Air pollution today is at an all-time high. It is the result of solid and liquid particles and harmful gaseous substances that are suspended in air. Most of these pollutants come from the burning of fossil fuels, industrial waste, agricultural activities and mining. An alarming increase in vehicular traffic and the exhaust from it is also a major cause of increasing pollution. Traffic exhaust air pollutants contain carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, fine dust and soot and benzene. These are extremely harmful for health and can cause severe health complications that can result in death. Some of the health risks are respiratory ailments like asthma, heart diseases, cardiovascular disorders, stroke and even some cancers.

Now a new joint study at Karolinska Institutet, University of Gothenburg, Ume University, the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute and SLB analysis-Environmental unit in Stockholm say that high levels of traffic exhaust even at ones residence increases the risk of stroke. And, this is true for even low-pollution environments. The journal Environmental Health Perspectives published this study.

According to researchers, it is the black carbon from traffic exhaust emission that increases the risk for stroke, and not particulate matter from other sources. Black carbon is basically the sooty black material that is emitted by gas and diesel engines. They say that this study identifies local traffic exhaust as a risk factor for stroke. For the purpose of the study, researchers followed around 115,000 middle-aged healthy individuals from Gothenburg, Stockholm and Ume over a period of 20 years. They saw that around 3,100 participants suffered a stroke during this time.

Researchers relied on dispersion models and Swedish emission inventories to estimate how much different local emission sources contributed to particulate matter and black carbon at specific addresses in these cities. They took into consideration traffic exhaust, road wear and residential heating, among others, in their analysis.

They saw that for every 0.3 micrograms per cubic meter (g/m3) of black carbon from traffic exhaust, the risk of stroke went up by 4 per cent. However, the same was not the case with black carbon emitted from residential heating, particulate matter in general, inhalable

particles with a diametre of 10 micrometres or less (PM10) or from particles with a diametre of 2.5 micrometres or less (PM2.5). They say that the annual averages of PM2.5 ranged from 5.8 to 9.2 g/m3. This is lower than current European Union standard of 25 g/m3.

Researchers rue the fact that there is currently no specific metric for black carbon in EU, which includes it as part of its broader regulation of particulate matter. But they add that, black carbon from traffic exhaust could be an important measure to consider when assessing air quality and health consequences.

Some of the major causes of stroke are an unhealthy diet that contains a lot of trans fats and saturated fats. Foods high in salt and cholesterol also increase your risk. A sedentary lifestyle, alcohol consumption and use of tobacco are a few other factors that can make you more susceptible. You can control all these things with a few modifications in your lifestyle.

However, there are a few other factors that may be beyond your control. Sex is one such factor. Women are more prone to strokes than men. Age also plays a role here and you are more likely to suffer from stroke as you grow older. Genes are also responsible and if hypertension runs in the family, it increases your risk too.

Stroke can also be caused by an underlying health condition. High blood pressure, hart disorders, diabetes, high cholesterol and sickle cell disease may also lead to a stroke.

If you experience or witness another person experience the symptoms of a stroke, you must emergency medical assistance. Clot-busting medication, that can lessen the severity of damage, can only be given in the first hours of a stroke. Other than this, your doctor may recommend a mechanical thrombectomy to pull clot out, surgery or the implant of stents. Other than this, there are various medications like anticoagulants, antiplatelet drugs, statins, blood pressure drugs and tissue plasminogen activator to name a few.

Early treatment is essential. It can not only save lives but also bring down your risk for complications and disability significantly.

It is true that some things are out of your hands. But you can control some of the associated risk factors and easily bring down your risk of and even prevent a stroke. All you have to do is try and live a healthy lifestyle. Avoid smoking and keep away from alcohol. Excessive intake of alcohol can increase your blood pressure, and this may cause a stroke. Try to maintain a healthy body weight since obesity significantly increases your risk. Have a lot of fruits and vegetables and stay away from junk food. Regular exercise will also help you to bring down your risk. So, take out your walking shoes, join a gym or just go for a walk.

And, the most important thing to do is to go in for regular checkups. Take care of your health. If you have any disorders, get it treated immediately. Take your medications on time. All this will go a long way in helping you bring down your risk of a stroke.

Published : November 1, 2019 6:27 pm | Updated:November 2, 2019 11:03 am

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Exhaust from your vehicle may give you stroke as can an unhealthy lifestyle - TheHealthSite

Swedish direct selling company Oriflame, known for its skincare and wellness products, has been focusing on expanding its portfolio to wellness for the last few years. Now, moving on, it wants to position itself as a healthy lifestyle brand and focus on routine products that people use for their well-being, says its CEO and President Magnus Brannstrom. "We will expand in weight management, sports and fitness and subsequently there will be products like meal replacements, higher protein products for enhanced performance in sports and fitness," says Brannstrom. Alongside this, he said, they will continue expanding their existing skincare and wellness portfolio but refused to share the details of the new launches.

Brannstrom said the fundamentals remain the same - the importance of treating skin every day. He said, "We launch new products every month but usually concentrate on major launches in the fall and the spring."

The difference, he said, is that this time "is it is highly likely that you to see more customised products suited for India since the need for products for the oily skin is an increasing focus here."

While companies prefer to have similar products because of the benefit it brings in terms of price and performance, in skin, the companies need more variety. "In northern hemisphere, people want to be tanned, and in the southern hemisphere they want to be fair. Also, there are different skin needs in different parts of the world in terms of skin elasticity, colour segment and different colour preferences and with climate change this might change drastically." Currently, from their 1,000 cosmetic products, approximately 750 are global, and there are 250 products that are regional, specifically for the one part of the world. He said they are also launching a skincare application where consumers can get their skin assessed from the mobile app. This will essentially enable their consultants to give expert advice to consumers. The users will have to put their skin in front of the phone's camera and the app will analyse and help them determine the type of skincare routine and products they should use. "This will help consultants who are not skincare experts make them look professional. It will also help consumers get the right information."

The firm recently delisted from Nasdaq Stockholm. It was followed the buyback of the firm by Oriflame's founding families valued at nearly $950 million. The firm says its future sales growth will be from Mexico, Russia, Turkey, India, China and Indonesia. Oriflame currently has 30 lakh consultants in 60 countries.

