Coveralls and Pants by Prada Earrings (worn throughout) by Georgina Trevino. Necklaces, Bracelet, and Rings by GLD. Pendant and Nose Rings (worn throughout) DKs Own.

DK Metcalf is a total stud. In his short career, the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver has become one of the most unstoppable forces in the NFL, a monster in cleats who blows by opponents with super speed and scores touchdowns like theyre free. Off the field, the Oxford, Mississippi native is gunning to become an industry unto himself, something his friend, the Outer Banks star Chase Stokes, can totally get behind.

CHASE STOKES: My boy.

DK METCALF: What up little-headass boy.

STOKES: Whats going on with you?

METCALF: Nothing new.

STOKES: Good. Im just out here working my damn ass off, trying to make time for you. You know how it goes.

METCALF: Boy, quit lying.

STOKES: Nah, seriously, we just finished a scene. I got like 25 minutes till we get the next set up, but I do have questions for you.

METCALF: Alright bet, and I appreciate you for taking the time out your busy-ass schedule.

STOKES: Oh, you know how it goes. So youre living the American Dream right now. Well, realistically its sort of a global dream, being a professional athlete. What are some key points that you could attribute to your success? Not just on the field, but off the field as well?

METCALF: Some key points that brought me to who I am today is just being different and working hard at everything that I did, and not just following the crowd. I wanted to be different. A very small percent of the world gets to play in the NFL and I know that percentage is drastically different from everybody else walking around. So just being different, being my own person, I attribute it to that.

STOKES: Got it. Very true. So the next question would be, I know for me, Im forever indebted to my mom. She made a ton of sacrifices in my life. Going back to school when I was in high school, we had a roof over our head and she paid the bills. So, whos a person or persons that you would say have impacted your life?

METCALF: Im going to get long-winded with this one. It took a village to raise me and for me to get to where I am. So of course my parents, my siblings, for holding me down and keeping me humble. But also, my teachers, my coaches in every sport that I played in high school and middle school, the family members that made sacrifices to make sure that even if my parents couldnt be there, that somebody was there to watch me at the game. It wasnt a big deal for me at the time, but looking back, having that support meant a lot, because a lot of kids parents or family members couldnt be there. And then the city of Oxford, Mississippi, where I was born and raised.

STOKES: Love that. So Im going to get down to a little bit of the nitty gritty. I know that for us, on Outer Banks, weve got a group chat and it gets a little wild in there sometimes. Whats the culture like in the NFL? Whats the group chat like for you guys? You guys got a similar thing with the team?

METCALF: Not a team group chat. We have a receiver group chat and it gets pretty dirty in there. Im going to leave it at that.

STOKES: Speaking of dirty, I know you got a horrible diet. So beyond just the normal candy bowl that sits in your kitchen

METCALF: Hey man, get out of my house. [Laughs] My diet aint even that bad. Yeah I splurge with some candy every now and again, but Ive pretty much changed up my diet this off-season. In the past month, Ive barely eaten candy. Ive been cleaning up my diet, eating more organic.

STOKES: Wow.

METCALF: Yeah, locally grown food and produce. So my diet has changed drastically from where it has been and what I broadcasted because I just wanted to take a chance and see how good I could be.

STOKES: Well, Im going to miss that candy bowl if Im being honest. I got a question for you and it sort of aligns with my world. I went through my own version of body dysmorphia after the show came out and people were saying this and that, having their own opinion on things. I remember when you were coming up out of college, there was a lot of attention on your physique. How did that affect you mentally? Was it something that bothered you or was it something that pushed you in a different direction?

METCALF: I didnt let it get to me that much because I knew who I was as a person and I knew I had goals and that nobody could help me get there but myself. But I will say, with that attention, I had to hone it in and at the end of the day remember whoI was as a person, as a football player, and that I wasnt going to let the outside world define me as a player or as a person, or tell me that I was just a bodybuilder playing football. I continued to work on my craft and not prove the doubters wrong, but prove myself right.

STOKES: Cool. So as a man of faith, I know youre a man of faith as well. What keeps you going? And when youre traveling, how do you stay connected to the big man upstairs?

METCALF: Coming out of college, I had a real bad neck injury. So me just having the second chance at the sport and at life, its what keeps me going. Thats what keeps me smiling on a day-to-day basis because I know what its felt like to not have football in my life. I let that drive me and let my light shine. I know Im destined for greatness. I know Im destined for more than just football.

