NEW YORK With people preparing their new years resolutions for 2020, the Alzheimers Foundation of America (AFA) is encouraging people of all ages to make healthy aging a priority in the new year.

When it comes to healthy aging, its never too soon to start, said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFAs president & CEO. Lifestyle choices like proper diet, exercise and staying mentally and socially active can all play a role in aging and brain health. Taking care of your body and brain is a resolution everyone should make, and keep, in 2020 and beyond.

AFA encourages individuals to take the following ten steps to promote good brain health and healthy aging: 1. Eat Well Adopt a low-fat diet high on fruits and veggies, like strawberries, blueberries and broccoli. Take daily vitamins. Limit intake of red meats, fried and processed foods, salt and sugar. In general, foods that are heart heathy are also brain healthy. Make sure to consult with your doctor about what is an appropriate diet based on your medical needs.

2. Stay Active Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain and can also help improve mood and overall wellbeing. Brisk walking benefits brain health, while aerobics can boost your heart rate, and weight training builds strength and flexibility. Try out different activities until you find one that works for you.

3. Learn New Things Challenge your brain by starting a new hobby like playing tennis, learning to speak a foreign language, trying a cooking class, or something you havent done before. Even something as simple as brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand stimulates the brain by forcing it to think outside of its normal routine.

4. Get Enough Sleep Getting a consistent sleep every night is key; at least seven to nine hours is ideal. Having a good sleep environment is also helpful. Insomnia or sleep apnea can have serious physical effects and negatively affect memory and thinking. If you are having difficulty with your sleep, be sure to speak with your doctor about it.

5. Mind Your Meds Medication can affect everyone differently, especially as you age. Keep your doctor or local pharmacist updated on any changes with medications and have them review your drug list as medications can interact with each other.

6. Stop Smoking and Limit Alcohol Smoking can increase the risk of serious illnesses, while too much alcohol can affect memory, impair judgment and present safety issues.

7. Stay Connected Social interaction and maintaining an active social life are very important for brain health, cognitive stimulation and mood. Invite friends and family over for a meal, board games, or just to hang out. Engaging in your community and participating in group activities is also beneficial.

8. Know Your Blood Pressure Blood pressure can impact your cognitive functioning. Visit your physician regularly to check your blood pressure and make sure it is in normal range.

9. See Your Doctor Maintain checkups. Health screenings are key to managing chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, all of which can impact brain health. Speak with your physician about any concerns or questions you have about your health.

10. Get a Memory Screening Our brains need regular checkups, just as other parts of our bodies do. A memory screening is a quick, easy, non-invasive exam for our brains. Talk to your doctor about getting a screening as part of your annual wellness exam or call AFA at 866-232-8484. Additional information about healthy aging, brain health and wellness and memory screenings can be found on AFAs website, http://www.alzfdn.org or by calling AFAs Helpline at 866-232-8484. The helpline is open seven days a week.

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Make Healthy Aging a New Year's Resolution in 2020 - FOX 15

The popular new documentary The Game Changers, is highlighting the benefits of plant-based living. The film follows James Wilks, a Special Forces trainer and the Ultimate Fighter winner, as he searches for diets that benefit his training needs.

The message from the film touts the health benefits of a vegan diet. As the documentary moves along, it interviews Scott Jurek, Kendrick Farris and Dotsie Bausch about their vegan diets and how it has influenced their training for the better. The films message focuses on maximizing athletic performance with a plant-based diet.

Critics are calling out the film for picking and choosing science to show in the film. And they say it shows an extreme version of a lifestyleand that Game Changers is pushing a vegan diet over all other diets.

Of course a vegan diet can include processed foods that arent made for optimal performance. Sports nutritionist Barbara Lewin told Healthline that in order for a vegan diet to be healthy, it must be well-rounded. If youre living on crackers, vegan cheese, and other processed foods, its not a good choice. For a vegan diet to be healthy and to work for the elite athlete, it has to have a strong foundation in vegetables and fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, says Lewin.

Any increase in plant-based eating will improve yourhealthand the planet. For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading theFood Monster App with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, plant-based, vegan and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help reduce you get healthy and strong!

In response to questions about plant-based eating, David Nieman,DrPH, FACSM, a professor of health and exercise science and director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, told Healthline of the plant-based diet, Plant-based dietary choices are at the heart of all healthy eating patterns.

