[Opinion column written by Agathe Holowatinc]

Its summertime!

That means boat parties, raft ups, weddings and other celebrations, evenings out, live music and amazing DJs, beach parties, pool parties, and more! If you know me, I love to dance and to celebrate important occasions, and I feel that life is truly meant to be enjoyed to the fullest.

However, for a lot of people, this brings up the question of alcohol. In fact, this time of year the most frequent questions I get asked are about alcohol. For instance, if you want to have the occasional alcoholic drink, should you stick to soda water based at all times?

So, heres my post to you with my recommendations, and Ive brought in a guest nutrition coach to also share her thoughts and tips.

Guests first, lets dive into what Kristin Peterson has to say on the topic of drinks:

Tips From Nutrition Coach Kristin Peterson

Such a big topic for one little post, but also such a big factor for some in their fat loss journeys.

When we drink, our bodies recognize alcohol as a toxin and, like any other toxin, turns its full attention towards processing it as quickly as possible to get rid of it. When this happens, our bodies actually stop or slow other vital processes, including metabolising our food. So, on top of adding calories in itself [even low-calorie drinks are typically around 100 cal/glass], it means that the calories you have already eaten arent being processed in the way they should be. For someone trying to lose body fat, this can really stall or stop progress [or reverse progress!] if its not being consciously managed.

Full disclosure: I drink. This pic was taken on my last day in the office back in March, as I transitioned to WFH. I love a glass of wine, but it is something I actively manage in order to enjoy it without derailing my own goals.

Tips [to mix and match depending on your goals and lifestyle]

Thank you to Kristin Peterson for these helpful tips! You can follow her Instagram at @kpnutritionbda.

My Recommendations

My highest recommendation is to stick to non-alcoholic beverages, like a juice [a clean one without sugar] with sparkling water, a Mojito without alcohol [my fave! especially when made with honey instead of sugar and syrups see photo below], sparkling water with fruit in it, or even a pina colada without alcohol [depends on what they make it with though! Best made at home with real, whole food ingredients, instead of sugary syrups!].

That way, youre hydrating your body and nourishing your cells, while enjoying a chilled beverage in a social situation.

And my biggest recommendation: bring the fun with you in your personality instead of inside a cup!

I would 100% avoid or greatly limit sodas like ginger beer, coke, sprite, etc.

If youre really into having an alcoholic beverage, the healthiest thing to do would be to stick to wine, beer or champagne. Three- servings tops, to keep it somewhat healthy, and remember to take water or something non-alcoholic in-between servings so that you stay hydrated and clear out those toxins efficiently!

I love Kristins tips about alternating drinks with water, and you can even ask the bartender to make your drinks half actual drink and half sparkling water, so that at 2 drinks, youre actually at 1 alcoholic beverage, and at 6, youre actually at 3.

However, even with 3 servings, its not healthy to enjoy that many every single day! I would say that maybe twice or three times a week max for alcohol intake. Max. And if you are currently taking any medications, be sure to check that drinking does not interfere with the effectiveness or cause negative side effects.

There are also new products out there that are lower in alcohol and even organic and using healthier ingredients that can be purchased in Bermuda at Miles or Lindos; for instance, Seedlip or social sparkling wine.

Seedlip: Seedlip is the worlds first distilled non-alcoholic spirit, solving the ever-growing dilemma of what to drink when youre not drinking. It is based on the distilled non-alcoholic remedies from The Art of Distillation written in 1651, and now repurposed to pioneer a new category of drinks. Seedlip is sugar-free and sweetener-free.

We carefully source and select herbs, spices, peels and barks, working closely with growers and fellow farmers including our own farm to find the very best ingredients that our master distiller can work with. Seedlip takes six weeks to make & involves bespoke maceration, copper pot distillation, blending & filtration for each individual ingredient.

It is then blended and bottled in England. We are transparent about our ingredients, but as we are the first people to make distilled non-alcoholic spirits, we cant share all the details of our methods!

It comes in three flavours but I have not tried them yet; it may be something to check out. It meets a lot of my criteria for what I would drink. You can find it at Miles. Here is their FAQ. As always, be careful to not mix it with sugar-laden juices or pop.

SOCIAL claims to be the cleanest alcohol available, organic, sulfite-free, low in calories, as noted on their website: SOCIAL is one of the most innovative and fastest growing alcohol brands today and were here to help you live your best life! While other canned wines contain an average of 150 calories, 10g of sugar, and 9g of carbs in a 12oz. can, SOCIAL scores big at only 88 calories, 1g of sugar, and 4 carbs.

Plus were the only USDA certified organic canned wine on the market and our alcohol is from fermented brown rice instead of sugar. Compare us to the other guys and see why were the cleanest and tastiest choice! The % alcohol seems to run at about 4%.

Another new item is called White Claw Hard Seltzer by Made Pure but it has sugar, natural flavours and runs at about 5% alcohol. The highlight is that its just 100 calories a serving. This is not something I would select though, even though its mostly sparkling water.

If you must have spirits, well, I am 100% not in favour of that for anyones health. That said, it is a bit better to have a spirit with soda water instead of a mix of sugary juices or soda pops, yes [to answer the question sent to me that I posted above].

However, alcohol is a toxin nonetheless, even when taken with sparkling water, spiking blood sugar levels, hijacking your metabolism, dehydrating your skin, wreaking havoc on brain function and health, harming the liver and affecting other systems in the body negatively. Again, if you choose to have spirits, then I recommend 2 to 3 max, with healthy, nourishing, hydrating beverages in-between servings.

