Trying to get flat abs? Here are 5 foods that can help

Get back on track with healthy eating and make this the year that you finally get the flat abs you've always wanted. To aid you in this quest, here, Ella Magers, author of The Six Weeks to Sexy Abs Meal Plan cookbook and founder of Sexy Fit Vegan, reveals her picks for the best foods for flat abs and how to incorporate them in everyday eating.
"the key's to cognizance on filling your plate with as many entire plant ingredients as possible," says magers. "they will make you feel truely good at the same time as you drop off the flab and get the ones abs you have constantly desired."







1. Leafy vegetables

"they're my absolute favored due to the fact they are nutrient-dense and calorie-light," says magers. "making large salads is a amazing manner to get plenty of vitamins and enables you eating slowly so realize while you're full." do not love raw leafy veggies? Strive them cooked. "it's suitable to eat an expansion it is uncooked and cooked," says magers. Sautée spinach and add lemon to assist with nutrient absorption. Rub down kale, upload a hint of more virgin olive oil and bake until crispy for a snack. Don't forget that heartier vegetables like bok choy and beet vegetables additionally fall in the leafy veggies bucket. "beet veggies are one in every of my favorites and are scrumptious sautéed, however the majority don't consider them due to the fact they simply focus at the beets," says magers.

2. Avocado

"sure, it has fat, however it is healthy fats and it is an entire meals fats instead of a spinoff fat," says magers. "having a fat as a part of a whole meals is the high-quality manner to eat it." filling and fulfilling, the fruit is a great addition to salads and sandwiches. "avocado's creamy texture makes it a high-quality substitute for mayo, and of route whilst it is was guacamole with chopped tomatoes, onion and cilantro, it is a super ab-pulling down snack."

3. Sparkling fruit

It does not count what fruit you pick out—the key right here is to have an expansion. "every fruit has extraordinary vitamins and also you have to devour a brand new one every day," says magers. "berries can be the most nutritious and grapefruit may additionally have the fewest energy, but that doesn't suggest which you should limit yourself to them. Preferably, you should devour fruit through itself within the first half of your day because it is digested quick and will provide you with short release power and may not bog you down, specifically earlier than a exercising. Ingesting it on my own is quality due to the fact combining it with protein or dairy makes it more difficult to your body to interrupt it down." in case you honestly can't devour sparkling fruit through itself, attempt it with a dairy-free coconut yogurt.

4. Chickpeas

Garbanzo beans are high in fiber and protein and a wonderful addition to leafy inexperienced salads. Mixture them into a creamy hummus and use uncooked greens for dipping. In soups, depart them complete or combination them to make a creamy base.

5. Flaxseed meal


"that is higher than instantly flax seeds because it's floor up and simpler for the frame to digest," says magers. "adding a tablespoon to a smoothie thickens it up and also provides fiber, protein and omega 3s. Flax meal is likewise a super egg substitute in baked goods: just upload a few water and whisk together to create a gel-like consistency."

HIV and Pregnancy

Hiv-superb women who are thinking about getting pregnant -- or already are pregnant -- have alternatives which can help them stay healthful and guard their toddlers from turning into hiv-inflamed.

Because the mid-Nineties, hiv trying out and preventive measures have ended in greater than a ninety% decline within the range of youngsters within the u.S. Inflamed with hiv in the womb. And after three many years of research, medical doctors now recognize how to craft a detailed plan to preserve infants of hiv-superb girls from getting the virus.

Medicinal drugs are key

Hiv is exceeded from one character to another thru blood, semen, genital fluids, and breast milk. Being pregnant, hard work and delivery, and breastfeeding all pose a risk of passing hiv alongside to the baby.

Seble g. Kassaye, md, an assistant professor of medicine at georgetown university, says prevention starts offevolved with antiretroviral capsules. These medications were first authorised within the Nineties, and researchers soon learned that combining three of them -- known as an antiretroviral (art) regimen -- added as much as quite a few safety for a toddler in the womb.

“with interventions that we've -- which consist of starting women on nicely-tolerated antiretroviral medicines as early as possible -- transmission danger may be decreased to much less than 2%,” says kassaye.

The medicine decrease the quantity of virus in the body, which lowers the risk of mom-to-toddler hiv transmission. A few anti-hiv medicinal drugs additionally bypass from the pregnant mom to her infant via the placenta. This enables defend the toddler from hiv.

No overlooked doses

For all of this to paintings, the mom need to commit to taking her artwork routine, that may every now and then be a mission all through being pregnant.

