As students from across British Columbia head back to class on a voluntary basis today, some teachers say their employer is giving them little choice but to return to work in what they call an unsafe environment.

Ontario's ombudsman is launching an investigation into the province's oversight of long-term care homes during the pandemic in the wake of a scathing military report released last week and concerns over outbreaks across the province. 

Sherif Mohsen doesn’t consider himself to be the complaining type, but he knew he had to speak up after coming close to drinking 70 per cent alcohol thinking it was water. Turns out it was hand sanitizer packaged in beverage bottles. 

These days, we’re all trying to stay healthy and protect ourselves from viruses. One extra step we can take is to include foods in our daily diet that may help our bodies fight off such illnesses. All five of these foods have proven antiviral properties that are backed by science. Even better, they fit perfectly into your healthy eating plan—all of them are Free Foods on Nutrisystem, meaning that you can enjoy as much of them as you’d like without hindering progress to your weight loss goal. You’ll also notice that these ingredients are a delicious part of many great summer recipes.

Add these five antiviral foods to your shopping list for a healthy summer:

1. Garlic

Research says: The pungent herb has long been used in folk medicine and recent research has substantiated its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Scientists have also conducted laboratory studies on the impact of its active ingredient, allicin, on viruses. “A single trial suggested that garlic may prevent occurrences of the common cold, but more studies are needed to validate this finding,” according to a report, published in Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine.

Try this: You get a mouth full of zesty flavor and tender, juicy chicken with Boneless Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites. They’re easy to whip up in minutes in an air fryer—you won’t even break a sweat as you’re making them. Plus, they’re low in saturated fats and calories so you can enjoy them along with the rest of the family.

2. Ginger

Research says: Like garlic, ginger has an extensive history as a traditional treatment for many conditions. Scientists studied ginger’s effects on human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) and published their findings in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. They observed that fresh ginger extract helps prevent virus cells from attaching to the walls of the respiratory system, reducing the risk that the virus can spread through the human body. “Fresh, but not dried, ginger is effective against HRSV-induced plaque formation on airway epithelium by blocking viral attachment and internalization,” says researchers.

Try this: First, check out our video that shows you how easy it is to peel these knobby roots before using them. Then treat yourself to an Orange Carrot Ginger Smoothie, a tasty and refreshing summer beverage with fresh flavors that are naturally sweet and satisfying.

3. Turmeric

Research says: Curcumin is the compound that gives turmeric its bright yellow color. It has also been shown to provide a variety of health benefits. A survey of research on curcumin’s antiviral properties found, “curcumin as a plant derivative has a wide range of antiviral activity against different viruses,” says a report, published in Biomedical Research International. “The extensive antiviral effects of curcumin against different viral pathogens nominate this compound as an antiviral drug candidate to develop new antivirals from natural resources against sensitive viruses,” says the researchers. However, they do explain that more research is needed on the use of this compound or its derivatives on viruses.

Try this: Spicy White Bean Hummus is a creamy and flavorful dip for summer’s most popular vegetables, cucumbers and bell peppers. This simple hummus is easily made in a blender or food processor. It fills you up with the fiber-rich beans while providing you with the one-two punch of turmeric and garlic.

4. Green Tea

Research says: The leaves used to make green tea contain catechins (pronounced “cat-uh-kins”), micronutrients found in plants that provide health benefits, says Harvard Health. Both laboratory and clinical (real patient) studies have demonstrated that catechins may inhibit influenza infection, according to a report, published in Current Medicinal Chemistry.

Try this: For a quick but filling breakfast or refreshing snack on a hot afternoon, whip up a Blueberry Green Tea Smoothie. Both the fruit and tea are loaded with antioxidants, important nutrients shown to boost the immune system.

5. Star Anise

Research says: You may have heard about the antiviral drug oseltamivir, commonly sold as Tamiflu. The base compound for this medication is called shikimic acid. According to Biotechnology Advances, shikimic acid is abundant in star anise, a spice that has a licorice-like scent. Shikimic acid is said to be effective as a “preventive medicine for the outbreak of swine or Avian flu,” says research, published in Phytocompounds As Lead Compounds for New Drug Discovery. They explain, “oseltamivir or Tamiflu derived from shikimic acid pathway have been found to be potent influenza viral neuraminidase inhibitors against most influenza strains.”

Try this: Ground star anise adds a sweet and zingy note to grilled chicken, stir fries and rice dishes. You can also try sprinkling the spice on fresh peaches and other summer fruit before grilling them for a flavorful snack or dessert. Check out these 10 fresh fruits that are perfect for grilling! >

*If you are experiencing any symptoms or have any health-related questions pertaining to a virus, be sure to consult with your doctor and follow the CDC guidelines.

The post 5 Antiviral Foods for a Healthy Summer appeared first on The Leaf.

Sharing some of my top prenatal fitness tips! While it’s so important to maintain an active lifestyle while you’re pregnant, we want to do it in the safest and smartest possible way.

Hi friends! Happy Monday! I hope you had a safe and happy weekend. We spent a lot of time at the pool, Tucson got our first summer rain (the best!), and caught up on some stuff around the house. For today’s post, I wanted to share some prenatal fitness tips. (No, I’m not pregnant! #twoandthrough) In my annual blog survey, I had a LOT of requests for more prenatal fitness content. It’s a delicate area because each pregnancy is so different and it’s so important to follow medical practitioner’s guidelines. I thought I’d put together a master list of 10 things that would be appropriate and make sense across the board, so I’m sharing them here!

