Sarah Tew/CNET

There's no better time to adopt healthy habits than the present. This year, we've seen a lot of innovation around fitness, wellness, beauty and healthy eating, and that means there are tons of products out there that can help you -- or the people you're shopping for -- work out better, recover more easily, sleep more soundly or take care of your heart health.

Whether you're shopping for someone who already loves to exercise and eat well or someone looking to adopt new habits, this list has all that you need.

These products and services are independently chosen by our editors. CNET may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site. Prices are accurate at time of publishing.

Apple's focused on health and fitness, so that means the new Apple Watch Series 5 has several features to help you stay healthy. The watch can measure ambient sound levels, track menstrual cycles, and keep tabs on how much you move throughout the day. It's also got a heart-rate tracker and can take an EKG to give you insight on your heart's health -- though you should think twice about buying an Apple Watch for someone who already has heart issues.

You can use the watch untethered from a phone with built-in GPS and an LTE data support (you'll need a separate SIM card for the watch though). That means you can leave your phone at home when you go out on a run.

Looking for a lot of the same features for much less? Pick up an Apple Watch Series 3, which now costs $200. A simple and free software upgrade to WatchOS 6 gives the watch the same noise-tracking and activity-tracking features. Read Apple Watch Series 5 review

This fitness tracker/smartwatch combo offers many of the same features of the Apple Watch, but it's more versatile because it also connects to Android phones (you can only use the Apple Watch with an iPhone).

The Versa 2 has built-in sleep tracking and a battery that can last five days or more on a single charge,two things the Apple Watch lacks. The Versa 2 also now uses Amazon's Alexa voice assistant to help you with requests, like asking about the weather or controlling smart lights and other smart home devices. Read Fitbit Versa 2 review

At just $36, this fitness tracker and smartwatch hybrid is actually a great low-cost alternative to the Fitbits and Garmin Vivofits out there. It tracks your steps, your sleep, heart rate, up to six different workout types and more. The design is sleek, the screen is bright and easy to read, and the battery life on this Xiaomi Mi band can last up to 20 days on a single charge. The Apple Watch can't even come close to that.

Unless you're a pro athlete, the Theragun is something you'd probably never buy yourself. This percussive massage gun uses a rapid thumping movement to reduce inflammation. Basically, it gives you the experience of getting a deep tissue massage, but whenever and wherever you want. Perfect for the weight lifter or fitness enthusiast in your life.

Theragun models start at $249 and go up to $600, and there are several other percussive massagers out there worth checking out.

If you want to gift someone an electric toothbrush, you may as well go with one of the smartest options out there. Oral-B's Genius X brush uses AI to learn how you brush and coaches you on how you can brush better, meaning making sure you aren't missing any parts of your mouth and aren't brushing too hard, which can hurt your gums.

Now, of course, only gift this someone who would appreciate it -- not as a not-so-subtle sign that they need to up their oral hygiene. If this brush is giving you sticker shock, here are several other great electric toothbrushes for less.

ClassPass gives you access to millions of real-life fitness classes in more than 2500 cities worldwide. Members can sign up for a monthly subscription, but you can also give someone a ClassPass gift card that they can use at any time.

The idea of ClassPass is actually really smart because it lets anyone try out a huge variety of fitness classes and experiences without making a commitment to one specific gym or studio. It's perfect for that person who wants to try yoga or acrobatics or boxing, but isn't sure if they want to stick with it.

Year after year, juicers remain a popular tool in the kitchen to help us all get more fruits and vegetables into our diet. Out of the many juicers out there, what makes this one special? It promises that it's super-easy to clean -- which means you'll actually want to make juice every day -- and quieter than other machines. The Hurom purposely juices fruits and veggies at a slower pace so that you get every last drop of liquid.

For the avid runner, consider a pair of Nike's Joyride running shoes. They have thousands of tiny beads in the sole of the shoe that conform to your feet every time you take a step. Because of that, they have a great bouncy feel as you run. I wouldn't recommend these for a new runner, but anyone who's been running for while will appreciate this as a gift.

For that person in your life who really needs some relaxation, get them a weighted blanket. These hefty and cozy blankets feel like a hug and can help people who feel stressed to relax and even fall asleep. There are many weighted blankets out there -- some made specifically for kids, some that can replace your comforter, and some that are breathable and cooling to help you sleep.

My favorite is Bearaby's Napper blanket, which is knitted and looks so chic on a couch or bed -- I especially love their velvet option. You can also find plenty of high-quality weighted blankets for less, if the price is too steep.