The film is executive produced by James Cameron,Chris Paul, Jackie Chan, Lewis Hamilton, Novak Djokovic, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The movie is available on Netflix and iTunes.

Heres how to tell if youre getting enough protein, why healthy fats are important for athletes, and what carbs will serve you best.

Curious about other ways to get enough protein on a vegan diet? Check out the following resources:

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects. Learn aboutsome Common Health Concerns That May Disappear Once You Ditch Dairyand 10 Calcium Supplements For Healthy Living on a Dairy-Free and 10 Carrageenan-Free Non-Dairy Products!

Here are some resources to get you started:

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter!Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!

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Want to Get Really Strong on a Plant-Based Diet? Don't Forget to Watch Netflix Documentary Game Changers in 2020! - One Green Planet

By ClarksvilleNow.com December 30, 2019 9:14 am

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) As 2019 wraps up and we roll into a new decade, many are going in with a vision to change their lives and better their health.

Making immediate lifestyle changes arent easy but can have a lasting long-term benefit on your overall health.

At Vanderbilt University Medical Center a study looked at a list of 10 lifestyle behaviors, any of which a person can change immediately, and asked which ones have a long-lasting impact on health?

Heres the list, in random order:

Leading the way as most impactful was 1. eating a low-fat diet, 2. aerobic exercise; 3. nonsmoking; 4. seat belt use, and 5. adequate sleep.

We wanted to identify what we could tell people they could start doing right now, said Mary Yarbrough, M.D., MPH, associate professor of Clinical Medicine and executive director of Faculty and Staff Health and Wellness, and the senior author of the study, which was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

People can get paralyzed by so much information. This can provide focus, she said.

The study was based on 10 years of de-identified data provided by Vanderbilt employees who voluntarily participated in an annual health risk assessment. The researchers examined the data from more than 10,000 Vanderbilt health risk assessments submitted between 2003 and 2012, and matched risk factors to health outcomes across the studied population.

This is one of the most important questions that people ask themselves: Of the health behaviors that I can control today, what are the most important to my long term health outcomes? said Daniel Byrne, Director of Quality Improvement and Program Evaluation in the Department of Biostatistics, who was the lead author of the study.

He noted that the data show that even small changes can affect health over time.

If you are sedentary, and begin to exercise one day a week, that benefits significantly the prevention of diabetes, he said. You cant change your age, race or genetic makeup, but you can change what you eat or how much you exercise.

Yarbrough said that she thought one of the most significant findings of the study was the importance of sleep.

The thing that I most often hear people say about their health that I think we need to educate them about is, I dont need much sleep. We need to remind people that seven to eight hours of sleep is really a good idea.

She noted that diet, exercise, nonsmoking and wearing seat belts are better-known healthy lifestyle measures than adequate sleep, but in terms of healthy-habits education, sleep is our next frontier.

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Vanderbilt study investigates which New Years resolutions are most beneficial for long-term health - Clarksville Now

The reported health benefits of a vegan lifestyle have seen in soar in popularity. Photograph: YAY Media AS/Alamy

Katharina Wirnitzer was in the midst of training for the Bike Transalp race, one of the worlds toughest endurance events, when she began investigating whether a vegan diet was suitable for athletes.

The year was 2003 and veganism was a long way from the current boom, which has established it as one of the most in-vogue dietary trends. But Wirnitzer, a sports scientist at the University of Innsbruck, had become intrigued by the resurgence of ancient theories linking plant-based diets with improved athletic performance.

The first athletes on strict plant-based diets were gladiators, she says. Roman scripts report that all fighters adhered to gladiatoriam saginam, which was based on plant foods, including large amounts of legumes, pulses and grains, and contained little or no animal protein.

Now, almost two millennia later, Wirnitzer is one of a handful of researchers trying to get to the bottom of whether veganism could enhance an athletes chances of sporting success. Over the past decade, she has led the NURMI study, the broadest initiative so far investigating the effects of a vegan diet in high-performance, ultra-endurance sports.

NURMI is particularly timely because veganisms association with various health benefits from weight loss to decreased risk of inflammatory disease has seen the diet soar in popularity in recent years, both amongst the general public and elite sportsmen. The most recent survey by the Vegan Society estimates that there are around 600,000 vegans in the UK a fourfold increase over the past five years while high-profile athletes from Lewis Hamilton to Jermain Defoe have begun experimenting with veganism.

