Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/01/20/463618556/food-fight-fizzles-as-senate-nears-compromise-on-school-nutrition-rules?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

Students at Doherty Middle School in Andover, Mass., choose items from the salad bar in the school cafeteria, June 2012. Among other things, a Senate compromise on school nutrition standards calls for the USDA and the CDC to establish new guidance that would encourage the use of salad bars.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor/Getty

The Senate Agriculture Committee has voted in support of a compromise plan that will preserve key school nutrition standards enacted after the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010.

Yep, that’s the law that requires schools to serve up more fruits, vegetabl…

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/RFbCsyjEgD4/

“You don’t pass or fail at being a person, dear.” ~Neil Gaiman

I discovered my spiritual path early. As a teenager I would read my mother’s self-help books. I spent most of my twenties actively pursuing self-development by studying, attending workshops, and going on retreats all over the world.

At the time, I thought I was searching for happiness and inner peace. I see now that I bought into a rigid idea of what a ‘spiritual person’ was and tried to live up to that.

My inner world was not happy or peaceful. The way I treated myself was far from soulful. In fact, it was down right abusive.

I thought I needed ‘fixing’ because even after all the learning and work I had done, I would still beat myself up whenever I wasn’t perfect. My internal story about myself continued to be judgmental and negative, and I remained fixated on gathering evidence to prove I wasn’t good enough.

Over a decade later, I was married with a child and had gained many qualifications that helped solidify a life without self-abuse. It didn’t occur to me until I had my second child—nine years after my first—that I wasn’t really being nurturing or caring toward myself either.

I knew I was doing something right, because my experience the second time aro…

Source: http://greatist.com/move/moves-anyone-can-do?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed_http–greatistcom-

No matter if you’re an occasional gym-goer or a committed Crossfitter, there are a few moves everyone should be able to do with ease. They serve as a foundation, and chances are, you’re already doing a version of them every day without even knowing.

For example, tons of everyday movements are essentially a squat. “We’re always up and down, sitting down and standing up,” says Paul Pooh, trainer and injury prevention specialist at The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers in New York City. Picking up something you dropped or lifting your pet off the ground are both good examples. And even though you’ve been doing it since you were a kid, there’s still a right and wrong way (more on that later).

You should also feel stable doing a single-leg or unilateral-leg movement like a forward lunge. It sounds technical, but again, you do it all the time when walking or climbing stairs.

To get a better sense of your current strengths and weaknesses, try doing the five moves below in front of a mirror or with a friend who can monitor your form. It’s similar to an assessment a trainer might give you during your first session (but free!). First, we show you the move performed correctly, and then you’ll see common mistakes that not only make trainers cringe, but also may put you at risk for injury.

The Moves

<img src="http://greatist.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_mai…

Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/01/20/462691546/as-diet-foods-tank-confusing-health-labels-replace-them?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

Sales of diet food products have dropped in recent years as consumers have become disillusioned with their effectiveness for weight loss.

Morgan McCloy/NPR

For years, Americans cycled through one brand-name diet after another, each promising a sure method to lose weight. Along the way, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and Lean Cuisine made fortunes off their low-calorie, low-fat diet programs and products.

But it seems those days are over, according to industry analysts and nutritionists. “Dieting is not a fashionable word these days,” says Susan Roberts, a professor of nutrition and psychiatry at Tufts University. “[Consumers] equate the word diet with deprivation, and they know deprivation doesn’t work.”

<img src="http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2015/11/09/oprah_sq-1d6eee2f0a1a46982fff62e54b9ec90d49a40b65-s100.jpg" class="img100" title="Oprah Winfrey arrives at the 87th Aca…

Source: http://www.bornfitness.com/how-to-lose-baby-weight/

What does fitness mean? That’s a big question. And sometimes a forgotten question. Folks realize they’re out of shape and/or overweight, decide they need to do something about it, and rattle off a random goal.

“I’m going to drop 50 pounds.”

You’re not gonna get anywhere if you’re not lifting something. You need to do it. If you want to change your body, pick up something heavy.

“I’m going to run a half-marathon.”

“I’m going to get my high school body back.”

These are common goals – common enough that reading them here surprises no one – but what do they really represent? Change? Yes. But random change.

Maybe you could even call it shotgun change, in that your goal is scattered and unfocused. Maybe you hit it, and even if you do, what does it mean?

Think of it this way: losing 50 pounds is a nice accomplishment. Few people do it. But why not 54 pounds? 48? And that half-marathon. Hey, not many people can run 13 miles. It’s awesome if you can do it … but then what? Are you now considered “fit?” By whose standard?

You start to see the problem. When we toss around fitness goals, they – like muscles hidden by flab — lack true definition. That’s what Kristen Buter found out the hard way. Great intentions don’t mean great results.

