Jackson, TN, April 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- America is going week three of its unprecedented lockdown due to COVID-19 fears. Both local and national governments as well as federal agencies have pretty much ordered the shutdowns of all non-essential businesses to prevent the spread of the virus. While were keeping ourselves isolated due to social distancing and stay at home orders to stay healthy, Diet Doc wants to remind consumers how important it is to take all aspects of your health into account during these uncertain times. Itll be important to maintain your health since your health status has a direct effect on your immunity, as well as your mental well-being. Other than using vitamin c, zinc and other herbal supplements, Diet Doc suggests that now may be a great time to invest in a total weight management program with guidance from specialized doctors and coaches who can conveniently help you by phone or computer, keeping your safety in mind. This type of program can:

Let us help you easily manage your weight without ever having to leave home. Diet Doc patients can call or easily and effortlessly visit https: https://www.dietdoc.comto complete an initial comprehensive, yet simple, health questionnaire and schedule an immediate personal, no-cost consultation. DietDocs physicians all received specialized training in nutritional science and fast weight loss. DietDoc reviews each patients health history to create a personalized diet plan geared for fast weight loss, or that addresses life-long issues causing weight loss to slow down or stop. Nutritionists work personally with each patient and use their own algorithm to craft meal and snack plans that are compatible with each patients age, gender, activity level, food preferences, nutritional needs and medical conditions. They combine these state-of-the-art diet plans with pure, prescription diet products that enable their patients to resist the temptation to reach for sugary snacks, eliminate fatigue and curb the appetite. Over 97% of DietDoc patients report incredible weight loss results with the majority losing between 10-15 lbs. or more pounds per month.

At Diet Doc, all patients gain unlimited access to the best minds in the business. Their staff of doctors, nurses, nutritionists and coaches are available seven days per week to answer questions, offer suggestions, address concerns and lend their professional guidance and support. Because of this, more and more people are turning to Diet Doc for their weight management needs. Diet plans are tailored to be specific to the needs of those of any age, gender, shape or size and for those who are struggling to lose that final 10-20 pounds to those who must lose 100 pounds or more. Call today to request a private, confidential, no-cost online consultation.

About the Company:

Diet Doc is the nation's leader in medical, weight loss offering a full line of prescription medication, doctor, nurse and nutritional coaching support. For over a decade, Diet Doc has produced a sophisticated, doctor designed weight loss program that addresses each individual specific health need to promote fast, safe and long-term weight loss.

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Providing Care Across The USA

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Disclaimer: The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from healthcare practitioners. Please consult your healthcare professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires this notice.

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Diet Doc Stresses to Consumers the Importance of Keeping Weight Gain to a Minimum Amid COVID-19 - GlobeNewswire

Nothing makes us feel more connected than when a global health crisis sparks on one continent and jumps to the next, and then the next, as fast as the one we are in. From China to Italy, Spain, the US and back to Asia, the coronavirus made us realize that what happens in one market around the world has real ramifications everywhere.

So it's no surprise that the health, ethical, and planetary effects of plant-based eating are being touted now.Consumers are beginning to come to terms with the full impact ofour collectiveeating habits on the earth and the people aroundus. From our fashion choices, even"vegan" ones that end upcreating more plastic waste to "superfoods" like almonds, that use more water than almost nearly any other plant on the planet, plant-based or vegan consumers are asking: What istruly sustainable? And howdo our choices impact not just our own health but that of the planet and other human beings in communities far from our homes?Here are some simple ways to consider compassion and humanity along your mindful plant-based journey.

While consuming a plant-based diet is by-and-large better for our health and the environment, a sometimes overlooked element to consider is the human cost of our food choices. Do you know where your coconut oil comes from? Your quinoa? One of the most well-known cases of an over-consumed crop is the popularity of quinoa, which first helped support the farmers of Peru and then, when it took off as a "trendy" food five years ago, sent them into relative poverty when other countries began to produce it and take market share away from them.

Understanding the impact of your diet is the first step to consuming more mindfully. A simple Google searchthat includes [BRAND] + ethics or [FOOD ITEM] + sustainability is a great place to start. Another great place to start is through the quiz on foodprint.org, which estimates the carbon impact of your current diet. Try it.

Depending on the item it brings a range of results, for example, tortilla chips + sustainability gives you the results of a range of tortilla chip producers' sustainability mission while searching chocolate + sustainability brings about a bunch of articles about the cacao supply chain, which makes us think more about where our snacks and sweets come from.

To keep up with the latest agricultural news,perusesites like Acres USA, Modern Farmer, Edible Magazine andAnthropocene Magazine (Anthropocene is a newly minted term that refers to our current industrial era, in which the changes on earth are driven by humans). All these are great ways to learn more about what's happening in the food supply chain.

