Weight loss can be kick started by many things but one Imgur user shared his journey, telling the social sharing site he "wanted a change" after seeing his picture.

User going by the moniker Theguythatdoesthething said: "I was at 210 lbs and ate terrible all the time, I was also into drinking and just overall did not care.

"After looking in the mirror the night I took this pic I decided I was over it and wanted a change."

He took another snap just 16 weeks later documenting his simply incredible change.

The brunette was notably more toned, confident and willing to share his story.

He said: "I have lost 40 lbs in the course of 4 months. I have changed my eating habits, no more fast food, I've been sober for 3 months. The only liquid I take in is water now.

"I am no where near what I want to be but I feel so much better both physically and mentally.

"I had my reservations about posting this but wanted to show that you can lose weight and get into shape if you put your mind to it."

After posing the picture online he came back to the post and added an 'edit', explaining other users had been asking exactly how he dropped the weight so quickly.

He explained for the first eight weeks "it was nothing but treadmill" - he said he worked out on the treadmill Monday to Friday and ran on the roads on the weekends.

The now-buff man said he stopped eating fast food, junk food, stopped drinking fizzy drinks and beer; he only drinks water.

Explaining his diet, the gentleman said for breakfast he eats two eggs and possibly steak. For lunch and dinner he alternates variations of grilled chicken and vegetables.

This is how important eating breakfast is for your health and diet.

Now he lives on a low to no-carb diet where he eats as much meat as he wants - and at least six times a day.

He does this six days a week with a dedicated cheat day where he eats whatever he would like to.

The Imgur user explained he has started lifting weights which makes it "imperative to consume large amounts of protein" in his eyes.

He added: "My biggest advice is to change your diet, Instead of eating three big meals eat six smaller ones, and make the meals relatively healthy or it won't work.

"Chicken and fish is your friend, along with low carb salads (no dressing) and low carb veggies.

"Just watch out because even a lot of fruits are packed with carbs.

"My best advice is to get a macro tracker and be truthful with what you put down or it does no good."

Read more:
Weight loss: Man cut THIS from his diet, lost nearly THREE stone in four months - Express.co.uk

As Emily Sim lays slices of avocado onto a bed of rice and seaweed, she counts each piece with her two-year-old son Henry. Youre doing well, arent you? she coos, snuggling the boisterous toddler, who asks for more dried mango as he watches his mum prepare the familys evening meal.

Henry has been raised as a vegan from birth he doesnt eat eggs, dairy products or meat. Sim avoids leather, silk and wool in his clothing, and constantly checks bottles to ensure baby lotions are cruelty-free and not tested on animals. There are some things you can never avoid, she says. But we do the best we can.

Sim, an Australian, runs the Facebook group Veg Parents Hong Kong, which she set up not long after moving to the city with her husband in 2015 just before Henry was born. She is one of a number of local parents proving that children can thrive as vegetarians or vegans, even in a city where meat or dairy-free options arent easy to spot on menus.

The group is a source of information and tip-sharing for its 350 members, who swap recipes, ideas for meat substitution, and advice on the best places to buy food, and also organise meat-free social events. We have vegans, pescatarians [people who eat fish, but not other flesh], vegetarians ... and many are still eating meat but are trying to give their kids more veggies, Sim says.

Compared to an adult choosing to make the switch to a non-animal diet, raising a vegan baby comes with extra nutritional considerations, particularly during the nursing phase when the babys brain is developing. Mothers who cannot, or choose not to, breastfeed can use soya-based formulas, which, although nutritionally complete, can contain vitamins derived from animals.

The World Health Organisation recommends a plant-based diet rich in vegetables and warns against processed meat, while doctors say babies can be raised safely on a meat-free diet if parents make sure theyre getting enough nutrients.

Debate in the vegan community was stirred recently by the case of a Belgian couple convicted of the death of their severely malnourished infant son. The seven-month-old was fed a meat-, dairy- and gluten-free diet from birth, and, in the absence of breast milk, was given various milks made from different types of flour and grains, which lacked nutrients and protein.

In June, the judge ruled the babys death in 2014 was the result of the systematic offer of food that was not suitable. Instead of noting the parents failure to feed their son enough calories and take him to hospital before it was too late, headlines instead spotlighted their veganism and stirred up outrage towards the wider vegetarian community.

Coverage of the case was unfair, says Hongkonger Stevie Go, who runs Meat Free Hong Kong, a group that promotes vegetarian and vegan diets and organises events. He said the babys death was not caused by veganism, and caused a moral indignation that meat-eating parents wouldnt be subjected to.

Highlighting vegan parents in child-neglect cases has clickbait potential that doesnt seem to exist for omnivorous parents, he says. Go, who became vegetarian 27 years ago and vegan 10 years later, extols the benefits of raising children on an animal-free diet.

Diets without animal products dont just offer all the nutrition requirements for optimal human health, he says. They are also without nasties such as cholesterol that are impossible to avoid when eating animal products.

