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Austin365: Austin's Online Community - Misson To Mexico

2009-10-03T17:15:00.001-05:00

Austin volunteers feeding need in Mexico. Church travel ban doesn't keep group from helping. For the past five years, Rachel Fannin, a stay-at-home mom, and Cherie Guy, an accountant, have joined dozens of Austinites from all corners of life in helping those they call "the poorest of the poor" — residents of dusty colonias on the outskirts of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. Read More

Austin365.com - Austin's Hot, Hip & Smart

2009-10-01T13:05:00.001-05:00

Whether you prefer hip, casual Austin, Texas, over the cosmopolitan allure of New York City is partly a matter of personal taste. Still, we asked six experts which 10 cities will emerge as the hottest, hippest destinations for highly mobile, educated workers in their 20s when the U.S. economy gets moving again. Our panelists–demographers, economists, geographers and authors on urban issues–picked their cities based on the criteria they deem most important, from economic diversity to lifestyle. Read More

Hulu To Livestream ACL 09'

2009-10-01T11:51:00.001-05:00

Starting at 1 p.m. on Friday - Sunday Hulu will be livestreaming the Austin City Limits Music Festival for the world to see. Read More

How To Survive Austin City Limits 09'

2009-09-30T14:54:00.001-05:00

Music lovers from around the world converge on Austin's Zilker Park for three intense days of live stage performances. With more than 130 bands appearing on eight stages, you know you are going to have fun. Here are a few tips on how to survive it. Welcome to the Live Music Capitol of the World. Read More

Austin365.com - Dave Matthews Band @ ACL 09'

2009-09-29T23:08:00.001-05:00

One of the most unique bands in history is finally making an appearance at Austin City Limits this year which starts Oct. 2-4,2009. Get your tickets before they sell out. oops, they're all gone. maybe next year. Read More

Pearl Jam @ Austin City Limits 2009

2009-09-29T15:51:00.001-05:00

At first considered the pariahs of Seattle’s grunge scene because songs like “Alive,” “Even Flow” and “Jeremy,” though dark and often disturbing, sounded great in arenas and helped sell millions of albums, Pearl Jam proved to be the standard-bearers for a genre formed as a reaction to rock-star excess rooted in the ideal of not selling out. Read More

Austin365.com - Austin City Limits Music Festival

2009-09-29T14:29:00.001-05:00

For those of you new to Austin, the ACL Music Festival is a three-day, eight stage event happening October 2-4, 2009 with 130 bands like Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Beastie Boys, and more. Read The Full LineUp

Austin365.com | Connect & Network in Austin

2009-09-24T00:18:00.001-05:00

Austin's own Social Network @ Austin365.com

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3 Ways To Break Your Sugar Habit

2009-09-06T12:52:00.000-05:00

I was at the coffee machine yesterday when my co-worker Carolyn asked me about the new sugar recommendation from the American Heart Association. Co-authored by EatingWell nutrition advisor Rachel K. Johnson, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D., the recommendation says to reduce our intake of added sugars to help your heart and waistline. Read More

What The Doctors Want You To Do

2009-09-05T16:47:00.000-05:00

You've heard it before: Eat a healthy diet, exercise and don't smoke, and you'll add years to your life. In fact, one study found that more than half of all deaths from chronic diseases among women could be avoided by following these commonsense strategies. Read More

4 Ways To Look Gorgeous In Photos!

2009-08-30T14:13:00.000-05:00

August is back-to-school time, so I thought this would also be a nice moment to take a refresher course in taking fabulous pictures. Even if you just want to update that Facebook profile pic or simply look better in those weekend snapshots with the girls, here are a couple of secrets from Kimara Ahnert, a makeup artist in New York City: Read More

Get Rid of Age Spots

2009-08-29T13:46:00.000-05:00

Age spots are always an unwelcome sight. While they may be associated with old age, men and women in their twenties develop age spots as well. Once they make an appearance, the search for answers and treatment options begins. Read More

How To Thin Out Thick Hair

2009-08-29T12:55:00.000-05:00

ForeverAlluring.com | Beauty StoreThick hair can be problematic both because certain hair styles don't look good with thicker hair and also because thick hair tends to "poof" out like clown hair. There are a number of opinions about what to do for the problem other than actual thinning out of individual hairs. This article identifies some options for this dilemma. Read More

The "Pistachio Principle" of Weight Loss

2009-08-28T13:34:00.000-05:00

James Painter, PhD, RD, has come up with a new, non-dieting approach to weight loss that he calls the "Pistachio Principle." He says his experiments have shown that people can consume fewer calories without consciously restricting themselves, and yet finish a meal feeling as satisfied and full as does the average American who consumes more calories. Read More

3 Junk Foods That Can Save Your Life

2009-08-26T13:05:00.001-05:00

Come again? Junk food can ... save us? This, gals, you've got to read! Read More

Doing The Dye!

2009-08-25T16:53:00.000-05:00

Last night I attended a going away dinner for a friend, and for some reason the conversation turned to eyelashes. The girl across from me was a natural blonde and mentioned that her eyelashes are so light that she hates spending 15 min putting on mascara. Read More.

Fix Your Summer Skin

2009-08-22T12:42:00.000-05:00

Sure, that second (er, fifth, whatever) margarita out by the pool seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I've got a lovely sunburn to show for it.Have you been a little tough on your skin this summer too? If so, come fall you may have the discoloration, peeling skin or breakouts to show for it. Read More

10 Horrifying Foods People Eat

2009-08-21T21:13:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite parts of traveling is sampling the local cuisine and finding out what all the fuss is about. Paella was a big part of my Spanish excursion, as were street crepes when I went to Paris. However, I felt okay about skipping black pudding when I went to the UK because, despite how popular some foods are in certain regions, their gore factor is undeniable. Just because these dishes are celebrated or steeped in tradition, it doesn’t make them any easier to stomach. Read More

20 Superfoods For Weight Loss

2009-08-21T13:07:00.000-05:00

It's time for a new slim-down mantra: Eat more to weigh less. No joke! The right foods help you drop pounds by revving your calorie burn and curbing cravings. We consulted top experts for the best picks and asked leading chefs for easy, tasty ways to prepare them. Add these eats to your plate today and you'll be slimmer and healthier in no time! Read More

Why Weight Loss Challenges Fail

2009-08-21T11:24:00.000-05:00

1. Bad Ways of Measuring Success: Weight is only one indicator of health. As in Heather's case, focusing on weight can be discouranging and disappointing. Many times, what shows up on the scale can be highly misleading. As a result, it is important to utilize several methods of assessing an individual's progress. Here are some to consider: Read More

How To Wear Beach Makeup

2009-08-20T21:23:00.000-05:00

A full face of makeup just looks wrong at the beach or by the pool. Any products you put on should be light and sheer—you want to look like a sunnier version of yourself.

· Protect your skin. Before you apply any makeup, slather on a generous coat of sunscreen. Give it at least 20 minutes to soak in—it needs to dry for full effectiveness and so that anything you put on top won't smear. When you need to reapply, try a powder sunblock..... Read More

Instant Spray Shampoo

2009-08-20T10:03:00.000-05:00

Most beauty products that have been around for multiple decades have, at some point, undergone an image overhaul. Consider Herbal Essences shampoo. The version that first hit the market in the 1960’s—a green bottle with the image of a long-haired woman surrounded by flowers designed to appeal to those nature-loving hippies—bears little resemblance to what’s on store shelves today. Frankly, I prefer the original incarnation. Which is why I was thrilled to discover, on the dusty bottom shelf of my local drugstore, Psssssst Instant Spray Shampoo, in an aerosol can that remains blissfully unchanged from its original 1970’s prototype. Read More

100 Of The Most Powerful Women

2009-08-19T21:26:00.000-05:00

These women run countries, big companies, and influential nonprofits. Read More

5 Secrets Women Keep

2009-08-19T14:40:00.000-05:00

ForeverAlluring.com | Beauty Store: "We all know the male mind is mysterious. But turns out we women have a whole lot of “he just won’t understand” secrets ourselves. What do you think? Any of these sound familiar?"

Numero Uno Breakfast Item: Coffee!

2009-08-18T21:53:00.000-05:00

ForeverAlluring.com | Beauty Store: "New research shows the brew truly is a wonder: It can fight skin cancer, stave off Alzheimer's and diabetes, boost brainpower, keep your smile brighter and rev your metabolism. I'm a certified javaholic, so all this news makes me very happy. Still, I know that there are ways to maximize the benefits of the bean. Try the tips below to make your cup of joe a whole latte more healthy."

Are You Sun Smart?

2009-08-18T14:54:00.000-05:00

ForeverAlluring.com | Beauty Store: "Being sun-smart is a lifelong vocation. The damage you do to your skin in your teens might not show up until you're in your late twenties or thirties, but by then it's too late to go back and undo it. No quick beauty tip is going to make a significant difference. The ignorance of our youth (in the form of unprotected sun exposure and periodic bouts with tanorexia) often results in dark spots and rough texture down the line, and although these symptoms can be treated, it can take time (or expensive and possibly painful dermatological procedures) to get skin back on track."

Quick Tips On Black Hair Care

2009-08-17T23:30:00.000-05:00

All hair takes a certain amount of care and love to be healthy and beautiful. However, ethnic hair tends to be a bit more temperamental and requires additional steps. Taking the time to understand the differences between ethnic, or black, hair, and European hair textures is important for both hair stylists and consumers. Products and hair care techniques are not made equal, and the informed consumer is the happy consumer. Read More

How To Get A Great Wax

2009-08-17T15:28:00.000-05:00

When you're paying someone to put hot wax on sensitive parts of your body, trust is obviously important. Don't be shy about asking lots of questions in advance. Read More

ForeverAlluring.com | Beauty Store

2009-08-17T10:55:00.000-05:00

ForeverAlluring.com | Beauty Store: "Many people want to shrink the size of their pores. Pore size is largely a function of genetics, but as people age, they do tend to become larger. Large pores can detract from the smooth, youthful look that many people consider a sign of youth. There are several steps that you can take to make the pores look smaller and smoother"

Cancer Sniffing Dogs?

2009-08-16T18:34:00.001-05:00

The Pine Street Foundation, a cancer education and research center in San Anselmo, Calif., is hoping one day to train these dogs to sniff out, literally, early-stage ovarian cancer—a disease that kills two-thirds of the 22,000 women diagnosed with it each year, according to the American Cancer Society, because it is often caught only after it has spread beyond the ovaries. Read More

Easy Beauty Tips

2009-08-16T12:09:00.001-05:00

ForeverAlluring.com: "1. To take off eye makeup (especially mascara that has run underneath the eyes- ick!), put basic body lotion on a Q-Tip and rub around eyes. It comes off like that! I usually use Nivea which you can get at any drugstore."

Foods That Give You Energy

2009-08-15T20:33:00.000-05:00

Peaches. They have large amounts of water and a laxative effect. Peaches also help eliminate the toxins. The diet with peaches where you eat 2 oz. of peach per day is also recommended for two or three days when you want to clean your system. Read More

Cintra Wilson Further Spreads Fashion's Snobbery

2009-08-14T18:44:00.000-05:00

File under reason number 2,947 why we're sick of fashion people: In today's New York Times, style columnist Cintra Wilson (pictured, left) reviews the new Manhattan outpost of mega-chain J.C. Penney and, well, let's just say she does not find it to her liking. Read More

Foods To Eat That Burn Calories

2009-08-14T12:11:00.000-05:00

ForeverAlluring.com: "Eggs, milk, low-fat cheese and cereals that have been vitamin-enriched are all good sources of vitamin B12. Some sources state that B12 increases the body's fat-burning ability. Every gram of fat equals 9 calories, so when you burn fat, you burn calories, too. Vitamin B12 is also known to fight fatigue and speed up the metabolism, which are benefits that can give a boost to any dieter."

5 Beauty Rules You Should Break

2009-08-12T14:17:00.000-05:00

I’ve been breaking rules all my life. It started in my teens when I announced to my family that I wanted to do makeup for a living (gasp!), rather than being a teacher, a doctor or a lawyer. In the eighties and early nineties, I did neutral, bronzy makeup looks while everyone else was working with DayGlo-bright shades of makeup. Rather than being constrained by rules, I believe in doing what makes sense and having options. Here are five beauty rules you can and should break. Read More

All About Portion Control

2009-08-12T12:16:00.000-05:00

We tell patients all the time to be careful with portion sizes as a tool for successful weight loss. For instance, the idea that "a 4 oz. serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards" is common advice. Yet there's not a lot of actual research showing that portion control alone will help with weight loss. A group of researchers at the University of Calgary designed a study to test how well portion control might help you eat healthier. Read More

7 Diet Myths Exposed

2009-08-11T15:44:00.000-05:00

Myth 1: Potatoes and bread are fattening. Actually: It's just the opposite. Starchy vegetables and bread (whole-grain bread, that is) are quality carbs needed to fuel every part of you, from your brain to your muscles. What gets you into trouble is how... Read More

Is Exercise Effective or Useless?

2009-08-10T13:27:00.000-05:00

This week's Time magazine piqued our interest. The cover headline reads "The Myth About Exercise: Of course it's good for you, but it won't make you lose weight. Why it's what you eat that really counts." Of course, we wanted to know more about the reasons why exercise fuels hunger, not weight loss. Read More

How To Lose A Pound A Week

2009-08-08T18:56:00.000-05:00

Trying to eat healthy is hard enough in today's world--food options abound, yet there's little time to spend preparing smart meals--and slimming down can be even more challenging. Luckily, there are some smart strategies to make your weight loss efforts a little easier. Put two or more of them into practice today and you can save 500 calories instantly. Follow them all regularly and you'll shed inches in no time. Read More

Gatorade VS. Water

2009-08-08T17:08:00.000-05:00

At 200 calories per bottle, Gatorade is promised to replace your carbohydrates and electrolytes lost during an intense workout—and it also tastes pretty good. When you're pushing hard during an event, is it better than water? Read More

5 Solutions To 5 Of Your Body & Skin Problems

2009-08-08T16:34:00.000-05:00

It's easy to talk about the fun side of beauty -- the makeup trends, hot hairstyles and new products -- but what about the less-than-scintillating side of beauty? You know, stuff like bacne, calluses and flaky skin. They're not as enjoyable, but when you're dealing with one of these issues, you want all the help you can get, right? Read More

7 Steps To Boost Your Low Thyroid & Metabolism

2009-08-04T15:14:00.004-05:00

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Last week, I told you about low thyroid function and how it affects more than 30 million women and 15 million men.

So why are we seeing such an epidemic of thyroid problems?

Well, chronic thyroid problems can be caused by many factors ...

What Causes Hypothyroidism?

One of the most important factors that leads to hypothyroidism is exposure to environmental toxins such as pesticides, which act as hormone or endocrine disruptors and interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism and function.

In fact, one study found that as people lost weight they released pesticides from their fat tissue.

This then interfered with their thyroid function and caused hypothyroidism. The toxins created a slow metabolism and prevented them from losing more weight.

This study highlights the importance of overall detoxification. It is quite a significant finding that shows exactly how toxins interfere with thyroid function.

Heavy metals such as mercury can also affect thyroid function. I see many people with chronic hypothyroidism and other thyroid problems because mercury interferes with normal thyroid function.

The other big factor that interferes with thyroid function is chronic stress.

There is an intimate interaction between stress hormones and thyroid function. The more stress you are under, the worse your thyroid functions.

Any approach to correcting poor thyroid function must address the effects of chronic stress and provide support to the adrenal glands.

The next major factor that affects thyroid function is chronic inflammation. The biggest source of this chronic inflammation is gluten, the protein found in wheat, barely, rye, spelt, and oats.

Gluten is a very common allergen that affects about 10 to 20 percent of the population. This reaction occurs mostly because of our damaged guts, poor diet, and stress.

I also think eating so-called Frankenfoods, such as hybridized and genetically modified grains with very strange proteins, makes us sick.

Our bodies say, "What's this? Must be something foreign. I'd better create antibodies to this, fight it, and get rid of it."

This chronic inflammatory response interferes with thyroid function -- and contributes to the epidemic of inflammatory diseases in the developed world.

Lastly, nutritional deficiencies play a big role in thyroid dysfunction. These include deficiencies of iodine, vitamin D, omega-3 fats, selenium, zinc, vitamin A, and the B vitamins.

There are so many reasons for low thyroid function, yet I have seen lots of patients with this problem who were just ignored by their doctors.

For example, one young female patient of mine had more than 30 percent body fat and was unable to change her body, no matter how hard she worked. She ate perfectly, exercised with a trainer every day -- and her body still wouldn't budge.

She also had a slightly depressed mood and other vague symptoms.

So I treated her with a low dose of Armour Thyroid, which is a natural thyroid replacement.

What happened?

Well, she not only lost 20 pounds and improved her body composition, but her mood improved and all her other symptoms went away.

How did I know she had low thyroid function?

Once I have asked about symptoms, done a physical exam, and considered all the potential causes of thyroid problems, I do the right tests.

Most doctors just check something called the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which doesn't give a full picture of the thyroid. In fact, even the interpretation of this test is incorrect most of the time.

The newer guidelines of the American College of Endocrinology consider anybody with a TSH level over 3.0 as hypothyroid. Most doctors think that only anything over 5 or 10 is worth treating.

Unfortunately, this leaves millions suffering unnecessarily.

There are also other tests, including free T3 and free T4 and thyroid antibodies, which are essential.

I also look for associated problems such as gluten intolerance, food allergies, and heavy metals, as well as deficiencies of vitamin D, selenium, vitamin A, zinc, and omega-3 fats.

There are many things to consider in a careful approach to hypothyroidism.

It is one of the most common problems I see, and treating it properly makes one of the biggest differences in my patients' quality of life.

Unfortunately, by using the old guidelines and thinking, conventional medicine misses millions who suffer with hypothyroidism.

In fact, in one study, researchers tested everybody who walked through the gates of a county fair with conventional thyroid testing. They found that according to even conservative conventional standards, half of all the people who had hypothyroidism were undiagnosed, untreated, and suffering.

So what's the solution?

