ShapeUp Enhances Online Health Tracking with BodyMedia FIT Armband System Integration

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Jul
2012BodyMedia FIT teams up with ShapeUp for system integration that will include tracking for how many calories burned, activity level, sleep and food tracking.

(1888PressRelease) July 25, 2012 - Social networking-based employee wellness platform provider ShapeUp today announced the addition of calorie burn tracking and other key data to advance individual weight loss and wellness efforts through integration with the BodyMedia FIT armband-based body monitoring system. The integration enhances the clinically proven social wellness tools that ShapeUp offers to drive cost-effective participation, long-term engagement and positive outcomes in corporate health programs.

By wearing BodyMedia FIT Armbands that collect physiological data with highly accurate proprietary sensors and also maintaining food logs in the online BodyMedia Activity Manager, participants in ShapeUp's employee wellness programs can track their daily calorie consumption, steps, activity, how many calories they've burned and sleep quantity and quality - all important measures for health and weight loss. Once they have synced to the BodyMedia system, users can upload this data to ShapeUp's corporate wellness platform to share progress with colleagues in a social networking environment for team support, assess progress toward their goals, and in many cases earn financial incentives from their employers for their participation and achievements.

"Integration with BodyMedia technology allows our program participants to effortlessly and accurately track and analyze their personal health data, which is a critical component for successful behavior change and health improvement," said Dr. Rajiv Kumar, founder and chief executive officer of ShapeUp. "We are constantly working to provide our clients and participants with the most effective technology-powered tools for success, and BodyMedia systems are an important addition to the arsenal."

"Programs like ShapeUp have embraced behavioral modification tools to help participants make lifestyle changes that benefit their health. Our BodyMedia FIT armband system aligns directly with that mission," said Christine Robins, BodyMedia CEO. "With our system measuring variables like calorie burn and food intake on a daily basis, companies using the ShapeUp program enable their employees to see what they're doing wrong in terms of weight management, motivate them to change, and ultimately bring their weight under control ."

Both ShapeUp and BodyMedia FIT armband technology have been clinically proven to help promote weight loss, with BodyMedia systems having been shown to help users lose three times more weight (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3112373/) than behavioral support alone.

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Jeremy Solomon Opticians Of Welwyn Garden City Expands Online To Help A Larger Audience

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Jul
2012Jeremy Solomon Opticians is venturing online in order to expand his reach, and help the online community answer their eye care questions, by writing expert articles on all topics. Jeremy aims to be recognised as one of the best independent opticians.

(1888PressRelease) July 11, 2012 - Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire - As part of Jeremy Solomon's new push to become the established best opticians in Welwyn Garden City( http://jeremysolomonopticians.co.uk/ ) and growing its audience further afield Jeremy Solomon Opticians has launched a new website.

Jeremy Solomon is the head optometrist and owner since 1990 and has served 10's of thousands of happy customers during that time. The new website is to a very high standard,which is what you should come to expect about the service products and aftercare, Jeremy says.

The reason for the new investment into a new website and wanting to build new customer relationships online is because of the continued success of the family run business. Since the doors opened 22 years ago, there has been a steady growth in customers up to a point today where Jeremy Solomon saw an opportunity to expand his reputation online and seek further recognition in the eye care community, aiming to become one of the best independent opticians in the UK.

A customer recently left a testimonial which demonstrates the growing geographical area of where people are travelling to visit Jeremy Solomon Opticians -

"I travel far to see Jeremy - that speaks for itself...." R WHEELER (BIGGLESWADE)

Biggleswade is more than 22 miles away from the practice!

What is different about this independent opticians website is that it's more usable and provides more eye care information due to the commitment from Jeremy Solomon to write articles that will help existing customers and visitors, before they even have to physically visit an optician. Furthermore there is a GOC registered optician replying to your questions the very same day via phone and email between 9am and 5:30pm, Monday to Saturday.