“the important thing to maintaining the virus suppressed inside your frame and your child’s frame is taking your medicines every day,” says dominika seidman, md. She's an obstetrician-gynecologist at san francisco wellknown sanatorium with area of expertise training in hiv. “if the aspect effects are bothering you or you could’t preserve the drug treatments down due to morning sickness, see your medical doctor proper away. He or she permit you to find a manner to live on them.”

Two tablets to avoid

Most effective  antiretroviral capsules have been proven to pose a risk to babies within the womb whilst taken within the early months of being pregnant. They're sustiva and atripla (which includes sustiva).

About 25% of infants whose hiv-nice mothers don’t cross on artwork will settlement hiv, says kassaye.

The first-rate plan, seidman says, is for hiv-wonderful girls to talk thru all of their options with their physician early on.

Installation a plan early

“the first-rate-case situation is for the woman to start speaking to her health practitioner or medical doctors approximately prenatal care even earlier than she becomes pregnant,” seidman says. “we want people to be on a good regimen previous to pregnancy, so we are able to talk about which tablets are safe to get on, and establish care as early as possible.”

Barring that, all pregnant ladies inflamed with hiv need to be taking anti-hiv medicines by using the second one trimester. Girls diagnosed with hiv later in pregnancy ought to start taking anti-hiv medications as quickly as viable.

Who Drinks More -- Couples or Singles?

Those who are married or live together drink much less than single humans, in line with a brand new examine.

The findings display that "when you're in a dedicated relationship, your drinking frequency declines permanently, while quantity goes returned up if you exit that dating," said lead creator diana dinescu, a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at the university of virginia.

The researchers checked out greater than 2,four hundred twin pairs (approximately 1,600 woman pairs and greater than 800 male pairs). They located that people who had been married drank much less alcohol and drank less frequently than folks that had been single or divorced.

This is not the first observe to reveal that married adults drink less than their peers without companions. But through specializing in twins, the authors said genetic predispositions and differences in upbringing could be less likely to affect the outcomes.

"it appears that evidently intimate relationships may also offer a actual gain in phrases of consuming behavior, perhaps via mechanisms which includes a monitoring effect that partners have on every other," dinescu stated in a university information launch.

The researchers determined that twins who lived with a accomplice drank greater often than married twins, but ate up lower quantities of alcohol than folks that were unmarried, divorced or widowed.

While men in common-regulation relationships drank much less according to occasion than married men, girls in not unusual-law relationships drank approximately the identical quantity per event as those who had been married, consistent with the look at.

The effects have been published lately inside the journal of own family psychology.

NEXT 10 Simple Ways To Improve Your Mood

6: Go with the flow

Some joyful moments seem to call for conscious reflection and dissection. At other times, we savor experiences best when we simply immerse ourselves in the present moment, without deliberate analysis or judgment.

Listen to your favorite music with headphones in a dark room. Lose yourself in a novel you just can't put down. Set aside enough time at least once a week for your favorite hobby so you can attain a level of absorption known as the "flow" state.

7: Get a move on

"Exercise sparks the release of feel-good endorphins, but it also satisfies something more profound: the human need to perform and excel. Exercise helps you feel like the captain of your own ship," explains Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, the author of The How of Happiness.

Although any fitness activity you enjoy is good, you'll enhance its benefits even more by taking it outdoors. A review of 11 studies published in Environmental Science & Technology found that people who exercised outside felt more energetic and were more inclined to keep at it. This is good news, because the rewards of physical activity are cumulative: The more you exercise, the clearer your mind. So as you're figuring out your holiday calendar, schedule an ice-skating outing or a cross-country ski day. You'll feel more energized and ready to tackle your errands.

8: Tap into your spiritual side

The more frequently that people attend religious services, the more content they are, according to a study in the Journal of Economic Psychology. Faith and prayer, regardless of religion, satisfy a basic need to feel part of something bigger than ourselves.

If prayer isn't for you, try meditation or a restorative yoga class instead. New research shows that spiritual practices, such as regular mindfulness exercises, can actually change brain structure in a way that promotes a sense of well-being. So as a part of your day, set aside some time for prayer or meditation. It'll lift your spirit—literally.

9: Pucker up

Kissing is romantic, but it gives more than your sex life a lift. While male saliva contains testosterone, and a lingering lip lock turns out to be a reliable delivery system, smooching also floods the bloodstream with dopamine, which stimulates the same part of the brain as cocaine, for a natural high.

And if you need yet another reason to plant one on your beloved, smooch for heart health: Research shows that regular kissing reduces cholesterol in men and women alike.

