(CNN) The number of deaths from the Wuhan coronavirushad risen to over 1,000 by Tuesday morning, as experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) arrived in China to assist with controlling the epidemic.

Chinese health authorities said 108 people died from the virus in mainland China on Monday, with the majority of those deaths occurring in Hubei province, the capital of which is Wuhan the city where the virus was first found. The total number of deaths stands at 1,018, all but two of those in mainland China.

Globally, 43,090 have now been diagnosed with the virus, again with the majority in China. Around 4,000 patients have been treated and released from hospital in China since late December.

A team of World Health Organization (WHO) experts landed in China on Monday. The organizations director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said they will lay the groundwork for a larger international team, which will join them as soon as possible.

The WHO group in China is led by Bruce Aylward, who helmed the bodys response to Ebola, as well as initiatives for immunization, communicable diseases control and polio eradication.

Their arrival comes as the WHO is facing increasing criticism for its initial decision not to declare a global health emergency, and for officials effusive praise of Chinas handling of the crisis, even as Beijing faces outrage domestically for, among other things, the death of whistleblower doctor Li Wenliang, and the subsequent censorship of that news.

Outside of China, the single largest outbreak is on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, currently docked in Yokohama, a port city south of Tokyo.

At least 135 people have tested positive for the virus so far, as Japanese health authorities continue to examine hundreds of passengers and crew, who have been under quarantine for almost a week. The recommended quarantine time is 14 days.

Passengers have been vocal about their displeasure with ship operator Princess Cruises and the Japanese governments handling of the outbreak. On Monday, several crew members appealed for help from the Indian government, alleging they were at risk of infection by not being segregated.

We are extremely scared at this point in time, Binay Kumar Sarkar said in a video obtained by CNN. Our request is to segregate the crew members from the infected.

He said that none of his colleagues had been checked for the coronavirus.

Only people who are recording temperatures higher than 37.5 degree Celsius are being checked, he said. Please help save those who have not been infected yet. There are 160 Indian crew members and 8 Indian passengers on board. Please rescue us. Help evacuate us before we contract the virus. 90% of us are healthy as of now. I appeal to Indias Prime Minister Modi, please bring us home safe and sound.

Princess Cruises did not respond to a request for comment about the video.

Three other cruise ships have faced delays and quarantines in the past week over virus fears, in Hong Kong, Thailand and the US, though none have confirmed an outbreak.

While most countries and territories are reporting low numbers of cases, there were renewed fears of a separate outbreak in Hong Kong Monday.

Memories of the 2003 SARS crisis run deep in Hong Kong, which has been on high alert for weeks now, with many people working from home and runs on face masks and hand sanitizer amid concerns about shortages. The citys leader Carrie Lam closed most of the border crossings with mainland China last week, following intense pressure from health care workers, many of whom walked out in protest at the decision not to seal the city earlier.

In the early hours of Tuesday, health officialsbegan a partial evacuation of residentsfrom an apartment block in Tsing Yi, in northwestern Hong Kong, over fears the virus may have been transmitted via the buildings pipes.

Two residents living on different floors of a high-rise tower called Hong Mei House had been infected with coronavirus, health officials said. Parts of the building have now been evacuated as health officials and engineers carried out emergency checks.

Microbiologist KY Yuen said that an improperly sealed pipe could have resulted in the virus, by carrying feces into the buildings ventilation system and blowing it into peoples apartments.

As the pipeline that transfers feces is connected to the air pipe, it is very likely for the virus in the feces to be transmitted through the air fan into the toilet, Yuen said. He added that the transmission route is not clear yet, so the evacuation was a precaution.

At least 12 cases have been confirmed at Hong Mei House. During the SARS outbreak, pipelines were amajor source of transmission. At theAmoy Gardens housing estate, there were more than 300 infections and 42 deaths, after a flaw in the plumbing design allowed SARS to spread throughout the building.

Much of China was due to go back to work on Monday, after the Lunar New Year holiday became an extended voluntary quarantine for hundreds of millions of people across the country. With many remaining in isolation or working from home,fears of a larger economic shockare growing.