How You Can Overcome Hypothyroidism

I encourage you to take the following steps to rebalance your thyroid:

1. Make a thorough inventory of any of the symptoms that I mentioned in last week's blog to see if you might suffer from hypothyroidism.

2. Get the right thyroid tests including TSH, free T3, free T4, TPO, and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies.

3. Check for celiac disease with a celiac panel.

4. Consider heavy metal toxicity.

5. Check your vitamin D level.

Once you have confirmed that a sluggish thyroid is contributing to your symptoms, the good news is that there are many, many, many things you can do to help correct thyroid problems.

I have developed a seven-step plan to address hypothyroidism:

1. Treat the Underlying Causes -- Identify and treat the underlying causes of hypothyroidism, like food allergies, gluten, heavy metals, nutritional deficiencies, and stress.

2. Optimize Your Nutrition -- Support your thyroid with optimal nutrition, including foods that contain iodine, zinc, omega-3 fats, selenium, and more.

3. Minimize Stress -- Eliminate adrenal exhaustion and minimize stress by engaging in a comprehensive stress management program.

4. Exercise -- Engage in thyroid stimulating exercise, which boosts thyroid function.

5. Supplement -- Use supplements to help enhance thyroid function, including all the nutrients needed for proper thyroid metabolism and function.

6.Heat Therapy -- Use saunas and heat to eliminate stored toxins, which interfere with thyroid function.

7. Thyroid Hormones -- Use thyroid hormone replacement therapy to help support your thyroid gland.

I believe a comprehensive approach is needed to address chronic thyroid issues and to diagnose them. Unfortunately, most of the options for healing by conventional care are quite limited and only provide a partial solution. But by following my seven-step plan you can achieve lifelong vibrant health.

- Mark Hyman, MD

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Weight Loss & Teens

2009-08-04T14:13:00.002-05:00

Buy & Sell Women's Fashion, Beauty & Health Products at ForeverAlluring.com

Teen Wars: Salads Versus Pizza

Many teens are overweight and really want to be thin. Sometimes, their idea of how to take off the pounds is not necessarily the right way. Talk to your teen about healthy foods versus junk foods. Help them learn to eat healthily rather than allowing them to go on a crash diet. Be supportive by providing healthy meals at home and encourage them to make healthy choices on their own.

Thin Can Be Too Thin

There are times that a teen's weight loss becomes so dramatic that a parent cannot ignore there's a problem. When the problem ends up being an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia, the family has to get involved. Get the help of a doctor who can help the family deal with the teen's eating disorder. Most of these disorders stem from a low self-image, and they need the correct type of counseling and treatment to get the problem under control.

Don't Blow Smoke

Many teens experiment with smoking for weight loss. Yes, the smoking does tend to make them lose weight. In reality, they are trading their lack of effort to adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle for an addiction that could cause them health issues for the rest of their lives. Smoking is not a way teens or anyone else should lose weight. Of course, if a parent smokes, your argument to quit smoking is going to be more difficult. Perhaps you should consider getting healthy as a family and learn together the correct way to eat to maintain good health.

Move It to Lose It

Encourage teens to get active, start moving and learn that exercise can be fun. When your teen starts moving, she's going to start losing weight and become more healthy in general. Encourage her to find sports teams to become involved with, swim in the pool, walk in the mall or ride a bike through the neighborhood. Whatever activity your teen is interested in, be supportive. Spend time talking to your teen while walking. The walk will get you both moving, and you'll learn to enjoy your walks while you spend time together.

Get Real About Role Models

Help your teen to be realistic about the role models in his life and his own body type. Many teens can be confused about their self-image when they are constantly exposed to airbrushed models and pop stars in magazines. Discuss the importance of a healthy body image and a healthy diet to maintain a healthy weight; thin is not always healthy. The best role model a teen can have is his parent. Show your teen the right way to lose weight by incorporating a healthy diet and exercise plan in his life to manage or lose weight.

- Debra McCord

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Fix Your Relationship In One Easy Step

2009-08-04T12:12:00.003-05:00

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OK. Maybe that’s overselling it. But I have a serious challenge for you…

I talked a little while ago about keeping score. I really believe not keeping score is a key to happiness in a relationship. Besides marrying someone who’s totally hot even when she wears those sweatpants she’s been wearing every night for so long that they could probably get up and find the remote control all by themselves. (That’s you, Blossoms.)

What’s the opposite of keeping score? Doing something generous and never taking credit for it.

I’m not talking about something kind that you want to do. (I like baking cakes. Seriously. And sometimes I’ll bake a cake and pretend that I did it for Blossoms. And while I kind of did, I also wanted to bake a cake; I also enjoyed it.) Do something you don’t enjoy. Do the laundry. Find a can of exploded tomato sauce in the cabinet and clean it up. Knowing full well that you'd rather be trapped in an elevator with Jon and Kate (plus 8) than see this movie, when he tells you he wants to go see ‘Transformers II’ just say, "Sure, why not."

And don’t ever tell him.

Now I can just hear all the groaners out there saying ‘I already do too much for my man he needs to figure out how to do some things for me.’ But this goes for both you, first of all. Second of all, with an attitude like that, you’re looking for conflict and… scorekeeping.

So that’s your challenge. Go out there and do it, and tell me what happens. Seriously.

- Glamour

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Naomi Sims, 'First Black Supermodel,' Dies at 61

2009-08-03T21:14:00.004-05:00

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The New York Times reports that model Naomi Sims died on Saturday at age 61. The cause of death was cancer.

Sims was considered the "first black supermodel" for appearing on the cover of Ladies Home Journal in November 1968, a time when African-American models were few and far between. She subsequently modeled for designers like Halston, Fernando Sánchez, Teal Traina, and Giorgio di Sant'Angelo. She also appeared on many other magazine covers, and two images-- a 1969 cover of LIFE and a 1967 New York Times fashion magazine over--are on display in the Metropolitan Museum's "The Model As Muse" exhibit.

After five years, Sims retired from modeling and started a multimillion-dollar wig-making business that specialized in designs for black women. Sims also penned at least five books on beauty and modeling.

- NY Times

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Is Conditioner Bad for Your Hair?

2009-08-03T19:29:00.003-05:00

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It's one of those routines like putting on your socks and then your shoes for most women: first you shampoo, then you condition. But according to New York hairstylist River Lloyd, the second step shouldn't necessarily be a done deal. "If your hair is terribly damaged you need a conditioner, and maybe if someone has superthick, coarse hair," he says. But if you have a finer texture? Well, then conditioner may just be weighing you down. Instead, Lloyd likes detangler

"Detanglers don't coat the hair," he explains. "They just change the pH slightly so you can get a comb through it." They're worth a try for anyone who ever feels greasy or twizzly after the usual shampoo/conditioning routine...although we know some women who will only give up their conditioner when the bottle is pried out of their cold, stiff fingers (are you one of those?).

-Allure

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5 Ways Vitamin D Could Say Your Precious Life

2009-08-03T19:05:00.004-05:00

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Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin, and it has a lot of sunny benefits, but most Americans aren't getting them because they aren't getting enough of it.

Between 50 percent and 75 percent of Americans get suboptimal levels of vitamin D, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Now a committee at the Institute of Medicine is meeting to determine whether the recommended daily intake of vitamin D should be increased. ABC medical contributor Dr. Marie Savard came on "Good Morning America" today to offer five ways vitamin D can aid your health and tell you how to get more of it.

Why People Are Vitamin D Deficient

Nature gave us only one good source of vitamin D, and that is the sun. We are meant to absorb vitamin D from the sun through our skin.

When we lived closer to the equator and worked outdoors, we were OK. But that is not the case today. And food is not a good source of vitamin D, not even fortified food.

Five Ways Vitamin D Can Save Your Life

Promotes Weight Loss
You need vitamin D to effectively lose weight. Your insulin works better, and vitamin D helps you lose belly fat. Diabetes is also related to low vitamin D levels.

Reduces Risk of Death
Your overall mortality is reduced.

Fewer Bone Fractures
Without vitamin D, calcium can't be absorbed. But if you get enough vitamin D, it can help you avoid osteoporosis, bone fractures and falling, which is a cause of morbidity among the elderly.

Reduces Risk of Heart Disease
Vitamin D improves blood flow by relaxing the blood vessels and lowering blood pressure.

Helps Fight Cancer
Vitamin D improves the functioning of your immune system, and that helps fight cancer.

Five Ways to Get Vitamin D

15 Minutes of Sun 3 Times Per Week
You can get 10-15 minutes of high-noon sun exposure in warmer climates a few times a week. In the South you can do this all year long; but in the North it will work only in the summer months. But this is unrealistic for those who already wear sunscreen all day, or have been warned to stay out of the sun by their doctors.

Fatty Fish and Cod Liver Oil
If you are one of those people who have been warned to stay out of the sun, another good natural source of vitamin D is fatty fish.

In food, vitamin D is naturally found in fatty fish like salmon and in cod liver oil.

Fortified Dairy Products
You also can get vitamin D in fortified dairy products. But you need to be careful. There are only 100 units of vitamin D per cup, so kids and most adults would need at least four cups of dairy products per day.

You could drink four glasses of milk a day, but most people choose not to.

Multivitamin Supplements
Most multivitamins have a substantial amount of vitamin D.

Vitamin D Supplements
I recommend 1000 to 2000 international units of vitamin D supplements every day. It's cheap, there are no side effects or down sides. Although D3 is considered more potent and longer lasting, both D2 and D3 are acceptable.

By RAQUEL HECKER

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All About Mineral Makeup

2009-08-03T11:30:00.003-05:00

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As beauty legend has it, it was the mid-1970s, in the aftermath of the frenzied Haight-Ashbury love-ins of San Francisco, that a quiet, little cosmetic revolution was born.

It was called "mineral makeup" – products made of all natural, finely ground minerals from the earth, without any of the chemicals, dyes, and preservatives found in traditional makeup. Fast-forward some 30 years: Mineral makeup is virtually exploding the beauty market.

"This is an extremely popular style of makeup – and it's something that a lot of my patients use and love, and I use it myself. It's also the product most patients ask about," says Kathryn Frew, MD, a dermatologist at Juva Skin and Laser Center and MediSpa in New York City.

And while mineral makeup comes in a variety of forms – and at prices ranging from less than $10 to more than $50 per product -- undoubtedly the most popular in all price ranges are the loose powder foundations and blushes. These are light, finely ground loose minerals that are buffed into the skin using a wide, fluffy brush.

But does "natural," "mineral," and "from the earth" really equal better? WebMD discovered the answer has a lot of qualifying factors -- and some vastly differing opinions.

Mineral Makeup and Skin Health

Like most cosmetic products, mineral makeup has its fans and its critics. Those who love it rave about the light, natural, long-lasting glow that simply can't be duplicated by other types of makeup. Others, however, complain it's drying, irritating, and accentuates wrinkles and adds years to your appearance. Some say the colors have an ashy undertone that is a particular problem for ethnic skin types.

But looks aside, many consumers also say they are initially drawn to try mineral makeup because of skin health claims – more specifically, that it's pure formulations are safer and better for sensitive, even acne- or rosacea-prone skin.

But is it?

"Quite frankly, I think mineral makeup is just a genius marketing plan -- a new way of selling women the same ingredients that technically have been in makeup for years," says dermatologic and pharmaceutical chemist Ben Kaminsky.

The main ingredients (minerals such as mica, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide), says Kaminsky, have been the basis of most makeup foundations for decades. And he says mineral makeup has no special health or beauty properties.

"Mineral makeup can cause problems the same as any other preparations can cause problems. It's not purer; there's no scientific proof of that," he says.

But other experts see it a bit differently. Many dermatologists report that because mineral makeup frequently eliminates classic "irritants" – like fragrances, binders, synthetic dyes, and preservatives -- it is considered "purer" and can be kinder to the skin.

"Makeup sensitivity is often the result of synthetic dyes, fragrances, and preservatives, so any makeup that eliminates these is going to eliminate some of the related problems," says Frew.

Moreover, she adds that because titanium dioxide [and zinc oxide] have anti-inflammatory properties, certain mineral makeups can also have a calming effect on the skin, particularly important if you suffer from inflammatory problems such as rosacea or acne.

Dermatologist Francesca Fusco, MD, agrees. "It's non-comedongenic, so it won't clog pores, and it's not going to aggravate an acne condition or cause a flare-up as easily as some traditional makeups can," says Fusco, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

But what about the claims made by some companies that mineral makeup is so pure "you can sleep in it"? Experts draw the line here.

"I would never tell a patient to sleep in any kind of makeup. It's not a good idea for the skin to be covered at night, no matter how pure a makeup might be," says Fusco.

Mineral Makeup and Sun Protection

Another big draw to mineral makeup are the claims of sun protection. With an average SPF rating of 15, at least one company, Bare Minerals, has the Skin Cancer Foundation seal of approval as a sunscreen. Jane Iredale, AfterGlow, and other mineral makeups claim similar protective effects, due mostly to the high content of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide -- two ingredients commonly found in traditional sunscreen.

But does mineral makeup give you all the sun protection you need? Experts say no.

"It's better than using nothing, but I always tell my patients to use a regular cream sunscreen under their makeup and then use the mineral foundations as an extra boost," says Frew.

Mineral Makeup: Not All Alike

Extra ingredients aside, it may seem as if all mineral makeup should be pretty much the same. But WebMD discovered that's far from the truth.

Since there is no set regulation for what constitutes a "mineral” makeup, any product containing minerals as a primary ingredient can be marketed as such -- even if it contains a whole lot of other "less natural" ingredients.

Kristen Adams, president of AfterGlow Cosmetics, says the battle lines between brands are drawn this way: "Mineral makeup formulas generally fall into two large camps - those that take care not to use synthetics (like paraben preservatives and other fillers) and stay true to the original intent of pure mineral makeup, and those that do add the fillers, colors, binders, preservatives, and other chemicals to their formulas," says Adams.

Although you can weed out at least some of these brands by reading the ingredient label, Adams cautions not to let the term "all natural" or "all mineral formula" fool you.

That's because within the brands that claim "pure mineral" formulations, there is still another category breakdown -- those that contain an arguably "natural" mineral known as bismuth oxycholoride, and those that do not.

A pearlizing agent that gives mineral makeup that "candlelight glow," bismuth oxychloride is a mineral, but it's not found in the earth. Bismuth is a byproduct of lead and copper processing. Bismuth oxychloride is also frequently used to fill or "bulk up" or bind products, says Adams, and some say it comes with a heavy price.

"Bismuth oxychloride is considered a skin irritant and can cause itching and rashes and in large amounts it can cause cystic acne as well – it's one of the ingredients you should try to avoid if you have acne or rosacea or sensitive skin," says Frew, who also reminds us that some products in a line have this ingredient, while others do not. "Some products also contain very little, so it doesn't act like an irritant, but you won't know until you try it."

Mineral Makeup: Buyer Beware

One of the factors that makes mineral makeup so popular is the smooth, natural, long-lasting coverage -- a feat that's some companies accomplish by pulverizing or "micronizing" their minerals into microscopic or even nanoparticle size.

But some researchers say this activity may come with a price.

"Research shows that when some molecules are dramatically reduced in size to the level of a nanoparticle, they can have very different and very toxic properties than that same molecule would have in its conventional size," says Jane Houlihan, research director of consumer watchdog agency The Environmental Working Group in Washington.

"Minerals like zinc and titanium are safe when applied to healthy skin but in a micronized nanoparticle form, there remains a concern, particularly when applied to damaged skin, or when inhaled," says Houlihan.

The bottom line: Even when beauty comes from the earth, it's still a case of beauty buyer beware.

- Colette Bouchez

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35 Most Powerful Foods On Earth

2009-08-02T17:56:00.004-05:00

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Power foods are items you should include in your diet that give you

The richest amount of nutrients,
The least amount of calories,
And the most health benefits
To decrease your risk of heart disease

Vegetables

1	Asparagus	B6, folate, fiber
2	Bell peppers	B1, B2, B6, folate, C, fiber
3	Bok choy	B6, C, K, Calcium, fiber
4	Broccoli	B6, C, E, K, folate, fiber
5	Carrots	A, C, Fiber, carotenoids*
6	Garlic, onions, leeks, shallots	Phytochemicals*, fiber
7	Spinach, watercress, Swiss chard, romaine, kale, Beets and mustard greens	A, B2, B6, C, E, folate, calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium, zinc, fiber
8	Potato (with skin)	B6, C, potassium, magnesium, fiber
9	Sweet potato	A, C, E, copper, fiber
10	Tomato	A, C, E, potassium, fiber
11	Acorn or butternut squash	A, B1, B6, C, folate, calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium, fiber

Protein Foods

12	Tuna: canned in water or fresh	B12, D, Protein, niacin, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids*
13	Salmon: fresh or canned pink	B6, B12, D, Phosphorus, potassium, selenium
14	Natural peanut butter	E, protein, fiber, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus

Fruits

15	Apples	C, fiber, flavonoids*
16	Apricots	A, C, E, K, fiber
17	Bananas	B6, C, magnesium, potassium, fiber
18	Berries	C, folate, manganese, potassium, fiber
19	Cantaloupe	A, B6, C, folate, potassium, fiber
20	Citrus	A, B6, C, folate, potassium, fiber
21	Kiwi	C, E, magnesium, potassium, fiber
22	Papaya	A, C, E, folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium
23	Peaches	C, E, K, fiber, potassium

Soy Foods

24	Soy milk and cheese	B1, B12, D, protein, niacin, folate, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc
25	Soy nuts	Folate, magnesium, manganese, protein, phytoestrogens*
26	Tofu and tempeh	B1, protein, niacin, folate, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc

Grains

26	Barley	A, B2, Protein, fiber, niacin, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc
27	Brown rice	B1, B6, fiber, niacin, magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc
28	Bulgur	Fiber, niacin, manganese, selenium, magnesium
29	Flaxseed	Fiber, iron, omega-3 fatty acids
30	Oatmeal	Soluble fiber, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc
31	Wheat germ	B1, E, niacin, folate, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc

Legumes

32	Black beans	B1, Protein, folate, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc
33	Black-eyed peas	B1, B6, niacin, folate, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc
34	Kidney Beans	B1, niacin, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids
35	Lentils	B1, B6, protein, fiber, niacin, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc

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8 Power Foods And What They Do To You

2009-08-02T17:02:00.004-05:00

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Here's some food for thought: You can eat your way to better health. Sure, if you fill your plate with fruit, veggies, whole grains and lean protein, you'll slim down. But certain menu options pack more nutritional punch than others and some have downright super powers when it comes to staving off cancer and other diseases. Help yourself to a few of my favorite health-boosting bites and learn why choosing these can help you live a longer, stronger, happier life.