Also read: GVK Group raises Rs 7,600 crore to reduce debt; acquires 23.5% stake in Mumbai airport

Also read: Unlike what the industry thinks, we are not against anyone, says TRAI chairman

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Oriflame to focus on wellness, position as healthy lifestyle brand: CEO Magnus Brannstrom - Business Today

If youve been reading us for some time now, you probably know that there is not only one right way to improve your life, there are in fact more ways to live a healthy lifestyle, which will probably result in changing many things about yourself.

Living full time (as we want to call it) can be very hard nowadays. Especially if you want to live a healthy lifestyle.Work, money, society It seems like everything is taking its turn, not allowing us to fully enjoy life.

But why do I correlate enjoying life with living a healthy lifestyle? Well simple, you see, if one is healthy in every sense of the word, its hard not to enjoy life. And living like that makes you enjoy it even more.

But how can one achieve that?

How to change your lifestyle to match that description? How can you have a lifestyle that is healthy, fulfilled, interesting and enjoyable?

Well, just keep reading:

Not only did we mention this before, but we also did a whole article on how much exercising is important if you want to move your life forward, and make room for some improvement. The truth, simple as it is, is that adding exercise to your life on daily basis is one of the best ways to promote a healthy lifestyle in general. The health related benefits are huge, as is the step you are taking towards self-improvement.

Here is the post that goes more deeply in this matter:

Giving the roller coaster of a schedule that many people are having today, probably the one that sent you here at the first place, we must come to realize just how much important sleep is to all of us. Many studies conducted on couple of the best universities around the world suggest that every individual needs from seven to eight hours a sleep during the night.

And this is the important part- during the night! You see, sleeping in a period in which the body isnt designed to sleep, is equally bad as sleeping less hours. By ruining this schedule, the body endocrine system is not producing melatonin (the hormone which is responsible for making us sleepy) in the right amounts, or shuts production completely.

Here is a post dedicated about why sleeping is so much important, the importance of a good sleeping schedule, the benefits of waking up early and what to do in order to make the most out of it:

This is one of the cornerstones, truly a foundation upon which one healthy lifestyle is build. And make no mistakes, it will change everything for better once you implement the healthy diet into your everyday life. Not only you will be healthy, but you will also have tons and tons of other benefits as well.

Here are some helpful articles we wrote about healthy diet a while ago:

Time = life, therefore, waste your time and waste your life, or master your time and master your life. Alan Lakein

Time management is a process, chain of techniques if you will, that not only make sure that we are on our best when it comes to spending our time, but also gives us the opportunity to know we are doing the best we can, and taking all we can actually take. It can also be a pretty good tool in the battle against stress.

You should only take a look at somebody who is successful in life and is truly enjoying it. The first picture you will get is of a person who is determined in what he is going after, and most of all a person who knows how to get organized, probably possess an effective time management skills and knows what to do in order to achieve his dream.

No man is an island. Youve heard that before, dont you? Well, it turns out that its not only true but its also necessary if you like to live healthy.

You probably assumed by now that we are not only talking about physical health, but rather about health as a whole. Meaning psychological health, health of the spirit as well as of the body. And being social creatures, we humans make everything with tilting toward this fact over and over again.

The way weve built society, the way we try to find new ways for us to correspond, interact Thats really in our nature, and by acknowledging that we must try to be as much social as we can. Forget about everyone that you are not quite fond of, and devote yourself on people you find spending time with enjoyable and relaxing.

Whether this may be your friend, family, significant other Doesnt matter really. What matters is that you go and spend as much time as you can with them.

Now many of you are confused as for why this is listed as one of the steps to living a healthy lifestyle. Fair enough, Ill give you an explanation.

Being curious and wanting to learn everything about everything makes you younger in a way. It makes your spirit remain like it was when you were just a child. It leads towards intellectual growth, and makes you engage yourself further on in using your brain as much as you can.

Just by reading this, you are proving that you are in fact curious person. And what is the result? Well, you are improved in a way or at least heading towards there.

You see, we said that health doesnt necessarily apply just to the body. You must also nurture your brain, your intellect. That is achieved by reading, asking questions, doing some games like puzzles and crosswords, challenge yourself to think deeply about something, have a profound discourse with someone that challenges you. Staying healthy is a wide concept, and this is one of its fundamentals.

An obvious way to fully live a life while enjoying it. Do you smile a lot? Or just from time to time? Or maybe youve forgot how is like to hear yourself giggling about something?

It is our aptitude for humor, our innate characteristics, which make us so fond of it. It is one of the first things a baby does while learning this world, a sign, a symptom of happiness and health if you will. Learning how to put a smile on your face is worth more than learning anything else in life.

Your outlook of life can affect you more than you think. It is about how you perceive things that surround you. Your interpretation of them is what defines them as being one way or another. It defines your perception upon this world as a whole, shapes your experiences even on a daily basis.

Give your undivided attention to people that have positive outlooks on life, and try to figure out how you can change your way of seeing things. Being positive helped many people in life. I once read a book by Bear Grylls in which he explains how being positive changed his life completely, and allowed him to be where he is today.

Another thing closely connected to living a healthy lifestyle when it comes to spirituality and psychological health is having a place or a thing that you really enjoy, and is just for you. Having a hobby is one of the steps to live a healthy life.

Whether this is reading, working in your garden, playing some sport, writing or playing some instrument, it doesnt really matter.

The thing is that you must hold up to this and try to enjoy it more often. For example, I play on my violin from time to time and enjoy practicing pieces from Bach, Sarassate, Mozart and many others. Find your passion about something, and hold up to it for dear life.

As for the last one, it is essential that you reminisce things now and then, and do a check. What am I talking about? Well for starters, you should schedule a visit to the doctors at least twice a year, and do some basic tests. That way you always have the upper hand in case something comes down the way. Checking things out from time to time is one of the steps to living a healthy lifestyle.

Visit a therapist or find some other ways to win the battle with the stress, or just try and take some time for you to realize in which aspect of life you are heading in opposite direction. Doing this you will never feel like there is something that you are not doing right when it comes to your health in general, and you will be more on top of things.

These are some of the ways that are proven to make your life better and h
ealthier in more than one way, and in turn make you enjoy a more fulfilled, healthier life. No matter which one you choose to start with, they will all allow you to make a great change towards better, and you will immediately feel the results .

Can you add more to this? Do you know some other ways of living a healthy lifestyle?

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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10 Crucial Steps To Living A Healthy Lifestyle

We are well into breast cancer awareness month,and while its important to honor those who have lost their battle, its also important to talk about how to handle the hard journey of living with breast cancer.