The epidemic has alreadydriven up the price of food nationwide, with vegetables 17% more expensive. The worst price rise was in pork, a major staple of the Chinese diet that was already under pressure because of a devastating swine disease. Pork prices have risen 116% compared to a year ago.

Other items saw modest price rises by comparison: Health care was 2.3% more expensive, for example, while clothing prices rose 0.6%, according to the countrys statistics bureau.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday that the country needs to stabilize the economy and prevent large-scale layoffs during the coronavirus outbreak.

During a meeting at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xi said the economy had been doing well, and he predicted that the economic impact of the coronavirus would be short lived.

He added the country is ready to help companies resume production and would assist those that have been heavily affected.

More here.

Follow this link:
CDC gives update on response to the coronavirus outbreak - WJW FOX 8 News Cleveland

In the United States and many other countries, a dietitian is a board-certified food and nutrition expert. They are highly educated in the field of nutrition and dietetics the science of food, nutrition, and their impact on human health.

Through extensive training, dietitians acquire the expertise to provide evidence-based medical nutrition therapy and nutritional counseling tailored to meet an individuals needs.

They are qualified to practice across a span of settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, research institutions, or local communities, to name a few.

To earn the credentials of Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), a person needs to complete the criteria set forth by governing bodies like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) in the United States or the Dietitians Association of Australia (1, 2).

Additionally, in some countries, people may earn the title of registered nutritionist, which is synonymous with registered dietitian and requires certification from a governing body.

These are professional organizations that oversee the field of dietetics in their respective countries.

To clarify, the credentials of RD and RDN are interchangeable. However, RDN is a more recent designation. Dietitians can choose which credential they would rather use.

To earn these credentials, dietitians-to-be must first earn a bachelors degree or equivalent credits from an accredited program at a university or college.

Typically, this requires an undergraduate science degree, including courses in biology, microbiology, organic and inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy, and physiology, as well as more specialized nutrition coursework.

As of January 1, 2024, all dietetics students must also hold a masters degree to qualify for their RD board examination in the United States (3).

In addition to formal education, all dietetics students in the United States must apply for and be matched with a competitive internship program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

Similar internships may be required in other countries.

Internships typically expose the student to 9001,200 unpaid supervised practice hours across the 4 domains of practice, with careful adherence to competencies, or specific areas of study, complemented by in-depth projects and case studies outside of those hours.

Furthermore, the student must usually pass an exit exam mirroring the content of the board exam before completing the internship. The successful completion of these requirements qualifies them to take a board examination.

Finally, a dietetics student who passes the board exam in their respective country can apply to become a registered dietitian.

Earning dietitian credentials requires national board certification. Whats more, many states, such as Texas, California, and Nebraska, require that dietitians be licensed in order to practice (4).

The process of licensing sometimes has additional requirements, like passing a jurisprudence exam. This is meant to ensure that dietitians practice under a code of conduct to protect public safety.

The dietitian must also continue their professional development by completing continuing education credits, which helps them keep up with the ever-evolving field.

There are four main domains of practice for dietitians clinical, food service management, community, and research.

Clinical dietitians are those who work in an inpatient hospital setting. Outpatient dietitians may also work in a hospital or clinic, but they work with people who arent admitted to inpatient care and are usually less ill.

Both inpatient and outpatient dietitians provide support to the medical team to treat many acute and chronic illnesses. Dietitians in long-term care facilities may also supervise the nutrition of people with serious conditions that require ongoing care.

They follow standards of practice and detail a persons medical history and current status, including lab work and weight history. This allows them to assess acute needs, prioritizing life-threatening conditions.

Inpatient and outpatient dietitians also provide nutrition education to people with specialized needs, such as those newly out of surgery, in cancer treatment, or diagnosed with chronic illnesses like diabetes or kidney disease.

In the outpatient setting, they give more in-depth nutritional counseling working towards a nutrition-oriented goal.

Dietitians may also work in other settings like research hospitals, universities, or food service management.

They can advocate for public policies and provide expertise in the community setting, such as school districts or public health organizations like Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Food service management dietitians oversee the production of nutritionally adequate food that meets food safety guidelines within a large organization, such as a school district or military base.