Keeping track of the most ethical foods is as daunting as the constant back and forth about what is healthy or not (such as the great coffee debate). There are a few simple guidelines to keep in mind that will help you be a more mindful consumer.

Yourbest betis to eat local, seasonal foods that don't need to get put on a ship or plane to get to your door. Loweringour carbon footprint is beneficial to the most vulnerable populations, including people of color and working-classfamilies, who aredisproportionately affected by climate change. Eating locally grown food not only reduces carbon emissions but supports small farmers and the food usually delivers more nutrients because it's fresh.Find a CSA near you throughLocalHarvest.org.

Efficient shipping options are easier than ever through aggregators likeThrive Market, Instacart,and Mercato that each finds the products you seek and delivers itfrom a variety of local vendors. Thesesites do the curation for you so you dont have todrivearoundlooking for plant-based foods. Imperfect Foods is a great option that helps reduce waste by shipping less-than-beautiful but perfectly edible produce that otherwise would have been thrown out.

Another possibility: grow your own! The US has seen a resurgence of Victory Gardenssince the sheltering at home orders have gone national, and growing your greens is one way to reduce your reliance on traditional grocery stores.To get startedhere is a guide for indoor gardening, even in a tiny apartment or basement.

The journey to be a more ethical consumer goes beyond what we eat. In our globalized economy, many other systems play a part in our relationship to the world and people around us. When making buying decisions, plant-basedconsumers could consider the impact of the packagingour food comes in. Are your meal kits sent to you in low-waste packaging? Here is a master list of sustainable alternatives for common products.

There are many organizations that do great work to help consumers make ethical consumption. Some of them include Fair Trade, Food Is Power, Equitable Food, and Fair Food Program. The Foodprint initiative has many useful resources for understanding the carbon impact of your diet and has a guide to sustainable food labels to look out for.

The good news? Adopting a plant-based diet does inherently have a net positive impact on the global food system. Eating local, seasonal foods, staying informed, and using your voice to amplify the rights of others are just a few ways to have a say in how your diet affects the earth. Were all in it together.

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How Plant-Based Eating Impacts Communities and The Environment - The Beet

The national crisis over the coronavirus has resulted in governments deliberately shutting down much of Canadas economy and throwing millions of people out of work. Some journalists have speculated about whether we are entering another Depression like that which began in 1929, as though they have some recollection of what that was like. In fact, almost no one alive today actually remembers that era. Even those of us who have heard word-of-mouth stories from survivors of the Depression, as I did growing up, are elderly people now.

My father, Thomas Lyman, was born in 1910, the oldest of four brothers, in Dresden, Ont., between London and Detroit. My mother, Antoinette Phelan, the oldest of eight children in her family, was born in 1912 in Mount Forest, two hours northwest of Toronto. They came to adulthood in the early 1930s and survived the Great Depression. There was nothing great about it. It was a nightmare in peoples lives that lasted for over 10 years and did not really end until the Second World War. Today, we know that it was the result of widespread drops in world commodity prices and sudden declines in economic demand and credit, which led to sharp reductions in global trade and rising unemployment. Let me describe that in human terms.

It was a nightmare in peoples lives that lasted for over 10 years

There wasnt a national labour force survey, as there is now, but estimates are that, at times, as many as one-third of working-age people in Canada were unemployed. It was extremely difficult to get a job. If you did, the wages were very low. Employers could basically dictate the terms of employment. My father was lucky to be hired by the Canadian Bank of Commerce (a predecessor of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) to work as a bank teller in a small branch in Mount Forest, where he met my mother. My mother worked as a cashier in a five and dime, what today we would call a convenience store, and after business hours she did her chores on a farm. They spent the entire Depression in Mount Forest. The bank, however, prohibited its employees from marrying (they might produce children and ask for a raise) so my mother and father dated from 1930 until 1940 when he enlisted in the Canadian army, married and left for six years in Europe.

Sometime in the 1930s my grandfather lost his farm in Dresden and moved his family to Windsor, Ont. There he got a job working in Detroit for the Detroit Free Press. With no television and no internet, newspapers were almost as fail-safe employers as banks were. Times have changed.

For the most part, though, wages were so low that even employed people could afford only the fewest of non-essentials. There was little entertainment. My father reminisced once that a big night out was when four friends shared the cost of a case of beer and played cards all evening.

The birth rate dropped by a third. Tens of thousands of young men could not find work and were not eligible for even the meagre welfare provided by governments then, so they lived in shanty towns and moved from area to area (often as hideaways on railway boxcars) depending on the season.