We were joined by healthy lifestyle expert and founder of Pretty Wellness Caryn Sullivan, who has been on this journey herself. This is what Caryn hopes viewers take away from her segment:

There is hope going through cancer (or other hardship) is devastating, but you dont have to be devastated. This short guide and journal can hopefully help make that hard time a bit easier for the cancer patient, caregiver and friends.

Caryn was lucky and blessed to have three strangers fall into her life guiding her through the first few weeks of disease. Not everyone has that, so she wanted to share what she learned to hopefully eliminate some of the stress and help those touched by cancer.

Tips for Those Diagnosed:

Caryn was diagnosed at 31, three months after her wedding. It came out of left field and she remembers crying on day two thinking, Im supposed to be a newlywed. The nurse told her, even though she had cancer, she could be happy. She then chose to look at life that way. She would have ugly days, but always found a little something to bring her joy and happiness.

Caryn Sullivan is a two-time breast cancer survivor, living with stage IV disease. Shes the founder of Pretty Wellness, author of Happiness through Hardship and proud mom of a ten-year old boy. Follow her on Instagram @PrettyWellness for daily wellness tips and healthy living resources.

Upcoming Public Events:

Right now you can buy online at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.com and in some local stores.

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Living with Breast Cancer with healthy lifestyle expert and founder of Pretty Wellness Caryn Sullivan - WTNH.com

Small Changes to Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle
Take part in National Nutrition Month by making small changes to bite into a healthy lifestyle! By being practical, consistent, and proactive, you too can im...

By: Zahrah Mohamed

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Small Changes to Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle - Video

According to a study, sticking to a healthy lifestyle in young adulthood in to the 40s is clearly linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in middle age.

The research revealed that even individuals having a family history of heart conditions could have a low cardiovascular disease risk profile should they stick to a healthy lifestyle in their younger years, supporting the idea that lifestyle could play a more important part than genetics.

Most individuals who stuck to 5 healthy lifestyle factors since young adulthood, which included a healthy diet, a lean body mass index, not smoking, no alcohol consumption, and regular exercise, could stay in this low risk classification in middle age.

During the 1st year of the research, when the individuals average age was 24, almost 44% had a low cardiovascular disease risk profile.

And 20 years later, on the whole, only 24.5% achieved a low cardiovascular disease risk profile.

60% of individuals who stuck to all 5 healthy lifestyle factors got to middle age having a low cardiovascular risk profile, in comparison to less than 5% who implemented none of the healthy lifestyle factors.

Data collected during 20 yrs from another study was used. It started in 1985 and involved thousands of 18 30 yr olds and has since then observed the same group of individuals.

For this research, the scientists analyzed data like cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, blood sugar, diet and exercise, alcohol intake, and tobacco use from more than 3,000 of the individuals to determine healthy lifestyle factors and a low cardiovascular disease risk profile. So, protect your heart!

Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively

alcohol, cardiovascular, diet, disease, genetics, healthy, heart, lifestyle, protect, risk, survey, tobacco, young

Paul A. Ebeling, polymath, excels in diverse fields of knowledge. Pattern Recognition Analyst in Equities, Commodities and Foreign Exchange and author of The Red Roadmasters Technical Report on the US Major Market Indices, a highly regarded, weekly financial market letter, he is also a philosopher, issuing insights on a wide range of subjects to a following of over 250,000 cohorts. An international audience of opinion makers, business leaders, and global organizations recognizes Ebeling as an expert.

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A Healthy Lifestyle When Younger Reduces Heart Disease Risk Later - Live Trading News

Dietitians offer helpful ways to maintain healthy eating while abiding by safer at home orders by area mayors due to COVID-19

MEMPHIS, Tennessee

Dietitians know it can be difficult to maintain eating well when you are at home because of "safer at home" orders due to the coronavirus pandemic. Jennifer Presson, a registered dietitian at St. Francis Hospital, said it's important to eat well by cooking balanced meals.

"Try keeping it basic and simple back to nature as possible, Presson said.

She recommends when the grocery store is out of meat to eat protein alternatives such as beans, tofu, and greek yogurt. Presson said it's also really important to not change your daily routine when working from home.

"Stick with your routine, wake up, get ready in the morning, make your breakfast," Presson said. "Sit down and work your normal day. Try to keep your body as close to a normal routine as you could."

For a snack, Presson recommends low-fat string cheese, whole grain crackers, and peanut butter with apples or celery. In between meals she said it's good to drink water or other calorie-free drinks to fight cravings. Presson said there are a lot of healthy recipes you can learn to make from home.

"Try to make some canned black beans with corn with no added salt in the can with diced red pepper with a fresh squeeze of lime juice and toss it together," Presson said.

Presson said you can stock up on frozen vegetables, fruit, and low-sodium canned goods, so you don't have to go to the grocery store every week.

Kristi Edwards with 901 Nutrition said during this time people can feel down or unmotivated. What you eat can translate into food that is good for your brain. She said a healthy diet turns into a healthy mind.

"What we feed our gut absolutely has an impact on how we feel," Edwards said.

901 Nutrition has a Facebook page called "Surviving Quarantine w/ 901 Nutrition" which offers recipes and ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Edwards said before you head to the kitchen for food ask yourself if you are actually hungry. This can be a good time to practice "mindful eating."

"How hungry are you right now on a scale from one to ten or are you eating because youre stressed or bored in this case," Edwards said.

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Dietitians offer helpful ways to maintain healthy eating while abiding by safer at home orders due to COVID-19 - WATN - Local 24

Constant progression in technology and living quality has also led to people becoming more informed and acquainted with better health and nutritional choices

October16, 20195 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

The health and nutritional sector in India has undergone a sea-change in the recent years and preventive healthcare is becoming the preferred norm as opposed to curative healthcare. Rise in education, technology and affluent lifestyle have all contributed to increased awareness levels across the Indian demographic landscape. But the rise in overall technology has also led to an increasingly mechanized and sedentary lifestyle thats devoid of physical workout and movement as modernity prefers getting things done at a mere push of a button. Such a lifestyle is an open invitation to diseases and health ailments such as hypertension, blood pressure and diabetes, among others.

But the good news is that constant progression in technology and living quality has also led to people becoming more informed and acquainted with better health and nutritional choices, thanks to the advent of smartphones, high-speed Internet and the omnipresent social media.

The digital penetration has opened up the hitherto closed and constricted Indian consumer from the tier II and tier III cities, to global lifestyles, tastes and aspirations. This means that the average Indian from a small town through his smartphone can avail the latest trends in the health and wellness sector and can match the global pace.

