That pixie cut seemed like a good idea at the time. But nowyoure staring in the mirror, and the reflection looking back is more, Eek!than chic.

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Is there anything (anything?!) you can do to speed up the growing-out process? Dermatologist Wilma Bergfeld, MD, gives us the long and short of it.

The hair on your head grows in cycles. At any time, about80% of your hair is actively growing. The remaining strands are either in aresting state or preparing to die and fall out.

If your hair is shedding like crazy, see a doctor to rule out any illnesses or nutrient deficiencies that might be responsible. But if scissors not shedding are at the root of your problem, youll have to summon some patience: Hair grows a measly 4 to 6 inches per year.

When you want your hair to hurry up and grow already, Dr.Bergfeld recommends these tips:

Take care of your health issues, she says. Hormonal abnormalities, anemia and other nutrient deficiencies can short-circuit the growth pattern. Before experimenting with supplements and vitamins, Dr. Bergfeld recommends having your doctor do some tests to identify any possible deficiencies.

A well-rounded, nutritious diet is important for head-to-toe health, including the hairs on your head. Avoid diets that cut out entire food groups, Dr. Bergfeld cautions. And if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, make sure youre getting all the protein types and nutrients your body needs. A doctor or dietitian can help you create a well-balanced eating plan.

Hair thats weak and damaged will break long before it reaches great lengths (or even medium lengths). Avoid bleach and chemical treatments that can damage hair.

Like chemicals, heat styling can damage your hair. Try to avoid frequent blowouts and step away from the curling iron. If you cant resist, use a heat protectant before you style.

Fine, coarse, curly, colored different hair types have different needs. If your hair is dry, for instance, wash it less frequently and use a heavier conditioner. If your hair is fine or very curly, it can be easily damaged. Avoid brushing while its wet and use products designed for your hair type.

Scheduling a haircut can feel counterproductive when you want your hair to get longer. But regular trims keep hair from breaking and getting even shorter, Dr. Bergfeld notes.

Split ends run up the hair fiber like a rip in your stockings. You need to clip those off.

Look to the root of the problem, Dr. Bergfeld suggests. If your scalp is itchy or flaky, that translates to inflammation, which turns off hair growth. To keep your scalp happy, try anti-dandruff shampoos or avoid heavily fragranced shampoos and conditioners, which can irritate sensitive skin. If your scalp is healthy, your hair will be the best it can be, she says.

Dr. Bergfeld adds that its best to skip shampoos and serums that claim to contain hair-growing vitamins. Those dont penetrate the hair, she explains.

Sadly, theres no magic formula to transform you into Rapunzel at least not yet. Major cosmetic houses have some of the best chemical scientists in the world, she says. Lots of researchers are working on this.

See the article here:
Is There Any Way to Make Your Hair Grow Faster? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

The University of Kentucky is increasingly the first choice for students, faculty and staff to pursue their passions and their professional goals. In the last two years, Forbes has named UK among the best employers for diversity, and INSIGHT into Diversity recognized us as a Diversity Champion three years running.UK is ranked among the top 30 campuses in the nation for LGBTQ* inclusion and safety. UK has been judged a Great College to Work for" two years in a row, and UK is among only 22 universities in the country on Forbes' list of "America's Best Employers." We are ranked among the top 10 percent of public institutions for research expenditures a tangible symbol of our breadth and depth as a university focused on discovery that changes lives and communities. And our patients know and appreciate the fact that UK HealthCare has been named the states top hospital for four straight years. Accolades and honors are great. But they are more important for what they represent: the idea that creating a community of belonging and commitment to excellence is how we honor our mission to be not simply the University of Kentucky, but the UniversityforKentucky.

Read more from the original source:
Discover Moon Rocks, Isotopes and Earthquakes at EES Open House - UKNow

Alongside that realisation was an emerging body of research that showed the body has a biological imperative to maintain its weight.

Interval Weight-Loss for Women.

The concept of the set-point theory is that our bodies attempt to regulate themselves by returning to a certain set-point when we either eat too much or not enough. In the case of not eating enough, when the diet stops as it inevitably does, the bodys evolutionary response is to store a little extra fat for the next time it is starved.

According to the theory, we can redefine our bodys set-point without dieting, removing food groups or counting calories. Rather people focus on eating whole foods, paying attention to portion sizes and satiety as well as going slowly; aiming for one month of minimal weight-loss (about two kilograms) followed by one month of maintenance to allow the body to adjust and reset.