However, despite the boom in veganism, even the most optimistic scientists caution that there is still much we do not understand about the diet. In particular, little is known about the long-term consequences of veganism and whether it does hold significant advantages over an omnivorous or vegetarian diet.

Portrayals of the diet can be partisan: the recent blockbuster Netflix documentary The Game Changers has since been tainted by revelations that the executive producers are cofounders of a vegan food company and that much of the evidence presented in the film is selective, low-quality and anecdotal. Moreover, as with so many dietary interventions, the search for the truth about veganism is often clouded by the potential financial gains with predictions that the global vegan food market will be worth $24.3bn by 2026.

This is perhaps unsurprising. Whether it be the trendy city bars offering vegan wine, or the array of new products launching in supermarkets and health food stores, veganism is the wellness industrys new cash cow. Market-research experts have already predicted that the value of the global vegan food market will reach $24.3bn by 2026. Vegan cheese alone is expected to develop into an industry worth nearly $4bn within the next five years.

So what do we really know about veganism and what it can do for our health?

At Sheffield Hallam University, David Rogerson has spent the past decade studying the effects of dietary interventions on physical health. He says that one reason veganism could be good for you is because it can protect against cardiosvascular diseases, by reducing obesity and lowering cholesterol. These chronic illnesses cost the UK around 9bn a year; veganism may be the solution.

Theres growing evidence that reduced consumption of animal products, coupled with an increase in plant-based foods, seems to be good for our health, says Rogerson. This is perhaps due to these foods containing lot of antioxidant phytonutrients and nitrates, while some animal products contain lots of pro-inflammatory fats and lead to the production of a metabolite called TMAO, which has been linked to cardiovascular problems.

The anti-inflammatory effect of plant-based foods is thought to be the reason why vegan diets appear to relieve symptoms of some auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The tennis player Venus Williams, who suffers from Sjgrens syndrome, credits turning vegan with mitigating the extreme fatigue associated with the condition, and with enabling her to continue competing at the highest level.

The full picture is rather more complex than it first seems. Scientists have found that a combined group of vegetarians and vegans appeared to have a higher risk of haemorrhagic stroke than did meat-eaters. But owing to the small number of vegans in the study, it is hard to draw firm conclusions. Possible reasons might be related to lower cholesterol levels or a deficiency of some nutrients, such as vitamin B12, says Tammy Tong, a researcher in the University of Oxfords Nuffield Department of Population Health. Vegans are also at a higher risk of B12-deficiency, since the nutrient is only naturally available from animal foods. Low B12 levels may be linked to raised blood levels of homocysteine, which may be linked to higher risk of stroke.

While vegan lobby groups have claimed that the diet results in a healthier gut microbiome and reduces the risk of some cancers, compared to meat-based diets, experts say there is little concrete evidence to back this up. There was one US study which looked at all gastrointestinal-tract cancers combined and found no difference in vegans compared with non-vegetarians, says Tong. Two studies have looked at colorectal cancer risk in vegans and both reported no significant difference compared to non-vegans.

The reason we still know relatively little is because while the term vegan was coined in 1962, for a long time scientific studies classed vegans and vegetarians together. But with increasing amounts of sports-science funding going into studying veganism, it may actually be through athletes, and their endless quest for faster, higher, stronger, that we learn most about the diet in the years to come.

The NURMI study follows 8,000 runners from across Europe, including meat eaters, vegans and vegetarians and aims to see whether following a vegan diet over time leads to greater endurance over the half-marathon and marathon distances. In the next few years, NURMI will publish one of the first analyses of how vegan runners compare to their meat-eating equivalents and, according to Wirnitzer, we are still in the infancy of understanding how our nutritional intake can boost athletic ability.

There is huge potential that is still untapped, both in terms of health and performance in sporting competition, she says.

One of the reasons athletes across such a range of sports are interested in the vegan diet is because it may boost immunity as well as aiding recovery and rehabilitation from injury. Plant-based foods such as beetroot are known to contain dietary nitrates that aid blood-flow, and oxygen and nutrient transport through the body.

Elite athletes are looking at all available legal options to enhance their performance, says Richard Brennan, managing director of Sports Science Consultants, who is studying athletes who have been meat-eaters all their lives, and are now moving towards a vegan diet. What were focusing on are the benefits to overall health which could enhance the training responses in terms of conditioning different energy systems, adapting more effectively to strength and power training programs, and having less time off sick to train.