Compared with the eight major tier I cities, there are more than 3,100 tier II and tier III cities, and towns, and together they account for about 92% of the total urban population. Its no surprise that nutrition and wellness brands have identified and seek to cash in on this tremendous market opportunity.An increasing number of people from the tier II and III cities are getting under the cover of health insurance and general wellness schemes and modern health trends owing to the increased permeation of the Internet and smartphone technology. Such measures have led to the rise of conscientious consumerism.

People from tier II and tier III cities are opening up to well-informed choices when it comes to adopting a healthy lifestyle. A large percentage of the population from these cities and urban centres are choosing better and healthier alternatives by exposure to global trends and wellness standards via the Internet. State governments around India have increasingly initiated social welfare schemes, free health check-ups and medical camps and comprehensive health insurance policies that provide precious incentive to the tier II and tier III populace to adapt a healthier and wellness-centric way of living.

A huge number of health and wellness related programmes such as specific theme-based cooking shows hosted by recognizable celebrity chefs, a host of shows that educate viewers about the benefits of a healthy diet and a plethora of featured talk shows and discussion based events that spread awareness and knowledge among its viewers regarding what to eat and what not to eat are also making constant rounds. These are increasing in volume and capacity thanks to the multiplicity of specialized food and health based channels, culinary cook offs and wellness trivia shows that constitute daily public viewing through a host of media platforms such as television and Internet-enabled smartphones.

Since the people residing in the tier II and III towns and cities of India make for the majority of the urban population, it is not far from accurate to assume that their socio-political trends and biological tendencies outline the skeletal structure and framework for the country of India for the sake of a unified glance. Therefore if the people residing in the interior and non-metropolis regions of India shift towards embracing a healthier and more nutritional lifestyle, the country is definitely on the correct path traversing on the established roadmap towards achieving its health and wellness goals.

Health is essentially a state of absolute physical, mental, social and economic wellbeing on an individual and collective level and the state of a nation is directly proportional to the state of its majority population. Good health and proper nutrition is also infectious but in a desirable way as it spreads like a forest fire beyond geographical boundaries and rigors .The government sponsored initiatives and programmes that revolve around mainstreaming yoga, ayurveda , natural plant-based diets , anti-tobacco and anti-liquor campaigns are also diversified yet positive steps in the same direction.

As people increasingly tend to become more aware about what they put inside their bodies, the demand for health boosting products and nutritional supplements also tends to rise. A person becoming more knowledgeable means an improved choice-making when it comes to buying products for consumption basis.

A rise in demand for healthier and nutrition-based products in tier II and tier III cities also means an impetus for health-based companies and nutritional brands to develop their presence and start investing in those regions. This is not only good news for the social and biological health fabric of the small town India but also acts as a valuable stimulus for greater economic growth and development by contributing to the countrys GDP, improving the business market and creating job potential.

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India's Opportunity with the Rising Health and Nutritional Awareness in Tier II and Tier III Cities - Entrepreneur

Many things that we consume do not benefit our body at all and we consume it purely for the flavour while it only harms our health.

Eating right is an essential part of staying healthy and fit. Even if you don't diet or workout it's important to make healthy choices in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. After all, health is wealth. There's nothing more important than your health and not eating right can be very dangerous for your health. You can have all the money in the world and eat all your favourite food but it's not worth it if it harms your health in the long run.

There are foods that we are either addicted to or love consuming that I actually not of any use for our body. They do not provide any nutrition for our body in any way at all. Instead, they are detrimental for our health and can impact our body and eventually lead to chronic problems related to cholesterol or blood pressure or Diabetes or any such chronic this disease. There is nothing that we get from these foods and cutting them from our diet will only help with our health and nothing else. Start making healthier choices with your diet and it can work wonders for your health and body.

All the cold drinks and sodas and packaged juices that you drink contain a lot of artificial sweeteners can be harmful for your health. They increase your sugar intake as well as your calorie intake and are linked to tooth decay, diabetes and other such health problems. Even the energy drinks that you consume do not really provide any benefits to your body.

Those fries and samosas that you love eating are cooked in a lot of oil which can contribute clogged arteries and heart diseases. It puts you at the risk of high cholesterol and heart problems.

Processed meat like bacon and sausages are not very good for health either. These process needs contain a lot of sodium in the form of salt and are preserved for a long time. This increases the risk of blood pressure and cancer is well. If you love meat go for some fresh meat instead of processed.

All the bread and bagels that you consume contain a lot of carbs which are not good for health. They are pure calories and carbs which turn into sugar and then contribute towards ill-health. They have little to none nutritional value.

Cereal is believed to be a healthy breakfast but it's not really true. Cereal might be rich in vitamins and minerals and high nutritional value but the sweetener that it contains is not good for your health. Cereal has little fibre and a lot of artificial sweeteners which is not good for health.

Every now and then we have emphasized the importance of sticking to natural sugar. Sugar that you at your beverages like tea and coffee is not good for your body. It is purely empty calories that can increase the risk of a heart problem and diabetes and other such chronic diseases.

Excerpt from:
Diet Tips: Cut THESE 6 things from your diet to remain healthy - PINKVILLA

Despite what we know about the impact of food choices on our health, overweight and obesity are still on the rise in South Africa, alongside a host of other preventable diseases that can be attributed to unhealthy lifestyles.

Thanks to our industrialised food system, and far greater, ultra-processed and fast food choices aimed at our convenience, weve got further away from eating the whole foods that are really good for us.

This is the message a coalition of health professional associations, including the Department of Health, is highlighting in October across both National Nutrition Week and National Obesity Week, which runs from 9 to 19 October.

This years theme, Make eating whole foods a way of life, focuses the countrys attention on the importance of consuming a mostly plant-based diet of mainly unprocessed and minimally processed foods. Whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds are health promoting foods that are nutrient-dense, high in fibre, and free from food additives, added sugar, fat and salt.

Whole foods offer a wide range of choice and enable a family lifestyle centred on healthy eating choices which, for children, can help cement these healthy lifestyle habits for years to come. The Nutrition Society of South Africa (NSSA) points out that the risks of unhealthy diets and lifestyles start in childhood and build up over our lives. Severe obesity, which is life threatening, affects around 20% of women and 3% of men.

These concerns are shared by the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa, which reports that every day 225 South Africans die of cardiovascular disease. Only a small proportion of the deaths are age-related.

