Exercise: The Best Medicine

Exercise offers a multitude of rewards, some obvious, some not.

Done regularly, exercise can lower blood pressure, improve blood cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It helps prevent and treat diabetes, enhances the immune system, improves sleep and may even reduce the risk of some cancers. Staying physically active is vital for maintaining strong muscles, healthy bones and limber joints, enabling us to carry out daily tasks with vigor. It reduces falls among older people and can help relieve arthritis pain. And it’s as important for your brain as for the rest of your body. If that weren’t enough, it can help control weight—and obesity itself raises the risk of many chronic diseases.
It’s no surprise, then, that exercise is strongly associated with lower mortality rates.
Many people love to exercise (or learn to love it) and find it improves their mood, reduces stress, anxiety and depression, and makes them feel energetic. What’s more, exercise often comes with a health-promoting mind-set—that is, people who work out are likely to have or develop other good habits, such as eating healthfully and not smoking. Starting to exercise can be a marker for a turning-over-a-new-leaf mentality—the desire to take better care of yourself.

You don’t have to train for marathons to get the benefits of physical activity. Brisk walking, cycling or working vigorously around the house or yard most days of the week (better yet, daily) will go a long way towards keeping you healthy. If you’re already doing that, you can benefit more by increasing the frequency, intensity or duration of your activities.

Unfortunately, more than half of Americans—including increasing numbers of young people—don’t exercise regularly, and one-quarter partake in no leisure-time physical activity. One of the best things we can do for our national health is to change that.

Maintaining Weight Loss: The Hard Part

The weight-loss industry tends to focus on strategies needed to shed pounds—but these may be different from what you need to maintain your new, lower weight.

For instance, as a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found, people who succeeded at losing weight and keeping it off shared some common practices: They ate lots of fruits and vegetables, controlled their portions, planned what they would be buying before shopping, and read nutrition labels. But the successful weight maintainers had other tactics in their arsenal too: They were more likely to follow a consistent exercise routine, eat higher amounts of lean protein, reward themselves for sticking to their diet or exercise plan, and remind themselves why they need to control their weight.
Meanwhile, the National Weight Control Registry has found that successful weight-loss maintainers tend to be conscious of calories, have a less-varied diet, weigh themselves regularly, keep food diaries, watch less TV, and exercise a lot, among other winning strategies.

How maintaining is different from losing

Weight control is a process in which you fine-tune what works for you as you go. You may find, for example, that limiting calories works initially, but that you feel better and can more easily keep your calories down by eating a higher proportion of protein. You may also need a variety of exercise before you find a routine that works best for you. And you may have high motivation to lose weight in the beginning, but then find that over time, as enthusiasm wanes, you need to remind yourself of your goals more often, and reward yourself more often for staying on course.

Bottom line: Don't get discouraged. Most people fail several times before they “get it right.” It may take a few rounds before you succeed at keeping the weight off. The good news is that if you can keep the weight off for two years, chances are you’ll keep it off over the long term, according to the National Weight Control Registry. You may still have to work at it every day, but you gain more confidence in your ability, which goes a long way towards lasting success.

Should You Go Gluten-Free?

Gluten-free diets are in vogue, pitched as a healthy way to eat and as a way to lose weight. An Internet search of the term “gluten-free” yields some 90 million results. More than 8,000 gluten-free foods are found on Amazon.com; sales of such products soared to $28 billion last year. Gluten-free items have also surged on mainstream restaurant menus over the last two years, according to a new report from a food industry research and consulting firm.

There’s one very good reason to avoid gluten, the main protein in wheat (and rye and barley): if you have a gluten-related disorder, notably celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease affecting about one percent of Americans. (This is different from wheat allergy and is not an allergic reaction.) Gluten sensitivity is a more poorly defined and debatable condition that’s estimated to affect about six percent of the population. This is also not an allergic condition.

But for the great majority of people, there’s no evidence that going gluten-free has any health benefits, according to Arizona State University researchers, who published a commentary in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2012 after reviewing the scientific literature.

Despite books and celebrities promoting it, a gluten-free diet is not a proven weight loss strategy, either. Gluten-free products are sometimes even higher in calories than their regular counterparts. And because most are made from less-healthful refined flour (albeit gluten-free flour), they tend to lack the fiber found in whole wheat and other whole grains that aids in weight control. Moreover, as the paper noted, some research suggests that wheat gluten itself may have health benefits (including triglyceride-lowering effects) and that going gluten-free may cause losses of beneficial intestinal bacteria.

