The Terry Fox Research Institute, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and BC Cancer Agency launch innovative pilot project to accelerate precision medicine in Canada

SOURCE Terry Fox Research Institute

COSMETIC SURGERY HYPE:

WHICH PROCEDURES ARE ZEROS NOT HEROES?

The name of the game today in cosmetic surgery is fast and non-invasive. The reasons are obvious. Nobody wants to be bedridden out of work and off the social grid as they recover. Fast results of a thinner, tighter, younger look within an hour is very alluring. How many of these seemingly miracle procedures actually do what they claim to? We turned to board certified Philadelphia plastic surgeon Dr. Kirk Brandow to breakdown cosmetic surgery hype; which procedures are zeros not heroes.

Kybella

This injection is made of deoxycholic acid, which is actually produced by the body naturally to absorb fat. The synthetic version is a fat cell destroyer injected into the pocket of fat below the chin. So far this is the only location on the body for which Kybella is FDA-approved. Dr. Brandow cautions, “Kybella may shrink fat but it’s also an acid which could burn the skin and cause an abscess or an open wound if placed too close to the skin. Equally important is that it can also destroy the deeper tissues as well which could lead to a dent just under the chin.” Another issue with Kybella according to Dr. Brandow is potential for ‘redistribution of fat’ to other areas of the neck when people gain weight, over time. “The loss of fat in this focused, Kybella, injected spot will look odd when areas around it are heavier looking.”

Instabreast

If you’ve ever considered a breast augmentation, it’s not hard to understand the appeal of “test-driving” a pair of implants for a day. This “try it before you buy it” procedure called Instabreast takes about twenty minutes in office. A saline solution is injected into the breasts until they are enlarged to the desired size. Surgeons who offer the procedure claim that it takes the guesswork out of planning an augmentation by providing patients with 24 hours of experience with larger breasts.

“This is crazy!!” says Dr. Brandow. “How do you anesthetize the breast before you shoot in the saline? Wouldn’t this hurt? Just the thought of it would scare off my patients. Additionally, implants on top of the muscle versus under the muscle look different and the size you use on top looks totally different from the one you would use under the muscle.” Dr. Brandow questions the safety of injecting saline under the muscle in office with a local anesthetic. “I would say it’s a recipe for a punctured lung! Additionally, I would love to know how a surgeon inflates a young, tight skinned, A- cup woman who wants a full C- cup, without causing a lot of pain during that injection.”

Mesotherapy and Lipodissolve as a Fat Dissolver

Several cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists agree that if there is one procedure to avoid when shopping for a slimmer look, it's one called lipodissolve, a shot that claims to dissolve away stubborn fat deposits. This shot is often part of “mesotherapy;” a shallow injection of a cocktail of substances using a fine needle. "There is really not a single scientific study to show that it definitely works," says Dr. Brandow. Are these chemicals safe when injected into fat? What happens to this fat? Where does it go? Dr. Brandow feels lipodissolve is an ill-advised treatment. “This is a non-FDA approved use of a material called lipostabil, which can dissolve fat and other structures however, it can cause pain, swelling, hard lumps, ulceration of the skin, and contour irregularities. None of the pharmaceuticals used for injection are FDA approved.”

Laser Liposuction

It seems like everything that has the word “laser” in it today is perceived as a state-of-the-art breakthrough, but in this case, using laser to assist in liposuction is not necessarily so. Laser liposuction uses lasers to liquefy the fat before it is removed, making it easier to vacuum out and they may also stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, which results in firmer, tighter, and smoother skin. Lasers may also coagulate small blood vessels in the area, which translates to less bruising. What’s the downside? Dr. Brandow points out that, “There is greater risk of burning and therefore, pain. Laser liposuction, Smartlipo and similar procedures add both time and money to the typical technique.”

About Dr. Kirk Brandow

Dr. Kirk Brandow is a board certified plastic surgeon with practices in the Philadelphia metro area. Named a “Top Doc” in Plastic Surgery by Philadelphia Magazine as well as nationally recognized for one of America’s “Best Plastic Surgeons” of this decade, Dr. Brandow is a trusted expert who has developed many innovative, minimally invasive procedures for the face, body and skin. These procedures include the Boomer Lift™, the 48 Hour Facelift™, the Scarless Breast Implant, the Multilayered Micro-Lipo Augmentation, the Tumescent Technique for Liposuction and the CO2 Laser Blepharoplasty.