The campaign is also supported by MaTCH, the Maternal, Adolescent and Child Health Institute, an indigenous non-profit organisation providing a broad range of HIV and TB-focused assistance. Lenore Spies, the technical advisor of MaTCH, says: Limiting the intake of ultra-processed foods and rather eating mainly whole foods plays an important role in a healthy pregnancy as well as ensuring good nutrition for children, families and those whose immune functioning may be compromised. A diet based on a variety of whole foods, which are foods in, or close to, their natural state, provides us with a broad spectrum of nutrients we need to safeguard our health, including dietary fibre.

Another important aspect of healthy eating is getting into the habit of reading the ingredient lists on the labels.

An ultra-processed food or drink is one that usually has five or more ingredients listed on the label, and typically a number of these are not recognisable as foods you would use in home cooking.

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Healthy nutrition is key - News24

A common therapy for joint pain may not be as safe as experts believed, according to a new report published Tuesday.

Corticosteroid injections are often given to reduce pain and inflammation from osteoarthritis.

But these injections may do more harm than good: The report found corticosteroid shots in the hips and knees may accelerate the progression of osteoarthritis and potentially even hasten the need for joint replacement surgeries in the long run, said lead author Dr. Ali Guermazi, a professor of radiology at the Boston University School of Medicine.

The intra-articular corticosteroid injections in the hips and knees are not as safe as we thought, Guermazi, whose paper is published in the journal Radiology, said.

Its estimated that more than 30 million Americans have osteoarthritis, a chronic condition that causes cartilage loss, joint inflammation, pain, swelling and, in severe cases, bone destruction, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

Corticosteroid injections into the hips and knees are a common treatment for patients in significant pain; in one study of more than 16,500 patients who underwent knee or hip joint replacement, half had received corticosteroid injections in the prior two years. The injections often are covered by insurance.

In the new paper, Guermazis team reviewed existing literature on corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis, and also looked at data on 459 patients at Boston Medical Center who received one to three corticosteroid injections in the hip or knee in 2018. The researchers found that 8 percent of patients developed complications, including cartilage loss, stress fractures, bone deterioration and joint destruction, in the two to 15 months following the injections.

The rate of complications surprised Guermazi, who added that the figure may actually be an underestimate, because 218 of the patients did not have follow-up imaging tests to assess the health of their joints.

While patients may report temporary pain relief from the corticosteroid injections, he said, the injections may be detrimental in the long run. They may actually harm your knee or your hip, he said.

An exact explanation for the findings is unclear, Guermazi said, but there is some evidence that corticosteroid injections, which typically are combined with an anesthetic, can be toxic to cartilage, and more studies are needed to understand their effects and clarify their benefits and risks.

Dr. Antonia Chen, an associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at Harvard Medical School and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, said corticosteroid injections can help relieve pain in some, but not all, patients for as long as days or months. But patients should be informed that the injections carry risks, as the new paper and others have shown, which is why its recommended the injections be given no more frequently than every three months, she said.

There are definitely benefits and there are definitely risks, and these risks must be mentioned to patients, Chen said. Some patients will say they dont want to undergo temporary relief and they dont want to have the chance of progressing their arthritis, and some say they need some sort of pain relief to just live day to day.

But before turning to injections or other medications, Chen recommends that patients with osteoarthritis first talk with a physician about noninvasive approaches, such as exercise, physical therapy and weight loss.

Guy Eakin, senior vice president of scientific strategy for the Arthritis Foundation, agreed, telling NBC News that a healthy lifestyle remains the key to managing osteoarthritis.

Exercise is really one of the best things that can be done, he said.

Indeed, research indicates that exercise helps ease pain, improve mobility and strengthen muscles around the joints. Stretching activities such as yoga and tai chi may help increase flexibility and reduce joint stiffness. Exercise also can aid in weight loss to reduce pressure on the joints.

While arthritis patients in chronic pain may try to get relief from pain relievers or injections of corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid, there is no cure for the condition. Patients who ultimately end up with bone rubbing against bone may be in such severe pain and have such difficulty moving that they opt for a total joint replacement.

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Jacqueline Stenson

NBC News contributor Jacqueline Stenson is a health and fitness journalist who has written for the Los Angeles Times, Reuters, Health, Self and Shape, among others.She also teaches at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program.

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Common joint pain treatment may be more harmful than thought - NBC News

Having psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of cancer, a new review of studies concludes.

Researchers, writing in JAMA Dermatology, combined data from 58 studies and found that, over all, compared with people without the condition, psoriasis of any degree of severity was associated with an 18 percent increased risk for cancer, and severe psoriasis with a 22 percent increase. Cancer mortality was elevated in all cases of severe psoriasis.

For some specific types of cancer, the risk was even higher. For example, they found that severe psoriasis was associated with more than 11 times the risk for squamous cell carcinoma (a skin cancer), about double the risk for esophageal and liver cancer, and a 45 percent increased risk for pancreatic cancer.

Any degree of psoriasis, severe or not, was significantly associated with colorectal cancer, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and cancers of the kidney and pancreas, among others.

The reason for the connection is unclear, but there is a known link between chronic inflammation and cancer, and this may help explain the association.

Alex M. Trafford of the University of Manchester, the lead author, said people with psoriasis tend to smoke more, weigh more and drink more alcohol, factors not accounted for in all of the studies.

Carrying on a healthy lifestyle, he said, could potentially make a big difference in this risk.

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Psoriasis Tied to Increased Cancer Risk - The New York Times

Executive functions consist of sets of important cognitive functions that undergo a major developmental phase throughout adolescence. These executive cognitive processes include attentional control, inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, in addition to reasoning, problem-solving, and planning, and are essential for academic performance and physical and mental health. Attentional control is understood to be essential in any learning process, as it facilitates selective attention to particular stimuli while simultaneously inhibiting other distractions. During adolescence, modifiable factors that make a healthy lifestyle, such as diet and physical activity may promote cognitive development and attention capacity.

Previous research has suggested that dietary patterns may demonstrate a stronger association with executive functions than single nutrient/food intakes. Since similar implications may apply to the study of attention capacity, an article published in British Journal of Nutrition aimed to investigate the associations of dietary patterns and macronutrient composition with attention capacity in European adolescents.