A community dietitian can help design and implement programs aimed at populations instead of individuals, such as community cooking initiatives or diabetes prevention interventions. They can also advocate for public policies with a focus on nutrition, food, and health issues.

Research dietitians typically work in research hospitals, organizations, or universities. They operate within a research team headed by a primary investigator and carry out nutrition-focused interventions.

Once dietitians have earned their credentials and are working in the field, they can go on to specialize in a particular subcategory, such as pediatrics or sports dietetics.

Finally, dietitians may also run private practices to provide services like nutritional counseling.

They may additionally teach in an academic or research institution or write about nutrition-related topics. Others may work as health and nutrition experts in media or as public speakers.

Dietitians are qualified to manage nutrition therapy across a span of acute and chronic conditions. The type of conditions they treat depends most on the setting of their practice.

This means that they can treat nutrition problems that may arise from cancer or its treatment, as well as work with a client to prevent the onset of diabetes.

In hospitals, they treat a range of people, such as those who are clinically malnourished, as well as those who require nutrients via feeding tubes.

Dietitians also treat people undergoing bariatric (weight loss) surgery or those with kidney issues, as these individuals can have many nutritional restrictions and benefit from individualized care to fully meet their bodies needs.

Eating disorder dietitians have usually acquired additional training or education to treat this population. They work with a team of psychotherapists and doctors to help individuals recover from these disorders (5).

Eating disorders include chronic starvation (anorexia nervosa) or binging and purging (bulimia) (5, 6).

Sports dietitians specialize in optimizing nutrition for enhanced performance in athletes. These dietitians may work in gyms or physical therapy clinics, as well as with a sports team or dance company (7).

Dietitians can apply their expertise across a broad range of settings, such as hospitals, research institutions, and sports teams. They may prescribe nutrition therapy to help treat or prevent acute and chronic illnesses.

In some countries, people may translate their title as nutritionist rather than dietitian, though their educational background closely resembles that of a dietitian.

However, in the United States and other countries, a nutritionist is a person with an interest in nutrition and diet. There is no legal precedent for this term, so anyone can call themselves a nutritionist.

As a nutritionist has no legal standing in the United States, there is no code of conduct or standards of practice established to describe what they do.

They may apply their interest in nutrition to anything from running a food blog to working with clients.

However, because uncredentialed nutritionists typically lack the expertise and training for medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counseling, following their advice could be considered harmful (8).

Further, nutritionists in the United States dont have to abide by a code of conduct, which are designed to protect the public and avoid conflicts of interests in promoting haphazard supplements or food products (8).

In the United States and many other countries, no degrees or credentials are required to be a nutritionist. You simply need an interest in the field.

However, alternative education and certifications may earn someone the title of Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS).

Those with CNS credentials are health professionals like nurses or doctors with advanced health degrees who have sought out additional coursework and completed supervised practice hours, as well as passed an exam overseen by the American Nutrition Association.

Unlike RDs, CNSs do not prescribe nutrition therapy, though they can oversee community nutrition education programs.

In the United States, nutritionists have no legal standing to treat health conditions. Giving nutrition advice without the proper knowledge and training can be harmful, especially when counseling those with health conditions.

Moreover, those without credentials may see clients who seek approaches to nutrition that are outside the scope of traditional medicine.

However, this is typically less evidence-based, which may pose a health risk.

In the United States, nutritionist is a term that carries no legal meaning. Therefore, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. Yet, alternative education and certifications may grant titles like Certified Nutrition Specialist.

Visit link:
Dietitian vs. Nutritionist: What's the Difference? - Healthline

For many runners, summer fueling is pretty straightforward: we load up with cold smoothies, water-laden produce, and salty snacks; we let sweat and thirst cues guide our hydration; and we build our plates with a rainbow of in-season foods.

Winter, on the other hand, presents more challenges for those of us logging steady miles. Our produce options are more limited, many refueling standbys are as cold as our core temperatures, and drinking takes some effort when we dont feel as parched.