STOKES: Alright, alright. So pregame fits. I know youre big into fashion. What goes into choosing the outfit on game day?

METCALF: Man, however the hell Im feeling that day. No, but Ill probably think about a fit for two days before I wear it. Theres still some stuff that I gotta wear thats in my closet, but I need a little help this upcoming season. So Im looking for a stylist, PSA.

STOKES: Just throw it out to the universe.

METCALF: Exactly.

Top by Willy Chavarria. Necklaces by GLD. Pendant (top) by Georgina Trevino. Pendant (bottom) DKs Own.

STOKES: So last question for you. Obviously being a professional athlete takes up a lot of time, but I know for me that I have to have a life outside of work. What are some things outside of being a professional athlete that really feed your soul?

METCALF: Heres a little story I got. I met this group of kids, like, in March or April, theyre actors, and we went to dinner, went out, and we would just chill all the time, and they showed me I could be whatever I want to be in life, and whatever I want to do after football, whether thats acting or fashion, they showed me that I could do it. And theyre actors on Outer Banks, so Chase Stokes, Austin North, and Id throw C.J. Cook in there. They helped me realize that outside of football, I have people that care about me as a person, not just because of the jersey I wear. So Im taking acting lessons and Im big into fashion and Ill sit at home and play video games all day, but just hanging around those three people really just helped me realize what I wanted to do after football.

STOKES: Oh man, Ill Venmo you later for that one. Well, theyre calling me in to go do some more shit, but it was good hearing your voice. Im excited to come bust your ass and watch a game this season.

METCALF: Bet.

STOKES: Yeah man. I appreciate your time.

METCALF: I appreciate you bro. Tell Austin I said whats up.

STOKES: I will. Oh by the way, I might be getting a house in your neighborhood. So its going to be a riot.

METCALF: Say less. The shit going to be epic.

STOKES: Alright baby, Ill talk to you.

METCALF: Alright bro.

STOKES: Alright.

Coveralls and Pants by PRADA Earrings (worn throughout) by Georgina Trevino. Necklaces, Bracelet, and Rings by GLD. Pendant and Nose Rings (worn throughout) DKs Own.

Grooming: Carla Sofia Perez

Fashion Assistant: Erica Campos

Production Assistant: Matteo Debole

See original here:
DK Metcalf and Chase Stokes on Group Chats, Diets, and Greatness - Interview

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Our diet chart fluctuates as we move through different life stages, like from infants to the elderly. Its essential to consider the additional demands set on our body by these changes to stay active and healthy.

For example, a child prefers to have brighter and colourful plates with small servings, whereas an adult with weaker teeth requires a softer, nutrient-dense diet. Expectant mothers have different dietary needs than women of the same age group. They need more nutrients, for their growing child inside. In the story, we can talk about nutritional tips and diet plans for different stages of life.

On the occasion of National Nutrition Week, here are some tips and tricks for a good diet plan for different age groups.

Amrita Pandey, the nutritionist at Organic India, Hyderabad, says, As a nutritionist, I firmly believe, at any age, when you are trying to improve your body, along with focusing on disease or health challenge, focus on healthy and clean eating habits. Because the 30 trillion cells of your body are not getting the nutrients to prevent or recover from and are overloaded with inevitable environmental toxins."

"Reduce the toxic load on the cells by adding organic food, herbs and superfoods that accelerate your efforts. Fuel your gut with enzymes, pre and probiotics through fibre-rich fruits, vegetables, and salads. Add the magic and wisdom of Indian spices. Last but not least empower them with good quality fats like coconut oil, ghee, flax seed oil, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Be well hydrated and eat foods closest to their natural form. Cut down on refined sugars and oil, processed food, excess salt, and aerated drinks, as they affect vital organs. Master this skill of eating well and get the quicker, faster, and more satisfying result," she added.

Several nutritionists we spoke with said that in a competitive world, sleep is one of the biggest factors that affects your plan positively or negatively. Suresh Garg, founder and MD of Zeon Lifesciences-Nutraceutical and Herbal products manufacturing company, Hyderabad, says that getting sound sleep is extremely significant for overall health that keeps the brain healthy.

The combination of foods we fuel our bodies with throughout the day plays a crucial role in the sleep cycle. An overall healthy and nutrient-dense diet affects brain health and its activity leading to a healthy sleep pattern.Eating healthy allows the body to absorb nutrients that provide the brain with the chemical environment needed to produce the neurotransmitters that are required for adequate sleep. The nutrients we get from a well-balanced diet work as the building blocks for protein and other minerals that are essential to creating amino acids involved in a quality sleep cycle.

