Micron Associates Health and Fitness: Why you shouldn't get used to in-flight entertainment

We might be looking at a future where we can no longer access the web and watch movies on demand -- while on a flight, that is.

In its recent report for the Federal Aviation Administration, the US Government Accountability Office presented the risks of in-flight WiFi and wireless entertainment systems when exploited by a capable attacker. The study highlights the vulnerability of web-based cockpit systems as the industry prepares to transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System in 10 years.

But Micron Associates Health and Fitness is convinced that even though it's not an easy feat, attackers will now have a more accessible avenue to work on as FAA upgrades aircraft systems and flight tracking with a technology that relies heavily on the Internet.

The report highlights the air industry's capability to detect or prevent illegal access to the massive network that the FAA uses in tracking and processing flights worldwide. The airlines' reliance on firewalls to prevent unauthorized access makes it even more problematic -- firewalls can hardly be considered infallible as any other software can be easily hacked.

"Modern aircrafts are increasingly connected to the Internet. This interconnectedness can potentially provide unauthorized remote access to aircraft avionics systems," it says in the report.

FAA officials are also worried about the IP networks utilized by aircrafts as they can provide a path for outside threats to invisibly get on the system. And because an internet connection could serve as a direct link between the outside world and an aircraft's system, a malware-laden website is all it would take for an attacker to remotely access the system onboard.

The avionics system inside a plane's cockpit is a separate unit and is basically not connected to the system that powers the passengers Internet but as aircrafts upgrade their systems, it would not be unusual for passenger WiFi to have the same physical wirings.

The report also noted the risks of ever-increasing numbers of tablets and smartphones: "The presence of personal smartphones and tablets in the cockpit increases the risk of a system's being compromised by trusted insiders, both malicious and non-malicious, if these devices have the capability to transmit information to aircraft avionics systems."

However, Micron Associates Health and Fitness reported that the FAA is already taking steps to restructure its IT policies through a technical group working on a draft that's expected to be done in 6 months.

Although there has been no record yet of something like this happening in the real world, experts say it is totally plausible. The founder of a cybersecurity intel company who has discovered vulnerabilities in the in-flight entertainment systems said that we can "theorize on how to turn the engines off at 35,000 ft and not have any of those damn flashing lights go off in the cockpit".

In fact, during a conference in 2013, a security professional showed how he can hack into a plane's navigation systems and communicate with air traffic control, all with just the use of a smartphone. He took advantage of a loophole in the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system in order to reach the main flight management program. But since his demo has already been made known to the public, we could only assume that it's been solved.

Health Tips for Diabetics: Have High-Energy Breakfast by the Health News Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog

A high-energy breakfast and modest dinner can control dangerous blood sugar spikes all day, says a study.

More than 382 million people in the world suffer from diabetes, predominantly type-2 diabetes.

For these people, blood sugar surges - glucose spikes after meals - can be life threatening, leading to cardiovascular complications.

A new Tel Aviv University study published in Diabetologia proposes a new way to suppress deadly glucose surges throughout the day - eating a high-caloric breakfast and a more modest dinner.

The combined consumption of a high-energy breakfast and a low-energy dinner decreases overall daily hyperglycaemia in type-2 diabetics, said the study.

"We found that by eating more calories at breakfast, when the glucose response to food is lowest, and consuming fewer calories at dinner, glucose peaks after meals and glucose levels throughout the day were significantly reduced," said professor Daniela Jakubowicz of Tel Aviv University.

The new study was conducted on eight men and 10 women aged 30-70 with type-2 diabetes.

Patients were randomized and assigned either a "B diet" or "D diet" for one week.

The B diet featured a 2,946 kilojoule (kj) breakfast, 2,523 kj lunch, and 858 kj dinner, and the D diet featured a 858 kj breakfast, 2,523 kj lunch, and 2,946 kj dinner.

The results of the study showed that post-meal glucose elevations were 20% lower and levels of insulin, C-peptide, and GLP-1 were 20% higher in participants on the B diet compared with those on the D diet.

Despite the fact that both diets contained the same calories, blood glucose levels rose 23% less after the lunch preceded by a large breakfast.

Health news Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog: 12 Tips to Stay Healthy While Working

12 Tips to Stay Healthy While Working From Home

For many of us, going into the office doesn’t even require heading out the door. More than 30 million Americans work from home, and Forrester Research’s US Telecommuting Forecast predicts that number will rise to 63 million by next year -- meaning that 43 percent of the U.S. workforce will work remotely.

But working from home can present a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to your health. The abundance of alluring snacks in the kitchen, the lack of social stimulation and the temptation to work in an ergonomically unsound position, like in bed, can all sabotage an otherwise virtuous worker’s best health intentions.

Here are my top 12 tips for staying fit, healthy and on task while working from home:

Set up a separate office space.