Too much alcohol also really kills body composition goals, messes with hormones, negatively affects sleep, deflates peoples motivation to exercise, it causes people to eat foods that are super bad for the body and make decisions otherwise that are not healthy overall [impaired driving, unsafe sexual health practices, etc.].

I always just try to bring the fun with me to the beach, boat or party by checking in with myself and getting my physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health to a high vibration before I head out to be with others; there are lots of activities that enable us to do that.

When To Check In With Yourself

If you feel the pull to drink too frequently, contact me and Ill send you a self-assessment for alcohol usage to determine if you should maybe slow it down or cut it out entirely. No obligation to sign up for my nutrition coaching sessions or anything. Its my gift to you.

Also, if you find youre too stressed with life overall and feel you need to drink, its time to reassess your life overall career, family, relationships, home environment, purpose, spirituality, physical activity, nutrition, etc, for where toxicity exists and/or you feel massively undernourished or completely over stressed.

You may be in a state of what is known as adrenal fatigue. Contact me for a free consultation to see if I can hel
p you make positive changes towards wholeness and happiness without the use of substances like alcohol. Bonus: Im writing about combating adrenal fatigue in my next email look out for that.

I can also assist if youre thinking of going off alcohol and want to do a nutritional detox or liver cleanse to rev your body systems up to where they havent been in a while.

Interesting Video: Things That Happen When You Stop Drinking Alcohol For A Month

This is a fun video, super easy to watch, I found it a few days ago and its hardly scientific but very accurate nonetheless. An easy watch, it offers some food for thought, including how you increase your net worth when you quit drinking and you have an incredible sense of accomplishment.

Final Thought

Remember: Love yourself enough to live a healthy lifestyle Jules Robson

Hope this helpful feel free to forward this message to someone you care about.

Stay safe and healthy everyone!

- Agathe Holowatinc is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, co-founder and director at FUELLED Bermuda Ltd., published author, health food private chef and health industry entrepreneur. She is a passionate advocate of real food, holistic approaches to health and communicating big ideas in a simple way. Visit fuelledlife.com or call or WhatsApp on 532-0426.

Opinion columns reflect the views of the writer, and not those of Bernews Ltd. To submit an Opinion Column/Letter to the Editor, please email info@bernews.com. Bernews welcomes submissions, and while there are no length restrictions, all columns must be signed by the writers real name.

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Column: What's A Healthy Drink Limit & Type - Bernews

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of having an insurance policy. Many insurance covers, particularly health covers, are constantly updated to address new and emerging health issues. If policyholders want a health policy with wider coverage, then they can use the portability option to switch to a new policy, instead of buying multiple policies.

In 2011, the insurance regulator IRDAI allowed porting of health insurance policies. Portability is the process by which you as a policy-holder can transfer your current health policy to another health policy with a different insurer or to a different policy of the same insurer. Through this process, you can also carry the current benefits to the new health policy. The policy-holder is also qualified to transfer all the continuity benefit such as free medical check-up and no-claim bonus (accumulation of points or reward given by an insurer to a policy-holder for making no claims during the policy term), which were acquired during the previous policy.

The porting option is available for individual as well family-floater policies issued by non-life insurers. Policy-holders can even switch from group insurance to an individual health plan, without compromising on the benefits of the previous health policy.

Reasons to port from one insurer to another can include bad service, higher co-payment (cost-sharing arrangement where the policy-holder pays a certain percentage of the claim from his/her pocket) or higher sub-limits (cap on coverage for a particular treatment), increase in family members (spouse or children), and availability of better coverages and cashless facilities.

Portability of the health policy comes with key benefits. One, if a policy-holder has already served the initial waiting period (30 days), the pre-existing waiting period (ranging from 24-36 months) and the disease-specific waiting period, then it will be waived in the new policy.

The no-claim bonus that you have accumulated can also be ported. However, do keep in mind that when you port, the premium will be calculated on the higher SI; including the NCB.

One of the biggest benefits of porting your health policy is that you get the latest policy which usually comes with wider coverages and better benefits such as reward points for a healthy lifestyle, wealth benefits (such as higher points for being fit), OPD covers, telemedicine and counselling. And porting procedures these days are made fairly simple and can be done online with minimal documentation requirements.

While there are advantages to porting a health policy, there are downsides as well. If you as a policy-holder decide to port your existing health policy, keep in mind that you have to port at least 30 days prior to the premium renewal date of the health policy, and not during the policy. You can only port between similar policies. For instance, if you have a regular health policy, you cannot port to a critical illness policy.

Also, the policy-holder might be subject to medical-check up as well. If the policy-holder is continuously covered in the previous policy without any break for four years or more, migration shall be allowed without any underwriting/medical checks (to the extent of the sum insured). Further, for the same SI, your premium payment may increase in case of any new health complication or higher age.

Note that there are chances that your new insurer may reject your porting request if your health status does not match their terms and conditions.

Whether you port or not, its best to know your rights.

A weekly column that puts fun into learning

Read more here:
All you wanted to know about portability in insurance - BusinessLine

Malta was recently reminded that its citizens are some of the obese people in Europe after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson casually brought it up in a quip.

However, obesity is a serious problem that the islands health authorities are trying to fight. Lovin Malta spoke to Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci to see what Maltas doing to beat the growing problem.

In 2013, one-third of Maltese 15-year-olds were found to be overweight or obese; in 2017, over a quarter of Maltese adults were found to be obese.