Dr Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital in the US, says to ensure their childs brain develops healthily, Parents need to pay particular attention to adding vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and high-quality protein to their childs diet to ensure optimal nutrition and growth. If some nutrients arent easy to source, parents can use supplements, she says.

Sim is used to questions about her sons health. Often, when people find out Henry is vegan, theyll be shocked. Theres a misconception that hes neglected and malnourished, she says. But I tell people that organisations around the world, like the American Association of Dieticians, state that a vegan diet is healthy for all stages of life.

The family sees a dietitian every six months and Sim says the check-ups are for peace of mind, as she is confident that her son is flourishing. I know more about nutrition than many other parents because Ive done so much reading. I wouldnt raise him vegan unless I was 100 per cent sure it was safe and healthy. And we know that it is.

Although her husband eats meat when the family visits restaurants, the food Sim prepares at home is vegan. But she suspects Henry will want to copy his father and try meat one day. I wouldnt be too concerned, but, personally, I wouldnt want to buy or cook meat for him, she says. My approach is to teach him about compassion. I want him to be aware of what that meat is and the cruelty involved. Hopefully hell stick with veganism and continue to be compassionate.

Megha Chaddah is one of the mums who found Sims forum useful after moving to Hong Kong 18 months ago from India, where vegetarianism is just a way of life, she says. No one sees it as being out of the ordinary, or asks if our diets need to be supplemented.

A vegetarian since the age of 12 for ethical reasons, Chaddah has a two-year-old daughter Rhea, who eats eggs and some dairy foods, but not meat. Like Sim and her husband, Chaddahs partner is omnivorous, and the family has two cats that eat meat.

As Rhea starts linking the friendly fish she sees on TV with the tinned tuna the familys pets devour, the couple expects its just a matter of time before she starts asking questions. And like Sim, if Rhea wanted to try meat, Chaddah wouldnt be upset. Rhea is starting to get more aware and, one of these days, shes going to ask why is daddy eating different from us?

Id try to explain why mama wasnt eating that. Shes pretty smart its like if Im baking and say, dont touch the oven. She doesnt have to touch it to know its hot.

Being vegetarian in Hong Kong is easy and inexpensive, says Chaddah, who shops online for bulk foods, like lentils, a staple of Indian cooking and a favourite source of B-vitamins and protein among both vegans and vegetarians. She says she has never been in any doubt over whether Rhea is getting enough nutrients.

In Indian cooking, most of the food groups are covered: your plant-based proteins, your carbs, fats, dairy, and trace vitamins ... I feel that Western families thinking about going vegan have a lot more concerns in terms of nutrition whether theyre getting enough compared to meat eaters, she says.

Chaddah doesnt see herself becoming full vegan in the near future, but has cut down on milk due to her concerns about the dairy industry. Given Im a mum now, the thought of taking milk away from another baby is starting to throw me off ... Its a difficult habit to break but Hong Kong has lots of different choices, like soy and almond milk, she says.

In vegan restaurateur Grace Nguyens eyes, veganism neednt be a compromise when it comes to feeding her two daughters, aged nine and 12. The Vietnamese chef, who has been vegan since 2002, runs two vegan restaurants in her home country. Food education has always been important to Nguyen: while pregnant, she did a lot of research into what nutrients she should be consuming.

And rather than showing her children graphic documentaries about the farming industry, she simply took them for ice cream one day to illustrate why the family was vegan. She explained that the dessert they were enjoying came at a high cost to the environment, and the calves having been separated from their mothers.

Her own move to veganism was rooted in both scientific facts and spirituality. Being vegan is good for your health, the environment and animals, she says. Killing animals for our pleasure isnt right. Theyre intelligent, they have feelings, they feel pain and theyre scared to die. My daughters understand that very well.

As well as home-made vegan ice cream, Nguyen has also created versions of fried chicken, macaroni and non-dairy cheese, burgers and banh mi sandwiches to make sure her daughters dont feel like theyre missing out on treats or fast food their friends are eating.

All three mums agree that the meat-free movement is gaining momentum in Hong Kong, meaning that their children will grow up in a city that increasingly understands and caters to their diets.

Raising a vegan child takes some education, Sim says. But we really try to think of it as a lifestyle. In Hong Kong, there are more vegan restaurants and more vegan options in non-vegan restaurants. People are leaning towards veganism more now. Its on the up all over the world. Its becoming more normalised.

See more here:
Meet the meat-free Hong Kong parents on a vegan mission - South China Morning Post

Heidi Klum has spent much of the past quarter of a century baring her body, whether through her famous tenure as a Victoria's Secret Angel, her always memorable Halloween costumes, her endless Instagrams from the beach, or, of course, the many ensuing tabloids shots of hergaspunapologetically topless on said beaches. But in her forties, a usually unheard of era in this industry that for Klum only seems to have somehow brought more successshe now also hosts three TV shows: Project Runway, Germany's Next Top Model, and America's Got Talent, and tirelessly promotes them even from the beachshe's found another way to show off her confidence, too: For the past couple of years, she's been designingand of course modelingher own Heidi Klum Intimates lingerie and swimwear line, which is about to see a serious world takeover from the brand Bendon's usual realm of Australia to 10,000 stores around the globe.

