FOR YOUR HEALTH: Kitchen Design with Health and Ergonomics in Mind

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A well-designed sink can enhance the workflow.

(NAPSI)—Whether you’re among the 50 million Americans over 65 (90 percent of whom hope to continue to age at home), the 60 percent of families with children at home, have other ability issues or safety concerns or think you could someday, incorporating ergonomic elements that promote a seamless experience in the kitchen can make it a more comfortable place for everyone for many years to come.

Smart Sinks

Given the amount of time spent in front of the sink, selecting one that considers your lifestyle and how you cook should be a priority. Details such as the durability and hygienic qualities of a sink’s material along with its style and size can impact efficiency and comfort.

For example, the latest sink from BLANCO, a manufacturer of finely crafted sinks, is designed to enhance workflow and accommodate all users. A first of its kind, the IKON® 33” Apron 1 3/4 Bowl with Low Divide sink is made with the brand’s exclusive SILGRANIT granite composite material. Easy to clean and scratch resistant, patented SILGRANIT material is a repellent, nonporous surface that eliminates the need to use harsh chemicals when cleaning.

The IKON sink also has a convenient low divide that sits just 5 1/2” from the sink bottom, making it easier to handle large pots and baking sheets while still dividing the sink into cleaning and prepping bowls. The apron front or farmhouse design, minimizes the need to lean over as much and so helps reduce strain.

Optional accessories further enhance comfort and workflow. A floating grid provides an extra level within the sink so handling hot and heavy pots can be safer and easier. A Floating Cutting Board that fits right on top of the sink instantly creates another workspace beyond the countertop.

Faucets

Semi-professional and pull-down faucet models help make clean-up more efficient with their easy-to-maneuver design and powerful dual spray features. To make washing hands, food and dishes easier, consider a faucet with sensor technology such as the BLANCO SOLENTA™ Senso Semi-Professional Kitchen Faucet that lets you turn on the water with a wave of your hand. You don’t have to touch the faucet with your hands to get them clean—or if they’re full.

Other ways to enhance the ergonomics in your kitchen include:

  • Use drawers instead of cabinets for storage so there’s less reaching
  • Install different countertop heights to accommodate various users
  • Raise the height of the dishwasher and oven if you can
  • Select nonporous counter materials like quartz that are easy to keep clean
  • Use LED lights for more brightness from less energy and that are cool to the touch
  • Consider an easy-to-clean induction cooking surface—it can reduce energy costs, too

Learn More

For further facts about sinks and faucets that can make your kitchen safer, more efficient and even better looking, visit blancoamerica.com.

FOR YOUR HEALTH – The Safety of Mushrooms: From Harvest to Home

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Mushrooms, that tasty, versatile superfood, are harvested very carefully, with both worker and consumer health and safety in mind.

(NAPSI)—With new procedures and protocols from the impact of COVID-19, mushroom farms around the country are building on their strong foundations of safety.

Consider Maria. Before she begins her shift at the local mushroom farm’s packing facility, she pulls essential items from her locker: facemask, hairnet, gloves and a smock. Now in “uniform,” she takes her place on the processing line, 6 feet apart from colleagues, where she fills tills of the mushrooms that find their way to your grocery store. What may surprise many people to learn is that the items Maria puts on before each shift are nothing new—they have been part of Maria’s uniform since she began packing eight years ago.

With the advent of COVID-19, all segments of agriculture have had to adapt their business practices. For mushroom farms, that means leaning in and building on their strong foundations of safety, quality and excellence to continue to provide this nutritious “superfood” to the public.

Mushroom farms and their packing houses, like other commodities, comply strictly, every hour of every day, to food safety and worker protection laws under U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other federal, state and local regulators. Farms are inspected routinely, often unannounced. So, for Maria, learning new guidelines wasn’t difficult. She was glad to find there’s no connection between the spread of the Coronavirus and the food supply chain—you can’t catch COVID-19 from food.