Claims are also being made that celiac disease is on the rise due to changes in wheat breeding over the past century. But a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry disputes the notion that today’s wheat varieties have more protein—and thus more gluten—than those from the early 20th century.
Bottom line: If you have chronic indigestion or other symptoms suggestive of gluten sensitivity, consult your doctor and get tested before going on a gluten-free diet. (Long-term avoidance of gluten can interfere with the diagnostic tests for celiac disease.) If you have a medical need to avoid gluten, do so; otherwise, a healthy diet is one that is rich in whole grains, including whole wheat. If you’ve gone gluten-free and feel better, it’s likely because you’ve cut out a lot of refined carbs and other junk foods, not because you’ve eliminated gluten.

3 simple cures for lingering Skype headaches

3 simple cures for lingering Skype headaches

When you want to make video calls and message people, there are tons of options available, including Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Line, and Viber. Yet even with all the choices out there, the majority of my messaging activity still happens on Skype, and I'd bet that's the case for a lot of people.

But Skype kind of sucks. It’s no longer the simplified chat app it once was. It’s a big program with too many features and even a few surprises you may not know about.
Here are a few tweaks you can make to simplify and improve your Skype experience. This article is based on version 7.10.0.101 running on Windows 10, but if you have the latest version of Skype on Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 it should offer the same options.

Get off the taskbar

Skype lets you banish it from the taskbar

Skype is one of those programs that just can’t take a hint. When I close the window, I still want Skype to run but I don’t want it sitting in my taskbar—that’s why we have a system tray.
To banish Skype from your taskbar when you close the program’s window, go to Tools > Options > Advanced > Advanced Settings. Now uncheck the box that says “Keep Skype in the taskbar while I’m signed in.” Finally, click Save and whenever you close the Skype window it will no longer continue to sit in your taskbar.

It’s still running so you can receive calls and messages, however. If you want to open the Skype window again click on the upward facing arrow on the right side of your taskbar, right-click the Skype icon, and select Open Skype.

Go old school

I don’t really like Skype’s space-wasting interface. The good news is, at its core, Skype hasn’t changed that much over the years. You’ve still got a list of Skype contacts, and when you click one of them you get options to type a message or start a call.

To get back to basics and banish Skpe Home—that area where you can see Facebook updates from your Skype contacts—click on View > Split window view, which will toggle Skype to what’s called “single window view.”

Now, Skype Home will appear in a separate window. Just close that Skype Home window and then adjust the contact window until it looks like the window pictured here, which is more or less a modernized version of the single-panel Skype look.

Watch out for your privacy

Just like Google, Microsoft has yet to meet a product it couldn’t involve with ads, and Skype is no exception. Go to Skype > Privacy... > Privacy Settings. At the bottom, you’ll see two check boxes. Privacy conscious users will want to uncheck “Allow Microsoft targeted ad, including use of Skype profile age and gender.”

That’s it: Three small tweaks that will make your Skype time just a little bit better.

Sweet & Sour Peanut Sauce - Weight Loss

Use this sauce to dress noodles or steamed vegetables.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2/3 cup cilantro
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. In a small saucepan of boiling water, cook the garlic for 2 minutes to blanch. Drain.

2. Transfer the garlic to a blender or food processor. Add the peanut butter, cilantro, water, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, hot sauce and salt, and process until smooth. Store the sauce in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 1/4 cups

Nutrition information per 2 tablespoons
calories 84 • total fat 6.6g (saturated 1g) • cholesterol 0mg • dietary fiber 1g • carbohydrate 5g • protein 3g • sodium 200mg • Good source of niacin, vitamin E

So that we have enough energy, also weight loss to have healthy life tomorrow.

Foods That Lower Blood Pressure - Healthy Diet

You probably already know that a diet low in sodium and rich in foods containing potassium, calcium and magnesium—referred to as the DASH diet—may help prevent or help normalize high blood pressure. But are there specific foods—not supplements or individual nutrients—that can have a helpful effect? Here's what the research says.

Dairy

In a 2012 review and analysis of various studies published in the Journal of Human Hypertension, Australian researchers found a link between the consumption of low-fat dairy and a reduced risk of hypertension. This was seen most strongly with low-fat yogurt and milk (but not cheese). Though calcium may play a role, it's more likely other components of dairy that protect, including compounds such as peptides, released during digestion. Why high-fat dairy may not protect isn't yet clear, but the saturated fat could be to blame. People who consume low-fat dairy also simply may have a healthier overall lifestyle.