As we approach winters midpoint, its a good time to check in on our fueling habits and make tweaks where needed. Two registered dietitians and competitive runnersMaddie Alm and Sakiko Minagawashare six common errors that runners make this time of year, with actionable ideas for correcting each one.

According to Maddie Alm, a 4:13 1500-meter runner and the owner of Fueling Forward Sports Nutrition in Boulder, Colorado, vitamin D deficiencies are common among athletes in winter. Shorter days and colder temperatures mean less exposure to vitamin D-producing sunlight. And while the vitamin is well known for its association with bone health, Alm explains that it also plays a role in immune system functioning, digestive health, and even mood.

The fix: Eat more vitamin D-rich foods (shoot for 600 IU per day), get routine bloodwork, and catch some rays.

Good sources of the vitamin include milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, tuna, salmon, egg yolk, and mushrooms. Some cereals and orange juices are also vitamin D-fortified. For reference, 3 ounces of salmon contain 450 IU, 1 cup of cows milk contains 180 IU, 1 large egg yolk contains 40 IU, and 1 cup of fortified cereal contains 40 IU.

Its a good idea, Alm adds, to check your levels through blood work in a lab once or twice a year and to consult a professional if your numbers come back low. If you have a hard time hitting that daily quota through food alone, you may be a good candidate for vitamin D supplementation. Finally, while not a dietary fix, getting regular doses of sunshine is also important.

To be clear: Even when its cold, you still sweat, says Sakiko Minagawa, an Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier and the owner of Peak Performance Sports Nutrition, also in Boulder. So even though we may not end our runs with cotton mouths and sweat-soaked clothes, its still critical that we stay on top of pre- and post-run fluid replenishment.

The fix: Keep a reusable water bottle handy and reimagine your hydration sources.

Minagawa suggests carrying around a reusable water bottle so you remember to drink throughout the day.

If you have a hard time filling up on cold water, keep in mind that there are other sources of hydrationlike fresh fruits and vegetables, soups, broths, and anything else you can sip on. Some of Alms favorite winter drinks, which double as recovery fuel, include hot chocolate, mochas, and bone broth. She also makes water infusions at home by adding flavor enhancers (try cucumber and mint, or lemon and basil) to water bottles or pitchers and chilling them overnight.

Michael Moeller / EyeEmGetty Images

Although we can now get almost any food at any time of the year, eating seasonally offers many benefits. In-season produce, Alm says, is fresher, more nutrient-dense, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly if it hasnt traveled long distances to reach your plate. Taking advantage is just a matter of knowing whats in and how to prepare it.

The fix: Shop for dark, leafy greens, root vegetables, and citrus fruits.

Alm concedes that winter is more of a transition period than a time of bountiful harvestbut there are still some seasonal staples worth keeping on your grocery list. These include grapefruit, clementines, pomegranate, kiwi, squash, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, pears, kale, and cabbage. Even if these foods dont make up the bulk of your diet, increasing your intake will do your body good.

Vitamin D isnt the only overlooked vitamin this time of year. As Minagawa explains, vitamin C (also called ascorbic acid) impacts immune health as well as growth and tissue repair. It may not prevent you from getting sick, she says, but some research shows vitamin C may decrease the duration of cold symptoms.

The fix: Up your consumption of foods with vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, greens, and strawberries. Aim for 75 mg (for women) or 90 mg (for men) per day.

Unsurprisingly, many foods on the in-season list are also high in vitamin C: citrus fruits and dark, leafy greens, for example. Bell peppers and strawberries are good sources, tooabout 210 mg in one large red or orange bell pepper, and 90 mg in a cup of raw strawberry halves, each of which achieves the recommended daily allowance. To see how other foods stack up, use the FoodData Central search on the U.S. Department of Agricultures site.

Because vitamin C helps with iron absorption, Minagawa suggests pairing the two when possible, in meals such as a spinach salad with strawberries, an omelet with spinach and red bell pepper, or a tomato soup with lentils or black beans.

Tough conditions, scant daylight hours, and limited races make winter a convenient time for many athletes to dial back their training. While regular resets are beneficial over the long haul, Minagawa warns that a decreased training load will naturally lead to some weight gain if your nutritional habits dont change too.