He has been featured on local, national and international television programs including 20/20, CNN’s Headline News, Good Morning America, ABC Action News, TV Globo and Telemundo to provide updates and opinions on the latest trends in cosmetic surgery. Dr. Brandow where he has spoken out on the controversial issues of cosmetic surgery, advising viewers to take a more responsible and more realistic approach to the latest fads and gimmicks in Cosmetic Surgery.

Dr. Brandow served as an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Aesthetic and Restorative Surgery as well as a preceptor for many live surgical training conferences where he helped teach other doctors advanced techniques in Cosmetic Surgery.

Connect with Dr. Brandow via www.brandowclinic.com

Foolproof Action Plan to Getting & Staying Healthy This Year ... and the Best Ways to Stay on Track

Do you want this year to be the year you actually keep your New Year’s Resolution to achieve better and healthier habits?

“It’s the ultimate personal challenge,” says Leigh Stringer, author of The Healthy Workplace. "It takes guts and determination to make and keep those life-changing commitments in our lives, but it can be done.” Stringer offers up 5 major reasons we fail, and how to stay on track:

1. Get Serious. We need a strong reason to overcome our natural lack of motivation.

Becoming healthier is a really good idea.  But to get us to change our behavior – to actually change the way we eat, move, sleep and manage our stress on an ongoing basis – requires a really powerful motivator.  We need a reason that makes it “absolutely essential” for us to do something differently, and think of ourselves differently.  Our lame excuses need to be trumped by a greater calling.  We need a real sense of urgency and a stronger “why.”

Deciding to be healthy has to be more than just a cool thing to do or a “nice to have.”  Making the firm decision to change lifelong habits for the better requires steely resolve and a strong, unquestionable purpose.  It has to be bullet-proof.

Take Action:

• Think.  What would incentivize you to make a firm decision and commit to it?
• Write down what motivates you and post it where you will see it several times a day.  This is your “why.”  A strong ‘why’ can navigate when the how is not so clear.

2. Choose friends wisely. You can influence your own behavior by hanging out with healthy people. 

Social influence and peer pressure positively impact our exercise behavior, awareness of our intent to exercise and produce results, and the attitude maintained during the exercise experience.  You are more likely to stay on an exercise program if you have a friend (either an individual or group) who works out with you.  Connecting with other people is critical.  We are hard-wired to want to impress and relate to our friends. In addition, if you commit to being at the gym every day, you will feel good and will achieve your goals by keeping your promise to yourself.

Take Action:

• Find a friend you like to exercise with and set up meetings on your calendar to do so. Make friends with people you meet at the health club.
• Surround yourself with people who are healthy and have already adopted the behaviors you are trying to achieve.  Decide to be around them often. It will help nudge you to make better decisions and achieve your goals.

3. Be accountable. Get a partner to help you stay that way. 

If you are accountable for the commitments you make, you are much more likely to achieve your goals and succeed.   One great way to keep honest is to find an accountability partner – someone you trust and who will check in with you on a regular basis (daily, weekly or whatever is needed) to see how you are doing, give you positive reinforcement, track how well you doing, and encourage you to stick with your commitments.

Take Action:

• Find someone you trust to be your accountability partner.
• Talk to them about your goals and specific objectives.
• Get specific with them about actions you will want to take as well as rewards and consequences for taking or not taking them
• Set up regular check-in times. This can be a text message, a periodic but regular encounter, or a phone call, whatever makes sense.
• Review your progress and your goals and objectives honestly to track your performance, and modify your targets. Keep your goals ambitious but attainable.

4. Make Getting Healthy a Game. Sticking to your goals and resolutions isn’t very fun, but technology can help make it fun.

Do your best to make getting healthy fun. You can turn your journey into a game and adorn your arms and body with wearable devices that help motivate, engage and prompt you to make better decisions.  Apply video game-thinking and game dynamics to engage yourself and change your behavior. The technology is available and has really evolved. You can turn any goal or objective you want into a game-like activity  that will become ever more desirable and highly addictive.  Gaming is now understood as a significant way to encourage people to adopt more healthy behavior. Two of the most powerful elements are competition and progressive reinforcement, where a player gets a challenge, meets that challenge and then receives an immediate reward for its accomplishment. Retained engagement is known to produce 90% improvements on start to finish challenges.