He adds that as the rule says, a balanced diet made up of a variety of fruits and vegetables provides the recommended daily intake of vitamins and other vital nutrients contributing to better sleep.

Nutrition and sleep are two of the most important factors that impact an individuals overall health, says Sandeep Jangala, nutritionist, and founder at VLOGS Food, Hyderabad.

While proper diet and nutrition help in maintaining healthy body weight, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, it also has an impact on the overall quality of sleep. For example, diets low in fibre and high in saturated fat may decrease the amount of deep, restorative sleep youll get. Excess sugar can cause you to awaken more frequently. Better nutrition is also related to the improved infant, child and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, he concludes with the reminder that sleep is an essential function that allows your body and mind to recharge, and it goes hand in hand with good nutritive intake.

Read the original:
Nutrition for your needs: Clean eating habits adds to healthy life - The New Indian Express

The Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) is helping to feed kids in East St. Paul child-care programs by delivering fresh, healthy produce that connects them to their culture.

HAFA wanted to help children in child care, many of whom come from low-income families, by providing healthful dietary choices. The program also benefited them in another way, familiarizing the kids with Hmong culture by including Hmong staple foods such as mustard greens, pea tips and mugwort.

"Their children would go home and would say, 'I want Tshuaj Hmong hau ntsug Qab,'" HAFA Executive Director Janssen Hang said, referring to the traditional Hmong postpartum soup. "'I want what Mama Mai created.'"

Following the Vietnam War, thousands of Hmong, mainly from Laos, settled in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. In an effort to build intergenerational wealth, many of them took up farming. They often face a lack of access to resources, including land, markets, credit and capital.

Hang grew up working on one of these farms. His parents believed the key to success in the United States was through education, an attitude they instilled in their children. They wanted their kids to have careers more stable than farming. To help their parents pay for their private school tuition, Hang and his siblings spent summers tending crops in the scorching heat. After returning to school in the fall, they envied classmates who spent their summers relaxing or going on vacation.

Their hard work and devotion to education turned out to be worth it. Hang and his siblings all graduated from college. His family continues farming to this day. The economic struggles faced by his family and the rest of the Hmong farming community inspired Hang and his sister, Pakou Hang, to start HAFA in 2011.

One way HAFA helps farmers is by introducing them to new markets. Hmong farmers in Minnesota primarily sell produce to farmers markets, which can make income unpredictable. HAFA partners with M Health Fairview through a program called Veggie Rx to help Hmong immigrants with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Through Veggie Rx, patients who cannot afford to buy culturally appropriate, fresh foods receive produce from Hmong farmers. The program provides benefits for both producers and consumers by opening up new markets for farmers. It also helps patients incorporate healthier, more familiar foods into their diets.

After its success with Veggie Rx, HAFA started a similar program with child-care providers in East St. Paul managed by Hmong people. HAFA noticed many of these providers were eligible for the federally operated Child and Adult Care Food Program, which reimburses providers for the meals they serve children. This program aims to help children by introducing them to fresh produce, which may encourage them to form healthy diets in the future.

As the child-care providers started receiving boxes from HAFA, the program showed another, unexpected benefit. By showing the children how to prepare the produce they received, providers introduced them to traditional dishes in Hmong culture they didn't know about.

In addition to eating the dishes, the children also helped prepare them by washing and cutting the produce.

"Providers are really engaging the [children] with how to use a produce," Hang said.

HAFA now wants to expand these programs outside the Hmong community, specifically to Karen and Somali communities in the Twin Cities. Hang said some produce, such as collard greens, are eaten by both Hmong and Somali people.

"Food is medicine, and food connects us all," Hang said.

ThreeSixty Journalism

These stories were written by ThreeSixty Journalism's summer 2022 News Reporter Academy high school students. The Academy and its theme of holistic health equity were supported by Center for Prevention at Blue Cross Blue Shield of MN, which connected students with story topics and sources.

ThreeSixty Journalism is leading the way in developing multicultural storytellers in the media arts industry. The program is a loudspeaker for underheard voices, where highly motivated high school students discover the power of voice and develop their own within ThreeSixty's immersive college success programming. Launched in 1971 as an Urban Journalism Workshop chapter, since 2001 the program has been part of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas. To learn more about ThreeSixty Journalism, visit threesixty.stthomas.edu.

