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Ah, the call of the brownie hits us all. Sometimes it’s midday, sometimes it’s midnight. Dense and rich, neither cake nor fudge, a chewy brownie satisfies that primal need. But sometimes you just don’t have every ingredient in the house when the need strikes. You’ve got some cocoa powder, flour, and sugar in the pantry, and just a few eggs in the fridge. Enter: these decadent pantry cocoa brownies that are so delicious, you may find yourself making them even when you have a kitchen packed with groceries.

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http://www.thealternativedaily.com/

Do you snore? Do you sleep with someone who snores? Almost 40% of men and 24% of women are what is called “habitual snorers” meaning they snore almost every time they are asleep. If you or a loved one snores you have probably tried innumerable home solutions including snore strips, anti snore pillows or even […]

https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/

Let’s talk about sex… ual harassment.

When speaking of sexual harassment, some of the more blatant and alarming examples of it tend to jump into mind.

• The construction worker who hollers highly inappropriate remarks at female passersby.
• The perverted teacher who demands sexual favors in exchange for better grades.
• The leering boss who makes sexual advances at female employees.
• The man who touches, grabs, gropes, or kisses a woman against her will.

But sexual harassment is not this straightforward.

For starters, although it is the higher trend, sexual harassment does not exclusively happen from man to woman. Anyone could be a victim of sexual harassment including other men, gay, queer and non-binary folks, people in positions of power, educated and uneducated individuals, poor or wealthy, of any culture and ethnic background, sexual orientation, physical constitution, and socioeconomic standing. And, likewise, anyone could be a perpetrator.

Societal norms change and shift and they have done so across the world and for centuries; some behaviors that previously would have gone unchallenged are now being pinpointed as unacceptable, and this is a good thing. As we know better, we do better.

What Is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is defined as unwanted physical or verbal advances imposed on a person. This definition is broad, and make no mistake, the varied expressions of sexual harassment can be extremely ample and diverse.

It is important to note that sexual harassment, more often than not, is actually not about sex itself. It is not about attraction, or desire, or romanticism. Sexual harassment is most often demeaning to the recipient; it looks like bullying and is an act of intimidation. It is insulting and dehumanizing.

One key concept that many fail to comprehend before diving into a discussion of sexual harassment is this:

Sexual harassment is dependent on individual interpretation, as perceived by the recipient.

What is normal and acceptable for one can be the worst form of harassment for another because we are all unique individuals, shaped by our own life experiences, upbringing, culture, language, family, sets of values and personal beliefs. And this is what makes sexual harassment a tricky topic: we tend to forget that our thoughts, rules, and interpretations can differ so vastly from other people’s.

Because of all of the above, sexual harassment cannot be narrowly defined.

Examples of Sexual Harassment

The following are all examples of sexual harassment, as described by the Ontario Human Rights Commission [1].

• Demanding hugs.
• Invading personal space.
• Initiating unnecessary physical contact,including unwanted touching,
• Using derogatory language and/or comments toward women (or men, depending on the circumstances), sex-specific derogatory names.
• Leering or staring inappropriately.
• Making gender-related comments about a person’s physical characteristics or mannerisms.
• Engaging in comments or conduct relating to a person’s perceived non-conformity with a sex-role stereotype
• Displaying or circulating pornography, sexual pictures or cartoons, sexually explicit graffiti, or other sexual images (including online)
• Making sexual jokes, including circulating written sexual jokes (e.g. by email)
• Using rough and vulgar humour or language related to gender
• Bullying a person through sexual or gender-related comment or conduct
• Spreading sexual rumours (including online).
• Making suggestive or offensive remarks or innuendo about members of a specific gender.
• Engaging in gender-related verbal abuse, threats, or taunting.
• Bragging about sexual prowess.
• Demanding dates or sexual favors.
• Making propositions of physical intimacy.
• Asking questions or having discussions about sexual activities.
• Requiring an employee to dress in a sexualized or gender-specific way.
• Engaging in paternalistic behaviour based on gender which a person feels undermines their status or position of responsibility.
• Using threats to penalize or otherwise punish a person who refuses to comply with sexual advances (known as reprisal).

Furthermore, “It should be understood that some types of comments or behavior are unwelcome based on the response of the person subjected to the behavior, even when the person does not explicitly object.  An example could be a person withdrawing, or walking away in disgust after a co-worker has asked sexual questions.” [1]

This is to say, the recipient doesn’t even have to verbalize their displeasure — other more subtle forms of objection are sufficient.

For some people, being asked to smile is cute and funny; for a lot of people, being asked to smile is uncomfortable or insulting.