Hundreds of thousands of people and businesses went bankrupt. The banks often seized the farms and other property of the people affected, so families were left homeless. Farm production dropped. If you lived on a farm, your main diet was often root crops and rhubarb. Many people got scurvy; almost everyone was hungry much of the time. The poor diets and bad living conditions shortened lives; children often had to leave school after Grade 8 so they could work and help support the family. Both wages and prices dropped throughout the 1930s. In Western Canada, two-thirds of the rural population was forced onto relief, the small support available from governments.

For many, the worst effect of the Depression was the sense of hopelessness it engendered. No one who has ever heard first-hand accounts of what that was like would ever want to experience it.

When people today talk about the possibility of so extending the shut-down of the Canadian economy as to place us on the path to a Depression, they have no idea what that would mean. I hope they never find out.

Robert Lyman was born in 1946, precisely nine months after his father returned from the war. He grew up in Windsor and currently lives in Ottawa.

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Yes, times are tough, but let's not pretend it's anything like 1929 - Financial Post

You will already be regularly washing your hands and social distancing, but many of us are still likely to become infected with coronavirus. Doing what you can now to improve your health and boost your immune system will help your body cope. Thankfully, the majority of cases are mild and you should recover within a week, though if your symptoms are persistent it is vital to seek medical advice from NHS 111 rather than try to continue to manage at home. With that in mind, heres what you can do to put yourself in the best position to help your recovery.

Tom Wingfield, a physician and clinical lecturer in infectious diseases at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, says you should avoid anything that damages your lungs stop smoking, and dont expose others to secondhand smoke. Open fires are not great, and if you have allergies that irritate your lungs, avoid what you can. One upside of the lockdown is that air pollution has decreased. And, says Wingfield, [general aerobic] exercise will help your lungs.

There is no magic supplement. The advice is as its always been: reduce your alcohol consumption, exercise, sleep well and reduce stress. A varied, balanced diet, with lots of vegetables and fruit, is important, but there is little evidence for most vitamin and mineral supplements.

Getting out in the sun each day can also be beneficial, says the GP Amir Khan. The majority of people have low vitamin D because we dont have enough sunlight in the UK, and we are coming out of winter. Vitamin D levels will be depleted, so theres no harm in taking a vitamin D tablet.

Many people who are suspected of having had the virus report at least one day of fatigue. Now is not the time to try to tough things out. Your body is using all its energy to fight a virus that is infecting cell after cell, says Khan. Even with mild symptoms, youll have some days when you feel fine and other days when you are tired and achey. You can potter around the house and make food if you need to, but you shouldnt be doing any more than that and, where possible, you should be on the sofa or in bed.

Once you develop a fever, he says, your body is starting to use energy to raise your core body temperature to make it an unfavourable environment for the virus to reproduce. You shouldnt wait until you feel tired [to rest], because by then youve expended too much energy already.

Khan says: Everybody should be sticking to two to three litres of fluid a day as normal. When you have a fever, says Saira Ghafur, an honorary respiratory consultant at St Marys hospital in London, you can become dehydrated, so you need to make sure that even if you dont feel like it, youre drinking as much as possible. If you feel youre not peeing very much, thats another sign youre very dehydrated and should seek medical advice.

Take paracetamol, rather than ibuprofen. There has been concern that ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory, could reduce immune function and make coronavirus symptoms worse, but there is not enough evidence to confirm this. Still, the advice is to take paracetamol for fever and muscle pain instead. If you have been prescribed ibuprofen and develop symptoms of Covid-19 then discuss that with your medical practitioner, says Wingfield.

Khan has seen advice online about taking vitamin C to treat coronavirus but that doesnt mean you should be trying this at home. It has been used intravenously in very, very high doses in hospitals in China. Thats a big difference to what you get in a tablet. The jury is still very much out in terms of using intravenous vitamin C for coronavirus.

Taking a vitamin C tablet from the chemist or supermarket wont stop you getting an infection and it wont help treat the infection, says Khan. And certainly dont try to take very high doses.

Dont pin your hopes on superfoods or the social media posts about alkaline foods (a virus doesnt have a pH level, and you cant change the bodys pH level through diet). What about garlic? It may help reduce the length of things like a cold, but wont prevent it, says Khan. And theres no evidence it has any effect on coronavirus.

Its far from clear. On Monday, the author JK Rowling shared a video of Sarfaraz Munshi, the head of urgent care at Queens hospital in Romford, London, demonstrating breathing techniques that he said could relieve symptoms and prevent someone developing a secondary pneumonia infection. People with asthma and those recovering from pneumonia are often helped by respiratory physiotherapists, says Wingfield, who can help support your breathing with exercises. The main thing you are trying to do is make patients lungs open as much as they can and try and get rid of some of the fluid and inflammatory material.