OK, I know that most people would be downright offended if you gifted them a scale. But, if you are shopping for someone who is trying to lose weight and they want tools to help them with that, this is a good pick. The Eufy scale is easy to use, as is the companion app, which shows your weight, body mass, bone mass and more.

Check out more smart scales here.

Read more here:
Apple Watch, Fitbit, Theragun: The best holiday gifts to get healthy and stay that way - CNET

Global Wireless Health and Fitness Device Market 2019 report provides by Market Research Store is the representation of the Wireless Health and Fitness Device Market area through research, development and analysis of information from multiple sources. The Global Wireless Health and Fitness Device report bifurcates the Wireless Health and Fitness Device Market based on various parameters, including the nature of products and services, technology development and end-user applications for a better understanding of analytical data.

In the Wireless Health and Fitness Device Market 2019 research report professionals describe the different facets of the industry with a specific goal after assessing the key factors that could manipulate the development of the Wireless Health and Fitness Device Industry sector.

The global market 2019 report Global Wireless Health and Fitness Device Market includes identifying and comparing major competitors Abbott Laboratories, Adidas AG, Alive Technologies, Beuer GmbH, Entra Health Systems, Fitbit, Fitbug Limited, FitLinxx, Garmin Ltd, Humetrix, Ideal Life, Intelesens Ltd, Isansys Lifecare Ltd, Jawbone, Koninklijke Philips NV, Lumo BodyTech, Medtronic, Misfit, NeuroSky, Nike, Nonin Medical, Nuvon, Oregon Scientific, Polar Electro Oy, Sensei, Sotera Wireless, Suunto Oy, Toumaz UK Ltd, Wahoo Fitness, Withings SA,, who compete for the success of the business expansion and determine the global and regional market.

Download Sample Copy Of Report : http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/report/148642#request-sample

Scope Of The Global Wireless Health and Fitness Device Industry 2019 Report

Based on the analysis, the Global Wireless Health and Fitness Device Market report provides an assessment of future trends and future changes in the market 2019. Researchers analyze data using different formulas and analytical tools and prepare the surveyed data and predictions of key participants with such as diagrams, graphs and statistics for a better and faster understanding.

Various methodological techniques, such as the SWOT analysis, investment return analysis are used to obtain correct informative data for the analysis of impending financial fluctuations in relation to the current trends of Wireless Health and Fitness Device market development.

The Global Wireless Health and Fitness Device Industry report provides survey data based on the regional market 2019

Do Inquiry For More Details : http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/report/148642#inquiry-for-buying

Chapters Covered In Global Wireless Health and Fitness Device Industry 2019 :

Chapter 1: Introduction, Definition, Specifications, Classification and Scope the Wireless Health and Fitness Device market 2019Chapter 2: Exclusive Summery like Industry chain structure, Manufacturer cost structure, suppliers, etcChapter 3: Displays Trends, Drivers and Challenges of the Wireless Health and Fitness Device marketChapter 4: By the study of SWOT analysis it displays sales analysis, investment analysis, market analysis, etcChapter 5: It evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue, share and sales by key countries in these various regions.Chapter 6: Evaluate the leading manufacturers of the Global Wireless Health and Fitness Device market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company ProfileChapter 7: Wireless Health and Fitness Device Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, system and information source

The report provides inclusive information to identify key market 2019 segments that help improve the quality of business decision-making based on sales, demand and production based on application-level analysis, and regional level. The report provides data analyzed graphically for a better explanation. Our experts have crafted the full study of Wireless Health and Fitness Device market 2019 in a structured format for better interpretation.

Excerpt from:
Global Wireless Health and Fitness Device Market 2019 Abbott Laboratories , Adidas AG , Alive Technologies , Beuer GmbH - Globe News Reports

A health and fitness vlogger has admitted to faking workouts after becoming addicted to a prescription stimulant that ruined her life.

Ashley Beeman, 34, runs the Fit + Fabulous blog, which encourages wellness through a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

But in 2015, she secretly got hooked on Adderall, a drug used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD) after being diagnosed by her doctor. The mother-of-two, from Arizona in the US, said the weight-loss results she achieved with the drug spurred her addiction as she dropped from 75kg to 58kg.

She admits to sharing misleading posts with her 32,000 social media followers during her addiction.

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I would fake my workouts for my social media followers and my business grew a ton, and I feel terrible about that now, she said. People were complimenting me which spurred me on and made me feel great. I thought I looked fantastic but I was just skin and bones.