For some people, being called “beautiful” from a passing car is a compliment; for other people, being called “beautiful” from a passing car is disrespectful and vulgar.

For some people, being touched without invitation could be a turn on; for most people, being touched without invitation is invasive, rude, and/or imposing.

You may be thinking, “Oh come on! Calling someone “beautiful” may come across as vulgar, but is it really harassment?” and the answer to that is, if the person on the receiving end deems it as harassment, then yes, yes it is.

“But it’s just innocent flirting!”
Not if for the other person it’s not.

“But I’ve done it before and it worked like a charm!”
Because to that specific person it was a welcomed action. Do not, however, make the mistake of assuming it will be the same for all.

Considering the individuality involved in what makes harassment harassment, it would be near impossible for us to guess if for a particular person, on a particular day, a specific action or phrase will qualify as sexual harassment. And it is because of this that our default assumption must be that other people are not seeking to be approached.

“But how will couples meet?! How will they fall in love if he doesn’t follow her, vy for her attention, insist to get her name, and show up uninvited at the end of her work shift?”

Just so we’re clear, romantic comedies are very poor examples of true romanticism and relationships. They are problematic because they tend to showcase harassment as a positive attribute, and they reinforce harmful gender stereotypes like the “wilting flower” of a woman who is saying no but must be meaning yes, or the “determined” guy who won her over because he refused to listen to her rejections.

Most romantic comedies are essentially stories in which a man being a harasser paid off. Makes no wonder we’re confused!

Until we let go of the Hollywood-esque and misrepresented notion of romantic love as a tug-of-war of the wills in which the man pushes past the woman’s boundaries in order to win her affections, can we start having an honest conversation about sexual harassment and how to put an end to it.

Then, we could tackle gender norms that teach women they should “play hard to get” and men to be “pursuers.” We could do away with games of “saying No when we want to say Yes,” (lest you want to be deemed as easy or a slut), and stop teaching young men that “any woman worth having will be difficult to get.”

Can you imagine a world in which we could all be honest in expressing our needs and desires without shame, while remaining completely respectful of others’ boundaries and wishes?

We can. And it is this world we strive for.

Sexual Harassment in the Fitness Industry

The fitness industry is rampant with sexual harassment.

It is an industry in which physical appearance is noted, highlighted, and commented upon. It is an industry that has been sexualized by how we view the outfits worn and amount of clothes used, the bodies of those who work in it, and so much more.

• Clients propositioning trainers.
• Trainers propositioning clients.
• Gym owners or bosses playing power dynamics with their subordinates.
• Female trainers being required to wear more revealing outfits than their male counterparts.
• Inappropriate commenting or sexualizing other trainers or clients.
• Experts and speakers whose egos are so inflated they feel entitled to objectify others.
• “Locker room talk” and all its variables…

We’ve seen it happen some time or another. And it is our collective duty to make it stop.

Ending Sexual Harassment

When harassment is not addressed, it is more likely to increase in magnitude and severity. It is everyone’s responsibility to prevent and put a stop to it.

1. Educate Yourself

Starting with the list above, become familiar with the different faces of sexual harassment. Take some time to learn about other people’s life experiences, and imagining scenarios in which the most banal (to you) of those examples could feel like harassment.

In other words, seek to understand others and their point of view. This is a powerful practice because suddenly others’ complaints don’t seem so silly or superficial.

In some cases there will be dramatic and clear reasons why, for example, a woman refuses a man’s advances; something like the fact that she just came out of an abusive relationship. For most people this would be a very clear and strong reason.

However, sometimes the legitimate reason she will refuse advances is simply because she doesn’t want them. And that’s it. And that’s enough. And that’s a perfectly valid reason to leave her be, no further explanations needed.

Once again: we are all different, want different things, like different things, and we are allowed to accept or decline attention in our own free will.

2. Call It Out

We can no longer afford to turn a blind eye when witnessing sexual harassment. “From a human rights perspective, it is not acceptable to choose to stay unaware of sexual harassment” [1].

We are required to speak up and act because that is the right thing to do, and also because it is our obligation.

“There is a clear human rights duty not to condone or further a discriminatory act that has already happened. To do so would extend or continue the life of the initial discriminatory act. This duty extends to people who, while not the main actors, are drawn into a discriminatory situation…” [1]. Bystanders no more.

Calling out sexual harassment may include confronting your male friends when they speak about women a certain way. It could mean you file a co-complaint in support of a victim when you witnessed them being harassed. It could also mean directly interfering in a harassment situation in the moment it is occurring.