Coronavirus, says Khan, causes inflammation around the alveoli, the air sacs at the peripheries of the lungs, and it can damage them. It reduces your lung capacity. If you are safely managing your condition at home [on advice from a doctor or the NHS 111 service], then breathing exercises might help.

What youre really doing there is forcing air into the alveoli by taking big breaths in and holding the alveoli open, and that will help clear any excess mucus, pathogens, as well as stop them from becoming hardened, which can happen. This is with the caveat that you are safe to stay at home and you dont need to be in hospital. If theres any chance of pneumonia, you should be in hospital.

However, Laura Breach, a spokeswoman for the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care (ACPRC), says while the exercises should be harmless for healthy individuals, she would not advise them, adding that they could make symptoms worse in someone suffering breathlessness. Although Munshis video was well-intentioned, the ACPRC says the techniques are not correct (it is preparing its own video). If you did try the exercise, you only need to take three or four breaths so as not to hyperventilate and become dizzy, and if you have coronavirus symptoms, there is no need to make yourself cough as part of the exercise. We would always encourage nose-breathing rather than mouth-breathing, because your nose is really important in humidifying the air that you breathe in and catching any particles in the air, says Breach.

There is no evidence these exercises will help healthy people prepare for the illness, she says. There are patients with longer-term respiratory conditions and we do teach them techniques to give them a better starting point. If its something you should be doing then your healthcare professional will have already advised that. Instead, the ACPRC says: Propping yourself up with pillows, or leaning forward onto the back of a chair can be beneficial to breathlessness.

Wingfield also questions whether the exercises can aid recovery from coronavirus its a slightly evidence-free zone and says if you are having trouble breathing, you should seek medical help rather than simply try to follow breathing exercises at home. But they can keep your lungs moving, and some people might find these exercises meditative and stress-relieving, says Wingfield. Ghafur agrees: None of this is evidence-based.

One of the big things in intensive care that were seeing with a lot of patients, says Ghafur, is you have to put them on a ventilator in what we call a prone position, which basically means youre lying on your front. Its not in any recommended guidance for patients who are not in intensive care, but if youre able to lie on your front for a while that can help breathing. Theres no harm in trying it, she says, but only if youre generally fit and healthy. Do not try to lie on your front if you are older, infirm, have mobility problems or are pregnant.

Lying continuously on your back is not ideal. If you can sit and take deep breaths in and out, that will help any respiratory condition youre taking in a bigger lungful of air and that will help remove any mucus. However, she adds that there is no evidence that this will improve your recovery.

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Do breathing exercises really work? UK doctors on how to protect against coronavirus and manage symptoms - The Guardian

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the esophagus, or food pipe. The esophagus is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.

Eosinophilic esophagitis causes chronic inflammation in the esophagus, which can make it difficult for a person to eat, drink, or even swallow saliva. A person may also experience related symptoms, such as heartburn, nausea, and malnutrition.

Both adults and children can get eosinophilic esophagitis. In children, the condition can lead to developmental issues, such as stunted growth.

In this article, we provide information on the symptoms and causes of eosinophilic esophagitis. We also outline the dietary and medical treatment options available.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the esophagus.

In people with EoE, white blood cells called eosinophils build up within the inner lining of the esophagus. These eosinophils release substances that cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation of the esophagus may lead to symptoms such as difficulty eating or swallowing.

EoE is a rare condition, affecting about 1 in 2,000 people. However, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology state that the condition is becoming more common, though this may be partly because increased awareness has led to more diagnoses.

EoE can develop in children or adults and in people of all ethnicities. People who develop EoE typically have preexisting allergies, such as:

Experts have suggested that these allergies may trigger EoE in some cases.

The symptoms of EoE may differ from person to person. However, some of the more common symptoms include:

Children who develop EoE may become irritable and refuse to eat or drink. As a result, they may experience developmental problems, such as stunted growth.

Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that is not usually present in the esophagus. In EoE, eosinophils accumulate in this part of the body, causing inflammation of the esophageal tissues.

Scientists have noticed that many people who develop EoE have some type of allergy. As such, the consensus is that a persons immune response to an allergen may cause the accumulation of eosinophils in the esophagus.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, abnormal immune responses to foods are the leading cause of EoE. However, experts do not yet fully understand the mechanism by which foods trigger EoE.

Other potential allergens that could contribute to EoE include:

According to the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders, specific genes may also play a role in the development of EoE.

To diagnose EoE, a doctor will ask about a persons symptoms and whether they have any allergies.

If the doctor suspects EoE, an upper endoscopy (UE) will be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. A UE involves passing a long, flexible tube called an endoscope down the esophagus. A small camera on the end of the endoscope allows the doctor to look for inflammation.

During the procedure, the doctor may take a small sample of the esophageal tissue for further examination. The presence of eosinophils within the sample would indicate EoE.