Ms Beemans life quickly spiralled out of control as she began to run through her monthly prescription in just two weeks. She hit rock bottom when she ran out of Adderall at a family reunion and became so anxious she couldnt interact with her family.

In June 2016 she vowed to quit the controversial drug and after enduring a nightmare detox period, she is now celebrating three years without it.

With the support of her husband Dusty Beeman, 36, she came clean to her social media followers about her former addiction.

A year after I had given up I knew I had to come clean on my Facebook page, Ms Beeman, mum of kids Dylan, 8, and Davin, 6, said.

I had pretended to be living this really healthy lifestyle to all my followers and I owed them an explanation, she said. I went live on Facebook and I received such a warm reaction. Everyone was really supportive and they started sharing their own struggles with Adderall.

When I first got clean I felt guilty but now Ive tried to forgive myself and move on. Now I genuinely love to work out and eat well, she explained.

During her addiction, Ms Beeman says she was terrified of running out of Adderall.

I would lie to pharmacists and doctors, she confessed. I would make up ridiculous excuses like I dropped my prescription script into the lake and they would just give me another.

On Adderall I would hardly sleep. I would be up all night staring at the ceiling. Sometimes I would have a few glasses of wine just to get to sleep, she said. I was always constipated. Sometimes I wouldnt have a bowel movement for up to two weeks at a time.

I wasnt focused on my family in any way, she continued. When I was on Adderall I was selfish. I was just living my life and I wasnt present for my children. I wouldnt spend time with them.

I feel like Ive missed a lot of memories with my youngest one. I became obsessed with my business. I felt like I was being really productive but in reality I probably was just a tornado. I would jump from task to task maniacally.

Ms Beeman described her comedowns as a nightmare and said she would spend days vomiting and shaking until she could get a new fix.

I went to Cancun at the end of March 2015 for a conference. I was really anxious and I ended up taking my whole prescription early on in the trip. I didnt think I could do it without Adderall, she recalled.

I had to get a flight home to Arizona without Adderall and it was awful. Youre so, so tired and you cant eat enough food, she said. You throw up and you shiver. Your heart feels like its going to jump out of your chest.

In 2016, she realised it was time to seek help.

I explained to a new doctor that I really wanted to get off Adderall because it was ruining my life, Ms Beeman explained. We did my blood work and it turned out I had Hashimotos, an auto-immune condition and hyperthyroidism that may have been the cause of all of my symptoms in the first place. I think I was misdiagnosed with ADD.

So I went cold turkey on Adderall. It was such a hard transition. I was so unwell. In the first three weeks I put on 9kg, which was devastating for me at that time, (as) my view of my body had become so warped.

But I didnt want to go back so I pushed forward. I wanted to experience my life. But I craved Adderall so much for a long time. I had to work a lot on body positivity and finding an inner worth that didnt depend on my looks or my weight. I weigh 68kg now and Ive learned to love my body.

It wasnt always great. My first year off Adderall I still punished myself with crazy diets but I dont do that anymore. I hate looking back at photos of myself during that time because I dont look good, even though I thought I looked amazing.

When I watch old videos, you can tell by my eyes Im not really there.

Now, Ms Beeman feels shes truly present with her family and business once again.

She said: Ive worked hard to make memories with my children in the present. I hardly remember ever playing with them while I was on Adderall. Now family is my priority.

Here is the original post:
Health and fitness blogger faked workouts due to drug addiction - NEWS.com.au

STRICTLY Come Dancing star Kevin Clifton has worried fans after sharing a heartbreaking post hinting at his mental health struggles.

The dancer took to social media with a candid quote from new comic book movie Joker.

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It said: "The worst part about having a mental illness is people expect you to behave as it you don't."

Kevin's fans then rushed to the comments section, with many begging the 37-year-old to ask for help if he needs it.

One said: "How very true....unfortunately. Hope you're ok?"

Another added: "You ok kevin. Speak out if you need help."

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A third commented: "Thank you @keviclifton for thanking about mental health and mental ill health.

"The more people talk about it hopefully the more we can reduce stigma so more people feel able to ask for help."

Kevin and his partner Anneka Rice were voted off Strictly last week after failing to impress the judges.

And he didn't react too well that he had to leave the show - declaring I told you so after the result of the dance-off was announced.

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It was a nod to his pre-series prediction hed struggle to get the TV veteran up to scratch on the dance floor.

Kevin and Annekas routine left the judges poking fun at the Kill Bill- themed dance, which Bruno Tonioli said theyd slaughtered, and which earned them just 11 points from a possible 40.