Read more from the original source:
Connecting Hmong kids to culture through food - Star Tribune

Maria Balhara, 16, will present her research on teen eating habits at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Maria Balhara)

Explaining her research, Maria Balhara sounds like a typical scientist: She had a hypothesis. She recruited participants to evaluate. She analyzed the data. Soon, she'll present her work at major scientific conferences.

This might be routine stuff for a professor or graduate student. For a 16-year-old high schooler, not so much.

Balhara, a senior at Cooper City High School in South Florida, will present her work, "Proposing a New 'Gateway Food Model' for Adolescent Eating Behavior and Its Implications for Modifiable Hypertension Risk Factors," on Saturday at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions in San Diego.

Her research was conceived as she thought about how "gateway" drugs can lead people to try others. She thought something similar might happen with ultra-processed food in teens' diets.

"That hypothesis proved correct," said Balhara, who found that increased consumption of candy, prepackaged pastries and frozen desserts was associated with increased consumption of other ultra-processed foods. The findings are considered preliminary until the full results are published in a peer-reviewed journal.

It's not the only research she'll be presenting this fall. In October, she'll appear at an American Academy of Pediatrics conference in Anaheim, California, to present another analysis from the same data set. Meanwhile, other offshoots will be featured at conferences in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

Her work had its start in her high school's AP Capstone classes, a two-year program that culminates in a research project. She continued the work while dually enrolled in a human nutrition course at Broward College.

She spent about six months designing and completing the study. The initial plan, though, did not envision all those conferences. "It was just, you know, make some sort of questionnaire or survey," then communicate it in a paper.

When she did her analyses, her father, who works as a consultant in the pharmaceutical industry, sparked the idea to submit it. She was eager to do that. "I think that a lot of times, teenagers place these restrictions on themselves, and they say, 'No one wants to read my research. No one will care.'" She hopes to help others overcome that kind of thinking, and follow in her footsteps.

Clearly driven and a self-described perfectionist ("I'm also a night owl, which is a bad combination") Balhara is poised and cheerful as she discusses how she got here. It's not like she started reading scientific journals as a child, she said. She considers herself "shockingly average," someone who enjoys classic movies "Back to the Future" is a favorite and trail hiking, when she can find time.

But it's true that she's long been fascinated with nutrition. Maybe a little obsessed.

"My friends and family tell me all the time, 'God you never shut up about food,'" she said, laughing. "I say, 'Well, it's important.'"

A lot of her interest stems, she said, from her multicultural background. Her father is from India; her mother, who wanted to be a biologist but ended up working in logistics, is from Brazil.

"Those are very different cultures, you know, very different foods," said Balhara, whose parents divorced when she was in elementary school. She was fascinated by the differences she saw in the two sides of her family and at school, where her lunch had things like Brazilian chicken when the kids around her were eating ham and cheese sandwiches.

So her first nutrition "research" was asking basic questions about what she was seeing. "You know, what kind of nutrients are in this food, or that food?" she said.

She also found herself thinking about how food and culture are entwined. "If you tell an Indian person who eats traditional Indian food that they have to start eating raw vegetables three times a day, they'll scoff at you," she said. "Because in Indian cuisine, vegetables are usually never eaten raw. You always have to cook them in some sort of curry." But Brazilian culture, she observed, was more open to uncooked foods.

Balhara has always had traits that set her apart, even among gifted children, said teacher Michael Jones. He teaches sociology and history at Cooper City High, but he also was her teacher in fifth grade.

Not surprisingly, he expects great things from her. "Maria is a very, very, very driven and motivated young lady," he said. "If you talk to her for more than five minutes, you'll get that sense. She has been like that since the first time I met her."

But Balhara, he said, isn't driven by external factors such as winning awards or approval from teachers. She cares about the work she's doing. The research, he said, is something she finds important, rather than just a useful way to achieve her academic goals.

She spent her summer in Boston, where she interned in a pediatric endocrine lab at Massachusetts General Hospital. Next year, she's hoping to get accepted to a university with a strong sciences program. Beyond that, she's interested in medical school and a career in research. But she's keeping her options open.

Meanwhile, Balhara hopes others might follow up on her work. And if some of those researchers are fellow teens so much the better, she said. "Adolescent eating habits are definitely an important subject, but it's one that adolescents themselves don't usually have the ability to contribute to in the scientific fields."

If you have questions or comments about this American Heart Association News story, please email [emailprotected].

Read more:
Her research is getting worldwide attention. But for now, she needs to finish high school. - American Heart Association News

Were all capable of slowing down the effects of a warming Earth, and it could be as simple as how we stock our pantries.