Here are my top 10 prenatal fitness tips:

1) Avoid the comparison trap. This is a tricky one because it’s so common to scroll Instagram and see ladies with these giant beautiful pregnant bellies contorting their bodies into complex yoga poses or hoisting a loaded barbell over their heads. While it works for them, it might not necessarily work for you. For example, I had a solid headstand practice going into my pregnancies, but something about flipping upside down while I was pregnant felt off to me. I was so worried that I would fall and there are mixed opinions about inverting while you’re pregnant. On the other hand, one of my serious yogini friends was doing headstands and handstands her entire pregnancy. It worked for her; it didn’t work for me. It’s important to remember that you’re on your own journey and should absolutely focus on the exercises and activities that you know are safe and that work for your body.

2) Now isn’t the time to begin anything new. Fitness is all about maintaining during this time instead of pushing the limit. No one will see a new six-pack anyway. Stick with the things you know and are already a part of your routine and look forward to trying new classes and workout methods once you’re cleared to resume exercise postpartum. An exception to this rule is if you’re currently sedentary and want to begin a walking routine. I’d check with your doctor be be sure, but generally this is ok.

3) Avoid anything that creates a “cone” shape with your belly. When you’re completing exercises, especially planks, down dog, and anything that involves core pressure (even exercises like TRX rows), take a glance at your belly. If it creates a cone shape (you’ll know when it happens! the belly looks very pointy), this means that you’re creating extra pressure on the linea alba, which is the connective tissue in between your rectus abdominis. This connective tissue thins out as the belly expands and any excess pressure can exacerbate diastasis recti. (I have a full post on diastasis recti with DR-safe exercises here.)

4) Substitute any core exercises that involve leg lowers and lifts, or flexion of the spine (like sit-ups and crunches). These can also cause intra-abdominal pressure and also downward pressure on the pelvic floor. I made an entire free PDF with my favorite prenatal and postpartum tips and exercises. If you enter your email here, I’ll send it to you!

5) Make room for your belly. Little tweaks will make it easier to make room for your belly and the baby. An example of this is standing or sitting with a wider stance in forward fold, squatting with a wider stance, or separating your feet when they’d normally be together (like in barre classes with the thighs together, it may feel better to step your feet under your hips instead).

6) Watch the impact, or at least provide some extra support through a belly belt. For some mamas, impact exercises still feel good, like dancing, kickboxing, plyometrics, running, etc. Others feel instantly uncomfortable — you’ll know when it’s a good time to take it down a notch of substitute. You can also do low-impact modifications for the days when more intense plyometrics become too much (like using a wall for push-ups, walking your feet back for burpees, and doing regular squats instead of squat jumps). For me, Zumba was my jam until I was like 36 weeks pregnant with Liv! I just wore a belly brace. When I was pregnant with P, I craved more low-impact exercise, like weight training, spin, barre, and yoga.

(The human body is amazing.)

7) Watch out for anything that requires extreme balance or risks the chance you could fall. When we’re pregnant, our bodies’ center of gravity has shifted, which can make it more challenging to maintain balance. If you’re doing anything that requires balance, have a wall or chair close by if you need it for extra support. Avoid anything that poses a fall risk or could cause a blow to the stomach.

8) Look out for that pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is working incredibly hard during pregnancy; give it a little TLC by avoiding exercises that cause downward pressure (#4 above). Now is the perfect time to focus on strengthening and RELAXING the pelvic floor <— this is a huge one because many women believe their pelvic floor is too weak but in reality it’s too tight, the muscles are shortened and unable to fully contract. You lose strength when a muscle is too tight. All of my favorite exercises for this are in this post! You can also check out Hab It (they have a digital download) and this video from my friend Jess!

9) Focus on the exercises that leave you feeling energized instead of depleting you. This is a great time to choose restorative and fun exercises that make you feel GOOD. I craved totally different types of exercise with my pregnancies and used it as an opportunity to truly listen to my body. Your body is doing a lot behind the scenes to you know, make a human life, so go for the types of fitness activities that leave you feeling energized.

10) Sleep > fitness, always. If you remember anything from this post, this is #1 (and it’s also true in the non-pregnant days). If you’re totally zonked and worn down, chances are that you won’t get a solid workout in anyway. Take the time to rest, recover, and come back stronger. Extreme fatigue can be a sign from the body that we’re doing too much, so take the time to catch a nap, go to bed early, or enjoy a restorative stretch. Sleep impacts so many facets of our health, like our hormones, immune system function, and hunger levels, that it’s important to prioritize this significant piece of the healthy living pie.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Please let me know if you have any prenatal fitness tips to share with fellow readers/commenters, or any funny pregnancy stories. I have many, but I’ll never forget when I went to pay for our groceries and had to hand them an empty giant bag of salt and vinegar chips. I was craving them SO badly and had to eat them while I was shopping hahaha.

Have a great day!

xo

Gina

More:

Pregnancy exercises + a prenatal workout video

Core training during pregnancy

Pregnancy-friendly lower body workout

Can you work out on your back during pregnancy?

What I’ve learned as a pregnant fitness instructor

The post my top 10 prenatal fitness tips appeared first on The Fitnessista.

In most instances, people with COVID-19 recover at home, outside the health care system. What's growing clear, both patients and clinicians agree, is that some of those people wind up facing a long, rocky road to recovery.

Britain has begun cautiously easing lockdown restrictions despite warnings from some health officials that the risk of spreading COVID-19 is still too great. In South Korea, meanwhile, the top infectious disease expert has pleaded with people over 65, pregnant women and other medically vulnerable individuals to stay at home as officials struggle to trace and stem the spread of the coronavirus amid increased public activity.