They lost in a dance-off to ex-England goalkeeper David James, 49, and his partner Nadiya Bychkova, 30,

A Strictly insider said: Kevin adores Anneka as a person but professionally he knew his chances of making another final were over, especially as shes struggled with injury and fitness.

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Going out in the second week was humiliating for him. In his eyes hes King Kev and hes done phenomenal routines with his previous partners.

Hes got a friend for life in Anneka and he loved working with her. But this series is one he wants to forget.

Before they crashed out of the competition, former TV presenter Anneka, 61, said shed found training murder and showed off nasty bruising from her training sessions with Kevin, 36.

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Kevin will now participate in group dances and the pros performances.

Got a story? email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220.

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Strictlys Kevin Clifton worries fans as he opens up about mental health struggle in heartbreaking post - The Sun

NEW DELHI:After investing time and money in engineering, Abhishek Dhama, 28, realised that he didnt want to end up like a corporate slave. He took over his family occupation of farming but with a modern approach. The benefits were plenty decent earning, healthy living and fulfilment of his long-pending dream of starting a fitness venture.

Dressed in black joggers, T-shirt and sports shoes, Abhishek is not the usual run-of-the-mill farmers family, he says, also had a stereotypical idea about a farmer. But, he never wanted to be a farmer who labours for hours without getting dues.

There is a general perception that a farmer is despondent, that he works hard, wears white clothes, and lives poorly. I studied engineering because thats what all my friends were doing. There was a craze about engineering but I realised that I didnt want to do a 9 to 5 job, says Abhishek, who graduated in electronics engineering in 2014 from Maharishi Dayanand University.

An interest in health, sports and fitness drove him to online research for organic farming, but his family wasnt convinced.

I was always inclined towards sports and fitness. Somehow, I could not pursue a career in cricket. I was a fast bowler but due to a tragedy in the family, I couldnt pursue it, he says. My family objected as they felt I was wasting my degree. They still dont seem to be convinced even as I earn Rs 40,000 to 60,000 daily depending on crop schedule.

Had I taken up an engineers job, I would have earned that much too. But by the age of 40-45, they (corporates) are dealing with diseases due to unhealthy lifestyle. I didnt want that for myself. I dont want that for others either, thus I encourage organic farming.

Being a vegetarian, Abhishek felt it was significant to make it up for the absence of animal protein in his diet.I began with a kitchen garden in one acre. The produce was distributed to our relatives and friends. There was a difference in taste and quality.

Today, Abhishek uses 14 acre of the familys 25-acre land for organic farming. The remaining plot is usually flooded by the Yamuna.

A tie-up with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) provides him the farming expertise, while vendors help him to sell his produce. I researched extensively on YouTube and workers.

From C Map Lucknow, he took training in cultivation and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants.There is a perception that organic farming is an elite venture. This myth needs to be changed. Thats why I sell organic produce at the same rate as greens that are produced using chemicals.

Farmers either keep growing the same vegetable for years or grow only one variety in their plot. Thats why they fail to get what they deserve despite all their hard work, says Abhishek as he advocates changes in farming to bring about change in fortunes of farmers across the country.

Go here to read the rest:
This Delhi based engineer takes up family business of farming but with a modern touch - The New Indian Express

A health and fitness influencer has admitted faking her workouts to hide a secret addiction which 'ruined her life'.

Ashley Beeman is a vlogger who runs a ' Fit and Fabulous ' blog giving tips on how to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

The 34-year-old has now admitted sharing misleading posts with her 32,000 social media followers after becoming addicted to a prescription drug she was given for attention deficit disorder (ADD) in 2015.

The mum-of-two said the weight loss results she achieved after being prescribed Adderall spurred on her addiction as she she dropped more than 16kg.

"I would fake my workouts for my social media followers and my business grew a ton, and I feel terrible about that now," said Ashley from Arizona.

"People were complimenting me which spurred me on and made me feel great.

"I thought I looked fantastic but I was just skin and bones."

Ashley's life quickly spiralled out of control as she began using her monthly prescription in just two weeks.

The addiction hit rock bottom when she ran out of the drug at a family reunion and became so anxious she couldn't interact with those closest to her.

She's now celebrating three years without the drug after enduring a 'nightmare' detox and has admitted the truth to her social media followers.

"A year after I had given up I knew I had to come clean on my Facebook page," she said.

"I had pretended to be living this really healthy lifestyle to all my followers and I owed them an explanation.