An international team of scientists has evaluated the environmental impacts of more than 57,000 food products the stuff you typically find as you wander the aisles of your local grocery. If this type of information is made easily available to the public, they say, it could not only enable the transition to a more sustainable food system, but chances are it could also improve peoples health.

The goal is to have a simpler, and more rigorous quantitative way to inform consumers about the tens of thousands of different items they might buy in a grocery store, said ecologist David Tilman, a professor at UC Santa Barbaras Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, and also at the University of Minnesotas College of Biological Sciences. Tilman is a co-author of a study that appears in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science.

According to the researchers assessment, beef and lamb take the greatest toll on the environment, with impacts far outpacing those of other proteins such as chicken, fish and seafood and nuts, which also are on the higher end of the environmental impact scale.

Many people consider beef to taste good, and I understand why, but it is a very inefficient way to create food for humans, Tilman said. Meanwhile, processed drinks such as soda and energy drinks were rated at the lowest impact level of food products evaluated, sharing space with plant-based grocery foods such as rice and flatbreads.

A Decade of Studying Food ProductsWhile much research has gone into the environmental impacts of food commodities such as fruits, wheat and beef, most food products contain many different ingredients, each of which have taken their own routes to become part of that product. This lifecycle data, which informs the total environmental impacts of producing, harvesting, transporting and processing of said ingredients, are largely invisible to the consumer, as are the proportions of ingredients. According to the study, this information gap exists because the exact amount of each ingredient and their supply chain in each food product are often considered a trade secret. The sheer number of food products and their variety makes the assessment a daunting task for food companies and for retailers aiming to reduce their carbon emissions.

To overcome these limitations, the researchers, led by first author Michael Clark of Oxford University, used prior knowledge from ingredient lists to infer the composition of each ingredient. They then paired this information with environmental databases to gauge impacts across four indicators: greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water stress and eutrophication potential (the magnitude of excess nutrients from production that can pollute surrounding environment and waterways).

This is the result of a decade since Mike and I started working on this, said Tilman, who is Clarks former advisor. It started with doing some of the lifecycles ourselves, then using many of these lifecycles that were published. And then we started critically evaluating the quality of lifecycle data available for each of the major food commodities. They consulted previously published papers, conducted further analyses and used their approach on 57,000 food products found in Tesco supermarkets, a major grocery chain in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Food graded by environmental and nutritional impact

Photo Credit: PNAS

You go to a grocery store in Europe and it doesnt look very different from a grocery store in the United States, Tilman said. While humans around the world dont have the exact same taste preferences, he added, we tend to have to similar tastes, which results in more or less the same kind of food products in our stores.

These tastes tend to gravitate to foods that contain high levels of sugar. Its a commodity that is both cheap and produced in abundance, with effects that have led to increased rates of obesity, diabetes and other conditions related to overconsumption of highly processed foods that often contain high fructose corn syrup.

Thats what happened with the Green Revolution, Tilman said of an unintended consequence of the worlds move in the 1950s and 60s toward high-yield, industrial farming processes that include pesticides, fertilizers and monocultures. Sugar is cheap. Fats are cheap and salt is cheap. People love salty, fatty and sweet kinds of foods; thats what our taste preferences are. They made total sense during our evolutionary past, and now that these foods are so cheap and readily available, we eat them in excess.

Healthy Choices = Healthy EarthIn a previous study, Tilman and Clark found that in general, diets that included healthy, less-processed foods were also healthier for the environment. We know theres a relationship there, and we wanted to apply this for individual foods, Tilman said. As a result, the researchers current study also ranks grocery foods by nutritional impact, with plant-based, less processed foods on the healthier end of the scale for both humans and the environment, and highly processed grains and dairy products toward the less-healthy end.

The healthiest diets that we know of are variants on the classical Mediterranean diet, which has many servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and whole grains, Tilman said. Whole grain has the advantage of having fiber, which helps slow the rate at which starch becomes sugars. The main meat is fish, he added, with other meats used as flavoring and on special occasions. Other environmentally friendly and nutritious diets include vegetarian and pescatarian diets, provided hydrogenated fats and sugars are kept to a minimum. There isnt enough scientific data yet to put the vegan diet in the same group, but Tilman suspects it belongs there as well.

Still, more work needs to be done to refine the researchers assessment. Theres a lot of variability in the proportion and type of ingredients in similar grocery store foods that can lead to differences in health and environmental impacts, and there are also alternative processes to consider, Tilman said. But the hope is that this information becomes widely available, empowering consumers to make better food choices for the health of both their bodies and the environment.