Along with the new website has come new services, including Laser eye surgery advice( http://jeremysolomonopticians.co.uk/services/laser-eye-surgery-advice ), where by Jeremy Solomon offers impartial advice and can refer you to an experienced ophthalmologist. Jeremy Solomon also likes to emphasise the special home visiting service for any customers that can't reach him at the practice, or would like the convenience of completing an eye test at home.

There is more good news too; the website is hosting special promotions which will see you save money on things like eye tests in the future for example. As of July the special online offer is free lenses with frames( http://jeremysolomonopticians.co.uk/promotions ).

Any savvy and money conscious existing or new customers should take a visit to the promotions page on JeremySolomonOpticians.co.uk before arriving to the practice.

In the future Jeremy Solomon aims to provide his services to a wider audience, attracting customers from nearby towns such as Hatfield, Enfield, Stevenage, and parts of North London. Furthermore there are ideas of turning the website into an online shop, selling contact lenses, glasses and accessories, from his store, for the convenience of his customers.

About Jeremy Solomon Opticians

Jeremy Solomon Opticians has been delivering eye care to Hertfordshire in the UK for 22 years. The practice is located outside the front entrance of the Howard Centre in Welwyn Garden City. Jeremy Solomon Opticians stands out because of its level of customer service, whilst still being affordable. Jeremy has been published in Hertfordshire life magazine more than several times to inform its readers of the developments of eye care. The new website is called http://JeremySolomonOpticians.co.uk.

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Online weight loss programs that feature successful dieters may help

ScienceDaily (June 20, 2012) — A Web-based program featuring successful strategies of others who have lost weight may be an effective strategy for weight loss, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

See Also:Health & MedicineDiet and Weight LossFitnessObesityMind & BrainDieting and Weight ControlObstructive Sleep ApneaDementiaLiving WellReferenceLiposuctionGeneral fitness trainingWeight WatchersOverweight

Researchers created a website called AchieveTogether and evaluated the weight-loss success of users. They compared users with a group of people attempting to lose weight on their own, and then allowed that second group access to the site 12 weeks later.

"Internet-based weight loss programs could help address the obesity epidemic, as they can be widely shared and used with low costs," said Jennifer L. Kraschnewski, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of medicine and public health sciences. "Existing Internet-based weight-loss strategies have largely promoted weight-loss strategies designed by health professionals, including goal-setting and features to promote social interaction. These programs have had modest short-term effects, suggesting that exploring alternative approaches may be beneficial."

The researchers used positive deviance to design their Web-based program. Positive deviance is the idea that solutions to problems exist within a population experiencing that problem. By generalizing what behaviors or approaches work for those who are most successful -- typically the top 10 percent -- strategies are developed that may help the general population achieve certain goals.

"Positive deviance has been used in diverse health-related interventions, but has not previously been used in weight-loss interventions," Kraschnewski said.

For AchieveTogether, users were educated on 36 weight-loss behaviors identified in a previous study of people who maintained a weight loss of at least 30 pounds. These behaviors were evaluated by a physician for safety.

Participants logged in to the site at least once a week and were asked to record their weight, height and frequency of using the weight loss practices. They were matched to three role models closest to them for gender, age and target body weight and could then view their role model's strategies for weight loss.

Participants developed a weight-loss plan by choosing as many of the strategies as they wanted and were encouraged to choose at least one.

"At each log in, participants received tailored feedback to help them choose which practices to keep doing or learned ways to adapt them based on their own activity," Kraschnewski said.

Users of the AchieveTogether website lost about 4.5 pounds more weight than the control group. Results were published in American Journal of Preventative Medicine.

"While this is modest weight loss, it is in the range we have seen for other Internet-based weight loss programs, including those with more human contact," Kraschnewski said. "Because AchieveTogether, or a similar program, can be offered free, it could increase physician referrals for weight management and be a cost effective way to promote weight loss on a public health scale."