With a myriad of safety procedures already in place, mushroom operations quickly incorporated COVID-19 guidelines—including requiring harvesters, packers and shippers to social distance, increase handwashing and increase the frequency of sanitizing processes, among other protocols. While public attention on farm and food worker safety has heightened, today and every day, facilities that grow, harvest and pack mushrooms are continually and steadfastly making the safety of both their workers and their products their top priority.

That’s good when you think about all the benefits mushrooms bring to consumers. Mushrooms have long been celebrated for their gluten-free, powerful nutrients and low calories, sodium, fat and cholesterol.

Your immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues and organs that work together to protect you from infection and maintain your overall health. Mushrooms have unique levels of selenium and vitamins D and B that support immune systems.

So, the next time you’re social distancing in the grocery store, you may want to pick up a till of mushrooms and use them in your favorite dishes. Who knows, maybe they will have been packed by Maria.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Cracking the code to society’s most feared disease

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Female home caregiver talking with senior woman, sitting in living room and listening to her carefully.

(NAPSI)—Even more than cancer, there’s one disease most people fear. The thought of falling prey to Alzheimer’s disease and to the inevitable desecration of the mind is something that can make even the bravest shudder.

After all, if you’re robbed of your sense of who you really are, you’re doomed to live your last days without the dignity that defines you and that you hold dear. Perhaps the ultimate horror of Alzheimer’s disease is that it is as indiscriminate, merciless, and devastating as a wind-swept wildfire.

As a result, a disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s disease has become a Holy Grail of sorts in the biotech industry. The disease is so ubiquitous, it casts a shadow over just about everyone’s family. At the same time, it exacts a devastating financial toll on society—perhaps even greater than cancer—with Alzheimer’s disease patients needing 24-hour care for an average of eight years and sometimes as many as 20 years.

The estimated cost for caring for Americans with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is well in excess of a quarter of a trillion dollars per annum. This doesn’t even include unpaid caregiving. Also, Alzheimer’s disease is ranked as the third leading cause of death of seniors in the United States, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer. Approximately 6 million Americans have become its victims, and this number rises each year as lifespans increase due to advancements in medical science.

Progress From Pharmaceuticals

Fortunately, a few pharmaceutical companies, including Biogen, AC Immune SA and NervGen Pharma, have come up with ways to potentially treat the condition and perhaps slow it down. NervGen’s medical researchers are working on what may become an important breakthrough for Alzheimer’s and other afflictions that are defined by nerve damage.

Could This Be Modern Medicine’s Holy Grail?

Until recently, NervGen’s focus has mostly been on developing nerve regeneration for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. In fact, some remarkable results have been achieved in preclinical trials, including one where the treated rodents regained substantial functionality in their legs after sustaining severe spinal cord damage.

Assuming it also works in humans, the medical science world will be paying very close attention because there are no known therapies that can stimulate human nerve regeneration now.

In addition, NervGen intends to commence a Phase 2 clinical trial for treating multiple sclerosis. The company’s drug candidate is expected to treat many of such debilitating symptoms as numbness, loss of sensation, chronic and debilitating pain, partial loss of movement, paralysis, and even incontinence due to additional mechanisms of action called “remyelination” and “plasticity.”

The research team also believes that the same nerve-rejuvenating biotechnology can be adapted to treat Alzheimer’s disease, not just mitigate its symptoms due to its truly novel and innovate approach.

The essence of this technology is that it unlocks a damaged nervous system’s natural ability to repair itself. Proprietary molecules “unstick” nerves and prevent new ones from getting stuck by interfering with synaptic-like connections so the nerves can regrow in places that are normally highly inhibited by scar tissue.

The co-inventor of NervGen’s technology, Dr. Jerry Silver, is one of the world’s most foremost neuroscience researchers of spinal cord injury. Dr. Silver, who is also Professor of Neurosciences at Cleveland’s Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine, has been working this unique approach to nerve rejuvenation biotechnology since the early ’90s by focusing on a protein called CSPG that inhibits the body’s natural ability to grow and regenerate.

