "dishonest" business methods such as disguising the packages of DNP with false descriptions before selling them.

Rebelo, of Harrow, west London, was sentenced to seven years in prison, minus the 301 days he has already served.

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'Reckless' businessman jailed over sale of diet pills that led to death of young Shropshire woman - Border Counties Advertizer

Ill say it again, as a comic in all seriousness: Lettuce is overrated.

My favorite salad is a Greek one with all those veggies and no lettuce.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last week that between 2009 and 2018, FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified 40 foodborne outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections in the U.S. with a confirmed or suspected link to leafy greens.

Holy shit.

This is why The Tragically Hip were so great, and why they never appealed much beyond Canada.

I feel the same about academia.

And why Osterholm called me 15 years ago as a consultant for Fresh Express, and asked me how dare I the lettuce and skull picture, and I said because I can and it was fairly apt given there have been 40 outbreaks.

Holy shit (this is me echoing my John Oliver voice).

Coronavirus is just confirming: Go public, go often, go hard.

Its the only way people will pay attention.

And as this story in the N.Y. Times points out, there have been spectacular public health failures by people who tell others, just shut the fuck up.

According to the FDA, it has an unwavering commitment to advancing the safety of fresh leafy greens.Leafy greens are among the most widely consumed vegetables and an important part of an overall healthy diet.While millions of servings are consumed safely every day, this produce commodity has been implicated too often in outbreaks of foodborne illness, and we believe that FDA, along with leafy greens sector stakeholders, can do more.

Between 2009 and 2018, FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified 40 foodborne outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections in the U.S. with a confirmed or suspected link to leafy greens. While most strains of E. coli are harmless, STEC can cause bloody diarrhea, anemia, blood-clotting problems, and kidney failure conditions that are potentially life-threatening. The most common STEC, E. coli O157:H7, is the type most often associated with outbreaks.

Most leafy greens are grown outdoors, where they are exposed to soil, animals, and water, all of which can be a source of pathogen contamination. In addition, leafy greens are mostly consumed raw, without cooking or other processing steps to eliminate microbial hazards. The Produce Safety Rule under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) sets science-based standards to help ensure that water, soil amendments (e.g., fertilizer or compost), food contact surfaces and other materials that touch produce during growing, harvesting, packing, and holding do not contribute to produce contamination. The Produce Safety Rule also addresses animal intrusion into fields and worker hygiene.

Due to the recurring nature of outbreaks associated with leafy greens, FDA has developed this commodity-specific action plan. What follows is an overview of the actions FDA plans to take in 2020 to advance work in three areas: (1) prevention, (2) response, and (3) addressing knowledge gaps.

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Lettuce is overrated: FDA's leafy greens STEC action - Barfblog

CBD stands for cannabidiol, a cannabinoid, or in simple terms, a naturally occurring compound unique to the cannabis plant.

Cannabinoids interact with the human endocannabinoid system, which maintains the balance between basic biological processes, such as memory, mood, appetite, sleep, pain, and immune function.

However, CBD isnt psychoactive like THC; it doesnt get people high. As a result, hemp-derived CBD products are widely used to manage a wide range of symptoms from medical conditions as well as common disorders.

CBD comes in many different forms. Many people choose gummies instead of CBD oil and other forms because they provide the user with the best of both worlds; CBD gummies are convenient, easy to take, dose, and more enjoyable than other products. Most importantly, they dont have that harsh earthy flavor of CBD oil, and theyre easier to administer than vapes, tinctures, or capsules.

Most CBD gummies have between 1030 mg CBD per county, leading to nice relaxation without excessive sedation. Many users take more than one gummy throughout the day, but the best dosage for each individual is determined by a range of factors, such as their age, weight, metabolism, the severity of symptoms, and their prior experience with CBD.

CBD oil in most gummies is extracted from hemp plants and contains no THC or other cannabinoids. You can find these products labeled as THC-free or Zero THC. Some gummies come with trace amounts of THC (0.3% or less), meaning they contain the full-spectrum of cannabinoids. Such products are still federally legal, but states can create their own limits on full-spectrum gummies.