Take Action:

Here are a few more apps you can try:

• Pact, funded by the founder of Guitar Hero, helps you make pacts with yourself to regularly exercise and eat healthily, and you are paid in real dollars to do so.
• LifeTickis a goal-tracking app that asks you establish your core values, then follow the S.M.A.R.T (specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, time-specific) goal-setting method to create tasks or steps that are required to achieve your goal.
• Habit Listhelps you track your “streaks” – how many times in a row you completed a habit, and will send you reminders to keep you on track.
• Liftallows you to choose your goals and then select the type of coaching you require: advice, motivation, and/or prompting from the Lift community.
• StickK, developed by Yale University economists, requires you to sign a commitment contract which binds you to a goal. It will cost you real money if you fail to reach it.

5. Pay Attention to your Environment. It may be working against you. 

Your environment greatly influences the decisions you make about your health. To the maximum extent possible, take a careful look around, and if necessary, change what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.  Choose to keep your personal space clean of the enticements that will destroy your ability to achieve your goals. Clean your kitchen and your will be 44 percent less likely to snack than if your kitchen is messy.  You will eat less if your kitchen is stocked with smaller vs. bigger plates (ideal is 8-10 inches in diameter).

Take Action:

• Pay attention to how your environment can sabotage your goals and objectives.  Don’t set yourself up for failure by keeping potato chips in an easy-to-reach cabinet. Move them or get rid of them and place them on the forbidden list.   Look at your home and work settings with fresh eyes, and put away (or throw away) anything that you are to giving up.
• Strategically place healthy snacks, running shoes or other prompts in prominent places to encourage you to make good on your commitments.

Choosing one of these strategies is probably not enough.  You will most likely keep commitments if you employ “multiple interventions,” including strategies that intrinsically and extrinsically motivate your behavior.

The Healthy Workplace: 

How to Improve the Well-Being of Your Employees-and Boost Your Company's Bottom Line 

Leigh Stringer

List $ 27.97

Trade hardcover 256 pages

Publisher: AMACOM (July 19, 2016)

ISBN-10: 0814437435  ISBN-13: 978-0814437438

For more information, please visit www.leighstringer.com

The Healthy Workplace utilizes real life and real time research and studies to prove that it pays to invest in people's well-being.  Leigh Stringer reveals how to: create a healthier, more energizing environment; reduce stress to enhance concentration. She explains how to inspire movement at work, use choice architecture to encourage beneficial behaviors; support better sleep; heighten productivity without adding hours to the workday. The book is filled with strategies and tips for immediate improvement and guidelines for building a long-term plan. The Healthy Workplace is designed to help boost both employee well-being and the bottom line.

About Leigh Stringer

Leigh Stringer, LEED AP, is a workplace strategy expert and researcher. Her work has been covered by national media, including CNN, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and Good Morning America.

She works for EYP, an architecture, engineering and building technology firm.

She is the author of the bestselling book, The Green Workplace: Sustainable Strategies that Benefit Employees, the Environment and the Bottom Line (Palgrave MacMillan) and The Healthy Workplace:  How to Improve the Well-Being of Your Employees—and Boost Your Company’s Bottom Line (AMACOM).

Leigh is currently collaborating with Harvard University’s School of Public Health, the Center for Active Design in New York, the International Facility Management Association and the AIA DC Chapter on Health and Well-being to create new tools to connect like minds and to blur the boundaries across industries in order to advance and improve our well-being at work.  She is a regular contributor to Susan Cain’s Quiet Revolution Blog and Work Design Magazine.  Leigh regularly speaks at U.S. Green Building Council, CoreNet Global, the International Facilities Management Association and American Institute of Architecture events and writes for a number of workplace and real estate magazines and journals, along with her blog, LeighStringer.com.

Leigh has a Bachelor of Arts, a Masters of Architecture and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Leigh lives with her husband and two daughters in Washington, DC.

What People Are Saying

“Leigh is clearly on the cutting edge of the revolution that is occurring between workplace health and business performance.  The Healthy Workplace is research based, immensely practical and filled with genuine insights.”