Use a space in your home that’s designated solely for work. Your bed activities should be limited to sleep and sex only. Bringing in work materials can interfere with your ability to relax later on. And working from your couch can create mental associations that keep your mind occupied with professional obligations, even during off-hours. Even if you live in a tiny studio, set up a desk and chair and separate the professional from the personal.

Choose a good chair.

Invest in a comfortable, ergonomically sound chair that will keep you properly aligned throughout the day.

Or ditch the chair altogether.

Use a standing desk to give your back a break and reduce your overall long-term mortality risk.

Get up every hour and get out at least once a day.

It can be easy to get stuck in your seat, especially since you feel comfortable in your space. Set a timer or use an app to remind you to get up and stretch once every hour, and make sure to get outside, even just to walk around the block and get some sunshine and fresh air.

Related: Micron Associates Health and Fitness Blog

Set a schedule and stick to it.

It can be tempting to wake up late and work at odd hours, but you will benefit your mental health and the quality of your work by setting a schedule as if you were going into the office. Then: Stick to those hours.

Schedule workouts.

When you create your schedule, use the flexibility to your advantage. Schedule your workouts as you do meetings -- but pencil them in before you begin working, during lunch or after hours.

Read Schedule active meetings.

Health news Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog: 4 Tips for Healthy Weight Loss

Your health and weight are intimately connected. The good news is you can eat more and weigh less -- that's right, you can lose weight without feeling deprived or hungry. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if your Body Mass Index falls into the range of overweight or obese, you are at a higher risk for the following diseases and conditions:

• Coronary heart disease
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cancers (endometrial, breast and colon)
• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• Dyslipidemia (high blood cholesterol, high blood triglycerides)
• Fatty Liver Disease
• Gallbladder disease
• Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
• Osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
• Gynecological problems for women (abnormal menstrual periods and infertility)

During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. Rates remain high and in fact, the latest Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index reported that in 2014, 27.7 percent of the nation moved into the obese category. According to a new report from the Dietary Guidelines Committee, more than two-thirds of adults, and nearly one-third of children and youth, are overweight or obese.

Here is a handy BMI calculator to help calculate your BMI. For those who are overweight or obese, even a small weight loss of 10 percent of body weight over a period of 6 months can improve health and reduce risk factors for disease. Weight loss can also increase energy, and improve your sleep, mood, self-esteem and overall quality of life.

If your BMI is less than 18.5, it falls within the "underweight" range.
If your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, it falls within the "normal" or Healthy Weight range.
If your BMI is 25.0 to 29.9, it falls within the "overweight" range.
If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, it falls within the "obese" range.

Experts agree that the key to successful weight loss with sustainable weight management is adopting a healthy lifestyle. For example, exercise has been shown to be a significant factor for weight loss and weight management, and when included as part of a balanced, integrated approach, the outcomes may be even more sustainable and comprehensive. This includes lower cholesterol and other quality of life improvements such as better sleep, enhanced energy and mood from feel-good brain chemicals released during exercise. The research conducted by Dr. Ornish and his colleagues in the Lifestyle Heart Trial showed an average weight loss of 24 pounds in the first year with sustained weight loss in most after 5 years.

Achieving Healthy Weight Loss

The pace for healthy weight loss is half a pound to 2 pounds a week. The first one to two weeks you may experience a more rapid weight loss due to loss of water weight in addition to fat loss and some muscle loss. For healthy and successful long term weight loss, however, the pace should slow to a steady and more moderate rate that supports a decrease in the percentage of fat without sacrificing lean (muscle) body mass.

This initial weight loss drop from water weight is the result of the body's initial need for extra energy when calorie intake drops, along with perhaps increased expenditure. The body responds to this extra need for energy by releasing stores from a type of carbohydrate found in the muscles and liver called glycogen. Glycogen is partly made of water so when burned for energy, it releases water, which results in the initial weight loss. This tends to taper off after the first week when the body adjusts to the lifestyle changes.

After the first couple of weeks, weight loss should taper to a moderate loss of half a pound to 2 pounds. Even though the goal is to achieve continued weight loss, a too rapid loss that exceeds 3 pounds a week can increase the risk of gallstones and gallbladder disease.
Rapid weight loss can also lead to unintended loss of lean body mass, which cause a slower metabolism that inhibits continued weight loss and often results in a rebound of weight gain. This rapid weight loss and gain can lead to yo-yo dieting, which results in an increasing rate of the percentage of body fat to lean muscle weight. Slower weight loss results in more effective weigh loss from fat and a preservation of lean body mass. In addition, one study showed that a slower and steady weight loss lead to improved triglyceride levels and blood pressure.

Five Tips for Healthy Weight Loss

1. Choose Plant-Based, Low-fat, Nutrient-Rich Foods Instead of Calorie Dense Foods. When following a plant based approach, weight loss is a natural outcome, often without even trying to lose weight. As the title of Dr. Dean Ornish's book, Eat more, Weigh Less, indicates, it is easy to eat more and weigh less when eating nutrient dense foods versus calorie dense foods. One can have a high volume of food and not feel deprived because of the difference in calorie density. For example: 1 teaspoon of olive oil (or any oil) has 120 calories. You can have almost 5 cups of vegetables for the same amount of calories, or a large salad with one-quarter cup of garbanzo beans.