For Gauci, this excess weight is a factor that could potentially reduce ones own positive life experience and wellbeing. Even though the Maltese population enjoys a high life expectancy (82.4 years in 2017), obesity can seriously affect this.

We wanted to develop a multi-factorial approach to the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) seeking to address the many challenges being experienced to maintain a healthy weight across the population through tackling common risk factors, Gauci said.

As it stands, Maltas initiatives are inline with the policies outlined in the Healthy Weight for Life Strategy (2012-2020).

Back in 2012, the government had launched the strategy, highlighting the importance of healthy eating and including a number of measures primarily focusing on areas related to nutrition and physical activity.

Then in 2015, the development of the Food and Nutrition Action Plan (FNAP) provided a more detailed framework when it comes to eating good food.

Obesity has a multifactorial origin with the obesogenic environment resulting from a combination of influences which promote obesity within individuals and the population. These include lifestyle factors such as nutrition and physical activity patterns, cultural and environmental factors, social, economic and infrastructural factors, Gauci said.

Maltas health authorities had placed childhood obesity as a priority area during the Maltese presidency of the EU where they called for an European-wide approach though council conclusions.

However, Gauci said the approach Malta was taking was multi-faceted.

Besides the aforementioned strategies and some other healthy lifestyle initiatives, preventative measures within the community have also been rolled out in schools, workplaces and institutions.

Authorities also promote certain local assets, such as the Mediterranean diet.

Were reaching out to children at an early age, promoting water consumption, healthy snacking, physical activity and to reduce or break up sedentary time in pre-school children, Gauci said. Evidence has shown this programme to be successful in preventing obesity and promotes an ethos that encourages a healthy lifestyle.

She mentioned the EU-funded Lunch Box campaign, an ongoing project that features a programme with three different characters Karmenu, Ganni and Bettina explaining the importance of healthy eating and physical activity aimed specifically at children between the ages of five and 10.

After the play, parents are given a recipe book and a drawing book full of fruits and vegetables to give to their children.

In August 2018, Maltas Parliament adopted Legal Notice 266, regulating the provision of foods and drinks in schools.

After consulting with the Advisory Council on Healthy Lifestyles, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Education agreed thatonly foods that meet the criteria can be sold in schools.

The schools no longer permit any advertising or accept sponsorships of food products not in line with established criteria. Similarly, such an environment with a focus on healthy food was also in place for Mater Dei by June 2019, Gauci said.

Some Maltese health professionals were given training in delivering high-level multidisciplinary training in the prevention and management of obesity, with the support of the Ministry for Health and European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) and the WHO.

Different programmes are aimed at the general population, and at individual people.

The Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate has also been offering free weight management programmes for adults over many years.

These are held over a period of 12 weeks and include both a nutritional component and a physical activity component. These programmes have helped many people to lose weight and are expanding year over year, she said.

Another programme, the School Fruit Scheme, also encouraged young children to try different fruits and vegetables within a learning environment.

Infant and young child feeding practices have a direct influence on the health status of children, Gauci said. Exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months may reduce the risk of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence.

This, among other facts such as allowing breastfeeding in the workplace, was promoted via the Breastfeeding Policy and Action Plan for 2015 to 2020.

Another two sets of food guidelines were rolled out in 2017 and 2018, targeting younger age groups up till the age of 12.

In order to address the obesogenic environment in Malta, system-wide environmental interventions are needed to support educational and behavioural initiatives already in place in order to create supportive environments, Gauci said.

Weight and food consumption in Malta are monitored, as well as any new societal issues that suddenly affect peoples weight. This forms the basis of whether actions need to be stepped-up.

However, when the next leader tries to use Maltas weight problems to promote his own policies, lets try and collectively make it out of the worst spots and show the world how Malta can truly be active.

Read the rest here:
Malta's Got An Obesity Problem - Here's How Health Authorities Are Planning On Tackling It - Lovin Malta

That is roughly 13.7 million children and adolescents in this country that are obese. I believe many people today know obesity is a rising problem that can lead to more harmful conditions and diseases later in life. Also, I am confident many people are aware of solutions to help decrease the prevalence! However, the secret to success is not just in the knowledge, but in the action. It is not a complex formula, but it is not easy either. Living a healthy lifestyle and being at a healthy weight does not need to include a magic pill, fad diet, or widgets found on TV.

Instead of a short-term fix, it is important that we help instill long-term change as well as tools and habits that can set up children today, to be healthy adults in the future! So how can we instill healthy habits and behaviors in children?

1. Move more, sit less. Be active.

2. Food is fuel, not the enemy. Eat nutritious foods.

3. Have accountability. Make it a family endeavor.

These three bullets are very beneficial for keeping your child healthy and at a healthy weight.

Isaac Bitter with his wife Emily and family. Submitted photo

Exercise daily! Move everyday and make it fun! I discourage parents, coaches, etc. from talking poorly about exercise. If you use it as punishment or as some grueling event, what do you think that young moldable mind will think about an active lifestyle? They will associate that as bad or as a punishment! Promote movement and exercise as a good thing and make it fun.

Food is fuel to our bodies and gives us energy throughout the day. Avoid using food to punish or reward your child. Instead, practice mindful eating. Mindful eating is the philosophy that you eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied. It focuses on being attentive and present when you are eating. Leave the distractions of watching TV, playing on the phone, or reading a magazine. Also, incorporate your child in grocery shopping and preparing meals. When children get to enjoy what they prepared, they will be more apt to eat it and not waste it. When preparing the meal, try to add more color to the plate by adding a serving of fruit and a vegetable.