10: Sing in the shower

The shower, with its cocoon of privacy and superlative acoustics, brings out the diva in us all. And we would be wise to let her take the steamy stage and croon away. Music therapists believe that singing boosts your mood. Bonus: singing also enhances immunity by increasing antibodies that fight sickness, according to one German study. So whether your style is Adele or Britney Spears, belt your heart out and soak in singing's mood and health benefits.

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10 Simple Ways To Improve Your Mood

It's not easy being upbeat when life's little bumps—from looming work deadlines to a streak of cloudy days—can easily send your mood sinking and stress levels soaring. But what's sweeter than that warm feeling you get from sipping a peppermint-spiced latte on a chilly morning? These 10 small, feel-good moves offer a major mood boost. Try one—or all—to feel happier and calmer in no time

1: Shop smart

Money may buy happiness, but only if you spend it wisely. To get more happiness for your dollar, splurge for experiences instead of stuff. Miriam Tatzel, PhD, of Empire State College surveyed 329 shoppers and found that "experiencers"—consumers who are easygoing about spending on a great meal out or a concert, for example—are happier than those who lavish their money on material goods such as clothes or jewelry. Added bonus: Experiences allow you to spend quality time with family and friends; a new pair of shoes is a solo endeavor.

2: Do a good deed

People who volunteer are likelier to be happier than those who don't—regardless of how much money they make or other socioeconomic factors. Researchers believe volunteering boosts happiness because it increases empathy, which makes you appreciate all the good stuff in your own life.

Pitching in for a regular cause in your community is ideal (such as serving food at your church's soup kitchen), but you can make a difference in other ways in mere minutes. Become an organ donor or sign up for a charity walk. For the person on your holiday gift list who has everything, consider donating money to a good cause in their name. Check out villagevolunteers.org for ideas: Just $20 buys a water filter to give Kenyan orphans clean drinking water, and $35 is enough to purchase 10 mosquito nets to help prevent malaria.

3: Flip through old photos

When you're feeling down, break out your kids' baby albums or pics from your favorite vacation. It may actually make you feel happier than a square of Godiva chocolate would! That's what researchers at the United Kingdom's Open University found after they examined how much people's moods rose after eating a chocolate snack, sipping an alcoholic drink, watching TV, listening to music, or looking at personal photos.

The music and chocolate left most people's moods unchanged; alcohol and TV gave a slight lift (1%), but the winner by a long shot was viewing pictures, which made people feel 11% better. To keep your spirits high, try hanging one of your favorite photos at eye level in an unexpected spot, such as taped to the window in front of your kitchen sink. You'll score a quick mood boost when you're doing something mundane, such as washing dishes.

4: Lighten up

After just three weeks of bright-light therapy, more than 50% of the participants in a study about depression reported a better mood and sounder sleep. An hour of bright indoor light a day was as effective as antidepressants—and had no side effects. Best of all, mood continued to improve for weeks after treatment.

5: Track the good stuff

Every night, write down three things that went well for you that day, no matter how minor. (In fact, 39% of people say catching up with family at night is the highlight of their day, according to a Coca-Cola Global Happiness Survey.) Be descriptive and note the role you played in making each happy moment happen. You'll be increasingly mindful of how much control you have over the bright spots in your life.

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Water filters could increase bacteria in Flint water, researchers say

While the point-of-use water filters provided by the state clear lead from Flint drinking water, they actually have the potential to increase bacteria levels in the water, researchers say.

However, researchers weren't willing to say the potential bacteria posed a health risk to Flint water customers.

Based on a sample of 16 homes tested this fall, researchers from the Flint Area Community Health and Environment Partnership (FACHEP) found that while the filters effectively get lead and dangerous disinfectant byproducts out of the water, by design, they also provide an environment for bacteria to grow.

The researchers presented their findings from a study tracking Legionellosis cases and chlorine levels in Flint water and outside the county during a Wednesday, Dec. 14, panel open to the community at the Flint Public Library.
The discussion, which included an explanation on the researchers' progress in their study of Legionellosis, comes a year after Michigan health officials told Flint residents to stop drinking the tap water.

State officials are continuing to provide city residents with water filters as residents are being told the water is not safe to drink unless properly filtered.

"This is based on total bacteria, it says nothing about who they are, or if they're pathogenic or not," said Dr. Nancy Love, a member of the research group and professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Michigan. "We know that drinking water contains completely harmless bacteria, but we want to understand a bit more about who these bacteria are."

Love said that to better the quality of the water, it's important to let water run through the filter for at least one minute to let the bacteria that has built up in the activated carbon filter disperse. Other tactics for clearing the bacteria from the water include boiling water or using a UV disinfection lamp.