POWER FOOD: Cherries
Way more than just pie filler, cherries are the piece de resistance of the fruit world. They have more flavonoids, aka powerful antioxidants, than almost any other food analyzed by the USDA. Cherries, both sweet and tart, are particularly rich in anthocyanins, micronutrients that may jump-start the immune system and mop up disease-causing free radicals. What this means: They may have the ability to ward off cancer. Other research suggests they may also reduce inflammation associated with arthritis and gout.

TRY THEM: Fresh cherries are ripe now (the season runs from May through August), but frozen and dried versions are equally nutritious. Toss a fresh bag into the freezer for a sweet, cool treat; add tart dried cherries to salads; or try topping pancakes with the canned, no-syrup-added kind.

POWER FOOD: Black tea
You don't always have to go green: Black tea, the type in your basic bag, may offer similar protection from heart disease and some cancers as its highly-praised cousin; people with heart disease who drank it daily for a month saw a 50 percent improvement in the functioning of impaired blood vessels, a study from Boston University reports. And another study, from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, found that a compound in black tea triggers colorectal cancer cells to destroy themselves.

TRY IT: Sip it hot at breakfast or cool down with an iced version at lunch. To brew your own, use boiling water and steep for three minutes to get the most antioxidants. Worth noting: Decaf varieties are lower in antioxidants, while bottled and instant teas have barely detectable levels. Instead, make it yourself and drink it fresh--time in the refrigerator depletes tea's powers.

POWER FOOD: Celery
This traditional diet staple is a great source of potassium, a nutrient that helps reduce blood pressure and regulate the balance of fluids and minerals in the body. Most Americans get less than 50 percent of the suggested 4,700 milligrams a day. People usually use bananas as their go-to potassium source, but four medium stalks of celery deliver about the same amount of potassium as a 105-calorie banana for a mere 24 calories. The crunchy crudite also contains compounds called phthalides, which moderate blood pressure, too.

TRY IT: For a quick, healthy snack, stash precut celery sticks immersed in a tub of ice water in the fridge (the cool bath keeps them at their crunchiest). Dip in hummus for an extra dose of fiber. Add celery to soups, stews and stir-fries.

POWER FOOD: Quinoa
This grainlike seed (pronounced "keen-wah") is as close as you can get to a perfect food, because it provides almost all the nutrients a body needs. Quinoa delivers significant amounts of 20 different amino acids your body uses to maintain and repair tissues, including all of the essential amino acids--protein building blocks your body can't make and has to get from food. (Only animal protein can make the same claim, and it's usually higher in calories and fat than quinoa.) It's also a great source of magnesium, which helps regulate blood pressure. A half cup gives you more than 50 percent of your daily needs, as well as some iron and potassium.

TRY IT: Boiled quinoa is a nice alternative to brown rice. (Slightly undercook it, or it will get mushy). You can also eat quinoa like oatmeal, with milk and maple syrup.

POWER FOOD: Mushrooms
They're low in calories and are a top plant source of B-complex vitamins, including riboflavin, which helps keep skin healthy and eyesight sharp. They also leave other produce in the dust when it comes to selenium, an antioxidant that may protect against some cancers. And according to a study from researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, mushrooms contain betaglucan and chitin, two types of fiber that absorb fat and whisk it out of the blood, lowering your risk for heart disease. All mushrooms offer benefits, but the big winner is the meaty portobello. It's high in selenium and potassium.

TRY THEM: Pop portobellos on the grill this summer and cook them as you would a burger. You can also mix any type into salads, or saute and add to pizza.

POWER FOOD: Pomegranate juice
Presqueezed pomegranate juice offers almost all the health perks of the whole fruit without the hassle (seeds to dig out, red-stained fingers!). The beverage has more antioxidants than red wine, green tea, cranberry juice and orange juice and is loaded with polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that may protect against cancer and promote heart health. In one study in the journal Clinical Nutrition, people with carotid-artery disease, which can lead to stroke, reversed some artery damage by drinking a little less than 2 ounces daily.

TRY IT: To balance the flavor and reduce calories, mix with an equal amount of seltzer or freshly brewed tea.

POWER FOOD: Sunflower seeds
With 25 percent more vitamin E than almonds, sunflower seeds are the new go-to snack for reducing the risk for heart disease and stroke. Vitamin E may also fight inflammation, which can lead to joint pain and cartilage deterioration. Only 4 tablespoons of dried seeds provide 12 milligrams of vitamin E--that's 80 percent of your daily needs. They're also full of fiber, healthy fats, protein and iron. Make sure to choose the unsalted type--the salted version may taste great, but they're higher in sodium.

TRY THEM: Shelled seeds are great tossed into salads, baked goods such as muffins or spice cake, meat loaf or any recipe that calls for nuts. You can also crush them, add some olive oil and use them as a coating for baked chicken or fish fillets.

POWER FOOD: Whole-grain cereal
No need to think outside the box: Many brands of breakfast cereal are loaded with filling fiber, which will help you head off a midmorning trip to the vending machine. Some even boast health claims: Shredded wheat, for example, is made from whole grains, which may lower cholesterol and reduce your heart disease risk. With about 250 calories (including lowfat milk) and only a few grams of fat, a bowlful also gives you an energy lift from the mix of good carbs and lean protein (when you add the milk). Note: Only whole-grain cereals offer these benefits.

TRY IT: Choose types with at least 4 grams of fiber and no more than 6 g sugar per serving--I love steel cut oatmeal--and check serving size to make sure you keep calories in check. Then pour a bowl for breakfast, a snack or even dinner.

- Self

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Day-Glo Nail Polish

2009-08-02T13:29:00.001-05:00

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Essie Nail Polish in Bright Tights, $8 (available in September)

"Nail polish this bright gets a lot of attention--the entire time I had painted tips, I couldn't get through a conversation without someone saying, "Whoa, your nails!" Still, I loved having pumpkin-y claws! The neon color lifted my spirits every time I caught a glance and surprisingly, the shade went with almost everything I wore. (Well, when it clashed, it clashed in a good way.) I felt hip, happy and confident--who knew you could get so much from a bottle of Essie nail polish? This hue isn't for the faint of heart, but if you're into juicy citrus colors, definitely try a splash of orange on your nails!"

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Why Your Pants Don't Fit

2009-08-02T12:20:00.003-05:00

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Ever buy a pair of pants that looked pretty good in the dressing room mirror but hang in the back of your closet because they don't fit quite right? Here's what to look for to assure a flattering fit.

Where Exactly Should My Pant Hem Hit?

To create the longest possible line, pants should be an inch from the floor, with the hem breaking over the instep.
One option is to buy two pairs of the same pants and hem one for heels and the other for flats, but you can fudge a happy medium by wearing the same pair of pants with flats and up to a two-inch kitten heel―but no higher, suggests Allison Berlin, founder of the New York fashion-consulting firm Style Made Simple.
When switching from heels to flats, a quick fix is Zakkerz ($27), which secure rolled-up cuffs using magnets. The hem should graze the tops of your shoes.

My Pants Fit Everywhere but at the Waist, Where They Gape. How Can I Fix This?

Because gaping usually results from having fuller hips and a slim waist, the key is to find low-rise pants that start at the hips (so you don’t have to worry about fitting both waist and hips) or that have a “contoured waistband that is slightly higher in the back than in the front,” says Lisa Converse, vice president of design for White House Black Market.
Go to a tailor. “He should be able to make affordable adjustments,” says Gregg Andrews, a fashion director with Nordstrom.
Another trick: Isabelt ($17 to $20), which cinches the waist the way a regular belt does but lies flat and undetectable under tops.

I Have Wide Hips and a Belly. Which Type of Pants Will Flatter Me?

Try bootcut pants (to balance your hips) paired with a two-inch waistband (to contain your stomach), says June Ambrose, author of Effortless Style.
Forgo low-rise pants in favor of a rise that hits an inch or two below the navel. Gap’s Curvy Fit meets these criteria, says Berlin. Another option: New York & Company’s City Knit pants, which offer generous stretch in the hips.
Steer clear of tab closures and belts, which add bulk, and slanted (diagonal) pockets, which accentuate hips. For more advice on shopping for your body type

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The Vanishing Bikini: Your Thoughts Ladies

2009-08-02T11:28:00.003-05:00

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"Sellers in Germany bill the dissolving Get Naked costume as a chance for men to get their own back after a break-up.

But women's rights campaigner Rosmarie Zapfl stormed: "It is an absolute insult to women that this has been invented."
What do you think ladies? Leave your comments below.

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When Is Your Hair Too Long?

2009-08-01T22:43:00.002-05:00

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What is with Young Hollywood’s scissor aversion? If you’re not shaving half your head, you’re growing hair long enough to hit your waist! (From the looks of it, Lauren Conrad and Lindsay Lohan are front-runners, FYI.) It’s beyond mermaid-ish at this point—as far as I’m concerned, it’s getting downright icky, and that hair can’t be healthy (especially with all the coloring, blow drying and flatironing stars subject their heads to). According to her Twitter, Lindsay claims short hair isn’t for her: “I don’t think the director wants it short ... I look ugly with short hair! Eeeeks.” I beg to differ. At the very least, chop off five or six inches. She won’t even notice the change! Lauren Conrad, also unconvinced on the short hair front told US Weekly: “I don’t feel girly without long hair! There is something so sexy about having long blonde hair ... It’s so feminine.” Now, I’m all for long hair, but when it gets so far gone that it gets caught in your armpits on a regular basis, it has to go. (Anyone else ever experience this? No?) What say you? Long and sexy? Or just long and ... long?

- Frisky

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Real Help for Dark Circles and Puffiness

2009-08-01T13:05:00.002-05:00

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Whether they're from a late night partying or a constant occurrence, dark circles and puffy eyes just plain suck. Luckily, we asked around to get actual useful tips to get rid of these pains in the you-know-what for good (or at least make them look like they've disappeared). Check them out below, won't it be nice not to get those comments: "Are you OK? You look so tired." Yeah, thanks for the concern

Assuming you're in pretty good health and have been getting enough sleep, hydration and iron in your diet (all huge under-eye circle contributors if neglected), your dark circles or puffiness could still stem from a number of things. Finding out why you're getting them is the first step to potentially treating the problem. Keep in mind: "Some causes of darkness are treatable and some aren't," says plastic surgeon Dr. Garth Fisher.

If your dark circles stem from dark/brown pigmentation, caused by accumulation of pigment in your skin (melanocytosis), allergy-related inflammation or sun damage, first stay out of the sun. Then ask your doctor if any medications you are using (eye drops, hormones, etc.) could be making your dark circles worse. (If so, discuss changing your medication to resolve that.)

To help counteract the problem, Fisher recommends skin-bleaching ingredients like hydroquinone (which may take several months to show results and should only be used under medical supervision). Alternative, over-the-counter treatments include creams containing vitamin K, as well as retinol, which helps stimulate skin cell turnover.

Genes

If you have dark circles because of hereditary causes like superficial veins (aka thin skin which shows more veins), esthetician and Kinara Spa owner Olga Lorencin-Northrup recommends trying a non-surgical laser treatment (like Fraxel, Thermage or IPL Photofacial) to get rid of these types of dark circles, particularly when they involve genetic water retention. (Fluid retention, which also contributes to puffiness, can dilate the blood vessels under your skin and make them appear more noticeable.)

Bags

If you have under-eye bags, hollow areas or fat pads that protrude from your lower eyelids and make a shadow, you can remove or modify the fat there via surgery to fix the problem, Fisher says.

Puffiness

"If the puffiness around the eyes is persistent even when you eliminate alcohol, sugar and salt, it is hereditary. Some swelling could be reduced by silica [found in cucumber and the herb horsetail, aka equisetum arvense] but it is limiting," Lorencin-Northrup says. (This goes for allergy-related puffiness, too.)

Still, you have some temporary options: Dermatologist Dr. Heidi Waldorf says products that contain caffeine can vasoconstrict, or close the blood vessels, in the area, reducing the appearance of puffiness -- and small bags. If you want to go the natural route, try placing wet, cool, caffeinated tea bags on your eyes. Also, the herb eyebright is recommended by Liz Earle of Liz Earle Skincare, for its ability to reduce puffiness. Layering that with cooling organic aloe vera and witch hazel, which is "also rich in natural tannins which have a mildly astringent effect," she says, can be more effective.

- TotalBeauty

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Is It OK To Spray Perfume In Public?

2009-08-01T12:52:00.002-05:00

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Imagine that you're in your cubicle, getting ready for a meeting where you hope you'll encounter that cute guy from accounting, and you spritz a little fragrance on your pulse points... and the next thing you know, vast swaths of the building are being evacuated. That apparently happened to some poor woman in Ft. Worth, Texas, where 34 co-workers were hospitalized and more than 100 others treated and released.

Firefighters, who initially assumed it was a gas leak, now speculate that a few people may have had a bad reaction to her fragrance and the rest were suffering from group hysteria. But anyone who lived through the eighties and suffered Giorgio-On-the-Elevator Syndrome has to empathize. The first rule of fragrance is that someone ought to be close enough to kiss you before they can detect the scent. Agree?

- Allure

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9 Things in Your Home That Are Making You Sick

2009-08-01T11:24:00.004-05:00

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Home sweet home, right? Well, sort of. You may be unaware of the potential health dangers lurking in your abode—from critters in the kitchen to bugs in the bedroom. Here’s what you need to know—and what to do.

Your kitchen sponge

Maybe you’ve heard about the germs on your kitchen sponge (gross news flash—there may be as many as 20 million microbes on it right now). But here’s the deal: Your method for “cleaning” that sponge may be leaving it loaded with potentially hazardous bacteria that can make you ill. Researchers at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service found that some common cleaning methods for sponges—soaking them in a bleach solution, lemon juice or water—did not eradicate the germs.

What to do: The best ways to clean a dirty sponge, they say, are in the microwave (on high for one minute) and in the dishwasher, which will kill 99.9 percent of all germs.

Your boyfriend's wet towel

Sharing a bath towel with your man may be good for the environment, but it may be bad for your health, experts warn. MRSA, a drug-resistant form of staph—also known as the superbug—is frequently transmitted by skin-to-skin contact but also by sharing personal items like towels.

What to do: “While it may be tempting to share a towel with your guy, resist the urge,” says Susan C. Taylor, M.D., “I warn my patients that wet towels can be a breeding ground for germs, including MRSA, which can make you sick.”

After you or your man uses a towel, send it where it belongs: to the washing machine.

Your bed

Have you been on a trip recently? If so, you may have brought home some hitchhikers—of the creepy-crawly variety. Bedbugs, tiny bloodthirsty insects, are hosts to organisms that cause hepatitis B and Chagas disease, say health experts. But the real problem seems to be the infections and allergic reactions that can sometimes result from bedbug bites.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, bedbugs are on the rise and becoming an increasing health problem. The insects, which hide in the crevices of mattresses and bedding, are showing up everywhere, from hostels to the swankiest hotels, and they often find their way into people’s luggage, transporting themselves to unsuspecting homes.

What to do: If you’ve done some traveling recently, and especially if you’ve noticed any mysterious bug bites, wash everything in your luggage and consider scrubbing your suitcase with a stiff brush before giving it a good vacuuming.

Your laptop

You’re the only one who uses it, so how dirty can it be? In a word: filthy. A study by researchers at the University of North Carolina Health Care System found that keyboards were loaded with germs.

Even more disgusting, the average public toilet bowl contains 41 germs per square inch. The average personal keyboard? Some 21,000 germs per square inch. “Toilet bowls get cleaned,” says Philip M. Tierno Jr., Ph.D., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Langone Medical Center, “but keyboards rarely do.”

What to do: Tierno says the best way to keep your laptop or computer’s keyboard clean is to gently wipe it down daily with disinfecting wipes.

Your shower curtain

According to research by the Center for Health, Environment & Justice, shower curtains and liners made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) may be harmful to your health.

Their study suggests that PVC releases potentially harmful chemicals into your bathroom. While there is still some debate among health experts about how much of these chemicals could be deemed harmful, many believe that limiting your exposure to chemicals, wherever possible, makes sense.

What to do: Check your shower curtain’s label to see if it’s made of vinyl or PVC. While not all manufacturers disclose this information, some retailers, like Ikea, have banned PVC shower curtains altogether, and Target has promised to phase out the material in its shower-curtain products in the months ahead.

Your laundry

Nobody thinks of the washing machine as a germ magnet—that’s where clothes get clean, right? Not if you’re using a public machine, and especially if that machine uses water that’s not hot enough, says Tierno.

Here’s why: Lower temperatures can encourage the spread of germs. Researchers at the University of Arizona found that intestinal viruses such as hepatitis A can be easily transferred from underwear to other garments during the washing process. Even worse, some germs can lurk in public washing machines and find their way to your clothes.

What to do: Wash your underwear and towels separately, using bleach if possible, and wash all towels in water that’s at least 155 degrees, which will kill most germs. Not sure if your apartment’s water temperature is hot enough? Talk to the building manager.

Your humidifier

Watch out for the humidifier, say germ experts. “If it’s not cleaned properly, a humidifier can become a repository for legionella and other pathogens that cause respiratory infections,” says Tierno.

What to do: If you like sleeping with a humidifier in your room, be sure to clean it often—at least a few times a week—by mixing a solution of one-part bleach to 19 parts water (for most humidifiers, this would equal about a half or full cup of bleach) and letting it sit for a few minutes before rinsing well.

