Billie S. Dickenson

The Partner Mountain Climber Challenge Workout Trains Your Core

The mountain climber can be a surprisingly effective exercise (just look at how 30 days of mountain climbers can totally transform your body). And doing a few sets with a friend or workout buddy a few times a week? You'll definitely fire up all your muscles and boost your training capacity, to boot. For this tutorial, Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. and Women's Health editor-in-chief Liz Plosser had a lot of fun while torching their core muscles (and plenty of calories) in NYC’s Central Park for their latest training video.

“My entire core was engaged, my brain was engaged, our hands were engaged. It was awesome and super challenging,” says Plosser.

Samuel, meanwhile, notes that this may be the hardest move in the history of the “Liz and Ebvideo series. “And the challenge is you have to find the way to keep your hips and shoulders square to the ground and your only source of stability is the other person so there’s a lot of trust involved in it and finding just the right spacing,” he says, adding that his obliques were on fire from the intense move.

Plosser has some guidance for anyone looking to add the move to their workout. Focus on preventing your butt from hiking up in the air by keeping your hips stable and engaging your core to keep your back flat. “Every muscle in my body was working on this one,” she adds.

"Start in a pushup position and learn to trust your partner—keep your shoulders and hips level there," suggests Samuel. "And then slowly start to march and take your time."

Once you have control of the motion, gradually pick up speed as you march with your partner. Try to do 3 sets for about 30 seconds each. Watch the video above to see how the pair put these guidelines into action.

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Nutritional Facts About Artichokes

Artichokes contain a lot of instant nutritional perks as well as potential long-term health benefits. They’re also extremely versatile when it comes to cooking options.

Plenty of folks have never thought to eat an artichoke, mostly because it has kind of a strange look and an even stranger name. Fair.

Well, to ensure you’re not missing out, we’re intro’ing this little green goodie with everything you need to know about its nutritional value and how it translates to health boosts for your body.

You might’ve seen artichokes referred to as globe artichokes, French artichokes, or green artichokes. You might’ve also seen them being called vegetables, but they’re actually a type of thistle, which has been around for thousands of years.

An artichoke is a bulb made up of its thorny outer leaves, feathery choke, and fleshy heart. The heart is at the base of the bulb and this is what you’ll be wanting. The leaves are inedible, as is the choke unless you’re using a baby artichoke.

Eaten raw, artichokes taste slightly bitter, similar to asparagus or celeriac. When cooked (more on that later), the bitterness gives way to a milder taste that’s not unlike boiled potatoes.

They’re tasty and easy to find at the store, but are artichokes good for you? In short: yes! They pack a serious nutritional punch whether eaten raw or boiled up:

That’s a mighty little thistle, once we compare some of these values to your recommended daily intake (RDI) of certain nutrients. Artichokes contain:

  • 25% (raw) or 15% (boiled) of your Vitamin C DV
  • 24% (raw) or 22% (boiled) of Vitamin K DV
  • 22% (raw) or 27% (boiled) of folate DV
  • 19% (raw) or 13% (boiled) of magnesium DV
  • 12% (raw) or 9% (boiled) of phosphorus DV
  • 14% (raw) or 10% (boiled) of potassium DV

The healthy nutrient profile of an artichoke translates to a number of health benefits. For example…

Artichokes contain a boatload of antioxidants

Antioxidants protect against a huge range of health conditions by helping your body get rid of the toxic byproducts of processing oxygen. Artichokes are a potent source of antioxidants, meaning they could play an active role against:

  • Heart disease
  • Some cancers
  • Lung disease
  • Age-related eye disease

Artichokes can tell good cholesterol from bad

We’re reasonably sure that artichoke leaf extract plays a role in keeping cholesterol low – essential for your heart and your health in general. Better still, evidence suggests that the extract can balance the ‘good’ (HDL) cholesterol and the ‘bad’ (LDL) type.