Although it could help reduce bacteria, flushing the filter for extended periods of time also decreases the life of the filter and its ability to remove lead, said Love.

Dr. Shawn McElmurry, a Wayne State University professor also on the FACHEP team, noted that in cases of concern, bottled water is always a safe alternative. Because filters are designed to capture and absorb organic matter, he said, they naturally hold onto the organic organisms that are bacteria.
The partnership is a team of researchers headed by Wayne State University evaluating links between changes in Flint's water system and public health, particularly the city's deadly Legionnaires Disease outbreak.

"It was nice to hear that things aren't all better, because that's what we're used to hearing --- that things are better, that things are all fine," said Flint resident and water crisis activist Melissa Mays. "There's certainly been a concern about the filters and we've definitely heard that they can grow bacteria. I can only imagine what would happen if I were to try to drink this through the tap filters. It's telling me I'm making the right decision by drinking bottled water. I'm not taking the risk, I'm not putting my kids through that again."

Joyce Sanders of Flint, also attended the open house with her husband and two daughters.

"It was a confirmation of something I had suspected," Sanders said, referring to increased bacteria levels in the water. "It was something that I'd heard about, but I didn't really have the nuts and bolts about why it would be there. But now I know that it's related to the filter and the cleansing process that the water goes through."

Sanders said that she recently had to cut her daughters' hair after their stylist told her the girls had bacterial infections in their hair.

"I don't even shampoo their hair now," Sanders said. "I take them to a salon in Flint Township because I don't feel comfortable washing their hair in the water."

McElmurry said it's important that Flint residents know "that there are people out there working to understand the concerns that residents have."

"Flint residents have become extremely resourceful -- they've been dealing with this for a long time -- and it's because of them that we're able to do our work," said McElmurry. "I think that there are certainly signs the system is improving, but it's too sporadic, and these things just need to be resolved."

FACHEP will host another update and open house in the springtime.

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How to Keep Your Water Safe

5 Best Ways to Stay Healthy After Breast Cancer

Here are some good place to start:

No direct link has been established between lifestyle habits and the risk of a breast cancer recurrence, but surviving cancer is a great occasion to-evaluate-habits. "A cancer diagnosis represents a teachable-moment" says Julia Rowland, PhD, director of the National Cancer Institute's Office of Cancer Survivorship. "It gives you a chance-to-make lifestyle changes-that-can-benefit your general health and cancer status."

Get moving

You don't need a gym membership to benefit from exercise. The American Cancer Society recommends-that-survivors get at least thirty minutes of moderate activity five or more days a week. What you do is up to you (and your doctor), but the main point is to get your heart rate up. Exercise can also improve mood and sleep, reduce stress, control weight-gain, boost self-esteem, and protect against other killers, especially heart disease and diabetes.

Don't smoke, and eat & drink mindfully

You can still get this disease if you don't smoke or drink and you eat a low-fat diet. But some studies draw a link between breast cancer and the same poor lifestyle habits that-encourage heart disease and diabetes. Research has shown that being overweight or obese (especially if you're past menopause) increases your risk of breast cancer, especially if you-put on the weight as an adult.

Get regular checkups

Set up a schedule of regular visits to your doctor. Each year without a recurrence marks an important drop in your risk, and five years out is a-big milestone. Still, recurrences can occur 20 or even 25 years after a first bout with breast cancer, so experts say you'll need to continue screenings.

Boost your spirit

Though the-scientific verdict is still out on whether attitude affects outcomes, seeking out people and activities that you enjoy can give you a sense of purpose and meaning. Making a list of-pros and cons in your life can help if the blues are clouding your perspective.

Clean up

You hear more every day about possible environmental links to cancer. A concern is so-called endocrine disruptors, found in some pesticides , plastic, which if absorbed into the body can disturb the action of hormones. Endocrine disruptors may prove significant to breast cancer because the disease is-believed to-be-highly-correlated to one's exposure to hormones. Some women, for example, have considered switching to stainless steel or glass water bottles and food containers from-plastic.


Experts caution ,, that you can only do so much and that staying healthy after breast cancer may not always be in your control. "Make the best choices you can, stay-informed, then live your life," says Jeanne Rizzo, RN, executive director of the_Breast_Cancer_Fund, a nonprofit group that identifies environmental health risks, such as endocrine-disruptors and advocates for their,,eliimination. "You can't do everything 'right,' nor does a breast cancer diagnosis mean you did something 'wrong.'"