Heretofore, no drugs have been approved anywhere in the world for nerve regeneration and remyelination, as well as improved plasticity in damaged nerves. Additionally, existing treatments are not considered very effective. So, the stakes are especially high for NervGen to create a blockbuster drug candidate that promises to even outshine any other Alzheimer’s disease drug. This is a wonderful opportunity to pioneer nerve repairing drug therapies that target some of the most devastating and pervasive diseases known to humankind.

Learn More

For further facts and figures about NervGen Pharma, go to www.nervgen.com.

Is your loved one in a nursing home? Six questions you need to ask

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Courtesy of AARP Maine

AARP is providing information and resources about COVID-19 to help older Mainers and their families protect themselves from the virus and prevent it from spreading to others. We’re also providing state-specific information which is updated regularly here.

If you have a spouse, sibling, parent, or other loved one in a nursing home, you may be worried about their safety and well-being because of the coronavirus pandemic. AARP has consulted with leading nursing home experts to provide you with some key questions to ask the nursing home:

1. Has anyone in the nursing home tested positive for COVID-19?

  • This includes residents as well as staff or other vendors who may have been in the nursing home.

2. What is the nursing home doing to prevent infections?

  • How are nursing home staff being screened for COVID-19, especially when they leave and re-enter the home?
  • What precautions are in place for residents who are not in private rooms?

3. Does nursing home staff have the personal protective equipment (PPE)—like masks, face shields, gowns, gloves—that they need to stay safe, and keep their patients safe?

  • Have nursing home staff been given specific training on how to use this personal protective equipment?
  • If no, what is the plan to obtain personal protective equipment?

4. What is the nursing home doing to help residents stay connected with their families or other loved ones during this time?

  • Does the nursing home help residents call their loved ones by phone or video call?
  • Will the nursing home set up a regular schedule for you to speak with your loved one?

5. What is the plan for the nursing home to communicate important information to both residents and families on a regular basis?

  • Will the nursing home be contacting you by phone or email, and when?

6. Is the nursing home currently at full staffing levels for nurses, aides, and other workers?

  • What is the plan to make sure the needs of nursing home residents are met—like bathing, feeding, medication management, social engagement—if the nursing home has staffing shortages?

State Resources:

AARP Maine frequently updates information about Maine COVID-19 resources.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Fraud And Coronavirus

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(NAPSI)—The warning bells are ringing. From regulators, law enforcement agencies and consumer organizations around the globe, the message is clear: Fraudulent schemes related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have arrived, and they are coming in many forms, from investment fraud to fake CDC emails to phishing scams.

Job loss, financial strain, and social distancing are conditions that present fraudsters with an opportunity to pounce. A study by the FINRA Foundation, the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, Stanford, and the Federal Trade Commission found that social or physical isolation can increase anyone’s susceptibility to schemes.

In times like these, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. Now is the time to move slowly, pay attention to details and not make rash decisions. Dramatic news coverage of viral outbreaks and pandemics can be an opportunity for scammers to pump inaccurate information into the marketplace to try to manipulate markets and investors. Following these hints can help you keep your money and personal information safe:

Tips for Avoiding Coronavirus Scams

  1. Ask and Check. Before you make any investment decision, ask and check to verify information about any individuals you are dealing with and any investment product you are considering. You can use FINRA BrokerCheck, a free online tool, to get information on brokers and investment advisers.
  2. Be skeptical. If an unknown company becomes the subject of press releases, emails, and promotional materials hyping the company and its products to cure the latest pandemic, hit pause. Be wary if you are flooded with information over a short time, especially if the communications only focus on the upside with little or no mention of risk.
  3. Read a company’s SEC filings. Check the SEC’s EDGAR database to find out whether the company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Verify these reports against promotional information put out by the company or third-party promoters. Exercise caution if they don’t align. And be suspicious of solicitations to invest when products are still in the development stage, where no actual products are on the market, or if the company’s balance sheets only show losses.
  4. Question companies new to the “cure” market. Changes to the name or business focus of a company to capitalize on pandemic fears may be a sign that a company is engaged in, or the subject of, a potential fraud. These changes can turn up in company press releases, Internet searches and, if the company files periodic reports, in the SEC’s EDGAR database.
  5. Run it through the Scam Meter. Before you make any investment decision, the FINRA Scam Meter can help you tell if an investment you are thinking about might be a scam.