Get used to artichoke leaf extract. This is what most studies use when they examine the health benefits of artichokes. It’s a concentrated version, usually sold in pill form. Very little formal research has been done on the plant itself, but we can reasonably assume its health effects will be similar to the extract.

You may be able to regulate your blood pressure with an artichoke

Studies on animals and test tube-bound cells suggest that artichokes might help keep your blood pressure steady. We know they’re a solid source of potassium, which regulates the blood. Some research also hints that leaf extract helps your body produce eNOS, an enzyme which keeps blood vessels wide enough to facilitate a healthy flow of the red stuff.

Your liver could get a boost from artichokes

Recent studies indicate that artichoke leaf extract might be good for helping your liver function. It helps repair damage done to the liver, speeding up the rate at which tissue grows back. It also increases the rate at which you produce bile, helping flush toxins out of the liver.

As with most of these benefits, we need more research before we can say for sure how they work. At our current best guess, it’s the antioxidants silymarin and cynarin that are to thank.

Artichokes might be great for digestion and IBS

Because they’re so rich in fiber, artichokes help keep things moving along nicely as far as your digestion is concerned. In particular, a type of fiber called inulin is present in artichokes. This is especially good for promoting healthy digestion.

If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inulin appears to be good for regulating gut bacteria and easing the spasms that sometimes come with the condition. Overall, the existing evidence is looking good for artichokes and your digestive system.

You can keep blood sugar low with an artichoke (maybe)

Studies have hinted that artichoke leaf extract might play a role in lowering your blood sugar levels. However, what little research in this area we have tends to mix the extract with other plants. Other studies have taken place on rats, but not humans.

The strongest evidence we have suggests that the specific enzyme which turns starch into glucose (called alpha-glucosidase) might be the key. However, we need to know more before we can say how artichokes interact with that enzyme.

Artichokes (might) fight cancer cells

The high antioxidant content packed into artichokes gives it a healthy start as a cancer-buster. More detailed studies have suggested that the leaf extract might slow the growth of cancer cells. Others indicate that the extract could have potential in other cancer therapies.

But, it’s still very early days for this research. Most studies have been done either on rats or cells contained in test tubes. We need to know more about how exactly the extract affects cancer cells in actual humans.

Artichokes are a very flexible food. You can get artichokes at pretty much any grocery store, but not all are created equal. To pick a nice ripe artichoke, look for:

  • Weight. A heavier artichoke means it’s still retaining plenty of moisture, meaning it’s closer to peak ripeness.
  • Sound. The leaves of a healthy artichoke should squeak against each other if you squeeze it. No squeak means dried-out leaves.
  • Form. A perfect artichoke’s leaves will be opened only slightly, without too much separation. If the leaves are opened up too much, it could be too old.

Finally, you might find an artichoke whose leaves are peeling a bit. These have been hit with a touch of frost, but they’re still perfectly fine to eat. In fact, some people insist that frost-kissed artichokes are even tastier.

Artichokes can be grilled, braised, or baked. Two of the most common (also quickest and easiest) ways to prepare an artichoke, however, are steaming and boiling. In either case, you’ll need to prepare it for cooking.

To do this:

  1. Use a sharp pair of scissors to snip the thorny tips off the outer leaves
  2. Cut off the tip of the artichoke (about an inch down) using a sharp knife
  3. Pull off the small, looser leaves around the base and stem
  4. Slice off any excess stem so you’ve only got about an inch sticking out of the artichoke’s base
  5. Rinse your artichoke, making sure the water gets in between the leaves

To steam your artichoke (one per person):

  1. Toss a clove of garlic (cut into two halves), a bay leaf and a slice of lemon into two inches of water
  2. Put a steaming basket on top of the pot and boil the water
  3. Place your artichokes into the steaming basket
  4. Steam for 25-35 minutes until the outer leaves can easily be pulled off

If you prefer to boil your artichokes, do so in lightly salted water for 20-30 minutes. As with steaming, you’ll know it’s time to eat when the leaves are easy to peel off.