"I went live on Facebook and I received such a warm reaction. Everyone was really supportive and they started sharing their own struggles with Adderall.

"When I first got clean I felt guilty but now I've tried to forgive myself and move on.

"Now I genuinely love to work out and eat well."

Ashley is now focused on making up for lost time with her husband Dusty and children Dylan, eight, and Davin, six.

"I wasn't focused on my family in any way," she explained.

"When I was on Adderall I was selfish. I was just living my life and I wasn't present for my children. I wouldn't spend time with them.

"I feel like I've missed a lot of memories with my youngest one. I became obsessed with my business.

"I felt like I was being really productive but in reality I probably was just a tornado.

"I hate looking back at photos of myself during that time because I don't look good, even though I thought I looked amazing.

"When I watch old videos, you can tell by my eyes I'm not really there."

Ashley says she's had to do a lot of work on body positivity after putting on 20lbs in the first three weeks of quitting the drug, which she says was 'devastating' because her view of her physique had become so warped.

It also took time for her to stop 'crazy' diets and has now learned to love her body.

Ashley believes she was misdiagnosed with ADD after filing out a simple quiz at the doctors and says the drug is 'too easy to get' and needs to be taken more seriously after it took over her life.

See the article here:
Fitness star admits lying to followers by faking workouts to hide 'awful' truth - Mirror Online

CBD, a compound found in cannabis and hemp, zoomed from obscurity to omnipresence with breathtaking speed.

Relatively unknown just a few years ago, CBD-infused balms, said to help relieve pain and anxiety, now are prominently displayed at CVS pharmacies and Sprouts groceries. CBD shops have opened in Old Town and Pacific Beach, while CBD tinctures, bath salts, vaping cartridges, transdermal patches and other items are hawked at gas stations, farmers markets and across the internet.

Claims for these itemss health benefits range from the fraudulent in July, the FDA warned a Massachusetts company to stop advertising its CBD nostrums as treatments for cancer, dementia and Parkinsons disease to the extravagant. A New York firm, Voesh, markets $500 CBD-treated collagen gloves as a way to deliver an intense dose of moisture and visibly restore skins youthfulness.

CBD is this generations snake oil, said John Ayers, a UC San Diego Department of Medicine faculty member. Its sold as a cure-all.

CBDs are easily found, but research on this substance is not. Reputable studies are scarce and inconclusive. In an odd twist, regulation is spotty except in marijuana dispensaries. CBD products sold in pot shops often contain significant levels of THC, the compound that makes users high, and are tightly monitored and subject to rigorous testing. CBD items sold elsewhere, with only trace amounts of THC, have no such requirements.

And these tinctures, salves, sprays, gummies and caramels are not always what they claim to be. In May, Miramars Infinite Chemical Analysis Lab was hired by Torrey Holistics, a marijuana dispensary, to check a dozen CBD products sold on the open market.

Homogenization tech Desmond Samarripa weighs out CBD isolate at the Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs in Mira Mesa on Thursday October 17, 2019.

(John Gibbins / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Infinite Chemical found that 11 of the 12 did not contain the level of CBDs claimed on the label. The most blatant offenders, a hemp cream alleging 1,000 mg of CBD and a hemp extract boasting 3,000 mg of CBD, had none.

Worse, three products including a CBD lip balm advertised as all natural and chemical free were laced with pesticides.

Its kind of like the Wild West right now, said Jayneil Kamdar, Infinite Chemicals lab manager.

There are no regulations in place now for CBDs, added Mickey Wilbanks, the companys public relations representative. You really dont have to get tested for pesticides or heavy metals.

While unscrupulous CBD companies may overpromise, other converts to the cause insist that this compound holds extraordinary promise.

We have an opiod epidemic raging, said Klee Irwin, founder of a Los Angeles nutraceutical company, Irwin Naturals. In America, we are over-medicating ourselves. We are four and one half percent of the worlds population, yet we are consuming 80 percent of the worlds medications.

Paul Klotar, the San Diego-based co-founder of Seabedee, notes that his companys most popular products are used for pain or anxiety relief. Tinctures and gummies contain CBDs, trace amounts of THC no more than .3 percent by volume and terpenes, elements extracted from lavender plants, lemon and pine trees and other natural sources.

All, Klotar said, help chill you out, calm you down.

Darius Allensworth, a former college and Canadian Football League player, said CBD oils help him combat persistent inflammation.

People dont get how consistent pain can be for athletes, Allensworth said, who was a cornerback on the UC Berkeley team from 2014 through 2017. Were expected to just play through it.