A person who receives a diagnosis of EoE may require further medical tests to identify any allergens underlying the condition.

In most cases, a doctor will recommend an elimination diet, which involves removing food triggers from the diet and monitoring the effect on EoE symptoms.

Occasionally, they may use a blood test to detect a type of immune cell called immunoglobulin E (IgE), which a persons immune system releases in response to certain allergens. High levels of IgE indicate that the body is overreacting to an allergen.

A skin prick test is also an option. This test involves using a fine needle to insert a small amount of a suspected allergen beneath the skin. Redness or swelling at the site of the skin prick test suggests an allergic reaction to the substance.

However, blood tests and skin prick tests may not be useful, as they commonly produce false-positive results. Also, as experts believe that EoE may not be IgE-mediated, these tests may have little to no value.

There is currently no cure for EoE. However, a combination of dietary changes and medical treatments may help manage inflammation and alleviate symptoms.

Elimination diets can help a person identify their trigger foods so that they can avoid them in the future. There are different types of elimination diet, which vary in terms of convenience and effectiveness.

A doctor may recommend one of the following three elimination diets:

Empiric elimination diets involve removing all foods that commonly affect EoE. Such foods include:

Food test-directed elimination diets involve eliminating any food that a person has previously shown sensitivity to during a skin prick test.

After eliminating these foods from the diet, a person monitors their symptoms to check for any improvement.

Elemental diets involve using a special formula to supplement or replace the diet. The formula contains a combination of amino acids, which provide nutrition without triggering EoE.

Elemental diets are the most extreme treatment option, and doctors usually only recommend them for children. However, they may be necessary if other approaches are not working.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have not yet approved any medications for the treatment of EoE. However, the following treatments may help manage inflammation or alleviate symptoms:

Most people with eosinophilic esophagitis will require ongoing treatment. However, the disorder is unlikely to cause further chronic illness or affect life expectancy.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the esophagus. People who have the condition may experience difficulty eating and drinking, which can lead to complications, such as weight loss and malnutrition.

The exact cause of EoE remains unclear. However, most people who develop the condition have preexisting allergies. Experts generally agree that these allergies may contribute to EoE.

There is no cure for EoE. However, a combination of dietary changes and medical treatments can help reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms.

Read the rest here:
Eosinophilic esophagitis: Definition, symptoms, and treatment - Medical News Today

A map of planned changes to Liberty StreetCity of CincinnatiIt took roughly seven years to go from suggestions by neighborhood groups to fleshed out plans to wrangling at City Hall to reality, but it's finally here: work began this week on an effort to make Liberty Street safer for pedestrians and once again tie together the northern and southern halves of Over-the-Rhine.

The $7.4 million worth of alterations now underway along Liberty Street touch three neighborhoods and mark the first significant changes to the major OTR thoroughfare since the 1950s, when it was dramatically widened, proponents say.

"We have two different sides of the community," Over-the-Rhine Community Council President Maurice Wagoner said today. "It's difficult to cross Liberty Street and be safe going back to both sides of the neighborhood... It's been very gratifying to bring this neighborhood and make it one, instead of 'north of Liberty and south of Liberty,' again after 60 years."

The changes will include one less lane of traffic; medians; bump-outs at Sycamore, Main, Walnut, Vine, Race and Elm streets and Central Parkway; pedestrian islands; trees; and other features stretching from Sycamore Street to Central Parkway.

That's a busy seam between the two parts of OTR where pedestrians experience significant danger. Other improvements including repaving will stretch from Reading Road in Pendleton to Dalton Avenue in Queensgate. The intersection of Liberty Hill and Liberty Street will also receive a traffic light.

Council member Jeff Pastor lived on Sycamore Street when he was a child, he says.

"I've taken my own life in my hands many times as a kid just trying to cross Liberty," he said. "I watched my grandmother do the same thing. I think much of the job on city council is to fix the scars in our city. Liberty Street is one of those scars and this project will see one of our 52 neighborhoods attached back together."

The road narrowing was among the proposals brought to council in 2013 by representatives of the Over-the-Rhine Brewery District in northern OTR. But it encountered years of political turbulence.

Cincinnati City Council May 1 last year voted 8-1 to approve a road diet for Liberty Street though that plan was a little different from original proposals.

Concerns about on-street parking, access to FC Cincinnati's coming stadium and the cost of moving a major water main that runs underneath Liberty Street all played into a protracted fight around the proposed alterations.

Supporters of narrowing the street say the artery, widened in the late 1950s at the expense of a number of buildings, is a barrier for pedestrian flow between the two sides of OTR.