-          Jim Loehr, co-founder of the Human Performance Institute and renowned performance psychologist

“We’ve spent so much time trying to make people happier at work, neglecting how to make them healthier. Stringer combines the best thinking from physiology, psychology, nutrition, and sleep science into practical advice. This is a great read on a critically important topic—a must-have for anyone concerned with waistlines and bottom lines.”

-          Adam Grant, Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author of ORIGINALS and GIVE AND TAKE

“Leigh Stringer has written the definitive guide for 21^st century workplaces, and every smart CEO, manager and worker should have a well-thumbed copy of The Healthy Workplace on their desks to use as a ready reference. With fascinating research, backed by hard-hitting statistics, Stringer lays out a compelling case that, far from a luxury, creating healthy workers and workplaces is imperative for fueling productivity, creativity and a better quality of work and life for everyone.”

-          Brigid Schulte, award-winning journalist, author of the New York Times bestselling Overwhelmed: Work, Love & Play when No One has the Time, and director of The Better Life Lab at New America

“The Healthy Workplace is a groundbreaking synopsis in the evolution of today's corporate workplace. Leigh Stringer not only demonstrates current challenges and trends which are changing corporate culture, but lays out in specific detail the ways companies can find solutions and innovations towards advancing the wellness agenda for their most coveted asset, their people. "

-          Paul Scialla, Founder/CEO of Delos and International WELL Building Institute

“Leigh goes far beyond ROI and productivity and digs deep into unseen benefits of workplace wellness in The Healthy Workplace. Autonomy, creativity, mindfulness, and reduced presenteeism are just a few ways your culture will benefit from various workplace health initiatives. If you are looking to start a workplace wellness program or simply want to be inspired and re-ignite your population, this book will be an imperative tool so start reading and get out there and change some lives.”

-          Sam Whiteside, Chief Wellness Officer, The Motley Fool

“If you pick books that offer both learning and enjoyment, Stringer’s writing delivers mightily on both. You’ll learn why the Huffington Post has napping rooms, why we have a preference for ‘savanna landscapes,’ and what ‘acres of neutral colored work stations’ do to workforce performance. Stringer offers many long lists of practical methods workplace wellness readers can take to people managers, facilities managers and food managers alike to make their workplace a healthy one. I urge you to read it!”

-          Paul E. Terry, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) and Editor, The American Journal of Health Promotion

“Whether you seldom think about the interplay between healthy lives and healthy business or you live and breathe it, this book provides a new way of thinking about the connections between psychology and sociology, medicine and health promotion, architectural design, management science and the history of industrialization.  Stringer convinces us like no other about the business case for raising human health and performance. Through insightful reporting of the research and company anecdotes, sprinkled with her wit and candor, Stringer challenges us to think differently and deliberately about designing healthier work organizations.  This book is for everyone who wants to unlock the potential of work for good!”

-          Eileen McNeely, PhD, MS, RNC, Co-Director, SHINE Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard School of Public Health

Asian Chicken and Rice Salad

Created by: BITE ME MORE – Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat

INGREDIENTS

Rice

2 cups water

½ tsp kosher salt

2 cups Minute Rice® Premium Instant Long Grain White Rice

2 cups Minute Rice Premium Instant Long Grain White Rice

Asian Dressing

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup creamy peanut butter

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Salad

2 cups roasted deli chicken breast meat, shredded

1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

1 cup chopped cucumbers, unpeeled

½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

½ cup roasted peanuts

Garnish

2 tbsp chopped green onions

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

• To prepare the rice, in a small saucepan bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in rice, cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit covered for 5 minutes. Place rice in large serving bowl and set aside.

• For the dressing, in a medium bowl whisk rice vinegar, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds until smooth set aside.

• To prepare the salad, add chicken, red pepper, carrots, cucumbers, parsley and peanuts to the cooked rice. Pour dressing over to coat well. Garnish salad with green onions, sesame seeds and lime wedges.

Chicken & Mushroom Mock Risotto

Created by: THE DIY MOMMY – Christina Dennis

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 finely chopped cloves of garlic

1 cup sliced fresh mushroom

2 cups Minute Rice® Premium Instant Long Grain White Rice

4 cups chicken broth

¼ cup cream cheese

1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast

DIRECTIONS

• Heat the olive oil in a pan on the stove on a medium heat setting. Add the onion and garlic and sautee until the onion is clear.

