Author: trainitright

Healthy and Homemade for Valentine’s Day: Good Dee’s Delicious Baking Mixes Support Wellness Goals

Founder Deana Krim has made gluten-free, lean-crafted, and low-carb baking mixes that will delight any baked goods connoisseur

NEW YORK – (February 5th, 2025): Good Dee’s makes it easy to indulge in sweet treats and homemade bread while adhering to low-carb, low-sugar lifestyle choices. This Valentine’s Day, baking gluten-free and delicious treats is easy with baking mixes like Devil's Food Keto Cake Mix - Gluten Free and No Added Sugar. Driven by her passion for great food and her personal struggle with weight and family genetics, Deana Karim founded Good Dee’s to help health-conscious consumers enjoy their favorite treats while avoiding gluten, sugar, carbs, and more. The options are endless; Good Dee’s offers a wide range of baking mixes, from Bread & Corn free bread to Brownie & Sprinkles, Cakes & Cookies & Pancakes, ensuring there's something for everyone's taste and dietary preferences.  

“I created Good Dee’s when I discovered how small changes, like lowering carbs and sugar and changing my mindset, helped me conquer a lifelong struggle with weight. But food, especially baked goods, should bring joy, not guilt. That’s why I created baking mixes that deliver amazing taste without sacrificing your commitment to a healthy lifestyle,” says Deana Karim, Founder and Owner of Good Dee’s. “This Valentine's Day is the perfect want to nourish the one you love with Good Dee’s delicious treats - indulge without compromising on taste!”

For the perfect Valentine's treat, try Good Dee’s favorites like these:

For the Carrot Cake lover, mix some muffins with the Carrot Keto Muffin & Cake Mix - Gluten-Free and No Added Sugar, just in time for National Muffin Day on February 20th. They are:

• Keto-friendly, with no gluten or added preservatives.
• Low-carb and plant-based with high-quality watermelon seed flour, free of grains and dairy, naturally sweetened with no sugar added, and full of healthy fiber. 

To accompany a delicious Valentine’s dinner with Good Dee’s home-baked bread, try: 

Corn Free Keto Bread Mix - Gluten-Free and No Added Sugar. The corn free bread is a delicious, gluten-free bread option that is perfect for those with dietary restrictions, particularly those avoiding corn. This bread has a soft, moist crumb and a slightly nutty taste, making it versatile for various uses, from sandwiches to toast. 

Visit GoodDees.com for clean-eating mixes, complete nutrition details, and endless inspiration for healthy baking. For more creative and guilt-free treat ideas, follow @GoodDeesMix on Instagram. 

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About Good Dee’s:

Created and founded by native Texan-turned-New Yorker Deana Karim, Good Dee’s proves that health-conscious living and decadent indulgence really do mix. The tasty solution to a lifetime of deprivation and struggle with weight gain, Good Dee’s offers innovative, full-flavor mixes made with high-quality, clean ingredients and free of gluten, soy, wheat, and added sugar. Give in to cravings guilt-free with Good Dee’s complete collection of baking mixes designed for low-carb, restricted, and special diets. Learn more and shop all flavors and varieties at GoodDees.com or Amazon.com. Find inspirational recipes and baking ideas on Instagram @GoodDeesMix.

2x the Calories, 2.8x the Sodium: Trump’s Diet Under the Microscope

President Donald J. Trump's diet may not be for the faint-hearted, and definitely not for those who try to limit their calories, sodium, sugar and fat intake. 

A newly released analysis from Healthnews reveals that President Donald J. Trump’s daily meal plan may substantially exceed dietary recommendations, especially for his age group.

At 78 years old, President Trump became the oldest person to be inaugurated president. The candidates' age and health were common concerns during the presidential campaign, although most of the criticism was directed at Trump’s initial opponent, former President Joe Biden.

Diet undoubtedly plays an important role in determining health, especially in aging individuals. It is recommended that older adults limit foods high in unhealthy fats and avoid empty calories.

However, the current President seems to be going in the exact opposite direction since his publicly documented food choices—including multiple Big Macs, milkshakes, and significant amounts of Diet Coke—suggest Trump’s daily caloric intake exceeds 4,600 calories, roughly 2.3 times the recommended level for men his age, considering he does not skip breakfast.

The Healthnews team analyzed the nutritional value of Donald Trump’s diet, focusing on a day when he indulges more than usual and includes breakfast, a meal he often skips.

In short, on "feast days," when he doesn't skip breakfast, his meal plan looks like this:

• Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.
• Lunch: A very well-done steak with ketchup.
• Dinner: Two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, and a small milkshake.
• Snacks: A bag of Doritos.
• Drinks: 12 Diet Cokes throughout the day.