Lastly, be an accountability partner and help your children keep you accountable also. When you can have an accountability partner, successful results exponentially increase. Do not discourage, poke fun, or insult their efforts. When one slips for a day, understand we are human and are prone to make mistakes. Rather than giving up, encourage them to get back on the wagon and work to accomplish their goal.

These strategies listed above are not groundbreaking, so why is obesity a perpetual (growing problem) in the United States?

My wife is a dietitian and I am a physical therapist. Over time we have noticed that clients that develop a support system, take in quality food (in proper quantities) and consistently exercise get better, faster! In short they take responsibility for their current state and take action.

How exactly does one help his or her child apply these practices? I believe there are a few fundamental principles that go beyond the three keys to success listed above that not only will help your childs health, but also his/her confidence and overall well-being.

1. Having a why that is bigger than that mammoth muffin in front of them. To have you and your children be successful for the long run, your why needs to be visible and on the forefront of your mind. It might be to make it on a sports team or fit into a certain dress. It might be to no longer be made fun of, or to simply be more healthy I cant pick your why, that is up to you!

For me, the decision to get healthy was multifactorial. Yes, I am saying this from experience. I was an overweight, insecure, freshman in high school. I was tired of getting picked on because of my weight. I wanted to prove mean people wrong and had a burning desire to start on the varsity hockey team as a sophomore.

My aspirations, goals, priorities in life have changed, but habits gained during that season stuck with me. I have learned to love exercise and crave many healthy foods that fuel my body. It has not always been easy, but it has been totally worth it.

Motivation will get you started, discipline will carry you through. My why was bigger than some of the initial pains of consistent exercise and saying no to sugary food.

2. I believe another important factor to overall health is a mindset shift and an attitude adjustment! I believe this develops gradually as one begins working toward their goal. It is important to develop the attitude that exercise and nutritious food is your friend and not the enemy and that your body should be respected and cared for.

In order to create a healthy mindset around physical activity and quality food choices, parents should promote a mindset for your child that says, I am a healthy person, and do the things a healthy person would do.

James Clear speaks on this in his book, Atomic Habits. If you dont know how to get healthier, ask yourself, What would a healthy person do? A healthy person would exercise today, even if it is for only a couple of minutes. A healthy person would have some fruit and vegetables with most meals and probably would say no to second helpings. Dessert would be eaten with discretion! So saying no to dessert more often than not, may be a good idea. As a parent, by incorporating these strategies into your own life, you are setting an example for your children. Create a family environment that says, We are a family that is healthy. If you are not that family currently, start today.

The beautiful thing about a mindset is that you can start thinking like a victor rather than a victim immediately! Set the example for the adolescents in your own life. Move with them, try tasty and nutritious dishes with them, make it a team effort and create an environment of accountability.

3. Help your kids see themselves as a valuable creation. I dont want to get preachy, but understand that mind, body and spirit are all huge factors in how one treats and views him or herself. A positive attitude and mindset early in life will help build confidence in that child throughout his or her lifetime. Creating a mentality from an early age that stewards ones body by intentional eating and consistent exercise is important.

In fact, eating well, getting enough sleep and exercising have all been shown to reduce anxiety and depression. It also has been linked to improved performance and concentration in the classroom and in life. Helping your kids understand they have worth is paramount!

How you do that is beyond the scope of this article.

To recap, here are all the principles discussed in this article that are important for creating a healthy lifestyle and environment for your child(ren) and family.

Photo illustration by Metro Newspaper Service

Developing a healthy lifestyle and weight is not a sprint. The tips and suggestions provided in this article dont include a crash diet or how to lose weight fast. The microwave approach isnt sustainable for long-term success. What I am talking about is real, long-term victory. It is throwing the ingredients in a crockpot and seeing the plan come to fruition overtime. This way of doing and thinking requires discipline. If you commit to it, it will work! Unfortunately, because it is work, some will not take action over their situation.

I hope you begin to reshape your family tree today by building a mindset of mental toughness, hard work, and positive relationships today!

My wife, Emily and I are passionate about people reaching their full potential. If you have questions or would like to chat about any of the above content, dont hesitate to reach out to us at ibitter4@gmail.com or emilylouise724@gmail.com.

Charles Duhigg is an expert on habit formation. He notes that every habit includes three things: 1. Cue. 2. Habit. 3. Reward.

Whether you are working to quit smoking, biting your nails, hitting the snooze a
larm, to quit drinking pop, etc. the solution is the same. One needs to use the cue that triggered the old habit and reward the new habit the same way!

For example, a family has a big dessert every night. The cue is we just got done with dinner. The reward is that we are spending time as a family. If one is working to build a better habit to maintain a healthy weight, one could use the cue of being done with dinner and implement a different family activity like playing a board game or (better yet) go outside for a walk, shoot hoops, etc. The reward for the child remains the same: spending time with his/her family, and doing something they enjoy with people they care about.

Read the original here:
Crow Wing Energized: Keys to success on road to healthier living - Brainerd Dispatch

7 proven benefits of Yoga and Meditation for your mind and body 

New Delhi: Yoga and meditation both have huge impacts on the mind and the body. When done on a regular basis, they not only make your physique more attractive, flexible and balanced but give you spiritual benefits as well. Mediation helps to keep the mind sharp, stress-free and clear. It improves overall well-being of a person.