Dr. Ornish has recommended:

An optimal diet for preventing disease and staying healthy is a whole foods, plant-based diet naturally low in animal protein, low in harmful fats, and low in refined carbohydrates.
An optimal diet for reversing disease and staying healthy is a whole foods, plant-based diet, low in harmful fats, and low in refined carbohydrates (no animal protein).

little or no red meat;
high in "good carbs" (including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and soy products in their natural forms);
low in "bad carbs" (simple and refined carbohydrates such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour);
sufficient "good fats" (4 grams/day of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, flax oil, plankton-based oils);
low in "bad fats" (trans fats, saturated fats, hydrogenated fats);
more quality, less quantity (smaller portions of good foods are more satisfying than larger portions of junk foods, especially if you pay attention to what you're eating).

2. Eat Small, Frequent Balanced Meals and Snacks Throughout Day, But Remember that Total Calories Count the Most. The evidence is mixed about whether eating small, frequent healthy meals and snacks effects weight loss. This approach has many advantages, especially for those with diabetes. Planning for smaller, more frequent healthy and balanced meals can help ward off hunger because you will avoid overeating. This approach also keeps your blood sugar level stable throughout the day. A recent study at the University of Warwick showed that regardless of the size and frequency of one's meals, the total calories are what contributes most to weight loss.

3. Stay Hydrated with Water, Not Liquid Calories.

Staying well hydrated is important for health and supports weight loss. That's because our brains can miscommunicate thirst for hunger, leading us to consume extra calories when we really need hydration. Studies support the importance of staying well hydrated for weight management and health. Drinking a glass of water prior to eating can also curb our appetite, which helps to limit excess calories.

Liquid calories in beverages such as soda, sweet tea, lemonade, and even juice can be quickly consumed, but do not satisfy hunger and therefore easily add excess calories. Liquid calories can also have a negative impact on blood management. Eating a whole fruit such as an apple provides fiber that slows down the release of sugars and absorption into the bloodstream. This approach will level blood sugar versus the quick rush and blood sugar spike that can result from liquid calories such as juice. Studies show that limiting liquid calories supports weight loss and effective weight management.

4. Practice Mindful Eating

Being mindful and aware of what, how and when we are eating can make a significant impact on weight management, along with making healthy choices that affect our over health and well-being. A study published in the Journal of Academic Nutrition Diet demonstrated that by learning and applying mindful eating, participants eat less, lost more weight, and had better managed blood sugar levels..

Are you at a healthy BMI? If not, what's the first step you can take to move towards a healthier weight?

Micron Associates Health and Fitness: Youth at Risk of Hearing Loss

World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an initiative called "Make Listening Safe" in celebration of International Ear Care Day. It also aims to raise awareness on young people regarding unsafe listening habits.

Today, around 360 million people worldwide are found to have moderate to bad hearing loss owing to a number of reasons: It could be caused by genetic conditions, noise exposure, infectious disease, birth complication, old age or drug usage. Ironically, it was determined that 50% of those cases could have been avoided.

To solve its potentially devastating effects to society as a whole, WHO has collected and analyzed data related to hearing loss, most especially to clearly show its prevalence and leading causes. This will also be of great help to governments in informing and implementing preventive measures for the benefit of the public.

Micron Associates Health and Fitness estimates that at least a billion young people could suffer from hearing loss because of the habitual use of handheld audio devices and being exposed to harmful noise levels at entertainment venues. WHO is partnering with a number of entities around the globe in order to alert the youth of risks of loss of hearing from such noise exposure.

According to WHO's research in developing countries, almost 50% of all young people surveyed appear to have unsafe noise exposures mainly from their personal devices, while 40% are exposed to loud noises in sporting venues, concerts or bars. (A dangerous noise level would be anything over 85 decibels.)

Unhealthy exposure to noise could lead to tinnitus or temporary hearing loss, characterized by a ringing sensation. What's more, a regular or prolonged exposure to loud sounds could damage the sensory cells in the ears -- an irreversible condition that will lead to permanent hearing loss.

"As they go about their daily lives doing what they enjoy, more and more young people are placing themselves at risk of hearing loss. They should be aware that once you lose your hearing, it won't come back. Taking simple preventive actions will allow people to continue to enjoy themselves without putting their hearing at risk," said WHO's Dr. Etienne Krug.

Loss of hearing also comes with a string of other damaging effects in the person's mental health and performance in work or school, as noted by Micron Associates Health and Fitness in their previous research.

To avoid the dangers of hearing loss while engaged in so-called recreational noise, the following should be considered: frequency, duration and intensity. For more detailed tips on how to prevent incurring hearing damage, tune in to our next post.