The nutritional breakdown of such a diet is the following:

• Calories: 4,653 kcal
• Fat: 250 g (Saturated fat: 68 g, Trans fat: 3.9 g)
• Cholesterol: 830 mg
• Carbohydrates: 416 g (Fiber: 15 g, Total sugars: 106 g, Added sugars: 79 g)
• Protein: 184 g
• Sodium: 6,419 mg
• Caffeine: 552 mg

Key Micronutrients:

• Vitamin D: 2.23 mcg
• Calcium: 1,283 mg
• Iron: 24 mg
• Potassium: 3,773 mg

Sodium and calories are off the charts

The number of calories Trump consumes on a day of full eating exceeds the United States dietary guidelines recommendations around 2x, which estimate that men 76 years old and older need around 2,000–2,400 kcal per day, depending on their physical activity level. 

An average American consumes too much sodium, and while Trump is by no means an average guy, his diet is no exception, with 6,419 mg of sodium daily. According to USDA guidelines, men 51 years old and older should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. The current President exceeds the recommended daily sodium intake by around 2.8 times.

To see the full analysis of Donald Trump’s diet, please head over to: https://healthnews.com/news/donald-trump-diet-healthy/

I've recently been exploring BrainHQ, an online platform designed to enhance cognitive functions through engaging exercises. Developed by neuroscientists, BrainHQ offers a variety of games that feel like enjoyable video games but are specifically crafted to improve mental skills.

What is BrainHQ?

BrainHQ is an online brain training program that provides exercises targeting various cognitive abilities, including attention, memory, brain speed, people skills, navigation, and intelligence. The platform is grounded in over 30 years of research in brain science and neuroplasticity, ensuring that the exercises are both effective and backed by scientific evidence.

My Experience with BrainHQ

The exercises on BrainHQ are designed to be both fun and challenging, resembling simple video games. I've been focusing on games aimed at improving attention and concentration. For instance, one exercise requires quickly identifying specific objects amid distractions, which helps enhance focus and processing speed.

Benefits of BrainHQ

Regular use of BrainHQ can lead to several cognitive benefits:

• Improved Attention: Exercises are designed to challenge the brain to focus its attention, which can help in daily tasks that require concentration. brainhq.com
• Enhanced Memory: By engaging in tasks that require recalling information, users can strengthen their memory retention capabilities.
• Faster Processing Speed: Certain games aim to increase the speed at which the brain processes information, leading to quicker decision-making.

Subscription Details

BrainHQ offers both monthly and yearly subscription plans, granting full access to all exercises and features. Annual subscribers benefit from a lower monthly rate and have the option to manage a family subscription, allowing loved ones to join in the training. 

support.brainhq.com

Conclusion

Incorporating BrainHQ into my routine has been an enjoyable way to work on my focus and concentration. The platform's game-like exercises make cognitive training engaging, and the flexibility of short sessions fits easily into a busy schedule. For anyone looking to boost their mental sharpness, BrainHQ is a valuable tool worth considering.

Hundreds of Studies Show Efficacy of One Particular Brain Fitness Program

San Francisco, January 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New data from papers published in science and medical journals in 2024 shows tremendous growth in the evidence of efficacy of one particular brain fitness product: BrainHQ from Posit Science.  The widely used web, Android, and iOS app was the subject of another 55 published journal articles in 2024. 

There are now some 300 published peer-reviewed studies on the efficacy of BrainHQ, including 96 studies in healthy older adults, 4 studies in workplace performance, and 200 studies across a wide range of health conditions — including brain injuries (stroke, mild to severe traumatic brain injuries, chemobrain, cardiobrain, HIV Associated Neurological Decline, diabetes, movement disorders, autism, ADHD, and substance use, sleep, and conduct disorders); mental illnesses (depression, schizophrenia, bipolar); and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s dementia, pre-dementia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis).

BrainHQ is an outlier in the field. According to a comprehensive systematic review of commercially-available brain training and brain games targeting older adults, the lion’s share of such offerings have zero peer-reviewed studies showing efficacy.

“We work with a global network of more than 500 university-based researchers,” observed Dr. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science. “They have helped us design, test, refine, and validate our offerings. Thousands of hours of work go into a typical study, and those researchers are the real heroes in advancing our knowledge of the mechanics of brain plasticity and how we can harness it to drive gains in three critical areas: cognitive performance, everyday activities, and the health of the brain as an organ.”

For example, studies in prior years have shown the link between the exercises driving gains in cognitive performance and everyday activity and causing physical changes in the brain (e.g., the speed, accuracy, and strength of neural responses, the integrity of the insulation that surrounds neural connections, the functional connectivity between disparate regions of the brain, and hippocampal volume).  The 2024 BETTER Aging study nicely expanded on those results through imaging, by showing not just gains in cognitive performance but also better maintenance of brain biomarkers of age-related atrophy. 

