Tunisian Grilled Peppers and Tomatoes with Couscous

This makes a heavenly summer meal. Reconstitute some couscous and top with this spicy, juicy mix of grilled pepper and tomato salad. You can serve the couscous warm or at room temperature. The pepper salad is typical of Tunisian grilled salads (mechwya), of which there are many versions (eggplant can be included in the mix). In Tunisia, a spice mix called tabil would be used to season the peppers. I keep the mix on hand, without the dried garlic, but here I’ve given you a mix of spices to use. You can substitute tabil if you have some; the mix will be a little hotter because there is cayenne in the tabil.

Time: About 45 minutes

3 large bell peppers, preferably a mix of red, yellow and green or yellow, orange and red (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 green Anaheim peppers

1 pound ripe but firm tomatoes

1 or 2 garlic cloves, to taste

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground caraway

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch of cayenne (more to taste)

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
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2 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 to 1 1/2 cups couscous, reconstituted (3 to 4 1/2 cups reconstituted couscous)

Imported black olives for garnish

1. Grill peppers over a hot grill or a gas flame, or under a broiler, until charred. Place in a bowl and cover with a plate or with plastic. Allow to cool.

2. Grill tomatoes over a hot grill or under a broiler for about 3 minutes, until skins split and char. If tomatoes are large, turn over and grill on the other side. Small tomatoes needn’t be turned. You do not want to cook them until they’re overly soft. Remove from heat, place in a bowl and allow to cool until you can handle them.

3. When peppers are cool enough, stem and peel. Holding them over the bowl to catch juices, seed and cut in 2-inch long strips. Transfer to another bowl and strain in juices. Peel, core and slice tomatoes. Cut slices into strips and transfer, with juices, to bowl with peppers.

4. In a mortar and pestle, purée garlic with a generous pinch of salt. Add caraway, coriander and cayenne if using. Work in the lemon juice and olive oil and toss with vegetables. Add half the parsley and toss together. Taste and adjust seasoning.

5. Warm couscous if desired and divide among plates or wide bowls. Spoon on pepper and tomato salad with juices in bowl. Sprinkle more parsley on top and serve.

Yield: Serves 6

Advance preparation: The salad gets better with time, so make it up to a day ahead if you want to. It will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator, as will reconstituted couscous.

Nutritional information per serving: 243 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 43 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 13 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 7 grams protein

Grilled Greek Salad

Grilling intensifies the flavor of the veggies in this spin on a classic.

3 zucchini, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 cucumbers, sliced
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup feta

DRESSING

3 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried oregano

1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients.

2. Light a gas or charcoal grill. Toss zucchini and onion with olive oil to coat, and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Place in a vegetable basket and grill for 3 to 5 minutes, rotating for even cooking.

3. Toss grilled vegetables with tomato, cucumber, olives, and feta. Drizzle with dressing.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Per serving: 270 cal 20 g fat (5 g sat), 16 g carbs, 550 mg sodium, 4 g fiber 7 g protein

TOP IT OFF

To liven up your salad and make it more of a meal, try any of these tasty, nutritious add-ons.

HEMP HEARTS

Shelled hemp seeds are one of the densest sources of plant protein and an excellent source of iron, magnesium, and both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

FENNEL

Thinly sliced fennel bulb provides a refreshing crunch and can also aid digestion.

SAUERKRAUT (OR KIMCHI)

Fermented foods filled with probiotic goodness, sauerkraut and kimchi are low in calories and lend tanginess and spice.

QUINOA

Bulk up your salad with this high-protein favorite--it cooks in just 15 minutes on the stove.

BLUEBERRIES

Packed with antioxidants, blueberries are bursting with flavor and have only 40 calories in a half cup.

Asian Edamame Salad

White miso, a traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans, adds protein and earthy flavor to this Asian-style dressing.

1 head purple cabbage, shredded
1 cup steamed, shelled edamame
4 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup cilantro

GINGER-MISO DRESSING

1 piece ginger (2 inches), minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp white miso
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp agave

1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients.

2. Combine all salad ingredients and toss with dressing to coat.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Per serving: 220 cal, 9 g fat (1 g sat), 29 g carbs: 410 mg sodium, 9 g fiber, 8 g protein

Shaved Beet Salad

Thinly sliced root veggies conjure up a light, summery feel. And studies show that beet juice may help improve athletic endurance and lower blood pressure.

4 beets (2 golden, 2 red), sliced with a mandolin
4 radishes, sliced with a mandolin
4 carrots, sliced with a mandolin
2 Tbsp hazelnuts
1/4 cup parsley
4 oz goat cheese

MAPLE SYRUP VINAIGRETTE

3 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1. Whisk together dressing ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Combine sliced vegetables in a bowl. Top with hazelnuts, parsley, and goat cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with dressing.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Per serving: 330 cal, 21 g fat (8 g sat), 27 g carbs, 260 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 9 g protein

Plum Caprese Salad

Plums are a slightly sweeter stand-in for tomatoes, and research shows they have compounds that may help fight metabolic syndrome, a condition related to obesity, and chronic inflammation in the body.

2 cups balsamic vinegar
4 Tbsp honey
8 plums, pitted and sliced into 8 pieces each
1/2 cup fresh basil
8 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

1. Combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until the vinegar thickens into a syrup.

2. Layer plum slices, basil, and mozzarella in a circle on a plate. Drizzle with vinegar-honey glaze and serve.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Per serving: 340 cal, 9 g fat (6 g sat), 46 g carbs, 390 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 16 g protein

3 Packable Lunches That Will Change Your ENTIRE Day

Midday meals can be so snooze-worthy, so we created three exciting options that are delicious, nutritious, and a snap to pack. Theyr'e the best thing to happen to desk dwellers since sticky notes.

Good-bye, lunch "hour"—in a recent survey, employees said their midday break lasts only about 30 minutes or less, and 29 percent admitted to working through it. But dining al desko doesn't mean you should skimp on yummy food. Pack one of these creative, healthy, and satisfying meals—courtesy of Food52.com's "Not Sad Desk Lunch" column—and you'll be pumped up for the rest of the day.

Collard Green Wraps

Think of collards as carb-free tortillas. Remove their stiff backbones and they become pliable, while still holding up to travel (no tearing or sogginess) better than flimsier greens. Add flavor by filling them with crumbly cheeses mixed with crisp vegetables and bright herbs.

With a paring knife, shave the thick spine from 2 collard leaves, being careful not to cut into the leaves. Flip them over and spread 2 tablespoons hummus on each wrap. Top each with 1 sliced hard-boiled egg, 1 tablespoon grated carrots, 1 sliced radish, and 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped roasted red peppers. Sprinkle each with 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley and 1/2 tablespoon crumbled feta, then fold them like burritos.