Flaxseed

Consuming flaxseed in a variety of foods was linked to a reduction in both systolic blood pressure (when the heart contracts) and diastolic blood pressure (when the heart relaxes) over six months in people with hypertension, according to a 2013 study published in the journalHypertension. Even when study participants took blood pressure medication, they experienced a benefit from flaxseed. It's not clear what in flaxseed may be responsible for the blood pressure reduction, but it may be any or all of these four compounds: alpha linolenic acid, lignans, peptides and fiber.

Chocolate

Consuming dark chocolate or cocoa products rich in flavanols was linked with some reduction in systolic or diastolic blood pressure among people with hypertension or pre-hypertension (but not normal blood pressure), according to a 2010 meta-analysis in BMC Medicine. Other research has shown that polyphenols (especially flavanols) in cocoa products are associated with the formation of nitric oxide, a substance that widens blood vessels and eases blood flow—and thereby lowers blood pressure. According to the researchers, future studies should investigate whether genetics plays a role.

Olive Oil

A 2012 study published in the American Journal of Hypertension looked at how olive oil might affect blood pressure in young women with mild high blood pressure. Spanish researchers compared a diet of polyphenol-rich olive oil to a diet that didn't contain any polyphenols and their effects on blood pressure over a period of four months. The results: The polyphenol-rich olive oil was linked with drops in systolic and diastolic blood pressure—especially among women with higher blood pressure to start.

Beets

For a 2013 study in Nutrition Journal, Australian researchers looked at the effects of beet juice on blood pressure among healthy life both men and women. Participants drank either beet plus apple juice or plain apple juice, then had their blood pressure monitored over 24 hours. The results: The researchers observed a reduction in systolic blood pressure six hours after participants drank beet juice, especially among the men. Beets naturally contain nitrates, which ease blood pressure.

Pistachios

A 2013 study published in the journalHypertension looked at pistachio consumption and blood pressure. Participants, who had high LDL cholesterol, ate one or two servings of pistachio nuts daily for four weeks. In the end, the lower dose of nuts was better at reducing systolic blood pressure than the higher dose. An increase in the volume of blood pumped from the heart could account for the difference, but it's not entirely clear. Or, pistachio nuts may reduce constriction of peripheral blood vessels.

Pomegranate

Researchers from the United Kingdom looked at the effect of pomegranate juice on blood pressure among young and middle-aged people. Consuming more than a cup of pomegranate juice every day for four weeks was linked to a drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, according to the study results, published in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. It's not clear what might be causing these reductions, but it may be the potassium or polyphenols found in pomegranate juice.

Fatty Fish

Researchers from Spain, Portugal, Iceland and Ireland published a study in the journal Nutritionthat looked at the impact of a diet including fish on diastolic blood pressure among overweight or obese people on a weight loss diet. Eating fatty fish such as salmon (but not leaner fish, such as cod) three times a week was linked with a reduction in diastolic blood pressure over eight weeks. The researchers say that many previous studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids (found naturally in fish) have a blood pressure-lowering effect.

Whole Grains

A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at how eating whole grains affected blood pressure in middle-aged people. British researchers compared a diet of whole wheat (or whole wheat plus oats) to a diet of refined grains. They found that eating three servings of whole grains was linked with a reduction in systolic blood pressure. Exactly why isn't clear, athough other research has pointed to beneficial effects of whole grains on cholesterol.

Hibiscus

For a 2010 study, researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University looked at how drinking three daily servings of hibiscus tea over the course of six weeks changed blood pressure in people with pre-hypertension or mild high blood pressure. They found reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, especially in people with higher systolic blood pressure to start. Hibiscus tea is loaded with antioxidants, including phenols and anthocyanins, which might explain the effect.

Diet Advice

These are all healthy foods that can be part of your healthy diet, healthy life. But whether any one food can lower your blood pressure isn't entirely clear and will likely depend on a host of variables including your current blood pressure, your genes, other components in your diet, how much of the food you consume and how often.

How Continuum for Windows 10 Mobile works on Lumia 950 & Lumia 950 XL

How Continuum for Windows 10 Mobile works on Lumia 950 & Lumia 950 XL

It has been an exciting week for Windows fans, as Microsoft unveiled one of the best hardware lineups in the company's history. During the Windows 10 devices event in New York City, Microsoft surprised everyone with the Surface Book, and as expected the company announced the Surface Pro 4 and Microsoft Band 2. However, one of the most important highlights of the event was the announcement of the new Lumia phones.
During the media briefing, Microsoft introduced the new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL. These new devices are very sleek with very powerful hardware. Both phones have similar hardware, but the big difference between the two is the screen size and processor. The Lumia 950 features a 5.2-inch display with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 and 3000 mAh battery while the Lumia 950 XL features a 5.7-inch display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 and 3340 mAh battery.