Once the heart is cooked, you can use it in:

Artichoke allergies are extremely rare, most people are at no risk from eating a cooked or raw artichoke. You may be at higher risk if you’re also allergic to other plants of the aster family (like daisies, thistles, sunflowers and kiwis).

Artichoke extract is more concentrated. It’s recommended that pregnant or breastfeeding women avoid the extract, but we don’t have enough data yet to say whether or not it’s safe.

Because artichoke leaf extract helps increase bile movement, you should probably avoid it if you have bile duct obstruction or gallstones.

Folk have been eating artichokes since the days of old, but we still need more research to know exactly how these delicious thistles really benefit our bodies. That gives them an air of mystery, but don’t feel put off trying them.

Their versatility and unique flavor might just make them your new best culinary buddy!

Regan Grimes Utilizes Electric Stimulation Therapy for a Chest and Biceps Workout

Regan Grimes’ rise in Men’s Open bodybuilding has been impressive during his short time competing in the IFBB Pro League. He is relatively young with his 29th birthday on June 26, 2022, and his dramatic transformation from amateur to pro has garnered a lot of attention. Grimes shared more of his off-season growth efforts on June 29, 2022 — he has been utilizing Neubie electrical stimulation therapy through Neufit with the help of bodybuilder Andy Velcich.

Grimes plans to improve his overall conditioning and add “at least” 10 pounds of mass to his physique in the coming months for the 2022 Olympia on Dec. 15-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV.

We are doing progressive overload. Each week we go a little heavier [to] add more mass to the chest.

Check out the full video below, where Grimes was 25 weeks out from the 2022 Olympia, courtesy of the JayCutlerTV YouTube channel:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGaKMMU_7LU[/embed][Related: Chris Bumstead Trains Quads With an Improved Breathing Technique]

The Neubie sends electrical impulses through the skin to nerves in tissue to activate muscle contractions and sensory impulses. These impulses mimic the action potentials from the peripheral and central nervous systems, which is how they communicate to other parts of the body.

The impulses then communicate with sensory and motor neurons to activate contracting and sensory-based muscle fibers, stimulating muscle, tissue, and nerve activation. This increases blood flow to these areas, resulting in better muscle stimulation and more efficient recovery.

Regan Grimes Chest Workout

The video shows Grimes’ fourth time using the Neubie technology. He’s implemented it once per week for a month at the time of the video’s publication. Grimes was led by Velcich for a back and biceps workout afterward. The most important thing in Velcich’s view regarding the use of electric stimulation is to maintain Grimes’ joint health, particularly his shoulder and elbow joints throughout Grimes’ Olympia prep.

Grimes hooks up to the Neubie pads by playing two on each of his upper pecs, one on each of his middle pecs, and one on each lower pec — eight pads total.

Pec Deck Flyes & Incline Barbell Press

Grimes performed two sets of 16 repetitions with 220 pounds on the pec deck for a pre-exhaust warm-up, Velvich assisted for an additional two repetitions in each set.

I don’t tell him the reps, I just want him to feel it!

Grimes leaned forward slightly for more emphasis on the lower pecs. He continued his warm-up with 225 pounds on the incline bench press before two working sets of 315 pounds for 10 repetitions each.

[Related: ICYMI: Watch Terrence Ruffin’s “Most Painful” Posing Routine at the 2022 Cydney Gillon Peach Classic]

Flat Hammer Strength Press

Velcich called for Grimes to perform the flat Hammer Strength press as the last chest exercise of the workout starting with a single 35-pound weight plate and three 45-pound plates on each side for a set of seven. Grimes goes progressively deeper with each rep thanks, in part, to the stimulation provided by the electric stimulation.

It’s getting meatier for sure!

On the second set, Grimes backed off to a single 35-pound plate and two 45-pound plates on each side for a set of 14 repetitions. Velcich removed a 45-pound plate from each side and Grimes performed another eight reps.