Similarly, the J-MINT PRIME Tamba study from Japan (using a Japanese version of BrainHQ exercises) expanded on prior studies by showing the training can drive significant gains in cognition even among those at elevated risk of dementia (in this study, due to hypertension and/or diabetes). The study compared three different types of lifestyle interventions (diet, physical exercise, and brain exercise) against a control and found a 41% gain in a standard measure of global cognition in the brain exercise group using BrainHQ.

A study from Brazil in healthy older adults (using the Portuguese version of BrainHQ exercises), also showed significant gains in global cognition after 20 hours of training, which gains still persisted at the five-month follow-up.

A trio of studies of BrainHQ cognitive assessments were published in 2024. Two looked at the widely used BrainHQ UFOV® assessment, which measures speed of processing and useful field of view. A study from China used the UFOV assessment to evaluate brains of ping pong players and found an association between UFOV performance and brain health as measured through brain imaging. A study among patients with HIV Associated Neurological Decline found greater amounts of BrainHQ training showed greater gains in UFOV scores, even two years after training.  In addition, a study on the norming and validation of dozens of new 3-minute remote BrainHQ assessments has cleared the path for using those assessments in a variety of contexts to establish baselines and ongoing monitoring of cognitive status — much as people are able to do at home with blood pressure or glucose levels.

Other studies in 2024 deepened understanding of the impacts of BrainHQ training across some previously studied health conditions, including: stroke, TBI, Chemobrain, HAND, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis, pre-dementia, and cognitive aging. 

Prior to 2024, many studies had been published in various types of pre-dementia and dementia (e.g., MCI, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s); however, 2024 saw the first BrainHQ case study in frontotemporal dementia published.

Also in 2024, there were more studies looking at the combined impact of BrainHQ and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which is also believed to enhance brain plasticity. Such trials had mixed results with some showing greater gains for combined intervention, but others showing no better results than using BrainHQ alone.

Among the 15 review articles citing BrainHQ in 2024 was one from a research team at the University of Hong Kong. That review cited thirty-five studies in dementia and pre-dementia, showing training improved memory. These findings align with the 2024 World Health Organization guidelines recommending cognitive training in dementia.

Benefits have been shown in hundreds of studies of BrainHQ, including significant gains in standard measures of cognition (attention, processing speed, memory, and decision making), in standard measures of quality of life (depressive symptoms, confidence and control, safety, health-related quality of life) and in real-world measures (health outcomes, balance, driving, hearing, and work). BrainHQ is now offered, without charge, as a benefit by leading national and 5-star Medicare Advantage plans and by leading medical centers, clinics, and communities. Consumers can try a BrainHQ exercise for free daily at http://www.brainhq.com. 

Half of U.S. Workers Trapped in Busy Work: New Report Exposes Widespread Productivity Crisis

Resume Now uncovers how busy work undermines productivity, with over half of employees feeling unable to drive change in their organizations.

GUAYNABO, PR, February 3, 2025 — ResumeNow®, a career service dedicated to empowering job seekers, has released its Productivity Drain Report, revealing that busy work—tasks with little meaningful impact—dominates American workplaces. According to the survey of 1,130 U.S. workers, 51% say their tasks often or always involve busy work, consuming over 16 hours per week for nearly one in five workers.  Alarmingly, 54% report feeling powerless to address this productivity drain within their organizations.

Key Findings:

• 51% say their work often or always involves busy work
• 44% of workers have experienced multiple abandoned projects without explanation
• 54% of employees feel they lack a voice in addressing inefficiencies
• 37% report that busy work constitutes 25–50% of their daily workload and another 10% say more than half of their daily work is busy work
• 29% of workers estimate they spend at least a quarter of their week on busy work

Busy Work Dominates Workloads:

Busy work—tasks that create the appearance of productivity without contributing to meaningful results—has become a persistent issue in U.S. workplaces:

• 23% say their work “always” involves busy work.
• 28% feel it “often” does.
• 34% say it happens “sometimes.”
• Only 3% say they “never” encounter busy work.

Time Lost to Busy Work:

When asked how much of their workload is dedicated to busy work:

• 37% say between 25% and 50% of their tasks qualify as busy work.
• 10% report more than half of their daily workload is busy work.
• A quarter (29%) spend at least 11 hours a week on busy work—equating to more than 28% of their workweek.
• 17% spend over 16 hours weekly on these low-impact tasks.