Your doorknob

Think of the people who have touched your front doorknob in the past 48 hours: the UPS man, a neighbor, a solicitor, your friends—it’s easy to lose count. Now think of all the places they’ve been—the subway, public restrooms, grocery stores. Those germs are all on your doorknob right now, says Tierno.

Most people let their guard down when it comes to their own door handles, he says, but we shouldn’t: “Viruses can survive for days on doorknobs, and you can easily get cross contamination from them,” he says.

What to do: Make a habit of wiping down your doorknob frequently with sanitizing wipes or sprays. Have a copper doorknob? You may be in luck. Researchers in England found that copper door handles had 95 percent fewer microorganisms on them compared with other doorknobs. Scientists believe that many germs, including MRSA, may not be able to survive on copper.

Your salt and pepper shakers

When’s the last time you cleaned your salt and pepper shakers? Exactly. These unassuming little items get touched in all parts of the meal-prep process. Example: You give your sauce a dash of salt after touching raw chicken (oops) and then later set the shaker on the table.

What to do: Nobody thinks of cleaning their salt and pepper shakers, says Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D., assistant professor and co-director Simmons Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community at Simmons College, but to avoid cross-contamination and food poisoning, you should. “Best to wipe them with an EPA-registered disinfectant,” she says. “But better still, always wash your hands after handling raw foods and before touching anything else.”

- Glamour

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Organic Food Not Good For You?

2009-08-01T11:13:00.004-05:00

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Is organic food more nutritious than food produced via conventional methods? As a nutrition editor, it’s my job to stay up on the studies that look at this very question. On July 29 researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine reported that there was no nutritional difference between organic and conventionally produced foods. End of story? I don’t think so. Some studies show organics are more nutritious.

Consider these findings:

A 2008 review by the Organic Center of almost 100 studies on the nutritional quality of organic produce compared the effects conventional and organic farming methods have on specific nutrients. The report’s conclusion: “Yes, organic plant-based foods are, on average, more nutritious.”
In 2007 a study out of Newcastle University in the United Kingdom reported that organic produce boasted up to 40 percent higher levels of some nutrients (including vitamin C, zinc and iron) than its conventional counterparts.
Additionally, a 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organically grown berries and corn contained 58 percent more polyphenols—antioxidants that help prevent cardiovascular disease—and up to 52 percent higher levels of vitamin C than those conventionally grown.

The jury is still out on whether organic food does or doesn’t contain more nutrients than conventionally produced foods. That said, there’s at least one more good argument for eating organic—fewer pesticides. While I’ve never been a purist about eating only organic, now that I’m a mom, there are some foods I feel more comfortable about buying organic. Apples are one of these foods. So are strawberries.

Here’s why:

Apples and strawberries are on the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) “Dirty Dozen” list of foods that have the highest pesticide residues. EWG, a nonprofit organization, identifies the types of fruits and vegetables that are most likely to have higher trace amounts of pesticides based on the results of tens of thousands of USDA and FDA tests for pesticides.
Long-term exposure to pesticides has been associated with cancer, infertility and neurologic conditions, such as Parkinson’s. (So buying organic can help protect farm workers who are repeatedly exposed to pesticides.)
Small doses of pesticides are far more dangerous to children (whose bodies are smaller and nervous systems are still developing) than to adults.
You can remove some pesticide residues with washing but pesticides can be absorbed into fruits and vegetables, and leave trace residues. Many of the pesticides stay in the peel, so discarding the skin can reduce residues significantly—by up to 98 percent, according to a 2008 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study. But ditch the peel and you lose out on a lot of fiber and many of the antioxidants.

Bottom line: I think that the most important thing you can do for your health is to eat lots fruits and vegetables—whether they’re organic or not, they’re full of helpful nutrients. I do think that if you’re shopping for a young child (like I am) buying some types of food organic makes good sense—from a pesticide perspective. And certainly buying organic is healthier for the environment because it mandates more sustainable farming practices and helps to reduce the amount of chemicals that leach into our soil and water.

- Nicci Micco

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2 Steps To Sexy Legs

2009-07-28T18:49:00.002-05:00

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I don't know about you, but the past month or so of near-constant skirt/short wearing has meant daily shaving and my legs could use a little TLC. Luckily, I've found the steps to get myself back on track for soft, smooth, sexy legs. Because I don't want to spend this July heat wave in jeans, ugh!

Step 1: First, figure out your shaving style here. Personally, I'm a bit of a shaving slacker, so I was loving the tips to speed up the process.

Step 2: Now that you've id-ed your shaving m.o., get even more tricks to keep your legs silky smooth all the time. Here are a few of my faves: get an extra close shave, exfoliate the day before you shave. It will remove dead cells that prevent your razor from gliding smoothly over skin.

Tip 1: Exfoliate: To get an extra close shave, exfoliate the day before you shave. It will remove dead cells that prevent your razor from gliding smoothly over skin.
Tip 2: Use long strokes: When we're rushed, the first thing we do is use quick, short strokes while shaving. This is a sure-fire way to miss spots. Instead, use long strokes and gentle pressure when shaving your legs. When you reach areas like your knees, stretch the skin as you shave it to make sure you get every single hair.
Tip 3: Store your razor properly: Before you hop out of the bath or shower, rinse your razor clean and make sure it isn't going to sit in a puddle of water, which can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Bacteria can cause razor burn and other skin irritations.

- TotalBeauty

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The Top Ten Hair Dryers

2009-07-28T18:44:00.002-05:00

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This morning, my beloved hair dryer for years (years!) died on me. After a brief period of mourning (a.k.a. staring at the lifeless dryer in my hands while contemplating how my sopping wet hair was going to get dry in time for work), I set about looking for the perfect replacement.

If you’re in the market for a new dryer, check out the list below -- don't wait until yours fizzles out and you're forced to drive to work with the heater on full blast to dry your hair. (Um, I mean, no, of course that's not what I did this morning, who would do that?)

No. 10: Vidal Sassoon VS547 1875 Watt Professional Full-Size Ionic Dryer, $19.99, rating: 7.8 (out of 10)

No. 9: TIGI Bed Head 1875W Active Ionic Dryer, $69.95, rating: 8.4

No. 8: Vidal Sassoon VS783 1875 Watt Ionic Styler Dryer, $39.99, rating: 8.5

No. 7: Revlon Ion Select Hair Dryer, $19.99, rating: 9

No. 6: Rusk CTC Lite, $139.99, rating: 9

No. 5: T3 Bespoke Featherweight, $200, rating: 9

No. 4: Conair ION Shine Ceramic Turbo 1875 Watts Dryer, $19.99, rating: 9.1

No. 3: CHI Turbo Ceramic Ionic Hair Dryer, $134.95, rating: 9.1

No. 2: Conair 1875 Watt Ionic Ceramic Cord Keeper, $32.99, rating: 9.3

No. 1: T3 PRO Pink Hair Dryer, $119, rating: 9.6

- TotalBeauty

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The Best Hairstyles for the Office

2009-07-28T18:37:00.002-05:00

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You've proofread your resume and dry-cleaned your career separates, but a stiff job market means the slightest detail - even the wrong updo - can make or break your chances. Here, the hair that will help you land the job, no matter the field.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Objective: Express originality, minus the eccentricity.
Tricks of the Trade: Leave the Katy Perry coif at home and sweep hair into a sleek, high ponytail like those spotted at Alexander Wang and BCBG Max Azria. If you have a short, funky cut, don't sport mismatched roots - freshen up your hue with a 10-minute color rinse at home if there's no time for a salon appointment, suggests celebrity stylist Wendy Iles.

MARKETING & ADVERTISING
Objective: Look like a closer - not a Showgirls extra.
Tricks of the Trade: If you want to push products for a living, first know how to sell yourself. Hair worn in loose, smooth waves, parted to the side à la Moschino Cheap & Chic's fall runway, communicates trustworthiness and fresh ideas. "A simple style could be seen as a stabilizing benefit to the company - especially if it's a young organization," says John McKee

HEALTH CARE
Objective: Show that you're more concerned about patients than 'dos.
Tricks of the Trade: Appear both confident and modest with a quick and easy half-up style, like the ones seen on DKNY's fall catwalk. "Your interviewer will want someone adaptable, so look like you are ready to jump into action and can handle anything," says McKee.
Style Mentor: Olivia Wilde as Dr. Hadlet (aka Thirteen) on House

FINANCE
Objective:Flaunt your business acumen, not over-the-top hair.
Tricks of the Trade: Show you can handle the big bucks without defaulting to mom-hair. A neat, flat-ironed chignon, like those seen on the Miu Miu and Calvin Klein fall runways, is the best way to convey quiet authority, says Iles. For a short and chic option, try a timeless angled bob.

- Marie Claire

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The 3 Worst Makeup Mistakes

2009-07-28T16:00:00.003-05:00

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What is the biggest beauty mistake the over-40-year-old woman makes?

1) The Pressure to Be Forever Young
Too frequently we feel pressured to be forever young by artificial means, to fit into someone else’s definition of what’s hot, what’s sexy or what’s beautiful …

The biggest beauty mistake the over-40-year-old woman makes is not embracing her age. Too frequently we feel pressured to be forever young by artificial means, to fit into someone else’s definition of what’s hot, what’s sexy or what’s beautiful. I say embrace your age and wear it with confidence. If you get a wrinkle, don’t rush to make an appointment for some kind of injectable, or cover it up with too much makeup. If your hair gets a little gray, don’t overcompensate with an over-the-top hair color. Or go clothes shopping at Forever 21. Figure out what makes you feel beautiful and, most importantly, happy. Own your age, wear your experience with pride and be comfortable in your own skin. There’s nothing hotter, sexier or more beautiful. - By Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik, Afrobella

2) Not Choosing the Best Moisturizer for Your Skin
Moisturizing your face (especially with an SPF lotion) is one of the best beauty habits you can develop. But in their quest for the fountain of youth, too many over-40-year-old women fall for the marketing hype that says more expensive means better …

Moisturizing your face (especially with an SPF lotion) is one of the best beauty habits you can develop. But in their quest for the fountain of youth, too many over-40-year-old women fall for the marketing hype that says more expensive means better. Here are two studies that have shown that the price of an anti-aging skin-care product is NOT related to its effectiveness.

First, a recent French consumer test looked at the performance of 12 popular anti-aging skin-care products in France. They found that the least expensive product, Nivea Visage DNAge, was the second most effective. The most effective was Roc RetinOx-Jour. This was a double-blind study. In it, 22 women tried each product for 28 days. The products were then awarded points based on effectiveness and other in-use categories. You can see the entire list by clicking here.

Second, there was a study done by Consumer Reports that showed there is no connection between moisturizer price and effectiveness. In their lab studies, Consumer Reports found the most effective product was Olay Regenerist (Enhancing Lotion, Perfecting Cream and Daily Regenerating Serum). One surprise was a $335 product scored among the lowest of all the products tried. The full list of products (in order of performance) can be found by clicking here.

So, don’t make this same mistake — moisturize your face but don’t spend too much! - The Beauty Brains

3) Wearing Too Much Makeup
The biggest mistake is wearing too much makeup, which can settle into fine lines and not leave the skin looking youthful. After 40, a woman should follow this rule of thumb: S, G, L (Sheer - Glowing - Luminous) …
Moisturizing is key for older women with dry skin and/or fine lines. Applying a lightweight moisturizing makeup primer (w/SPF like Smashbox Photo Finish Primer w/SPF15) is ideal before adding foundation or tinted moisturizer. Next, pick the right foundation and only use it where you really need it. A great new drugstore formula is Cover Girl & Olay Simply Ageless Foundation. Apply illuminating powder or cream strategically on the upper cheekbones, the center of your forehead and just below your lower lip to also create the illusion of lift. Laura Mercier Shimmer Loose Powder and Dior Night Diamond Powder are great choices. - Risi-Leanne Baranja of Palacinka Beauty

- wowOwow

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9 Ways to Burn More Calories Every Time You Exercise!

2009-07-28T15:54:00.002-05:00

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If you’re like me, when you make the effort to work out you want every drop of sweat to count. There are loads of reasons workouts stop, well, working, but simple tweaks to your routine can actually help you burn up to 60% more calories, so you’ll lose weight faster and sculpt more muscle.

Bonus: These moves may also jump-start a lagging metabolism, which means you’ll burn more calories throughout the rest of the day—and even while you sleep!

1. Rehydrate with Cold H2O
Hot outside? Grab the coldest bottle of water you can find. According to a British study, exercisers who drank refrigerated water (39°F) worked out about 25% longer than those who consumed the same amount of warmer water—and they said their exercise sessions felt easier too. Whether you're indoors or out, sipping chilled water both before and during exercise may help keep your body temperature down and your energy up for maximum calorie burn.

2. Swing Those Arms
Turn your walk into a calorie-torching workout by bending your elbows 90 degrees and pumping your arms as you stride. It not only automatically speeds up your pace but also helps you burn up to 15% more calories every time you work out.
For proper pumping: Trace an arc from your waist to your chest as you swing. Your thumbs should come close to touching your waistband as your elbow goes backward. Also, make sure to keep elbows in and don't let hands cross past the middle of your chest (in front of your sternum). Too much side-to-side motion drags down your pace.

3. Pop in Your Headphones
If you work out to music you probably know this, but a recent study proves it: Listening to your favorite playlist can help you to go up to 20% longer and burn more calories, according to research from West London's Brunel University. Music blocks fatigue, produces feelings of vigor, and helps you keep pace by synchronizing your movements.

4. Put on Some Weight
To really rev your calorie burn, it is not about the number of reps so much, but the size of the weight. Even when exercisers in a study lifted identical volumes (such as 10 pounds 10 times, or 20 pounds 5 times), those using the heavier dumbbells burned about 25% more calories when they were done. Here’s a more scientific explanation: Heavy weights create more protein breakdown in the muscle, so your body has to use more energy to repair and recover—which is how lean muscle tissue is built. Just don’t rely on momentum; keep the movement controlled by counting to 4 during the lowering phase of the move.

5. Break up Your Sets
Instead of performing 2 or 3 sets of a single exercise before moving to the next one, do a circuit: Complete just 1 set and then immediately move to the next exercise, repeating the circuit 2 or 3 times. When researchers had testers do either standard strength-training (3 sets of 6 exercises with 2 minutes of rest in between) or circuit-training (moving through a series of 6 exercises 3 times, with 30 seconds of rest in between), the circuit-trainers burned nearly twice as many calories postworkout as the standard-style lifters. The reason: Because your heart rate stays elevated longer after circuit-training, you continue burning fat as though you were still exercising.

6. Head Outside
Besides the fresh air, better scenery, and never, ever having to wait for a machine, heading outside can give your workout a major boost. Research finds that exercisers burn 10% more calories when they walk or run outdoors than they do on a treadmill at the same speed. You use more energy to propel yourself over the ground, and pushing a little against the wind or other elements burns more calories, too.

7. Or Crank up the Incline
If bad weather or extreme heat forces you indoors, challenge yourself on the treadmill. By increasing the incline a few levels (my personal preference is steep and slow—great butt toning) you could burn up to 60% more calories. And when you come back down to earth, walking will feel soooo much easier.

8. Log at Least 12 Minutes
Any amount of cardio will burn calories, but to really shed pounds, you need at least 12 minutes (beyond a warm-up) of continuously moderate to high-intensity activity (where you're breathing somewhat hard) most days a week. That's the amount necessary to create a training effect, which improves your body's ability to use oxygen and generate more fat-burning enzymes, such as lipase, so you can blast more flab during exercise and other activities all day. (Try programming 12 minutes of energizing tunes into your playlist). It works for me!)

9. Don't Skip Stretching
For years I was terrible about stretching (I’ve been known to duck out of a class early just to avoid the cool-down), but that’s a mistake I don’t make anymore. Stretching keeps your muscles flexible, helping to prepare them for exercise and recover from the effort afterward. Skip the stretches, and you won't get nearly the benefits you should from cardio and resistance training.

- Prevention

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What You Should Know About Your BMI

2009-07-28T15:44:00.002-05:00

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Why Does BMI Matter?

Your BMI is your body mass index. The BMI is a better indication of potential weight problems than simply looking at the weight of an individual. The BMI takes your height and weight into consideration and is a reliable indication of the amount of body fat. However, the BMI does not actually measure body fat. If your BMI is high, your doctor will use other measurements to see how much body fat you actually have.

BMI and Athletes

Since the BMI uses weight to determine the amount of approximate amount of body fat, people with high quantities of muscle may be heavier than their low-muscled counterparts, making their BMI higher. However, athletic people don't usually have high quantities of body fat. Check with your doctor if you're an athlete and your BMI is very high--chances are, you're just fine.

BMI and Children

Experts use the same criteria in determining the BMI (body mass index) in children and adults; they look at the height and weight of the child. However, experts also consider different criteria. With children, they look at age and sex along with height and weight, since the amount of body fat differs with age. In addition, the amount of body fat differs with girls and boys, especially as girls hit puberty.

How Do You Calculate BMI?

Square your height in inches. Take your weight and divide it by your height in inches squared. Multiply that number by 703. If this seems too complex, find a chart that does the work for you or speak to your care provider. When given your height and weight, your care provider should be able to calculate your BMI.

What Do All the Numbers Mean?

If you're BMI is under 18.5, you're considered underweight. BMIs from 18.5 to 24.9 are normal. If your BMI ranges from 25.0 to 29.9, you're overweight. If you're BMI is over 30, you're obese. Being overweight or obese increases your chances of hypertension, type-2 Diabetes, stroke, sleep apnea, some cancers and heart disease. When calculating your BMI, keep in mind that women tend to have more body fat than men, older people tend to have more body fat, and athletes have higher BMIs.

- Theresa Halvorsen

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Follow Your Natural Appetite

2009-07-28T13:33:00.002-05:00

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Instinctively, your body knows exactly how much to eat and what balance of nutrients to obtain to function at peak levels. Dr. Clara Davis showed this in her noted work with young children. In her studies, children were presented with a variety of foods, both healthy and unhealthy, and allowed to eat whatever they wanted and as much as they wanted. Over time, they naturally and intuitively chose healthy foods in the exact balance of nutrients and amount of calories that they needed for peak function.