Superset: Barbell Curl & Dumbbell Curls 

After Velcich moved the Neubie pads from Grimes’ chest to his biceps, they move over to barbell curls. Grimes performs two sets of 80 pounds with a shoulder-width grip for 10 repetitions before moving to standing dumbbell curls for 12 repetitions with 25-pound dumbbells.

[Related: Gunnar Peterson To Mike O’Hearn: The Secret to Fitness Longevity Is Always Striving For Your Full Potential]

Standing Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curls 

Velcich adjusts Grimes’ Neubie pads again onto Grimes’ forearms before finishing off the workout with dumbbell hammer curls for one set with 40 pounds for 12 repetitions. They bumped up the weight to 50 pounds for 12 repetitions with a surprise drop-set to 30 pounds for 10 more reps.

None of the other Men’s Open competitors who have earned their qualification for the 2022 Olympia have shared if they use electric stimulation therapy similarly to how Velcich is with Grimes. We’ll see if its the difference maker that enables Grimes to climb towards the top half of the standings at the 2022 Olympia in December.

Featured image: @regangrimes on Instagram

USDA Launches Feds Feed Families 2022 to Help Fight Food and Nutrition Insecurity

Left to Right: USDA Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration Kimberly Peyser; Capital Area Food Bank Client Rebecca Williams;  Feds Feed Families 2022 National Chair Angela French-Bell; and Capital Area Food Bank President and CEO Radha Muthiah

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the kickoff of the 13th annual Feds Feed Families program, a voluntary food drive which encourages employees from all federal agencies to give in-kind contributions – food, services, and time – to food banks and pantries of their choice.

USDA is honored to lead the campaign for all federal employees. This year’s theme is Fighting Hunger – Giving Hope.

The launch event for this year was held at the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C. With the help of donors, volunteers, and partner organizations, the food bank distributes more than 45 million meals annually. That is an average of 88,000 meals a day.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Kim Peyser was on hand to shepherd in the 2022 campaign which focuses on summer giving from June 27 – September 30, as well as encourages federal employees to give year-round. So far in 2022, more than 1.5 million pounds of food has been donated through the campaign.

Peyser said more than 38 million Americans, including 12 million children, experience food insecurity, thanking federal employees for participating in this important program.

Capital Area Food Bank President and CEO Radha Muthiah shared the impact of COVID-19 on food assistance programs, noting that donations are down. She said during these challenging times Feds Feed Families is more important than ever before to meet the rising demand of food needed to “unlock human potential.”

"One box feeds a family of four for up to three days. On a good day we pack 500 boxes a day. On a great day 2,500 boxes," said food bank volunteer Maureen O'Donnell, stressing the importance of volunteering at food networks, as volunteer numbers are down.

Rebecca Williams, a food bank client whose family fell upon hard times, said "Everyone deserves access to food regardless of economic status, racial background or current situation.”

Photos and the recorded livestream from today’s launch are available for viewing.

To learn more about the 2022 campaign, visit the Feds Feed Families Hub.

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

A Trainer Shared a Chest and Back Workout to Boost Muscle Growth

In a new video on the Athlean-X channel, Jeff Cavaliere C.S.C.S. explains how he has been able to keep training while recovering from a pretty serious shoulder injury, by dropping the volume of his workouts and increasing the load. He uses his chest and back workout as an example, demonstrating how this approach can stimulate the muscles in a new way.

"The thing that will bother a damaged structure is not going to be the load, it's going to be the accumulation of more and more rotations on the tire," he says, adopting a car metaphor. "So volume is what you need to manipulate when there's already an issue... The volume is going to exacerbate an underlying condition that's already there."

Instead of performing one high-volume set after another, Cavaliere focuses on performing a smaller number of reps at a higher intensity on each exercise, increasing the weight and reaching failure on each set. "If I try to rush through my sets and lose good form, then I'm losing the stability and all of a sudden the structure becomes exposed," he says.