Calling out sexual harassment may also mean you are the victim and are choosing to speak up, file a complaint, press charges, or take any other action needed. We recognize at times this may not be safe to do, and in those instances we recommend and hope you get support not only from loved ones, but also perhaps from a professional like a counselor. You don’t have to deal with this alone.

3. Take a Stand

No matter where you live or who you are, you can do plenty to help put an end to sexual harassment. We have given you some ideas above, but the most important factor will depend on you and your decision to take action.

If you are in a position of power, for example as a gym owner or company CEO, you must make ending sexual harassment your priority. In companies and organizations change has to come from the top, and not only with little handouts or mini workshops, but with clear examples of zero tolerance for sexual harassment, including putting time and thoughtful effort into prevention, and taking immediate action when a situation occurs. What is your organization’s action plan in case harassment occurs? If you don’t have one you are exposing yourself, your organization, and the potential victims to a lot of difficulty.

Even if you are not in a position of power, you have a circle of influence; we all do. Your circle of influence is comprised by your immediate family and friends, your acquaintances, co-workers, neighbors, extended family, service providers, clients, and other connections.

Take a stand within your circle of influence by having open conversations about sexual harassment and making your stance known.

Aim to become a person who others can come to for help in case they have been harassed. You can accomplish this not so much by announcing yourself as an ally or support, but by matching your actions to your value system:

• Refrain from putting into question victims of sexual abuse or harassment you see on the media.
• Remain open and welcoming of victims’ narratives.
• Openly challenge those who automatically disregard a victim’s story.

Actions, actions, actions.

Believe the Victim

There tends to be a knee-jerk reaction in hesitance to trust a victim’s word “just in case” she’s lying, even though statistically the incidences of false reporting of sexual harassment are very low [2].

When having to choose between believing a woman’s word versus believing the word of a man who holds a higher position or rank, has more power, influence, wealth, popularity, or social and professional recognition or connections, guess who is most likely to be given the benefit of the doubt? The accused man, of course. This is why oftentimes women refuse to report incidences of sexual harassment: they know nothing will be done about it.

Sexual harassment is very difficult to prove because without witnesses or electronic proof such as emails, pictures, or video, it is nothing but a game of “he said, she said.” And, as stated above, the victim — most often a woman — is likely to be ignored.

What can you do to remedy this situation? Believe the victim.

Don’t just state your support, act on it. Follow through with concrete actions to:

• Bring the harassment to light making sure others are made aware of the situation.
• Publicly reject the harasser’s actions.
• Ensure the harasser faces clear consequences and repercussions.

One important thing to remember is this: sexual harassment can be very damaging to the victim. It can affect a person mentally, emotionally, and financially. For the victim, having to deal with harassment can unleash a number of symptoms or effects, such as:

• Creating or increasing stress, anxiousness, anxiety or depression.
• Disrupting sleep patterns and ability to rest and recover.
• Impacting appetite, digestion, and overall wellness.
• Creating or exacerbating shoulder and/or back pain.
• Fostering feelings of isolation, anger, sadness, self-doubt, having been wronged.
• Losing work due to inability to focus.
• Losing income due to time and energy spent on managing the aftereffects of harassment.

Perhaps next time we are tempted to think a harasser “does not deserve” consequences to their actions we can keep in mind that the above repercussions are tangible and real in a victim’s life.

Sexual harassment is not innocent. It is not “guys being guys.” It is not a joke, it is not something done for fun or entertainment. Sexual harassment is serious, damaging and with the potential to negatively impact the lives of victims, harassers, and those involved in perpetuating it. It is time for it to end.

References

1. Ontario Human Rights Commission, Policy on preventing sexual and gender-based harassment. http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-preventing-sexual-and-gender-based-harassment-0
2. National Sexual Violence Resource Center, False Reporting Overview, https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/Publications_NSVRC_Overview_False-Reporting.pdf

The post Sexual Harassment in Life and in the Fitness Industry appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

I’ll admit that the backlash against the bodybuilding bros seemed cool at first, but things escalated quickly and both sides of the argument digressed into fitness tribalism, the kind that reminds one of the yelling matches in grade school gym class.

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Here’s a fun afternoon thought experiment: If Ina Garten were to take a peek into your pantry, what would she say?

• Upon sight of your collection of outrageous brownie ingredients: “Jeffrey’s going to love this!”
• After catching a glimpse of your salty snack selection: “Store-bought is fine!”
• Once she has rid your shelves of your “not-good” olive oil: “How easy was that?”

Now let’s zero in on your canned goods selection: Would your favorite staples earn Ina’s seal of approval too?