I hope this information ends up on packages, Tilman said. And I hope because its on packages that companies that make different foods will willingly tell us the exact ingredients and amounts in their foods, so we can give the most rigorous, honest evaluation of their product.

More here:
A Nutrition Label for Earth | The UCSB Current - The UCSB Current

The funny thing about building a business -- or building a career, or building great relationships, or basically doing anything -- is that we typically know what to do.The hard thing is actually doing it, day after day after day.

The problem isn't knowledge. The problem is willpower.

Last year a friend wanted to get in better shape, so he embarked on the Hard 75 Challenge.

If you aren't familiar, Hard 75 involves following a diet (you get to pick the diet), working out twice a day for 45 minutes each session (one workout has to be outdoors), drinking a gallon of water, reading (not listening to) 10 pages of a nonfiction personal development book, and taking a picture of yourself.Every day. For 75 straight days.

Fail to complete any of the above on any given day? Start over.

In many ways,Hard 75 is similar to a diet. (In fact, it includes a diet.) As anyone who has tried knows, following a specific diet -- keto, Mediterranean, low-carb, Atkins, whatever --is hard. Temptation. Availability. (Try staying keto when you're on the road andit's 11 p.m. and the only place open is a Taco Bell.) Consistently making the right choices is hard.

The sameis true for exercising outdoors. It's hard to force yourself to go for a run when your day got away from you and it's 8 p.m. andrainingand 35 degrees. If you can pull off the Hard 75, that's awesome.

And it was really hard for my friend.

He started, got disappointed, summoned up the determination tostartover, got disappointed, forced himself to startover... while he got in a little better shape, he didn't make the progress he hoped for.

Then he took a different approach. Instead of following a strict diet, he just created a few rules. He wanted to eat healthier, so he cut out all "white" foods (breads, white rice, potatoes, crackers, added sugar). When he went out to eat, he avoided failing to find the "right" food by just choosing the healthiest option available. (At Taco Bell, maybe that's the "fresco style" burrito with chicken.)

And instead of following a specific exercise program, he just decided that he would always work out for at least 20 minutes every day. Most of the time he did longer workouts, but in a pinch he just needed to do 20 minutes of something. Situps, push-ups, and burpees in a hotel room. A light jog in the morning. Hustling up and down steps at the airport during a long layover.

While his workouts were almost always more extensive, still: The only rule he had for himself was that he would work out for at least 20 minutes a day. That wayhe never"failed," never got disappointed... and never felt like he had to start over. As long as he got his 20, he was good.

The same approach applies to business. Say you wantto spend more time with your employees. Don't create a complicated schedule; just make it a rule that whenever you run into an employee in the hallway, you'll stop and chat for a moment.Some of those chats will lead to longer conversations. Some won't. Either way, you'll come a lot closer to accomplishing your goal.

Or say you want to build a stronger network. Make it a rule that you'll send a note of praise, or encouragement, or advice, or something helpful and positive to one person -- someone you know, or someone you don't know-- every day before you beginyour work day. Do that, and you'll naturally make new connections, and build stronger ones.

In my case, I decided I needed to drink more water and less soda. So I decided I would always drink water with meals. Within a couple days, that habit became automatic.

Bottom line? Diets suck. Having to rely on willpower sucks even more.

Rules, on the other hand, are easy.

And great,especially when those rules help take you to the place you someday want to be.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

Read the rest here:
Want to Be More Successful? When Willpower Won't Help You Achieve Your Goals, Create a Few Simple Rules Instead - Inc.

Anything that changes the way individuals and medical professionals view nutrition is undoubtedly going to be reflected in other areas. And an obvious one, no doubt, is the food industry. Whatever the real difference gene variations make in terms of health, the reality is this: The more that's discovered, the more reactions are going to be experienced in different ways, and on different levels.

It's already the case that foods are sold that are enriched in some way, or it's highlighted how they're rich in certain nutrients. At the same time, foods for specific diets, such as keto, to treat certain ailments are also available. As nutrigenomics advances, nutrition plans can be created for certain genetic groups (viaIndian Journal of Horticulture).

There have long been diets and food products targeted at specific health conditions keto is aimed at lowering blood sugar levels and tackling type 2 diabetes, for example (perHealthline). This is whereby a variant of one gene has led to a disorder of some kind and there's a direct connection. However, nutrigenomics is more expansive, and more complex perhaps, as it may be that a number of genetic variations impact a number of different responses to nutrition. It's when these multiple changes are combined that they create an outcome.