The cross-sectional study examined 384 (165 male and 219 female) adolescent participants between the ages of 12.5 and 17.5 years from five European countries in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study. The d2 Test of Attention was administered in a classroom under the supervision of a fieldworker to examine attention capacity and response inhibition, and dietary intake was evaluated through two non-consecutive 24 hour recalls using a computer-based self-administered tool. Three dietary patterns were assessed: diet quality index considered quality, diversity, and equilibrium; ideal diet score (advocated by the American Heart Association) which is based on the DASH diet and has previously been linked to cognitive performance in children; and Mediterranean diet score, which has been correlated with cognition in older adults. Additionally, macronutrient and fibre intakes were calculated.

Data analysis indicated that a healthier diet pattern (higher diet quality index and ideal diet score) was associated with greater attention capacity in European adolescents. Interestingly, little evidence suggested that the Mediterranean diet score or macronutrient/fibre intake were correlated with attention capacity. In order to more comprehensively investigate these relationships, intervention studies evaluating a causal relationship between a healthy lifestyle, diet quality and attention capacity in adolescence are required.

Western diets rich in meat and refined sugars but poor in vegetables, fruits and fish have been associated with impaired cognitive function due to increased oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and impaired blood-brain barrier integrity. Fruits and vegetables that contain high levels of neuroprotective polyphenols and micronutrients such as folate may be crucial for cognitive development. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is vulnerable to changes in the diet, may also influence cognition, due to its involvement in the growth and survival of many types of neurons and synaptic plasticity. As well, insulin resistance and high blood pressure may negatively influence cognition.

There is a myriad of factors that influence cognition, attention and executive function. This study sheds some light on a healthy lifestyle, including nutrition as an important factor influencing executive function in adolescence. Improving overall nutrition is an important strategy to improve attention control in adolescents.

Written byJordyn Posluns, B.Sc. (Hons)

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Can a Healthy Lifestyle Lead to Longer Attention Spans? - Medical News Bulletin

How is it that the United States spends the most money on healthcare, and yet still has the one of the lowest life expectancies of all developed nations? (To be specific: $9,400 per capita, 79 years, and 31st.)

Maybe those of us in healthcare have been looking at it all wrong, for too long.

Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health conducted a massive study of the impact of health habits on life expectancy, using data from the well-known Nurses Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). This means that they had data on a huge number of people over a very long period of time. The NHS included over 78,000 women and followed them from 1980 to 2014. The HPFS included over 40,000 men and followed them from 1986 to 2014. This is over 120,000 participants, 34 years of data for women, and 28 years of data for men.

The researchers looked at NHS and HPFS data on diet, physical activity, body weight, smoking, and alcohol consumption that had been collected from regularly administered, validated questionnaires.

These five areas were chosen because prior studies have shown them to have a large impact on risk of premature death. Here is how these healthy habits were defined and measured:

1. Healthy diet, which was calculated and rated based on the reported intake of healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, healthy fats, and omega-3 fatty acids, and unhealthy foods like red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, trans fat, and sodium.

2. Healthy physical activity level, which was measured as at least 30 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous activity daily.

3. Healthy body weight, defined as a normal body mass index (BMI), which is between 18.5 and 24.9.

4. Smoking, well, there is no healthy amount of smoking. Healthy here meant never having smoked.

5. Moderate alcohol intake, which was measured as between 5 and 15 grams per day for women, and 5 to 30 grams per day for men. Generally, one drink contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol. Thats 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.

Researchers also looked at data on age, ethnicity, and medication use, as well as comparison data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys and the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research.

As it turns out, healthy habits make a big difference. According to this analysis, people who met criteria for all five habits enjoyed significantly, impressively longer lives than those who had none: 14 years for women and 12 years for men (if they had these habits at age 50). People who had none of these habits were far more likely to die prematurely from cancer or cardiovascular disease.

Study investigators also calculated life expectancy by how many of these five healthy habits people had. Just one healthy habit (and it didnt matter which one) just one extended life expectancy by two years in men and women. Not surprisingly, the more healthy habits people had, the longer their lifespan. This is one of those situations where I wish I could reprint their graphs for you, because theyre so cool. (But if youre very curious, the article is available online, and the graphs are on page 7. Check out Graph B, Estimated life expectancy at age 50 according to the number of low-risk factors.)

This is huge. And, it confirms prior similar research a lot of prior similar research. A 2017 study using data from the Health and Retirement Study found that people 50 and older who were normal weight, had never smoked, and drank alcohol in moderation lived on average seven years longer. A 2012 mega-analysis of 15 international studies that included over 500,000 participants found that over half of premature deaths were due to unhealthy lifestyle factors such as poor diet, inactivity, obesity, excessive alcohol intake, and smoking. And the list of supporting research goes on.

As the authors of this study point out, in the US we tend to spend outlandishly on developing fancy drugs and other treatments for diseases, rather than on trying to prevent them. This is a big problem.

Experts have suggested that the best way to help people make healthy diet and lifestyle change is at the large-scale, population level, through public health efforts and policy changes. (Kind of like motorcycle helmets and seat belt legislation) We have made a little progress with tobacco and trans-fat legislation.

Theres a lot of pushback from big industry on that, of course. If we have guidelines and laws helping us to live healthier, big companies arent going to sell as much fast food, chips, and soda. And for companies hell-bent on making money at the cost of human life, well, that makes them very angry.

Follow me on Twitter @drmoniquetello

Impact of healthy lifestyle factors on life expectancies in the US population. Circulation, April 2018.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, What is a standard drink?

The population health benefits of a healthy lifestyle: Life expectancy increased and onset of disability delayed. Health Affairs, August 2017.

The combined effects of healthy lifestyle behaviors on all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine, September 2012.

Changing minds about changing behavior. Lancet, January 2018.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Final Determination regarding Partially Hydrogenated Oils (trans fat)

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act- An Overview

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Healthy lifestyle: 5 keys to a longer life - Harvard ...

Name: Sammi Goldsmith

Age: 23

Occupation: Graduate Student

Hometown: Greensboro, NC

How long have you been running?

I have been running for almost three years.

What prompted you to start?

My dad suffered his first of two heart attacks almost three years ago during the fall of my junior year. His near death experience was a wake up call for me. I started to research heart-health and decided to turn my life around. Changing my eating habits and implementing running into my workout routine were my main priorities. One of my college basketball teammates offered to run with me a few times a week, and soon enough I was addicted.

MOM WARNS OTHERS AFTER 1-YEAR-OLD TESTS POSITIVE FOR HERPES VIRUS

How often do you run?