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For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions from readers. There was some good feedback after last week’s sauna post, and I want to address a few of the comments. First, does the fact that Finns don’t live as long as some of the other more storied “blue zone” populations despite using saunas negate the utility of the sauna? Second, what should we make of the recent study showing negative effects of sauna on sperm health? And third, isn’t it more “natural” and Primal to seek out smaller ambient temperature fluctuations, rather than brief exposures to extreme temperatures?

Let’s go:

Lots of Finnish references but the Fins are not one of the Blue Zone populations. Of the 5 BZ populations, the Okinawans may use a sauna/hot springs – not sure about the the other 4 though.

Finnish men do have the lowest life expectancy among Nordic countries. It’s still pretty good globally—84 years for women, 79 for men—but for being in one of the more developed areas of the world, it’s not great. Yet they use saunas, a supposedly life-extending practice. What gives?

The biggest killers of Finnish men are diabetes, heart disease, and alcohol. Some combination of diet, genes, environment, and lifestyle are contributing to those deaths—that’s what the Finns are up against. Most of the Blue Zones don’t have these issues:

They tend to be in milder climates with better access to sunshine.

They have lower levels of social isolation than Nordic countries like Finland.

They have more “longevity genes” than other areas. The Blue Zone Sardinians, for example, are the subjects of a major ongoing study into the genetics of longevity.

To say nothing of the diet differences.

Sauna usage may very well be keeping life expectancy higher than it should be, given the other risk factors. Research indicates that using a sauna 4-7 times per week confers a 40% reduction in all-cause mortality and even greater reductions in heart related deaths among middle aged Finnish men, which is the cohort most at risk of dying. These numbers, coupled with the numerous protective mechanisms outlined in the last sauna post, lead me to believe that saunas are helping, not hurting Finnish mortality.

Stefan pointed out:

One conundrum is that daily sauna use will sabotage your ballsack precisely because of the heat. Check this old nut-of-a-study:
https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/28/4/877/653255

Sadly, yes. This is a real issue.

What happened in this study?

10 men were recruited to participate. They were in their 30s, generally healthy, and, at baseline, had normal sperm parameters. For 3 months, they each used the sauna at 80-90?C twice a week for 15 minutes per session. Sperm parameters were tested at the start of the sauna use, after 3 months of sauna, and at 3- and 6-months post sauna. They included:

Sex hormones (testosterone, estradiol, FSH, LH, sex hormone binding globulin)

Sperm count (absolute number of sperm)

Sperm motility (ability of sperm to move independently and perform necessary functions)

Sperm histone/protamine ratios (indicative of sperm quality; smokers’ sperm more likely to have dysfunctional ratio, for example)

Sperm mitochondrial function

After three months of sauna, almost every parameter was negatively affected. Sex hormones remained the same, but sperm count and motility were greatly reduced. The proportion of sperm with dysfunctional histone/protamine ratios increased. Sauna increased the number of sperm with poor mitochondrial function. Luckily, everything returned to normal 6 months after sauna use stopped. But still, that’s a big effect.

This seems like a strong mark against using saunas when you’re trying to conceive. The doses were realistic (15 minutes a day, twice a week) and the effects significant. Not only do saunas appear to lower sperm count and motility, they may decrease the genetic fitness and quality of the surviving sperm. This could increase the risk of miscarriage and even have long term effects on the offspring,

If you’re an older guy uninterested in conceiving, this study shouldn’t affect your sauna habits. Sauna doesn’t affect your sex hormones, which have an outsized effect on the quality of your life. It just reduces the viability of your sperm.

If you’re a younger guy interested in having kids, don’t ignore these results. Avoiding saunas for 3-6 months before trying to conceive might be a good idea.

So, in the name of being seasonal and living naturally, what about just getting out in the heat (and not having an air conditioner–but yet cooking a lot) in the summer and being out in the cold in the winter and keeping the house temp low? Is that enough heat/cold exposure to have beneficial effects? (Might be harder to study.) Instead of taking the time to do something extra that takes up natural resources to create, get the exposure through living. Spend half the year hot and half the year cold. (Plus the cold exposure of going to the grocery store in hardly any clothes in the summer, and the heat exposure of going to someone’s house or the local school dressed for cold in the winter.) (Of course this only works in places that have different weather in the seasons.) Isn’t that more along the lines of Grok-ness?

This is ideal, yes. It’s a great point.

There’s actually some evidence that exposing oneself to cold and hot ambient temperatures, rather than maintaining a steady 70º at all times, is good for us.