Wanna know what all benefits yoga and meditation can give you? Here is a list of some of them:

Treats back pain

Believe it or not, doing a few yoga poses throughout the week can help with chronic back pain. Studies have shown that stretching exercises and poses improve spinal flexibility and help ease lower back problems in people after just one week of practice.

Helps with rheumatoid arthritis

Iyengar yoga, which is a type of yoga that uses blocks, belts, and other positioning props, has been shown to help people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Hot yoga, like Bikram and gentle yoga, has proven benefits because of its slow, easy-paced poses and movements that benefit the joints, bones, and muscles.

Cures hangovers

While you may not want to move or get out of bed when nursing a hangover, experts say that doing yoga can detox your system and get you feeling fresh much faster. Yoga poses like bow, plow, or shoulder stand work on the thyroid gland, which improves the metabolism and kicks those toxins out of your system. By reversing the blood flow and bringing more circulation to the brain, your body will create balance and spring back to life. Not only it helps to get rid of the hangover faster but also blasts the fat and cellulite.

Improves heart health

When it comes to heart health, Baby Boomers need to be wary and maintain a healthy lifestyle as much as possible. Keeping your heart healthy is easy, thanks to yoga and meditation. Studies have shown that yoga is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease because of its cardiovascular benefits that eliminate arterial plaque. Meditating once a day for ten minutes can help you relax, reduce stress hormones, lower your blood pressure, and allow for better blood flow.

Helps with asthma

If you suffer from asthma then you might want to take up yoga. According to a research, adults with mild to moderate asthma who did an eight-week session of yoga combined with their regular meds saw a marked improvement. With the help of Pranayama, a yoga asana which focuses on breathing have shown effective results for asthma.

Helps you sleep better

You need to get enough rest in order to live a healthy and balanced life. Yoga greatly improves your sleep quality if you are suffering from insomnia or lack of sleep. Research has shown that doing yoga regularly improves your sleeping pattern, reduces stress and lowers anxiety. Mediation and breathing techniques also help in clearing your mind so you can relax and slow down your thoughts, allowing you the peace of mind to get a good nights sleep.

Makes you a happier person

Practicing yoga and meditation makes you a happier person. Yoga makes your skin glow from within and calms your mind. Mediation gives you inner peace and the power to control your mind and thoughts. In todays competitive world, people forget to be happy. Give some time to yourself. Practice yoga and meditation, you will automatically feel the difference.

There are many more benefits of yoga and meditation - once you start practicing it, you will feel the change within yourself.

Sohan Singh is a guest contributor. Views expressed are personal.

Link:
7 proven benefits of Yoga and Meditation for your mind and body - Times Now

A SHRINKING great-granny lost almost half her body weight afterditching her junk food habit.

Roberta Bellerby shed an impressive 8st with Slimming World after adoctor warned her that her diabetes was out of control.

6

The 59-year-old ditched her daily Jaffa Cakes and McDonalds learning to sprinkle stock cubes over vegetables to make them tastebetter.

She dropped from a whopping 25st, a dress size 30, to a trim 12st4lbs, a size 12-14, and now says shes never felt better.

Ive reversed my type 2 diabetes completely, she says. I dont takeany medication now at all.

Its my 60th birthday in July and I feel healthier than ever. If I canswap Jaffa Cakes for Brussels sprouts, then anyone can!

6

Roberta, from Bangor in Northern Ireland, first started piling on thepounds when she quit smoking in 2004, aged 44.

Whenever she felt the urge to light up a fag, she reached for a snackinstead.

I decided enoughs enough and went cold turkey, she explains. Iwas on 60-a-day, puffing away like a chimney, lighting one off theend of the other.

But they were starting to make me wheeze so I flushed my last packof Barclays down the loo.

The toughest part was finding something to do with my hands. Soevery time I felt the urge to spark up, I popped a bag of cheese-and-onion crisps or opened a packet of Jaffa Cakes.

6

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is the more common form of the disease accounting for between 85 and 95 per cent of all cases, according to Diabetes UK.

It develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body are unable to produce enough insulin.

It can also be triggered when the insulin that is produced doesnt work properly.

Typically, people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes from the age of40, butthere are some exceptions.

In people from southern Asia the disease can appear as early as 25.

And the condition is becoming more prevalent in children, teenagers of all ethnicities.

Experts suggest the rising rates of type 2 diabetes is due to the obesity epidemic a key cause of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes can be treated with drugs, and many people can reverse their condition by adopting a healthy lifestyle a healthy diet and exercise

Robertas husband Dessie, now 64, was delighted. Not to mentiontheir five kids and 12 grandkids.

But as her junk food habit grew, so did her waistline.

Id cooked healthy dinners when my kids were growing up, buttheyd all left home so I couldnt be bothered, she remembers.

I got up in the morning and headed straight to the local shop for sixsausage rolls in place of my usual pack of fags. And instead of chainsmoking, I ploughed through whole boxes of 12 Jaffa Cakes in onesitting.

In the afternoons I kept myself going with a crisp sandwich on whitebread. Then Id order a chippy tea or Chinese for dinner mushypeas were the closest I came to a vegetable.

6

By 2015 Roberta was tipping the scales at 25st.

At just 5ft 1ins, I was almost as wide as I was tall, and my 50GGboobs meant Id not seen my own feet for months, she laughs.

In April 2017 Dessie was diagnosed with heart failure and Robertawas told hed need constant care. She started feeding him healthiermeals and in the process lost 4st herself.