Set-point not only helps to explain why dieting or just eating less doesnt work in the long run, but it has also changed the approach of many clinicians working in the space, including Fuller's.

His latest book is Interval Weight Loss for Women.

[Women] go through significant life events that men never have to worry about, Fuller explains. We see these struggles with patients in our clinics.

Three of the biggest life events are transitioning into adulthood, pregnancy and menopause.

Theyre buying into social media influences, they are dieting younger and they are dieting themselves into a weight problem.

Were seeing the greatest increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the young, particularly young females, Fuller says. The young are following unhealthy eating practices, theyre buying into social media influences, they are dieting younger and they are dieting themselves into a weight problem when they may not have had a weight issue.

Pregnancy and becoming a parent often means less sleep, less time, more stress and unhealthy cravings as well as a sense of pressure to return to pre-pregnancy weight, he explains.

Later on in life, there is that transition through menopause and the struggle with weight that comes with that, Fuller says. Theres a large factor going on there with sarcopenia [progressive and generalised loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength] and the declining muscle mass ... and theres also the progressive decline of oestrogen from the ovaries which make certain areas more prone to weight gain.

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On top of this, Fuller adds, is the unfair targeting of women by the weight-loss industry, which means they are more susceptible to it.

There are a few surveys out there that its something like 60 diets by mid-lifetime that women and men have been on, Fuller says, And because women are unfairly targeted and more likely to do something about it ... this leads them to gain weight quicker.

Despite the title of the book, Fuller insists his aim is to help women escape the diet trap for good and, in doing so, improve their health in the long-term.

The purpose of it is to empower, particularly women, to understand what is happening in their bodies at these times in life and if you go and react to that problem, by buying into the $100 million weight-loss industry and the shakes that go with it, you will accelerate the problem, Fuller says.

Setting goals that arent weight-loss oriented, but about family, the life people want to live or their health, is an important part of process, he adds.

The book is named weight-loss because that is unfortunately what people are reacting to in terms of their struggle, Fuller explains. People are looking for that weight-loss solution and then, when they read the information, they understand the focus needs to come away from weight-loss and towards health.

Its equipping the person with the education around weight-loss and hopefully when theyve read that information theyre able to make that shift towards health.

Interval Weight-Loss for Women, RRP $32.99, is available through Penguin Life

Sarah Berry is a lifestyle and health writer at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Read more:
Why we need to 'overhaul' our attitude to weight - The Sydney Morning Herald

As a single woman, I'm familiar with those "joys of cooking for one" articles and books the pieces encouraging women to nourish themselves without needing a partner to justify the culinary effort.

It's all very romantic, the push to treat yourself as the love of your life. But I say screw self-partnering.

Instead, why not cook as if we're feeding our own imaginary kids? We all know offspring are far more special. They come from your bodily organs, whereas a partner only hails from an app or a bar.

For one week, I decided to devour this concept by eating the meals of a toddling child and reporting on my findings.

I am a childless adult, and damn do I eat like one. I love my kitchen time.

My mother is from a large Portuguese Malaysian family, so I grew up with exquisite fusion dishes that took both time and spice. I was the kid with tiered steel containers of homemade dumplings and a ginger-sesame reduction to make my white-bread peers weep.

These days, living far from home, I make an effort to cook for myself. I spend Sunday shopping for fresh produce, fondling avocados with the care of a prostate specialist, smelling herbs with the vigor of a mid-level apothecary owner in the 1600s. I spend most of the afternoon preparing meals for the week. I own seven kinds of balsamic vinegar. There's chili sauce in my bag. You get it.

It's fair to say I had the organizational, meal-prep aspect of this eating challenge covered. I just lacked the ability to keep flavors simple.

It certainly wasn't Christmas, but a tree and gingerbread person cutter were all I had first thing in the morning. Serena Coady

The last time I ate like a baby, it was when I had all four wisdom teeth extracted. The last time I ate like a toddler, I was a toddler. The last time I fed a toddler, I gave him homemade sweet-potato gnocchi with burnt sage butter. Evidently, some research was required.

According to the National Health Service, children ages 12 to 26 months old require omega-3 to support their rapidly evolving brains, iron for healthy blood, calcium for bone growth, and protein so they can get supremely jacked (just kidding).

As a vegetarian kidult, this meant I had to incorporate protein-rich ingredients like eggs, legumes, and dairy, and omega-3 rich ingredients like chia seeds and walnuts instead of fish.