The result is food that's created to deal with these differences. A University of Auckland study, highlighted in aHealthy Food Guidearticle, focuses on a gene-diet factor in why Crohn's disease is higher in New Zealand, and one area in particular. The guide explains, "The research team is studying the link between foods eaten by people with Crohn's disease and different variations of the disease-related genes. Information about lifestyle and symptoms are also collected to learn more about the disease and potentially to allow tailoring of foods to genetic type."

See the original post:
How Nutrigenomics Explores Links Between Nutrition And Genes - Health Digest

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An online survey of dietary quality during complementary feeding; associations with maternal feeding self-efficacy and adherence to dietary...

Gout is an inflammatory form of arthritis that affects the joints, often the big toe. An estimated 36% of men and 12% of women per year in Western countries experience gout.

This condition occurs when a waste byproduct known as urea builds up in your body, leading to hyperuricemia. Its caused by overproduction of urea or an inability to excrete it through urine.

While genetics play a large role in gout, other factors can also increase your risk, such as your diet and, potentially, your weight.

You may wonder, then, if you should attempt to lose weight to help manage your gout.

This article tells you all you need to know about gout and weight loss.

Gout is caused by hyperuricemia, or high urea levels.

Certain hereditary and lifestyle factors can increase your risk of hyperuricemia, such as:

While these factors may play a role, gout is hereditary, which means you may still develop it regardless of your lifestyle habits or weight.

The American College of Rheumatology currently recommends that people with overweight or obesity who have gout lose weight to help manage the condition and reduce their risk of flare-ups.

One large study found a link between body mass index (BMI) and gout incidence and flare-ups. Over the course of 7 years, people with obesity were significantly more likely to develop gout than people with normal BMIs (less than 25 kg/m2).

In addition, those whose BMIs decreased by 5% had 39% lower odds of gout flare-ups, while those whose BMIs increased by 5% had a 60% increased risk.

Another study that included 11,079 people also found a relationship between obesity and gout. Study participants who had obesity throughout adulthood and those who gained weight in adulthood had an 84% and 65% increased risk of gout, respectively.

A review of 10 studies on gout and weight loss found that losing 7.7 pounds (lbs.) (3.5 kg) or more may reduce gout attacks.

However, the authors argue that most studies on this topic are small and low quality, and they suggest that we need larger, higher quality clinical trials.

Further, a large 27-year study among 44,654 men found that 77% of gout cases may have been prevented through strategies such as maintaining a normal BMI, following a nutritious eating pattern, and limiting alcohol and diuretics.

In particular, the study found that excess adiposity, or fat stores, was one of the largest risk factors. Interestingly, adopting healthier lifestyle habits did not seem to be beneficial in men with obesity if their weight was not also reduced.

Ultimately, it appears that weight loss, and particularly fat loss, may help people with obesity and gout manage their symptoms.

If you want to lose weight to help manage gout symptoms, its important to do so in a safe and healthy way. That means its best to skip fad diets, which can lead to mental health challenges, nutrient deficiencies, weight gain, metabolic issues, and other effects.

For sustainable weight loss, try to adopt habits that you can continue to follow in the long term. Consider:

You may also wish to work with a registered dietitian, who can make personalized recommendations based on your medical history, food preferences, and budget.

In addition, its important to make sure youre staying active when you can.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, but any increase in physical activity is a great starting point.

Getting proper sleep and doing your best to manage stress are also important for well-rounded health and may support weight loss, if you choose to pursue it.

For most people, its generally safe to lose around 12 lbs. (0.450.9 kg) per week from a calorie deficit.

While losing weight may help with gout symptoms, there are other tips you can follow to manage the condition:

Gout is an inflammatory form of arthritis that can result from genetics or lifestyle factors.

While genetics play a large role, overweight or obesity can increase your risk of developing gout and experiencing recurring flare-ups. Thus, losing weight may be beneficial for some people.

However, keep in mind that gout is hereditary and may not be related to your weight or lifestyle habits.

If you want to manage your gout symptoms, there are other things you can do besides losing weight, such as eating a nutritious diet, limiting foods high in purines, avoiding alcohol, and managing any other chronic conditions you may have.

Its best to work with a healthcare professional such as a physician, as well as a registered dietitian, who can make personalized recommendations for your treatment including a nutritious, culturally appropriate eating pattern that can help you manage gout.