MAKES 1 SERVING

Per serving: 320 cal, 19 g fat (6 g sat), 19 g carbs, 520 mg sodium, 8 g fiber, 21 g protein

Rice Noodle Bowl

If you'd rather eat takeout than brave the mystery splatters inside the shared office microwave, this hearty, best-served-cold bowl is your answer. Toss with dressing the night before, and the flavors should achieve perfection just in time for your afternoon meal.

Top 1 cup cooked rice noodles with 3 ounces cooked chicken, plus 1 cup shredded Napa cabbage sauteed in 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat. Finish everything with 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce, a pinch each of chili flakes and toasted sesame seeds, a squeeze of lime, and a tablespoon of chopped scallions.

MAKES 1 SERVING

Per serving: 420 cal, 8 g fat (1.5 g sat), 54 g carbs, 510 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 30 g protein

Salad in a Jar

Why bother with a plate when you can make, carry, and eat your lunch from a single vessel? The dressing-on-the-bottom approach keeps your veggies crunchy and lettuce crisp until the moment you're ready to enjoy. Then a few flips of the jar will coat everything nicely—genius.

In the bottom of a large jar, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon each of red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon honey. Seal the jar and shake vigorously until the oil and vinegar combine. Layer in 1/3 cup cooked cranberry beans, 1/3 cup sliced radishes, 1/2 cup cooked freekah (or another chewy whole grain), a pinch of minced tarragon, and 2 tablespoons chopped black olives. Top with 2 tablespoons soft goat cheese. Fill the rest of the jar with 1/2 cup lightly packed arugula.

MAKES 1 SERVING

Per serving: 350 calories, 22 g fat (6 g sat), 26 g carbs, 370 mg sodium, 8 g fiber, 13 g protein

The One Veggie With Actual Detoxing Power

Salad and green smoothie junkies, are you listening?

 

Ever since the detox diet trend hit big, nutritionists have generally given the thumbs-down to the idea that certain foods can rid your body of harmful chemicals (ah, that’s what your liver is for). But a new study demonstrates that one green veggie really might have legitimate detoxing cred: broccoli sprouts. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that these little green buds helped excrete air pollutants at an accelerated rate.

Researchers writing in Cancer Prevention Research focused on about 300 study subjects living in a Chinese city with a high air pollution rate. One group was given a daily drink made with freeze-dried broccoli sprout powder, while the other group consumed a daily placebo beverage sans sprouts. After 12 weeks, the researchers tested the urine and blood of the study subjects. Their findings: the pollutant excretion level among the sprout drinkers was substantially higher than that of the placebo group. The detox rate of one cancer-causing pollutant, benzene, shot up 61 percent, while the rate for another carcinogen, acrolein, increased 23 percent.

What’s so special about broccoli sprouts? In the study, researchers wrote that a compound found in these veggies and other cruciferous greens, called glucoraphanin, has previously been shown to have anti-cancer properties in animal studies—suggesting that this compound might have something to do with the study results. Though much more research needs to be done before broccoli sprouts or similar veggies are proven to remove pollutants from the body, it can’t hurt to pick some of these up in the produce aisle and add them to a salad or blend them into your next green smoothie.

Broad bean and courgette salad

Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett gives us this seasonal recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. Easy and delicious!

Serves  4

Ingredients

75 g pancetta, cut into pieces (optional) about 1 x 2 cm
200 g podded broad beans (about 1 kg unpodded)
8 baby or 4 medium courgettes
4 tbsp olive oil
1 quantity classic vinaigrette (see below)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 walnut halves, roughly chopped, to serve

Method

1/ If using the pancetta, heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the pancetta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces are golden brown then transfer the pancetta and fat to a bowl and set aside.

2/ Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the broad beans and boil for 2–3 minutes. Drain and plunge into iced water; leave to cool a little before removing the skins.

3/ If using medium courgettes, cut them into four lengthways and slice into pieces about 5 mm thick. Cut baby courgettes into 4–5 pieces on the diagonal.

4/ Heat the olive oil in the frying pan over a medium heat and add the courgettes. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, or until they are a light golden colour. Add a little seasoning (remember, the pancetta is already quite salty), then add the broad beans.

5/ Cook for about 30 seconds to warm through, then add the pancetta along with its cooking fat. Mix everything together well and check the seasoning one last time.

6/ Remove from the heat and stir in the vinaigrette while still warm. Serve on individual plates, with the walnuts scattered over.

Classic Vinaigrette

Makes 120ml
20ml White Wine vinegar
Salt
100ml Olive Oil
½ tsp Dijon Mustard

Put the vinegar in a bowl, season well and mix until the salt is completely dissolved. Add the olive oil and mustard, then whisk everything together.

8 Foods That Give You an Afternoon Energy Boost That AREN'T a Cup of Coffee

You know the feeling. Your shoulders sag forward, your eyelids are heavier than paperweights, you've read and reread the same sentence seven times in a row…it's the dreaded 3 p.m. slump, and your options for a quick pick-me-up feel few and far between. Impromptu headstand? You're frightening your officemates. Car nap? Try not to get fired. Instead, you slug another cup of caffeine, only to find yourself tossing and turning at midnight, the cycle beginning again the following day. 

Put down the coffee pot. There are other great options for an instant energy upgrade, says Keri Gans, Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and author of The Small Change Diet—they just take a bit of know-how and planning ahead.

The key to beating the dreaded afternoon slump, Gans says, is being prepared with healthy snacks on-hand, specifically, foods with carbs for quick energy, and that are high in fiber, protein, and/or healthy fats to provide longer-lasting energy, without the jolt of caffeine.

"A lot of times, when we're crashing in the middle of the day, we're simply hungry," says Gans. "What you need is carbs, that's the bottom line. Then, protein and fat keep you satiated longer, so it's a win-win."

Clear out some space in your desk drawer or office fridge for these 8 snacks that pack a true energy punch:

A fresh piece of fruit + a serving of almonds. "It's perfect: healthy, with quick energy, and so portable," says Gans. And, you'll be pleased to hear that Gans chuckles at the notion that we should steer clear of certain kinds of fruit. "The carbs and sugar in fruit is natural," she says. Oranges, bananas, grapes—they're all delicious and fair game. 

Roasted edamame. Peeking in her own cabinets, Gans spots this favorite energy-boosting food—"it's very high in fiber and very high in protein." To make this nutty, chewy snack, simply thaw frozen shelled edamame beans, toss with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper, and roast on a baking sheet at 375°F for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until the beans begin to dark and crisp up. Gans recommends a ¼ cup serving.