"There are two schools that sit directly on Liberty Street," Cincinnati City Council member Chris Seelbach said today. "Young kids cross this seven-lane highway every day. We wanted to make it safer. Second, we wanted to try and bridge Over-the-Rhine back together."

But those opposed to narrowing the street pointed out that it connects the neighborhood and the West End to both I-71 and I-75, and that the coming FC Cincinnati soccer stadium is likely to bring more congestion and traffic to the area.

The new compromise plan will reduce Liberty Street to six lanes. That's one more lane than the original five-lane plan drawn up after several years of community input and study, but one less lane than an alternate plan supported by Mayor John Cranley that would have added bump-outs to some sections of the road while keeping it at seven lanes. The seven-lane plan would have preserved parking on both sides of Liberty Street. The so-called five-lane plan would have potentially restricted parking on both sides during peak hours.

The compromise plan will end up reclaiming less right-of-way for future development than the five-lane plan would have 10 feet but also preserves most of the parking on the street, the city says, and won't cause the relocation of a water main that would have cost roughly $800,000.

Council member Seelbach, who long championed the original five-lane plan, called the eventual project underway now an example of how differing sides can come together and get things done.

Work should be done by March 2021, Seelbach says.

Continued here:
Work Finally Begins on Liberty Street Narrowing Project in Over-the-Rhine - Cincinnati CityBeat

I can use the chuckle.

" That is, the same amount of bread will make a a sample of black eaters much fatter than a sample of white or Asian eaters."

Makes sense to me. I don't see a lot of fat white people.

"It probably has nothing to do with choices. Your hormones control your actions and when your diet is out of order its going to mess with your hormones."

That explains...a lot.

I WANT A DAMN PIZZA RIGHT NOW. SERVED TO ME. IN A RESTAURANT.

Jeez, Jenna, you may be on to something.

Look, I post here on occasion. The foolish liberals will whine about my obviously racist views because I cite the NIH or CDC or some other racist organization.Look, if you're going to joust with this crowd, you have to bring something to the table. Y'know, like some sort of citation or youtube video or some seriously grounded and well-researched CNN hot take.

See the article here:
Boston Medical Center ER doc: Most patients at hospital are now positive for coronavirus; minority communities seem to be getting hit harder -...

We can find one revealing answer in the darkest days of the 17th century. In 1629, the British historian Erin Maglaque noted recently, a fearsome plague swept into Italy. In Florence, officials in the local health board tried to cordon off their city, but the disease slipped in anyway.

By August 1630 Florence was burying its dead by the hundreds in broad and deep pits. By the following January, the city had ordered citizens locked in their homes for a 40-day quarantine and then gone about the business of delivering food to the tens of thousands of locked-down households.

The food the Florentine health board had delivered would be exceptionally varied and fine: bread and wine, sausage seasoned with fennel and rosemary, rice and cheese, salads of sweet and bitter herbs. The health board, historian Maglaque tells us, considered the citys enormous outlay for good food a necessary expense. The poor of Florence had been living, city health officials realized, on diets that left them especially vulnerable to infection.

Improving the well-being of the poor, the Florentine health board believed, would be a key to the citys recovery. But this idea of feeding the poor at a high-quality level appalled many of the citys wealthy. They worried, one observer would later write, that the quarantine would give the poor of Florence the opportunity to be lazy and lose the desire to work, having for forty days been provided abundantly for all theirneeds.

Other Italian cities rejected the Florentine health board lead. They refused to provide abundantly for the needs of their poor and paid a price. In Florence, the plague ended with 12 percent of the population dead. In Venice, the death rate ran nearly three times the Florentine rate, in Milan almost four times.

Today, nearly four centuries later, Senator Lindsey Graham and his Republican Senate colleagues are marching right in the footsteps of those 17th-century Italians who found the prospect of anything close to abundance for the poor so scandalous.

This bill pays you more not to work than if you were working, Graham harrumphedbefore the Senate vote on his benefit-cutback amendment to the corona relief legislation.

What connects our affluent today to the wealthy elites of old Italy? The unnerving impact of inequality on the psyches of the privileged. The more wealth the wealthy of any epoch accumulate, the less they value those without wealth.

In deeply unequal societies, those who hold grand private fortunes must sooner or later come to grips with the vast gap that separates them from everyone else. Why do I have so much, becomes the unspoken question, while so many have so little?

The easiest answer: I must deserve my good fortune. I must be worthy. And if I owe my good fortune to my worthiness, then those without fortune must owe their sad circumstances to their unworthiness. They must be dumb or lazy or profligate or worse. These undesirables, this perspective plays out, do not deserve our generosity. Any generosity toward them would only open up, as Lindsey Graham puts it, a Pandoras box.

So assumed the rich of Florence so many generations ago. So assume their counterparts today. Then as now, that amounts to a deadly assumption.