The expansionand her new collection, which is full of everything from silky slips to maternity braswas enough to make even Klum, who barely ever has time to sit down for some avocado toast, to celebrate with a so-called "Bra Brunch" in Los Angeles this week, where she also revealed her new campaign, shot by Francesco Carrozzini. Safely settled once again amidst the florals, Klum, who once reminded the president that every woman is a 10, shared why she's always been so comfortable with her body, how she takes care of her skin, and how still manages to eat everythingyes, even pasta.

Working in intimates is of course nothing new for you, but when and why did you decide to get into designing them?

Well, Ive obviously been working with one of the biggest lingerie companies for over 15 years, but three years ago, I was asked by Bendon if I would take over the Elle Macpherson intimates brand, which had come to an end after they'd been working with her for 25 years. I wasnt that familiar with themthey're situated in Australiaand was in a different lingerie world at that time, but I looked at all the pieces and quality, and since their product has been really beautiful, I said, Why not? I love sexy lingerie and I love women, and Ive been designing off and on for many different ventures for 15 years. I started with Birkenstock, designed for Jordache jeans, had a capsule collection for New Balance, made childrens clothes for Babies "R" Us and Toys "R" Us, had a jewelry line for Mouawad that sold out on QVC... What am I forgetting?

Well, thats quite a roster already.

So Ive done a lot of different things, and Ive always loved designingit's actually something I wanted to do as a child. When I finished school, I actually applied to one of the fashion design school in Dsseldorf, but then I won the modeling contest in 1992 and my life took a different path. So it didnt happen then, but its always been my passion, and I feel like now, my time has kind of come around to do the things I originally actually wanted to do. And for the past two years now, Ive been designing lingerie and swimwear, and now I have a new partner thats huge in Europe, the supermarket chain Lidl. People in America arent familiar with them yet, but will be, because were opening many, many stores in America, starting in September, which is when Ill be going in with my clothing line in 10,000 stores in 34 countries around the world. It's definitely the biggest design venture that Ive ever doneIve never reached that many people. My Heidi Klum intimates and swim line is now in over 2,000 stores around the world, so 10,000 is enormous and even bigger than I can imagine, and Im very, very excited about thatespecially for the fashion I get to do for the prices, which are just unbeatable.

Heidi Klum in the new Heidi Klum Intimates campaign shot by Francesco Carrozzini.

Heidi Klum Intimates/Francesco Carrozzini

Is keeping prices low a priority of yours?

What's great about going into so many stores is that I have the opportunity to make them quite affordable for women around the world. This Tuesday on Americas Got Talent, for example, I wore one of my designs, which is a beautiful leopard suit I designed for Lidl. Everyone was like, what is this, Dolce & Gabbana? How much is this, $1,500? I was like, actually, nothe pants are $12.99 and the blazer is $19.99.

Even though you have quite the design background, were you at all intimidated getting into intimates in particular, having worked so much with Victoria's Secret and coming on the heels of another supermodel, Elle Macpherson?

I mean, obviously I wanted to be as successful as they have been in the past. But I also had to change a lot of things, because Elles design aesthetic, which was more of a full coverage bra, a lot of bows, very feminine, very flowery laces, a lot of push-up and a lot of padding, which is not necessarily my aesthetic. But a lot of women do love that, so some of those styles I kept, but at the same time, the trends are changing and I feel like a more natural shape is dueI couldnt find any racer-backs or strapless bras or triangle bras, for example, so I wanted to expand the line and make something for younger customers and someone who is not as chesty and likes more of a natural fit. But to be honest, I dont really look and be like, Oh my god, I have to be like this person or that brandI try go with my gut feeling and what I believe is beautiful.

Heidi Klum launching Heidi Klum Man at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, 2016.

Caroline McCredie/Getty Images

What do you believe is beautiful? How would you characterize your own aesthetic and approach to design?

I do three [TV] shows currently, and I get inspired by all of them; I travel all over the place and I always go to flea markets and cute little stores and I always keep an eye on street style in small cities and different countries. When I start designing, subconsciously these things obviously filter down; when different vendors, say, present me new laces, I think of all of that. There are so many wild and beautiful things being developed out therenot just polka-dot or flower lace like beforeso when people come to me with a new one, I buy it so that no one else can have it, and then I start playing with it. I have what I call "dummy bras" and I play with them, how to place the lace and in what colors, at home. And then I meet with my teambecause obviously I cant sewand they start making the first samples. I do my presentation on what I believe on what I believe is going to be the next thing, and then they help me develop my ideas and make them become reality.

You got even more into intimates, an industry that typically targets a younger audience, when you were in your forties. Have your feelings about wearing underwear and swimsuits, especially in public, changed at all as youve aged?