The workout begins with a superset of dumbbell floor flies and dumbbell bench press, performed for 1 to 2 sets. Cavaliere recommends using a high enough weight here that you will reach failure in the 6 to 10 rep range. He follows this with 1 to 2 sets of crossovers, reaching failure in the 15 to 20 rep range.

Next up is another superset, this time cable straight arm pushdowns and lat pulldowns (1 to 2 sets, reaching failure between 6 and 10 reps), and 1 to 2 sets of straight arm pushdowns (15 to 20 reps).

"If you're not used to these really low-volume workouts or these ultra high intensity efforts, this is going to be a novel stimulus for you that is going to push you to those edges of what you're comfortable with, and that is exactly where you want to be," says Cavaliere.

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Peanut Butter and Peanuts Purchased for Nutrition Program –

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Watch Giants LB Azeez Ojulari go beast mode during offseason workout

The grind simply doesn’t stop for NY Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari. The second-year playmaker is looking to make an even bigger splash than he did last season. In 2021, Ojulari was one of the few exciting parts for the G-Men, as he set the new rookie sacks record for the organization with his eight takedowns.

Now, Ojulari is once again expected to ball out, this time with No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux also out on the field with him. While the Giants won’t report for training camp until later this month, Ojulari is clearly doing everything possible to stay in his best shape. A new workout clip of his has made its way to social media, and he’s moving iron around with ease and passion.

New Azeez Ojulari workout clip has NY Giants fans talking

Those aren’t 10-pound dumbbells Ojulari is tossing into the sky either. Nope, those are each 120 pounds, with the Giants pass-rusher showing Hulk-like strength in the video above. Ojulari looked quite different when he arrived to the team facility this spring, as he revealed he had put on about 10 pounds of muscle.

He looks sensational and now he’ll be getting to camp on July 27 looking even better. This is of course great to see for the Giants and head coach Brian Daboll. While the players still have a few more weeks to relax and enjoy their time away from the field, there are no days off for Ojulari. His work ethic is something that should also stand out to general manager Joe Schoen.

Much of the hype for the Giants defense in the past few months has of course gone to Thibodeaux. He’s an exciting young player and things went into overdrive once the first-round revealed how many sacks he wants to record this upcoming campaign. Thibodeaux will be a special player, no doubt about it.

With that said, it’s going to take some time for him to adjust to the speed of the NFL once the regular season arrives. Ojulari will be there to help him every step of the way. On top of that, he’ll also make plenty of noise himself, as he flies into the backfield to bring down opposing quarterbacks. Ojulari means business and his impressive workouts should send a strong message to the rest of the NFC, especially QBs Carson Wentz, Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott.

Colorado continues innovative approach to reducing health care costs – State of Reform

Colorado became the first state in the country to have a state-designed health care insurance option for its residents approved by CMS last Thursday.

Approval of the Colorado Option through the federal 1332 waiver now means the state can proceed with rate setting for its standardized health insurance plan, which is mandated to be sold at lower prices and should be finalized by summer’s end to take effect in 2023, culminating a decade’s worth of health policy efforts aimed at reducing health care costs.

 

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Those efforts include the state’s reinsurance program, which was extended for an additional 5 years last year and spreads risk across the health insurance market to help insurers pay expensive claims, and the Hospital Provider Fee that supports hospitals serving Medicaid and uninsured patients.

The Division of Insurance recently finalized its reinsurance payment parameters for 2023 that aims to maximize rate reductions, increase enrollments, and improve morbidity all while encouraging engagement and competition among carriers and providers in the individual marketplace.

In its most recent legislative session, Colorado enacted 3 pieces of consumer protection legislation, House Bills 1284, 1285, and 1370, all designed to lower health care costs.