These are the hopes for veganism, but scientists warn that, so far, there have been so few studies of athletes that there is very little evidence to support them. Wirnitzer published a landmark 2014 paper that showed that a well-planned vegan diet meets the nutritional requirements of endurance athletes, but we still know virtually nothing about whether it is the optimum diet.

Scientists have raised concerns that the diet is too restrictive for athletes who are travelling the world competing in sporting competitions. Athletes could become malnourished, be unable to maintain muscle mass and suffer deficiencies in B12 (which would lead to fatigue and poor oxygen transport), calcium and vitamin D.

Theres the potential for lower intakes of these minerals which play a role in bone health, says Rogerson. There is evidence to say that vegans experience greater bone turnover and reduced bone-mineral density, so this could mean that vegans are at an increased risk of bone injury. We also know that female athletes might be at an increased risk of such injuries if they dont eat enough, so this is potentially a double-whammy.

Concerns about the practicality of veganism extend to the general population. One question is whether vegans can plan their diet well enough over many years to avoid developing deficiencies. There have been two population studies that have monitored vegans over time, one following Seventh Day Adventists in the US and Canada, and the EPIC-Oxford study, which tracked the health of nearly 50,000 meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans across the UK. Scientists involved in the latter have found that while consuming vegetables rich in calcium, such as kale and broccoli, can protect bones, in reality many vegans dont actually meet their calcium requirements. As a result, they have found a 30% increased risk of fracture in vegans compared to vegetarians and meat eaters.

More research is still needed to understand possible differences in fracture risks and whether any differences are related to diet or other factors, says Tong. For example, low BMI has also been linked to higher risks of some fractures and in some studies vegans exhibit lower BMI and bone-mineral density than do vegetarians.

Because of these concerns, some research groups have begun comparing veganism to other diets rich in plant-based foods, which are associated with many of the same benefits, such as the Mediterranean and New Nordic diets. Earlier this year, researchers at Sheffield Hallam University conducted a pilot study comparing a Mediterranean and vegan diet over a short-term period, with intriguing results. While both diets appeared to offer similar positives in terms of weight-loss and reduced cholesterol, evidence was much stronger for a Mediterranean diet when it came to improving blood-vessel health.

Our findings suggested that the Mediterranean diet improved the way that the endothelium of the small veins work, says Markos Klonizakis, one of the scientists who ran the study. This might not sound important, but it is. This becomes dysfunctional over time so it is crucial for cardiovascular health. The magic of the family of Mediterranean diets is that they are tested and proved over a very long period of time, in a relatively large area of the globe. For example, we know that traditionally people in Crete lived long and had low rates of diabetes and cancer.

So what next for veganism? Scientists across the board agree that we dont yet know enough to decide conclusively one way or another, but as many point out, the success of any diet ultimately comes down to the eating habits of the individual.

The success of a vegan diet will rest on the conscientiousness of the individual undertaking it, says Rogerson. Its restrictive and unless we pay attention to the elements of the diet that it excludes, then we might be putting ourselves at risk of developing deficiency-related problems. It has become easier to follow with vegan-friendly food products in supermarkets, which are fortified with nutrients that can be absent from the diet.

Another point is that people who choose to adopt a vegan diet might be more inclined to adopt health-related behaviours than the norm. Such groups might be more inclined to exercise and be aware of the nutritional adequacy of the foods they eat. We need to look at this further.

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Is veganism as good for you as they say? - The Guardian

By

Seattle Times business reporter

By now, that tree in the living room is probably transitioning, from fire hazard and symbol of holiday cheer to extreme fire hazard and sad reminder that its nearly time to begin your diet, exercise and sobriety plans. Here are some ways to dispose of your Christmas tree in the Seattle area:

In Seattle, you can put up to two trees next to your yard waste cart on collection day through the end of January. You can also bring up to three trees no more than 8 feet long and 4 inches in diameter to city waste transfer stations. Beginning Feb. 1, extra disposal fees apply for both curbside pickup and disposal at transfer stations.

Lights, ornaments and anything else thats not part of the tree should be removed first, of course.

Several other area cities offer similar free or discounted pickup programs for trees during January. King Countys Green Holidays website http://www.kcgreenholidays.com offers links to programs for other cities and towns, as well as a list of public and private waste-handling facilities around the county along with hours and prices charged for tree disposal. The site also offers resources for recycling other holiday items, such as lights, wrapping paper, cooking oil from that mega batch of latkes and electronics.