Reliable Resources on Scams and Coronavirus

Fortunately, there are a number of resources that provide accurate, unbiased information to help you spot and avoid coronavirus-related scams:

  • FINRA
  • Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Federal Trade Commission
  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
  • Better Business Bureau.

Learn More

For further ideas on how to protect your money, or to file a complaint or a tip, visit www.FINRA.org/LearnMore.

FOR YOUR HEALTH – Get stronger every day with at-home workouts: staying active at home is easier

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Staying active at home is easier with the Bowflex Max Total, which offers personalized workouts and coaching technology that can keep you motivated over the long term.

(NAPSI) — These days, people are navigating unprecedented times that have them rethinking how they live and work. While big shifts to normal, daily habits can be unsettling, this also provides an opportunity to start new routines and make positive changes.

Many are spending more time at home, so adding structure is more important than ever—especially when it comes to staying active. Studies have shown that exercise can help boost your mood, productivity and immunity.

According to Tom Holland, exercise physiologist, Bowflex fitness adviser and host of iHeartRadio’s Fitness Disrupted podcast, it takes most people a minimum of two months to form a new habit. He recommends making the most of your time at home to establish healthy routines.

To help you get started, Holland offers these simple tips to add at-home fitness into your daily routine:

Connect with a Coach: When motivation wanes, there are plenty of subscription services and online resources. For example, there’s the Bowflex JRNY app, which features a personal fitness coach who gives spoken instruction and encouragement as you push through your custom workouts—available on the Bowflex Max Total and Bowflex BXT216 treadmill.

Start small: You don’t have to commit to an hour or more; aim for several micro workouts of 5, 10 and 15 minutes throughout the day; those add up and count as much as one long workout.

Put it on the Calendar: Keep exercise at the top of your to-do list by scheduling a daily walk or run or streaming a yoga class.

Multi-task: Connect to streaming content and sweat through your favorite daytime show, or catch up on the news.

Home Gym Essentials: Holland recommends including one piece of cardio and one piece of strength equipment in your home gym.

Creating healthy habits now can carry you through the current times, and help set you on a path to finish up the year feeling healthy and stronger than ever.

FOR YOUR HEALTH – Your backyard isn’t cancelled: six tips to celebrate Earth Day right at home

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Making your the planet greener can start on your side of the fence.

(NAPSI)—The 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22 can be a good time for everyone to take some time to get outside, even if current conditions mean a community event to celebrate isn’t available. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to honor the Earth in your own backyard.

“You don’t need to leave home to celebrate Earth Day. Remember, nature starts at your back door,” explains Kris Kiser, President of the TurfMutt Foundation, an organization that encourages outdoor learning experiences, stewardship of green spaces, and care for living landscapes for the benefit of all.

“Get outside, mow your lawn, trim bushes, plant a butterfly bush. By becoming a steward of your yard, you are helping the planet. At the same time, you’re supporting your health and well-being, which is increasingly important as families spend more time at home.”

What You Can Do

 Here are six tips to celebrate Earth Day without ever leaving home:

1.Get outside. Your backyard is an outdoor living room and safe place for pets and kids to play. Science proves spending time in your family’s yard is good for your health and well-being, and so important today as everyone looks for creative ways to stay well while being confined to the home. Researchers have found that people living in neighborhoods with more birds, shrubs and trees are less likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and stress.

2.Make the outdoors a family project. Take your loved ones outside to assess your space. What’s working well? What could be improved? What can you plan to do together in your backyard? Anything needing to be cleaned up? Make a plan to expand or spruce up your yard.

3.Connect kids to nature. Free, online, do-at-home lesson plans are available from the TurfMutt.com. The environmental education program resources and activities, based on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) principles, give kids the prompts they need to have fun learning about and exploring the nature and science in their own backyards.