I normally do this, but this time I needed to make the food bland, yet somehow more appetizing to a toddler.

The NHS also recommends avoiding salt, sugar, spice, and sweet drinks like juice or flavored milk. Another takeaway from my research is that toddlers do not drink alcohol.

Toddlers also require consistent meal times each day to regulate their appetite. For the week, I ate breakfast at 7 a.m., lunch at noon, and dinner at the humble hour of 6 p.m.

I've never loved porridge for breakfast, but apparently kids do. Or are expected to. Serena Coady

Armed with NHS knowledge and Pinterest screenshots of "colorful fun healthy kids food," I shopped for ingredients and meal-prepped for the week.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

I made sure each meal was packed with nutrients and color. It needed to look fresh, exciting, and appealing to a young child.

I also chopped everything to prevent choking. Even though I'm proud of my fully developed chewing skills, I needed to get into character.

By the end of the week, here's what I had learned.

I learned that boiled eggs are the most comforting breakfast. Serena Coady

I eat breakfast most days, but it's not a priority. I scoff Vegemite toast as I'm walking out the door or ladle granola into my mouth on the train. And when I'm hungover? Catch me in the McDonald's, station-side.

My week eating like a toddler changed this. The suggested mealtimes got me out of bed earlier than usual. Rising to prepare a filling breakfast and sitting down to enjoy it was satisfying; I was starting the day by taking quality time for myself.

One parenting guide proposed that the dining table be a distraction-free zone, so the child can focus on eating. So the phone went away. As a result, breakfast became more of a sacred time, which helped me mentally prepare for work.

Eating wholesome toddler's breakfasts also made me realize that I need to eat more in the morning. Or rather, eat differently. I usually feel hungry about two hours after breakfast and end up snacking to avoid my trademark mid-meeting stomach grumbles. After incorporating more protein into my breakfast this week, however, I remained full until lunch.

Boiled egg with soldiers was my favorite breakfast of the week. Chopping toast into fingers made me eat the bread slowly instead of wolfing it down in one heartburn-inducing chomp. It also helped me savor how delicious melted butter tastes in the morning.

This week taught me that breakfast should be enjoyable. It's a reward for bothering to wake up early.

Being this organized is fairly satisfying. Serena Coady

Sitting in the breakroom, surrounded by colleagues eating premade supermarket meals or last night's leftovers tossed into old Tupperware, I experienced a range of emotions.

My food stood out. It looked so curated. Most adults don't compartmentalize every ingredient in this way.

As I gazed down at the cheese, Emily Blunt's iconic "The Devil Wears Prada" bit came to mind: "Right before I feel I'm going to faint, I eat a cube of cheese." Perhaps my colleagues would wonder if I were on a crash diet.

At the same time, I felt strangely proud of my lunch. When I looked at the chopped carrots and perfectly bite-size tomatoes, I had to acknowledge it looked as if love had been put into it. As a child, I never fully appreciated the effort my mother put into my lunches every day. Looking back, I wish I thanked her more.

As I usually bring leftovers for lunch, having such a basic meal made me recognize the freedom that comes with not having to heat up food, too. With my packed container of goods I was more willing to head out for a picnic-style lunch. Fun!

One parenting tip I received was to finely dice prunes and sneak them into meals. I presumed this was another parental stealth tactic to summon stools out of their children, only I didn't understand just how well it would work on me. I will not be using this ingredient in the future.

Another toddler diet tip was to drink water between meals, instead of juice or milk, as these will only lead to "mealtime battles." Therefore, rather than drinking a midafternoon hot chocolate which never fails to make my jeans stress against a bloated stomach I stuck to water.

The disciplined nature of mealtimes also improved my routine. Avoiding stodgy beverages between meals and skipping beer or wine with dinner made me feel lighter and more ready to exercise later that evening.

Welcome to bland land: We don't have any condiments here. Serena Coady

Once I got into the mindset of eating to nourish a child, it was easier to refrain from eating junk and drinking alcohol. If I was in doubt about giving into my desires to demolish a block of chocolate or a pint of beer, I'd ask myself: "Would I want my niece or nephew to have this?"

One parenting guide implores parents to find out whether their child is actually hungry. "Try distracting him with a fun activity he might just be bored!" Strong4Life said. The presumption of gender aside, I figured this information would be useful.