All animals, including adult humans, have an innate ability to control appetite and nourish themselves properly. Unfortunately, adult humans happen to be the only beings on the face of the earth that ignore or override natural appetite. Reasons include:

1. Dieting: Natural appetite is displaced in favor of the latest, greatest, best-selling diet. Popular diets invariably ask you to restrict the amount, content, combination or time that you eat your foods. The negative consequences of restricting or manipulating caloric intake away from natural appetite are numerous and well known. Briefly, diets set off a chain reaction of negative metabolic consequences, including energy level fluctuations, sugar cravings, fatigue, slowed metabolism (your body enters a genetically programmed starvation mode, burning fewer calories as a survival instinct) and increased stress levels (this leads to breakdown of muscle tissue into sugar for energy--another "survival" instinct against inadequate dietary nourishment).

2. Emotions: Due to lifelong attempts to "control" diet and overwhelming cultural pressure to be thin, many people have strong emotional connections to eating. Food is often used as a vehicle to provide comfort, relieve stress or escape problems. Or, food is consumed in a destructive manner (under- or overeating or by blatantly disregarding good nutrition), which is behavior related to low self-esteem and other emotional problems. Regardless of the reason, eating for emotional reasons rarely achieves anything positive and takes you further away from healthy eating habits.

3. Environment: Corporate America spends billions of advertising dollars every year to convince you that consuming junk food is an exciting, rewarding way of life. Fast food restaurants, vending machines and convenience stores offer little or nothing in the way of good nutrition. Even with good intentions, this environmental influence can lead you to unhealthy habits.

While the negative consequences of ignoring natural appetite seem obvious and easy to avoid, the typical high-stress modern lifestyle makes it very difficult to follow your natural appetite. During a busy day, the temptation to eat quick, cheap, fast food is overwhelming. Then as you suffer the consequences of undisciplined, unhealthy eating habits--namely excess body fat--you turn to a quick fix in the form of a regimented, calorically restrictive diet.

The inconvenience of eating highly regimented, impractical meals compromises realistic chances of long-term success. Consider that humans and their domesticated animals are the only members of the animal kingdom that suffer from obesity--a direct result of failing to follow natural appetite.

Animals in the wild follow a couple of simple rules that we should pay attention to:

1. They eat when they are hungry.
2. They finish eating when they are satisfied, not full.

Even predatory animals whose big kills are few and far between will not overstuff when they score their private Thanksgiving feast. They know intuitively that overeating may slow them down and inhibit their peak performance to the extent that they may become someone else's Thanksgiving!

Eat when you are hungry; eat only to the point that you are satisfied; and don't eat again until you are hungry. Deprivation and attempting to control food intake creates an unhealthy obsession with food, which leads to overeating and compulsive eating.

- Brad Kearns

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5 Health Move Musts

2009-07-28T13:27:00.002-05:00

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The health choices you make now will dictate your health in the future; start being healthy today and you'll feel the positive effects for years to come.

1. GET A LIFE.
People who feel a sense of purpose in life and a responsibility beyond taking care of themselves - like organizing adopt-a-thons at the animal shelter or throwing not-to-be-missed soirees for friends - tend to deal with stress better than those who don’t, Dr. Roizen says. These activities give you a strong sense of self and a support system to ground you when stress strikes.

2. FLOSS.
Everyday. Not flossing can increase chances of periodontal disease, which could increase your risk of giving birth to a premature or low-birthweight baby. Inflammation from periodontal disease can also set you up for heart disease.

3. LEARN TO COOK.
This makes you more likely to eat at home, which is better for your heart and your weight than living on takeout. But one warning: Most people use too much oil when they sauté and end up deep-frying food accidentally, Dr. Roizen says. For two boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you need no more than one-and-a-half tablespoons of oil.

4. STOP SMOKING.
Other than major life stressors (like a death in the family), nothing ages the body like cigarettes. Quitting is the best thing you can do for yourself - and your health, and your looks …

5. WALK EVERYWHERE.
A daily, brisk, 30-minute walk is the closest thing we may get to a wonder drug, says Dr. Roizen. “It’s one of the best ways to keep your arteries young and your immune system strong - two keys to living well beyond age 90.”

- Marie Claire

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3 Keys to a satisfying salad

2009-07-28T10:03:00.003-05:00

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Ever since I was a child, I loved vegetables. My mother used to call me a rabbit, and I would call her lucky. Granted, I was a bit picky in that I only liked my veggies raw, but still, what mother wouldn't be lucky to have her kid love vegetables?

As I've gotten older, salad continues to be a huge part of my diet. Is a matter of fact, most lunches and dinners consist of at least a salad appetizer, if not a salad entree. So, when people complain to me that salad is not very fulfilling, it is hard for me to understand. When I ask them what they put in their salad, however, it becomes clear why they are unsatisfied: Plain and simple, they are not putting enough nutrition and calories in their salad!

Look, salads are a great, healthy food that can be VERY filling and nutritious. But, you have to stop treating salads like diet food and start treating them like meals. Here are some great ways to ensure that your salad leaves your feeling satisfied:

1. Include Protein: Most salads are not fulfilling because they are lacking in protein. Granted, salad by definition focuses on vegetables, but protein is crucial to making you feel fuller, longer. Further, protein boosts your metabolism by ensuring you are maintaining muscle mass, which burns more calories than fat. Here are some ways to get some healthy proteins into your salads:

Chicken: Opt for white meat that is either baked or grilled. Avoid fried chicken, chicken salad or dark meat. Portion: 3 - 5 oz or an amount similar to the size of a deck of cards
Salmon: Loaded with Omega 3s, salmon provides you with protein and healthy fats to keep you fulfilled. Portion: 3 - 5 oz or an amount similar to the size of a deck of cards
Low-Fat Cheese: When possible, opt for low-fat or fat-free cheese. This will help to keep the saturated fats down in your meal. Portion: 1/4 cup
Nuts: Nuts give your salad an extra crunch and provide you with wonderful fiber, protein and nutrients. Portion: 1/4 cup Find out which nuts are healthiest...
Beans: Beans are loaded with fiber and protein. Both of which are really important in keeping your tummy satisfied. Portion: 1/2 cup Find out which beans are highest in fiber and protein...

Note: If you are a vegetarian, combine the nuts and beans in your salad to make a complete protein.

2. Quality of your Vegetables: Throwing some iceberg lettuce into a bowl and calling it salad is like calling a few knock-knock jokes comedy. It just doesn't make the grade. Vegetables are obviously a key ingredient in a salad. They provide tons of vitamins and minerals and are a great source of fiber. Use those vegetables that provide the most nutrients for the punch. Further, the more colorful your salad, the more vitamins and minerals you will be getting. Here are some of the most nutrient dense vegetables:

Baby Spinach/Dark Leafy Greens: When it comes to lettuces, aim to ditch the romaine and iceberg for more dark, leafy lettuces and greens. Spinach, especially, is filled with nutrients that ward off heart disease, colon cancer and autoimmune diseases such as arthritis and osteoporosis.
Tomatoes: If you didn't know already, tomatoes are actually a fruit. However, they are often used in salads. Tomatoes are filled with lycopine, which helps to fight cancer. They are also filled with Vitamins A and K, keep blood pressure low and contain free-radical fighters called antioxidants.
Broccoli: Filled with antioxidants, high in folate, Vitamin C and beta-carotene, and a great immune system booster.
Carrots: Carrots are filled with antioxidants and Vitamins A and C. They are wonderful for keeping eyes healthy, and skin and hair looking their best.
Onions: Whether or not you are an onion fan, onions are great at warding off heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.
Bell Peppers: The best part of bell peppers is that they come in a rainbow of colors (there are actually purple bell peppers!) and are filled with tons of nutrients that ward off heart disease and cancer.
Cucumbers: Cucumbers taste great in salads. It is wonderful for hydrating the body, and helps lower blood pressure.

3. Quantity of Vegetables: It kills me when I see people go to the salad bar and put only a few vegetables in the smallest sized container and call that lunch. No wonder they aren't satisfied! Truth is, it is really hard to overdo the amount of vegetables you eat. The more the better. Veggies are very nutritious, are high in fiber and have very little calories due to their high water content. Further, the more veggies you include, the more likely you are going to fill up and feel satisfied. So go for that large container and fill it to the brim!

When you dress the salad, always use olive oil and vinegar, or if you want a premade dressing, use a vinaigrette. This will help to keep saturated fats, sugar and sodium out of the goodness of your salad.

Try these tips out and see how filling your salad feels. Do you eat salad for a main course? Do you use these tricks? Do you have your own tricks to make them filling and healthy?

- Brett Blumenthal

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Is Food Always On Your Mind?

2009-07-28T09:54:00.004-05:00

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Whether you refuse to let a single speck of trans fat cross your lips or never met an entire pint of ice cream you didn’t like, it’s the rare individual whose attitude toward food, weight loss, and body image is 100% normal (define normal anyway).

In fact, on average women think about their bodies eight times a day, found one recent survey, and about 80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance. It’s no wonder many women report signs of disordered eating—like excessively counting calories or working out just to burn off food—even if they never develop a full-blown disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Problem is, there’s often a fine line between eating healthfully to slim down and becoming fixated with food. Here are some red flags that could indicate a food/weight obsession.

1. You eat in reaction to bad (or good) news.

You’re having a stressful day, so you treat yourself to Cheetos at the vending machine. Or you just got major props from your boss for nailing a big presentation, so you supersize your french fries as a reward. If food is your automatic reaction to dealing with any emotion—good or bad—it could signal an unhealthy relationship. Another sign: When you’re upset, you turn to food before you call your partner or a friend.

2. You eat without feeling hungry.

It’s 12:30, your usual lunchtime. Do you automatically make a beeline for your favorite sandwich shop—or ask yourself if you’re hungry first? If the former sounds familiar, it means you’ve detached eating from physical hunger and you may eat out of boredom, anxiety, habit, desire, or some other emotion. But going with your gut—literally—is best for your health. Women who follow internal hunger and satiety cues report higher levels of self-esteem and optimism and lower BMIs, according to a Journal of Counseling Psychology study.

3. You have out-of-control eating binges.

Everyone indulges in an extra slice of pizza or another handful of M&M’s. But if you regularly eat much more than you intended, stuff yourself until you’re uncomfortably full, or feel like you can’t stop eating, that could be something to watch.

Overeating like this can result from going too long between meals or restricting yourself, not to mention that age-old culprit: boredom. You start with a bag of popcorn. All that salt makes you crave something sweet, like ice cream. Then you feel thirsty, so you have a soda.

Eat frequent, consistently sized meals to avoid binges and feel happier. Research from Liverpool John Moores University found that women who fluctuated between low- and high-calorie meals were less happy with their bodies than those whose plates packed a similar number of calories from meal to meal.

4. There's zero variety in your diet

You’ve had Rice Krispies with fat-free milk for breakfast every day for 10 years. For lunch, it’s always salad with the same fat-free dressing. And for dinner, what’s wrong with grilled chicken and steamed broccoli Monday through Thursday?

Fact is, someone who eats like this takes no pleasure in food. The satisfaction comes not from the experience but from knowing they’ve met requirements on a nutrition label. Another danger: missing important nutrients. Different grains, dairy, meats, nuts, beans, vegetables, and fruit means you get a variety of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants every day.

5. You count every last calorie.

It’s one thing to watch your intake while you’re trying to lose weight. But over time, people can gauge how much to eat to maintain weight loss without poring over every label. If you’ve cut calories dangerously low (less than 1,200 a day for most women) and your life revolves around your food "rules," then you’ve taken things too far.

Calorie hawks also feel guilty when they don’t follow their plan—like the rest of the day is ruined. Severe restriction can lead to anorexia or thwart weight loss efforts by slowing metabolism—not to mention that you’ll feel hungry, exhausted, foggy, and grumpy if you don’t consume enough nutrients.

6. You view foods as "good" or "bad."

Bread is "bad"—so having a bagel for breakfast is a rare treat. Baby carrots are "good," so there’s zero guilt about eating them as a snack. If you compartmentalize food choices like this, you’re setting yourself up for a tricky tango later. Once you have a “bad” label on something, under certain conditions you’ll crave it more, lose all control, and binge. Research shows that people have only so much willpower; if you try to limit too many things at once, you’ll end up caving more quickly. Of course, certain foods are inherently healthier than others—so this doesn’t mean you can eat fast food whenever you want. But that’s where portion control comes in. Train yourself to have just one Munchkin and then concentrate on something other than eating.

7. You're 100% organic, 100% of the time.

We know organic, unprocessed, whole foods are healthiest, but some people take the mantra to an extreme. This could be you if you refuse to shop for groceries or eat at places that don’t meet your healthy standards, you decode every ingredient label and deem all foods with "unnatural" ingredients off-limits, or you perceive processed products as dangerous to your health. Loosen your standards a bit when you’re out and about. One nonorganic meal won’t kill you, or even hurt you, and you can feel confident that your health is benefiting from all the other healthy food you eat 90% of the time.

- Prevention

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Increasing Your Metabolism: What Slows It Down

2009-07-28T09:50:00.002-05:00

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Your metabolism doesn’t tragically sink the day you turn 30—nor is it uniquely speedy in your 20s. If you’re gaining weight, you’re probably doing too many things that decrease your metabolism and not enough that boost it. Take a look.

Decreases Your Metabolism:

SITTING. The less you move, the fewer calories your body needs. As a result, your metabolism temporarily slows.

DIETING. Cutting back on calories makes your body slow down and hold on to fat (in the event of famine, for instance!). Outsmart nature: Trimming only 250 to 300 calories a day from your diet urges your body to shed fat without scaring it into thinking you’re never going to eat again.

AGING. Metabolism falls about 1 percent per decade, says Susan B. Roberts, Ph.D., at the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston. So every year, you need about a measly 10 fewer calories a day to maintain your weight.

No Effect

CAFFEINE. “Caffeine increases heart rate, which could help burn calories,” says Dan Bernadot, Ph.D., of Georgia State University in Atlanta. “But it’s a small and fleeting increase and won’t really boost metabolism.”

Increases Your Metabolism

PROTEIN. Protein helps build muscle, and the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism. Aim to get 20 to 25 percent of your calories from protein.

SNACKING. Eating gives your metabolism a brief spike because you’ve given it something to do (burn calories), so eating four or five mini meals a day is better for your metabolism than having two large ones.

CARDIO. Exercise that gets your heart rate up boosts your metabolism while you’re doing it, and it makes you burn more calories in the hours after your workout—even when you’re resting. In fact, regular workouts can bump up metabolism enough to cancel the drop that you get when you diet, says Kathy McManus, M.S., R.D., director of the department of nutrition at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

RESISTANCE TRAINING. This builds muscles, which burn calories even when you’re sitting around. For every pound of muscle you gain, you can burn about 50 extra calories per day. You can gain a pound of muscle in a month if you work out with weights two to three times a week.

- Marie Claire

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4 Ways To Burn Fat Faster

2009-07-28T09:44:00.003-05:00

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Your metabolism doesn’t tragically sink the day you turn 30 - nor is it uniquely speedy in your 20s. If you’re gaining weight, you’re probably doing too many things that decrease your metabolism and not enough that boost it. Take a look.

PROTEIN. Protein helps build muscle, and the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism. Aim to get 20 to 25 percent of your calories from protein.

SNACKING. Eating gives your metabolism a brief spike because you’ve given it something to do (burn calories), so eating four or five mini meals a day is better for your metabolism than having two large ones.

CARDIO. Exercise that gets your heart rate up boosts your metabolism while you’re doing it, and it makes you burn more calories in the hours after your workout—even when you’re resting. In fact, regular workouts can bump up metabolism enough to cancel the drop that you get when you diet, says Kathy McManus, M.S., R.D., director of the department of nutrition at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

RESISTANCE TRAINING. This builds muscles, which burn calories even when you’re sitting around. For every pound of muscle you gain, you can burn about 50 extra calories per day. You can gain a pound of muscle in a month if you work out with weights two to three times a week.

- Marie Claire

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The Secret to Long-Lasting Makeup

2009-07-27T22:04:00.003-05:00

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If you're thinking about lightening up on the makeup this summer, here's a little beauty tip. A primer might be just what you're looking for. Today's technologically- advanced offerings do more than just help your foundation stay put, they can actually help improve your skin while you wear it - and more!

Primer, color correction, foundation and powder in one
When Per-fekt Skin Perfecting Gel came out a few years back, I was instantly smitten. At first I tried the translucent version and I found it gave my skin a velvety smooth finish, and then I graduated to the "Radiant" hue and pretty much stopped using foundation all together. You can build the coverage to get as much or as little as you need, and I love how it's packed with antioxidants, alpha lipoic acid and vitamins A and E to help protect my skin from free radical damage. $57.50

Problem-specific primers
If you haven't already tried Cover FX's line of mineral-based makeup, now's a good time to start. The original SkinPrep FX is geared toward anti-aging thanks to line-blurring and hydrating ingredients; ClearPrep FX is a mattifying version that prevents and heals breakouts as is evens out the skin; and the newest BritePrep FX adds radiance as it protects the skin from sun-induced signs of aging. $39-$45 each.

A silicone-free alternative
Most primers harness the skin-perfecting power of silicone to get that flawless finish, but for those of us who prefer to keep things natural, Korres Silicone Free Face Primer acts as a barrier between the skin and makeup that reduces pore size and fills in wrinkles and lines. In addition to antioxidants, it also contains jojoba, sunflower oil and edelweiss extract to soothe and counteract redness. $28.00

What's your secret to making your foundation last in the summer heat? Share your beauty tip with us!