Future research will look at how to increase engagement with the website, examine individual characteristics associated with different outcomes and explore best how to use the experience of a diverse group to build a more complete program of weight loss interventions and management.

Other researchers on the project were Heather L. Stuckey, D. Ed., Liza S. Rovniak, Ph.D., M.P.H., Jennifer M. Poger, M.Ed., and Christopher Sciamanna, M.D., M.P.H., Department of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine; Erik B. Lehman, M.S., and Donna K. Kephart, M.H.A., Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine; Madhu Reddy, Ph.D., College of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State; and Elliot J. Coups, Ph.D., Department of Health Education and Behavioral Science, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

This study was funded under a grant with the Pennsylvania Department of Health using Tobacco CURE Funds and by the National Institutes of Health.

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Minors have an easy time buying alcohol online

Reuters – 1 hr 26 mins ago NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Nearly half of all attempts by underage buyers to purchase alcohol online were successful in a new study, exposing weaknesses in both delivery companies' and online vendors' systems for verifying customer ages.

"We know that young people will search for the easiest avenue to access alcohol," said Alexander Wagenaar, a health outcomes and policy researcher at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, who was not involved in the study.

"There needs to be real age and ID checking when it's ordered as well as when it's delivered," he told Reuters Health.

The study did not show how often underage buyers actually purchase alcohol online in real-world settings.

But to measure how easy it might be, researchers asked eight young adults, aged 18 to 20 years old, to try to buy alcohol from 100 online vendors.

If websites asked for identification, the buyers could give a false age, but the study required them to provide their real ID card if it was requested.

Among the retailers, only 12 rejected the sale because of the age of the buyer.

Another 16 purchases were stopped at the point of delivery when the driver checked the recipient's ID.

Some attempts to purchase alcohol failed not because the buyer was underage, but for example because a credit card was denied or the vendor wouldn't ship to the buyer's state.

In the end, 45 out of the 100 attempts ended up with alcohol in the hands of a minor, according to findings published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Those deliveries included wine, beer and hard liquor.

Rebecca Williams, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who led the study, said she was surprised that minors using their real IDs could buy alcohol online.

"We would imagine that the success rates would have been even higher if they hadn't been forced to use their real ID," she told Reuters Health.

Her study found that deliveries made by FedEx were more likely to overlook the age of the recipient, despite company policies to check identification.

Scott Fiedler, a spokesman for the company, wrote in a statement emailed to Reuters Health that "we take the findings in this report seriously and hope the researches will share additional details with us. After we have had time to review the study, we will take any necessary corrective action to ensure our policies are being followed."

Many of the alcohol vendors in the study exclusively sell wine.

Tom Wark, the executive director of the Specialty Wine Retailers Association, said "just like brick-and-mortar stores, online retailers of alcohol have to be more careful and more rigorous in terms of how they monitor sales that come into their websites."

But Wark took issue with the suggestion that minors are buying wine online in real-world settings.

The process can take one to two weeks, it includes substantial delivery charges, "and then I have to hope my parents aren't around when it's delivered," Wark told Reuters Health. "It's more expensive, very difficult to carry out and much easier to get alcohol in other ways."

Wagenaar said studies have shown that when laws are enforced and retail stores are monitored, about 15 to 20 percent of brick-and-mortar outlets will continue to sell to minors.

When laws are not enforced, as many as 75 to 80 percent of offline stores will sell to minors, he said.

"I think we need policy reform to restrict youth access to alcohol online," said Williams. "Very little policy attention has been given to this industry compared to the Internet tobacco industry."

"Furthermore, substantial restrictions to youth access can be achieved by FedEx and UPS revising and enforcing their own policies," she added.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/JhG9n5 Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, online May 7, 2012.

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Online Tool Could Diagnose Autism Quickly, Developers Say

HealthDay – 2 mins 52 secs ago TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- A new online procedure could cut from hours to minutes the amount of time it takes to accurately diagnose autism in young children, resulting in earlier treatment, a new report by Harvard Medical School researchers says.