For me personally, not much has changed. I still wear triangle bikinis that I have in the pastand most of the time bottoms, not even tops. [Laughs.] You are who you are, I guess, and Im always going to be more of a free-spirited person and more open with my body. Ive never been really shy with my body, and I think thats also due to the way I grew up. Lets say I was at home and walked into my parents bedroom and they were changingthey wouldnt be like, Oh my god, close the door. Its not like we all walk around naked at homedefinitely notand I didnt walk around naked in my house with my parents, but if they would walk in on me changing or vice versa, we wouldnt hide ourselves, like it was something you shouldnt be seeing. It's just very natural. If it was summertime, my mom would be sunbathing topless outside, because thats what I saw my mom do, now my children see me sunbathe topless. So if Im 25 or in my thirties, or now in my forties, it doesnt really change just because I have a different age now. Do you know what I mean? Its kind of just a way of living and being, I guess.

What about your approach to fitness and your diet? Has that changed as you've aged?

Not really, I think because Ive been modeling now for over 25 years. My life changed 25 years agoit definitely did. Being in Germany, eating a different kind of diet and my moms cooking: Its very greasy, theres a lot of heavy cream sauces, we have potatoes with everything, we have salad with heavy whipping cream with oil and pepper and salt. Here, its definitely very different; its more balsamic vinegar with oil and pepper and salt. And living in New York by myself as a young girl and not having the money to go out to eat all the time, I learned to cook and make my own foodand eat healthy, because Im a model and you have to have great skin, great nails, great hair. You have to be fit, and if you dont want to exercise so much, you better be watching what you eat and you dont eat so much candy and muffins and bagels and cream cheese and all that stuff. In order for me not having to go to the gym that much, I had to learn how to eat differently than when I was still living with my parents. So its not like Oo, now Im older, I have to changeit really changed 25 years ago, when this job became my job.

Are there any routines youve stuck to in those past 25 years?

People are always like, What do you eat? I eat everythingI just dont eat a lot of fattening food or a lot of bread, or pasta, obviously. I eat all those things, too, just not as much as others do. I dont eat bagels with cream cheese every morningI eat yogurt with tons of fruit instead, or I make myself eggs with vegetables inside. I eat food that actually fuels the body, because theres definitely food that energizes you, and food that you dont really need. And I try to stay away from food that I dont really need.

How do you take care of your skin, especially as someone who likes to spend time on the beach?

See, I believe in living my life, and I believe in enjoying life. Im not someone who hides in the house or in the shade. I like to enjoy my life and I have to have fun, and if my skin ages by being in the sun, so be it. I do try to protect my skin because of the ozone of everything, so I definitely use some protection or I wear a hat, because I dont want to uber-fry my face. I use it, but I also love the sunI love how it feels on my skin, I love the way it smells. I love being in the salt water, and I like to have funI dont want to be all covered up head-to-toe. I want to live and enjoy all these gorgeous places and roll around in the sun and in the sand.

What are your go-to skincare products?

A lot of the time Ill choose the childrens products I put on my children, because if its good for them, Im sure its good for me, too. I usually have a very high [SPF] number for protectionand I still get really tan, even with 50. But I love when you kind of look like a marshmallow thats just been roasted on a fireI feel like that nice gold glow makes everything look great on your skin. I feel super sexy when Im a little tan, because I feel like every swimsuit pops and looks so much better. You definitely do have to protect from the sun, but I do love it and I definitely still go in it.

I imagine you dont have too much time to do so, though, with everything you have going on.

Well, I do vacation quite a bit, I do. Because I feel like if Im at home, someone will come by and ask me to do something, or I get too many emails from my office, or people ask me to do more things even though I said I took the week off. So I tend to go on a quick one week here or a long weekend there, and people will probably catch me on the beach more often than others, but I literally have to kind of disappear with my family or friends somewhere in order to really take a breather. I shoot three shows right now, which always takes a very long timewhen I shoot Germanys Next Topmodel, its three-and-a-half months, so sometimes afterwards, Im like, I have to go away for five or six days and really take a breather before I then roll into the next venture, which is now Americas Got Talent every weekand then another season of Project Runway. So I do like to take off in between. I love being on the beach, and I love being on a boatthat I absolutely love that the most. To me, there's nothing that feels more free.

Related: Gabby Reece, Still in Pro Beach Volleyball Shape at 47, Wants You to Know That Food Is Your Friend

See Jasmine Tookes Try on the $3 Million Victoria's Secret Fantasy Bra:

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Heidi Klum, 44, Doesn't See Why Women Her Age Should Be Afraid of Bikinis, Even If She Prefers to Go Topless - W Magazine

The summer season is starting to fade, but when it comes to berry season, there is still lots to enjoy.

Blueberriesand strawberries areavailable in stores but there's a whole host of wild berries to be found outside, if you know where to look.

Swallow Tail Culinary Adventures owner Robin Kort teaches people how to safely look for berries in B.C. and says you can find more than food when you go foraging.

"One of the reasons I love teaching these classes is just to get people out into nature and be less afraid of it," she said.

"We tend to live in our cities and our little worlds, you know what's out there It helps, in the long-term, hopefully, to [build] a stronger connection with the world and want to preserve it."

Kort says it's important to know what it is you're gathering in order to stay safe, and also not to over-gather.