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Gout and Weight Loss: What You Need to Know - Healthline

On the cusp of turning 30, Peter Do felt dissatisfied with his body. He set out to get lean and toned, losing 40 pounds in the process. He told Mens Health how he did it:

I was on a family trip back to Vietnam, waiting in line for a roller coaster. Just as my brother and I were set to enter the front cart, an attendant told me that I couldnt rideI was too fat. I was so angry, upset, and embarrassed. It was humiliating. And it made me decide to change.

The decision had been coming for a while. I knew Id been carrying extra weight; physically I felt so big. I didnt feel comfortable in my clothes; sometimes I would stretch out my T-shirts just so that they were looser. Wearing bigger clothes was a trick I played on myself to feel smaller in my mind. I was self-conscious and unhappy with how I looked; I didnt want to take my top off at the beach, even surrounded by my friends and family.

After the roller coaster incident, I resolved to get into a shape that helped me be happier. I decided to enroll in a transformation at Ultimate Performance Manchester. My trainer, Kylie, believed when I signed up that I could lose more than 13 pounds and go from 179 pounds to 165 pounds, while also honing my muscles. She believed I could achieve more than my goal, and I was excited to get started.

Getting my diet under control was a priority. Before starting this transformation, Id start every day by eating a lot of sugary breakfast cereals, then keep snacking throughout the day, because I didnt feel full. I'd have some fast food for lunch, and then, most nights, Id have takeout for dinner. Id rarely cook, because its just too easy to order food online while I was on the way home.

So I started with a meal prep setup from Ultimate Performance, which I did for a few weeks to understand the basics of eating healthy and sizing my portions. Later on, I shifted to making my own meal preps at home. It was a real eye-opener, just thinking about how and what I was eating. I learned that good, healthy, nutritious food doesnt need to be complicated to be enjoyable, and it keeps me full longer. Tailoring my diet kept me at a calorie deficit without feeling like I was starving. Even when I ate more than I should, it was easy to get back on track.

Prior to this, I hadnt done much weight training. I had tried some conditioning classes, and done a little bit of strength training, but outside of that I didnt really know what I was doing in the gymI was just jogging on the treadmill and running outdoors.

I went from that to strength training three times a week. Each session, Id learn what muscle group I was working, and how that fit into my overall progress. On off days, Id go on a 30-minute walk in the morning to elevate my heart rate, and generally try to move more during the day. I wanted to target my stomach, and even though I didnt do any ab-specific exercises, by the end I could really see my core. I also got good results in my back and thighs.

My biggest challenge was staying focused and determined. There were times when I went off plan, and Kylie would remind me to ask myself why? As in, Why am I doing this? Why did I sign up? And I would just have a talk to myself to get my head together. Another trainer gave me some great advice: The body can change quickest, but its your mind that takes time to change.

After six months of training, Id dropped from 29.4 percent body fat to 11.7 percent. My muscle mass stayed about the same, but I lost 42 pounds. My friends and family were really supportive; my twin brother now says, We dont look like twins anymore! Customers pretended not to recognize me, saying, Wheres Peter? Theyre amazed how much Ive changed, and when they ask for my secret, I just say, Good food and a great personal trainer.

Its been a truly positive journey. Ive come out of it happier and more energetic. My clothes fit better. Im much more confident and comfortable in my own skin. Ive also been on more dates, which is always a plus!

I remember sitting at work and saying to myself: OK. I am going to get the body that I want when am 30. I cant believe all this hard work has paid off. This is a big achievement in my life, and Ive done it myself! No surgery. No fad diets. Just simply following a plan and making it a daily habit and thats what my trainer Kylie has taught meto make better choices towards the foods at I was eating, picking out food that would keep me fuller for longer and would be nutritionally better, and also to be motivated, disciplined, accountable, positive (even at times when I wasnt) and, most of all, patient.

From here I want to get bigger and stronger. I want to improve my strength and focus on my current weak points. Im still working on and learning about the different muscle groups, so I can really understand how they all work together.

People ask me how to get started, and I say, honestly, if you really want that change, then go out there and do it! Even if you cant get a personal trainer, there are so many tools that can help you in your fitness journey. Dont compare yourself to other people. Your fitness journey is different. Find a way that you enjoy, recognize that the journey is yours, and dont compare yourself to other people. Be patient and believe in yourself.

See the article here:
How One Man Lost 40 Pounds with Meal Prep and Weight Training - Men's Health