Health News Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog: Men’s Health — A Forgotten Group?

Hopla’s Health Tips

Recently, the public has been bombarded with women’s issues like: breast cancer (pink ribbons), heart disease (red dress month), and cervical cancer prevention (“Not one more” HPV prevention). Men’s health issues are rarely brought to the forefront; yet men are still more likely to die before women.

For young men ages 13-35, testicular cancer can be a killer. The American Cancer Society Surveillance Research (ACSSR) reports that there are 8,820 new cases of testicular cancer annually. Some of the risk factors for developing testicular cancer are: having an undescended testicle (cryptorchidism), having congenital abnormalities of the penis or testicles or having a family history of testicular cancer.

If a man has any of these risk factors, he should see a health care provider. A man should check his testicles once a month to ensure there are no unusual lumps, bumps or changes in size. Should any of these things be detected, they should be reported to the provider.

Heart disease, stroke and kidney failure rates remain higher in men. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) one in every four men die from heart disease. Men also die more often from sudden cardiac death. The CDC states that 70-80 percent of deaths occur from sudden events and half of these men had no previous symptoms or warnings of heart problems. Factors that increase a man’s risk for heart disease are: increased blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, obesity and sedentary lifestyle, smoking, increased fatty food intake, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides (hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia), and excessive alcohol intake.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) also take a toll on men. The risk for contracting HIV and AIDS increases with every new sexual partner. Condom use can help but only if used all the time. Other STD’s include syphilis, HPV, chlamydia, non-gonorrheal urethritis, gonorrhea, and trichinosis. Some of these diseases are curable if detected early, but some are not and can be managed only with medication. The risk of spreading these diseases to a partner can be devastating to a relationship and a man’s health.

Men do not go to health care providers as often as women and tend to ignore warning signs. It is important to know the risk factors. Men comprise half of our population.

Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle: Don't Forget About Portion Size and Calories by the Health News Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog

You’re a paradigm of health. You eschew processed sugar, carbs and bad fats. You’re not just all about superfoods, but supergreens, and barely grimace at the taste of spirulina. You sprinkle chia seeds on goddamn everything. You Instagram your meals, pose for green-juice selfies and are on first-name terms with the staff at your local health shop. You. Are. Awesome.

While this level of piety was rare (but still extremely irritating) in the past, it is becoming increasingly popular. We now bandy around buzzwords like Paleo, clean and organic, while discussing the merits of cutting out grains, dairy or gluten. Or all three. We snack on protein bars or refined-sugar-free flapjacks instead of chocolate, and choose oven-popped vegetable chips over packets of bog-standard salt ‘n’ vinegar. Our cupboards are fully stocked with various nut butters, manuka honey and prehistoric grains.

Then… why… are we not all morphing into Greek gods? Of course there are some, the green-juice-quaffing Miranda Kerrs and Blake Livelys of the world, who have achieved deific levels (although I suspect genetics play a role there). But, as a nation, we’re getting fatter. According to Public Health England, 64 per cent of us are overweight or obese.

I am one of the 'healthy' brigade who was mystified as the counter crept up on the scales. I had replaced refined sugar with agave, maple syrup or honey, and white flour with almond flour in my homemade gluten-free brownies, more than happy to indulge knowing they were so virtuous. My beef was grass-fed, my butter and eggs organic, and honest-to-goodness nut-based bars were my snack of choice. A trip to a cafe normally involved a matcha soy latte and superseed muffin or banana bread. I laced everything with coconut oil.

It took an awfully long time for the simple truth to dawn on me. Calories do count. While some food movements exhort you to ditch the scales and stop counting calories - a divine proclamation to anyone who has spent a lifetime memorising those important little numbers - they don’t encourage you to eat like you’re preparing for hibernation. We added that convenient little footnote ourselves.

Weight-loss expert Louise Parker has seen every ‘diet footnote’ in the book. “The most common mistake that we see is, not surprisingly, overconsumption of calories, coupled with inactivity,” she says. “What is more surprising is that clients will fall into two categories – those who realise that they are overeating and not active enough and those who really think that they are and are baffled, citing a ‘poor metabolism’ or ‘bad genes’.

“In 20 years, we’ve never come across a client with a ‘bad metabolism’ and that can’t lose weight. Ultimately, calories do matter. Balancing the calories that your body actually needs with what you consistently consume over a week is the starting point.”

Calories can be difficult to count in your own home-baked creations, but shop-bought alternatives can be awash with other perils. Companies have cottoned on to the popularity of ‘clean’ eating and suddenly the word 'natural' is emblazoned on everything. Beware: technically salt and sugar are natural, as are plenty of other nasties that will be tougher to digest and harder on your body than the stuff they're replacing.