Baked black bean or lentil chips + The Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedges. "It sounds weird, but cheese and chips is a great combo for energy," says Gans. "Just smear it on!" The baked chips are packed with protein and fiber, and The Laughing Cow Light spreadable wedges boast 7 flavors and 35 calories each. Try the Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle flavor. "Spicy can wake you up!" says Gans. For more foods packed with fiber.

Low-fat chocolate milk. "You could be dragging because you're dehydrated," says Gans. "Sometimes, something cold and refreshing is all you need." Gans buys Organic Valley's individual drinks; "I love them as a pick-me-up."

Greek yogurt + fresh berries. Go for the low-fat, not non-fat, version of this go-to snack, Gans offers. "You want that little bit of fat for energy with staying power."

Grapefruit wedges + cottage cheese. Again, opt for the healthy fats from low-fat (2% milkfat) cottage cheese (Gans likes the 90-calorie Breakstone version). Pair a hearty scoop with grapefruit wedges for an instant pick-me-up, courtesy of the protein in the cottage cheese, grapefruit's natural carbs, and the aroma of citrus that instantly awakens your senses.

KIND bars. "They're low in sugar, high in fiber, and easy to take along with you," says Gans. "I love the Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, and a new one, the Dark Chocolate Mocha Almond." You had us at dark chocolate!

Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars. You can't go wrong with a sweet treat that also fights the urge to doze off under your desk. Gans digs the Mint Chocolate Chip Yasso bars—the minty taste wakes up your senses, and you'll get an energy boost from 13g of sugar (a lot of it coming naturally from the lactose, she says), and staying power from 6g of protein, but all with only 100 calories. Prefer Peanut Butter Cup or 80-calorie Mango? Lucky for you, there are currently 11 flavor choices.

How to Banish Stress in 25 Minutes

If your way of dealing with stress involves ranting to coworkers or face-planting in a bag of chips, we've got a simpler, healthier idea for you: Spend less than half an hour practicing mindful meditation. 

A new study published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology is the first to show the positive effects of this increasingly popular type of meditation. It's a more focused, in-the-present way to meditate that's about inhaling and exhaling slowly so you can sense your muscles relax and feel tension being swept from your brain.

For the study, researchers divided 66 college students into two groups. One group practiced mindful meditation 25 minutes per day for three days. The other group underwent a type of cognitive training for three days. 

All participants were subject to a stress challenge test and had measurements taken of biological and psychological stress markers. 

The findings: Study authors discovered lower levels of self-reported psychological stress in the group that practiced mindful meditation; these subjects also appeared to be better at coping with stress compared to the second group. In the study, the researchers wrote that being mindful may have made the subjects more engaged and active, which buffered their perceptions of stress.

It's an intriguing yet preliminary study that needs deeper follow-up, the researchers say. But it offers some evidence that mindful meditation isn't just a passing trend—it might be a genius and easy way to get a handle on things when you feel overwhelmed and frazzled. Not sure where to start?

How Having Babies Close Together Affects Your Body

Jessica Simpson, Megan Fox, and now Kristen Bell have more than just amazing careers in common—they also all got pregnant less than two years after their first child was born. 

That's right, in case you haven't heard, Kristen and her husband Dax Shepard are expecting baby number two, and baby number one is just 15 months old!

While we're incredibly happy for all these moms, it got us wondering about back-to-back pregnancies. Aside from the obvious challenge of having two toddlers under one roof, are there any health challenges that come with two super-close pregnancies? 

In fact, a short amount of time between pregnancies is associated with more complications and may place your subsequent pregnancy at risk, says ob-gyn Marielena Guerra, M.D., of Elite OB/GYN in Florida. 

One meta-analysis in 2006 found that an interpregnancy interval of less than 18 months was associated with a slightly increased risk of low birth weight, preterm birth, and small size for gestational age. 

Additionally, babies conceived less than six months after their siblings had a 40 percent increased risk of being born prematurely and a 61 percent increased risk of low birth weight, compared to women who conceived at least 18 months later.

This Woman Just Ran an 800-Meter Race While 34-Weeks Pregnant

Exercising during pregnancy can be a healthy ritual for you and your growing baby—and one woman just took that to a whole other level: Olympic track star Alysia Montano ran 800 meters (which is similar in distance to a half-mile) in the U.S. track and field championships last Thursday and finished just 35 seconds shy of her personal record—while 34 weeks pregnant. Pretty amazing.

After completing her race to a standing ovation, Montano said in a post-run interview posted on LetsRun.com's YouTube channel SaveFrom.net that her midwife and doctors encouraged her to keep up her training throughout her pregnancy because she was already a professional runner. 

She says she learned that maintaining a workout routine during these nine months can be healthy for mom and baby.

"This is what it looks like to be a professional athlete as a woman and still continuing on in your career [while starting a family]," said Montano in the interview. "I wanted to celebrate where I'm at, celebrate: oh my gosh, I made it 34 weeks and I've been able to stay fit and healthy and have an uncomplicated pregnancy." This shows just how amazing the female body is, she says.

Exercising during pregnancy can be a great way to build key muscles used during labor and boost your baby's brain development, too. But of course, it's important to talk to your doctor before jumping into any kind of physical routine.

For more information on working out with a bun in the oven, check out workout plans for your first, second, and third trimesters.

When performing resistance training for weight loss purchase a great

The most effective excess weight will allow you to function about ten to twelve repetitions of your working out mobility before you start to transform into on top of that tired to do it repeatedly. Too heavy view publisher site SaveFrom.net and you simply potential risk injuries, so illumination and now you won’t achieve highest gain from your exercise routine.

Don’t use an all or not much talk to when it comes to exercise. Even if you can’t easily fit into thirty minutes of work out every single day, that doesn’t indicate you shouldn’t bother hoping in the least. If you may only get your thirty minutes in once per week, it’s greater than absolutely nothing. You could always work as many as alot more work outs as time goes on.

One technique to boost wellness program is always be part of an internet-based site that handles gym. This will help in a lot of approaches that you could not have or else. You can get techniques from benefits, get solutions that you may possibly not have show up on your own, obtain an organization sense of acknowledgement, have a method to talk of your workouts and exhibit anything you have done.

When you’re aiming to boost up your overall workout, give your body decent splits in between workout routines. Person ordinary oversight visitors make, is running their stomach muscles regularly. However, training researchers warn which your ab muscles should basically been successful 2 or 3 situations 1 week, that allows you to support appropriate body production and minimize the chance of strain.

By using your body’s steps to your benefit, Realize superior workout. Stick to lesser dumbbells initially and step by step establish your way upwards of pieces of equipment. Like this, you will work low energy-susceptible small muscular areas very first. Your larger muscle must have a lot less backup from tinier muscle groups, so this is an the best path to do the job your physiology to your advantage.