When I found myself wanting to eat between meals, I took myself for a walk. Turns out it makes sense to step away from my desk instead of reaching for snacks.

Forgoing my standard dash of hot sauce was the most difficult part of the week, but eating basic meals with mild flavors made me appreciate the simple goodness of individual ingredients. In my typical diet, I would be less inclined to notice the sweetness of a cherry tomato or the umami hit of cheese because these would be drowning in Cholula.

In a millennial world in which Sunday drinks and midweek work meetings are likely to run overtime, I wouldn't be able to keep this rigid diet going, but there are elements I plan to take away.

By following a toddler's diet, I found that instead of lunch being leftovers, a selection of fresh vegetables that aren't just salad is an easy way to add variety to the midday meal.

By the end of the week I had given up on the cute presentation and the plastic plates. Serena Coady

I also learned that my breakfast lacks protein. I'm not being filled up with toast and granola alone. So, I'll add more protein-rich ingredients like eggs, scrambled tofu, or peanut butter to my morning routine.

In terms of mindfulness, I hope to make more time to sit down and eat breakfast. This won't be realistic on days when I'm so beer-brained I press snooze six times, but I'd like to try.

Read more from the original source:
I ate like a toddler for a week, and it transformed my relationship with breakfast - Insider - INSIDER

The fish are being marketed as both more nutritious and more sustainably-produced, having achieved a significant boost of the nutritional value from the algal oils, while the insect meal has replaced the forage fish that makes up the highest percentage of the global fishmeal trade.

Olivier Vandebeulque, head of seafood at Auchan, was fundamental in bringing together the feed producer (Skretting), fish farmer Truite Service, insect meal producer InnovaFeed and algal oil provider Veramaris.

The product was launched at the Paris International Agricultural Show.

Vandebeulque said: At Auchan, we believe in sustainable seafood. We are encouraged to see a shift in the value chain pioneered by Veramaris and Skretting and believe that our customers will see the value. Trout is just the first step for us, and we look forward to extending our collaborative value chain approach to further species such as shrimp, salmon, bream and bass.

The launch comes just days after Skretting and Veramaris announced they had supported Supermarch Match to launch trout fed with algal oil.

Elodie Petit, marketing manager at Skretting France, said: The decision by Auchan to introduce trout fed on our unique and technologically advanced diet is a real testament to the quality of the product. We know that French consumers dont want to compromise and demand their seafood to be as tasty as it is nutritious and sustainable, which has been proven by the 12 percent category growth at Supermarch Match following their launch of algal-fed salmon. We are pleased to be able to support this growth with sustainable, quality feeds.

Galle Husser, global business development director at Veramaris, said: Veramaris algal oil may be a small part of aqua diets, yet it has a major impact on the nutritional value and environmental profile of farmed fish. With the well-known benefits of eating a diet rich in omega-3, our algal oil enables fish producers to raise the levels of both EPA and DHA Omega-3 with no additional contribution from wild forage fish. Working closely with feed producer Skretting, we are playing a small yet important part in making sustainably nutritious trout and salmon available to consumers.

The first batch of trout are due to hit the shelves of Auchan in March 2020.

See the original post here:
Algae- and insect-fed trout hit French shelves - The Fish Site

Plant-based meat has officially infiltrated pretty much every fast food restaurant in the game. Burger King has the Impossible Whopper, White Castle has Impossible Sliders, Dunkin has the Beyond Sausage Sandwich, and, now, even KFC (a fast food chain that's literally all about chicken) has hopped on the bandwagon.

Recently, KFC started testing out plant-based chicken nuggets and wingswhich they call Beyond Fried Chicken (a.k.a. fried chicken made with Beyond meat)in certain parts of the U.S.

It was a BFD. One Atlanta restaurant sold out of Beyond Fried Chicken in less than five hours. People lined up before the restaurant even opened, and the drive-thru line wrapped around the parking low twice.

Now, KFC has expanded their Beyond Fried Chicken test to more than 70 spots in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee, throughout February, according to a press release.

"We've really pushed the limits to develop plant-based chicken that I think will have KFC and plant-based protein fans saying, 'That's finger lickin' good, Andrea Zahumensky, chief marketing officer at KFC U.S., said in the release.

How exactly does this whole chicken-less fried chicken thing work, though? Here's everything you need to know about KFCs new Beyond Fried Chicken.

KFC shared online that Beyond Fried Chicken primarily gets its protein from soy, wheat, and pea proteins.

