Source: http://greatist.com/live/video-games-as-medicine?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed_http–greatistcom-

Video games get a bad rap. We’re told staring at screens for too long can ruin our sleep, hurt our eyesight, and stunt our social lives. Not to mention, violence in action-oriented video games—like Call of Duty or War of Warcraft—can make people more likely to have aggressive outbursts IRL.1

Even with these potential downfalls, gaming is increasingly used as a therapy for people struggling with mental health problems, like anxiety and depression. Here’s what we know thanks to preliminary studies:

Games don’t have to be complex to help. You don’t need an immersive, role-playing game to escape, zone out, and feel less anxious. Simplistic games, like Angry Birds, can help boost your mood and make you feel more relaxed.2 Playing games motivates us. And that’s very important when we’re depressed. “Gaming is the neurological opposite of depression,” says author and well-known gamer Jane McGonigal in an interview with The Long and Short. Developers have already designed games to treat mental health problems. Sparx, for example, is a role-playing game that helps promote positive affirmations through the interactions players have within the game. In a small study, all gamers saw a drop in negative thoughts after playing it.3

(h/t The Long and Short)

Works Cited
Violent video game effects on aggression, empathy, and prosocial behavior in eastern and western countries: a meta-analytic review. Anderson CA, Shibuya A, Ihori N. Psycholo…

Source: http://greatist.com/live/naps-boost-productivity?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed_http–greatistcom-

Good news for people who can’t focus at work (a.k.a. everyone). The key to being more productive may be as simple as taking a nap. As this video from The Science of Us explains, we shouldn’t be working for more than 90 minutes at a time. (This is basically your ticket to go check Facebook and not feel bad about it.) And taking hour-long naps in the middle of the day made people in one study less frustrated and impulsive. Check out the video for more science-backed reasons why a midday snooze can help you crush your next project.

…

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/ZOa3KCE4uHw/

“Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance.” ~John Petit-Senn

I love the tiny house movement because it embraces simple living and diminishes the spiritual and financial burdens of materialism. However, I don’t really want to trade in the 1,700 square foot house I love for something that’s 200 square feet!

If you’re like me, you may have felt the same pleasure watching shows like Tiny House Nation, but not known how to apply the ideas they present to life in your larger house.

Well, I’ve found you really can “live tiny” in a not-so-literal way, and reap some of those tiny-living benefits in your bigger home!

Step 1: The ruthless pare-down

First of all, no one transitions to tiny living without trimming down the stuff they possess. I decided I didn’t need a living space reduction to inspire me to undertake an extreme pare-down.

I commenced systematically sorting through everything in my seemingly uncluttered and organized home. (Those qualities were really only on the surface.) I didn’t give a pass to spaces that never got assessed because they seemed fine as-is. I went through my house thoroughly, basement, garage, and gardens included—no drawer, cardboard carton, or crawl space was exempt.

A tiny-living-style purge requir…

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/yRoJn5YCZKY/

“We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden.” ~Goethe

Nine years ago after I had my twins, I was eager to get back into a routine of a weekly yoga class and daily home practice. However, I didn’t account for the soul-sapping fatigue I felt as a new sleep-deprived mum!

I simply did not have the energy or ability to leave the house for a satisfying active class. And truly, I did not want to venture far from my precious babes.

That’s when I discovered a soothing style of yoga that met me exactly where I was. I could do it at home, using equipment that I already had, and it made me feel refreshed and pampered.

I fell in love with restorative yoga—a deliciously yummy practice where I could gently move my tired body, but with the support of comfortable props to help me feel completely supported, beautifully nurtured, and best of all, deeply rested.

As soon as my babes slept, I would clear the floor, gather some props, and sink into a few slow, rejuvenating poses.

As an avid yoga practitioner and instructor, I had a variety of specialty yoga props at hand—cork blocks, bolsters, and blankets. However, not wanting to miss my chance for some downtime, I would often improvise with whatever lay around, grabbing sofa cushions a…

Source: http://www.sonima.com/food/pumpkin-soup/

Few things make cold winter months more palatable like a big bowl of hearty soup. In this short cooking video, Sonima chef Laurent Large demonstrates how to make a curry pumpkin soup in just a few simple steps.

ShareTweetPlusPin Savor the flavorful blend of spices as you allow this soup to warm your body from the inside out. Plus, the healthy ingredients of this creamy dish (which, incidentally, does not contain cream) will leave you feeling clean and satisfied.ShareTweetPlusPin

Feel free to personalize the recipe by adding your own touch of cheese, tofu, or any other flavors that will satisfy your palate.

Related: A Healthy Creamy Tomato Soup

ShareTweetPlusPin

Photos by: Ben Gately

The post Spiced Curry Pumpkin Soup with Leeks appeared first on Sonima.

…

Source: http://www.foodpolitics.com/2016/01/five-more-industry-sponsored-studies-the-score-959/

If you have been following this saga, you will know that since mid-March 2015 I’ve been collecting examples of published research supported wholly or in part by food companies.  As of today, the collection includes 95 studies with results favorable to the sponsor’s marketing interests as opposed to just 9 with unfavorable results.

