An article in the Huffington Post highlights the importance of taking proper breaks in your life to optimize performance and mental clarity. 

Breaks are scientifically-proven to boost focus and productivity.

A  2008 University of Illinois study found that the brain's attentional resources drop after a long period of focusing on a single task, decreasing our focus and hindering performance. But even brief diversions, the study found, could significantly increase one's ability to focus on that task for prolonged periods of time.

"Like time, energy is finite; but unlike time, it is renewable," Energy Project CEO Tony Schwartz  wrote in the New York Times. "Taking more time off is counter-intuitive for most of us. The idea is also at odds with the prevailing work ethic in most companies, where downtime is typically viewed as time wasted."

It's nearly impossible to exercise optimal performance without allowing time for rest. The article states, " Over long periods of working, the brain uses up oxygen and glucose,  its primary forms of energy .  The brain uses enormous amounts of energy for an organ of its size,  according to Scientific American , "regardless of whether we are tackling integral calculus or clicking through the week's top 10 LOL cats."

What is the best way to take a break?

The FDA, US Food and Drug Administration, offers excellent tips on selecting and serving produce safely. Following is an excerpt with these tips:

Buy Right

• Choose produce that is not bruised or damaged.
• When buying pre-cut, bagged or packaged produce - such as half of a watermelon or bagged salad greens - choose only those items that are refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
• Bag fresh fruits and vegetables separately from raw meat, poultry, and seafood when packing them to take home from the market

Store Properly

• Store perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (like strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms) in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40° F or below. Use a refrigerator thermometer to check! If you're not sure whether an item should be refrigerated to keep its quality, ask your grocer.
• Refrigerate all produce that is purchased pre-cut or packaged .

Separate for Safety

• Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with soap and hot water between preparing raw meat, poultry, and seafood and preparing produce that will not be cooked.
• If possible, use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• If you use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher after use

Prepare Safely

• Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing and/or eating. Throw away any produce that looks rotten.
• Wash all produce thoroughly under running water before preparing and/or eating, including produce grown at home or bought from a grocery store or farmers' market. Washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash is not recommended.
• Even if you do not plan to eat the skin, it is still important to wash produce first so dirt and bacteria are not transferred from the surface when peeling or cutting produce.
• Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
• After washing, dry produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present on the surface

What About Pre-Washed Produce?

About Foodborne Illness: Know the Symptoms

• Vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain
• Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and body ache

For more information visit FDA.gov.

Reminder: you have easy access to  your lab results 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for many of your doctors.

There are two major clinical laboratories for most patient tests: LabCorp and Quest. Simply register on their websites for access to your personal records.