The fix: Maintain an exercise routine and make sure your nutrition matches your activity level.

Minagawa encourages runners to continue to exercise through the winter season, even if that means swapping some runs for bike rides, swims, or elliptical sessions. Find ways to stay motivated, she adds, by recruiting friends to meet you for frosty workouts or easy-to-skip treadmill runs.

Building a spring racing schedule can also hold you accountable to your goals and the consistency they require. However you change your normal workout routine, let your food intake fluctuate in conjunction.

If you find yourself feeling sluggish this time of year because its after the holidays or your training isnt consistent, it can be tempting to repent with cleanses, detoxes, and extreme exercise regimens. But such quick fixes rarely pay off in the long run, Alm warns, as they put you at risk for injury, burnout, and subpar seasons to come.

The fix: Allow your body to normalize gradually by resuming a wholesome diet.

Unless youre preparing for a key race in the winter or early spring, Alm suggests not stressing. Just like returning from an injury or a break from running, your body will naturally find its sweet spot if you slowly ramp up your training and gravitate to fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Trust the process and dont panic, Alm advises. Be okay not being at your leanest year-round.

Excerpt from:
Winter Run Fuel - How Runners Should Eat in the Winter - Runner's World

Chocolate and Valentines Day seem to go together, and while dark chocolate may have some heart-healthy benefits, there are plenty of other foods that love your heart and keep it beating strong.

Heart-healthy foods include the foods that make up the Agriculture Departments MyPlate: whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean protein and low-fat dairy. Not so heart-healthy foods processed and fatty red meat, added sugars, sodium are to be eaten in moderation.

Here are some tips for implementing a heart-healthy diet.

Replace enriched grains with whole grains. Choose oats, barley, whole wheat, corn, brown rice and sorghum.

Emphasize fruits and vegetables. The more fruits and vegetables you eat, the lower your risk of heart disease.

Include dairy. Fermented dairy, including kefir, cheese and yogurt, is being studied for its ability to protect against heart disease. New research indicates that while low-fat dairy is still recommended because its lower in saturated fat, full-fat dairy may not be as harmful to your heart health as originally thought.

Pour a cup of coffee or tea. Moderate coffee drinking (three to five cups a day) is associated with a modest reduction in cardiovascular risk, and drinking three cups of tea a day has been linked to a decrease in coronary heart disease.

Celebrate with red wine and chocolate. The bioactive components in dark chocolate improve blood pressure, blood clotting and dilation of blood vessels. Studies show peoples risk of heart disease goes down when they eat dark chocolate in small amounts between three and six servings per week. Moderate consumption of red wine (one to two drinks a day for men; one for women) is linked to improved heart health. The key, like with any food, is moderation.

Q: Should I switch to a plant-based diet?

A: Including more fruits, vegetables and whole grains has always been a healthy way to eat. Now there is more emphasis on transitioning toward a plant-based diet.

Thats not to say you have to make it all plants and no meat. But including more plants in your diet can help prevent and reverse heart disease, reduce blood pressure, manage diabetes and may help with weight loss. Start slow with a meatless Monday or a second side of vegetables.

Cooking Light magazine is back, publishing four times a year, and the latest edition features comfort food. Heres a recipe for Banana Walnut Bread. The recipe features whole-wheat flour and heart-healthy walnuts. Walnuts have significantly more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than any other common nut.

cup whole buttermilk

cup plus 3 tablespoons quick-cooking oats, divided

6 ounces (1 cups) plus 1 tablespoon white whole-wheat flour, divided

1 teaspoon baking powder

teaspoon baking soda

teaspoon kosher salt, divided

cup plus 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, divided

6 tablespoons roasted walnut oil, divided

cup walnuts, chopped

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cups very ripe bananas (about 3), mashed

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir buttermilk into cup oats in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Place 1 cups flour in a bowl. Stir in baking powder, baking soda and teaspoon salt. Combine 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons oil, nuts, cinnamon, teaspoon salt, remaining oats and flour in a small bowl. Add bananas, vanilla, eggs and remaining brown sugar and oil to buttermilk mixture; fold in flour mixture.