Local groups, such as the Boy Scouts, will pick up and dispose of trees, or collect them at a central location, for a donation. For example, Boy Scout Troop 600 is scheduling pickups within a large service area in Bellevue west of Interstate 405 for $15 each, provided scheduling is completed by Dec. 31. Sammamish Scout troops have a similar program for the Sammamish plateau.

In Snohomish County, options include Everett Community College, which has been recycling trees since 2009. People can drop them off at a campus parking lot for free on weekdays during January.

There are also a variety of ways to reuse a Christmas tree in your own yard.

Trees can become temporary habitat for birds seeking shelter in winter. Stand the tree up outside in a corner of the yard and load its branches with suet cakes or bird seed.

Christmas tree branches can also make a good base for a backyard compost bin or mulch for lining garden paths. And the tree trunk can be sliced into discs for use in next years holiday crafts.

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Heres how to reuse or dispose of your Christmas tree in the Seattle area - Seattle Times

With his straight-talking advice and digs at diet-industry fads, exercise guru James Smith has cultivated a huge online following. Zoe Beaty meets the Gordon Ramsay of personal training

I am lying face up, frog-legged and thrusting on a spongy blue block. It is Tuesday morning in a dimly lit gym in Queens Park, northwest London, and as a very deep voice rumbles next to me I raise my hips in time with his count: ... 10, 11, 12 . Im in the middle of a one-to-one session with one of the most sought-after personal trainers in the world, a big, brawny, blond 6ft bloke who has risen from nowhere (Gloucester), knocked current fitness It boy @JoeWicks for six and stolen the coveted crown of the fitness world: Instagrams Next Big Thing.

James Smith, as he attests, isnt just any personal trainer. Rather, the 30-year-old is the online PT with the fastest-growing following, known

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Meet James Smith, the personal trainer changing the way you think about fitness - The Times

After an indulgent period of festive feasting, many pledge to lose weight, exercise more and drink less when January arrives. But NHS medical director Professor Stephen Powis said fads such as diet pills, tea-toxes and appetite suppressants could at best be a waste of money and at worst pose a risk to our health.

He said: Its always a good time to try to get in shape, and new years resolutions are a great time to make a change, but the reality is theres a slim chance of success with diet pills and detox teas and people could end up doing more harm than good. Making new year goals and shifting a few excess pounds after Christmas can be a good idea but is much easier to maintain when done gradually and safely. Products claiming to help people lose weight quickly while reducing appetite and fatigue can have damaging side effects including diarrhoea, heart problems and even unplanned pregnancies caused by interference with oral contraception.

Prof Powis added: A good rule of thumb is: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Modern fads of detox teas, laxative drinks and appetite suppressant pills also promise the earth but can cost mind and body.

Get-fit-quick solutions can affect the digestive system and cause heart problems, as well as impacting mental health, by driving people towards seeking an idealised but unattainable body image.

The NHSs warning follows calls earlier this year for social media firms to crack down on influential celebrities posting misleading get fit quick" adverts.

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Kim Kardashian West was criticised in 2018 for advertising appetite-suppressing lollipops to more than 100 million followers on Instagram, in a post which was later deleted.

Instagram clamped down on diet and cosmetic surgery posts in September, announcing new rules that will see some hidden from under-18s and others promoting "miraculous" weight loss products removed.

With one in four young people saying their appearance is their top concern, Professor Powis warned that easy availability of quick-fix products online and on the high street including buy one get one free offers could exploit body image anxiety.

There is no doubt that some of us could benefit from shedding a few pounds, with two thirds of UK adults either overweight or obese.

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The most recent Health Survey for England found that just 28 per cent of adults and 18 per cent of children ate five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day in 2018.

More than half of adults (56 per cent) were found to be at increased, high, or very high risk of chronic disease due to their waist circumference and BMI.

However, Prof Powis stressed the importance of losing weight safely using the tried and tested methods which have worked for generations: eating well and exercising often.

He added: Alongside cutting-edge treatments and improved access to care, the NHS Long Term Plan is helping people to stay in control of their own health, including the revolutionary Diabetes Prevention Programme which helps people to lose weight safely, while NHS.uk has helpful tips, including a 12-week weight loss plan, alongside recommended apps to help boost fitness.