• Stir in the mushrooms, and sautee until the mushrooms are golden brown.

• Add rice, and stir for about 2 minutes.

• Slowly pour in the chicken broth, and stir the entire mixture until it's thick - about 5 minutes.

• Turn the heat down to a low setting and stir in the cream cheese and cooked chicken breast. Cook for about 2 more minutes or until the cream cheese is incorporated and the chicken is warm.

• Serve with a sprinkling of chopped green onion or parsley.

Easy Beef Bulgogi

Created by: CAROL AU COURANT – Carol Gomez

INGREDIENTS

1 lb of thinly sliced sirloin (or any tender prime beef cut), about 1/8 inch

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 yellow onion

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp garlic, minced

2 stalks green onion, chopped

1/2 medium carrot, peeled and grated

2 tbsp rice wine (mirin)

1 tsp ginger, minced

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup of Coca Cola

1 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish

2 cups Minute Rice® Premium Instant Long Grain White Rice

DIRECTIONS

• Mix all ingredients except the beef in a bowl to create the marinade.

• Add the beef and marinate for a few hours or overnight for best results.

• Grill or pan-fry until meat is cooked (approx. 30 minutes).

• Garnish with sesame seeds, add individual serving sizes into foil packets, close packet and serve with a side of Minute Rice® Premium Instant Long Grain White Rice

NOTES

• If you want to swap the coke for a healthier alternative, use half a cup of crushed asian pear or royal gala apple
• always taste your marinade before adding beef so you can adjust to your taste
• the meat quality and thinness is super important!
• if you double the recipe for leftovers, portion them out and freeze; thaw overnight the day before consuming.
• you can freeze the unused (& uncooked) meat in the freezer for a few weeks
• you can find pre-sliced bulgogi thinly sliced beef at most Asian stores, if not, ask the deli if they can thinly slice the meat about 1/8 inch. If you choose to cut the meat yourself at home, slicing is easier when meat is partly frozen.

Medcan to bring health technology to employers across Canada

Medcan is partnering with leading health content and technology companies to provide mobile and digital applications to help inspire people to live well and adopt healthy behaviours.

SOURCE Medcan

BrainHQ Crushes Competition in First Review of Science Behind Brain Apps

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The first systematic review of study evidence that commercially-available, brain-training programs might help with healthy aging just published in Neuropsychological Review. The reviewers found that BrainHQ from Posit Science had by far the most and the highest quality studies.

The authors of this first systematic review conclude "current evidence supports that at least some commercially available computerized brain training products can assist in promoting healthy brain aging."

The reviewers surveyed the brain training market and the academic literature to categorize the quantity and quality of peer-reviewed studies showing effects of brain training in healthy aging.

They looked at 18 commercially-available, brain-training programs, and found that 11 had no clinical trials or empirical evidence for review.

The reviewers found seven companies had studies that were relevant, and met the review criteria of being peer-reviewed clinical trials of computerized exercises with formal cognitive outcome measures for healthy adults aged 50 and older. This methodology resulted in 26 studies for review.

Of those 26 studies, 10 were trials of Posit Science exercises.  Eight of those 10 studies were judged to be of the highest quality. Posit Science far outpaced its nearest competitor, which had three studies of which only one was considered high quality.

The reviewers wrote: "Multiple peer-reviewed articles evaluating Posit Science programs have fulfilled the gold standard for clinical trials."

Of the seven companies that the reviewers found had any relevant evidence from trials, Lumosity was found to anchor the lower-end, with what the reviewers described as one randomized controlled trial of "moderate quality."

The reviewers noted that until five years ago there were relatively few studies of brain-training programs. Even now, the lack of a systematic review has left "clinicians with inadequate information from which to base recommendations for their patients at risk of cognitive decline."

However, with this review the authors conclude that the evidence behind a majority of the programs evaluated supports "the notion that the human brain is plastic in later life, and can benefit from specifically designed brain training programs."