To take care of your level of fitness, you must stay consistent. Rather than engaging in drastic sticking to your diet and workout on occasion, make sure you develop the habit of smoking of applying a mild diet and exercise technique each day, for an ongoing schedule. Once you get fifteen minutes to thirty minutes of lighting to moderate physical fitness everyday and have a well balanced, healthful diet plan, you will gain and sustain the correct in muscle toning.

To hold your level of fitness for a lifetime, you ought to pick different types of physical fitness that you will take joy in. You will be truly impossible to train on a normal schedule and even to maintain your level of fitness long term if you want to force yourself to regular exercise. biking, fishing, grooving and mountaineering and mastering pleasurable workforce sporting activities, it is possible to in good shape and remain accommodate forever, by taking part in rewarding sorts of workout that include skating.

One of the better different methods to stay healthy is to own a exercise good friend. This may be a person that is dedicated to exercising alongside you continually. You may visit workout room together with your fitness level friend tips to get taller or perhaps do fantastic styles of actual exercise like floating around, surfing, camping and moving bicycling or belly dancing. That has a weight loss good friend helps to keep you excited!

Cardio workout schooling can also be a most important type of the complete exercise puzzle. Cardio exercise – workouts that elevates the heart breathing and price – burns up unwanted weight, strengthens proficiency and makes a contribution to by and large physical fitness and health. Truly, it is really no exaggeration to say that cardio workout is among the most profitable sort of physical exercise to keep fit in – while it ought not to be anyone’s sole style of exercising.

Following a ordinary health and fitness scheduled is the best way to reduce tension. By channelling any adverse power into exercise, your body relieves hormones to your circulatory system, relieving emphasize, loosening stressed muscles and increasing your generally speaking atmosphere. Choose a mild strength workout workout that you just simply relish and workout 3 to 5 conditions weekly, for a half hour a training session.

Maybe you have a special wish within personalised wellness and fitness journey. It is advisable to keep clear of obsessing on top of this intent, still. Ideally, personal training is a personal life-prolonged behavior, not a very short-words improve. Your exercise program probably will be a bed that you privately unearth gratifying so that you will not really tempted to abandon it. Nevertheless there is this to be “far too suitable,” there is no reason for time, that enables you to begin the process of ignoring your workout wholly.

When starting out an exercise regular start out continually. If you attempt to begin out in the high intensity, odds are you’ll melt off out quickly and stop doing exercises completely. It’s also achievable you can get injure by executing a thing your whole body isn’t well prepared for and be able to it will likely be hopeless to workout.

A wonderful exercise strategy for joggers who journey tender calves should be to rest on the stomach area and allow your feet dangle over bed. Throughout the evening, your calves will extend just from staying in this spot. Not surprisingly, stretches, warming up and cooling down down are likewise going that may help you with this.

That allows you to improve your excess weight fitness workout, make an effort launching your counter mass media with 25Percent excess fat than you may max out at. Do not make an effort to entire the frequent exercise, just maintain the pounds on top of you that has a spotter’s aid. Next, use the body weight off and demonstrate to what you’ve acquired.

An excellent way to provide you accommodate shall be to organize graphics to your most suitable entire body round your home. You’ll be quite likely going to stick with your fitness goals, by persistently being familiar with the human body you need to have. You can get yourself artistic with the places you home these snap shots.

Organizing your workout routines in the early morning offers some further muscle toning merits beyond the immediate valuation of doing exercises. When you buy your train handled initial thing, you should endure multiplied stamina around the rest of the time. You will additionally offer the strong psychological elevate which comes from finding out you might have currently fulfilled the day’s fitness goals.

Inhaled insulin Afrezza approved by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday announced the approval of Afrezza, an inhaled insulin used in the treatment of diabetes.

The rapid-acting medicine can be used at the beginning of a meal or within 20 minutes after the start of a meal to control glycemic levels in adults with diabetes.

Afrezza is a new treatment option for patients with diabetes requiring mealtime insulin, said Dr. Jean-Marc Guettier, director of the Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Today's approval broadens the options available for delivering mealtime insulin in the overall management of patients with diabetes who require it to control blood sugar levels.

The drug was tested in 3,017 patients, 1,026 with type 1 diabetes and 1,991 with type 2. The FDA said Afrezza was not a substitute for long-acting insulin and must be used in combination with long-acting insulin for patients with type 1 diabetes.

It also can't be used to treat diabetec ketoacidosis or by patients who smoke. The drug is manufactured by MannKind Corporation out of Danbury, Conn.

Some 25.8 million people in the United States have diabetes, which is about 8.3 percent of the total population.

Biogeniste Skin Care

The solar can be a massive induce of wrinkles beneath the eyes. By squinting you trigger wrinkles to seem. Sun shades can aid quit the squinting and help you protect your facial area from wrinkles. Lots of men and women normally have puffiness and inflammation close to and under their eyes. If you might be certainly just one of these men and women it is critical to reduce the inflammation as quickly as you see it starting. Employing a chilly cucumber slice or potentially a cold spoon on your eyes can aid avoid wrinkles from taking place.

As your overall body generates additional AGE's, they begin to injury adjacent cells. The most vulnerable cells are collagen and elastin, the exact proteins that protect pores and skin firmness and elasticity. The moment harmed, the far more common collagen alterations from becoming bouncy and resilient to dry and fragile, main to anti aging night cream and sagging. The growing older procedure typically commences at about age 35 and then amplifies swiftly from then on.

Sunlight consists of three types of rays - UVA, UVB and UVC, out of which the UVC rays are the most impressive and harming. But the good news is, UVC rays are absorbed by the ozone layer and so do not access. However, our pores and skin requirements to be guarded versus the UVA and UVB rays of the sunlight. As a result, use a sunscreen that offers broad spectrum sunscreen defense and protects from the UVA as nicely as the UVB rays. Here are some ideas to picking out an powerful sunscreen.

The volume of vitamin C that we require to preserve up with collagen manufacturing and repair can be shocking. That quantity only will increase as we age. This is since the human body goes via phases of making distinctive enzymes at particular ages. We make a good deal when we are young to foster development and enhancement. We make a lot less reconstructive enzymes as we age, raising the require to fix cells in other approaches.

Though supplying your overall body dietary assistance in the form of a multivitamin, it is also critical that you give your human body some aid on it's exterior surface area too. This is why you want to find pores and skin care goods that incorporate elements that will profit your skin when they are utilized topically. Your skin usually takes in substances relatively easily, no matter if or not you want to think it, and you are equipped to instantly impact many levels of your skin for the reason that of this.

It's also important to add a recognised collagen booster to your pores and skin treatment regime. This give those people little proteins a combating possibility at survival. These creams have been proven to be powerful sufficient to improve new collagen.

My view is that you want an qualified who is board licensed in Dermatology or plastic surgical procedures who is an pro at what results in facial getting older and wrinkles, is aware all of the many strategies for correcting facial growing older, and appreciates which therapy is ideal for your distinctive encounter.