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No Fennel in the Sausage, No $600 for the Jobless - CounterPunch

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Almost nine out of 10 (87%) employees fear for their health because of the Covid-19 outbreak, with many feeling isolated, lonely and finding it difficult to sleep.

According to a survey of 2,008 workers by jobs platform TotalJobs, two-thirds (64%) of the employees now working from home think their wellbeing has been affected by the changes brought about by government restrictions.

More than half (52%) said their sleep had been affected; 54% were less active than before the outbreak; 45% found their new home workspace uncomfortable; and 58% had been eating more than they would normally.

Employees were also worried about their colleagues health and wellbeing. Eighty-six per cent were concerned about co-workers health, which prompted 81% to make more of an effort to reach out to one another.

Almost three-quarters (73%) agreed that they appreciated their colleagues more than they had before the pandemic.

Dr Aaron Balick of the Department for Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies at the University of Essex said: Its a paradox that in a time of social distancing people are more aware than ever of their relational needs. In missing our usual workplace banter and support, we are seeking new ways of achieving it, being more conscious about how we reach out to others, and finding out the social pleasures we had in the workplace but were somehow unaware of before.

Working from home can increase worry, stress, and loneliness for many people. Levels of anxiety are increasing with people concerned about their health, job security, and health of their colleagues and loved ones. This means that working from home should be more about work, and become another opportunity to seek and provide comradeship and support during challenging times for all of us.

TotalJobs head of marketing Lynn Cahillane said: Against the backdrop of a constantly changing environment, employers need to remain mindful about the potential unease among their team, and encourage support and awareness, not only for the sake of staffs physical welfare but for any increased mental stress people may be experiencing as a result.

Working from home can increase worry, stress, and loneliness for many people. Levels of anxiety are increasing with people concerned about their health, job security, and health of their colleagues and loved ones, Dr Aaron Balick, University of Essex

Teams should be encouraged to share their worries with line managers, who themselves have an important role to play in ensuring vulnerable employees are supported at this time.

Meanwhile, a separate survey by the Institute for Employment Studies discovered many employees now working from home were struggling with musculoskeletal pain, diet, sleep and their mental health.

More than half (58%) experienced pain in the neck, shoulder (56%) and back (55%), compared to their normal physical condition.

Many were not maintaining a balanced diet and healthy exercise regime; 20% admitted to an increase in alcohol consumption, 33% were eating a less healthy diet, and 60% were exercising less than they would usually acknowledging that they are exercising less.

Sixty-four per cent were losing sleep because of worry, while 50% reported not being happy with their current work-life balance. A third said they frequently felt isolated.

See more here:
Coronavirus: nearly nine in 10 fear for their health - Personnel Today

These are unprecedented times in almost every possible way. One is the complete upheaval of absolutely everything about your daily routines, including the space you live in and how you're able to move around in it each day. Another is the amount you spend within staring distance of a mirror. For people with eating disorders, and even those who have never struggled with disordered eating before, these things can compound into a real challenge in managing mental health when it comes to their bodies.

Its kind of like the perfect storm, whats happening when youre isolated, said Mayo Clinic psychologist Leslie Sim, who specializes in eating disorders and body image issues. There are just millions of variables that make body image preoccupation a lot higher.

Those variables include the fact that theres so much time to fixate on anything you feel stress about right now, including your ever-present flesh vessel. On top of that, so many strategies mental health experts would normally recommend to manage negative feelings about our bodies aren't possible when youre trying to stay in the house, away from people.

Everything around eating or prepping food right now creates additional stressors that we just havent seen in the past, said Dani Gonzales, a staff psychologist and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Southern California. How do I even get to the grocery store safely? How do I sanitize my groceries?

If youve noticed self-isolation is making you feel shittier than usual about your body, experts say youre very much not alone. (Asked if USC students and those she works with in her private practice are struggling with this, Gonzales responded, Absolutely.) But there are still ways you can manage negative feelings about your body, even in our isolated times. Here are some ideas about how to adapt if your usual coping strategies aren't available to you.

(Note that these tips are meant to support, not stand in for, effective mental and physical health care from experts. If you have access to a mental health or eating disorder professional, even in a virtual or video capacity, thats the best way to find help. The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) has a roundup of low-cost and free support options, as well.)

Mid-April can be stressful in a normal year, body-image-wise, especially online. As if the perennial Instagram posts quietly pushing you to sculpt a "beach body" werent enough, how about a little pandemic pressure on top of it?

Instagram, especially and as ever, is full of diet and exercise advice. But those accounts might not belong to qualified health and wellness professionals, and even if they do, you could be watching fitness videos that were recorded long before COVID. Those people might have been in a very different placelike able to leave the houseat the time, so its not a standard you can reasonably hold yourself to. And, OK, say they are qualified professionals. Is watching folks who stay #cut for a living do squats really beneficial for you, right now? Or is it making you feel worse?