These two phones run Windows 10 Mobile, and because there are very capable handsets, they also come with support for Continuum. Let's take a closer look at how this new feature works on the Lumia 950 and 950 XL.

What's Continuum

Continuum is a new feature was first introduced for the desktop version of Windows 10, and now Microsoft is also bringing the feature to the phone. Continuum for phones lets you turn your phone into a PC-like experience by connecting an external display, keyboard, and mouse using the new Microsoft Display Dock.

Continuum is a perfect feature for those moments you need to get work done right away, but you're not close to a computer.

How does it work

So, how does Continuum work? Well, you first need a Microsoft Display Dock. It's an optional accessory that includes an HDMI, DisplayPort, three USB 3.0 ports, and USB Type-C port that connects your phone to the dock.

Getting started is very simple, you plug in your external monitor, keyboard and mouse to the Display Dock, and then connect your phone to the only USB Type-C port on the dock.
The phone will detect automatically and switch to Continuum mode. Once the feature is enabled, you'll see a similar desktop environment found on the version of Windows 10 for desktops. However, it's a little different, as you will see many mobile elements such as the mobile signal bars on the top-left and the battery status and date on the top-right corner of the screen.

Another important difference is the Start menu. When you click the Start button, you will notice immediately that the menu is similar, but not the same as the version on PCs. Instead you'll see the Start screen for Windows 10 Mobile with all your Live Tiles.

If you need to open a Windows app, simply go to the Start menu and click on an app, just like you would do on a regular computer.

The taskbar also houses all your running apps icons like you would expect from a regular computer experience. If you're running multiple apps, click the icon in the taskbar to jump to a particular app.

It's also important to note that apps on the bigger screen will look and work identically to the Windows 10 PC apps, because they are the same universal apps. When you're moving from the smaller screen (phone) to the bigger screen, the app is only responding to the canvas -- very similar to how responsive design works on websites.

Everything works just like a regular PC. If you received an email from your boss with a few attachments for a presentation, double-clicking the attachment automatically opens it with the default app.

If you need to go back to the previous app, simply click the icon on the taskbar. You can also click the Task View button to view all the running apps and jump to the app you want.
Alternatively, Continuum on Windows 10 Mobile also supports the keyboard shortcuts you'll find on Windows 10. As such, you could also switch between apps using the Ctrl + Tab shortcut. If you're working on a document, you can easily select some text and use the Ctrl + C or Ctrl + X to copy or cut, and Ctrl + V to paste the content from the clipboard.
The most interesting part about Continuum is that you can be doing a lot of productive work on the big screen, and you can still use your phone as a phone. In the smaller screen you can continue to make calls, reply to SMS messages, watch a video, play a game, you name it.
As Microsoft said: "Each experience is independent and uninterrupted."
When you're using Continuum on a Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL, or another phone that supports the feature, you're not mirroring or expanding the phone screen to the secondary display. You cannot drag with the mouse an app and move it from the big screen to the phone or vice versa.

The way it works is that whatever app you need, you have to launch it from the Start menu (Start screen). For example, if you want to open the Mail app on the big screen, go to the big screen and launch the app from Start. If you need to use the Mail app on the phone, go to the Start on the phone and tap on the Mail tile.

You can't use Snap view with Continuum.

I asked Microsoft if you can have multiple apps running on the big screen using Snap view, and their answer was no. You can't use Snap view with Continuum. In fact, you can only run up to two apps at a time: one app on your phone and another app in the big screen.
Even more impressive is that through the Microsoft Display Dock, you can also connect USB removable media such as a standard USB flash drive.

It's worth pointing out that your USB storage needs to be supported by your phone. It all comes down to drivers. Most USB flash drives will work, but if it requires some sort of drivers, you may not be able to connect it to your phone.

Wrapping things app

Continuum truly brings the PC experience to the phone like no other platform in the market. If you want to be productive and you want to have the best Windows 10 Mobile experience, then the new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL are the handsets you need to pick.
You can also enable Continuum using Miracast on supported devices, but using the wired Microsoft Display Dock is the best solution as there is no compression like with Miracast. Your phone will also continue to charge while plugged into the dock.