Find Out How To Manage The Skin Properly

You may think that it is almost, or else completely, difficult to obtain flawless epidermis, nevertheless it requires a lot less looking than you believe. You may get the right skin area you want with all the proper skin treatment actions, however you really need to discover the very best steps today. Take these pointers as being a beginner's commence to new and beautiful pores and skin.

If you would like healthful epidermis, don't smoke cigarettes. Consider of the epidermis as merely another organ - an extremely huge body organ - but an body organ nonetheless. Each organ inside your body requirements appropriate blood circulation to keep healthier. By cigarette smoking you constrain this flow, leading to bad body organ well being. As opposed to your organs receiving a clean supply of oxygen filled bloodstream, they're receiving unhealthy toxins and harmful toxins.

To fight dried-out skin problems, take in far more foods that contain omega-3 essential fatty acids. Dried out, scaly skin may also be a sign of fatty acid insufficiency, as these necessary nutrient elements make your skin area moist. Additionally they decrease irritation which ensures you keep pimples from getting away from palm. Foods that contain omega-3 essential fatty acids consist of walnuts, flax seed products, and seafood like tuna and salmon.

When utilizing a face treatment rub to exfoliate your epidermis, be mindful concerning the items you make use of. Skin scrubs include whole grains which help to release dead and dry skin. Be sure to select a wash with little, fine grains. The greater ones can badly damage the skin, irritating it and triggering little abrasions.

Having a healthy diet plan is certainly a essential thing you can do to deal with your skin. As an example, eating meals rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, like salmon and avocados, can help lessen blocked skin pores, dry skin, and soreness, and improve skin's youthfulness and suppleness.

 

In case you have excessively dried-out skin, you must apply your lotion often times during the day. It really is particularly vital that you implement moisturizing lotion soon argireline after washing both hands many people get that it is easier to remember to moisturize when they have a separate container inside their workplace, nightstand, or car. Reapplying moisturizer allows the facial skin to totally absorb and make use of the vitamins and minerals from the product or service.

When you are searching for skincare goods, select straightforward. The better straightforward the solution, the more effective effects you will get. This is also true for the finances. Quite often, goods will say they can be two different things when, in reality, they are the identical product or service by using a minimum variation.

Green tea plant gas is a requirement with regards to skincare. Teas shrub essential oil has healing properties inherent and can be used and utilized right to the skin without a provider gas, contrary to many other crucial fats. Opt for bathroom products made up of green tea plant oil at the same time and you will notice a distinction in whichever skin complaint you might have.

If you are using sunless tanner, ensure that you exfoliate your skin extensively prior to deciding to apply the item. If you do not do this, your tan could build unevenly, or will diminish the following day. Exfoliating prior to using sunless tanner ensures that merely the most recent covering of skin area is influenced by this product.

Cigarette smoking can significantly injury your epidermis in numerous factors. Too much smoking cigarettes can play a role in early wrinkling of our skin due to the insufficient o2 and nutrient stream towards the arteries. If you light up, you happen to be resulting in your blood vessels to thin. Elastin and collagen, are two fabric that play a role in the elasticity and energy on the skin will also be significantly destroyed whilst smoking.

Providing a manicure in your house is as elementary as planning to your house to grab the desired products. Simply merge sugars with oil and massage on the hands. Carry on and massage fingers together before the sweets is dissolved. After, rinse off both your hands with tepid to warm water and dried out. You will instantly observe that your hands are easier, gentler and much easier around the budget.

Do not waste your hard earned money on pricey skin cleaning agents. They are certainly not on the skin for long enough to truly a single thing, why clean your hard-gained funds down the sink? An inexpensive substance-retail store facial cleanser will work good to wash apart the essential oil, dirt and old skin debris without stripping natural natural oils through your pores and skin.

Obtaining the pores and skin you want isn't impossible and you could use basic skincare tips to have the flawless skin area you possess constantly wanted for. You must know what techniques are effective and which you need to stay away from, so it is possible to get the best hunting skin feasible.

9 must-have foods for people with hypotension or low blood

Diet plays an important role in effective treatment of hypotension and maintaining your blood pressure levels within normal range. Dr Sanjeev Chaudhary, Associate Director & Unit Head, Cardiology, FMRI said, ‘Hypotension, characterized by sudden drop in the blood pressure levels is a major cause of concern and potentially dangerous.’ Usually it is recommended that people suffering from low blood pressure should cut down on alcoholic beverages and high-carbohydrate foods. But there are foods which help maintain the blood pressure within normal range by acting on various pathways which control our blood pressure:

Raisins (kishmish) – Raisins are considered an excellent natural remedy to treat hypotension. It helps in maintaining the blood pressure levels within normal limits by supporting the function of adrenal gland. Soak around 30 – 40 raisins in a cup of water overnight and eat them in the morning on an empty stomach. Follow this natural remedy for at least a month to see significant results.

Milk and almonds (Badam) – It is a traditional home remedy that helps in controlling low pressure levels in hypotensive patients by acting on the adrenal gland. Soak 4 – 5 almonds in water overnight, peel off the skin the next morning and make a smooth paste. Add this paste to a cup of boiling milk and drink it every morning for few weeks to treat your low blood pressure.

Carrots – Carrot juice is found to improve blood circulation along with regulating your blood pressure levels. Add two tablespoons of honey to a glass of carrot juice. Drink it on empty stomach twice a day (morning and evening) for better results.

Salt – Salt helps to treat low blood pressure because the sodium present in it raises the blood pressure. But care should be taken not to include excess salt as it may result in other clinical conditions.

Holy Basil (Tulsi) – Tulsi leaves are loaded with potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) which are effective to control blood pressure in hypotensive patients. You can either chew 4 – 5 basil leaves in the morning on daily basis or drink a teaspoon of tulsi extracts with honey daily on an empty stomach.

Lemon – Lemon juice is highly effective to treat low blood pressure caused due to dehydration. Antioxidants present in it is found to regulate blood circulation and maintain blood pressure. If you feel exhausted or tired due to dipping blood pressure levels, drink a glass of lemon juice mixed with a little sugar and salt to control your blood pressure.

Garlic – Garlic contains a compound that helps in stabilizing the blood pressure along with exerting other health benefits. You can either eat raw garlic (2 cloves) 1 hour before bed time or can add it to your food preparations.

Licorice (Muleti) – The roots of licorice act as a powerful home remedy to normalize low blood pressure levels that are caused due to low blood levels of cortisol (stress hormone). The compound present in licorice acts by blocking the action of the enzyme responsible for cortisol breakdown. Licorice tea – Add dried or powdered licorice roots to a cup of boiling water. Filter and drink this tea daily for few days to control low blood pressure.