Gluten-free breads contain extra fat, stabilisers and gums to try to mimic the springy, gluten-y texture of normal bread. Healthy snack bars can have as much sugar as a Snickers - and sometimes twice the fat. One popular green juice on supermarket shelves clocks in at a whopping 53.5 grams of sugar (the WHO daily recommendation is an average of 25g). Even Coca Cola has jumped on the bandwagon with Coke Life - which has a green label, gym-honed Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as its spokesmodel and natural stevia flavouring (oh, and 22g of sugar per can).

But what of the glowing goddesses touting their food-porn on Instagram? Enter the #eatclean hashtag and you’ll be greeted with an array of bronzed six-packs, chia porridges, vats of green juice and stacks of pancakes. Surely the paleo posse are doing something right?

“Instagram is awash with skinny girls posting coconut porridge with caramelised prunes and pistachio nuts," says Parker. "Delicious – yes, organic – yes, whole food – yes, but calories-wise it’s a match for my mother’s sticky toffee pudding and not best consumed for breakfast daily if your goal is to look like the girl in the picture. What you can’t see is that perhaps she doesn't eat it, or she works as a personal trainer for eight hours a day.”

Real advocates of the paleo trend are normally cross-fitters - disciples of the high-intensity exercise cult trend that burns serious calories. They eat clean but train dirty, and if your idea of a good training session involves walking home from the pub, then you can’t really afford the raw cacao brownies. Or at least not twice a day. While the sweet treats are more Instagram-friendly than, say, a salad, the real health advocates will still only be scoffing them as an occasional treat.

So should we just chuck our chia seeds and reach for the takeaway menu? Well, no, not quite. Make smart, informed choices of what you put into your body - and how much. Coconut oil is anti-fungal, anti-microbial and a great source of energy, but it’s still a fat, so don’t think you can eat it by the bucketload. A green juice is a great way to get your five a day - but make sure there are more green, leafy vegetables than sugar-rich fruits going into it.

"The trick is to eat whole, real, seasonal, nutritious food,” says Parker. “So choosing organic, natural options is already a great move in the right direction – but the sugar and calorie content has to be balanced in a way that stabilises your blood sugar levels, whilst boosting you with nutrients."

Louise Parker's no-nonsense way to stay healthy:

Our programmes are all about changing habits – to deliver an impressive drop in body weight, whilst boosting metabolism. If you start with just three basic habits, this will propel you into action and change the way you live. You need to be able to wholeheartedly believe that 80 per cent of the plan you’re about to embark on, you will still be living in five years’ time.

SLEEP

Give yourself a TV and screen cut-off time, ideally at 9pm. By limiting the amount of light and stimulation, you will prepare yourself well for quality sleep. Have a hot bath with a few drops of essential lavender oil and some Epsom Salts an hour before you want to go to sleep. Then, get straight into bed – in the best nightwear and bedding you can afford – and read. As your body temperature drops, you will become sleepy and set yourself up for the best chance of deep sleep. Aim for an absolute minimum of 8 hours sleep.

MOVE DAILY

In order to really become an active person, you need to exercise daily. Most of us are sedentary 95 per cent of the time and so it’s essential to challenge your body for at least an hour a day, every day, for the rest of your life. We see clients in their 80’s adapt this habit after decades of inactivity, so don't be put off. Alternate your effort – follow a high day (higher effort and intensity) with a low day (lower effort and intensity) every day. Your body progresses at lightning speed with this system of undulating efforts as your body’s ability peaks back up every time it is a ‘high day’ allowing you to continually build a stronger and fitter body.

EAT BEAUTIFULLY (most of the time)

Start by simply deciding that you are going to eat more delicately, and be selective about what you eat. Pay attention to the quality of the food that you eat and make sure that you eliminate all obvious junk food and alcohol. Then, start by organising yourself to ensure that you eat three meals per day, and two little snacks, at regular intervals throughout the day. Make sure that each meal contains a little dose of lean protein, along with a dash of healthy fat and a couple of portions of vegetables. Snack on two pieces of fruit per day, and a delicate handful of nuts to really manage your appetite. This should allow you to eliminate all sugar from your diet – processed and hidden sugars such as fruit juice and white bread, which will sabotage your results.

The Path to a Healthy You: Tips, Tricks and Advice by the Health News Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog

Some of us have the idea that good health takes a lot of work, but in reality the most important steps boil down to routine maintenance, and many healthy habits can even feel indulgent.

Reducing stress with fun “me-time,” taking a break for a little walk, eating great food, getting some healthy sun? That sounds more like a vacation than a health regimen. Yet, according to Dr. Guita Tabassi, a Women’s Health Associates of Southern Nevada OB/GYN at Southern Hills Hospital, these are core elements to a healthy lifestyle that will carry us through all seasons and our whole lives.

Tabassi’s top tips are culled from 15 years of experience, and although some seem drawn from traditional wisdom, they’re backed by the latest research as well. Better still, most of the tips for a healthier lifestyle are simply enjoyable, which makes sense because good health is a key to enjoying life.