Spoon batter into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle walnut streusel over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan; serve warm, or cool completely.

Serves 16 (serving size: 1 slice)

Per serving: 190 calories; 4 grams protein; 27 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 16 grams sugar (10 grams added); 208 milligrams sodium

Charlyn Fargo Ware is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill., and the media representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Contact her at [emailprotected], or follow her on Twitter: @NutritionRd, or click here for additional columns. The opinions expressed are her own.

See original here:
Charlyn Fargo Ware: Eating for Your Heart Is Healthier Than You Think - Noozhawk

As we settle into the new year and face new career challenges, our minds often turn to personal improvement. In this depressed economy, workplace performance is more important than ever before, and most of us are eager to excel. With better job performance, we can move up in our company, increase our salary, and begin to save for the future.

But one of the biggest barriers to improving our job performance is finding the energy and motivation to do so. Without these qualities, our attempts to enroll in continuing education courses, take on extra shifts, or excel at work projects can often fall flat. Theres no question about it moving up in the professional world requires a drive and focus that eludes many people who are trying to juggle child care, daily errands, and relationships as well as full-time jobs.

So what can you do to ensure that you can earn a higher salary, improve your job prospects and increase the balance in your bank account? Take heart these six mood and energy hacks can help transform you from a lethargic underachiever to an energetic go-getter. Implementing just a few of these tips may very well take you from being on the verge of unemployment tobeing a top performer.

In order of importance:

With our planets atmosphere under relentless siege, the quality of our daily sunlight has become more corrupted than ever before. Not that it matters most of us are too busy working to notice. And yet Vitamin D3, which is the byproduct of sunlight, is essential to our bodys functioning.

Most people are Vitamin D3-deficient, and suffering tremendously for it. Supplementing with Vitamin D3 has consistently proven to 10x your productivity, reducing your need for sleep, minimizing your appetite and turbocharging your energy levels. While the FDA recommends dosages of 800 IU per day, studies advise dosages in the minimum range of 2000 IU. Ive personally found success taking 6,000 IU daily, and feel like a 15-year-old again. Vitamin D3 begins to become toxic at 10,000 IU per day, so theres plenty of room for error. Source Naturals is a fantastic brand for Vitamin D3.

As a health supplement, 5-HTP has a myriad of positive health effects. Dr. Daniel Amen of the Amen Clinics recommends 5-HTP for regulating sleep cycles, which helps with energy levels. 5-HTP is also known for being an effective antidepressant, more effective than prescription medication in some cases. Dr. Amen recommends a dosage of 50 to 100 mg, twice per day, for best results. Try the Source Naturals brand for best results.

CBD, which is derived from the cannabis or marijuana plant, has a strong reputation for helping users manage high stress and anxiety levels. Taken in gummy bear, lollipop, tincture, capsule or oil form, even a small dose can have nuclear effects. Hemp Bombs is a high-quality brand to try, although you can find good CBD products at any reputable retailer. At the high end, themost potent Hemp Bombs oils cost over $300 and contain more than 4,000 mg of CBD, makingthem a great choice for even the most severe stress and anxiety.

New Years resolutions about squeezing back into your sports bra or workout belt and hitting the gym are so passe as to be laughable at this point. But did you know that exercising just five minutes a day can have powerful effects on your mood, energy levels, and health? With just a few minutes daily of YouTube exercise videos, jogging or sports, youll feel like a new person.

A good diet can do wonders for your mood and energy levels. But eating well doesnt have to mean getting neurotic about fats and carbs. Everyone knows the basics try to stay away from sugar and fried foods, eat lots of lean proteins and whole grains, consume more produce. But you dont have to overhaul your diet right away start with a few more servings of fruits andvegetables daily, or begin drinking more water. And dont forget to treat yourself!

Getting enough sleep is essential to any self-improvement plan. Although taking Vitamin D3 will reduce your need for sleep, make sure you get your seven to nine hours most nights if at all possible. Develop a bedtime routine, and invest in new sheets, comforters, and pillows for your bed maybe even a comfy featherbed if youre so inclined. Make sure you get home at a decent hour every night and eat a good healthy dinner two to three hours before bed.