Caffeinated foods – It is found that caffeinated foods like strong coffee, cola, hot chocolate and other caffeine-rich beverages temporarily increase the blood pressure levels. The exact cause is not known but it may block the action of hormone responsible for widening of arteries or stimulate the release of adrenaline hormone. If you suffer from low blood pressure frequently, drink a cup of black coffee in the morning or with meals.

Word of Mouth

National Smile Month – our campaign to dramatically improve oral health in the UK – comes to a close today for yet another year. And what a month it has been. National Smile Month 2014 has undoubtedly been one of the biggest and best yet, with oral health education and healthy mouth messages reaching millions of people throughout the country. 

As always, we have been delighted to see hundreds of specialised events promoting the importance of good oral health and hygiene in local communities – activities that really make a difference the increasing education and awareness of oral health, often in areas where they are needed the most.

Oral health in the UK has dramatically improved since our first campaign back in 1977. Huge advances in technology and dental treatment methods, the introduction of fluoride into toothpaste and a greater presence of dental education have all moved alongside our craving for the perfect smile. 

Our teeth as a country are now healthier and better looking than ever before but despite the undoubted progression in the quality of our oral health there are still many aspects of care, particularly in many disadvantaged areas of the UK, which need the support and time to develop. 

In 2014, National Smile Month has attempted to decrease the gap in oral health that currently exists between the socio-economic groups of the UK, to once again try and improve our health as a nation for the better.

Throughout the issue, we will be looking at just some of the reasons why you should keep up good oral health and why a healthy mouth really does give you a better chance of having a healthy body. We will take an in-depth look into our nationwide survey and what it says about our attitudes and behaviours towards oral health and we also have some excellent guest articles too!

I hope you enjoy this edition of Word of Mouth and have had an enjoyable National Smile Month in 2014. Over the past 30 years, the campaign has coincided with major improvements of oral health in the UK and continues to provide everyone with the opportunity to participate in that continuing challenge.

Neonatal jaundice: What’s normal and what’s not

Imagine this: You are just wheeled out of the delivery room with your baby, all swaddled up and warm, you are reveling in the new found joys of motherhood, kind of settling in with the demands of the newborn – breastfeeding and changing nappies –and just as you feel you have touched the first milestone and established a real time bond with your baby, you learn that your baby is suffering from neonatal jaundice. Your heart skips a beat. Your doctor or the hospital staff assures you that it’s not something you should worry about. As if their assurance wasn’t enough your elders and other experienced mums tell you that they have gone through the same phase. This puts your mind to rest. 

 

Know that neonatal jaundice or infantile jaundice is very common and happens to almost every newborn baby. ‘The signs of neonatal jaundice are usually observed two or three days post birth of the baby,’ says Dr Santanu Sen, consultant pediatrician, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai.

What is neonatal jaundice? 

‘Even though neonatal jaundice is a common occurrence, mothers should know that this is very different from the jaundice that an adult suffers from. Your baby doesn’t suffer from the jaundice because of any liver failure but due to the presence of high level of bilirubin in the blood that the baby’s immature liver isn’t able to get rid of,’ says Dr Sen.

Bilirubin is a yellow substance that the body produces due to the breakdown of hemoglobin in the blood, when the body replaces the old red blood cells. This is a basic physiological phenomenon that takes place in the human body. The bilirubin produced in the process is then expelled out of the body by the liver. The liver enzymes break down bilirubin so that it can be removed from the body through stool and urine. 

‘But in case of a newborn whose liver isn’t matured enough, the bilirubin isn’t tactfully expelled out of the body and makes its presence felt by making the baby look yellow under the skin and in the eyes,’ says Dr Sen.

How is this jaundice detected? 

Neonatal jaundice shows up by making your baby look yellow on the face, the chest, and legs and also sometime on the soles of the feet. The mild form of jaundice might make your baby look just a bit pale yellow. ‘A blood test is also done to check the bilirubin levels. If the bilirubin level is more than the normal levels for the babys age and weight, treatment may be required.’ says Dr Sen.

If a high level of bilirubin is seen further tests are done to check if there is any underlying problem. ‘Higher levels of bilirubin can also raise a concern like if there is any mismatch in the blood group of the mother and baby. A blood test called the coomb’s test is done to check on the blood group mismatch status,’ says Dr Sen.

The coomb’s test is done to check whether the baby’s blood has certain antibodies present in the blood serum. These antibodies attack the red blood cells breaking down the hemoglobin and leading to higher bilirubin content in the blood.

How is neonatal jaundice treated?

If the bilirubin level in your baby is high the treatment line might encompass

Phototherapy: Special blue lights are used on babies who have high level of bilirubin. An infant is placed under the artificial lights in an enclosed bed covering the genitals and the eyes.  The therapy is continued for a day or two till your doctor is assured that your baby can be discharged and taken home safely.

Sunlight conjugation or sunlight therapy: 

‘Once the baby is discharged the parents are advised to continue with sunlight therapy for a few days to make sure all the bilirubin is expelled out of the body. Ideally you should spend an hour walking with your baby in the sun before 9 in the morning and after 4 in the evening to avoid the harsh rays. If you are planning to give a sun bath of sorts make sure you keep the genitals and the eyes covered,’ says Dr Sen.

The sunlight breaks down the bilirubin in the baby and makes it a water soluble substance that can be filtered by the kidney and removed from the systems through urine. The phototherapy at the hospital does the same with bilirubin.

Exchange transfusion: In case of severe jaundice an exchange transfusion of blood may be needed. ‘In such case the transfusion is done by completely changing the entire blood of the baby till the high bilirubin levels are flushed out,’ informs Dr Sen.

Intravenous treatments: 

‘In some cases even severely jaundiced babies are treated with intravenous immunoglobulin in effectively reducing the bilirubin levels,’ says Dr Sen.

It is important to get your baby’s bilirubin levels checked as higher levels can lead to serious complications like kernicterus, which is brain damage due to high levels of bilirubin. ‘Hence if the bilirubin levels cannot be controlled with just phototherapy or sunlight, the other modalities of treatment may need to be considered,’ says Dr Sen

Taking Daily Multivitamin Reduces Men’s Risk of Cancer

Taking a multivitamin and multimineral supplement each day can reduce a man’s risk of developing cancer by 8 percent. 

While that might not sound like much, if every adult man in the United States took a multi, the incidence of cancer would decrease by tens of thousands each year. J. michael Gaziano, mD, of the Harvard medical School and his colleagues asked 14,641 male physicians to take either a multivitamin/multimineral supplement or placebo daily for an average of 11 years. 

The study included 1,312 men who had already been diagnosed with cancer. The 8 percent reduction in risk reflected a decrease in cancer diagnoses overall. 