She says taking only 20 per cent of a bush's berries will ensure there is enough left for wildlife.

Here are some of her highlights for berries to pick in B.C.

"They're quite small this year because of the lack of rain and they're very sweet, I just had one that's amazing."

"What I'll do with it is make a sauce with it and put in on venison. You can imagine it tastes a bit like a blueberry but with a taste that's uniquely B.C."

"These berries do taste like a raspberry but sweeter and more intense We haven't had any rain so you don't need a dehydrator. Pick it, bag it, put in the cupboard."

"It's a tart berry and ...I like to use it is as a lemon substitute. For instance, if you want to do a 100 Mile Diet, you can use Oregon grape [centre, large, blue berry] If you press [them] and take the liquid, you can use that in your cakes and vinaigrettes."

Listen to the full story:

With files from CBC Radio One's On The Coast

Excerpt from:
How to have a berry good time foraging this summer - CBC.ca

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Expired viagra risks - Red ant viagra - The Santa Clara

POURING coffee into her handbag and using toothpaste for soap - this is what it's like to have dementia.

Life can be a puzzling struggle for 65-year-old Christine Karanges but she's determined to live the best she can, no matter what the disease does to her.

She helps raise money for dementia charities and even spent four years writing a book about her experiences with dementia.

"I was diagnosed when I was 58, the mother of 10 says.

"I knew there was something wrong with me but the mental health clinic thought I was crazy.

"I was losing myself, getting off at the wrong bus stop, trying to pay people at the shop when I'd already paid them, pouring coffee in my handbag, putting my keys on the bin.

"Once I even washed myself with toothpaste.

Ms Karanges is one of 413,000 Australians living with dementia.

NewsRegional analysis of Alzheimer's Australia data shows about 3393 Northern Rivers residents have the disease, costing our region about $120 million a year

By 2056, there will be 7638 local residents with dementia and by that stage the fatal illness will cost our region about $271.5 million annually.

Dementia is an umbrella term for a collection of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain.

It is the second leading cause of death in our country.

Changing the way we live can reduce the impact of the disease

University of Canberra research shows if Australia can reduce the number of people with the disease by 5%, the country would save $120 billion by 2046.

"A whole-of-community approach to risk reduction, and better coordinated care, along with a boost to research, is going to be needed if we are to curb the rise in people living with dementia by 2056, UC National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) Professor Laurie Brown said.

Alzheimer's Australia national CEO Maree McCabe said getting more Northern Rivers residents to reassess their diet and exercise levels would help reduce the disease locally.

"Dementia has a significant impact on the economy and there are also significant personal and social impacts, Ms McCabe said.

"The main way to lower the cost is reduction and prevention.

"There is evidence that diet and exercise are important in reducing your risk of getting dementia.

"We know that if we can delay the onset of dementia by just five years there would be millions of people who would ... never get dementia.

Local dementia professional Dr Hugh Fairfull-Smith said a new dementia screening service was helping local residents with the disease get an "adequate diagnosis.

"There are three geriatricians in the health district who are doing the diagnosis, the Northern NSW Local Health District geriatrician said.

"The screening service means GPs send us a letter about their patients so a neuropsychologist can do some basic testing to give us an indicator as to whether the person has a real memory problem.

"That helps us work out whether the person needs more tests and whether they have dementia.

Breaking down the barriers and reducing stigma

STIGMA is one of the hardest things to overcome for people with dementia and for their carers.

Misconceptions about the disease can have a major impact on how our community responds to people with the disease and negative attitudes can lead to residents with the illness avoiding vital socialisation activities.

"Most people are still quite capable of doing loads of things after they are diagnosed, Dr Fairfull-Smith said.

"It's about not trying to make someone an invalid when they are not in that position.

"It can take 10 or so years before you get to that point.

Dr Fairfull-Smith said the region had support services and education programs including activity groups and socialisation options.

He said caring for carers was once of the most important things our community could do for those with dementia.

"Carers have to change and adapt, Dr Fairfull-Smith said.

"Not everyone wants time out - there's no blanket thing that helps everyone all the time so it's a case of having a range of options available for them.

"Education and counselling are important for carers - it's important for carers to get together and share experiences.

"That's more powerful than coming to see the doctor.

Caring for a loved one with dementia is the hardest thing

NOT being able to hold a conversation with her dad is the hardest part of watching dementia take hold, Karen Bond says.

Ron Rendell, an electrical engineer in his younger years, is a smart and doting dad who loves a chat with his family.

But a series of silent strokes eight years ago left the now 84-year-old with vascular dementia.

While Ron's wife Ivy is his primary carer, his daughter Karen, Karen's husband Royce and her brother Aaron Rendell are always willing to lend a hand.

"The loss of the ability to communicate has been very hard - dad can express himself using hand and arm gestures but he cannot explain what he may want or need, Karen said.

"This was especially difficult as up until about a year ago he was alert mentally and able to drive safely.

"Dad was very distressed about the illness and its effect - he was in tears as he tried to explain to me once how he felt about it.