4.Know your climate zone. Learn about climate-zone-appropriate plants, the importance of pollinators, and how backyards can support local wildlife. Conduct a plant inventory to determine what’s currently thriving in your backyard. Match that up against the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to determine the best types of turf, trees, shrubs, and plants for the climate zone.

5.Keep pollinators in mind. Your yard is an important part of the connected ecosystem providing much- needed food and shelter for pollinators, such as birds, bees, butterflies, bats, and other creatures. Select a variety of plants that will bloom all year long. The Audubon Society’s database can help determine which birds will be attracted to which plants for unique regions so you can make good choices about what to plant.

6.Plant, prune or mow. Staying confined to home base doesn’t mean gardening and yard work have to stop. Order garden supplies online or have them delivered from a nearby nursery. Mow the lawn and trim bushes.

Research shows people who gardened for at least 30 minutes a week had lower body mass indexes (BMIs)—a measure of body fat—as well as higher levels of self-esteem and better moods overall. They also reported lower levels of tension and stress.

Learn More

 For further facts and tips on saving the planet one yard at a time, go to www.turfmutt.com.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Ignite immunity, clean naturally with lemons

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When life gives you lemons, use them to boost your immune system and clean and disinfect your home.

NAPSI—If you’re among the increasing number of Americans keen on natural solutions to boost immunity these days, you may be glad to know the answer may be right in your refrigerator—or should be. Loaded with vitamin C and zinc, and with key antioxidant qualities, Limoneira Lemons can play a vital role in helping the immune system adapt to new threats and conditions.

Experts have cited lemons as a way to “reduce the risk of complications from a cold or flu, and reduce inflammation in the body.” Experiments have also found that lemon juice can destroy the bacteria of malaria, cholera, diphtheria, typhoid and other deadly diseases.

Lemons are also a boon to any kitchen or DIY beauty routine—plus, they’re a handy sustainability tool. Use them to make life simpler without investing in potentially toxic chemicals or overpriced solutions. In fact, beyond their immunity-boosting benefits, lemons provide natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties that let you clean and disinfect your home, naturally.

Here’s how to create a useful all-purpose cleaner for your kitchen and bathroom that can help your house smell spring fresh all year: Combine equal parts lemon juice and water in a spray bottle. You can use it nearly anywhere. For wood surfaces, create a polish by mixing one cup of olive oil and one-half cup of lemon juice. Test it first on a small spot.

For other “green cleaning” with lemon tips, visit www.Limoneira.com/cleaning.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Get the Facts on Eating for Health And Boosting Your Immune System Naturally

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(NAPSI)—Registered dietitian for California Strawberries, Colleen Wysocki, explains what factors play a role in immunity, eating for health, and how to boost immune systems naturally:

Factors Influencing the Immune System

Factors that can influence immunity include:

  • Diet
  • Sleep
  • Stress
  • Exercise
  • Microbiome
  • Germs

Eating for Health

Eating for health means increasing whole foods while cutting back on processed foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fats. People are cautioned not to look for a single “super food” to prevent illness, but rather, start eating a balanced diet to build a strong immune system over time.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans promotes the “My Plate” method of eating for health:

  • ½ of your plate: Colorful fruits and non-starchy vegetables
  • ¼ of your plate: Lean protein
  • ¼ of your plate: Whole grains or starch
  • Low-fat dairy is also encouraged at each meal for those who tolerate lactose.

Consistently building your plate this way prepares the body to fight illness and stress. Eating for health is a long-game; popping a few berries in your mouth when you start to feel a cold coming on will have limited effect. However, if you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables each day, your cells will be better prepared to overcome viruses and infections when your body does encounter them.

The Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables is at the Heart of Immune-Boosting Foods

Eating the rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day is key to increasing immune cell responses to bacteria and viruses. The phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables that promote health depend on the color of the food.

For instance, red, blue, and purple fruits provide antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. These immune-boosting foods help protect cells from damage and may reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, stroke, and heart ­disease.