I run three to four times per week.

What is your routine?

I run one easy run of three to five miles, one day of speed workouts on the treadmill, one longer tempo run of six to eight miles, and one long slow run of eight or more miles.

Do you race? If so, how often, and what kind of races?

I have completed two half marathons, a plethora of 5Ks, and hope to run a full marathon in 2018. I will be running my third half marathon and a 10-miler in September. I love racing and the amazing running community.

Do you engage in other sports or activities? If so, what and how often?

I played college basketball and am now the graduate assistant for the womens basketball team at Virginia Tech. I am working toward earning my Masters in Education and plan to pursue a career as a womens college basketball coach. I also lift weights, go to spin class, and cook often.

Whats the most rewarding part of running for you?

There are two things that I love the most about running. The first is the feeling of accomplishment and pride when I run a distance Ive never reached before, or PR in a race. It is a beautiful thing to discover that your body is capable of doing things that you once thought were impossible. The second thing I love about running is the amazing community it has brought into my life. I now have multiple running partners, and my long runs with them turn into amazing, in-depth conversations that bring us even closer together.

Please describe your weight loss journey, including your before and after weights.

My weight loss journey begins with me stepping on the scale at the doctors office only to feel shame and disappointment. The scale read 183.5 pounds. I started taking steps toward living a healthier lifestyle after my dads heart attack. I began to cook a lot more and stopped drinking soda. McDonalds drive-thru breakfast was no longer a part of my morning routine. I was doing my basketball pre-season workouts as well as the additional runs with my teammate. After four months of little changes, I stepped on the scale to see a big surprise. I weighed 165 pounds. Now, three years after my journey began and now as a runner-lover, I weigh 153 pounds.

What is the secret to your weight loss success?

I would say the secret to my weight loss was making little changes and being consistent. For example, I gave up soda and havent had it since. I think not drinking my calories helped me lose weight by cutting down my caloric intake. I also only eat out once or twice per week and eat a lot less meat. Cutting down on my sugar and saturated fat intake was also key.

How do you stay motivated?

I started a fitness and wellness blog and Instagram in order to showcase the nutritious meals I cook. Friends and strangers alike ask for tips because they find my story inspiring. This, along with my relationship with my dad, keeps me motivated to continue to live a healthy lifestyle.

JAPANESE WOMAN DIED FROM TICK-BORNE ILLNESS DESPITE NO TICK BITE, OFFICIALS SAY

Do you have any favorite motivational quotes?

You miss 100 percent of the shots you dont take. Wayne Gretzky.

Even when you have gone as far as you can, and everything hurts, and you are staring at the specter of self-doubt, you can find a bit more strength deep inside you, if you look closely enough. Hal Higdon

What are your current short and long-term goals?

My current short-term goals are to PR on my next half marathon and start training for a full marathon. My long-term goal is to run in the Boston Marathon eventually, as well as become a head womens coach at the collegiate level within the next ten years.

Is there anything else youd like to tell us?

I have truly fallen in love with running. It brought me friendships, happiness, and a new passion. I am forever grateful for that.

This article first appeared on Runner's World.

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Dad's heart attack scared her into a healthy lifestyle - Fox News

Being healthy is about more than just exercise. That's the idea behind a new wellness app right here in the Lowcountry.

Most people think working out means sweating. But for some, fitness is a more than just working out. It's a lifestyle.

Dr. Susan Johnson and Rebecca Blackman Ramsay launched the app "Vimcity" in April.

"Trying to build healthy communities through engagement, using a mobile app as a tool," Dr. Johnson said.

It's all about getting healthy and maintaining it.

"Your home screen has the locations that are closest to you that are health promoting businesses," said Blackman Ramsay.

Director of fitness and partner at Hylo, Josh Durbin said, "It's nice to have a site now that you can go to that really caters to the health minded to have one place to go where you can find your health and fitness options, good nutritional options."

More than 600 of those options... The app shows you community events, shopping and fitness classes. You can even track your steps.

"I believe that we can't have too many healthy options in town," Durbin said.

The app puts hundreds of healthy options right at your fingertips

Vimcity is free for you to download. It's also free for local businesses. There's an incentive program so you can unlock deals the more you use the app. Local businesses also offer exclusive deals through it too.

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New wellness app Vimcity promotes a healthy lifestyle - ABC NEWS 4

Home Liver 6 tips for a healthy liver

You know all the healthy lifestyle habits necessary to keep your heart healthy, lower your blood pressure, keep your brain sharp, your digestion moving smoothly, and to keep your bones and muscles strong, but do you know what to do to keep your liver healthy? The liver is a very important organ that is involved with over 500 functions, yet many of us ignore it.

There are numerous threats to the liver, but many of us dont take the time to learn how to keep our liver healthy. You may not know this, but a lot of health problems actually stem from the liver, so a healthy liver may be the secret to overall good health.

So, why not start caring for your liver instead of just treating arising problems.

Below you will find six useful and easy tips that can go a long way in improving your liver health.

Eat healthily. This is a no-brainergood health begins with proper nutrition. Just as you can eat to improve your heart, you can also eat to improve your liver.

Diet affects the liver because eventually, everything we take in makes its way through the liver. The liver is responsible for removing toxins and metabolizing substances so that the body can use them. Therefore, you dont want to eat bad food that can make your liver sick. Instead, opt for healthy food choices, avoid saturated and trans-fat, reduce your alcohol intake, and stock up on vegetables.

Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a big threat to the liver. This is because alcohol is very hard for your liver to break down. This can increase the risk of damage to the liver, which can deteriorate it over time.

Quit smoking. If youre a smoker, there is another reason to quit: It can harm your liver. Toxins in cigarette smoke can travel to the liver, and if you already have a liver problem, smoking can worsen your condition.

Exercise regularly. Yes, your liver can also benefit from regular exercise just like all your other organs. This is because fat can accumulate around the liver, leading to disease. Therefore, regular exercise helps your burn off fat. Furthermore, exercise is a stress reliever and stress is another enemy of the liver.

Pencil in relaxation time. As mentioned, stress is an enemy of the liver. Taking the time to unwind and relax can help you recharge overall.

Speak to your doctor about supplements and medications. Supplements and medications both end up passing through the liver and many of these arent safe for your liver. Prior to beginning any supplement or medication, always speak to your doctor whether or not it is safe.