"There’s been a lot of conflicting reports on whether or not brain training works," said Dr. Ralph Martins, who led the review team.  "This systematic review shows that some brain training has lots of evidence of efficacy, which may surprise some health professionals. Personally, I was more surprised by the amount of brain training on the market with no evidence at all."

"This review performs an overdue public service by differentiating between what has been shown to work and what has little or no evidence," said Dr. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science, which makes BrainHQ. "It`s a strong response to those who have said that the evidence for brain training is `mixed` - what`s mixed is the scientific quality of different brain training programs, some of which have strong evidence for efficacy and some of which have none."

"This review marks a first step of treating brain training programs like we treat new pharmaceuticals - carefully evaluating which ones work, and then putting those to work to help people," Dr. Mahncke concluded.

7 Little Self Care Tips for Lazy People to Start Today

Before outlining our seven tips to start today, it is important to mention some key points about human psychology and the difference between goals and processes. Many believe that people are creatures of habit and conditioning, and not just at the mercy of their genes. The significance of this is that routines and procedures can be put into place which become habit over time and then further evolve into an everyday part of your lifestyle. With this in mind there are a number of tips and strategies which can be used in order to get more efficient and steadily progress. By performing habits everyday you can build up momentum such that it is eventually just something you do everyday, as opposed to a "task" which has to be completed

The importance of goal setting is mentioned in practically every single self-improvement manual ever written. Put simply if there are no goals then there will be nothing to work towards. Having a goal gives motivation, the anti-thesis to boredom, which gets you out of bed in the morning. One of the main purposes of life is to achieve goals. Lazy people cannot be lazy if they have goals, as goals are what sets lazy people apart from active, motivated people. Write down your goals and all you want to achieve. Sign it with your name. And stick it onto the wall. This means that your goals are now tangible, and you have committed to achieving them.

A process is something that you will do everyday. A lesser known tip is that in order to reach goals you have to set processes. A goal might be to write a Novel. A process might be to write your novel everyday, or to write 1000 words every day. You cannot fail to achieve a goal if you commit to doing processes everyday, as ultimately your goals will be achieved.

7 Little Self Care Tips for Lazy People to Start Today

The following are Seven self care tips for Lazy people. Some might seem obvious at first, however it is important to bear in mind that not everybody has the same levels of motivation or enthusiasm, and everyone is different. Make use of goals, processes and signatures to put the following tips into action and to integrate them as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Tip One – Exercise

Obviously you need your body in top physical condition. Use the goal/process/signature protocol mentioned above to exercise 3-4 times a week minimum. If you are sitting in front of a desk for 8+ hours a day looking at a computer monitor, then stretching is of the utmost importance, as well as fresh air. Exercise outside is best  as nothing can trump fresh air, which will also help you sleep. There are several hit and tips on GGP about how to motivate yourself to work out for extended periods of time.

Tip Two – Unplug

In order to engage in maximum productivity it is best to know how the mind works. Study after study has proven that best results are achieved by 40-50 minutes of focused attention, followed by 10-15 minutes of focused relaxation. Thus even if you feel you could work for longer than 50 minutes it is best to stop for a few minutes, take a few deep breaths, relax completely and utterly and resume work after your relaxation period. Most people actually take their work with them on their break, as their work related thoughts keep replaying in their minds. This is counterproductive. Time off is essential for mental maintenance.

Tip Three – Establish a Healthy Morning Routine

A good breakfast will set you up for the day in terms of what you eat. But a good routine will set you up for the day in all ways. Establish a morning routine which incorporates a period of meditation, eating a healthy breakfast, looking at the goals you need to achieve and saying positive affirmations. This will put you into a positive mind frame for the day instead of just rushing out the door in the mornings in order to beat traffic and make it into work on time.

Tip Four – Skin Care

Skin Care is perhaps the most overlooked area of physical health. The skin is the largest organ in the body. However, little attention is paid to skin care. There are ample opportunities to absorb much needed nutrients through the skin. The shower is completely under utilized and is a prime opportunity to allow vital minerals to soak into your skin. The shower is the ultimate form of skin care. Get an organic, high quality body lotion and just allow it to soak in. Your skin is “eating” the lotion in the same way that the mouth “eats” food. It is also very important to be aware of what types of skin products your skin care regime includes – makeup, sunscreen and hand lotions often contain harmful chemicals. Organic is best.