Buter found herself in the same situation millions of new moms find themselves – saddled with bundles of joy and a body that’s beaten up…

Source: http://www.sonima.com/food/best-cooking-oil/

When you’re prepping a meal you may use whatever oil is easiest to reach. And for the most part, it seems like you can’t go wrong. Most oils contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which may lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels when replacing a saturated fat like butter. Olive oil, for example, is a staple in the Mediterranean diet, and for good reason: It contains at least 30 phenolic antioxidant compounds, and regular consumption is associated with lower risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer (breast, colorectal, and prostate), shows Spanish research. But while certain oils, like olive, are heart-healthy, those benefits may be lost when used incorrectly.

A common mistake when cooking with oils is using a too-high heat on a low- or no-heat oil. Every oil has a smoke point, or a temperature at which smoke forms and the oil’s compounds break down, releasing free radicals, degrading nutrients, and producing a rancid flavor. “Raising the temperature to the smoke point or beyond can destroy health benefits found in oils, especially in those with omega fatty acids,” explains James Briscione, director of culinary development at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.

Oil degradation can also cause a food to absorb too much oil and become greasy. As for flavor, too-high heat destroys aromatic compounds in oils. This renders fine oils, like extra-virgin olive and sesame, nearly taste…

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/X_wBAKbqLBw/

“There are two ways of spreading light: be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” ~Edith Wharton

I tucked my boarding pass safely into my coat pocket, donned my eyeglasses, and searched for the overhead signs that would lead me to the correct gate. Thanksgiving would be here soon and the Orlando airport was bursting at the seams with travelers.

I turned the corner and jerked to a stop. Hundreds of people stood before me, bunched together in a space the size of a ballroom. I’d have to maneuver my way through them, I thought, to get to the security gate off in the distance. And then I quickly realized that’s exactly where all those other people were headed, too.

I resigned myself to a long wait. What a waste of time, I thought to myself. I just want to get home.

A symphony of sounds surrounded me: babies crying, kids fussing, some folks complaining, some laughing, loudspeakers blaring, cell phones ringing, along with the buzz of constant chatter.

This being Orlando, a family wearing mouse ears huddled directly in front of me. I rose up on tiptoes to peek above their heads and catch a glimpse of the security area. Still far away. With no roped lanes to guide us, some newcomers gently nudged by me in an effort to gain a little bit of extra distance. Funny how you c…

Source: http://www.foodpolitics.com/2016/01/congratulations-on-the-academy-of-nutrition-and-dietetics-new-sponsorship-policy/

Several members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND–formerly the American Dietetic Association) sent me a letter from the Academy’s president, Evelyn Crayton, announcing its new policy on sponsorship.

AND’s previous policy, which encouraged sponsorship by food companies selling fast food, salty snacks, and sugary drinks, has been the subject of a critical investigative report and induced members of the Academy to create Dietitians for Professional Integrity to get the policy changed.

This advocacy worked.  It induced AND’s leadership to appoint a Sponsorship Advisory Task Force (SATF) to recommend a less conflicted policy to AND’s Board of Directors.

The SATF delivered its report to the Board on January 13.  As Evelyn Crayton explains,

The Board voted to implement a pilot program encompassing many of the SATF’s recommendations. The one-year pilot program includes appointing a Sponsorship Committee to review national-level sponsor opportunities and to develop assessment tools that will support the sponsorship process.

The Board of Directors approved the following newly revised sponsorship guidelines, which take effect immediately for all Academy organizational units. Dietetic Practice Groups and Member Interest Groups will be required to adhere to these guidelines and Affiliates are encouraged to adopt them.

Sponsorship approval requires that:

The sponsor’s vision and mission align…

Source: http://www.fannetasticfood.com/2016/01/20/best-restaurants-in-charleston/

Hey friends! I wanted to share a round up of some of the best restaurants in Charleston that we discovered while there over the weekend, plus some touristy highlights like where to stay and what to see. I hope those of you planning trips to Charleston in the future will find this post helpful! It’s a long one – settle in.

Also, thank you to those of you that shared your recommendations with us beforehand! There were so many good places to eat/things to see and not enough time – but I think we hit a bunch of the best. I’ll break the recommendations up into categories – enjoy!

Best Food/Specia…

Source: http://www.niashanks.com/health-fitness-principles/

There’s no shortage of nonsensical information in the world of health and fitness. When’s the last time you exclaimed, “Oh goody! Another 3 Foods to Avoid at All Costs if You Want to Get Lean and Toned and Finally Like How You Look in a Swimsuit“ article?

Like the world needs another one of those.

Sometimes I can laugh at the utterly ridiculous crap that floats around social media. But other times it upsets me because much of it adds to the false notion that health and fitness is complicated.

There’s infinite amounts of rubbish swirling around regarding health and fitness, and you’re tired of it, right? You want simple, proven principles that actually work so you don’t have to waste time or be unnecessarily stressed.

The following five (no nonsense) principles do just that.

5 Health and Fitness Principles

1) Eat mostly real, minimally processed foods. Put an emphasis on consuming plenty of plant-based foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains). Other great foods include dairy, eggs, poultry, meat, and seafood. (For additional information see The Diet That Has No Name.)

2) Strength train 2-4 days per week. This is according to your preferences …