Pay attention to yourself

Many of us pay more attention to our families, friends and neighbors than we do to ourselves, but checking in every once in a while is integral to a healthy life. One way to do this is to stop consulting “Dr. Google” and maintain annual appointments with your general physician.

“It’s better to be proactive and not wait until the body crashes or develops a severe medical condition that requires you to go to the emergency room or seek a physician, and at that point it may be too late,” Tabassi said. “Prevention is always key.”

Eat healthy food

Developing daily positive eating habits will do more for your weight and overall health than chasing the diet of the moment.

“Eating more dark green vegetables decreases the acidity of your body. Maintaining an alkaline (non-acidic) state decreases the risks of cancers and other diseases. Adding fruits that are rich in antioxidants, such as berries, also contributes to fighting disease,” Tabassi said.

She added that too many people overlook their protein intake: “Get good protein and fiber to balance the insulin sugar ratios and keep the sugar leveled all day long, which decreases cravings and weight gain.”

Another key: Try to eat small portions frequently, and avoid eating before bed. Try to eat more organic food and avoid preservatives, energy drinks and soda as much as possible.

Get healthy sun exposure

We all know the dangers of too much sun. But Tabassi asserts you still need a certain level of exposure; you just have to do it right.

“From putting on so much sunblock and sun-protective gear, we haven’t been able to produce enough vitamin D in our body,” she said. “Because of that, we’re noticing a lot of vitamin D deficiency in our patients. Vitamin D deficiency plays a role in a lot of medical diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, multiple sclerosis and depression.”

The safe sun exposure needed to produce vitamin D varies by individual, so it is best to consult your physician and have your vitamin D levels tested.

Sleep early or sleep in ­— it’s good for you

This one is no joke and it’s on a lot of health care professionals’ radar in recent years: We just don’t sleep enough.

“The more hectic our lives become, the more we cut down our sleep,” Tabassi said. “Back in the ’60s and ’70s, adults were sleeping 8 1/2 to 9 hours. Nowadays it’s 7 1/2 and less. The recommendation is 7 1/2 to 8 hours of sleep a night for adults to maintain their health.” It’s vital to reach deep REM sleep for your body to achieve muscle repair, memory consolidation and hormone regulation.

Stress management ­— infuse relaxing fun into your life

Increasingly, too much stress is recognized as a contributor to health problems.

“Our plates are extremely full with kids, soccer practices, different activities and full time careers most of the time,” Tabassi said. “Adding more and more to what is already a full plate creates a lot of chaos in our heads, and that turns into anxiety and stress, which can bring out a variety of diseases — and in the long run, it can wear a body down.”

Tabassi recommends changing how we respond to stress by creating “me time” with hobbies, exercise, meditation and yoga, and delegating responsibilities to a spouse or other family member. Indulge yourself with fun and relaxation — it’s literally good for you.

Make movement fun

People make a big deal out of exercising. “They think they have to hire a trainer, go to the gym, get special shoes and outfits,” Tabassi notes.

This starts to make people less likely to actually exercise — it seems like too much work.

“It becomes overwhelming and they talk themselves out of it,” she said. “Bottom line: Put on your sneakers and walk. Then, when you feel the benefit of getting fresh air in your lungs and getting your heart rate going, you can add other exercises.”

The effects of exercise have been proven over time to decrease the risk of developing various health problems, and it is one of the only ways to fight weight gain and aging. Simply being sure to move around as much as possible during the day is an important first step to an exercise regimen. Take a walk with your loved ones or your dog. It’s a simple and happy step toward good health.

Health News Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog: Achieve Your Fitness Goals, 5 Tips That Will Help You

“Dear Santa, This year please give me a big fat bank account and a slim body. Please don't mix those two up like you did last year.”

Plenty of us made healthy New Year’s resolutions for 2015 — “I will finally lose those 10 pounds,” “I will fit in my old jeans,” “I’m giving up carbs.”

Yes, setting goals may be the first step to achieving them, but why do we almost always find ourselves back in our old routines, making the same exact resolutions over and over again every year?

Let’s make 2015 different. Let’s make it count! Here are 5 simple steps to help you really achieve your fitness goals this year.

1) Set small, reasonable goals

It’s easy to set unrealistic goals with the motivation boost we get on January 1st. Two weeks in and still way too far from reaching our goal, we start finding excuses not to go to the gym, or worse, completely give up and binge on chocolate chip cookies.

The solution?

Set a series of smaller, more realistic goals that act as stepping stones, not as a long jump to your final target. You are more likely to achieve specific and reasonable goals like “I will lose 1 pound this week,” or “I will walk 10,000 steps today,” than “I will lose 20 pounds,” or “I will run a marathon.”

Start small and take it slow, it will pay off in the end.

2) Do something you actually like

Hate crunches? Then don’t do them! Exercise is supposed to be fun and make you feel good about yourself, not the other way around.