But the final straw didnt come until a visit to her consultant atBangor Hospital just before Christmas that year.

She remembers: Id been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes severalyears earlier but the tablets I was taking were no match for all thesugar I ate.

The doctor told me I going to have to start insulin injections. Shesaid they werent normally used for diabetes type 2 but I wasrunning out of options.

6

I was shocked because I hate needles. It was time to face facts. Myweight was shortening my life. I needed to go cold turkey on the junkfood just like Id done with the fags.

Roberta joined a branch of Slimming World in nearby Comber inFebruary 2018, telling the consultant Eleanor Clarke that she felt tooshy to talk in group.

I sat on a chair in the corner, arms folded, avoiding eye contact,she remembers.

In Asda that evening I stacked my trolley with fruitsand vegetables, steering clear of the temptations of the biscuit aisle.

6

I hated veg but Eleanor had told me to try sprinkling them with astock cube to make them taste better.

The following week Roberta had already lost 5lbs and after weigh-inshe found her voice, telling the other members about her junk foodban.

Each week my weight melted away and I began to feel like a newwoman, she smiles.

I couldnt wait to hop on the scales, celebrating each loss loudly with a lap of the room that left the other members in stitches.

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OUT OF ASHESI grew up thinking mum tried to kill me in a fire which gave me horrific scars

And soon I loved my vegetables so much that I didnt need the stockcube sprinkle. In fact, I often curled up with a bowl of steamedBrussels sprouts as my late-night snack in front of the telly.

Roberta, who now also has three great-grandchildren, started takingher dog, Gizmo, for longer walks, then began running her groupsBody Magic programme to share her exercise tips, like dancing whiledoing the washing up or cleaning the windows.

After losing an incredible 8st, Robertas impressed diabetesconsultant took her off her medication completely.

If I can do it anyone can, she grins. Slimming World has given mea whole new lease of life and I cant thank Eleanor enough for hersupport.

To find your nearest Slimming World group call 0344 897 8000 or logon to http://www.slimmingworld.co.uk

Excerpt from:
Great gran sheds HALF her body weight and reverses deadly type 2 diabetes - The Sun

Life in lockdown has led many to overeat and gain weight, a phenomenon referred to as the "Covid-15".

But some small changes can get you back into shape, a weight management specialist suggests.

"Covid-19 changed how we eat, what we eat and how we spend our day," said Dr Peter Jian, an assistant professor of family and community medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

"Unfortunately, for some of us that meant less healthy choices," Jian added in a Baylor news release.

Jian offered these tips for working off the excess pounds and returning to a healthy lifestyle:

"It's a very challenging time. But I think the best we can do is focus on the positives and focus on the things that we can control, and the things that we can do to positively influence our own health," Jian said.

Image credit: iStock

Originally posted here:
Working off your quarantine weight gain - Health24

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet is crucial for boosting fertility and increasing the chances of pregnancy. Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar recently shared some tips for eating healthy in case you are trying for pregnancy.

The one thing that improves your chances of conception other than good sex, is insulin sensitivity. And to improve insulin sensitivity you must take the brave path of increasing your lean body weight. What you eat (and dont) play a big role in that, Diwekar wrote on Instagram.

Here are some food tips she suggested:

1. Avoid eating packaged foods, not just junk but also foods like cereals, juices and biscuits. Diwekar also advised against eating low-fat versions of yogurt, cheese and ice cream.

2. Add a pickle or chutney to your main meal every day. These may not be taught to us as sources of Vit B12, but it is exactly these essential-fat packed side dishes that help us assimilate and even make our own B12. One tsp of pickle to breakfast or lunch, and two-three tsp of chutney to lunch or dinner, Diwekar suggested.

3. Set curd at home. Curd has a lot of benefits it has diverse strains of gut bacteria, essential amino acids and B vitamins, said the nutritionist. The probiotic yogurt in the market is no match for home-set curd. It is also a good antidote to breakouts and sweet cravings during PMS and it will help keep acidity under control once pregnant, she added.

Read| Tips for pregnant women to stay safe from COVID-19

4. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Improved diet diversity is good for the intestinal mucosa, probiotic bacteria and insulin sensitivity.

5. Avoid overeating. Eat slower than usual so that smaller morsels of food enter the stomach and improve the micronutrient assimilation and insulin response. Follow the Mental Meal Map where you first visualize how much you want to eat and then start with half the amount, the nutritionist wrote. Make sure you concentrate on the food while eating, without gadgets, so that you are tuned into your stomach signals.

Read| What happens to your body when you eat fast?

Along with this, have three to five tablespoons of ghee daily.

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The rest is here:
Foods to eat and avoid for fertility, according to a nutritionist - The Indian Express

Physical fitness Need of the hour

Chhavi Negi, Class XI (Arts), Guru Nanak Public School, Chd

A healthy mind resides in a healthy body

Physical fitness is the need of the hour and above all of our body and it should be on everyone's priority. If we are not physically fit, we won't be able to do our basic activities. Going out, walking, running, playing, and even studying will become difficult. Physical activities not only keep us fit but also boosts our immunity. A physically fit person is immune to diseases and lives longer than those who are unfit. The health of the younger generation is important as they are the future of our nation.