- BettyConfidential

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5 Healthy Tasty Snacks

2009-07-27T21:33:00.003-05:00

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What Makes a Healthy Snack?
> 200 calories or less (except the mini meals)
> 0 grams of trans fat and no more than 3.5 grams of saturated fat
> No more than 400 milligrams of sodium (except mini meals)
> No high-fructose corn syrup
> Calorie-controlled portions, whole grains, little added sugar, and extra vitamins or minerals all got special consideration

100 CALORIES OR LESS

	Lindsay Garlic Seasoned Olives (63 calories, 6 g fat per 1 oz. can) "Eating these is a healthier way to satisfy my salt cravings than downing a bag of chips," said one tester. The pitted black olives are high in oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fat that may lower cholesterol and help you feel fuller. ($3 for 4)
	Smashies Applesauce Snappy Apple (50 calories, 0 g fat per 3 oz. pouch) Made from a blend of organic apples (with no added sugar), this tangy treat is portable. Just pull it out of your gym tote, twist off the lid, and squeeze. One tester said, "Tastes like the stuff my mom makes." ($1 each)
	Popchips Salt & Pepper (100 calories, 3 g fat per 1 oz. bag) They're not baked or fried—these potato crisps are "popped." The result: an ultra-crunchy snack with 50 percent less fat than regular chips. One tester said, "I'd definitely put these on my picnic menu." ($1 each)
	Garden Lites Zucchini Portabella (70 calories, 3 g fat per 7 oz. box) This saucy, veggie-packed snack serves up 20 percent of the vitamin C you need in a day. One tester noted, "It looked and tasted like pasta, so I felt like I was splurging on a carb-rich dish." ($4 each)
	Nesquik Chocolate Milk (100 calories, 2 g fat per 8 oz. bottle) Break out the bendy straw! Sweetened with sucralose, each bottle provides a third of your daily calcium. One panelist said, "I liked this so much I started drinking it as an afternoon pick-me-up—just like I did after school as a kid." ($5 for 4)

- Forever Alluring, Inc.

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10 Horrible Conditioners

2009-07-27T18:09:00.003-05:00

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Every celebrity hairstylist I talk to says that great hair starts in the shower -- a.k.a., if you use cheap shampoo and conditioner, you'll wind up with cheap-looking hair.

Now, don't get me wrong, cheap doesn't necessarily mean inexpensive. There are plenty of bargain products that work amazingly -- and more than a few high-end products that don't deliver despite the price. That's why we ( total beauty) put together the 10 worst conditioners, with both high and low end products. Check them out below and steer clear, unless you like that whole greasy, frizzy look (this celeb seems to, I wonder if she's using a product on this list?).

No. 10: Garnier Fructis Fortifying Curl & Shine Cream Conditioner, $2.99, rating: 5.7 (out of 10)

No. 9: Dove Advanced Care Conditioner, $4.75, rating: 5.6

No. 8: Aveda Blue Malva Color Conditioner, $17, rating: 5.5

No. 7: TIGI Bed Head Control Freak Conditioner, $10.95, rating: 5.4

No. 6: Lush Veganese, $8.75, rating: 5.4

No. 5: Alberto VO5 Silky Experiences Moisturizing Conditioner, $1.23, rating: 5.4

No. 4: Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Leave-in Conditioner, $11.50, rating: 5.3

No. 3: Burt's Bees More Moisture Raspberry & Brazil Nut Conditioner, $5.98, rating: 5.2

No. 2: Jonathan Product Condition Leave-In, $22, rating: 5

No. 1: John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Light Reflecting Moisturizing Conditioner, $5.49, rating: 4.1

- Total Beauty

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5 Healthier Alternatives to Our Favorite Junk Foods

2009-07-27T17:59:00.004-05:00

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In case you weren't aware, tuesday was National Junk Food Day. As if we really needed another excuse to binge on junk food to begin with.

The next time you are feeling the junk food munchie attack, consider these 8 healthier alternatives to the following junk food cravings all of us are susceptible to.

Craving a chocolate candy bar? Have a square of dark chocolate instead. Dark chocolate is said to lower blood pressure and is a potent antioxidant--qualities that are not found in milk chocolate or white chocolate. Plus, a simple, elegant square of dark chocolate lacks the caramel, oily peanuts, toffee bits and other not-so-healthy things that are found in most chocolate candy bars.

Craving ice cream? Have plain yogurt with fruits, honey and nuts on top. Go for non-frozen yogurt because the nutritional difference between ice cream and frozen yogurt isn't very big to begin with. Also, it is highly likely your body is just craving something cold and sweet--so make it extra-refreshing with some generous chunks of real fruit.

Craving chocolate chip cookies? Have granola bars instead. Chocolate chip cookies are full of sugar, hydrogenated oil, white flour and other chemicals that do plenty of damage to your nutritional intake. A granola bar, on the other hand, might actually give you some nutrients in addition to dispelling a little of the sweet tooth craving you are having. Make sure the granola bar you choose has no additives or preservatives.

Craving potato chips? Have kale chips, edamame, rice cakes, unsalted pretzels, or low-fat microwave popcorn instead. Maybe you just really want to aimlessly stuff your face with something and it doesn't necessarily have to be a bag of super-oily, super-unhealthy potato chips.

Craving sugary candy? Have dried fruit instead. They are sweet in a natural way that won't make you feel like you're going to wake up with a head full of cavities the next day. Try different dried fruits spiced in different flavors, and you will find that they have a more interesting and satisfying taste palette than a bag of Skittles.

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Alternatives To Drinking Coffee

2009-07-27T13:29:00.002-05:00

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What's Percolating? Few morning brews match coffee's punch. But if you are hoping to ease up on the jitters, Jody Villecco, Whole Foods Market nutritionist, gives the scoop on three alternatives:

HERBAL COFFEE (such as Teeccino)
MAIN INGREDIENT: Chicory root.
BUZZ EFFECT: No caffeine—but fans insist it gives a "natural" alertness.
FLAVOR FACTOR: Tastes like classic joe, but slightly sweet and smoky.
HEALTH BOOST: Chicory's got inulin (a digestive aid) and heart-friendly potassium.

YERBA MATE (such as Guayaki)
MAIN INGREDIENT: South American holly tree leaves.
BUZZ EFFECT: Less than half the caffeine of coffee.
FLAVOR FACTOR: Evocative of herbal medicine.
HEALTH BOOST: Antioxidant levels akin to green tea, plus potassium.

MATCHA (such as Morning Matcha)
MAIN INGREDIENT: Green-tea leaves ground into powder.
BUZZ EFFECT: Half as much caffeine as regular coffee.
FLAVOR FACTOR: Similar to steeped green tea, but kicked up several zillion notches.
HEALTH BOOST: Three times the antioxidants of the bagged variety, which means extra protection from cancer and heart disease.

- Marie Claire

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Fight Bloating Naturally

2009-07-27T12:28:00.002-05:00

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Diuretics are used to reduce the amount of fluid in the body. Many foods have natural diuretic properties. Uses for diuretics include quick weight loss, reduction in the effects of premenstrual symptoms, and lessening of the impact of fluid retention as a result of blood pressure and certain types of heart disease. Diuretics, even those found naturally in foods, should not be used without consulting a medical professional, since the reduction in fluids may influence the body's balance of minerals and electrolytes as well as its basic hydration.

Herbs

Katherine Zeratsky, R.D. and L.D., of the Mayo Clinic, identifies dandelion, ginger and juniper as the best known natural diuretics. These cause the individual to urinate more often than normally, which reduces the amount of water in the body. Zeratsky cautions that using herbs in this manner has only a "modest diuretic effect."
Physicians may prescribe diuretics, many containing natural food substances, for patients with certain medical conditions. These drugs have been tested to assure predictable results when taken according to the package directions. However, over-the-counter diuretics, even those made using natural foods such as berries and herbs, are not controlled by any regulatory agency.

Fruits

A number of fruits act as natural diuretics. Elderberries are frequently used as a diuretic. The juice is easy to produce and appears to offer a quick and easy approach to fluid reduction. Elder (species "Sambucus"), a native of Europe, is also found in the United States. While its flowers, leaves, seeds, berries and bark have medical properties, they also have the potential to be toxic. The U.S. National Institutes of Health warns that although individuals do use elderberries as diuretics, they "...have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and (their) safety and effectiveness have not always been proven." The Medical Center of the University of Maryland identifies pineapple and grapes as diuretic fruits. In addition, most fruits share a high water content that has a diuretic effect.

Vegetables

The University of Maryland Medical Center identifies a number of vegetables as natural diuretics, including onions, beets, asparagus, garlic, green beans and pumpkins. Leafy greens are also on the list, allowing for a wide variety of salad options in maintaining a natural diuretic diet.

- D.B. Ryan

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7 Surprising Facts About Sleeping

2009-07-26T23:52:00.003-05:00

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Can't sleep? You have plenty of company. About half of all adults experience insomnia on occasion, and 1 in 10 battle insomnia on a regular basis, according to the Cleveland Clinic. If you fall into one of those groups, chances are you're already following the tried-and-true rules for a good night's sleep: Don't have too much caffeine (especially late in the day), don't exercise late at night, keep your bedroom at a cool, comfortable temperature, and make sure your bed, pillows and linens are comfy. Those are all good tips, but there are lesser-known things you can try to help you get more rest.

1. Set a Bedtime Alert
Most of us already use an alarm to wake up in the morning, but sleep expert Michael Breus, PhD, author of Beauty Sleep: Look Younger, Lose Weight, and Feel Great Through Better Sleep, suggests setting it at night as well. "I tell people to set their alarm for one hour before bedtime, which reminds them to begin what I call the power-down hour," says Dr. Breus, who is also a spokesman for the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach. He says you should spend the first 20 minutes of that hour taking care of any necessary chores (like walking the dog or making your kids' lunches), then spend the next 20 minutes on hygiene (washing up, brushing your teeth, etc.), and save the last 20 minutes before bed for relaxation. You don't necessarily have to meditate, if that doesn't appeal to you; you can also do deep breathing exercises, read a book or even watch a little TV (as long as it's not too stimulating).

2. Don't Clear Your Mind
Experts say anxiety and depression top the list of reasons people have trouble sleeping. Part of the problem is that many of us just can't seem to quiet that internal voice that starts rambling on about the worries of the day. Of course, if you can clear your mind, go ahead and do it. But if that's impossible, don't force it--you'll only end up panicking about the fact that you're not sleeping, says Paul McKenna, PhD, author of the soon-to-be-released book I Can Make You Sleep. Instead, try slowing down your thoughts. "Practice saying anything and everything that comes into your mind to yourself in a slow, monotonous, drowsy tone," says Dr. McKenna. It doesn't matter if you're thinking about what to buy tomorrow at the grocery store or how a big presentation at work is going to go. If you slow everything down and talk to yourself in an even tone, you'll find it's that much harder to keep worrying (or stay awake).

3. Count Numbers - Not Sheep
Another great way to quiet those racing thoughts is to count backward from 300 by 3s, says Dr. Breus. Unless you're a math ace, you probably won't be able to focus on anything else while you're doing this, which means you'll end up distracting yourself from your stressful thoughts.

4. Get Up a Half-Hour Earlier
Yes, you read that right! If you're suffering from chronic insomnia, try getting up, for example, at 6:30 instead of your usual 7 wakeup time--no matter what time you fell asleep the night before. You may be extra-sleepy for a little while, but this is hands-down the most effective way to reset your body clock, says Dr. McKenna. It works because it teaches your body that it can't catch up on sleep in the morning, so eventually you'll start feeling drowsier earlier in the evening.

5. Consider Seeing a Professional
A sleep psychologist is someone who specializes in gathering info about your emotions and your behaviors specifically as they relate to sleep. Often found at sleep centers, a sleep psychologist can usually help resolve your sleep issues in just four to six sessions, says Joseph Ojile, MD, founder of the Clayton Sleep Institute in St. Louis and a spokesman for the National Sleep Foundation.

6. Don't Worry If You Can't Sleep Right Away
You shouldn't pass out the second your head hits the pillow. If that happens all the time, it's a sign that you're sleep deprived. (Ditto for nodding off during boring meetings and long movies.) Ideally, it should take 15 to 25 minutes from when you lie down to when you drift off to sleep, says Dr. Breus.

7. Go to Bed When You're Tired
If you're having ongoing sleep troubles, don't worry so much about the fact that it's almost midnight and you have to get up in less than seven hours. Forcing yourself to stay in bed when you're not sleepy is just going to contribute to more tossing and turning, says Dr. Ojile. Instead, get up, do something relaxing, and go back to bed whenever you do feel tired. You might end up exhausted the next day (but that was bound to happen either way under these circumstances), and the following night you should have better luck getting to bed earlier.

- Barbara Brody

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20 Ways To Eat Healthier

2009-07-26T20:30:00.006-05:00

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Adopt one (or all) of these simple strategies to drop pounds and feel great!

Remember when you were a kid and eating was as simple as "Open, chew, enjoy"? You didn't count the grams of fiber and fat in your PB&J. You munched when you were hungry, stopped when you were full and ran off to play with your Cabbage Patch Kids. But choosing a meal as a health-minded adult can be as complicated and joyless as a calculus final. Enough! Here are 20 commonsense rules that make eating right as easy as pie for you and your inner 8-year-old.

1. Eat like a tourist in Greece.

The sunset over your office park isn't as stunning as the one over an Aegean beach, but a plate of grilled fish and fresh vegetables and a glass of wine is as delicious in Athens, Georgia, as it is in Athens, Greece. Plus, a Mediterranean menu can help lower your risk for heart disease and keep you slim, says Susan Mitchell, Ph.D., coauthor of Fat Is Not Your Fate (Fireside).

2. If you can't grow it, don't eat it.

A potato comes from the ground, an egg from a hen. But where did that Pop-tart come from? If your best guess is "aisle 7," pass it up. "Unprocessed, whole foods will give you the most benefits," says Michelle K. Berman, R.D., of Fairfax, Virginia. Processing takes out nutrients such as antioxidants and fiber, and even when chemists add them back, nothing stacks up to Mother Nature.

3. Read the back of the box first.

"The front is all advertising," Berman says. Flip it around for the real story. The more ingredients, the more likely it has visited a few processing plants where something artificial was mixed in, says Lydia Zepeda, Ph.D., professor of consumer science at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

4. The crunchier, the better.

Snacks that offer a big, satisfying crunch when you bite into them—we mean apples, celery, snap peas and nuts, not chips—keep your mouth busy longer than food you slurp. "The more you chew, the slower you eat and the more time your body has to register fullness," Mitchell says.

5. You can always have more.

Tomorrow. A food shortage is not imminent. Besides, anything you eat after you're full doesn't even taste as good. "There is a toning down of taste buds after the first few bites," says Linda Bacon, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at City College of San Francisco. And no one loves feeling stuffed.

6. A frozen berry beats a fresh doughnut.

Purchasing organic local produce is better for both the environment and your health, but when the nearest farm is hours away, don't default to a package of Oreos. "Frozen, canned and fresh fruit all have comparable amounts of nutrients," says Christine M. Bruhm, Ph.D., director of the Center for Consumer Research at the University of California at Davis.

7. You can't replace real ice cream.

When you're craving Chunky Monkey, no amount of fat-free ice treat will make up for it. "Diet foods leave you feeling hungry and cheated," says Paul McKenna, Ph.D., author of I Can Make You Thin (Sterling). Splurge on one scoop of the real deal and savor it. "You'll be satisfied physically and psychologically," McKenna says.

8. There's no fruit in "fruit flavor."

Seeing flavor on a label is a sign the food was stripped of its real taste and a fabricated one swapped in, Bacon says. Natural only means the additive came from a plant or an animal, which may not be as healthy as it sounds. "Scientists create flavors using bacteria and call them 'natural,'" she says. Would you buy Bacteri-Os?

9. If it's not around, you can't eat it.

You're in your cozy armchair watching Gossip Girl when you get an urge for Cool Ranch Doritos. If all you have to do is walk to your pantry, you'll grab a bag and attack it. But let's say you must put on your shoes, find your keys and drive to the store. Laziness will triumph. (Yes, sometimes sloth is a good thing!)

10. Table your meals.

As much sitting as we do, we rarely stay put during dinner. Fifty-nine percent of young women eat on the run, a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association finds, and on-the-go eaters consume more total fat, as well as more soda and fast food. The less distracted and stressed you are when you dine, the more efficiently your body absorbs nutrients. Turn off the tube, step away from your desk and park the car before you dig in.

11. Judge food by its cover.

When you have to hack through layers of packaging and plastic to get to your dinner, it's likely to be unhealthy, Zepeda says. Plus, research indicates that perfluorochemicals in food containers may lower fertility. Companies aren't phasing out PFCs until 2015! So do it yourself now.

12. Cake's just not that into you.

Sugary carbs are the bad boyfriends of the food world. They woo us with sweet nothings and leave us unsatisfied, guilt-ridden and 10 pounds heavier. The solution: Pick a snack that has your back, such as fruit, lowfat yogurt and honey. The occasional hookup with a sexy old fling is fine (hello, red velvet!), but most splurges should have your health in mind.

13. Don't drink dessert.

Brimming with vitamins! Bursting with energy! Store shelves are exploding with colorful, cleverly named drinks that sound healthy but are actually just sweetened water. Don't let the labels fool you, Berman says. If it's not skim milk, plain H2O or regular coffee or tea, it's a treat. For a healthier sip, try lemon or mint iced tea or sparkling water with a splash of juice.

14. Make sure you can ID the animal.

You don't have to hunt and skin your supper, but if your chicken has been molded into a nugget, who knows what you're really chewing. And when you choose meat that's been processed into sausage, strips or slices, you're downing sodium and preservatives instead of healthy nutrients, says Adam Drewnowski, Ph.D., director of the nutritional sciences program at the University of Washington at Seattle. Stick to unfussed-with cuts straight from the butcher.

15. Fuel up in the morning, not at night.

A car needs gas when it's hitting the road, not when it's sitting in the garage—so why do we have our biggest meal when the only energy burner on the agenda is working the remote? Instead, aim for a 550-calorie breakfast, a 500-calorie lunch, a 450-calorie dinner and a 100-calorie snack. "If you overeat at night, you're less likely to burn off the calories," Mitchell says.

16. Don't buy food where you buy tires.

In our time-crunched life, it's tempting to grab groceries at the pump or in a store where you can get a giant box of cereal along with an ottoman. But for the healthiest food at the fairest price, visit the neighborhood grocery store. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that convenience stores charge more for nutritious fare than supermarkets do.