Tip Five – Eat healthily

This means an increase of fruits and vegetables, and a decrease in animals and animal products. It does not have to be a big deal, you can just give up sugar, alcohol and processed foods at a moment's notice. Simply stop eating them now and put focus towards eating healthy. 21 days is the time it takes to establish a habit. Thus if you can manage to eat a certain food for this time period it will no longer be a strain, it will be incorporated as part of your lifestyle.

Tip Six – Drink Clean Water

Aside from skin care this is perhaps the most overlooked area of physical well being. The advice to drink lots of water is well known. What is perhaps lesser known is that the quality of water indicates if you should be drinking it in the first place. A water meter can be purchased on Amazon for $10. The difference between drinking water with 0 Parts Per Million(PPM) and 200 PPM is quite literally the difference between drinking water that is pure and water that is poisonous. Most bottled water has PPM in the range of 200+. Test your shower water as well as the skin is efficient at absorbing water.

Tip Seven - Destress

Stress is touted often as the main cause of disease and mental illness. There is never any reason to stress. Even if it's a self help tip such as to drink clean water, do not stress if you cannot put the tip in practice right now. Do what you can when you can and don't stress about the rest.

Above are 7 tips which can be put into practice today. Right now. Set out goals immediately and identify what you want and how to achieve it. It is ultimately the only way to conquer laziness and boredom and to achieve your desires.

Organ donation in Ontario increased by 30% in 2016

Trillium Gift of Life Network is proud to announce a third consecutive record year for organ and tissue donation and transplantation in Ontario. In 2016, deceased organ donation increased by 30 per cent, leading to more lives saved.

SOURCE Trillium Gift of Life Network

Riding the Waves of the Silver Tsunami

On average, 10,000 Americans turn 65 every single day.[1] This means more people retiring, collecting Social Security retirement benefits and withdrawing funds from their investments accounts, like IRAs and 401ks. This mass shift in the workforce comes with both benefits and drawbacks for the economy.

First, the bad news.

• Higher Taxes

With more than $58 million per month being paid out in Social Security retirement benefits,[2]  people from government to employers are trying to figure out how to strengthen Social Security. Higher taxes[3] is one way to bolster Social Security’s funding as boomers draw down what’s available now.

• Expensive Insurance

Another potential economic pitfall is the uptick in Medicare usage, which means health insurance could get very costly.

• Economic Drain

Finally, for those boomers who didn’t save enough money while working, more elderly people will depend on their families and government programs for support. For women, this could be a bigger concern as they outlive men.

So women must consider this when planning for retirement. Unfortunately, a recent study suggests single women today are not saving what they should. A 2016 study by the Employee Benefits Research Institute and Greenwald and Associates reports that 40 percent of single women have saved less than $1,000.[4]

But, there is a silver lining to this retirement boom cloud.

• Business Boom

There will be a huge chest of trillions that will change hands, some have dubbed it the “silver tsunami.” As retiring business owners turn over privately held companies – a new generation will be at the reigns.  For many employees, this means a chance to buy the business and even strengthen local communities and stimulate those economies.

• More Money Being Spent

Another benefit of having such a substantial swath of the population in retirement is more time for people to spend money. This could be a great stimulator for the economy and, in turn, the stock market.

From Uncle Sam’s point of view, more people dipping into their 401ks means more tax dollars in the federal coffers.

The bottom line is that however this boom in retirement affects the economy, the same principle remains: it’s our responsibility to save for our retirement. Social Security is just one piece of the income puzzle after you retire. Savings and smart investments are essential in creating a secure and comfortable lifestyle for yourself.

To get Money Confident, pre-order your copy of my latest book http://crystaloculee.com/money-confidence-subscribe

Do You Need A Therapist? These 5 Signs Point to Yes

www.comprehendthemind.com

You lose a loved one, a job, a relationship, a pet or get into an accident, have an injury, gain weight, have a baby, return from war or experience something else that just rattles you to your core. You know something isn’t right, you feel a bit off, but continue living your life thinking you’ll get over it. We all have been there and often with time we do get over it, sort of. These life scars helps us to grow and while that is great in theory, the pain that comes with growth can take a toll on us. Our mental health is directly connected to our physical health. When we see illness we know it’s a clue our mental outlook is out of whack. Do you need a therapist?  How can you tell? Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a NYC based licensed clinical psychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services offers 5 signs that you could benefit from therapy.

