Social media frequently touts weight loss trends and solutions. However, there’s another aspect to healthy eating that’s underappreciated but critical for overall wellness—gut health. 

The body contains approximately 40 trillion bacteria, most of which are found in your gut, according to “Molecular Science.” The right balance of these bacteria is the key to good gut health. 

Keeping your digestive system on track is important in your overall well-being, including immune and mental health, according to “Clinical Practice.” When there is a gut bacteria imbalance, many people experience discomfort or digestive issues. 

To help improve and maintain gut health—and your overall wellness—consider these tips from Mia Syn, M.S., RDN, and Chobani:

1. Get a dose of probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed. They aid digestion and help maintain a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria. 

2. Focus on fiber. Fiber helps keep digestion running smoothly. One type of fiber, prebiotics, may be especially beneficial because they help nourish and support the growth of good gut bacteria to create a balanced and healthy microbiome. 

3. Power up with protein. While protein is not directly involved in nourishing gut bacteria, it provides essential amino acids and other nutrients that contribute to a healthy gut and overall digestive function. Protein is essential for the repair and maintenance of the gut lining, digestive enzyme production, efficient gut motility, and more.

Options like Chobani Zero Sugar Drinks (not a low-calorie food) provide 10 grams of protein per 7-ounce serving, plus billions of probiotics. Available in four flavors—Mixed Berry, Peaches & Cream, Strawberry Cheesecake and Milk & Cookies—the drinks are perfect while on the go or can be used as an ingredient in recipes like this Protein-Powered Chia Pudding 4 Ways. Sweetened with only natural sugar alternatives, free of lactose and preservatives, these drinks contain 0 grams of total sugar, are 50 calories, and are made using only natural, non-GMO ingredients. 

Find more recipes and solutions to support gut health at chobani.com. 

Protein-Powered Chia Pudding 4 Ways

Prep time: 15 minutes

Servings: 1 per flavor

Mixed Berry Blast:

1 Chobani Zero Sugar Mixed Berry Drink 

3 tablespoons chia seeds 

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup 

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or chopped strawberries)

Peaches and Cream Dream:

1 Chobani Zero Sugar Peaches & Cream Drink 

3 tablespoons chia seeds 

2 teaspoons manuka honey 

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 peach, chopped

1 tablespoon sliced almonds 

Strawberry Cheesecake Delight:

1 Chobani Zero Sugar Strawberry Cheesecake Drink 

3 tablespoons chia seeds 

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup 

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup chopped strawberries

2 tablespoons low-sugar granola

Milk and Cookies Madness:

1Chobani Zero Sugar Milk & Cookies Drink 

3 tablespoons chia seeds 

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup 

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cacao nibs

2 teaspoons chopped hazelnuts

To make Mixed Berry Blast: In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk the mixed berry drink, chia seeds, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to thicken, then stir to distribute seeds. Stir in 1/2 cup berries and transfer to serving glass. Top with remaining berries.

To make Peaches and Cream Dream: In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk peaches and cream drink, chia seeds, honey, and vanilla extract. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to thicken, then stir to distribute seeds. Stir in half the peaches and transfer to a serving glass. Top with remaining peaches and sliced almonds. 

To make Strawberry Cheesecake Delight: In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk strawberry cheesecake drink, chia seeds, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes to thicken, then stir to distribute seeds. Stir in 1/2 cup strawberries and transfer to a serving glass. Top with remaining strawberries and granola.

To make Milk and Cookies Madness: In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk milk and cookies drink, chia seeds, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Let tehe mixture sit for 10 minutes to thicken, then stir to distribute seeds. Transfer to serving glass and top with cacao nibs and chopped hazelnuts.

The post Getting to the Gut of It: Dietitian-approved tips for overall wellness appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

At Kingston Fashions, located at 3984 White Plains Road in the Bronx, their recent opening day celebration was a fabulous splash of hip-hop and Caribbean music, Harley Davidson motorcycles, and high-fashioned menswear. Once inside the well-designed shop, which offers two floors of menswear and a small baby line, you can feel the elegance while browsing through the latest styles from top designer fashion brands. Nice to find top quality, fashionable menswear uptown! Stop in and experience friendly, personable professionals who will help you find your best styles for every occasion.    