Yet Allensworth was leery of painkillers, having been prescribed these medications after a high school knee injury.

It felt like I was floating off my bed, he said.

Worried that painkillers could cause long-term damage to his body, Allensworth was relieved when he discovered CBD. I felt like I had a lot more energy, said Allensworth, now a partner in Seabedee. Theres no crash after using it.

The NCAA bans the of CBD and other cannabinoids by college athletes, but the World Anti-Doping Agency recently lifted its prohibition of these substances. Companies like San Diegos Nanocraft CBD hope to appeal to health-and-fitness enthusiasts, marketing this product as an effective way to combat pain and anxiety, without the mind-altering effects of marijuana.

We try and create products around different areas and each one of them is geared toward health, said CEO Stefan McKellar.

Yet industry figures admit they walk a fine line when touting the benefits of their products.

There is a big disclaimer with everything you say in the CBD world, Klotar said. We are not doctors. We are not prescribing this to you. But this may help you. You can give it a shot.

What, though, is in that shot?

Seabedees Anxiety Blend CBD oil comes in a box marked with a QR barcode. When scanned, it downloads a report from Infinity Chemical Analysis, giving THC and CBD levels from this units batch. (When the Union-Tribune tried this, it found that there were 544.2 miligrams of CBDs per unit, somewhat more than 500 miligrams listed on the box.)

Also listed: terpenes. This particular batch contained limonene, a compound extracted from the skins of citrus fruit. The report also noted the absence of residual solvents, microbials, pesticides and heavy metals.

Many CBD companies dont have their products tested, said Infinity Chemicals co-founder David Marelius, and those that do often have limited aims.

Usually, Marelius said, CBD products are just noting potency only. If they are actually doing safety testing, thats a big plus.

Another big plus, said John Rost, would be more regulations for manufacturers.

They could be making it in a crock pot in their kitchen and youd never know, said Rost, owner of Thrive CBD in Pacific Beach.

While critical of many in the industry, Rost is a believer. After knee surgery more than a decade ago, Rost found that a Swiss company was selling a then-obscure treatment.

I couldnt believe how well it worked, he said. It helped me sleep as well, and I wasnt drowsy the next day. I was not worrying about so many things.

Today, Rost runs a factory in Santa Ana, where he extracts CBD from industrial hemp and then packages his products. Unlike many manufacturers, he would like to see more regulation, in part to drive out the industrys bad actors.

You see some products that are mislabeled, Rost said. A lot of companies are just in this for the fad.

Samples were lined up on a gas chromatograph spectrometer at the Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs in Mira Mesa on Thursday, October 17, 2019.

(John Gibbins / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

CBD is shrouded in mystery, in part due to federal law classifying all cannabis-derived compounds as controlled substances. That changed with the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed restrictions on CBD research. Those studies, though, are still in their infancy.

As a result, said San Diego State Universitys Joy Phillips, most of what we know about CBD is anecdotal.

People are having to test this stuff on themselves, said Phillips, an immunologist, because yahoos like me are being prevented from doing basic research saying, Hey! This is where it works. This is where it doesnt. And oh my gosh, this is where its dangerous. I think we should test this somewhere other than on loved ones in the first round.

So far, the FDA has licensed only one CBD drug, Epidiolex, a treatment for rare forms of epilepsy.

Into the void created by the lack of authoritative studies, charlatans have rushed in.

This year, a Washington company marketed its CBD gels as a viable option for minimizing the debilitating side-effects of Alzheimers disease. A New Jersey firm advertised its CBD salves and oils as an effective remedy for cervical cancer, depression and psychosis. A Florida company selling organic CBD hemp oils cited an abundance of evidence to support the use of CBD as an anti-cancer agent.

All of these claims were disputed by the FDA, which sent each company a warning letter demanding they halt these campaigns.

Yet the outlandish, unfounded claims continue, racing far ahead of science.

The fundamental health questions, UC San Diegos Ayers said, remain unanswered.

Union-Tribune intern Hafsa Fathima contributed to this story.,

Read the rest here:
CBDs: a 'Wild West' of wild claims - The San Diego Union-Tribune

The idea that depression might be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and not a moral failing grew in popularity with the invention of the drug Prozac in the late 80s, and later with the marketing of this and other antidepressants.