The process relies on seven questions plus a short home video of an individual child.

The research team said its method could reduce by nearly 95 percent the time it takes to diagnose autism and could be easily included in routine child screening practices, greatly increasing the number of at-risk children who get checked for the disorder.

"We believe this approach will make it possible for more children to be accurately diagnosed during the early critical period when behavioral therapies are most effective," Dennis Wall, an associate professor of pathology and director of computational biology initiative at the Center for Biomedical Informatics, said in a medical school news release.

The research is published in the April 10 online edition of the journal Nature Translational Psychiatry.

Currently, children being evaluated for autism typically take a 93-part questionnaire and/or an examination that assesses several types of behaviors. These evaluations must be performed by a trained clinician and can take up to three hours to complete.

In many cases, there is a delay of more than a year between initial signs of autism and a diagnosis. This is due to waiting times to see a professional who can administer the tests and deliver the formal diagnosis, Wall explained.

He and his colleagues examined data from more than 800 people who were diagnosed with autism and found that only seven questions were needed to diagnose autism with nearly 100 percent accuracy.

The researchers also found that a shorter assessment of behavioral traits could be used to evaluate children, and this could be achieved by viewing short home video clips of children.

"With this mobilized approach, the parent or caregiver will be able to take the crucial first steps to diagnosis and treatment from the comfort of their own home, and in just a few minutes," Wall said.

One expert said that such a test would be useful, but more research into its effectiveness is needed.

"Although the accuracy and specificity of the abbreviated approach are impressive, it is likely that this abbreviated approach to testing may not be quite as accurate and discriminating when evaluating a more diverse sample than was included in the study just reported," said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York, in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

"At this time, concerned parents are advised to discuss concerns about their child's development with their pediatrician. Children under 3 years of age are entitled to a free developmental evaluation through their local early intervention program. Likewise, preschool children (ages 3 to 5) can be evaluated for free through their local school district," he added.

"Pediatricians and pediatric sub-specialists are generally able to make a clinical diagnosis of autism using current diagnostic criteria," Adesman said, and "families wishing a second opinion about a child with possible autism may wish to consult with a developmental pediatrician, child neurologist or child psychiatrist."

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Here's where you can find the seven-question survey.

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Being Ignored Feels Just as Bad Online

HealthDay – 1 hr 34 mins ago MONDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- Being ignored feels just as bad when it happens online as when it happens in person.

That's the conclusion of a new study that looked at the emotional impact of feeling excluded using social media, such as Facebook, compared to face to face.

"If you've ever felt bad about being ignored on Facebook, you're not alone," study author Joshua Smyth, a professor of biobehavioral health and medicine at Penn State University, said in a university news release. "Facebook -- with its approximately 800 million users -- serves as a place to forge social connections; however, it is often a way to exclude others without the awkwardness of a face-to-face interaction."

Smyth and colleagues from Misericordia University used two studies to examine how people perceived exclusion in person and in online chat rooms.

In the first study, 275 college students were asked to predict how they would feel about being ignored during a conversation. The students expected to feel somewhat distressed and thought the exclusion would take a toll on their self-esteem regardless of whether it took place online or face-to-face.

In the second study, the researchers staged an introductory conversation involving 77 college students who thought they were involved in a study on first impressions. Half of the students were excluded in an online chat room. The others were ignored in person by research assistants posing as fellow study participants.

Participants in both scenarios felt equally stung.

"Contrary to our expectation, the students' responses to rejection were not primarily characterized by severe distress, but rather characterized by numbness and distancing or withdrawal," Smyth said.

The researchers noted that the students expected the exclusion to feel worse than it actually did, and that students also thought they were ignored because of a problem with others, not themselves.

The findings were published in a recent online issue of Computers in Human Behavior.