Abandoned Projects Highlight Organizational Inefficiency:

The issue extends beyond individual responsibilities, with organizational inefficiencies exacerbating the problem:

• 44% of workers report experiencing multiple abandoned projects without explanation, wasting time and resources.
• These abandoned efforts waste time, resources, and employee morale.

Employees Feel Disempowered to Drive Change:

Employees are frustrated by their inability to influence meaningful change:

• 54% say they don’t have a voice in addressing inefficiencies.
• 45% feel their suggestions are considered but rarely acted upon.
• Only 46% of respondents believe their employers actively support improvements to processes and efficiency.

“This report reveals a widespread productivity crisis caused by busy work,” said Keith Spencer, career expert at Resume Now. “Employees are dedicating hours each week to meaningless tasks, feeling unheard when they propose solutions, and watching projects get abandoned. Businesses must address these inefficiencies to unlock meaningful productivity gains and improve employee engagement.”

To view the full report with more information, please visit 

https://www.resume-now.com/job-resources/careers/productivity-drain-report or contact Joseph Santaella at joseph.santaella@bold.com.

Methodology

The findings presented were obtained by surveying 1,130 American workers on November 27, 2024 about how they feel busy work impacts their productivity. They answered different types of questions, including yes/no, open-ended, scale-based questions where respondents indicated their level of agreement with statements, and multiple-choice where they could select from a list of provided options.

 About Resume Now 

Since 2005, Resume Now has offered job seekers a fast and easy way to create a beautifully designed, expert-backed resume. With pre-written, industry-specific phrases and recruiter-approved templates, the award-winning builder enables users to create a polished and professional resume in minutes. Resume Now has been featured in major outlets such as Fortune, Forbes, and more. Stay connected with Resume Now’s latest updates on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Convenience Stores Evolve to Become True Food Destinations

Variety of offerings, private label brands and loyalty programs fuel in-store sales growth

DENVER (January 29, 2025)—Convenience stores are intensifying their focus on foodservice offerings to drive foot traffic, in-store sales growth and frequency of repeat visits. Strong consumer interest in prepared foods, commissary and beverage options has led convenience stores, often referred to as c-stores, to compete much more aggressively with quick service restaurants and fast-food chains. 

The focus on offering a wider variety of prepared and ready-to-eat food items is clearly paying off, as c-stores registered record sales in 2023. Those gains are largely attributable to in-store sales, which grew 8% year-over-year in both 2022 and 2023 according to Circana, well ahead of overall inflation numbers for both food at and away from home. While sales appeared to soften in 2024, a Convenience Store News survey found two-thirds of c-store retailers predict total sales per store will grow in 2025.

According to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, the line between grocery stores, quick-service restaurants and c-stores will continue to blur, intensifying competition across the foodservice and retail grocery spectrum. C-store chains are increasingly viewing QSR and traditional fast-food chains as their chief competition and tailoring their food offerings to match if not exceed competitors’ menu options. 

“Convenience stores have evolved from their gas-fueled beginnings to become true food and beverage destinations,” said Billy Roberts, food & beverage economist with CoBank. “Food service is the future for c-stores, and we expect they’ll continue to emulate their competitors with a greater variety of freshly prepared items, along with more attention to signature menu items and private label products.”  

The emergence of c-stores as formidable destinations for prepared foods hasn’t gone unnoticed by major food manufacturers. Several leading food brands have taken the merger and acquisition route to enter the c-store channel. J.M. Smucker cites c-store distribution as an important reason behind its early 2024 acquisition of Hostess Brands. 

Similarly, Hormel Foods dramatically expanded its c-store penetration with its 2021 purchase of Planters and Corn Nuts brands. Hormel has subsequently leveraged those newfound distribution relationships to bring more of its products to c-stores, including pizza toppings and bacon.

C-store kitchens are seeking quick and easily prepared products. Hormel is among the suppliers that has found c-stores to be something of a testing ground for new flavors and product concepts. For example, the key distinction of Hormel’s Bacon 1 isn’t necessarily flavor but ease for the operator. The fully cooked product heats quickly, enabling c-store operators to easily add bacon to a host of their menu options. 

Customer loyalty programs are also playing a significant role in the success c-stores have had with food sales and repeat visits. Several c-stores have developed loyal followings on a near-nationwide scale. The 2024 Loyalty Trend Report from Paytronix finds at least 80% of c-stores’ loyalty program members in the top half of loyalty transaction visits per store every month. 

“This enthusiasm for loyalty programs will be a tool that c-stores look to sharpen as they attempt to claim more traffic from restaurants, which have seen weak results of late,” said Roberts. 

Read the report, C-stores Evolve from Gas-N-Grub to True Food Destinations.

About CoBank

CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 77,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country.

CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.