HB 1284 requires emergency medical services to be billed at the in-network rate regardless of the facility and guards against unexpected and costly charges. HB1285 prohibits hospitals from pursuing debt collection if federal price transparency standards are not followed, requiring providers to publicly post their standard pricing for various services. 

Meanwhile, HB 1370 requires carriers to implement a copayment-only structure for prescription medications in at least a quarter of their health plans

CMS hailed Colorado as a national leader in health care cost reduction efforts.

“Through this new model, Colorado leverages federal savings to expand affordability and coverage in the state like no other state has done before,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “The Colorado Option is groundbreaking and a step in the right direction to reduce the uninsured rate, while investing in health insurance coverage affordability and improvements, and advancing health equity. We encourage all states to consider innovative ways to use section 1332 waivers in the future to expand and improve coverage and lower costs for their residents.”

Passed in 2021, the Colorado Option instructed state regulators to write up a “standardized plan”—a consistent package of benefits and cost structures like co-pays—that insurance companies are mandated to sell with premiums 5% below what they were in 2021, after inflation adjustments. That target increases to 15% below by 2025.

Offered only on the individual and small group markets, the plan is designed to save the federal government on its existing insurance premium subsidies by creating what are known as “pass-through” savings that can come back to the state.

The state’s waiver application estimates those savings would amount to $13.3 million in 2023 and $147.9 million by 2027.

The moves come as Coloradans struggle with higher costs of living.  

In the current environment of inflation, cost of living has emerged as a “serious” problem according to nearly 90% of those recently polled by the Colorado Health Foundation.  In its adjacent poll, two-thirds of Coloradans characterized the cost of health care as a “very serious” problem. 

This sentiment was reflected by the Colorado electorate who voted for moderate candidates in Republican primaries, results that reflect broad support for “kitchen table” issues, according to local politics reporter Marianne Goodland.

The percentage of personal consumption expenditures on health care services climbed to 14.9% in 2019 prior to the pandemic.

Source: Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Finance

 

The inflationary trends have insurance companies skeptical that reduction targets can be met while being actuarially sound. The Colorado Association of Health Plans stated that the methodology used to calculate inflation, the Consumer Price Index’s medical index, will not reflect the true rise in costs being seen on the ground.

In 2020, providers along Colorado’s Front Range reported a 25% drop in health care visits that had “profound” impacts on the health of Coloradans, according to the Colorado Health Institute.

That delay in care along with the persistent workforce shortage have contributed to rising health maintenance costs, according to the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA), as providers struggle to meet the pent-up demands of a growing population.  

“Much of the focus of state policy in recent years has been on health care affordability,” said Katherine Mulready, Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President for Legislative Policy at CHA. “The reality is that when supply outstrips demand, prices rise. So this does not portend well for affordability, which in turn, doesn’t portend well for access. We’re talking about both indirect access of costs, but also direct access. 

The provider is not there when you need them to be there. There’s not a lot of optimism I can paint in that picture right now other than we’re doing everything we can to stave off [the] continued crisis.”

Providers nationwide are coordinating efforts to reimagine health care where telemedicine is emerging as a solution to meeting demand and improving access.

Mulready said the association is utilizing new tools and roles as a part of that reimagination, such as advocating a policy that would allow greater use of certified registered nurse anesthetists in advanced practices to manage some anesthesiologist services.

“The policy principle that underlies all of our workforce is allowing the market or allowing employers the flexibility they need to continue to deliver high quality and accessible care,” Mulready said. “As long as we can find a professional who has the experience and training to do the tasks that’s being contemplated, we should be able to use them and we shouldn’t see artificial limitations on their scope through their licensing boards or other places. Some of that’s reimbursement policy, some of that’s licensing policy, some of its facility policy, but there’s a lot of work. [CHA is] invested there to try to advance that reimagination of care delivery.”

Gov. Jared Polis has made clear his administration’s goal of lowering health care costs for consumers. In 2020, for instance, Polis vetoed a bill that would have increased coverage for alternative opioid treatments over concerns the measures would increase private insurance costs.