This viewpoint helped reduce the stigma around mental illness, but did not provide a cure-all. Rates of depression have risen by more than 18 per cent worldwide since 2005, according to the World Health Organization. At the same time, so too has the consumption of antidepressants. Canada has the worlds fourth-highest use of these drugs, according to a recent study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Now a new theory about the cause of depression has emerged: That it is a disease caused by the bodys immune system. The idea is that chronic stress causes hormonal dysregulation, and this leads to depression and other inflammatory disorders, such as arthritis, lupus, heart disease and even some forms of cancer.

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One of Canadas leading proponents of this thesis is Dr. Diane McIntosh, a Vancouver-based psychiatrist, and assistant professor at the University of British Columbia and author of the new book, This is Depression: A Comprehensive, Compassionate Guide for Anyone who Wants to Understand Depression.

She spoke to The Globe and Mail about cortisol, blueberry cures and why talking to someone is always a good idea.

In your book, you say that depression should be considered an inflammatory illness. What do you mean?

To understand what inflammation is and how it causes depression, you need to understand the role of the brains glial cells. These are the brains caretakers: they supply the neurons with nutrients and oxygen, protect the brain from infections, and clean up the brains waste products, such as dead neurons. Depression can provoke chronically high levels of cortisol, the hormone that we produce when under stress. Too much cortisol causes the glial cells to stop working properly. Instead, they start spitting out proteins called pro-inflammatory cytokines. They damage the glial cells, which causes them to release more cytokines, causing an inflammatory cascade.

If cortisol is a key culprit, is stress a leading cause of depression?

Yes. Chronic stress causes the body to produce high levels of cortisol, which can lead to depression, but depression itself ramps up the cortisol, which worsens the depression.

Depression isnt the only illness found to be caused by inflammation. Heart disease, HIV, lupus, arthritis, diabetes, obesity, chronic pain and several forms of cancer have also been called inflammatory disorders. Are all of these related?

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Yes. We believe inflammation is a critical factor in the mind-body connection. Chronic stress causes an inflammatory cascade, leading to an increased likelihood of developing diseases linked to inflammation, and those inflammatory disorders increase the risk of depression. This is why a person who has an inflammatory disorder such as heart disease or arthritis is more likely to develop depression.

The theory that depression was caused by low levels of brain serotonin (called the chemical imbalance theory) was popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, but has been largely discredited. Is the focus on inflammation merely a new version of this?

No. Its not that we have abandoned the theory of a causal connection between depression and neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine, but we now realize that the brain is much more complex and there are multiple factors involved. Glial cells regulate neurotransmitter levels too. Looking at inflammation, and the relationship between cortisol, glial cells, and neurotransmitters helps us understand what is happening in the brain and body.

If blueberries are anti-inflammatory, will eating them help someone who is depressed?

You cant blueberry your way out of a depression! Nor will a detox enema help. An anti-inflammatory diet may help to prevent those illnesses associated with inflammation, including depression, but it isnt a form of treatment.

In your book, youve written about exercise as both a form of prevention and treatment for depression. How does it help?

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Several studies have found that exercise can be effective as medication or talk therapy for mild to moderate depression. Exercise reduces cortisol and increases a critical protein, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, that is necessary to grow healthy brain cells, called neurogenesis. The benefits of exercise as a treatment depend on the severity of the depression. Walking or running each day will always help, but for a moderate to severe depression, exercise alone isnt enough.

If depression is an inflammatory illness, how could talking to a therapist help?

If a person learns how to reframe their situation, for example through cognitive behavioural therapy, they are learning the skills to regulate those areas of the brain associated with processing emotion, such as the amygdala. Over time, new ways of thinking, feeling and behaving can become more natural to the person, even automatic. In essence, each new skill that is taught by the therapist to handle stressful situations lays down new neural pathways, and these shape how the brain functions. How a brain is used determines which parts grow larger and shrink. In the long term, what and how we think moulds the physical shape of our brain.

What about talking to a friend? Can that be as helpful?

A friend can help by asking questions like, What can I do for you? or How can I be helpful? But they shouldnt try to fix the problem for you. Having social support is one of the greatest protectors against depression, but if you meet the criteria for a moderate or severe depression, you need to seek professional help.

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A new theory on depression: Its a disease caused by the bodys immune system - The Globe and Mail

When a rise to fame is as dizzyingly sudden as Antoni Porowski's has been, there's bound to be a period of adaptation and a few ups and downs (mental, physical, emotional) along the way. Ups: a beloved and hugely successful Netflix show; a profession that he loves and which allows him to help other people; a new, bestselling cookbook just now hitting the shelves. Downs: a breakneck schedule, a mental health roller coaster, and the unrelenting spotlight of fame.