17. Work for your dinner.

Sure, you could inhale supper straight out of a bucket, but for a healthy meal, you need to invest at least a few minutes in chopping, rinsing or grilling. The result is worth the effort, Mitchell says. "When you prepare dishes yourself, you can see exactly which ingredients are going into it and make conscious choices about what you truly want to eat," she says.

18. Your hips are not a fridge.

Once you slice and sauté your way to a fabulous feast, you don't have to finish every bite. "We're conditioned to think that if we don't devour everything on our plate, we are misbehaving," McKenna says. But if you keep munching even after you're full, you are using your body as a storage unit. If there's enough left over for lunch tomorrow, pack it up and put it in the fridge. Otherwise, toss scraps in the trash. We promise we won't tell your mom.

19. Watching Top Chef isn't cooking.

We love food shows, too, but zoning out in front of the TV with a container of greasy moo shu pork is kind of missing the point. "Cooking has become a spectator sport," Drewnowski says. "People watch and think, If only that chef could come cook for me!" No need to whip up a seven-course meal, but you can pick up tips about combining flavors and using fresh ingredients.

20. Cut yourself a break!

If you follow these rules most of the time but occasionally crave a fast food fix, a slice of pizza or a brownie, go for it. You can happily resume your healthy plan once you satisfy the urge. "We all have to relax a bit," Drewnowski says. "If you want fried chicken now and then, enjoy it!"

- Self

Flexitarian Diet

2009-07-26T20:22:00.004-05:00

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I've always been one to play by the rules. When I was a vegetarian I wouldn't even eat veggies cooked on the same grill as a piece of meat... Until the day I gave up and at a full plate of orange chicken from Panda Express. It's this all-or-nothing attitude that has caused me to swing from strict vegetarian to full on burger fiend. But as I read more and more studies about the environmental and health benefits of abstaining from meat (check out the American Dietetic Association's newly released position paper on the vegetarian diet for more info on this), I've started to explore a type of diet purgatory called "flexitarianism." There's no official definition, but a flexitarian is basically a vegetarian that cheats and eats meat (occasionally). Sound flaky? Turns out, it could be one of the healthiest (and easiest!) ways to eat!

To get more info on the realities of this lifestyle I asked my dedicated flexitarian friend Archana, the foodie force behind Lettuce Veg, an awesome blog about life as a restaurant-loving, marathon-running semi-vegetarian, to answer all our questions about living in this meal middle ground. Read on for her answers and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Why "flexitarian"? Why not just pick meat-eater or vegetarian?

Being flexitarian means you get the best of both worlds - nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables along with iron- and protein-dense meat. And as every vegetarian knows, getting enough protein is a huge challenge. Incorporating a bit of meat into my diet has been an easy way to solve that problem. It wasn't a matter of introducing something new into my diet because I used to eat meat when I was younger. But they say your taste buds change every seven years, and mine certainly did. I no longer have the same taste for meat, so meat has become less the focus of my meals. But I still crave certain foods like cheeseburgers and chicken tikka masala, and having a flexitarian diet allows for all of that. As for seafood, as I know some people are pescatarians (a mostly vegerarian diet that incorporates seafood), I've just never taken to seafood so I can't count on fish as an option. On a side note, meat and seafood is generally more expensive than veggie dishes so being flexitarian can be recession-chic, too!

How often do you eat meat?

About every two weeks. I tend to cook most of my meals and because my mom is vegetarian, I grew up knowing more about cooking vegetables, whole grains and legumes than meat. But how often I eat meat totally depends on my mood. If it feels like a cheeseburger day, so be it! At the same time, I try to choose quality meats when I do. Grass-fed, free-range, organic - those are all key words for me.

What's the biggest challenge to being semi-vegetarian?

I think it's hardest for my friends since I don't have very many vegetarians in my life, and where they eat often depends on my mood. If I feel like a carnivore one night, it makes finding a restaurant or cooking a meal a lot easier. But if I'm not, finding somewhere with options for all of us can be tough. It's probably the hardest for my boyfriend, a typical Southern boy who loves his meat. But I try to address that dilemma on my blog with restaurant recommendations that can hopefully please everyone.

Has cutting back on meat changed your health, diet, weight or energy levels?

At first I didn't realize how much more aware I needed to be of my protein intake. Without enough, I was super sluggish. But once I equipped my kitchen with beans, eggs, yogurt, nuts, quinoa (one of my faves!) and the occasional meat product, I noticed a distinct difference in the way my body felt. I now feel more energized, have lost excess weight from college and feel like a well-oiled machine. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that when you're not making meat the focus of your meal, you're more conscious of getting other all-star foods, like veggies and whole grains, into your diet. At the same time, by not eating completely vegetarian, I can take advantage of the nutrients that are so rich in meat and hard to find elsewhere (i.e. iron).

What's a typical day of eating like for you?

For breakfast I love whole wheat waffles topped with bananas and agave maple syrup with a side of nonfat Greek yogurt drizzled with honey. Lunch would be whole wheat pasta tossed with veggies, meatless meatballs, olive oil and spices. To fight the afternoon lull, I love a lowfat string cheese with whole grain crackers and some fruit. Dinner is anything from a veggie burrito to tofu stir fry with brown rice to eggplant parmesan. And I have to end the day with something sweet, whether it's a cupcake, oatmeal chocolate chip cookie or frozen yogurt. Like they say, life is short, eat dessert instead!

- Self

Shaping Up Your Brows

2009-07-26T19:43:00.003-05:00

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If you've ever felt pangs of jealousy over Brooke Shields' brows, you'll be happy to hear that Uni.K.Wax centers across the country are offering a new "Celebrity Brows" service, where their experts will give you the star brows of your choice. (Apparently Megan Fox and Natalie Portman are the top requests. Sorry Brooke.)

But before you rush out to book your appointment, consider the advice of all the zillions of makeup artists we've interviewed over the years—and that's that copying someone else's brow shape is never flattering. The key is finding the right shape for your face...using these top pro tips:

1. Know the beginning and the end. You've heard of that old pencil trick—but have you actually ever tried it? Hold the pencil vertically against the side of your nose until it intersects your brow—that's where the edge of your brow should begin. Then, tilt the pencil diagonally so that it hits the outer corner of your eye—that's where your brow should end. (We like to mark the spots with an eyeliner just to be sure we don't over-tweeze.)

2. Funny faces make for funny-lookin' eyebrows. We don't know why we want to contort our
faces when we tweeze, but we've learned to keep a straight face—because without one, you'll
distort the shape of your brows and end up with a mismatched pair.

3. Always do your shaping in front of a regular mirror, not a magnifying one. Or you will tweeze your brows away to nothing. Trust us.

4. Resist doing a complete brow overhaul. The goal with tweezing is to refine what you go, not
reinvent yourself.

-Allure

Getting Ready To Travel? 10 Healthy Tips

2009-07-25T19:51:00.005-05:00

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Keeping our good health habits can be hard enough to fit into our regular hectic schedules. When we throw travel in the mix, staying on the health track can feel like riding a mechanical bull. The unexpected bumps, twists, jolts, and excitement may be fun, but can take our health for a ride. I'm feeling a huge increase in my work travel now. I've traveled to a bunch of places for work in the past, but I've been lucky to have the trips evenly spaced out, with enough room to take it slow and keep things healthy. Now that's changing quickly. I'm traveling for work up to four times a month and my schedule is back-to-back intensity. I see a lot of the traps, have fallen in some and avoided others. Reminds me a lot of a challenging physical yoga practice. The more you practice the less you fall, but you still fall, and that's all part of it. Everything is yoga. Every breath is special. Every moment is spiritual.

Ultimately there's a choice. We can match intensity and circumstance with the right balance of effort, tension and relaxation, just like on our yoga mat. We can stay in each moment instead of getting thrown around by it. When we do this, details, opportunity, and our lives have the chance to be fully lived, experienced and celebrated. When we are victims to the demands of our lives, we feel trapped in our bodies and minds. It becomes easy to seek comfort and refuge in bad health habits that only plunge us deeper into unawareness.

Habits are formed by practice and repetition. You start where you are. Benefits include a healthier body, mind, and a fuller life. You're simultaneously an active participant and watchful observer, instead of a victim to your circumstances.

10 Healthy Habits for Travel

1. Walk it. If your hotel is a mile or even two from where you're headed think twice before hopping into your car, unless you're on a superhighway.

2. Don't eat the crap in the mini bar. Clear out your fridge and take a trip to the local farmers market or in most cases the grocery store. Stock up on organic fruit, nuts and healthy snacks that will keep you fueled during your stay.

3. Wake up early. Set your alarm for 10 minutes earlier in the morning so you can have some time for yourself before you have to race to get ready. Sit on the floor, do some simple stretches or yoga and breathe. Take another 10 minutes at night before bed.

4. Eat less. Traveling is hard enough on your body. When you're at that business dinner think about eating a bit less than you would normally and give your body a rest.

5. Drink less. If you enjoy the occasional drink or more try to cut back or cut it out entirely while you're traveling. Your body and mind will thank you.

6. Get out of the office. If you have the kind of work where you're trapped in an office all day long, take a walk at lunch, even if it's just around the building a couple times. The fresh air and the stretch will do you good.

7. Stay in the moment. Healthy habits don't have to be synonymous with a boring trip. Enjoy each moment, take in the opportunities that surround you, and don't forget to have fun.

8. Pack a lunch. Unless you're flying Jet Blue from JFK and are surrounded with great choices, pack a lunch or dinner for the plane.

9. Step away form the Blackberry or iPhone. The world will not stop if you leave that email, text, or call for the morning. Prioritize your interactions. Give yourself some down time at night.

10. Bring a pal along. If it's possible it can be fun and helpful to bring a friend, or just team up with one of your fellow travelers. You can keep each other on track for taking those walks and choosing what to eat and not eat. You'll also have someone to help you figure out directions.

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10 Tips To Gorgeous Hair

2009-07-25T18:28:00.003-05:00

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New tips to help you get glossier locks (we're so beyond suds, rinse, repeat)

1. Book a Massage
A recent study at Massachusetts General Hospital showed that scalp massages, which increase blood flow, may keep your hair healthy. A Shu Uemura Art of Hair Ceremony includes a heavenly shiatsu-inspired scalp massage, plus a custom shampoo and conditioning treatment.

2. Carve a Jack-O'-Lantern
Got thinning strands? Snack on an ounce of pumpkin seeds three times a week. It slows production of DHT, a metabolic testosterone by-product that may make hair fall out, says N.Y.C. nutritionist Keri Glassman.

3. Get a Wrap
Wish your locks were super shiny like Angie Harmon's? Try a cellophane treatment. "It's like a long-lasting lip gloss for your hair," says N.Y.C. colorist Rick Wellman. Glossier than a glaze, this salon treatment coats the cuticles, making them lie flat so that hair reflects more light (for up to six weeks). And it doesn't change the underlying hair color, so no roots -- which means no maintenance!

4. Sweat-Proof Your Strands
To hit the gym without ruining your blowout, try this trick from L.A. hair guru Rona O'Connor: Place a headband beneath your hairline, flip hair upside down, twist and coil hair into a bun then anchor with bobby pins and secure with a soft scrunchie. Afterward, shake out hair and use the cool setting on your hair dryer to blast away perspiration.

Try: Nike Home and Away Reversible Headband $7;

5. Don't Be a Flake
To kill the fungus that leads to dandruff, use a therapeutic anti-dandruff shampoo every time you shower, as well as a conditioner that contains the ingredient pyrithione zinc, which will keep you from rinsing away up to 70 percent of the shampoo's active ingredients.

Try: Pureology's new Dandruff Scalp Cure conditioner

6. Sleep On It
These leave-in treatments hydrate and repair hair while you catch your z's -- without leaving a residue on your pillow.

Try: John Frieda Frizz-Ease Overnight Repair Crème Serum, $10;

7. Seek Clarity
Deep-cleansing shampoos are not just for those with oily locks. N.Y.C. hairstylist David Evangelista says they work for everyone by removing dirt and product residue so that conditioners and chemical treatments such as straighteners can really do their jobs. Choose one with citric or acetic acid and lather up once a week if your locks are oily, or for dry hair, every two weeks.

Try: Nexxus Aloe Rid Gently Clarifying Shampoo, $10

8. Let Heat Heal
Blow-dryers can do more than remove moisture. They can activate and intensify conditioning and repairing ingredients -- wheat, xylose sugar and soy proteins in new heat-responsive products. Apply one, such as Redken Extreme Iron Repair ($16), then crank up the heat -- not the styling damage.

9. Make a Fresh Start
Ashley Olsen, Hayden Panettiere and Eva Longoria Parker know that you don't have to go to great lengths for stellar hair: They're all embracing cropped styles. "Shorter cuts are edgier than long ones, but they can still be soft and pretty," Evangelista says. "They're great options if you're in a style rut or have damaged hair."

10. Grab a Cheeseburger
Here's a reason to enjoy eating a burger even more: healthier strands! This cheeseburger is loaded with just-right , hair-enhancing nutrients: iron, zinc, B vitamins (in the meat), calcium (the cheese), the antioxidant lycopene (the tomato), biotin (the lettuce), and niacin (the bun).

- InStyle

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Can Coffee Boost Your Smile & Breast?

2009-07-25T16:48:00.003-05:00

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Java and caffeine are chock-full of health benefits. Here are the top reasons to order up a cup.

Benefit your bean

It's a no-brainer! Lifelong caffeinated-coffee fans may be less prone to develop Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Coffee's antioxidants may tamp down cell damage linked to Parkinson's. And caffeine blocks inflammation in the brain, which is associated with Alzheimer's.

Sip for your smile

Caffeinated java has antibacterial and antiadhesive powers, so it may keep cavity-causing bacteria from eating your enamel. And drinking a cup daily has been shown to slash oral cancer risk by half. Also, compounds found in coffee may limit cancer cell growth and DNA damage.

Brew for your breasts

Coffee's a bosom buddy! Premenopausal women who downed four cups of regular coffee per day experienced a 38 percent reduction in their breast cancer risk, a study in The Journal of Nutrition finds. Coffee unleashes phytoestrogens and flavonoids that may stifle tumor growth. But drink up: Those who had less than 4 cups didn't benefit.

Stop stones

Gallstones grow when mucus inside your gallbladder traps cholesterol crystals. Xanthine, found in caffeine, may reduce mucus and risk for deposits. Two or more cups daily may help.

Save your skin

Two to five cups of regular coffee daily may help lower your risk for nonmelanoma skin cancer by up to 17 percent. Caffeine may spur skin to kill precancerous cells, and it also inhibits tumor growth.

Dodge diabetes

People who sip 3 to 4 cups of regular or decaf coffee a day are 30 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Chlorogenic acid may help prevent insulin resistance, a harbinger of the disease.

- Self

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Should Teens Ever Appear Topless In Ads?

2009-07-24T11:15:00.002-05:00

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Hudson Jeans

Agency Spy is taking issue with Hudson Jeans’s latest ad campaign, featuring 17-year-old Georgia Jagger, daughter of rock god Mick and supermodel Jerry Hall. Appearing topless (minus nipple action, however), the teenager models the jeans as she lounges in a seductive position. Agency Spy denounces the photo because young girls “are off limits when it comes to sexual references in advertising. This kind of work perpetuates the notion that children and sex somehow fit into the same category, which they clearly do not.”

Agreed with the latter, yet to say that underage females are off limits in sexualized advertising is untrue. Should be off limits, yes. Clearly, this is not a happy reflection on the way American marketing operates, but in practice, consumerism has long profited from the blatant exploitation of young women. Particularly in the fashion world, teenaged models (some as young as 12!) constitute a sizable portion of the industry, routinely appearing in “risqué” campaigns that expose their bodies, or characterize them as dark, highly sexual beings. This is not to say that the trend is morally correct, but it exists regardless.

Is it simply because Georgia is the daughter of a celebrity that this advertisement is being called out? Do you think people should shut up about this campaign? Or that nudity for underage models should start to be regulated, period?

- TheFrisky

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Green Tea Facts

2009-07-23T18:27:00.004-05:00

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By now, we know that drinking green tea is undoubtedly good for our bodies. The antioxidant and free-radical scavenging properties of green tea have made it a must-have for the health conscious and numerous studies highlight the potential benefits of green tea including cancer prevention and weight loss.

1. It’s great for teeth: Green tea has fluoride in it, making it a superstar for keeping gums and teeth healthy. Green tea can even be used as a mouthwash to maintain breath.

2. It’s a room deodorizer: Green tea leaves have traditionally been used to naturally absorb odors in a room. Place tea leaves in a bowl to help absorb unpleasant odors or leave some in the fridge in place of baking soda.

3. It’s good for the bones: Naturally high in minerals, green tea aids in strong bone density, which is important for maintaining good posture.

4. It can soothe skin: Spent a little too much time in the sun? Use the naturally calming properties of green tea to soothe sunburned skin. Place green tea in a spray bottle and mist on sunburned areas for all-natural relief. Because it has anti-bacterial qualities, green tea can also be used as an antiseptic to spray on skin blemishes or irritations.

5. It’s good for the feet: Soaking tired feet in green tea can prevent unpleasant fungal infections.

- Marie Claire

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5 Myths about Women's Bodies

2009-07-22T14:18:00.004-05:00

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Myth: A women can't get pregnant during her period.

While a woman is unlikely to conceive during menstruation, "nothing, when it comes to pregnancy, is impossible," said Aaron Carroll of Indiana University and co-author of "Don't Swallow Your Gum: Myths, Half-truths and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health" (St. Martin's Griffin, 2009).

Once inside a woman, sperm can wait for an egg for up to a week. Ovulation can occur soon after, or even during, the bleeding phase of a woman's menstrual cycle, giving patient sperm the chance to get lucky. The timing method of birth control doesn't work well, Carroll said, agreeing that couples who practice it are often called: parents.

Myth: Menopause causes sex drive to nosedive.

The Change is not necessarily one that happens in the bedroom. A comprehensive survey of sexual habits in the United States, completed by Edward Laumann and colleagues in 1994, found that roughly half of women in their fifties have sex several times a month.