Want more specifics? Heres the full ingredients list:

Water, Enriched wheat flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Soy Protein Isolate, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Enriched bleached wheat flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Wheat Gluten, Natural Flavor, Yeast Extract, and less than 2 percent of: Breadcrumbs (Wheat Flour, Distilled Vinegar, Sea Salt, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate), Inactive Yeast, Spice Extractives), Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Garlic Powder, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Modified Wheat Starch, Onion Powder, Pea Extract, Rice Flour, Salt, Spice, Titanium Dioxide (for color).

Yeah, it's longbut, plant-based or not, this is fast food, after all.

Here's the kicker: According to KFC, their Beyond Fried Chicken is 100 percent plant-based, but it's prepped in the same fryers as KFCs actual chicken. So, it could get contaminated with residue or fat from that real chicken, and therefore isn't technically even vegetarian, let alone vegan.

KFC says they bread their Beyond Fried Chicken in a mixture similar to their popcorn nugget breading, meaning that the plant-based option is not gluten-free.

Real Talk: Is Beyond Fried Chicken healthy?

When we talk about eating more plant-based foods, this isnt what we mean, says New York City-based dietitian Samantha Cassetty, RD. Just like regular fast food, this isn't an everyday food.

Jessica Cording, RD, nutritionist and author of The Little Book of Game-Changers, agrees: Fried chicken is still fried chicken. Just because something is plant-based doesnt necessarily mean that its healthy.

Theres some difference in nutrients, but its still fried protein at the end of the day, says Cording. If a regular part of your diet, fried foodswhether plant- or animal-basedcan have a negative effect on your health.

Plant-based faux meats are also often made with heavily processed ingredients and contain excessive amounts of sodiumneither of which are great for you, adds Cassetty.

Still, youre not going to torpedo your healthy eating goals by treating yourself once in a while. If youre curious about plant-based foods and you want to give these a try, they can fit in a healthful diet, Cassetty says. As long as 75 percent of your eats come from minimally-processed plant foods, such as beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and avocados, you're good.

As of right now, KFC doesn't have any other plant-based meal options on the menu.

However, certain KFC side orders, like green beans, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and sweet kernel corn, fit the bill.

Read more here:
KFC's New Plant-Based 'Vegan' Fried Chicken: Everything You Need To Know - Women's Health

Did you know that when a baby isnt introduced to solid foods at an early age, they can potentially become fussy foodie toddlers?

Those fussy toddlers then grow into children that only want to eat 2-3 types of food, like chicken nuggets and hotdogs. Its true.

Parents do everything in their power to ensure their children live a healthy life, particularly when it comes to the food they eat.

To tackle the issue of fussy eating and to keep babies open and eager to experiment with new foods, Nanny Robina, Canadas leading parenting expert, is sharing her best tips and tricks for raising an adventurous foodie.

Since so many of us just made our own resolutions for the rest of 2020, why not make a few for babies as well?

Here are Nanny Robinas top 5 tips for raising an adventurous foodie:

As with anything else, it will take time and patience to allow your child to make the adjustment. In the long run however, it is always worth it.

For more suggestions on healthy, diverse food options for your baby, visit the President's Choice website.

Go here to read the rest:
A baby's feeding habits and diet can shape their food preferences later on, here's why - Vancouver Courier

So your friends are all on statins; your doctor has told you to cut back on sodium, and your risk of hypertension increases with every passing birthday. But dont let your heart sink: research shows that it's not too late to begin the battle against cardiovascular disease.

Potassium. Its a micronutrient that doesnt get the credit it deserves for blunting the effects of sodium in your diet and supporting healthy blood pressure, which is crucial for heart health. Introduce dark, leafy greens, broad beans, Brussels sprouts, potatoes and beetroot to your weekly menu: all are potent sources of the mineral. But its still a good idea to limit your salt intake. Bear in mind that most of it comes from processed foods, not the shaker.

Stress eating. In a recent German study, participants aged 46 to 65 reported more work-related stress than any other age group, possibly because the pressures of their senior positions were compounded by anxieties about finding a new job should anything go wrong. Meanwhile, a separate review linked emotional eating to a higher BMI. But stopping isnt simply a matter of avoiding the Golden Arches on your commute home. You need to banish midnight snacks, too. Stress can lead to restless nights, which means youll have more waking hours when youre liable to snack.

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Read more:
The Foods You Need in Your Diet to Defend Your Heart at 50 - Men's health UK