Nowadays, students are less engaged in physical activities. They don't have time to exercise. The main excuse is that they have excessive homework and a lot to study but even when they have free time, instead of going outside to play, they prefer playing mobile games. They don't understand that 10 minutes of cardio is more benefiting than wasting 30 minutes at the phone. And because of this their immunity is getting low; they are getting overweight and weaker. Their bodies are becoming week and they are unable to lift heavy objects. They sit at one place all the day and eat junk food. They don't realise how deadly their actions could be. Even if they don't face any problem at this age, this will affect their health when they get old or even in their early adulthood.

Parents must encourage their children in physical activities. They can do this by asking them to play outside, making them join dance classes, soccer classes, basketball classes, cricket classes, yoga classes, karate classes, etc, taking them out for morning walks and even playing with them. They must give their children a specific time to use mobile phones. Schools should also involve activities to encourage students in physical activities. This can be done by incorporating yoga classes in morning, NCC, PT, sports tournaments, sports day, etc. Students should eat healthy foods which will give them energy to play. If possible, workout should be done at home. Planking, jumping jacks, and other home workout videos on YouTube can also be very beneficial. Yoga is the best for a low intensity physical activity. Taking care of health from a young age can reduce the chances of heart attacks, high cholesterol, diabetes and other health problems.

Thus, physical fitness is as important as studies and must not be neglected from our lives. A weak body is of no use and a healthy body is one's asset which leads to a healthy mind.

We belong to the Earth

Jasnoor, Class VIII, Yadavindra Public School, Mohali

Environment means all the natural surroundings such as water, sunlight, plants, animals, etc. It helps us in growing, nourishing living things on the planet. But we are putting our lives in danger by destroying the environment with our own actions. We all are causing harm to the environment by wasting water and causing pollution.

A major reason is deforestation. Trees, bushes, plants are very important for our survival. They give out oxygen which we humans breathe in and we give out carbon dioxide gas which they breathe in. This keeps the cycle moving. If these are cut or burnt, no one would survive. Another major reason is pollution. We humans cause a lot of pollution. Water pollution disturbs the ecosystem as well as causes severe diseases such as Dysentery.

Air pollution causes respiratory disorders. Land pollution causes change in climate patterns and affects the wildlife. Soil pollution affects disturbance in the balance of flora and fauna residing in the soil and increases in salinity of the soil which makes it unfit for vegetation. Noise pollution may permanently damage hearing. Therefore, pollution has a major impact on the environment. Global warming is another major reason that causes harm to the environment.

Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of the Earth due to greenhouse gases like nitric oxide, methane, carbon dioxide etc. It causes the glaciers to melt. It increases the temperature of the earth and most of the living organisms are unable to adapt to this climate change. It also changes the rainfall pattern.

Saving the environment is a matter of great concern. We can do our bit by reducing water wastage, conserving rain water and energy, replacing plastic bags with jute bags or cotton bags. We all should the 3R's i.e. recycle, reduce and reuse. For providing a better and healthy lifestyle in the future, we all should unite and take a step forward for saving the environment. Lastly, I would like to conclude with a quote by Marlee Matlin, "The Earth doesn't belong to us, we belong to the Earth."

Continued here:
Kids Corner - The Tribune

The connotation of being a positive person in life has changed sharply. Covid-19 has turned the world upside down. It is better to be called a negative person in medical terms that might decide our social status too. Our social life which depends on our overall wellness has gone for a toss since the day US president Donald Trumps tweet represented the status of the world: Social distancing. He was bang on, but no, we are still socially connected, but physical distance is increasing by day. Mothers and dads are not kissing their children a most disturbing phenomenon somewhere similar to the days when measles were the order of the day. Till the 1980s, we contracted it at least once and felt like an outcast for at least nine days. Today, the quarantine period is reduced from almost 20 days to 17 to 12 and now 10. History repeats itself.

Amid all the negativity that is transforming the most optimistic people into depressed souls, there are a few points to ponder. These views are not of an expert but of a layman a Covid survivor whose two daughters along with him had tested positive on June 23 and who received discharge letters on July 4, home isolation having been reduced from 17 to 12 days.

The battle against Covid is long and hard but all is not lost. There are positive sides to the battle that need to be looked at too. These views might help us change our outlook towards life and help us fight and possibly defeat the most feared disease at present, unless, of course, the symptoms are of very serious nature. Here are these:

1. First the numbers: By the time of writing this piece, Indias share in daily global cases is now 12%, with the Covid-19 caseload crossing 8.5 lakh, even as Maharashtra (it accounts for 45% Indias Covid deaths) death toll topped 10,000. However, we must not forget that as compared to the US death toll of 137,404 (out of 3,355,895 cases), the death toll in India, currently ranked third after the US and Brazil (1,840,812 cases and 71,492 deaths) in the Covid-19 tally, stands at 22,696 out of 851,261 cases; however it is important to mention that every single life matters. Also, so far, 5,32,211 people have recovered in India, as per Worldometer. Faster ambulance service, quick hospital admission, easy hospital bed availability and enhanced ICU capacity, among the things being discussed both by the central and state governments, it is hoped, will certainly make the scenario better.

2. Delhi model: While Union home minister Amit Shah said in Gurugram that India is at a good position in the battle against the coronavirus, PM Narendra Modi has also appreciated the concerted efforts of the Centre, state government and local authorities in containing the Covid-19 situation in Delhi. As per a TOI report, while talking of Delhi model being replicated in other states, a high-level review held by the PM concluded, if close coordination between the Centre and the Delhi government worked in the capital, it could click elsewhere. While the community outreach model in Ahmedabad, called Dhanvantari Rath, is being lauded, the meeting advised the entire NCR to follow the approach adopted in Delhi. It is also important to remember that Shah had stepped in after Delhi deputy chief minister spoke of the possibility of over 5 lakh cases in Delhi by July and after that things improved a lot as regards general healthcare in the capital and elsewhere. Since the Centre-state coordination worked well then, it is imperative that the nation fights this menace unitedly, shunning politics, since saving peoples lives is more important.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has decided to open its dispensaries and polyclinics for eligible individuals to walk in for rapid antigen testing. The dispensaries and clinics will remain open between 9am and 12 noon on all working days, as per a TOI report. Hence, the hassles about tests has been minimised.

3. The vaccine: According to media reports, the WHO says that there are currently 136 potential candidates for a Covid-19 vaccine across the world while 21 of them have reached the human clinical trials stage. That is another piece of good news.

4. The plasma donors: While Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal recently lauded plasma donors it has been proven as an effective solution for the recovery of moderate patients the Delhi government has set up Indias first plasma bank at the ILBS Hospital, with an objective to maintain a plasma stock from those who have already recovered from the disease, as per media reports. After Delhi, Gurugram is likely to become the second NCR city to set up a plasma bank for Covid patients.

5. Home isolation: In a revision in home isolation guidelines for the capital, infected people recovering at home may be shifted to medical facilities if they report oxygen saturation levels below normal or their body temperature rises beyond a point. Doctors generally put normal oxygen saturation levels as 95% to 100%. Here, it is important to mention home isolation works at many levels: while patients feel the comfort of home and relatives provide them enough care, (while taking precautions) if the general atmosphere of positivity is maintained, recovery happens faster than the usually-long duration of over 15 days. During home isolation (in Delhi, the initial test is free now at government dispensaries or mohalla clinics and the staff are very cooperative), the medical staff keep calling the attendants about the patients well-being, apart from providing the basic medicines and oximeters, to be returned after patients recovery. While Delhi is showing the way, as for the government hospitals, the authorities have ramped up facilities there too. Among the flip side is, no test at all for patients whose home quarantine is over. The government may have changed the protocol (no second test), but patients and their family members do want to ensure that they are officially negative. The governments must look into this. Meanwhile, PTI quoted a Delhi government study on Covid-19 deaths saying that not a single coronavirus patient under home isolation in the city has died in July and there has been a sharp decline in daily fatality figures in the past two weeks. These are other good signs, amid chaos and hopelessness. Delhis overall death rate has come down to 3.02 per cent from 3.64 per cent in June.

6. The protection of frontline warriors: With reports of cops, medical and para-medical staff being threatened or harassed appearing in plenty, social media has come handy to expose the perpetrators. On Sunday, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal tweeted a controversy surrounding the pressure mounted on constable Sunita Yadav, who was doing her duty in reprimanding a Gujarats ministers son who was roaming without masks.

7. Precautions and traditional medicines: While there is no poor-rich divide in the Covid sphere, with celebrities getting infected, it is precaution and alertness that help in a big way. Between the two extremes of its nothing but flu and the ones scared to hell, we need a healthy balance of fearlessness and precautions it applies to all those, healthy or undergoing treatment. For the patients with mild symptoms, and even in serious cases, it is ones positivity and mental toughness that kill the disease or minimise the risk, more than the medicines. While the chief symptoms are fever and coughing, backache, breathing issues, sleeplessness, foul smell, fatigue, low BP and loss of appetite are other signs that one should not ignore. With the doctors the world over clueless, it is important to take immunity booster medicines such as multivitamin tablets (consult your physician) and try traditional/natural remedies such as tulsi (basil) water, amla juice, giloy juice (heart-leaved moonseed juice), aloe vera juice, hot water mixed with lemon, kaadha, and taking steam through vaporizer at least twice a day. Steam and hot water-lemon mixture kill the foul smell you feel continuously around you as well as viruses. Boiled eggs and mangoes, in case you have lost appetite for homemade fo
od, may help boost your strength and immunity. Most of these remedies help even healthy people as well as those home quarantined. To those under home isolation, it is advisable to read books and watch your favourite movies to keep your spirits up. That alone helps, besides medicines. Some of these methods may appear dated, but they have brought people back from the brink and where TINA applies, its best to do what you can. Meditation or prayers and some yoga asanas will certainly change your approach to fight the disease. Take lots of fluids in case your BP is low.

8. Stop the stigma: For the society as a whole, it is incumbent upon us not to make Covid patients feel like an outcast and do everything to make them feel that they are fine, by sending warm wishes and calling relatives/attendants especially if under home isolation and in this regard, this writer has been grateful to all those who motivated us, be it office seniors, colleagues, relatives or friends. A Covid patient is a normal human being, not your astronaut whom you visualise in PPE kits. Covid patients, for that matter all those sick, need respect and deserve to be treated well.

9. Work-life balance: In one of my Facebook posts during my illness, I spoke about the work-life balance. I think unless we are fit, we can neither do justice to our work nor can we take care of our family and loved ones. So, it is most important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and spare time for your children, family and friends that take care of your overall wellness. Also, drink lots of water and take breaks while working from home or in the office.

Lastly, Covid-19 is a dreaded disease, but taking precautions such as using sanitizers, maintaining physical distance from strangers and wearing masks while outside and a positive outlook will certainly defeat it. Be negative medically; positive in life. Here is wishing you all a healthy life!

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Here is the original post:
Lets fight Covid: Be positive to remain negative - The Times of India Blog