As the caring role becomes more difficult for 82-year-old Ivy, the family has had to make a difficult decision.

"We are currently in the process of putting dad into full time care in a dementia unit because he is requiring a much greater level of care than what mum can provide, Karen said.

"We know this is potentially quite confusing and distressing for him and fear it may cause another downhill slide in his condition.

Despite the hard times, Karen said it was vital for others to realise that people with dementia deserved to lead fulfilling lives.

"Although the effect of the disease is horrible, the people who have it are not, she said.

"They can be wonderful to be around and usually react quite positively to attention.

"They react well to visitors who can provide interest and stimulation to their day.

Christine faces everyday challenges with a little help from family

Despite to the challenges thrown up by dementia, Christine Karanges is still able to look after herself with a little help from one of her children and a part-time carer who helps her with housework and takes her shopping.

She said she was determined to avoid moving into a nursing home.

"I went into an aged care home when I was 60 but after 18 months I nearly did the unthinkable - I nearly took my own life, Ms Karanges said.

"Now I live in my own unit.

"I don't want to go back to the home but it's getting to the stage where my health issues mean I might have no choice.

Before then though, Ms Karanges says she's got her heart set on ticking a few things off her bucket list - going to Grafton's Jacaranda Festival and Toowoomba's Carnival of Flowers.

"I was always a keen gardener, she says.

Her book, Tears and Laughter of Dementia and Alzheimer's: The Christine Karanges Story, may be available from your library.

Dementia village offers a new way of living

AS our dementia rates increase over the coming 40 years, aged care providers are looking to find innovative ways to care for people with the disease.

Leading the way is the Sunshine Coast's NoosaCare, which plans to open Australia's first dementia village in the near future.

The concept will provide accommodation, support, stimulating environments and fun social options - including a caf and a bar - for people at every stage of the disease.

The idea is to ensure residents can live safe fulfilling lives with plenty of stimulation so they can stay healthier longer.

Based around a similar village in Holland, the facility builds on NoosaCare's innovative 32-bed memory support unit that boasts its own beach, river, rainforest and rural settings.

"We want to provide our residents with the same sort of lifestyle they had while living in the community, NoosaCare manager Sandra Gilbert said.

"The aggression and medications have dropped dramatically since we opened the memory support unit - people who come to visit it say it's peaceful.

"You don't know who the staff are and who the residents are.

Plans for the village are before the Sunshine Coast Council.

"The memory support unit is quite ground-breaking and if I opened another tomorrow I could fill it tomorrow afternoon, Ms Gilbert said.

How toy dogs, cats and babies are changing lives

REALISTIC baby dolls and robotic pets that purr and bark are improving the lives of people with dementia.

Diversional therapist Jenny Hamilton discovered the benefits of "activity and care products when she was supporting her own mother through the middle to late stages of dementia.

Ms Hamilton operates a business called Just a Memory Australia to supply her innovative products to aged care services across the country.

The cats will purr when petted and they even roll over for a belly rub.

The dog toy barks and has a heartbeat.

The toys "fall asleep when they are not being handled.

Ms Hamilton said the toys helped people with dementia communicate with others and they stirred up long forgotten "deep emotions of nurturing.

She said the toys also reduced anxiety and distress and brought back positive memories.

"People with dementia don't seem to mind that they are not real, she said.

WHAT IS DEMENTIA?

SOURCE: http://www.fightdementia.org.au

- NewsRegional

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The puzzling truth behind Lismore's hidden epidemic - Northern Star

krutar/shutterstockIts no secret by now that eating too much salt can wreak havoc on your body.But what the heck is iodized salt, and should you be buying it?

For starters, iodine is an element that regulates your thyroid glands, stimulates brain development, and naturally detoxes your body.Most adults need about 150 mcg of iodine per day in order to avoid a deficiency, according to experts.Thankfully, the National Institutes of Healths Office of Dietary Supplements say that Americans and Europeans arewhats called iodine sufficient, meaning their dietis varied enough to provide the necessary levels of iodine. Thats true even if they dont use iodized salt, according to the Institutes research.

But dont relaxjust yet. Iodine deficiencies can be pretty scary, and if you are pregnant, you need to be particularly cautious. The need for iodine increases during pregnancy, because low iodine levels can endanger your babys mental development. Doctors often advise pregnant women to eat dairy products and take vitamin supplements, but you should see your own doctor before making any radical changes to your diet. (Still, you can safely stick with these snacks to eat while pregnant.)

For everyone else, you need not worry too much about your iodine levels. And while its true that you can get your daily intake of iodine from iodized salt, thats not alwaysthe healthiest solution. To reach the recommended level, you would need to eat more than half a teaspoon of iodized salt a day, which is two-thirds of the daily amountof sodium (1,500 milligrams) recommended by the American Heart Association. (These are thesigns youre eating too much sodium.)

Experts recommend gettingyour iodine from food, instead.Good sources of iodineother than iodized salt, of courseinclude fish, dairy products, grains like bread, and fruits and vegetables. Multivitamin pills and seaweed are also rich in iodine. Make any or all of these foods a staple in your diet, andrest assured youre well on your way to an iodine-sufficient life.