Here are the most recent five.  These bring up general and specific questions that I’m pondering these days and I’ve indicated them in red.

The Effects of Water and Non-Nutritive Sweetened Beverages on Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance: A Randomized Clinical Trial.  John C. Peters, Jimikaye Beck, Michelle Cardel, Holly R. Wyatt, Gary D. Foster, Zhaoxing Pan, Alexis C. Wojtanowski, Stephanie S. Vander Veur, Sharon J. Herring, Carrie Brill, and James O. Hill. Obesity (2015) 00, 00–00. doi:10.1002/oby.21327.

Conclusions: Water and NNS [non-nutritive sweetened] beverages were not equivalent for weight loss and maintenance during a 1-year behavioral treatment program. NNS beverages were superior for weight loss and weight maintenance in a population consisting of regular users of NNS beverages who either maintained or discontinued consumption of these beverages and consumed water during a structured weight loss program. These results suggest that NNS beverages can be an effective tool for weight loss and maintenance within the context of a weight management program.
Funding agencies: The study was full…

Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/01/14/462825374/at-meatpacking-plant-a-dispute-over-muslim-workers-prayer-breaks?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

Sisters Shukri and Nurto Abdi outside their Fort Morgan, Colo. apartment. Nurto was fired from the Fort Morgan Cargill beef plant in December 2015.

Luke Runyon/KUNC and Harvest Public Media

In Fort Morgan, Colo., 150 Muslim workers were fired in late 2015 after a dispute over prayer breaks at a Cargill beef processing plant.

In early 2016, the company changed its rehire policy to allow the fired employees to reapply for their jobs. But some community leaders say damage has already been done. The city’s residents of East African descent, some of whom still have their jobs, are now at odds with those who do not. And the relationships among Cargill and the refugee populations it relies on for labor are frayed.

In early January, Nurto and Sadiyo Abdi enjoyed a midday cup of spiced tea with milk at their apartment in Fort Morgan. Normally, the 20-something sisters would be spending this time preparin…

Source: http://www.bornfitness.com/banana-chocolate-muffins/

Struggling to for new healthy breakfast ideas? Or perhaps you need a new healthy snack? We have you covered with these banana chocolate muffins. Oh yeah, and before you stop reading, they’re also flourless, so they’ll work for almost many diet restrictions.

This recipe is a 3-in-1 special by delivering a convenient, hearty and sweet snack that can also be a meal. With less than 100 calories, you can have a couple muffins between lunch and dinner for a high-protein snack, with a little chocolate to satisfy those mid-day cravings.

So easy. So healthy. And most importantly, so delicious.

Why it’s a Healthy Recipe

These banana chocolate muffins are full of fiber, healthy fats and food-sourced protein, this muffin is a macronutrient balanced on-the-go meal.

The combination of Greek yogurt and egg whites make this a great high-protein snack (if you have at least 2-3 muffins). And the fiber-packed oats are great any weight-management regime because they help slow down digestion, which keeps you feeling full for longer.

And although most oats contain gluten—gasp!—the USDA claims that oats are essential in a heart-healthy diet, lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. (Or you could just use a gluten-free option if you have a gluten allergy.)

Banana Chocolate Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Cook time: 25 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Serving size: 1 muffin

Wet ingredients

…

Source: http://greatist.com/live/sex-at-the-gym?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed_http–greatistcom-

Do you want to get fit and find love in 2016? Some people kill two birds with one stone. In a recent survey of 2,000 Brits, a quarter admitted to having sex at the gym. Even more steamy: About a fifth of those gymgoers have hooked up with their trainer, and another 10 percent said they always carry a condom in their gym bag because, you know, “just in case.”

How exactly does one entice another to get it on at the gym? More than half of men said they use the lat pulldown machine (nice, bro) to attract potential partners while women said they prefer the elliptical machine.

This number isn’t representative of the whole population, but, still… maybe “going to the gym” is the new Netflix and chill in the U.K.

(h/t The Independent)

…

Source: http://www.fannetasticfood.com/2016/01/14/this-weeks-adventures-in-food-and-fitness/

Hey friends! Thank you for your great comments and questions on my 7 Common Nutrition Myths post from yesterday. If you missed it, check it out! Also, one of the first comments asks my thoughts on going gluten free, so give that a look – might have to do a post on that in the future!

It’s been another busy week over here – especially because Matt and I leave tomorrow morning for Charleston! We’re excited for the weekend away – and our half marathon!

Speaking of running – guess who FINALLY made it back to the track this week?! Yep. Track Tuesday happened.

I hadn’t been in 3 weeks due to the 2 weeks of holidays (I was here and could have gone, but to be honest, I just didn’t want to – sleeping in and then going running in the sunshine with Matt or friends was more appealing) and then last week’s ridiculously freezing temps. On Tuesday morning it was in the 20’s – I could handle that. Didn’t feel bad a…