How to Keep Your Water Safe

Since water in Flint, MI, was found to contain lead, the issue of what’s in tap water has been in the spotlight. Recently, researchers suggested that faucet-mounted water filters given to Flint residents may actually increase the amount of bacteria in the water.
Meanwhile, some residents of Corpus Christi, TX, are being cautioned not to use their tap water for any reason after possible contamination by an industrial chemical. Even boiling the water will not render it safe, officials said.
How effective are water filters and can they help in any situation? WebMD turned to Ken Spaeth, MD, MPH, chief of occupational and environmental medicine at Northwell Health, Great Neck, NY, to talk about water quality concerns. We also spoke to Nancy G. Love, PhD, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Michigan and a researcher who studied the issue in Flint, about water filters and bacteria.

 What is the benefit of having a water filter?

If there is a concern, belief or evidence that there are contaminants of any kind in the water that could pose a health risk, having a filtration system capable of removing those contaminants is clearly a preventive measure one could take.
There is a wide range of water filters and water filtration systems and also a wide range of what they can and can’t do. This is yet another instance where consumers have to educate themselves.

In general, what can a water filter do?

Some are better at filtering chemical contaminants. Some are more effective at [filtering] microbes such as bacteria, viruses or parasites. Some do both.But there are literally thousands of chemicals and hundreds if not thousands of bacteria, parasites and viruses and heavy metals. So the extent they are effective depends on the individual filtration system.

What’s the best way to shop for a water filter?

Step one is, what is your concern? What is in the water or might be in the water that is raising the concern? The easiest way and probably the most effective is to track down a copy of a recent quality report from the local water authorities. Look at it and see if there are contaminants that exceed the EPA standard. Based on the answer, one can think about ways to address those issues.
Which filter system you use depends on a lot of factors [in addition to which contaminants you are trying to filter].  How extensive do you need—a faucet, multiple faucets, showers, sinks?
Look for third party certification from what is being claimed by the manufacturer or retailer. Typically this means you will be looking for certification from organizations such as the National Sanitation Foundation or UL.
And what’s the budget? The less expensive are the pitcher filtration. But not all are capable of filtering out a lot of different kinds of contaminants. The higher end [systems] would be filtration systems that plumbers install.

Can bacteria from municipal tap water be harmful?

In most instances the presence of bacteria is not an issue, but there can be situations where it can become an issue. The water monitoring [done by municipalities] would typically be identifying the presence of bacteria.
There have been instances of shigella, an infectious bacterial agent [causing diarrheal disease]. Legionella [linked with Legionnaires’, a serious respiratory disease] has been traced back to sources of water. Those are certainly two of the most common ones.
It’s very unusual to have harmful bacterial concerns in municipal water supplies.

Is there anything you can do to kill the harmful bacteria from drinking water?

Typically, you would have to boil your water to be sure that would not be an issue. If you do it 5 to 10 minutes that would be enough.

What’s the best way to clean a faucet-mounted water filter?

You don’t clean a filter cartridge. You replace. The manufacturer recommends replacing about every 100 gallons. The increase in counts starts in two weeks, in our studies. If you do the flushing you remove most bacteria.

Does bacteria build up in all water filters?

These [the ones used in Flint] are the ones that screw on your faucet, I think the most common kind. They are made of activated carbon which will absorb chemicals from the water. The key thing about the filter media is that it is held together with a polymer that has very small pore spaces. So particles will typically not get through these filters. They are also certified for lead.
There are bacteria in all distributed water. Because these are present, when you put in a filter that has a pore space smaller than the bacteria, the bacteria will get caught in the filter. At the same time the filter is removing chemicals from the water and the bacteria can grow on some of those chemicals.
When the filter is off and moist, they grow. [The filter also] takes out the chlorine, which is the disinfectant that would normally kill the bacteria. We don’t know if they are bad organisms; we are still studying that.

What kind of bacteria build up in these filters?

That is what we are looking at. That takes a lot of analytical experiments.

Can you minimize bacteria in the filters?

Yes. When you turn on the faucet first thing in the morning, bypass the filter. Turn off the knob. Then you are not loading the bacteria that grew overnight. Let it go for a couple of minutes. Once you turn the filter back on, let that first minute of water go down the drain. That will help a lot.

Should consumers test their water at home?

I don’t think it needs to be done routinely. In a given situation, if there are specific concerns, if a quality report indicates there may be contamination in a local water supply — if there are legitimate reasons to have concerns — it’s an option.
There are labs that will do it. In some states, public health labs will do it. Commercial labs are also willing to do it.
It’s not always so easy to do. Typically, it requires money. You have to pay in most settings. You have to know what you are testing for. You can’t just send off a sample and say, “Test my water.”
You can still get home kits, but they are qualitative — they don’t give you levels. They will give you an indicator of what is present — kind of a yes [or] no.