With body image, a lot of it comes with social comparison," said Gonzales, who offered an alternative approach to how isolation could impact that thinking. "Having to be more isolated, maybe its not in our face as much, comparing our bodies to others. In other words, It might be a good time to limit or disengage from Instagram and Facebook a little.

Missing your classmates or colleagues at the old lunch table by now? Even the guy whos still talking about the Game of Thrones finale? Thats totally reasonablestudies have shown that people are happier and healthier when we eat meals together.

Research says that loneliness is a strong predictor of disordered eating, Sim said. Feeling disconnected from others can make us focus more on body image.

Youve probably already been using video platforms for work meetings and happy hoursto counter loneliness's potential effects on your body image, add a midday social meal into the mix, too. Eating socially can be an effective way for us to check-in with our bodies, feel connected to others, pair eating with other pleasurable events, like listening and laughing, and help bring routine to our lives during these hectic times, Gonzales said.

Social meals can also provide structure, which so many of us are seeking in this chaotic time. According to Gonzales, one helpful way to eat mindfully, respecting our hunger and fullness cues, is to eat as close to a schedule as possible. When we start to deviate from schedules or skip meals we can run the risk of restricting, binging, or eating in the absence of hunger, she said.

Maybe you schedule a Zoom lunch, where you have a few of your friends and youre all eating together, Gonzales said. That might normalize: We eat at scheduled times.

OK, so the gym is closed. You probably dont have access to the trainers and programs you like in the way you're used to. That sucks. If you crave physical activity and Zoom fitness classes just arent cutting it, try to find new outlets for engaging your body that work for you. Maybe you could try a yoga program? Download Zwift and take virtual bike rides with your buds?

Gonzales and Sim said it can also be helpful to reframe a focus on fitness as what can my body do versus how should my body look. Gonzales framed the thought as asking yourself, How can I experience my body in different ways?

Even a new hobby counts when it comes to bodily appreciationthink about how your body helps you write letters, or move when you take a walk, or even when you do boring stuff like vacuuming or weeding the garden. Gonzales put it like this: Your body is an instrument, more so than an ornament. Try to remember that.

That bit of creativitythe characteristic of resilience and survivalcan be adaptable now. Gonzales said. One of her clients recently shared that pandemic downtime is letting her get creative with her body image while at homebeing more artistic with makeup, styling hair in new ways, putting together outfits, and organizing her closet to directly oppose negative thoughts about her body image and shape.

I would love for people to get the message: Its OK, Gonzales said. Its OK if maybe were not enjoying our bodies, or how were eating, or these times. This isnt forever, even if it may feel like it from day to day.

It comes down to practicing self-compassion. Which, great. But how does one do that? Should we engage with our not-good thoughts? Block them out? The answer is: kind of both. Sim suggested observing your judgemental thoughts, without necessarily listening to them. Its not easy! But think about yourself like youd think about a friend. If they gained or lost some weight, that wouldnt change your opinion of them, right? And if they were feeling bad about themselves, youd build them up, rather than indulging their shame spiral, right?

In this case, you are your friend. Try to be kind, warm, accepting of where youre at. Ask yourself: What does your body need? Is it sleep? Space? Kindness? Water? Let that guide you. Allowing our needs to be met during these times can be so crucial, versus turning to our bodies and making them the enemy, Gonzales added.

For additional support, Gonzales pointed again to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), which, she said, is, based in academic research, but great at connecting with peopleas in: They meet you where youre at and talk to you like a human person, not a textbook. NEDA recognizes that isolation is causing a lot of people a lot of stress when it comes to their bodiesso much so that upon visiting their website, youre greeted by a pop-up linking to a specific COVID-19 resource page developed for those who are struggling.

NEDA assembled a list of virtual support groups and created a COVID-specific forum thats open and monitored 24/7. The organization also launched a new NEDA Connections video series with daily check-ins, activities, and presentations from professionals. NEDA links to @covid19eatingsupport as one helpful Instagram account to follow, which hosts hourly Instagram Live sessions with dietitians, nutritionists, and therapists and other ED specialists.

Between the whole global pandemic, economic collapse, and, ya know, end of the world as we know it, theres enough to worry about already. But you're not vain or selfish for struggling with this. Lots of people, globally, are going through this and trying to manage some of the same preoccupations you are. However you can take steps toward easing up on yourself, even if it takes time and doesn't happen right away: Give yourself, and your body, a break.

Follow Emily Cassel on Twitter.

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Read more:
How to Deal With Feeling Bad About Your Body During Isolation - VICE