The British Nutrition Foundation also urged people to ditch the January diet and keep healthy eating simple.

The foundations science director Sara Stanner said: Although many of us start the year with the best intentions to get healthy, in reality, following a complicated diet plan can often just be too time-consuming, and too expensive to keep up.

To make New Years healthy eating pledges last, you need to ditch the January diet, and take a step back to consider the basics of healthy eating.

For quick and simple healthy options, Stanner recommended stocking up on certain canned and frozen foods which can help you put together a balanced dish in a hurry.

She said: Despite frequent media attention around the importance of clean eating, healthy food doesnt have to mean expensive ingredients and cooking absolutely everything from scratch.

The term processed foods covers a wide range of different foods with varying nutritional qualities.

While some are not healthy choices, others, like canned pulses or frozen vegetables, can be part of a healthy diet, and can help you to cook balanced meals, even when youre in a hurry.

Cost can be a large barrier when it comes to improving your diet, but with some savvy shopping, healthy eating doesnt need to break the bank.

Economy ranges are usually great value, and nutritionally there is often little difference between them and the standard or branded versions.

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Britons warned AGAINST fad diets by top doc and NHS director Slim chance of success! - Express

It is very beneficial to keep your brain sharp and focused. You should check out our best brain health tips by clicking here.

While you might have heard years ago that humans only use about 10 percent of their brains, this has since been proven incorrect. In fact, most of the brain is active most of the time.

Our goal should be to keep our brain healthy and happy to keep it in good working order. We are here to help you with the best brain health tips, so you can keep your brain healthy for more years.

Continue reading this article as we go over important brain health tips.

1. Dont Underestimate Sleep

There has been a trend over the past few years that pushed people toward sleeping as little as possible. Stories about CEOs that woke up at 4 AM with only a few hours of sleep were showcased as being the smartest and most well functioning people in the business world.

More people are beginning to see the importance of sleep and how it plays into our brain function. Lack of sleep is no longer a badge of honor, but people are now noticing they can get more done on a good nights rest.

The brain doesnt go off when you sleep, but its hard at work making sure everything we learned throughout the day is neatly organized in our brains.

2. Take Time to Exercise

Exercise is good for much more than your physical body. Exercise helps your brain health and even makes you feel better emotionally.

As long as youre using good form and paying attention to any doctors orders, exercise is a free way to get many benefits for your brain and body without any adverse side effects.

Exercise helps your brain cells grow as well as helps with the connections between brain cells. The growth factors put off through exercise helps your brain in ways we understand but also in ways we have no idea about yet that may be even more powerful.

3. Stimulate Your Mind

Scientists spend years studying rodent behavior to learn how the brain works. One of the things they have discovered is that mental stimulation is key.

When you use your brain on different activities, you are going to stimulate new connections between nerve cells. The brain can even generate new cells when doing brainy activities.

Doing brainy activities can help you hedge against future brain cell loss, so to say these activities are important is an understatement.

4. Improve Your Diet

Eating well is one of the most important things you can do for your brain health. Vegetables should be in your diet when you want to help your brain health, so even if you dont love vegetables, you need to find a way to get these in your diet.

Oily fish are also helpful for the brain because of the omega-3 fatty acids that help with improved memory and overall brain function.

5. Manage Your Stress Levels

Stress will keep you from being able to learn because it prioritizes immediate information and gives you a shorter attention span.

When we try to learn and perform tasks under stress, we are not giving our work the best of our abilities, and we are hurting our brain health.

Learning what works for your stress management is essential if you want to have your brain working at its highest capacity and being able to maintain and even gain health.

Some people choose to medicate to help with stress levels, but there are natural means of managing stress if you dont want to use medication.

6. Learn Something New

If youre constantly doing the same things, your brain health can decrease. Keeping yourself busy learning new things will allow your brain to be at its best health.

Whether youre learning a new hobby, language, or skill, any new learning will help your brain. Even learning something small can help with your brain health, so dont be afraid to choose to go a different route to work, learn how to play a video game, or something similar.

7. Avoid Toxins

We come in contact with enough toxins we dont mean to come in contact with, but putting toxins in our bodies is anything but helpful.

Do you drink a lot of alcohol, or do you use tobacco? Taking these toxins in your body can affect your brain badly, and youll notice that your mood is off, your memory is decreasing, and you lack in cognition.

8. Develop Strong Relationships

Having strong relationships with different types of people challenges you to be more creative. Not only will you have to be creative to learn how to communicate with different people, but you are going to learn things you wouldnt have otherwise learned.

Learning through conversations with your friends and family is a good way to gain information and perspective.

9. Meditate

Our brains are constantly on, and oftentimes, we are fighting against them with our own agenda. Meditation is a great way to allow our brains to have some time to themselves.

Mindfulness and meditation help our mental and physical health. Research is now supporting that meditation improves concentration and memory.

Brain Health Tips for the Win

Now you know these important brain health tips and can keep your brain healthy for years to come.

Do you want to learn more about health, wellness, and other important topics? Our site is full of articles that can help you as youre working to keep your health and wellness on track.

Browse our site to find other health-related articles that can help you in your goals, drop a bookmark, and come back again soon.

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9 Brain Health Tips That Can Help You Stay Sharp and Focused - Thrive Global

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Millennials (born 1980-2000) are the largest and most educated generation. But, they are also the most unhealthy.

Despite the fact that many millennials are all about their yoga boutique trends, green juices, and meditation memberships, they are in worse health than their older counterparts, Generation X (born 1965-19790).

The wellness trend isnt translating into actually being healthy, according to research.

A study conducted by Blue Cross Blue Shield estimates that without intervention, millennials could see mortality rates increase to 40% more than Gen-Zers of the same age.

So, what are the health issues causing this rapid decline and concern for the future?

Millennials behavioral health is becoming a widespread concern. Rates of major depression have increased by 31%, rates of psychotic conditions have increased by 15%, and rates of substance use have risen 10%. The unfortunate truth here is that overall health appears to be worse for female millennials compared to their male counterparts, especially in regards to major depression, Type 2 diabetes, and endocrine conditions.

It doesnt stop here, though. Depression, anxiety, and loneliness are on the rise for millennials, and all generations.

Given that millennials make up the majority of the workforce, their overall health will largely impact the entire economys health. Unhealthy employees are less productive, and their lower health levels could cost millennials more than $4,500 per year (or $375/month). When you consider that millennials spend on average $4,300 per year on entertainment and apparel alone, that reduction in expendable cash will hurt the economy.

Now that you understand how serious this really is, its time to consider what you can do today to improve your health.

1. Reduce your screen time.

There is no secret that millennials are some of the most connected people online today, and yet 30% have reported always or often feeling lonely while 27% say they have no close friends. This loneliness is in large part due to social media, according to a study by Penn State, which found a strong correlation between increased time spent on social media and decreased well-being.

To combat this loneliness, dedicate time away from your social media in order to work on building face-to-face connections. Personal interaction is something so many people crave, yet dont actively seek out. According to the BlueZone studies, the healthiest regions of the world, researchers found that among diet, exercise and adequate sleep, a sense of community was what kept these people so healthy. Dont limit it to people just your age! Build relationships with your grandparents, and dont forget your younger family members.

Many young professionals live far away from their immediate family, which makes it all the more important to establish new relationships and a sense of community. Start to attend meetup groups, join a community-focused gym or become a member of a networking group that meets regularly.

If stepping away completely from social media sounds too difficult, or perhaps it is a necessity for your business, simply take note of how you use it on a daily basis. The way you use social media largely affects the impact it has on your mental well-being.

Additional data has shown that people who generate a connected community online are less likely to associate with depression and anxiety as opposed to someone who has high usage on a wide variety of platforms with a broad audience. What this means is, in order to get the most out of social media, create a niche community that you connect with, as opposed to scrolling through random sites and strangers profiles. The key here is quality over quantity.

2. Visit your doctor.

Preventative health matters. This is something that hasnt seemed to catch on with millennials considering that two-thirds of them report not going to a doctor until they are sick or in need of urgent care.

Im no health expert, but I can confidently state that there are some great advantages to visiting a doctor annually, even if you dont feel ill. They can perform blood work, check your blood pressure, run an MRT test to learn what causes allergies and inflammation specific to you. An overall exam today goes far beyond listening to your breathing with a stethoscope. You might have been running around all year without taking the time to notice a small mole changing color or that your heart was literally skipping beats.

A doctors check-up will help you catch signs and symptoms before they become something more serious. Schedule out annual recurring dermatology, gynecology, and optometry appointments. There are many illnesses, such as cervical cancer, that if caught early can be easily treated, but if left untested turn serious.