Go here to read the rest:
6 tips to improve your mood and energy levels at work - Ladders

The 5:2 diet became popular in late 2012 following a documentary by BBC journalist Michael Mosley.

It advocates cutting weekly total kilojoule intake by using intermittent fasting for two non-consecutive days and then eating a usual diet the other five days.

On the fasting days, women limit their total intake to 2,100 kilojoules and men to 2,500 kilojoules, which is about 25 per cent of the recommended intake for normal-weight adults.

On the non-fasting days, you can eat whatever you want, although Mosley's book recommends making healthy choices.

Advocates of intermittent fasting say it helps in weight loss, and some claim it may reduce the risk of cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer's disease, while also promoting longevity.

They also claim it could be protective against diseases such as diabetes.

Breakfast: Two poached eggs with baby spinach or 40g raw oats (cook into a porridge if desired) served with berries.

Dinner: Waldorf salad (apple, celery, endive leaves, walnuts, yoghurt, and mustard) or a few strips of chicken stir-fried with ginger, garlic, coriander and lots of vegetables.

The jury is still out on the benefits of intermittent fasting.

Studies that initially reported superior results for weight loss were short-term and had low numbers of subjects.

We've examined seven popular diets to find out what you can eat and whether they work.

Recent research compared larger numbers of people on intermittent fasting with others simply reducing kilojoules.

Over 12 months, there were no significant differences in weight loss for either group.

Nor did the researchers find any difference between the groups in blood pressure, heart rate, or in the levels of glucose, insulin, and triglycerides.

However, LDL or 'bad' cholesterol levels did increase significantly in those on the intermittent fasting diet.

Many of the other claimed health benefits have only been shown in rodents.

Claims of reduced risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease have not been shown in any studies on humans.

Get our newsletter for the best of ABC Life each week

If you don't overeat on non-fasting days, your overall kilojoule intake should decrease, so it is likely to be less harmful than many fad diets.

It's also possible that reducing your food intake twice a week could be a new and useful experience, especially if you are in the habit of eating so often that you never experience an empty stomach.

The modified fasting with some food permitted and the inclusion of plenty of vegetables may help avoid some common side-effects to total fasting.

These include irritability, lack of energy, inability to concentrate, dehydration, tiredness, dizziness, and constipation.

Such effects can interfere with work and leisure for most people.

Thinking about trying a new diet? Before you do, read this advice from Dr Sandro Demaio.

The 5:2 diet is unsuitable for many people, including pregnant women, many people with diabetes, those taking certain medications, children and teens.

Given some versions of intermittent fasting fail to promote healthy food choices, there is a possibility you may gorge on your non-fasting days with little regard for the quality of the food you choose.

The 5:2 diet may help some people lose weight. If done well, it may be a valid, but not superior, option to following a traditional reduced-kilojoule diet.

This is general information only. For detailed personal advice, you should see a qualified medical practitioner who knows your medical history.

This story, which was originally written by Pamela Wilson and published by ABC Health and Wellbeing, has been reviewed by Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM, nutritionist and visiting fellow, School of Medical Sciences, University of NSW, and was updated in 2019.

See the original post here:
What the science says about the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet - ABC News

To anyone who happened to be looking up that morning, perhaps from the deck of a boat off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the plane would have appeared to be on an extremely alarming trajectory. It rocketed into the cloudless late-summer sky at a 45-degree angle, slowed momentarily and leveled out, then nosed down toward the ocean, plunging 17,000 vertical feet in a matter of seconds. At the last moment, it leveled out again and began another climb, looking for all the world as though it were being piloted by a hopelessly indecisive hijacker.

Onboard the plane, the mood was euphoric and a little hysterical. The main cabin had been converted into a kind of padded cell, lined with soft white tiles in lieu of seats and overhead bins. Two dozen passengers, clad in blue jumpsuits, lay on their backs on the floor. As the plane neared the crest of its first roller-coaster wave, a member of the flight crew got on the PA. Pushing over, slow and easy, he shouted over the roar of the engines. Release! Moments before he uttered that final word, the passengers began to levitate. Their feet, hands, and hair lifted first, then their bodies, arms dog-paddling and legs kicking ineffectually as they giggled and grinned like fools for a fleeting, floating instant. Feet down, coming out, the crew member said 20 seconds later. The passengers hit the floor ass first and lay spread-eagled, staring at the ceiling.