The researchers did not find a specific reduction in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

How to make workplaces healthier

Numerous factors enable and encourage us to be couch potatoes and/or choose unhealthy foods. The growth of portion sizes, heavy marketing of unhealthy foods and our reliance on automobiles are a few cultural trends that have contributed to our expanding waistlines.

As a result, many of us have become accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle and a high-fat, high-sugar diet. Unhealthy habits have become the “norm” and healthier alternatives are often not within easy reach.

Empowering individuals, families and communities with knowledge and skills to change their eating and physical activity habits is important.

However, in the battle against obesity, it’s not enough to just educate the masses to eat less and move more. We need to alter our environments to support healthy eating and physical activity.

For many adults, nearly half of their waking hours are spent at work. Studies show there’s a strong relationship between the physical and social environments of the workplace and the health behaviors of employees.

Many large companies have implemented comprehensive work-site wellness programs – with good results. Small- to medium-sized companies might not have the resources or staff available to pursue that option.

There are small simple steps that employers can do to move a work site toward an environment supporting healthy choices.

For example, employees often spend a large amount of time in meetings. As a step toward making the workplace a healthier environment, consider adopting a Healthy Meetings Policy.

 

What’s usually offered at meetings at your work site? Doughnuts? Cookies? Sugary beverages or soda? What type of food is served if the meeting occurs over breakfast or lunch?

Adopting healthy meeting practices sends the message that your organization, company or agency cares about its employees and members.

Fear not – no need to start looking for a vegetarian caterer. Policies can address simple changes, such as reasonable portion sizes and using water as the default beverage.

Choosing whole grains, avoiding fried foods and always including fruits and vegetables are other ideas to include when writing a healthy meeting policy.

The National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity, a coalition of more than 450 organizations advocating for policies and programs that promote healthy eating and physical activity, has put together a “Healthy Meeting Toolkit.”

The information not only addresses nutrition, but also provides ideas for tobacco-free environments, physical activity and sustainability. Check it out at healthymeetings.org.

Along the same lines, the Delaware Coalition to Promote Healthy Eating and Active Living, in partnership with the Delaware Division of Public Health, has put together a free online toolkit for work sites interested in implementing a work-site wellness program. To access the toolkit, go to deheal.org.

Groups might also be interested in adding mini wellness presentations to their standing meetings. Nemours Health and Prevention Services and Delaware State University partnered to create a series of brief wellness sessions that last less than 10 minutes.

Sample topics include “Rethink Your Drink” and “Preventing Heart Attacks and Strokes.” Each session includes talking points, a short video and a handout.

The project was created for use with school staff; however, Nemours has generously agreed to provide this resource to work sites or other interested groups.

6 Stages and 16 Tips for Developing Good Habits

We’ve probably all heard that it takes 21 day to develop a new habit. But the reality is, the length of time it takes to develop good habits is much longer*. If we think we can change in 21 days, we’re setting ourselves up for failure.

Two psychologists and researchers, James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente, describe six stages people go through when making a change or developing a new, good habit.  This information offers hope—it validates that 21 days isn’t the norm.

Think of a new good habit you’d like to develop. With that it mind, read through each stage and the tips to move you from one stage to the next.

1. Precontemplation: People in this stage haven't begun to think about change. They may not realize they have a problem, they may not know change is possible, or they may have given up hope. You might hear someone in this stage saying:

“This is just how I am.”

“I don't have a problem.”

“What's the point?”

Tips for this stage:

Recognize you may feel safe in this stage—you may not be happy, but it’s familiar.

Develop greater awareness of how the problem is preventing you from living the life you want to live.

If you’ve tried to overcome your problem before and feel like you’ve failed, don’t give up on yourself. Most people who are successful “changers” have tried many times before they succeed.

Cultivate hope. Realize that precontemplation is a predictable part of the change cycle. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

2. Contemplation: People in this stage are ready to acknowledge they have a problem; however, they’re unsure how to proceed. You might hear someone in this stage saying:

"I want to change, but I don't know how."

"I don't know if I'm ready yet."

"I feel stuck."

Tips for this stage:

Visualize your life if you don’t make the change or develop the new, good habit you’re considering. What will your life be like in one year if you’re still struggling the way you are now?

 Learn all you can about your problem you’re trying to break or the new habit you're trying to ad into your life.

Avoid analyzing too much, never making the move from thought to deed.

3. Preparation: In this stage, someone has made the decision to change, but hasn’t worked out all the details yet. You might hear someone in this stage saying:

"I'm not going to let this control me any longer."

"I'm going to do something about my problems."

"I know I can overcome this."

Tips for this stage:

Write out a list of the benefits of overcoming your problem or developing this new good habits. Carry this list with you and read it often. 

Realize that once you move into action, you'll need to do about extra time and enjoy energy to carry out your plan. Make any necessary attachments adjustments to your schedule. 

Set a date for when you will institute your plan of action. To capitalize on the high-energy level that typically occurs at this point in the change process, make the date sooner rather than later.

Write out your plan. If it's in writing, you're more likely to follow it. It doesn't have to be long or complicated.

4. Action: Most people equate change with doing something, and that's what the action stage is all about. It involves the nuts and bolts work of overcoming a problem.

5. Maintenance: In maintenance, changes made in the action stage are consolidated. The task of this stage is to make sure change lasts.

6. Termination: In the termination stage, there is essentially no longer a problem. Changes made are completely integrated into your life. Many people never reach the stage, and that's okay since some problems don't easily allow for a full "termination." For example, many therapists in the field of substance abuse believe that one never fully recovers from alcoholism.

Tips for all of the stages:

Don't rush yourself. You may be inpatient with yourself to "hurry up and change." But if you push too hard, the frightened, ambivalent part of yourself will likely rebel and sabotage your efforts.

Remember, there's no right or wrong timetable – no perfect way to change. Wherever you are in the process is exactly where you need to be.

Allow yourself time to go at your own pace through each of the stages of change.

Give yourself credit for the steps you take, regardless of how small they might seem to you. Each and every step – even baby steps – brings you closer to your goal of developing a new, good habit.

Get support. Don't try to go it alone. Enlist the help of a friend, therapist, or even an online group. I just joined an e-course, The 100 Day Promise, that offers a supportive community and expert guidance from coach Sandy Amorim. 

You don't have to go in a straight line. More typically, they cycle through the stages of change several times. You may make significant progress while in the action stage, only to have stress set you back, leaving you in the contemplation stage once again. Remember, this is normal.

So what's the bottom line? Don't rush through the stages and don't worry if you recycle through the stages. Thankfully, slow and steady progress – even with a few set that sprinkled in – works just fine.

University of Missouri to offer new health option, cap benefits

Employees at the University of Missouri will have a new medical plan option in 2015, and a new cap on the amount of their benefits.