Liver disease is a very serious health threat and if not caught early enough can ultimately lead to liver failure or even death. By adhering to these simple lifestyle changes, you can have greater success in maintaining a healthy liver.

Related Reading:

6 Foods for a clean and healthy liver

Is your liver healthy? Watch out for these six symptoms

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11244162 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hep.510270635/pdf http://www.academia.edu/20076665/Five-year_survival_predictive_factors_in_patients_with_excessive_alcohol_intake_and_cirrhosis._Effect_of_alcoholic_hepatitis_smoking_and_abstinence

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6 tips for a healthy liver - Bel Marra Health

OKLAHOMA CITY- Oklahoman veteran Connor Mason is encouraging Oklahoma youth to live a fit lifestyle now for a healthier life experience in the future. According to Mason, living healthy, rather than weight loss, is the practical way to combat obesity in America.

Being in the military sparked in me a desire to maximize the intrinsic value of each moment life gives, said Mason, 22.

On July 29, Mason willattemptto beat the Oklahoma powerlifting record at the United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) competition at True Strength Gym, 820 S Elm Place, in Broken Arrow. Mason has broken the record multiple times in practice with Zacch Jackson, a current powerlifting record holder. With the Oklahoma title, Mason plans to compete at the national USPA competition this year.

Mason said coming home from Iraq and seeing all the changes in his young son made him realize how little time one has to make a difference in the life of a child.

When I deployed, my son was just an infant. Pictures and videos did not save me from the passage of time. When I came home, he was big enough to follow me and emulate my behavior. He wanted to do everything I did. If I was exercising, he was right there with me, Mason explained.

Mason, an army paratrooper, deployed to Operation Inherent Resolve in 2015. Always an athlete, Mason became interested in bodybuilding while serving in Iraq.

I found there is a strong correlation between physical fitness and mental health. You really cant separate them. A healthy lifestyle can improve balance, flexibility, strength and stamina along with helping focus. It reduces the effect of stress, and even reduces the severity of attention deficit disorder. I have learned that to be able to effectively deal with whatever battle is coming in life, fitness is a key to getting farther, faster, he said.

To that end, Masons fitness enterprise, Atlas Lifts, has launched a school initiative to share the Move the World message.

Mason said when people say, Thank you for your service, he does not want that to end with his tour of duty, but wants to continue his fight for America by teaching children to be happier, healthier adults and attain their own level of greatness.

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Oklahoma veteran touts benefits of healthy lifestyle ahead of USPA open - Red Dirt Report

Corporate employee wellness programs are now going beyond free flu shots and discounted passes to a local gym.

Locally, businesses are incorporating more efforts to address Oklahomas high rates of obesity and chronic weight-related conditions.

To receive the designation, companies have to show documentation of policies, procedures and programs available to their employees to support a healthy lifestyle. As of February, more than 750 businesses statewide have Certified Healthy status.

Although some components, such as a smoke-free workplace policy, are standard for Certified Healthy businesses, Julie Dearing with the Center for the Advancement of Wellness has noticed an emerging trend that brings in an unexpected ally: the office vending machine.

While representing the Certified Healthy program at a conference, Dearing was approached by a representative of a vending machine company who had multiple Oklahoma-based clients shift their offices offerings toward nuts, sunflower seeds and other healthier pre-packaged options.

That weve got companies giving that push to vending machine vendors and then have the distributor come up and talk to me about it is something, she said. If the demands not there for healthier items, theyre not going to supply them.

Dearing said she has also noticed more businesses start subsidizing personal fitness trackers and encouraging step count contests to get their employees moving more during the day.

With an estimated 20 percent of American adults experiencing depression or other mental health issues, more employers nationally are starting to take a holistic approach.

The National Business Group on Health is a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of large companies on national health policy issues and works with those companies to manage and improve health care for their employees.

LuAnn Heinen, the organizations vice president for workforce well-being, productivity and human capital, primarily works with larger companies and has noticed an uptick in organizations attempting to address mental health.

To bring stress levels down, meditation and mindfulness training via mobile apps are gaining popularity, she said.

If you care about business and this community, it's a small price to pay to be in the know. For a limited time, get a digital subscription for just $3.95 a month. Sign up now at tulsaworld.com/subscribe.

Additionally, more companies are taking steps to help employees access counselors at work.

What were seeing is that some companies are bringing their counseling services on site and having them set up shop in the clinic, she said. You go in through the same door, and no one knows if youre there for mental health services or a flu shot.

Several employers are also expanding their wellness programs to address issues that can lead to stress and reduced efficiency at work, including financial problems.

If you cant pay your bills, its going to take up so much mind space, making it hard to be productive, she said. Its potentially a big distraction.Nationally, about 30 percent of companies offered subsidies or discounts for pedometers or other fitness wearables in 2016.

Weve got companies that are being creating and using whats out there in terms of technology to demonstrate that OK, Im going to invest this extra $150 in you, but you need to show me that youre keeping your step goals up, she said. And employees are doing it because they see the value its reciprocal.

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Employee wellness: More employers taking holistic approach to wellness - Tulsa World

Pokemon GOs release resulted, for a while that is, in hordes of people milling around certain places, phones in front of their face, on the hunt for digital creatures. Some decried the game as a public nuisance, but many rose in defense of it, highlighting the fact that these individuals were out walking around rather than sitting at home on the sofa. A recent study from Kent State University researchers takes that observation to a new level, crunching the numbers to confirm that Pokemon GO does indeed promote a healthier lifestyle.

It has been a year since Pokemon GO was released and the game is still going strong. Unlike most mobile games, this one forces players not only to stand up and move around, but to actively walk to different locations. Many players report walking long distances throughout a day while on the hunt for Pokemon. To assess how much of an effect the game had on promoting exercise, researchers looked at the activity level of 350 college students.

These students first reported their level of sedentary/active behaviors throughout a week before downloading the Pokemon GO app, then they again reported their numbers after playing the game for a week, then once more after playing the agme for several weeks. In that first week after downloading the game, sedentary behaviors dropped by 25%, with the figure dropping to 18% after several weeks.

After having the game for several weeks, players had an average of 68% greater walking activity compared to before they started playing the game. This was despite the frequency with which they played the game dropping by an average of 58% after several weeks. The study serves to highlight that Pokemon GO and other travel-based games like it can be used to effectively promote physical activity among kids who otherwise may spend too much time sitting.

SOURCE: EurekAlert

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Study finds Pokemon GO promotes a healthy lifestyle - SlashGear - SlashGear