As costs rise and the midterm elections approach, health policy advocates will look to continue striking that balance between holding the line on health insurance prices and adding benefits for Coloradans in next year’s legislature.

 

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On Nutrition: Deadhead damaging health habits | Lifestyle

The rich array of daisies in my garden are now spent and faded, not nearly as fresh and vibrant as they were in the spring. So I decided to teach my grandkids how to remove (aka “deadhead”) the dried-up flowers to help direct the plant’s energy toward making new blooms.

“This is very satisfying,” my maturing 10 year-old granddaughter remarked as we removed used-up flowers to make room for new growth. “Actually ... it’s really fun!”

Later, as we admired our work, I found an article on plants that reminded me of some “deadheading” I may need in my own life. Pardon the questionable analogies, but perhaps you can identify.

Periodically remove old blooms that sap strength and energy. The last thing I need is to hang on to “old blooms.” That means I need to know the right techniques to rid my body of unhealthy growth. For example, I can nip my tendency for mindless snacking in the bud. Then I can redirect my energy toward more worthwhile pursuits, like taking a walk and rejuvenating myself more often with water.

Know your own needs. Only certain types of plants need to have their dried-up flowers deadheaded, I learned. Likewise, I need to get the facts from health experts before I jump into a technique that may harm me in the long run. Good places to start include the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (eatright.org) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website, nutrition.gov.

Pinch in the right place. Oh, how I wish I could pinch off extra love handles as easily as I pinch dead flowers from my plants. Perhaps I can start by pinching my mouth shut more often.

Inspect your blooms regularly. My bathroom scale is a good reminder to remove unwanted blooms from my personal “garden” as soon as they pop up. This one habit can help me stay free of any excess foliage that can sap my energy and weigh me down.

Guard your garden from pests. They can sneak up without warning, such as when I grab a handful of M&M’s every time I feel stressed.

If you have ideas on how you tend your own health garden, drop me a line. I’d love to share your personal tips with other health gardeners.

In the meantime, look for creative ways to deadhead damaging habits. Learn as much as you can from reliable professionals. And may you thrive in your own garden for years to come.

(Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian nutritionist and syndicated columnist. She is the author of "Quinn-Essential Nutrition: The Uncomplicated Science of Eating." Email her at [email protected].)

©2022 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at monterreyherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Jennifer Garner and Tons of Shoppers Love These Sneakers

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While Garner's actual moves in Tuesday's post are hard to take your eyes off of, the bright orange sneakers that help her effortlessly execute too many box jumps to count caught our attention. And luckily for us, they're still in stock. 

The Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 sneakers are designed for all types of workouts. You can perform HIIT and cross-training moves in them, as Garner displayed, or go for a long walk, a hike, or jog. The high-quality cushioning and endurance-driven technology that went into these makes them perfect for just about any kind of workout or movement, and the breathable mesh and anti-slip laces provide comfort and security, too. 

And if electric orange isn't quite your thing, they come in five other colors.

Buy It! Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 Sneakers, $160–$170; rei.com

We know that Jen G. is a fan, and so are dozens of REI shoppers, who've written in reviews that the Saucony kicks are "super light" and provide "great comfort." One even wrote that they're "absolutely obsessed with those shoes," wearing them for everything from quick workouts to long runs. 

Buy It! Hoka Bondi 7 Sneakers, $160; rei.com

Buy It! Veja Campo Leather Sneakers, $155–$165; shoes-womens&ctc=pocpcjennifergarnerreisneakersascotti0722">rei.com

And finally, the Brooks Glycerin 19 Neutral Running Shoes, a repeat favorite of hers. These are evidently so popular with other runners that only a few sizes are still available, and surprisingly, they're on sale. 

Buy It! Brooks Glycerin 19 Neutral Running Shoes, $120.93 (orig. $150); rei.com