A Total Rewards task force charged with reviewing the UM System medical plan options, retirement plans and other benefits announced changes to employee benefits at the Board of Curators meeting this week. Total Rewards is a name for the university system's comprehensive benefits package for employees and retirees.

Betsy Rodriguez, UM System vice president for human resources, spoke on behalf of the task force Thursday. Rodriguez outlined the progress the group has made on several issues, including medical plans.

Starting in 2015, the UM System is piloting a new medical program at all Columbia operations to provide a third plan option for employees. The new plan will fall somewhere between the existing two options in premium cost, Rodriguez said.

Employees have two options now: The preferred provider organization traditional option lets employees go to any provider and has about a $400-per-month premium for a family. The high-deductible plan offers similar freedom with providers with a higher deductible. For a family, the premium is about $250 per month.

The new plan would limit employees to MU Health Care offices and will have lower co-pays and no deductible.

Rodriguez also announced a new 28 percent cap on the benefits rate — the percentage of an employee's salary the department they work for pays back to the UM System so the system can then pay for medical benefits.

Department chairs have been budgeting for a 1 to 2 percent increase in benefits each year. The rates have increased from 20 percent to 28 percent during the last 10 years.

Rodriguez said the change allows department chairs or managers to give raises while the UM System receives more money to put toward medical benefits each year. Because of that, the cost doesn't shift to the employees.

The cap will be in place three years, Rodriguez said, but it likely won't extend beyond that. Afterward, the system could put a limit on benefits at the same level or at a different percentage, or not have a cap at all depending on such factors as performance of university investments and employee participation in wellness programs.

Rodriguez said she anticipates announcing progress from the task force on time-off plans by next spring. More information on changes in retirement and retiree medical benefits is expected in about a year.

Becky Stafford, Staff Advisory Council chair at MU, said she is pleased with the way Rodriguez's task force and the UM System's human resources office has asked for input as they've worked through changes, and they've promptly addressed concerns or questions from employees along the way already.

This article was published in the Sunday, June 22, 2014 edition of the Columbia Daily Tribune with the headline "University will change perks plan: One new medical option, benefits cap set for 2015."

How drinking beer is beneficial for us?

Kidney benefit

A study has found that, drinking beer in suggested amounts can prevent the risk of kidney diseases.

Controls cholesterol

Beer is having fiber content and it lowers the bad cholesterol and helps to prevent the cholesterol related problems.

Reduces Osteoporosis

Hops in beer comprises of phyto-estrogens, a special compound which can help to minimize hot flashes, it also kicks off the osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. But Beer shouldn’t have to be used as a estrogen therapy replacement.

Lowers the sleeping problem

The one most common problem in children to adults is not having good amount of sleep, the insomnia problem, beer is having the natural tendency of making a person drowsy and offers a whole good sleep.

Vitamin B6

According to a dutch study, people who are drinking beer have greater levels of vitamin B6 in their blood when compared to the people who don’t consume beer.

Healthy bones
 
For the stronger and health bone structure, silicon is very necessary and one can find it easily through beer. We can stay away from pneumonia and other bronchitis problems with the compound humulone present in the beer. Humulone acts as a shield to the virus which causes the above problems.

Prevents diabetics

It is showed that men who consumed beer got the results of lower diabetics, in some cases the risk of diabetics type 2 was reduced.

Nutrition bottle

A beer bottle consists of many B vitamins such as niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, vitamins B6 and B12. It also consists of silicon a nutrient too.

Heart care

People who are drinking the beer in moderate quantities are having healthy hearts than those who are not drinking. It reduces the heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases. It increases the good cholesterol levels by which arteries are safe from getting clogged. Beer contains beta-glucans a kind of soluble fiber added with improving heart care by minimizing cholesterol levels.

Brain Health

One of the problem that might come with the ageing is Alzheimer’s and they it can prevented with the help of beer. A research explained that drinking beer in a day will fight with the blood clots and increase the transmission of blood in the brain by which it will work effectively more over the before.

Antioxidants

Meat prepared with the usage of beer consists of good amounts of antioxidants, which will fight with the free radicals and reduce the ageing problem.

Controls blood pressure

The moderate drinkers of beer are having the best chances to run away from high blood pressure, which is the main reason for the heart attacks.

Long life

A study conducted on the beer drinking people and non drinkers showed the great result, it subjected that the living life of the drinking people is great as beer prevent them from the heart diseases, cancers and kidney diseases.

Light beer

Drinking light beer adds only fewer calories as it contains of ethanol, Which also shows a very positive effect on heart health under the moderate consumption.

What is Hashimoto’s Disease?

The prevalence of thyroid disorders in America has reached epidemic proportions and it’s only getting worse. Hashimoto’s disease, also known as lymphocytic thyroiditis or autoimmune thyroiditis, is the most common thyroid disease. It’s characterized by chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland, reducing the gland’s normal function. Reduced thyroid function is called hypothyroidism and is often associated with weight gain, lethargy, and inadequate growth in children.

What Causes Hashimoto’s Disease?

Hashimoto’s occurs when the immune system deviates from its normal function and begins to attack healthy cells in the thyroid as if they were foreign invaders. The immune system attacks the thyroid by producing antibodies, slowly deteriorating the gland’s ability to produce thyroid hormones. The aggregation of white blood cells, or lymphocytes, propels the process behind Hashimoto’s disease. [1] [2]

Over 20 million people are estimated to have Hashimoto’s disease. Compared with men, women are 7-9x more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder. It seems that estrogen dominance in women reduces iodine absorption in the thyroid, possibly contributing to the increased risk in the female population. [3] Genetic predispositions are often key factors in Hashimoto’s disease, and scientists have recently discovered five different genes that are integral to this disorder. [4] Signs and Symptoms of Hashimoto’s Disease.

As the disease progresses, the thyroid gland may enlarge, giving the appearance of a swollen neck. Known as goiter, it’s commonly associated with hypothyroidism, a symptom related to Hashimoto’s disease. An under active thyroid associated with Hashimoto’s disease usually results in:

•     Fatigue
•     Listlessness
•     Weight gain
•     Sluggish metabolism
•     Lethargy
•     Cold intolerance
•     Paleness and puffiness in the face
•     Joint and muscular aches
•     Constipation
•     Dry, brittle, thinning hair
•     Irregular periods
•     Depression
•     Shallow/slowed heart rate
•     Difficulty conceiving

With many of these symptoms, it isn’t uncommon that some patients are diagnosed with depression before they are diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. For some individuals, Hashimoto’s disease may present little to no symptoms, making it harder for doctors to diagnose or treat crucial thyroid issues.

Have you ever experienced difficulty with your thyroid? What were some of the things you did to contribute toward your health? Leave a comment and share your experience!

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM