You wouldnt expect the son of a Saudi billionaire to be a vegan. You wouldnt expect him to be passionately involved in animal rights and environmental matters. Yet there he is His Royal Highness Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed. Hes all that and more.

Bin Alwaleed is one of the wealthiest men on the planet. Hes Saudi royalty, the only son of philanthropist and billionaire investor Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz al Saud, known to the media as the Arabian Warren Buffett.

The Making of a Vegan Saudi Prince Environmentalist

He hasnt always been devoted to environmental sustainability issues. In his younger years, bin Alwaleed was much the same as any other fabulously wealthy Saudi citizen. He had luxury cars, lavishly appointed yachts, and enjoyed life in the family palace. It took a trophy huntin the late 1990s to startle him into change.

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed, at right. Photo credit: @khaledalwaleed Instagram account

What he saw during that exotic animal expedition haunted him. Shocked, he realized hunting animals is what he calls a cowardly act. Shortly after returning home, bin Alwaleed became an animal rights advocate, vocally opposing blood sports and all forms of cruelty. He went 100 percent vegan around 2012.

He made a host of other life adjustments as well. He no longer owns any interest in the oil and gas industry, investing instead in supporting sustainability, high tech, solar power, renewables, green construction, plant-based restaurants and more. He gave up his fleet of 200 pricey oil guzzling cars and now drives only one the Tesla Model X P90D. Thats the eco-friendly one with vegan synthetic leather options.

Hes a self-described geek and Crossfit enthusiast. When he flies anywhere, bin Alwaleed buys carbon offsets to limit the carbon impact of his travels. He doesnt even live in the opulent family palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, anymore.

Taking Action that Matters for the Middle East

At SAUDIMEGA 2015, an oil industry conference held in Riyadh, bin Alwaleed took a stand that might be considered outrageous by contemporaries who are heavily invested in fossil fuels. He urged action on climate change.

Climate change and the unjustified consumption of energy are two of the most serious issues we face today at the macro-level, he told the assembled crowd. Its another issue he feels strongly about.

You dont have to be a rocket scientist or scientist to understand that climate change is real, bin Alwaleed told The National Observer. Ive seen the data out there and it is worrying, honestly.

Bin Alwaleed does more than talk, though. He acts. One of his biggest achievements to date is a project to transition the country of Jordan to 100 percent LED lights and solar panels. In time, this change may save that country an impressive 60 percent on its power costs.

I went over there, proposed this idea to King Abdullah and he really liked it, bin Alwaleed told The National Observer. He arranged for some meetings with the minister of energy and the minister of municipalities, and thats how it really became what it is now. Were changing the entire countrys lighting infrastructure to LEDs.

Photo credit: @khaledalwaleed Instagram account

What bin Alwaleed wants more than anything is to see his oil-dependent country shift priorities and rely much less on fossil fuels. He can see the day coming when such reliance will become a liability rather than a financial boon.

Has bin Alwaleed had an influence on his wealthy philanthropic father?

Funnily enough, I would usually say no I am influenced a lot by him and I learn a lot from him but recently, yes, bin Alwaleed told The National Observer. I introduced him to Dr. Michael Gregers book, How Not to Die, last August. Two months later, he literally transitioned to being vegan, which has a huge impact on the environment - not necessarily [if] one person does it, but if every person did that, it would have a huge impact.

The prince with Dr. Michael Greger, author of How Not to Die. Photo credit: @khaledalwaleed Instagram account

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed may just be the face of Saudi Arabias green future.

Animal welfare, factory farming, the environment usually theyre solvable if we look at things in an economic way, a humane way and a practical way rather than a greedy way. bin Alwaleed told The National Observer.

Clearly, bin Alwaleed is a voice of reason in an oil-based culture that desperately needs one.

Photo Credit: @KhaledBinAlwaleed Instagram account

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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Vegan Saudi Prince Wants the Middle East to Go Green - Care2.com

A new Seaport restaurant, opening Thursday, is putting a vegan twist on traditional New England foods. At By Chloe (stylized as by CHLOE), diners will be able to chow down on lobster rolls made of hearts of palm, celery, smoked paprika, and dill, and spoonclam chowder made of cauliflower cream, shiitake mushroom, corn, potato, and parsley.

Theall-vegan fast-casual restaurant chain, which is opening its first Massachusetts location on Seaport Boulevard, will dish out four items exclusive to Bostonthe chowder and lobster roll, aBoston cream pie ice cream, and a Boston cream whoopie pie alongside the plant-based,Instagrammable meals that have gained the eatery a cult-like following since its New York City debut three years ago.

The 2,400-square-foot Seaport space will seat 43 people, featurethe restaurants signature hanging swing chairs in the window, and offer an outside patio for dining. It will also pay homage to the neighborhoodvia black and white, seaweed-patterned wallpaper leading to the bathroom.

Its our nod to the Seaport area without feeling too cliche, said Samantha Wasser, By Chloes co-founder, president, and creative director.

Wasser and Chloe Coscarelli, winner of the Food Networks Cupcake Warsin 2010, have opened five locations in the past three years in New York City and Los Angeles. The team will open five more locations in 2017, two in New York and three in New England: the Seaport one, a Fenway spot slated to open this spring, and a Providence, Rhode Island, location set to open later this year.

Wasser said shes thrilled to bring By Chloe to Boston and thinks the Seaport area, which she calls a little city within a city, is a perfect fit.

The restaurants menu is 100-percent plant-based and includes no meat, dairy, egg products, saturated animal fat, added preservatives, or artificial flavors. The restaurant has worked hard to shatter misconceptions about vegan food, Wasser said.

Vegan food can be delicious and flavorful and also filling, Wasser said.We make everything from scratch.

Wasser said vegan eaters make up less than 10 percent of By Chloes customers because the food appeals to everyone. The menu includessalads, soup, sandwiches, burgers, fries, pasta, juice, smoothies, dairy-free ice cream, fresh-baked sweets, and more. The restaurant also serves beer and wine, and even treats for dogs (also vegan).

The food is also aesthetically appealing, which has helped the restaurant gain a healthy following onsocial media, Wasser said.

The dishes are so beautiful and have so many different colors, Wasser said.When we were putting together the menu, we really kept in mind how the food is photographed. Social media is so important. People want to document what theyre eating.

For example, the restaurants popular quinoa taco salad is layered in a very specific way to make sure its photogenic, she said.

The Fenway location thats set to openthis springdate yet to be determinedwill become the chains largest, Wasser said.The 2,948-square-foot space will have six hanging chairs.

I think that location is going to be very beautiful, she said.

The Seaport restaurant will serve food from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. Brunch will be served from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.

Heres a look at By Chloes menu:

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Eat vegan lobster rolls and clam chowder at this new Seaport restaurant - Boston.com

Bite into a bevy of vegan dishes during Twains Sunday supper. HANDOUT / Tori Allen PR.

Alpharetta restaurant week. Vegan dinner. Academy Awards watch party. There are several fun, food events happening in metro Atlanta, so add one or all four of the following to your calendar. Be prepared to eat, drink and have a grand ole time.

Feb. 19 25: During Alpharetta Restaurant Week, diners can enjoy a variety of prix fixe lunch and dinner options for $15 and $25 respectively. Participating restaurants include Benihana, Salt Factory, andSouth Main Kitchen. Click here for a complete list. Various restaurants, awesomealpharetta.com.

Every Wednesday: Do happy hour with the Italian tradition of aperitivoa post-work ritual of socializing with friends to kick back with cocktails andantipastiat Dolce Italian. Guests seated at the bar or on the patio will enjoy $7 pizzas, $10 Double Cross Vodka cocktails and live music from 5-7:30 p.m. The Shops Buckhead Atlanta, 3035 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta. 678-686-2267, dolceitalianrestaurant.com.

Sunday, Feb. 26: For an amuse-bouche plus a three-course Sunday supperfeaturing all vegan dishes, head to Twains Brewpub and Billiards from 6-8 p.m. The menu will include smoked cauliflower hush pups, a vegan pot pie and more. A seat at the table will be $40 per person; for $50 beer pairings will be included. Reservations are required; email Savannah@Twains.net. 211 E Trinity Pl., Decatur. 404-373-0063, twains.net.

Sunday, Feb. 26:If youre going to watch the Academy Awards, you might as well do it in style at Pricci in Buckhead. The restaurant will host its annual Academy Awards viewing party, which will feature signature cocktails and a special four-course, movie-themed menu. Seating, reservations and red carpet entrance will be available at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $62 for the first seating and $72 for the second. 500 Pharr Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-237-2941. buckheadrestaurants.com.

Read The A List: The faces, places, dishes and drinks defining the Atlanta dining scene right now

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Vegan dinner, Alpharetta Restaurant Week and more in metro Atlanta this week - Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)

If you're in Philly and you like "fair" food, now's your chance to head over to Reading Terminal Market.Fox & Son Fancy Corndogs opened last week.

And by "fair" food, I don't just mean the associations with stuff like corn dogs and poutine, but it has them in vegan versions, offering fun-food enthusiasts a choice to forgo animal use and its intrinsic unfairness.

Now it's been quite some time since I've had a corn dog, maybe as long as it's been since I've been to a county or state fair. But either way I can say this item - a jumbo-sized soy dog in a crispy, tasty coating on a stick with your choice of condiments for $5.99 - surely hit the spot both nostalgically and fillingly, making me hungry to try Fox & Son's other vegan offerings on my next visit.

I chatted briefly with founders Rebecca Foxman and Ezekial Ferguson, from whose last names the business gets its title. Ferguson said he recalled enjoying the Luzerne County Fair as a youngster, and when they decided to open a place for this "fun comfort food," both partners agreed that "we wanted to accommodate as many people as possible, and also to bring something into this space that hasn't been here."

To that end, the batter for the vegan item is coconut milk-based, with organic sugar, and there's vegan gravy, and even vegan cheese, for the poutine - a friendly, welcoming vibe befitting the carnivalesque menu, which is entirely gluten-free. There is also fresh-squeezed lemonade, also with organic sugar. The duo is also mulling a veganized funnel cake, but that's not yet on the menu.

Foxman and Ferguson are serious enough about the vegan dogs that they're installing a second fryer to cook them in separate oil from the animal products. This setup should be ready in a couple of weeks, but this report couldn't wait, so yes, mine was cooked in the same oil. It was still good! But if that skeeves you out, target early March for a drop-in.

With food outlets throughout greater Philadelphia now introducing more, and more creative, vegan options, I can't spotlight every menu change or venue change, but hey: A block from City Hall? Vegan corn dogs? And they're delish? That's a kind of progress I can get in line for.

Fox & Son could be a good fit for RTM, doing with conviction something a little different but well within the comfort zone of lunching tourists and businesspeople. And the multiple vegan items are a savvy gambit for a growing future, offering food that's fair for all.

Published: February 22, 2017 5:00 AM EST | Updated: February 22, 2017 10:47 AM EST Philadelphia Daily News

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Real vegan corn dogs in the big city? - Philly.com (blog)

Aaron Out will no longer touch the Turkey Shortis. Talk about a loss of street cred.

Wawa rapper Aaron Out

Earlier today, we told you about the amazing new Wawa Hoagies video from Philly rapper Aaron Out, a 2011 Abington High grad. Here, the East Falls-based emcee tells us all about it.

What possessed you to make a rap about Wawa hoagies? I was at work one day, and I forgot my lunch. I hadnt eaten. I was pretty stressed and tired, and I went to Wawa and smelled the deli food, and I just thought, I should try to make a song about it.

Whats your background in music? None, really. I mean, I am very active on the battle rapping scene. Ive been doing that for a little over a year. Its really gritty and intense, more like boxing. But this is my first song.

So you just went home and started writing? Yeah, I wrote the first verse in about 20 minutes and another 20 to write the second. My friend and roommate IrCasim has been producing for a long time, and so he started making the beats. I wanted a different beat at first, more of a hyper beat, but he was totally against that, and Im so glad he was. He was right.

What did the managers at Wawa think when you started showing up there with cameras? That was something I really worried about. We dont know the legality behind filming in the stores. Some of them didnt ask anything. Some of them asked, and we said we were doing a school project.

Were you? No, Im a laborer. I do masonry work. Im building a fence right now. So I guess we basically lied to them.

Which Wawas did you shoot at? Over five or six months, we got the scenes at the one in Roslyn down the street from the house I grew up in, Glenside or maybe thats Cheltenham, Jenkintown and Willow Grove.

None in the city? Lame! Ha. We were using the ones we thought might be less crowded. But my friend who works at the big new Wawa on Broad Street supplied the shirts.

Are you actually trying to jumpstart your rap career, or is this just for fun? I was hoping for 10,000 views in a week, and its on track to do a little better than that. I can do more than make funny songs about Wawa, but this is a way to generate some publicity. But I cant make any money on it. I mean, legally speaking, Wawa is trademarked, and Im still not sure whats legal and what is not.

But if you get sued by Wawa, it might improve your street cred. Ive been saying that too, man.

How many times do you eat at Wawa per week? And Turkey Shorti or Meatball Shorti? I feel bad admitting this, but in January, I changed my diet. Im a vegan. Before that, a Turkey Classic all day. Im a big guy, so I get a Classic. My usual order was a Turkey Classic with tomatoes, lettuce, bacon and then Id change up the condiments, sometimes horseradish sauce, sometimes honey mustard. And always with the Wawa Half-and-Half Iced Tea Lemonade.

But your turkey days are gone. How sad. I did stop in there recently and get a veggie hoagie with the works. But I still stop there a lot for my cigarettes and other stuff.

Do you have one in walking distance? Nah. Theres one a quarter-mile from my parents house. But Ive been in East Falls for six or seven months. The first thing I said when we moved here was, Damn. Theres no Wawa nearby. Thats literally the first thing I said.

Note: Video is definitely NSFW.

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Rapper Behind Wawa Hoagies Video Admits He's a Vegan - Philadelphia magazine

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at 7 a.m.

Sushi Garage's lemon negetarian roll.

Courtesy of Sushi Garage

Who says sushi has to involve fish? Let 'em stay in the ocean, because Sushi Garage has your fish-free sushi cravings covered. The Sunset Harbour eatery now offers an array of menu options that are all good for vegan and vegetarian eaters.

Vegans can dig into the bok choy ($5), truffle shiitake nigiri ($8), lemon vegetarian roll ($11), kapparoll ($7), vegetable roll ($10), shishito ($6), and watercress salad with no dressing ($11). Vegetarians can eat all of the above plus the vegetable tempura ($11) and avocado tempura ($8).

So why add vegan sushi to the menu at an omnivorous restaurant? "I'm not vegan or vegetarian, and I have never looked at food in that way," Sushi Garage's executive chef, Sunny Oh,says. "The vegetarian dishes Imake at Sushi Garage is food I love to eat; it just happens to be vegetarian or vegan. The lemon vegetarian roll originally had salmon, but we decided to take it out because it wasn't needed the flavor was already there."

"I have been looking to expand the vegan and vegetarian options, so I'm currently experimenting with other things," Oh adds.

If you need to veganize any menu items, staffers should be able to assist. "The servers are trained to work with most dietary restrictions," Oh says. "We also have members of our staff who are either vegan or vegetarian."

And according to Zarko Stankovik, the restaurant's director of beverage, all cocktails are also vegan- and vegetarian-friendly, so you can raise a toast to tasty food. Try the Fat Qcumber, made with cucumber vodka, St-Germain, and grapefruit juice ($13), or the lychee mule, containing Tito's vodka, lychee pure, and ginger beer ($12).

More than a trillion fishes and marine animals are pulled from the oceans every year, so opting for meat-free sushi is a wise idea.

Excerpt from:

Vegan Sushi Is No Oxymoron at Sunset Harbour's Sushi Garage - Miami New Times

Inhale. Exhale.

Students breathed quietly as they sat in the first session of Yoga Club, listening to the calm, relaxing music Rob Lombino had playing in the background.

Lombino,a Lehigh graduate studenttraining to become a certified yoga instructor, founded the club to interact with students on campus and promote healthy living. Now,as a result, students no longer have to go off campus or pay for yoga classes.

Fifteen students attended the first yoga club session, and Lombino said he has received many additional inquiries this week.The Yoga Club, a new Lehigh organization, held its first session in Maginnes Hall on Feb. 15.

The club welcomes students at any level of experience. Lombino surveyed the first classs attendees, and the majority of the students had never tried yoga before.

The addition of the Yoga Club to Lehighs campus will provide students who already practice yoga a way to meet others who share a common interest and give them the opportunity to do yoga together twice a week. The club also provides interested students an opportunity to try yoga for the first time.

Jocelin Gregorio, 18, had not taken a yoga class before the Feb. 15 session. After attending, Gregorio saidshe really enjoyed the class and felt like the instructor was knowledgeable about yoga. She plans to attend thesessions twice a week.

The club meets Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m., but Lombino and the students in the club are working on scheduling Friday sessions as well.

The sessions begin with each student on a mat, as Lombino instructs the students to assume a pose. He explains how each pose is supposed to feel and which muscles are being stretched.

Additionally, Lombino walked around the room to adjust students who are not in the correct position so as to make the session a learning experience. Students are encouraged to focus on themselves rather than their surroundings.

Yoga club classes are free of charge, but attendees must provide their own mat. Haley Wolf, 19, thinks the club will attract students who are unwilling to pay for classes at Taylor Gym. Wolf has had some yoga experience and when she saw the flyer for the club she was eager to attend.

Garret Linderman, 20, agrees. Linderman considers himself to be at an intermediate level in yoga and enjoys the incorporation of meditation in yoga.

The Yoga Club is a great way for students to relieve stress, Linderman said.

Lombino says yoga is defined as to bring together. He believes doing yoga connects the mind, body and soul.

He feels yoga promotes healthy living and says he knows from personal experience that yoga, in combination with healthy eating and exercise, promotes weight loss. Lombino, who has been practicing yoga since high school, saidyoga has improved his life and he hopes the club can do the same for other Lehigh students.

School is so much easier now that Idoyoga because it teaches you to focus on the task at hand and block out all other distractions, Lombino said.

The Yoga Club is currently searching for a differentmeeting spot. Lombino said the club is hoping it can use the dance studio in the UMOJA house. In the spring, the club plans to practice yoga on the UC Front Lawn as a way to attract additional members.

Excerpt from:

Yoga Club encourages stress relief and healthy lifestyles - The Brown and White

by Jacob Meister | 2/23/17 1:00am

The beginning of 2017s music landscape has been uncontestably dominated by rap artists from a city that has recently become a key niche of American popular culture: Atlanta, Georgia. Following the release of Migos wildly successful Culture in late January, Atlantas unique brand of trap rap has maintained a constant presence on radio stations, late night talk shows and the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

Undoubtedly, Future, another giant of the Atlanta trap music scene, realized that Migos recent success provided a fortuitous increase in media attention for trap music and artists from Atlanta. Future, whose real name is Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn, announced that his forthcoming album would arrive on Feb. 17, only to be followed by a second album a week later. True to his word, Future released his fifth album, FUTURE, last Friday.

The self-titled album, like the rest of the hip hop artists discography, excels at setting a mood that is almost tangible throughout the album. Future is known for his revolutionary practice of using auto-tune to synthesize his raps rather than to help him sing. Parts of his flow and lyrical style were picked up by other aspiring artists following Futures three-peat of hit albums and mixtapes in 2015: DS2, Beast Mode and 56 Nights. One just has to compare the recent works of Migos and 21 Savage to Futures DS2 to see his impact.

He continues to utilize his technique to marvelous effect, giving his songs a distinct, soulful aesthetic. Futures bouncing, synthesized drone-flow meshes together perfectly with eerie, upbeat instrumentals and quick snare beats of producers Metro Boomin, Zaytoven and DJ Khaled, among others. On FUTURE, like in his other work, his attitude often switches between two distinct personas. One is a no-nonsense, melodic trap king with an intense darkness inside of him, as found in Super Trapper, when he raps Rags to riches, **** these snitches, I aint scared, bruh / Cold and sheisty, put some prices on your head. The other version is a carefree, pill-popping kid from the ATL who, as in Mask Off, just wants to have fun. Sometimes the goal is to become the toughest drug dealer in Atlanta. Sometimes its just to have fun and make money in whatever way possible.

While these songs are pleasing to listen to and occasionally even relaxing, they obviously ring hollow lyrically. Like most trap music, theres not much below the surface. There are similar themes in every song: using drugs, selling drugs, using violence against competitors, making money and spending that money on luxurious vices (mainly women). Future uses an easily recognizable couplet form in most songs and rarely attempts to tell lyrically complex stories. Listeners dont hear the downsides of this lifestyle, but they arent listening to Future to think; theyre listening to, as one friend puts it, get pleasantly lit.

However, throughout the album, Futures graphic lyrics usually come off as deeply offensive to women and the LGBT community. Again, this is nothing new to trap music or to the rap genre or even to the wider music industry, but it simply gets tiresome when sexism and homophobia are present on every single song. On the albums first track, Rent Money, Future raps with many expletives boasting about the number of women he has won from other inferior rappers. Similarly offensive variations of the phrase appear consistently in nearly every single song on FUTURE.

A flat-falling skit at the end of Flip in which a woman calls into a radio station and wins a prize has a similar effect. Obviously, the skit was intended to be comedic, with the woman winning faulty condoms and geographic tracking devices so that she can find her significant other and tell him this his baby too. Im not sure who Futures intended recipients are. Lines, such as these, further stereotypes of absent black fathers and gold-digging black mothers who have children in order to procure more child support. It disturbs me that mainstream artists feel the need to perpetuate these kinds of dangerous norms in 2017.

Perhaps Future feels beholden to his roots in trap culture, or perhaps he feels that this is simply what will sell best. There is no denying that our country has proven time and again it will accept overt sexism and even sexual assault from the rich and famous.

Future even directly references the most recent instance of this on High Demand, rapping Grab on that pussy like Donald. If it works for a president to speak this way, it may as well work for a rap artist.

In the past, I have excused the lack of content in Futures music, but there is a point when the general mood is not enough to make an album worth listening to. Futures music has failed to develop in the way other rappers music normally does. Any song off of FUTURE could easily have been on DS2, his album from two years ago. The only difference would be the songs beat, which may be moderately more complex than the rest of the album. This is not enough.

The reason rappers go from being just rappers to being cultural icons is because they innovate. Kanye West essentially reinvents himself and the rap genre every time he releases a new album. Kendrick Lamar went from rapping complex lyrics on simple beats to telling masterful, completely planned American narratives while accompanied by live legendary jazz artists. Future continues to rap about the same themes, except now he has more money because his last album was so successful.

In all fairness, Future produces content much more frequently than either of those artists, but maybe he should consider giving up immediate, easy musical gratification in the name of improving himself as an artist. In his defense, recent reports allege that, due to a breach of contract agreement with his original A1 Label, Future may have to give up all profits from FUTURE and his upcoming album, HNDRXX. While it does not excuse the notable lack of development and quality of Futures music, as a business decision, it does make sense for him to release the new content as quickly as possible to fulfill the obligation. Even so, I want to see an Atlanta rapper go from being a trap lord to a rap god. But if Future wants to achieve that status, he needs to break away from his past.

Rating: 6.2/10

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Review: Future stuck in the past - The Dartmouth

Eat better, drink less, exercise more, sleep enough: It's common advice for heart health - and it's frequently ignored. Just 3 percent of American adults meet the standards for healthy levels of physical activity, consumption of fruit and vegetables, body fat and smoking, according to recent study.

But a major lifestyle overhaul isn't the only way to help your heart, studies suggest. Even small changes can make substantial differences.

Eventually, little changes can add up, says David Goff, director of the cardiovascular sciences division at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda.

RELATED: TRENDING LIFE & STYLE NEWS THIS HOUR

"Any small change you make in a positive direction is good for you," he says. "It's not an all-or-nothing phenomenon."

Physical activity is a perfect example, Goff says. Official guidelines, which recommend 30 minutes of moderately intense activity on most days, are based partly on evidence of substantial health benefits from doing 150 to 300 minutes of exercise each week, according to a 2011 review study by researchers at the University of South Carolina at Columbia. Those benefits include reduced risks of coronary heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

But the guidelines also come out of an assessment of what is obtainable for most people, Goff adds. And while it would be ideal to get at least 150 minutes of exercise weekly, getting less than that also has benefits. When the researchers looked at deaths from all causes, they saw the sharpest drop in mortality when exercise jumped from half an hour to an hour and a half each week.

Just getting up for a minute or two to interrupt bouts of sitting may also improve health, the study noted. And moving for as little as eight minutes a few times a day provides the same cardiovascular benefits as 30 uninterrupted minutes.

"If you can't find 30 minutes a day, try to find five or 10 or 15," Goff says. "Anything is better than nothing."

The "some is better than none" philosophy applies to dietary improvements, too, Goff says. According to the National Institutes of Health, an ideal meal plan includes lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grains, with limited amounts of fatty meat and tropical oils.

But eating an imperfect diet with more of the good stuff is better than giving up entirely. That's a conclusion from a 2016 study that created food-quality scores from the self-reported diets of about 200,000 people. Over about 25 years, the study found, people whose diets scored lowest had a 13 percent higher risk of coronary artery disease than did people in the second-worst group.

Even just switching out soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages can help eliminate a couple hundred calories a day and control weight. That helps lower blood pressure, levels of harmful cholesterol and the potential for diabetes - all risk factors for heart disease, Goff says. Large long-term studies have shown that people who average one sugary drink a day have a 20 percent higher risk of heart attack than people who rarely drink any.

It's not just food and diet, adds Michael Miller, director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in and author of "Heal Your Heart: The Positive Emotions Prescription to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease." Heart strength can also come from battling stress by boosting emotional health in simple and unexpected ways, he says, such as enjoying a good laugh.

In a small 2005 study, Miller played movie clips for 20 people. When participants watched a scene that made them laugh, 19 of them experienced dilation of the blood vessels. In contrast, a stressful scene led to constriction in 14 of the 20 viewers. Since then, Miller says, other small studies have found similar results, including one showing that vessels stayed dilated for 24 hours. Dilation allows more blood to flow, decreasing blood pressure and heart rate.

"Cross-talk" between the brain and heart explains the potential long-term benefits of laughter, Miller says, particularly when laughter is intense enough to induce crying. Belly laughing releases endorphins, triggering receptors in blood vessels to produce nitric oxide, which in turn, dilates blood vessels, increases blood flow, reduces the risk of blood clots, and more.

People are far more likely to laugh when they're with friends, Miller adds, adding yet more evidence of the health benefits of being social.

Accumulating evidence suggests that another easy and enjoyable way to help your heart is to listen to music. During recovery from surgery, several studies have shown, listening to relaxing music leads to a reduction in anxiety and heart rate. And in a 2015 study, Greek researchers found reductions in how hard the hearts of 20 healthy young adults were working after 30 minutes of listening to rock or classical music.

"I tell my patients to dust off their old LPs now that LPs are coming back and listen to a piece of music they have not heard in a long time but in the past made them feel really good," Miller says.

Also on his list of recommendations: mindfulness meditation and hugging. Both, he says, look promising in studies of heart health and heart repair.

"Considering that stress probably accounts for a third of heart attacks," he says, "it can have a dramatic effect if you do all of these things in sync."

Small lifestyle change help at any age, suggests a 2014 study that started by assessing cardiovascular risks in more than 5,000 young adults in the mid-1980s. Twenty years later, people who had made even small but positive changes - such as losing a little weight, exercising a bit more or smoking a little less - showed less coronary artery calcification than people who didn't change or changed in a negative direction. Coronary artery calcification is a risk factor for heart disease.

For the best chance of success, Goff suggests taking on one little change at a time.

"The idea is to make a small change and then make another small change," he says. "It's about changing the way you live over years and years, not hours and days."

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To take care of your heart, even little changes can help - Chicago Tribune

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Organic pioneer Nora Pouillon has been honored with a 2017 James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award to recognize her commitment to bringing delicious, organic food to America.

Pouillonseponymous Washington establishmentwas the first certified organic restaurant in the U.S. an enormous feat, considering that in 1979 when she opened, organic food was still rare enough that she had to purchase whole animals to be able toput organic meat on her menu.

In addition to her restaurant, Pouillon also helped establish the FreshFarm Markets network of Washington-area farmers markets and sat on the board of Earth Day Network and The Amazon Conservation Team, among other endeavors in the world of sustainable, healthful food.

James Beard means something really personal to me, says Austrian-born Pouillon, who remembers learning to cook through Beards cookbooks and magazine articles.

James Beard was my big hero, she told the Washington Post. He believed in local, seasonal food, and he cooked delicious food,but simple food, and thats what I wanted to do.

Pouillon even remembers a day when James Beard himself came into her restaurant about two years before he died, plagued, at that point, by terrible gout, yet still offering words of encouragement for her mission.

I cant even remember if he had a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, she says. He just came and sat with me for half an hour, and then he left. But that was more than anybody else got!

She recalls that when she told him how difficult it was to explain her philosophy to Americans a whole-animal philosophy defined by quality ingredients he replied, Theyll come around.

I guess they did come around! she says. You know, 40 years later.

For this reason, Pouillon says, the James Beard Award is even more meaningful than a Michelin star ever could have been.

A Michelin star is for the restaurant, its for the food, and its for the dcor and for the service, but for me, the restaurant is much more a life lesson for people, she says. To learn that you can eat what you want and feel good about it if you just make sure that the product itself is clean and certified organic.

Regarding todays culinary landscape, Pouillons influence is clear, and it is this influence that the James Beard Foundation wanted to recognize and reward.

As the first chef to open an all-organic restaurant over 38 years ago, Nora has truly impacted the way people and the industry think about the food we eat, saidSusan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation, in a press release.

The Awardis the perfect end to73-year-old Pouillons career. After announcing her impending retirement, she is currently attempting to sell Restaurant Nora and the historic buildings in which it is located. Sofar, she has not found a chef willing to take on the task.

To run a restaurant like I did is very complicated, very time-consuming, and very expensive, she says, noting that organic ingredients can cost between 20 and 40 percent more than their conventional counterparts. It will take an enormous amount of courage and dedication to fill Pouillons shoes.

Pouillon will accept the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Awardin May in Chicago, a reward that shows just how much the culinary community has recognized her mission to teach people to eat more healthfully.

That was my passion, she says. To basically save this country from being unhealthy.

Related on Organic AuthorityNew Research Finds Organic Food Offers More Superior Health Benefits than Conventional These 61 Badass Disruptors Are Changing Your Food System My Organic Life by Nora Pouillon: Memoir of an Organic Pioneer

Emily Monaco is an American food and culture writer based in Paris. She loves uncovering the stories behind ingredients and exposing the face of our food system, so that consumers can make educated choices. Her work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Vice Munchies, and Serious Eats.

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Organic Food Legend Nora Pouillon Receives James Beard Award - Organic Authority