3. Consider your health before your finances.

Open enrollment for health insurance started last month (November) and that has meant many people are considering which health care plan to get, or whether they should enroll at all.

It might be tempting to forgo health care given the recent changes in 2019, especially if you dont have a serious illness. Health insurance plans can be expensive. In fact, the average monthly cost for an individual was $547 in 2018. You might be thinking about all the great things you could do with that money instead.

So why pay a monthly fee for something you wont use? Well, consider that an ER visit without insurance will run you anywhere from $150 upwards of $3,000 and in some instan

ces reach $20,000 depending on the severity. A recent study unveiled that 66% of all bankruptcies are tied to medical issues, either from the exorbitant cost for care or for the time out of work due to illness. Already, your insurance plan would be worth that one visit.

Realize that you are the most important thing you can invest in, not your house, not your social media profile... you. If your physical isnt working, you cannot perform on a mental level.

Being healthy is the greatest gift and most rewarding investment you can give yourself.

Link:
Millennials: The Most Unhealthy Generation At Work - Forbes

Eddie Hall is the former Worlds Strongest Man, best known for his record-holding 500kg deadlift in 2016 and winning the title of Worlds Strongest Man in 2017. After announcing his retirement from the strongman competition, the 31-year-old has since slimmed down by an incredible five stone, citing health fears as his motivation - how did he do it?

Today, Eddie appears on ITVs The Chase Celebrity Special, hosted by Bradley Walsh, alongside Dani Harmer, Chemmy Alcott and Alex Horn, going up against the Chasers.

Previously, it was reported that Eddie had chosen to go on a weight loss journey, citing health fears as his motivation, in order to drop five stone.

The decision to overhaul his lifestyle comes as no surprise after he cast light on the grueling daily routine he put his body through during his quest to become the strongest man in the world.

In 2017, the strongman released a tell-all book, titled Strongman: My Story, where he recalled the weeks leading up to setting the world record and recalled how it put his relationship with his family under strain.

He wrote in 2017: Being a foul-mouthed history-making cheeky behemoth does come at a cost.

Ever since agreeing to do the lift I have had to virtually ignore my wife and kids and, over the last six months, I have spent no more than a few hours in their company.

That in itself has obviously been a massive sacrifice for all of us but, in truth, its just the tip of the iceberg.

"My daily routine has been to eat, sleep, train, recover and repeat and in addition to a couple of short but extremely severe bouts of depression, which I think were triggered by stress and isolation, I have gradually become less mobile.

Eddie went on to explain why it was critical for him to follow the strict regime.

He added: In order to lift such a massive weight I had to put on an extra 15kg in weight and right now I am just over 31 stone.

My God, its been hard though.

I have suffered all kinds of pain over the years, but preparing for this has been a different kind of Hell and even now I am in a very, very dark place.

After winning the title in 2017, the athlete became concerned about his health and decided to slim down.

He said: When I won the worlds strongest man at 29, I was 31st 7lb, thats what I had to be the strongest man on the planet.

I had a few health implications, working with blood doctors and nutritionists I got a bit worried.

So, how did Eddie Hall lose weight?

Hall revealed he cut back on carbohydrates in a bid to shape up and managed to drop around five stone.

I cut my carbs out and over the last two years I lost a total of 30kg, or five stone, and I feel a lot better for it and am enjoying my life better for it.

Hall previously revealed to Express.co.uk that he used swimming, among other cardio exercises to shed the weight and get back into a slimmer shape.

He said earlier this year: What I do now is Ive thrown in a couple of boxing sessions a week.

I do a land-based training session, I do a swimming session, and then I bought a push-bike as well so Im doing a lot of cycling.

Ive probably piled on about five or six hours a week in cardio on top of my weight training.

Ive got a six pack and Im quite happy to stay at this, until I get a bit older [in his late 40s and 50s] when maybe Ill have to reduce the weight a little bit more.

As well as including cardio exercise to burn off the weight, Hall reduced his daily calorie intake from the whopping 10,000 calories he was used to.

He explained removing unhealthy carbs can be the best way for dieters to get into shape.

The best tip I have would be cut the carbs a little bit, they are the source of all health and obesity problems in this country, Eddie claimed.

That was the easiest thing I did, up my proteins and fats and cut the carbs a little bit and it worked for me first hand.

Read the rest here:
Eddie Hall weight loss: Strongman lost five stone by cutting this one food out of diet - Express