"I think I'm still trying to adjust to it," the Queer Eye star told Glamour UK in a recent interview. It's a process, but he's recently found meditation to be a path to balance and mental peace. A morning session of just 10 or 15 minutes of it helps to stabilize and set himself up for the day.

Antoni also shared how he uses therapy to ground himself and feel less isolated. "Whatever I was experiencing, it was like, 'Get me on the cross. I'm the only one,'" he said. But sharing those thoughts or issues with his therapist helped Antoni realized that he wasn't alone in whatever he was going through; some issues were common and definable, which made them easier to bear.

One thing Antoni has struggled with is his body image perhaps surprising for fans who know him for his attractive, muscle-bearing Instagram shots. His body image has been closely tied to his sexuality, Antoni explained. "I was most comfortable with my body when I was in relationships with women, because there wasn't a sense of comparison," he said. "It was my first relationship with a guy where I kind of looked at myself and I was like, oh, my biceps aren't as big as his. My legs are longer. I wish my torso were longer."

Since becoming famous, Antoni's road to self-acceptance has taken another turn. "Being on camera all the time . . . you see yourself at an angle, and it's like, oh, what is that chin line?" Antoni has cut back on dairy since starting Queer Eye, which he said has noticeably changed his body. Still, he doesn't force himself to adhere to a strict food and exercise routine all the time. "I have days when I wake up and I just feel like human garbage. I just eat vegetables and try to eat plant-based and go to the gym twice in a day," he said. "Then I have days where I'm like, I'm feeling really good about myself. I'm gonna destroy two burgers today and finish the day off with pizza and a milkshake and maybe have a chocolate bar!"

As for self-care, Antoni said that although taking care of yourself is important, being of service to others might be even more crucial. "[Self-care] can be a little selfish, if you do too much of it, if you lean in too much," he explained. "Just remember that there are other people out there that you should be connecting with. We're not meant to be alone."

That doesn't mean ignoring yourself and your needs, though. Being on the show and getting to know the other members of the Fab Five (whom Antoni said are "like family") has taught him how to be fully comfortable with who he is physically, mentally, and emotionally and to recognize his needs, even when his schedule gets hectic. "There's always another thing on the horizon, and it gets challenging sometimes," Antoni shared, and it's OK to wake up feeling 60 percent. "I'm just going to be 100 percent of that 60 percent." Watch the full interview ahead.

Image Source: Getty / Tommaso Boddi / Stringer

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Queer Eye's Antoni Got Real About Body Image, Mental Health, and Taking Self-Care Too Far - POPSUGAR

Since ages, the amazing health benefits of apple cider vinegar has been popular among fitness enthusiasts. Not only for a healthy weight management, cider vinegar works wonders for skin and hair care. What if we told you that theres something even better than apple cider vinegar, and we bet you would be inquisitive to know more about this new fad vinegar. Well, its the Coconut Vinegar, which has turned out to be a recent fad among health and fitness enthusiast. However, coconut vinegar has recently gained a lot of fame among the brigade of health conscious people, but it has been there for quite some time. This condiment hails from the coastal regions of Southeast Asia and India. Enriched with the goodness of nature, coconut vinegar is a natural form of vinegar prepared by fermenting the coconut sap, this further leads to an oxidation of ethanol into acetic acid. As per experts, it is great for healing stomach issues as it has all the qualities of a probiotic drink as it prepared using the process of fermentation. In fact, anything fermented in a healthy and hygienic way is good for a healthy gut and also helps in strengthening immunity. According to a few researches, coconut vinegar has ample amount of acetic acid, which makes it a dose of health for people suffering from diabetes as it does not elevate the sugar level. As per a study conducted on mice, it was observed that coconut vinegar has some amazing anti-inflammatory properties, which helps to manage weight and fight obesity. It was later established that coconut vinegar had almost the same effects on humans. Thus, it is believed to be good for consumption. However, one must seek medical advice before including in coconut vinegar in a daily diet as it can reduce the blood pressure levels and can be risky for someone who is already on a medication for the same. Moreover, it is loaded with anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties that make it a healthy blend. It can be included in a daily meal as a dressing for salad by just diluting it with water and honey, much like apple cider vinegar.What's more, coconut vinegar has high levels of amino acids, probiotics and enzymes, whereas coconut water is diluted. Hence, it is good for health. In fact, both apple cider vinegar as well as coconut vinegar are equally good for health and can be used alternatively.

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Forget Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut vinegar is the next big thing! - Times of India