Green vegetables, on the other hand, are recognized as foods good for the immune system and they have anti-cancer properties and protect against neural tube defects in pregnancy.

It’s important to strengthen the body against non-communicable diseases with a variety of fruits and vegetables first; then when contagious germs enter the body, its defenses will be available to fight them off.

Eating a single color in the diet is like going to school and learning a single subject. If first graders were only taught physical education—that would be important, but they would miss out on learning how to add, subtract, read, and write. Similarly, if a person were to only eat one color of fruits and vegetables (such as greens), they risk missing out on nutrients that may promote a more complete immune response.

Protein is Vital for Repair and Recovery from Illness

Protein is also essential for growth and illness recovery. Protein repairs cells and DNA damage caused by illnesses. Skinless poultry, fish, yogurt, eggs, low-fat cheese, and milk are great sources of protein. If you choose vegetarian protein, pair it with vitamin C-rich foods such as strawberries. Iron from plant protein is difficult to absorb without ­vitamin C.

Foods High in Vitamin C

Food sources of vitamin C are more effective at strengthening immunity and overall health than supplements. In addition, fruits and vegetables such as strawberries offer much more than vitamin C; all of their micronutrients work together to help prevent and fight disease.

One serving of eight strawberries provides all the vitamin C you need for a day. Oranges, red peppers, cantaloupe, papaya and kale are also foods high in vitamin C.

How to Boost Immune System Naturally

  • Exercise’s Role in Immunity. For those who want to know how to boost the immune system naturally, after diet, physical activity is key. Exercise is another long-term approach to building strength against germs and disease. Working out not only builds muscle, it also reduces abdominal fat, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and stress—all risk factors for disease. It can help you sleep better and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The American Heart Association recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate cardio exercise and at least three days of strength-building exercises per week.

  • Sleep and Stress. Increasing sleep and decreasing stress are also on the list of how to boost your immune system naturally. Do your best to get adequate sleep (7+ hours each night).

During stressful times, techniques to help manage anxiety may include talking to someone, checking in on loved ones, exercise, sleep, and eating a nutritious diet.

  • Microbiome and Germs. Don’t neglect the role bacteria play in spreading harmful germs. While you can wipe out germs and bacteria on surfaces, it’s critical to feed your gut good bacteria.

Pre- and probiotics are immune-boosting foods because they feed the good bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics include fiber from fruits and vegetables, while probiotics include strawberries, apples, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread, and some cheeses.

For more strawberry nutrition information and recipes, visit californiastrawberries.com.

FOR YOUR HEALTH – The Cleaning Season: Dust Your Ducts

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To make it easier to breathe clean at home, have your HVAC system inspected regularly.

(NAPSI)—When you breathe a sigh of relief after giving your home its annual thorough cleaning, you may be breathing in more dust, dirt, and pollution than you realize — unless you’ve also gotten the HVAC system cleaned.

A Hidden Problem

Through normal living, people generate a great deal of contaminants, such as dander, dust, and chemicals. These get pulled into the HVAC system and re-circulated five to seven times a day, on average. Over time, this causes a build-up of dirt in the duct work.

Some people are more sensitive to these contaminants than others. Allergy and asthma sufferers, as well as young children and the elderly, tend to be more susceptible to the types of poor indoor air quality that air duct cleaning can help address. Also, some homes may be more susceptible to certain pollutants, including places with pets, smokers, or remodeling projects.

An Answer

Fortunately, it’s easy to deal with. The experts at the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) say HVAC systems should be inspected and cleaned regularly by a reputable, certified HVAC professional.

The ones who are NADCA members possess general liability insurance, are trained and tested regularly, sign on to a code of ethics, and must clean and restore your heating and cooling system in accordance with NADCA standards, so they provide a high level of security.

Learn More

For further facts on having healthy air in a healthy home, visit www.BreathingClean.com. To find a NADCA member nearby, go to http://nadca.com/en/prosearch/all and enter your zip code.