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The Stanford University Encyclopedia of Philosophy provides more information on friendship.

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Get the best eyelash extension and beauty solutions through online service providers

April 4, 2012 by adminActually, the long and beautiful eyelashes depend upon your food and genetics. People get long eyelashes naturally but if you don’t have them, then can even get them artificially. There are many ways of getting longer eyelashes, as you can opt for eyelash extension. Through this process of eyelash extension you get longer, thicker and attractive eye lashes. Moreover, it does not look artificial and gives your eyelashes a natural look.

If you are also willing to get those protracted and beautiful eyelashes then there are many products to help you. Infact, there are many online services that offer variety of artificial eyelashes. Through these online services you can get your eyelash extension done with the Best Mink Extension Salon In Orlando.

Mink eyelashes are the most luxurious artificial eyelash.

This Mink Extensions Orlando are applied only when required. These can not be worn every time. So, they are available in strips which are very convenient to wear.

There are so many variety and quality available in mink eyelashes. If you are willing to get the best eyelash extension, then you should opt for Mink Eyelash Extensions Orlando. The mink eyelashes are made from selected minks. Actually, they are obtained by simply brushing the live mink’s fur hair by hand. These mink fur are not subjected to dyes or chemicals. So, they retain rich velvety appearance.

You can get these exclusive Orlando Mink Eyelash Extensions easily through online service providers. Apart from eyelash extension they offer you many other services as well. Hair extension, creative color, make-ups are some other services which are offered by these online service providers or salons.

The best feature of these online services is that you can fix your appointment online according to your likelihood and comfort. These online services provide highly personal approach to all their services. They offers full range of services that includes full nail saloon, complete hair care, eyelash extension, makeup application and much more.

In other words you can say that through these online services you can get complete beauty care solutions. These online salons offer you the facility that you can fix your prior appointment anytime and you can even go through the entire service range they are offering. These online services provide maximum customer satisfaction and contentment with their service. If you are also willing to get the best eyelash extension or any other beauty solution then just fix up your appointment online and avail these instant and satisfying services.

Hair Loss

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Online Media Diva And Wellnx Life Sciences Management Announce Their Collaboration For Media Digital Initiative For Slimquick

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Feb
2012Wellnx Life Sciences, Makers Of Slimquick, Announces Their Digital Media Partnership With Online Media Diva, Inc.

(1888PressRelease) February 25, 2012 - MANHATTAN BEACH, CA - Online Media Diva, Inc. has been tapped by Wellnx Life Sciences to spearhead the website, Facebook, social media, and online advertising initiatives for their popular SLIMQUICK brand. The partnership aims to increase name recognition of the already well-known product. Marne Strickland, the founder and CEO of Online Media Diva, Inc. said of the partnership: "We're very excited about working with SLIMQUICK to help them bring their presence online.

The SLIMQUICK products help women lose weight and become their healthier selves. I personally love to empower and motivate women, so we're very happy about being a part of this project." Online Media Diva, Inc. has been working with numerous companies to establish their presence online for over a decade. This union partners a customer-service driven online media agency with a brand that aims to help people improve their lives. Brad Woodgate from Wellnx Life Sciences Management said "Online Media Diva, Inc. has been a great asset to our team. We look forward to launching our online presence with their expert guidance."

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National Gallery of Art opens collections online

Project Re:Brief’: Rethinking web advertisingHylton season features Chucho Valdes, Arlo Guthrie and Lorin MaazelKennedy Center Spring Gala celebrates hitmaker David FosterYoda, world’s ugliest dog, diesEntries By CategoryAboutJacqueline TrescottJazzNational Endowment for the Artsnational endowment for the humanitiesStories By DateFull Monthly Archive Posted at 07:00 PM ET, 03/15/2012TheWashingtonPostBy Jacqueline Trescott

Now anyone can develop a miniature National Gallery of Art on Pinterest or any mobile device or online program.

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