The owners, Mr. & Mrs. Blakk Hyenaz, recently purchased the store—originally established in 1978—while keeping the store’s original name. “My mom used to bring me to this Kingston Fashions store for shoes when I was a boy,” recalled Blakk. “It was always my dream to own and operate a store on White Plains Road of my own.” So when the former owner was ready to retire and sell, he was eager to step up and take over the space. “It was a dream come true,” he said. Blakk Hyenaz has also introduced its own brand, PB3, which includes some infant wear and sportswear in black and white on the second floor of the shop. There’s also a Harley Davidson motorcycle in the center of the shop; riding this motorcycle was another one of Blaykk’s dreams.

With COVID now relatively manageable and the vast change in the neighborhood, bringing new buildings, more businesses and a younger generation, Kingston Fashion can live on and serve the community, as well as folks from all over the world. Shoppers will recognize the brands of top designer names like Yves St. Laurent, Clark, Ferragano, Dolce Gabanna, and Clarks, just to name a few. The collection includes luxurious dinner jackets, suits, ties, jewelry, footwear, shirts, T-shirts, hats, belts, and pants. Available in all sizes, these clothes are all impeccably tailored in the finest fabrics, and you’ll find colors, as well as unusual prints. 

Store hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Stop in, and tell them you read about Kingston Fashions in the New York Amsterdam News!

Follow on IG at @blakk.hyenaz.

The post The BX welcomes Kingston Fashions for men appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

Last week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated that the Big Apple has already spent over 3 billion dollars to provide shelter, food, medical care, and social services for some 100,000 immigrant asylum-seekers who have so far arrived in the city from the U.S.’ southern border.

He further explained that for each family seeking asylum, the city spends an average of $383 per night. With more than 57,300 individuals currently in the care of NYC to date, that total is now $9.8 million a day, almost $300 million a month, and nearly $3.6 billion a year.

Adams has said that if the number rises to 100,000 asylum-seekers by the end of June 2025, the cost will skyrocket to $6.1 billion in taxpayer dollars. That means over the course of three fiscal years, the city could spend more than $12 billion.

The other nightmarish reality is that if the federal government does not keep pitching in, New Yorkers could be left with a $12 billion bill. 

Yet the mayor remains adamant that “New York City will not abandon our brothers and sisters seeking the American dream.”  His comments come even as many migrants were recently forced to sleep on the streets outside the Roosevelt Hotel because the city’s shelter system was full to capacity. 

As an immigrant and one who was previously undocumented, I admire the mayor’s commitment to helping brothers and sisters seek a better life in America. 

But I am also very aware of the years that could go by waiting for a work permit and green card because of processing times and backlogs. According to Title 8 of the United States Code, which governs immigration law, asylum seekers may receive authorization to work as soon as 180 days after filing an asylum application. 

However, the asylum system is currently heavily backlogged, and it can take an average of four years for a case to be adjudicated. During this time, asylum seekers are protected from deportation but otherwise lack status or access to most federal benefits. This will leave many migrants with no means to support themselves and largely fully dependent on the city. 

The question that Mayor Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and members of the New York City Congressional Delegation, as well as advocates, need to answer is: “Are they willing to support these immigrants for as long as it takes to get working papers—even if it means years from now?”

That is the harsh reality these asylum seekers face based on U.S. immigration law and, worst yet, in a backlogged system. Sorry, Mr. Mayor, but the current immigration plan is completely unsustainable, especially as taxpaying New Yorkers themselves battle inflation and rising rents. It is time to face reality and paraphrase Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by saying to the buses, the city is closed. Redirect to the White House! 

The writer is publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com – The Black Immigrant Daily News. She can be reached at felicia@caribpr.com. 

The post Sorry Mayor Adams, but the current immigration plan is unsustainable appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here