1. Risky behavior to self-soothe.You might medicate with sex, drugs or alcohol or other risky behaviors. Anytime you are escaping a problem with alcohol or drugs that's a red flag that your coping mechanisms are off. You’re desperate for an escape and sex, drugs and alcohol seems to be a fast fix. A therapist can help you by providing tools to help you cope and pivot to more positive hopeful, better feeling self soothing thoughts.
2. You're sleeping too much or not at all.People who are grieving or sink into a depression either can't get out of bed or seek to pack their days with distractions and work. These are the people who start cleaning out their closets and scrubbing bathrooms at 3am. Again how we cope is what we should pay attention to. A therapist can help you understand the thoughts that keep you awake and make sense of them. They can help you to understand how you choose to soothe yourself and offer healthier ways of coping.
3. Your mental self-talk is terrible and you lose time in rumination. When our mind wanders and it's to disparaging, self-loathing mental noise it's damaging and self sabotaging. You can drift off while at a red light and realize you would have stayed there for 20 minutes if someone didn’t beep at you. Negative self-talk can manifest itself in serious illness if not addressed. When you find yourself in your own head too much and blocks of time go by wrapped up in thought, it's time to consider therapy. A therapist can listen to how you typically talk to yourself about yourself or your perception of a specific problem and offer tools to end that cycle of self-defeating mental focus.
4. You have physical manifestations that tie to grief, depression, anxiety, worry etc.When you physically feel ill or may be sweaty, faint, jittery, when a certain situation or topic comes up that's a sign you should talk to a therapist. A therapist can screen you to see if you perhaps need medication temporarily to address a chemical imbalance that is resulting in physical reactions and sensations. It's important to share these physical occurrences with the therapist. A good therapist will ask pointed questions as part of an on-boarding process.
5. You're neglecting responsibilities and people.When you're caught up in your own hard time you may forget to let the cat inside, participate on an important conference call, or pick the kids up at a different location. You are unable to focus and seem forgetful. This wandering mind that could put you and those close to you in danger. A therapist can help you to redirect your focus and attention when your mind wanders down a rabbit hole of limiting beliefs.

Whay do so many people feel embarrassed to admit they might need a therapist?

Dr. Hafeez explains that we live in a culture that stigmatizes the need for therapy and self care. It's presumed as weak or crazy. Seeking therapy, in actuality, is a self-loving, self-caring action to take. “If you cut yourself with a knife while cooking and needed to get stitches no one would criticize you for dropping everything to get to the emergency room. If you went through a loss or some other event that triggered negative thoughts and a depressive spell, people want you to just get over it and get on with life. They can't see any blood or pain, so to them it's all in your head and can be easily sorted out,” she explains.

Is therapy more common than most of us imagine? 

According to Dr. Hafeez, we see more and more people interested in self-improvement and true desire for feeling good. People don’t tolerate feeling badly for long. Just look at social media, people are posting positive quotes, life hack websites and articles like these intended to make people better themselves.

“As the world appears to get more out of control more people choose to go inward and listen to their inner guidance. Some people are so disconnected with their true inner beings that they need the help of a therapist to assist them with reconnecting.” She adds that not everyone who sees a therapist needs to be put on antidepressants, which many people are apprehensive about. “Many people just need new perspectives and coping mechanisms to help them shift into a healthier mindset. A good psychologist or psychiatrist must do their due diligence in thorough interviewing and assessment so that proper treatment in therapy and even medication can be properly tailored."

Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD is a NYC based licensed clinical psychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services, P.C. a neuropsychological, developmental and educational center in Manhattan and Queens. 

Dr. Hafeez masterfully applies her years of experience connecting psychological implications to address some of today’s common issues such as body image, social media addiction, relationships, workplace stress, parenting and psychopathology (bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, etc…). In addition, Dr. Hafeez works with individuals who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), learning disabilities, attention and memory problems, and abuse. Dr. Hafeez often shares her credible expertise to various news outlets in New York City and frequently appears on CNN and Dr.Oz.

Connect with her via twitter @comprehendMind or www.comprehendthemind.com