As I pointed out in an older post, the general trend is that the more people are exposed to predictable, constant ambient temperatures through central heating, the more likely they are to gain weight. In mice, keeping all other variables (diet, activity, etc) the same while switching to a “thermoneutral” ambient temperature (the temperature at which organisms can maintain body temperature without expending any extra energy) triggered inflammation, increased atherosclerosis, ruined blood lipids, and made the mice obese.

Mild cold exposure (just a few degrees’ worth) was enough to activate brown fat (the metabolically active form that kicks in to keep us warm, burning calories in the process) in people. They achieved it by setting the thermostat a bit lower than normal—nothing extreme like ice baths.

I see saunas and cold baths as extreme stressors that address extreme deficiencies. Just like intense workouts can mitigate the effects of sitting around all the time and failing to get the constant low-level movement our physiologies expect, intense heat or cold exposure can mitigate the effects of indoor climate control. But they’re probably not enough. It’s probably better—and certainly more Primal—to also keep the heat down in the house, walk around in the cold in short sleeves, and get comfortable with hot weather.

One thing I’ve been experimenting with is limiting the amount of time I use the AC. I’m trying to just deal with hot days, whether by walking around in as little clothing as possible or creating air flow with open doors and windows. AC has always felt”stale” and “artificial.” I still use it when it’s unavoidable, but I’m beginning to almost enjoy the sensation of low level heat.

That’s it for today, folks. What’s your take on all this? Anyone conceive despite using the sauna? Anyone else trying to vary the ambient temperature in their life? Let me know down below.

Thanks for reading!

Tanskanen J, Anttila T. A Prospective Study of Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Mortality in Finland. Am J Public Health. 2016;106(11):2042-2048.

Laukkanen T, Khan H, Zaccardi F, Laukkanen JA. Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(4):542-8.

Garolla A, Torino M, Sartini B, et al. Seminal and molecular evidence that sauna exposure affects human spermatogenesis. Hum Reprod. 2013;28(4):877-85.

Giles DA, Ramkhelawon B, Donelan EM, et al. Modulation of ambient temperature promotes inflammation and initiates atherosclerosis in wild type C57BL/6 mice. Mol Metab. 2016;5(11):1121-1130.

Chen KY, Brychta RJ, Linderman JD, et al. Brown fat activation mediates cold-induced thermogenesis in adult humans in response to a mild decrease in ambient temperature. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013;98(7):E1218-23.

The post Dear Mark: Saunas and Finnish Longevity, Saunas and Sperm, What About Ambient Temperature? appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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When it comes to adding a good, filling, healthy, and affordable protein to a meal, there’s nothing easier than peeling open a tin of smoked trout. Whether I’m trying to throw together a serviceable dinner or I’m in the mood for a particularly decadent breakfast, it’s a quick and pretty delicious way to round out a dish. And, thanks to its shelf life, I can stock up and keep it on hand (I get mine at Trader Joe’s and usually snag five or six tins of it at a time).

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Our friends over at Apartment Therapy just revealed their most recent original makeover — this time a budget kitchen renovation in a small town in Illinois. If you missed the full kitchen reveal, head over to see all the before-and-after shots. They wound up spending less than $6,000 from head to toe, soup to nuts, which they felt pretty good about — especially given that the house sold less than a week (four days) after they shot the final kitchen.

Want to learn the budget breakdown, and hear all about the cost-cutting, penny-pinching decisions they had to make?

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I love a plump, juicy, summer heirloom tomato as much as the rest of the internet, but the second they’re out of season I dramatically pivot to the canned goods aisle. With the exception of a pint of cherry tomatoes, which I find to be consistently good year-round, I truly can’t remember the last time I bought a tomato from the produce aisle outside of the summer months.

That’s because, let’s be real — even in the summer, when we’re surrounded at the market by the best of the best — there are really only three good ways to enjoy a fresh tomato: doused in olive oil and flaky salt, piled atop a thick schmear of mayo on toast, or drizzled with a sweet balsamic glaze. And by the time the cold weather creeps in, tomatoes drastically lose their appeal.

It’s fine, though: Ever since I discovered canned whole peeled tomatoes that genuinely taste delicious, I’ve become happily willing to bid fresh tomatoes farewell.

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If you’re looking to boost your vegetable intake, I suggest you turn to soup. Sure, you can simply eat more salads, but adding soup to your routine is perhaps the easiest way to eat more veggies without having to fuss too much. You can load a pot with a mix of vegetables, add some broth, and in next to no time have a comforting meal that’s extra wholesome. Here are 10 of our favorite recipes.

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