March 2020. Subscribe to WIRED.

The plane flew 20 parabolic arcs that day, for a total of around six minutes of weightlessness. Each time gravity loosened its grip, the blue-suited occupants frantically got to work on a range of activities and experiments. I hovered in the middle of the cabin, toes down, hair up, and took in the scene. Up by the cockpit, a square-jawed jock raced to strap himself into a vertical rowing machine. Not far away, a waifish young woman sculpted spidery 3D figures in midair with a hot glue gun, sucking on her lip piercing with a look of deep concentration. Behind me, toward the rear of the fuselage, the world's first musical instrument designed exclusively for performance in microgravitya sort of metallic octopus called the Telemetronemitted plaintive digital chimes as it spun. A woman wearing a seahorse-inspired robotic tail rotated serenely, twirling around its flexible ballast like a stripper on a pole.

A few feet away from where I hung, Cady Coleman, a former NASA astronaut with six months of spaceflight experience, took a nostalgic joyride, somersaulting and gliding like a pro. Nearby, silkworms in varying stages of development bounced gently in the hammock of their freshly woven cocoons, largely unnoticed inside a small acrylic box. I struggled to keep hold of my pencil and notebook as I watched industrial designer Maggie Coblentz, immaculately costumed in a Ziggy Stardust-inspired white jumpsuit and matching go-go boots, chase down and swallow a handful of boba pearls, nibbling at them like a goldfish.

The flight had been chartered by Ariel Ekblaw, the intimidatingly accomplished founder of the MIT Media Lab's Space Exploration Initiative. Ekblaw has a round face, long curls, and the earnest demeanor that comes with being a Girl Scout Gold Award winner and high school valedictorian. Her mother set the bar for overachievement in a male-dominated field: She was a reservist instructor in the US Air Force back when female trainers were unheard of, and she would have flown fighter jets if women had been allowed to at the time. But it was Ekblaw's father, a fighter pilot himself, who kindled her obsession with space. He was a sci-fi buff, and Ekblaw grew up devouring his paperback copies of Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein. She also watched Star Trek: The Next Generation at a formative age, imprinting on its impossibly optimistic vision of the future. After majoring in physics, math, and philosophy as an undergrad, she earned a master's degree in blockchain research. Then, four years ago, at the age of 23, she decided to return to her first love.

The Space Exploration Initiative's goal is to bring together artists, scientists, engineers, and designers to build a real-life Starfleet Academy. Ekblaw and her expanding team of more than 50 collaborators are getting ready for the day when humanity becomes a space-native civilization, as comfortable in the cosmos as we have been on Earth. People say we're putting the cart before the horse, Ekblaw concedes. But the complexities of space are such that we really should be at least designing the cart while the horse is being prepared.

As the billionaire rocket bros never tire of reminding us, we stand on the cusp of a new era of space travel. In the coming decades, there will be celestial cruises aboard Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic. There may be off-world factories and lunar mining operations, courtesy of Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin. There will probably be hydroponic grow houses at Elon Musk's SpaceX colony on Mars. Even the bureaucrats at NASA have grand plans for the future. But while a new generation of aerospace engineers toils over the tech that will get us into orbit and beyondreusable launch vehicles, rocket-bearing planesan important question remains unanswered, Ekblaw says: What will delight humans in space?

Even in the near term, this is not a frivolous concern. A one-way trip to Mars will take about nine months, which is a long time to spend inside a hermetically sealed tube hurtling through a cold, dark void. Like all animals, humans require stimulation; without something to break the monotony, most of us end up like a tiger pacing its cagestressed, depressed, and prone to problematic behaviors. Indeed, many scientists believe that boredom is one of the most serious challenges facing future spacefarers.

Read more here:
The Food We'll Eat on the Journey to Mars (Algae Caviar, Anyone?) - WIRED