Challenges are always welcome, but if you find yourself really not enjoying your workout, then you won’t be doing it for long. So change things around — try a new class or ask your friends what they like doing.

Who knows, maybe bar method is your thing, or you will really like spinning! Experiment to find the best fit.

3) Good old portion control

As boring as it sounds, portion control is still an effective way to cut down on calories without the pain of letting go of your favorite foods.

Let’s be honest, none of us will be giving up our guilty pleasures for a whole year.

So how about enjoying them in moderation, while still being able to see results on the scale?

Figure out what portion of your favorite food equals 200 calories, and enjoy it as a side or a snack in your diet. Without the pain of cutting off entire food groups, you will be more likely to stick with your weight loss routine.

4) Make it easy!

If getting to the gym takes you an hour on the freeway, you will clearly be less likely to commit to your workout goals. So make it convenient!

If you are a gym person, pick a gym close to home or work, and pack your bag the night before so even if you are running late in the morning, you can simply grab-and-go.

If you like exercising outdoors, pick a park or pathway close by, and ask a friend to join! Research shows that a workout buddy who is slightly fitter than us can motivate us to push ourselves harder during a workout.

Plus, you don’t want to be that person who ditches her friend on an early morning jog, do you?

5) Don’t be hard on yourself!

Getting off track is part of the progress. Think about it this way — if something goes wrong at work, do you quit your job? If you get into a fight with your partner, do you break up with them right away?

Same logic applies to your fitness goals. If you fall off course, skip a few workouts, or lose track of your diet, simply get back up and continue where you left off. It is not important how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop!

Health news Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog: Top 3 health tips: easy ways to lose weight

Would you like to cut about 500 calories from your daily diet without even realizing it? All you have to do is turn the following tips into habits, and you'll drop one pound per week, 26 pounds in six months, or 52 pounds by next year!

Stick to the strategy from Prevention magazine, published by Rodale of Emmaus, and watch the scale drop to a new low.

SNACK IN AFTERNOON, NOT MORNING

1. If you're divvying up your total daily calories among five or six smaller meals to control hunger and lose weight, you may be able to get by with one less snack and slim down even more. According to one study, a mid-morning snack is less effective for weight loss than a mid-afternoon one.

IGNORE THE WORDS 'LOW FAT'

2. It may sound counterintuitive but a Cornell study found people eat up to 50 percent more when a product is labeled low-fat. This is known as the "halo effect," because it makes the product appear healthful, prompts us to feel virtuous and — you guessed it — we end up eating more. Here's the rule: Eat the same amount of the "skinny" version as you normally would the "fat" version and you'll cut calories.

EXERCISE IN THE MORNING

3. Women who work out in the morning reduce their appetite and boost their total physical activity throughout the day, according to researchers. But here's the fine-print: The appetite-reducing effect only lasts for a short time, until body temperature returns to normal after exercise. However, since moving in the morning apparently encourages more movement all day, try four or five short bursts of activity (take the stairs, park in the outer reaches of the parking lot, do some crunches …) for best results.

More tips? Just visit Micron Associate website. It's All About Your Health News Blog. Inspiring ideas for everyday living. We care about what works--what is sustainable, prosperous, productive, creative, and just--for all of us and each of us. This isn’t easy, but we are not afraid to fail. We’ll figure it out as we go.

Health News Micron & Associates Hong Kong Blog: 7 tips for eating healthier in 2015

TORONTO – Eat more fruit and vegetables. Hit the gym every day. Cut down on sugar, salt and processed fare. New Year’s resolutions are hard to maintain, especially when they’re unsustainable. General goals are lofty, so it’s easy to fail.

Global News asked a handful of Dietitians of Canada experts from coast to coast for their tips on hitting the health reset button in the new year.

Remove distractions so you can eat mindfully: Try to eat your meals at the dining room table at home and in the lunchroom at work — without distractions, according to Saskatoon dietitian Brook Bulloch. If this is a foreign concept to you, you might want to start with one or two meals a week and go from there.

“Savour the flavour of your food and pay attention to the texture, taste and color of your food. You can also ask yourself whether you truly enjoy the food you are eating,” she suggests.

Avoid fad diets that forbid entire food groups: If you create strict rules — don’t eat fried food, give up sugar, cut out all carbohydrates, for example — you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Don’t start with a laundry list of changing either. Instead, make one change to your diet and commit to it for a couple of weeks before adding another change, says Andrea Miller, a Durham, Ont. dietitian.

“You could try switching from white rice to brown rice. Or you could try packing a piece of fruit for an afternoon snack – instead of searching for a sweet treat when at work or school. These small changes will add up in the long run,” Miller told Global News.

Track your goals and make them count: Your goals should be SMART — specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely, according to Angel Ong, a Montreal-based dietitian.

That means you can’t get away with “Eat healthy in 2015” generic objectives. Instead, say “I will eat at least two servings of vegetables each day in January.”