Now that your mind is in the kitchen, check out the real difference between baking power and baking soda.

See original here:
Iodized Salt Is No Longer a Required Part of a Healthy DietHere's Why - Reader's Digest

Losing weight is tough. It would be easier if a benevolent someone concerned about your health controlled exactly how much you ate and how often you exercised, right? Thats the situation for most dogs and cats in the United States, and yet the majority are overweight or obese.

As with our own dieting woes, the unpleasant prospect of the simple solution feeding our furry friends less makes us reach for alternative, quick-fix strategies. Many pet parents have turned to radically new menus. These grain-free, all-meat and raw-food diets are inspired by the meals eaten by wild relatives of our fidos and felixes.

But are these diets really better for our pets? Veterinarians and pet nutrition researchers say probably not.

According to clinical veterinary nutritionists at Tufts University, grain-free foods were one of the fastest-growing sectors of the pet food market in 2016. All I ever hear is, oh, on a good diet, its grain free, said Dena Lock, a veterinarian in Texas. The majority of her pet patients are overweight.

Why have these pet diets become so popular?

Its a marketing trend, Lock said.

Grain-free is marketing. Its only marketing, said Cailin Heinze, a small-animal nutritionist at Tufts Universitys Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. A lot of foods market themselves by what theyre not including, and the implication is that the excluded ingredient must be bad.

Grain-free is definitely a marketing technique that has been very successful, said Jennifer Larsen, a clinical nutritionist at the University of California Veterinary School in Davis. (Disclosure: I went to graduate school at the University of California at Davis, but studied plants, not pets.) People think that if they pay a lot for food and there are a lot of exclusions on the bag, that the food is healthier, but theyre buying an idea, she said, not necessarily a superior product.

There is absolutely no data to support the idea that grain-free diets are better for pets, Heinze and Larsen noted.

Some pet owners have a false impression that grains are more likely to cause an allergic reaction, but its much more common for dogs to have allergies to meat than to grain, Heinz said. Chicken, beef, eggs, dairy and wheat are the most common allergies in dogs. And its not that theres anything particularly allergenic about these foods, she said, theyre just the most frequently used ingredients.

Marketing campaigns such as Blue Buffalos Wilderness or Chewys Taste of Wild claim that their grain-free, meat-forward formulations better reflect the ancestral diets of our dogs and cats evolutionary predecessors, but the veterinarians I spoke with also questioned this logic.

For one, our pets wild cousins arent all that healthy. People believe that nature is best, Larsen said, but animals in the wild dont live that long, and they dont lead very healthy lives.

For dogs, we know that they have diverged from wolves genetically in their ability to digest starches. Dogs arent wolves, said Robert Wayne, a canine geneticist at UCLA. They have adapted to a human diet. Research in Waynes lab showed that most wolves carry two copies of a gene involved in starch digestion, while dogs have between 3 and 29 copies. According to Heinze, the average dog can easily handle 50 percent of its diet as carbs.

For cats, this argument makes a little more sense. Cats are carnivores rather than omnivores, so they have higher protein requirements than dogs, but cats can digest and utilize carbohydrates quite well, said Andrea Fascetti, a veterinary nutritionist at the University of California Veterinary School in Davis.

Many grain-free pet foods are made with starch from potatoes or lentils and they may be higher in fat. If you cut grains but increase calories, your pet is going to gain weight, Heinze said.

Dogs and cats also have a drastically different lifestyle from wolves or tigers. Pets are almost always spayed and neutered which is in itself a risk factor for obesity. And most live inside or in pens, so their energy needs are reduced dramatically.

In the wild, wolves and feline predators eat the hair, bones and cartilage of their prey, not just meat. For pet owners who do choose to feed their animals an all-meat diet, its essential to add supplements to make sure their pet isnt missing out on key nutrients such as calcium, Fascetti said. And theres the environmental impact to consider: Pets consume a quarter of all animal-derived calories in the United States.

Experts especially caution against feeding pets raw meat. Its not uncommon to find things like salmonella and E. coli and listeria in raw meat, Larsen said. There are a lot of microbes present in our farming systems, and unlike when an animal is hunting in the wild, there are many opportunities for bacteria to contaminate meat between the time an animal is slaughtered and when it reaches our kitchens.

Even if eating contaminated meat doesnt make pets sick, it poses a health risk to pet owners and their children who handle the pet food and waste. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration both warn against feeding raw meat to your pets, and I really cant advocate it, because its not safe for the whole family, Heinze said.

But what about all those benefits you hear about from feeding a raw diet, like shiny coats and less frequent stools? I cant tell you how many clients send me pictures of poop, Larsen said. But changes to a pets bathroom habits dont have anything to do with their food being raw.

Raw diets tend to be lower in fiber, and high fiber probably results in larger stools. But we dont have a sense of whether stool quality and quantity correlate with health, Fascetti said. And that shiny coat probably is because of high fat, Heinze said.