In this guide, well review only THC-free gummies.

Read on to learn about CBD gummies, the benefits they offer, general dosage guidelines, and where to find the best CBD gummies in 2020.

Our editors pick, Royal CBD is a premium brand rooted in California selling CBD products from organic hemp. The guys at Royal CBD offer only one potency and flavor (10 mg, Fruit Punch), but the formula is very well-thought-out.

Royal CBD gummies are made only with natural ingredients. This includes the flavorings too. Theyre also pretty guilt-free for a sweet treat, carrying only 3 grams of sugar per container. The presence of sugar results from the fruit juices that were infused into the gummies to achieve fruity flavors and appealing colors.

Royal CBD gummies feature 99.9% pure CBD isolate, with 10 mg in each bear. Using smaller increments like 10 mg allows for more accurate dosing without experiencing sedation. And since isolate is flavorless and odorless, there are no earthy flavors one would experience when taking a full-spectrum or broad-spectrum extract.

DiamondCBD has one of the broadest line ups of CBD-infused edibles, with an impressive selection of CBD gummies.

This company offers a wide range of shapes and flavors; its gummies are available as worms, mini fruits, rings, frogs, or traditional bears.

Whether you want a bulkier supply or a small pack of 12 gummies, DiamondCBD has everything you need in its stock. All of the companys products are tested for potency and purity in third-party laboratories, with Certificates of Analysis available on its website.

But despite the almost overwhelming number of flavors and shapes to choose from, Diamondcbd actually offers pretty much the same products. There are two strengths available for sale 7.25 mg and 12.5 mg per gummy. These arent usual increments and may be difficult to dose, especially for those taking gummies for the first time.

And besides the obvious dosage problem, these gummies also contain three artificial colorings, which is why we give them the runner up title.

CBDistillery offers two types of CBD gummies designed with different types of users.

The companys regular CBD gummies are designed for consumption throughout the day. Each gummy comes with 30 mg of 99% pure CBD, so theyre also suitable for people who face routine drug tests, such as public employees.

CBDistillery also has Night-Time Gummies. Similar to the daytime version, this option contains 30 mg of CBD per count, but with 2 mg of sleep-supporting melatonin. Both products are made from U.S.-grown, non-GMO hemp plants and can be consumed by vegans.

The only downside of these gummies is the sugar content, which is higher than in competitors products due to grape juice concentrate and added cane sugar. They are very tasty but may turn out too sweet for some users in the long run.

CBDfx is another company that offers a plethora of options for their CBD gummies. These sweet treats are made for both novice and experienced consumers alike available in two potencies (5 mg or 40 mg of CBD per piece).

On top of that, CBDfx has various gummy formulas in their selection, each offering unique benefits. On top of their traditional daily gummies, CBDfx sells gummy bears infused with spirulina and turmeric for enhanced immune function; the company also offers sleep-aid gummies with melatonin, as well as jet-setters that come infused with vitamins.

You can also buy low-potency gummies from CBDfx. These are available in eight-count packages as well as mix-and-match bundles for those who cant decide on their preferred formula and flavor.

Similar to CBDistillery, CBDfx gummies are higher in sugar than other brands. On the other hand, these are full-spectrum gummies, so the addition of these two ingredients makes sense given the unpleasant hemp taste of full-spectrum CBD.

Another brand selling full-spectrum CBD gummies, PlusCBD Oil is a good option for people who prefer lower levels of CBD, but with the added benefit of essential fatty acids, other phytocannabinoids, terpenes, vitamins, and trace minerals.

On top of using organic hemp plants, PlusCBD oil gummies include all-natural ingredients such as organic seaweed extract, purified water, and organic cane sugar. This product is also non-GMO, doesnt contain dairy, soy, gluten or gelatin. Its a 100% vegan-friendly option.