Use free smartphone apps to help you track your progress. She suggests eaTracker, but others are also popular: MyFitnessPal, PactApp, Fitocracy and Day One have also been recommended by experts to Global News.

Create a healthy eating environment at work: You spend at least 40 hours a week at work, where you’re tempted by a coworker’s birthday cake, pizza lunches and morning donuts with coffee. These temptations could sabotage your attempt at carving out healthy habits, says Kate Comeau, a Halifax-based dietitian and spokesperson for the Dietitians of Canada.

“Studies suggest that when snacks are visible and accessible, we eat more. Help your coworkers and yourself by sticking to healthy snacks or less frequent treats,” she said.

Other experts told Global News that when you’re hitting vulnerable parts of your workday — that 3 p.m. lull when you’re craving a snack for example — create a new habit, such as taking a 10-minute walk during that time of the day.

Give meatless meals an honest try: You could be convinced that you need meat in each of your meals, but keep in mind that legumes, such as beans, lentils and pulses are also great sources of protein.

Legumes are also sources of soluble fibre, which can lower harmful cholesterol levels (LDL cholesterol) and they maintain even blood sugar levels, according to Toronto-based dietitian Christy Brissette.

Legumes are also packed with iron. A Canadian study released in 2014 suggested that just a single serving a day of these pulses can cut down on bad cholesterol by as much as five per cent over the course of six weeks and decrease your risk of heart disease.

Use measuring cups or a food scale to help you learn portion sizes: You may have relied on your hands to help you navigate portions – a fist is about a cup, a palm as a rough guide to 3 ounces of meat. Vashti Verbowski, a Vancouver-based dietitian, is calling on consumers to pull out the measuring cups and food scales to help them understand how much they’re eating.

“The larger the portion we serve ourselves, the more we tend to eat. If you want to lose or maintain your weight this year, revisit your portion sizes. Find out what a ‘usual’ portion size looks like for you, then scale your portions down,” she advised.

If you usually pile up two cups of potatoes or rice on your place, for example, aim for one cup instead. Fill the space with non-starchy vegetables, such as carrots, bell peppers, green beans or broccoli.

Get in the kitchen: If your 2014 was spent at the drive-thru, with take-out menus, and eating out of Styrofoam boxes, try to get back in the kitchen, says Waterloo-based dietitian Andrea D’Ambrosio.

“We have become increasingly dependent on ultra-processed food, convenience foods and restaurant meals. This year, choose to cook your own food more often,” she told Global News.

Start small – promise to cook up a meal once a week and match a large batch so there’s extra that you can freeze or take to work. When you prepare your meals at home, you control how much salt, fat and sugar is in your diet.

Micron Associates Health and Fitness on Dangers of sitting still (Part 2): How to reduce sitting time

We have previously posted why sitting for long hours is actually a dangerous thing to do, so for this second installment we're hoping to give some pointers that could help all of us sitters prevent a health disaster.

Like what Micron Associates Health and Fitness mentioned before, little changes in your routine can make a big difference. Whether you're just watching the telly or working at the computer, taking periodic breaks and short walks are commonly recommended. The idea is to get you to move more, which is way easier to do once you've managed to stand up.

So to give us perpetual sitters some tips on how to avoid the dangers of sitting without switching desks (or jobs), here goes:

- Stand up every few minutes and maybe do a light chore like sweeping or arranging stuff on your desk.

- Ditch the remote control so every time you want to switch channels, you'll have to stand up.

- Go somewhere else while working on your laptop instead of just getting stuck at your cubicle. You can go to the pantry and place your laptop on the counter while you're standing.

- Intentionally keep office supplies and rubbish bins far away from your desk.

- Need something from your officemate? Stand up and go up to him instead of sending him an IM. Not only will you get a chance to stretch your legs and take your eyes off the monitor, you'll also exercise your social skills.

- Use the Pomodoro technique of setting a timer (or an alert app), ideally every 20 minutes, suggested Micron Associates Health and Fitness. Apparently, frequent intervals in between tasks can increase productivity. This way, you can also break down your tasks into 20-minute chunks which should be easy to accomplish.

- During coffee breaks or trip to the bathroom, always take the longer route. Use the bathroom on a different floor so you'd be obliged to take a couple of flight of stairs. For instance, if you're on the 6th floor, use the bathroom on the 3rd floor or if you're working on the ground floor, take the stairs and go up a couple floors.

- Instead of a large mug or a water carafe stationed at your desk within arms' reach, keep a small cup of water with you. This way, you'll have to get up regularly to the water cooler to fill it up. Not only will you keep yourself busy, you'll have the side benefit of frequent trips to the toilet -- added exercise.

For all this sitting-is-bad-for-you talk, we don't really mean to dissuade everyone from sitting after a hard day's work. Keep in mind that what we're talking about here is sitting still for long periods of time and having very little muscle activity.