If pet owners wish to formulate their own diets, they should work with their veterinarian and a board-certified nutritionist. If youre feeding your pet a balanced diet such as in a commercial chow, obesity is the biggest nutrition issue pet owners should worry about, Heinze said.

We want our pets to enjoy what theyre eating, so many foods and especially treats are formulated to be high in fat, Larsen said. Most people dont realize that a milk bone has about as many calories as a candy bar, Lock said.

I know the struggle. My own hefty husky mix stares at me with her big brown eyes and licks the window whenever she wants food. Ive taken to calling the dental chews I buy her guilt-a-bones, because I cant help but give her one every time I leave.

But studies have found that feeding dogs to maintain a lean body weight has positive effects on their overall health and can even increase life span. This is also the case in mice and rats, and we believe that these findings apply to cats as well, Fascetti said.

Theres no one magic diet for every animal. These experts strongly recommend working with a veterinarian to find a diet that works for your pet. When it comes to navigating marketing claims in the pet food aisle, Lock suggests finding a company that employs a veterinary nutritionist and does feeding trials. Try not to get too hung up on the no list, Heinze said. Claims like no gluten, no grains and no soy generally mean no science.

The fork ratings are based primarily on food quality and preparation, with service and atmosphere factored into the final decision. Reviews are based on one unsolicited, unannounced visit to the restaurant.

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Grain-free pet foods are no healthier, vets say - WatertownDailyTimes.com

Fitness guru Paul MacGregor explains how adopting a healthy diet can help you lose weight in the long term

OKAY. We have talked about having a healthy diet over the past few months, and, although I thought this was an easy idea to understand, it seems to have confused a lot of people, judging by the amount of emails Ive had.

Dieting is a way to lose weight over a fairly short term, and by definition the fact that we go on a diet means that we will come off it at some point. The obvious question is then what next? When I talk about a healthy diet this is not a short term plan it is a plan that will make you healthier, happier and fitter for the rest of your life. An example of this is a client who has been on a diet trying to lose weight for a wedding. Wedding over, diet

When I talk about a healthy diet this is not a short term plan it is a plan that will make you healthier, happier and fitter for the rest of your life. An example of this is a client who has been on a diet trying to lose weight for a wedding. Wedding over, diet finished, weight back on. The whole point of the exercise was missed. Does that ring any bells? Im sure you have a friend who has done the same.

Im asked a lot: What is the best diet? What is the best way to lose weight? The answer is easy change to a healthy diet. You may not get results as quickly as by starving yourself, but it is a much better way to become healthier, and you have a lot more time to get to your target weight. A weight-loss

A weight-loss programme should have you shedding no more than two kilos per week, and one kilo per week is even better. So when you work out how long it will take before you can get into those jeans, that is how long it will take.

If that isnt quick enough for you, you should have started earlier! A weight-loss programme should be advised by a qualified health professional, not by friends at the pub or colleagues at work. What works for someone may not necessarily work for you.

What works for someone may not necessarily work for you.Even your health professional may need to try more than one approach, but they have the science to rely on. The internet,

The internet, magazines, and other people are full of information about diets and ways to lose weight, and although these may seem to have credible statistics behind them they may not be right for you. Become healthier forever, dont diet to lose weight.I also often hear I just want to tone up, I just want to lose a bit off my bum, or I just want a bit of a six pack. But working to lose weight off one part of the body is impossible in a healthy and non-surgical way. Everybodys body is different and we all store fat in slightly different ways. Fat is stored in various parts of our body and depends on age, sex, lifestyle and many more factors. Hormones can play a huge part in fat storage and where it is placed.

But working to lose weight off one part of the body is impossible in a healthy and non-surgical way. Everybodys body is different and we all store fat in slightly different ways. Fat is stored in various parts of our body and depends on age, sex, lifestyle and many more factors. Hormones can play a huge part in fat storage and where it is placed.

Fat is stored in various parts of our body and depends on age, sex, lifestyle and many more factors. Hormones can play a huge part in fat storage and where it is placed.

Once again (this just seems to keep coming up) a healthier balanced diet can help with this problem a lot easier than having to do 100 ab crunches every day. Our bodies are very complex machines and are unique. For instance, a vitamin deficiency can be the cause of fat being stored in certain places. So with the best will in the world, until you solve your vitamin problem you just aint going to shift it.

For instance, a vitamin deficiency can be the cause of fat being stored in certain places. So with the best will in the world, until you solve your vitamin problem you just aint going to shift it.It is always worth seeing a nutritionist who can help you with these problems and advise you on a more balanced diet. Adding certain foods to your diet may the problem alone. You never saw that one coming did you??!!

Adding certain foods to your diet may the problem alone. You never saw that one coming did you??!!

So its simple. Get healthy. Get qualified professional help. Up your exercise. Sleep more and avoid stress. Doing that will make you happier and healthier. Its that simple. If you need help you can email me at wearefitandhappy@gmail.com

If you need help you can email me at wearefitandhappy@gmail.com

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Ditch the fad diets and lose weight in the long term - Gibraltar Olive Press (blog)