You can choose between two delicious flavors Cherry Mango and Fruit Punch. Both are very tasty and mask the natural taste of full-spectrum CBD pretty well. They PlusCBD Oil gummies are available in 30-count and 60-count containers. The latter option saves you more money on the order, but it doesnt change the fact these gummies are a bit expensive when you consider the price per mg of CBD.

The main reason people take their supplements in the form of a capsule or edible is that they dont like the taste of natural CBD oil. Gummies are definitely the best edible CBD product for picky CBD users.

The majority of premium CBD gummies are flavored with fruit concentrate or fruit juice, which adds a pleasant taste and mask the flavor of full-spectrum CBD. These ingredients also give CBD gummies their appealing colors.

CBD gummies are easier to take than capsules because you dont need to swallow them down with water. You can chew your gummies for as long as you like absorbing the CBD content through sucking it in your mouth and then eat them just like any other cannabis edible

Gummies come in a wide range of strengths, from as little as 2 mg to a whopping 100 mg per serving.

Here we provide the most important information about CBD, the health benefits of CBD gummies, and how they turn out in comparison with other forms of cannabidiol.

CBD is the acronym for cannabidiol, a cannabinoid unique to cannabis plants. Cannabinoids are natural molecules that engage with a neurochemical network known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The molecular structure of cannabinoids regulates the functioning of ECS, bringing balance to functions like mood, memory, cognition, immune responses, pain signaling, mood, sleep, appetite, fertility, and body temperature.

Products high in CBD can help users manage the symptoms of many physical and mental conditions, such as:

Since CBD is derived from cannabis, many people think that its the same as marijuana. But in fact, CBD gummies cant get you high because CBD doesnt have intoxicating properties. So as long as your gummies are made from hemp, which contains less than 0.3% THC, you wont get buzzed from eating them.

Hemp-derived gummies are legal in all 50 states as a result of the 2018 Farm Bill. Products made from marijuana are only legal in states that have legalized medical or recreational use of cannabis.

Once again, our guide focuses on CBD products that are THC-free.

The reason why CBD gummies have become so popular all across the United States is that they offer a unique experience for CBD users, combining portability and fun with easy dosing.

Here are the stand out features of CBD gummies:

Most hemp-derived CBD gummies are considered safe as long as they come from a trusted manufacturer. Their relaxing and pain-relieving effects are broadly documented and the list of side effects is very short. Most of these side effects are very mild and nearly non-existent when you dont take extremely high doses of CBD.

Common side effects of CBD gummies include:

Although people often feel relaxed after eating CBD gummies, such products wont get you high in the same way marijuana edibles do.

Some full-spectrum gummies have traces of THC, but this amount wont exceed 0.3% in most products.

However, despite the lack of psychoactive properties, CBD gummies in high doses can make you feel drowsy. Thats why new users are advised to dose their treats with caution, especially if they need to be up and about throughout the day or when operating motor vehicles.

Theres no one-size-fits-all CBD dosage. The optimal number of gummies for any person depends on a wide range of factors, such as:

If youre a first-time consumer, you can use the table below for a decent point of reference. Its recommended that new users start with 26 mg of CBD per 10 pounds of weight and monitor the effects throughout one week, readjusting the dosage as needed.

CBD has many positive effects on our health, and gummies are arguably the most enjoyable way for CBD-curious people to hop on the ship and explore their edible options.

If you want to make sure that you get the real effects of CBD from your gummies, stick to organic products made from hemp grown in the United States, and most importantly, make sure your product is third-party tested.

When you get the best product and dosage for your needs, start slowly and work your way up to the point where you experience relief without sedation or other mild side effects. Dont rush another dose if you dont feel the effects right after consumption; CBD gummies must be processed in your stomach, so wait up to a full 2 hours before taking an additional dose.

If you use any medications that CBD could interact with, consult your doctor before buying CBD gummies.

Originally posted here:
Best CBD Gummies to Buy in 2020: Top 5 Reviews and Purchasing Guide - Weed News