While hot flashes and other discomforts may make a women temporarily not in the mood, there is not a direct link between menopause and sexual desire, Vreeman said. So if you are entering the Big M, there is no reason to say good-bye to the Big O.

Myth: Antibiotics make birth control pills unreliable.

"Many physicians even believe this," Carroll said. Alone, birth control pills fail about one percent of the time. And that failure rate is unchanged when taken with the vast majority of antibiotics, Carroll said.

A possible exception is rifampin, the antibiotic prescribed for tuberculosis. Rifampin does lower pregnancy-protecting hormone levels induced by birth control pills, but whether the effect is large enough to increase pregnancy risk is unclear. Carroll thinks rifampin research spurred the antibiotic/birth control rumor. "Sometimes people say things and they just take off," he said.

Myth: Women and men need equal sleep.

Tossing and turning not only causes women more psychological distress, it also raises their insulin and inflammation levels -- risk factors for compromised health, found a 2008 study of 210 people led by Edward Suarez at Duke University.

A study of more than 6,000 participants, led by researchers at the University of Warwick in 2007, found that women who slept five or less hours a night were twice as likely to suffer from hypertension than women who slept for seven or more hours. Among men, there was no such relationship. Sleeping Beauty may be better off waking up on her own watch.

Myth: A doctor can tell if a woman is a virgin.

Even when using 10-fold magnification, doctors can not accurately sort virgins from the sexually-active, several studies have reported. It is not as simple as looking for a hole in the hymen because, well, there is always a hole in the hymen.

"Some people think the hymen seals off the vagina [until virginity is lost], but that is just not true," said Dr. Rachel Vreeman of Indiana University and Carroll's co-author of "Don't Swallow Your Gum." In the rare cases when it is sealed, period blood builds in the uterus and causes severe medical problems, she said.

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Boost Your Metabolism With These Foods

2009-07-21T17:21:00.002-05:00

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Revving Your Engine

Metabolism is a process that breaks down carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the food you eat to make the energy your body needs to build and maintain itself. Proper nutrition keeps your body functioning well, but the right foods can also speed up your metabolism. The amount of calories you eat, your genes and the amount of calories that you burn while eating and exercising determine your metabolism. The body breaks down carbohydrates, then fats and finally proteins. The food that you eat makes up 5 to 10 percent of your metabolic rate.

Stocking Your Cupboard

Foods that speed up your metabolism are vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, fish, healthy fats and whole grains. Look for these vegetables when shopping: spinach, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, cabbage, beet roots, assorted beans and dark, leafy vegetables. Any type of fresh fruit is good for you, but try eating blueberries, melons, apples, citrus fruits and tomatoes. Skinless poultry and eggs are excellent sources of protein. The omega 3 fatty acids in fish boost your metabolism by burning up to 400 calories a day. The enzymes in your body that burn fat increase while those that store fat decrease. If you are not a fish eater, take omega 3 capsules that contain a minimum of 300 milligrams total of EPA and DHA. Eat healthy fats like nuts and peanut butter. Whole grains found in brown rice, cereal, barley and oats speed up your metabolism as well. Consume foods with B vitamins, magnesium and fiber to increase your metabolism.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Portion control is still important. Just because these foods are good for you doesn't mean that you can go overboard. Eat several small meals and healthy snacks throughout the day. A good habit to start is reading the Nutrition Facts Labels on food containers. These labels tell what a single serving size is and the nutrients found in that serving.

Losing While You Eat

Know the caloric content of the foods that you eat. Nutrition Facts Labels tell the number of calories in a serving also. There are negative calorie foods that burn more calories during digestion than the foods contain themselves. For most people, a healthy number of calories per day is between 2,200 and 2,800 depending on their sex and size.

Balance It Out

Eating the right foods to speed up your metabolism and supplement your diet by incorporating other good habits. Drink plenty of water during the day. Six to eight glasses is a good goal. Exercise at least three times a week. Use free weights to help stimulate your metabolism by building muscle tone.

- Lynn Harris

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What do you wear to bed?

2009-07-21T12:28:00.004-05:00

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I live with my boyfriend and sometimes find it strange that he never really sees me looking "human" during the week. I wake up after he leaves for work and by the time he gets home I have already partook in my nightly rituals. He never sees what I wear to work, how my makeup looks, how I've put myself together for the day, he just sees the exhausted girl in her PJs. And I'm not talking any sexy lingerie here ladies, I'm talking pimple medicine in place, cotton shorts and a t-shirt. Sometimes I wonder if I should purchase some cute little slip dresses to sleep in, try to look a little more put together, but he doesn't seem to mind the mess that I am...seems like I've got myself a keeper?!?!

What do you wear to bed? Do you throw on sexy lingerie, flannel pants, a big baggy t-shirt?

I really like some of these options, others are really trying too hard...would you give any of these a try? Is it really worth spending the extra cash on pajamas?

- Pam

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Stress Less with Yoga

2009-07-20T00:58:00.004-05:00

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Meet Mark: When something stressful happens, he feels energized. His heart races, his senses heighten—he even feels as though his thoughts speed up. Mark prides himself on his ability to face problems head-on, but he admits that it's becoming difficult to turn this intensity off. Lately he's been feeling more on edge than on top of his game. He's developed headaches and insomnia, and he's beginning to wonder if they're related to stress. He'd like to feel better, but he can't imagine himself changing his full-throttle approach to life. Without stress, how would he ever get anything done?

Mark's wife, Sue, doesn't feel energized by stress—it exhausts her. She feels so depleted by stress that she's begun to cut back on the things that generate the most stress, such as planning big family gatherings. To maintain her composure, she tries to walk away when conflicts arise. She's even considering leaving her challenging job to find something less intense. Sue proudly sees in herself the ability to "just let things go," which she's been cultivating through her yoga practice.

But even though she's simplified her life, she's been feeling depressed. She has a nagging feeling that her attempts to be stress free are getting in the way of fully living her life. Mark and Sue are characters based on real people, and are designed to represent two real responses to stress—one or both of which may seem familiar to you. As Mark and Sue are discovering, stress is inescapable, but it is also paradoxical: While excess stress can take a toll on you, the very things that cause it are often the same things that make life rewarding and full. Take a moment to think about the pressures in your life: family, work, having too much to do. Now imagine a life without those things. Sound ideal? Not likely. Most people don't want an empty life; they want to possess the skills to handle a busy and, yes, even complicated life.

The good news is that you can develop ways to navigate through stress so that it isn't troubling and traumatic at every turn. When a stressor arises, you don't have to go to extremes the way Mark and Sue do. You can learn to respond with just the right blend of inner fire and inner calm. I call this the "challenge response," and you can develop it through your yoga practice. In fact, recent studies suggest that yoga may condition the nervous system to bring you into balance whether you need more calm, like Mark, or more fire, like Sue. Add to that yoga's ability to change your mental perception of stress, and you can transform your entire experience of the dreaded "s" word. Imagine feeling capable of handling whatever life throws at you, without having to panic, overreact, or plan your exit strategy.

Stress Lessons

To begin changing the way you react to stress, you'll need to understand how it typically affects the body. If your mind interprets a stressful event as an emergency threat, it triggers an immediate response in the autonomic nervous system. Your stress response kicks in and activates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Your body is flooded with hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine, which heighten the senses, increase heart rate and blood pressure, and focus the brain's activity. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which is responsible for physical relaxation and emotional calm, becomes overwhelmed by this sympathetic response. With the sympathetic nervous system in charge and the parasympathetic overwhelmed, you are primed to respond with energy and focus, but also with anger, anxiety, and aggression.

Humans developed this primal reaction, known as fight-or-flight, so they could effectively fight off or flee from life-threatening danger. This important survival mechanism is useful when you need to slam on the brakes to prevent a car accident or run away from an attacker. But it's overkill for most of the conflicts and challenges we face day to day.

While it's easy to view life's hassles as a threat to your expectations, sense of control, or ideals, it's better for your health to temper that perception and instead see each stressor as a challenge you can handle. Even if an emergency exists entirely in your imagination, or if the threat is only to your feelings, it can still trigger the fight-or-flight stress cycle. Over time chronic stress takes a toll on the body and brain, leading to all kinds of health problems, including insomnia, depression, chronic pain, and cardiovascular disease.

Running Hot and Cold

The alternative to a knock-down, drag-out, fight-or-flight stress response is the challenge response. The challenge response allows you to meet a stressful mo--ment with exactly what is needed: first, the ability to see a situation clearly, and second, the skills to respond without becoming overwhelmed. If Mark could do this, he wouldn't suffer from stress-related headaches or insomnia. And if Sue could do this, she wouldn't feel the need to hide when things get hairy. When stress strikes and you engage the challenge response, your nervous system will respond differently. To understand how, imagine that the autonomic nervous system is like a faucet. The knob that controls the hot water represents the sympathetic nervous system, and the cold knob represents the parasympathetic. When you go into fight-or-flight mode, it's as though you crank up the scalding-hot water and turn the cold water down to a mere trickle. If you develop the challenge response, the hot water continues to run as it normally would, and you turn down the cold water just a little bit. In other words, you have just enough heat to face the stressor, but you haven't completely removed the cooling influence. Once the challenge is successfully met, the parasympathetic nervous system reasserts itself (that is, the cold water increases), bringing you back to your everyday state of balance.

Bradley Appelhans, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine who studies how the body responds to stress, underscores the importance of the parasympathetic nervous system in guiding the challenge response. "When we aren't stressed, the PNS acts as a brake on our physiological arousal. In times of challenge, we rely on our PNS to quickly remove the brake, so that we can achieve the state of increased emotional and physiological arousal needed to deal with stress. But we also rely on the PNS to keep that arousal under control, and not let the fight-or-flight response manifest in full force."

In other words, if you generally handle stress well, your parasympathetic nervous system, not your sympathetic, is in charge of increasing arousal and readying you to face your stressor. That may sound like a trivial detail, but the consequences for the mind and body are significant. It's like the difference between a dog walker extending the leash of her dog to allow for more freedom and the dog breaking free from the leash and running amok. When the PNS pulls back, allowing for just enough SNS engagement to sufficiently cope with the challenge, you have the ability to act without an exaggerated, unhealthy fight-or-flight response. The mind focuses, but it also stays open enough to see alternative solutions and opportunities.

The Heart of the Challenge

There is a method for measuring how well one's autonomic nervous system responds to everyday, nonemergency stress. It's called heart-rate variability, and it reveals whether the SNS or the PNS is in charge of how a person responds to stress.

Scientists have long known that with every inhalation, the nervous system shifts a bit toward sympathetic activation, and the heart beats faster. With every exhalation, it shifts toward parasympathetic -activation, and the heart beats more slowly. People whose heart rate differs widely between inhalation and exhalation are said to have high heart-rate -variability—which is a good thing. It means that the nervous system has the flexibility to go from an engaged or aroused state to a relaxed state quickly, and that the SNS does not have unhealthy control over the body. High heart-rate variability—both at rest and in the face of stress—is considered an indicator of a person's physical and emotional resilience. Low heart-rate variability is associated with an increased risk of stress-related disorders such as cardiovascular disease and depression. Mark is a classic example of someone who has low heart-rate variabili-ty. He is stuck in a state of chronic sympathetic activation in his everyday life, which reduces the flexibility of his heart rate. When he ex--periences stress, his SNS goes even further into overdrive, in part because it is unbalanced and unchecked by the PNS. For someone like Mark, building the challenge response will mean retraining his mind and body to let the parasympathetic system be in charge while he's at rest, and eventually when he responds to stress, too.

Sue is able to relax—but only if she disengages from life's stressors. She needs to develop the ability to get fired up enough to meet a challenge without feeling completely overwhelmed by it. A growing body of research on heart-rate variability and yoga provides evidence that the practice can help people like Mark and Sue in their quest for healthier stress responses. One of the first studies was conducted at Newcastle University in England and published in 1997 in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation. Researchers found that six weeks of practicing hatha yoga increased the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (the calming side) without decreasing the influence of the sympathetic (the arousing side). Researchers took 26 healthy but sedentary adults and randomly split them into two groups. One group was given an aerobic exercise program, the other a yoga regimen that included two 90-minute sessions per week with breathing, poses, and relaxation. In the week following the six-week intervention, the yoga participants were reported to have higher heart-rate variability (and a lower resting heart rate, another indicator of well-being) after the study than before. The aerobics group showed no significant changes.

A second study, done by researchers at the University of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany and published in 2007 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, suggests that even a single session of yoga practice can encourage the nervous system to find flexibility and balance. Researchers hooked up 11 healthy yoga practitioners to instruments that recorded their heart-rate variability over 24 hours. During that time, participants did 60 minutes of active Iyengar Yoga poses and 30 minutes of restorative poses. Heart-rate variability increased during the yoga session, and—as in the previous study7mdash;this change was driven by the increased influence of the parasympathetic nervous system, not by changes to the sympathetic system. In other words, after yoga -practice, participants weren't just more relaxed; they were in a state of autonomic -balance and flexibility driven by the -parasympathetic—which is exactly the type of balance and flexibility that predicts greater resilience to stress. This study provides promising evidence that a yoga practice can prepare you to meet life's challenges, not just recover from them.

Tapping into Calm

How do we explain why participants in the aerobics group didn't derive the same benefit as the participants who learned yoga? Better yet, how do we explain the results from the study that was based on a single session of Iyengar Yoga?

Kerstin Khattab, MD, an Iyengar Yoga teacher and one of the researchers in the Schleswig-Holstein study, believes that the key is yoga's dual demands on body and mind. "Some of the poses in our study, such as Dhanurasana [Bow Pose] or Sirsasana [Headstand], are likely to cause a strong sympathetic nervous system reaction. But as you learn to hold these poses with a calm mind, focusing on the breath, the poses become a training in how to remain calm in stressful situations."

In other words, the physical challenge of a pose becomes the equivalent of a stressor. If you do aerobics, which has no direct breathing or mindfulness com-ponent, the physical challenge can trigger a full-fledged stress response in the body. But when physical demands are met with mindfulness and steady breathing, as they are in yoga, the nervous system responds differently: It maintains activation while keeping an underlying sense of calm. It remains skillfully engaged but without going into full-fledged fight-or-flight mode.

The great sage and codifier of yoga, Patanjali, must have been aware of the power of asana when he wrote sutra 2:46, Sthira sukham asanam: Postures should embody steadiness and ease. If you can find both elements in the midst of a stressful arm balance, you're not just training your mind. You're enabling your autonomic nervous system to imprint that response and therefore allow you to return to it during everyday stress.

At first, you will need to very consciously tap into this response during your yoga practice by focusing on your breathing and thoughts. But with enough conscious practice, the rehearsed challenge response can become an ingrained automatic response—on and off the mat.

Yoga also trains the nervous system to return to balance quickly after a challenge response. By alternating strenuous poses with gentler ones, yoga conditions you to move easily between states of challenge and rest. Letting go of all effort in Savasana (Corpse Pose), for example, seals in this flexibility, because the pose teaches the nervous system to let go once the challenges of your practice have been met.

Leave your Comfort Zone

Just showing up to any yoga class is not enough. If your stress style tends toward fight-or-flight, and you huff and puff your way through Power Yoga classes and leave before Savasana, you probably won't transform your stress response. Practicing that way just makes yoga another arena where you engage in your usual stress-response style. For people who move through life in full emergency mode, the starting place to learn balance is typically Savasana. This pose teaches you how to put the usually suppressed parasympathetic nervous system in charge and give the hypercharged sympathetic nervous system a rest.

When one of my students, Monica Hanson, first came to yoga, she was a self-described type-A executive in her early 30s. The idea of relaxation was terrifying, and she could not imagine how relaxing could possibly help her handle real-world stress. "I was afraid that if I let go of the tension, I would fall apart," she says. "Tension was the glue that held me together."

Her first experience in Savasana was anything but relaxing. Her emergency response fought to stay in control. "I was sweating and shaking. My heart was racing. I wanted to run away," she says. But underneath the anxiety was a sense of being fully alive and yet calm—something that Hanson had never felt before. This taste of how her mind and body could hold such opposites was the beginning of her stress transformation.

After seven years of consistent yoga practice, Hanson says tension is no longer what holds her together in stressful situations. Instead, she can feel the calm beneath the storm even if she still she gets the urge to fight or run. "Yoga has taught me a whole new way of being. In stressful situations, I have literally heard my teacher's voice in my head say, "Be present. Breathe into the tension. And I do."

Stay in your Experience

For someone like Sue, who easily finds bliss in relaxation but avoids stress, developing the ability to stay present in the midst of difficult situations—but without trying to fight against or escape from them—is key. Rather than trying to hide from challenges, Sue has to learn to believe she can handle them. As Amy Weintraub, founder of LifeForce Yoga Healing Institute and the author of Yoga for Depression, puts it, "Sometimes it's important to not simply remove ourselves from the stressful situation, but to feel it in our bodies. Acknowledge stress. Meet it. We can stay present without being controlled by it."

For one of my students, Julie Good, a 38-year-old physician and mother of two young girls, the great teacher was Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose). When she first started yoga, it was her least favorite pose. "My strategy was to grit my teeth and tolerate it, tense my whole body, and try to hold myself up off the floor." Although her resistance was an attempt to avoid the intense sensation in her hip, the effect was quite different. "It was agonizing."

One day, when Good explained why she hated Pigeon Pose, I encouraged her to stop fighting it. Good says, "I had been trying to protect myself by resisting. I thought, 'If I let go, it's going to get worse.' But I let go, and it got better. When I wasn't resisting, I learned to breathe into the discomfort." By staying with the pose, she learned that she could choose to stay in a difficult situation and the discomfort would dissipate.

Find Your Fire

To feel empowered to deal with stress head-on, Sue also needs backup from her nervous system. She needs more participation from the sympathetic nervous system; she needs the energy and drive that the arousing side provides. A new pilot study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine shows that yoga may help facilitate this type of response.

Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles found that a regular yoga practice decreased the dominance of the parasympathetic system for some people. But there was an important difference in this study: The 17 adult participants were all clinically depressed. The participants practiced Iyengar Yoga three times a week for eight weeks. At the end of the study, 11 participants were in remission from depression. The 6 others did not fully recover.

When researchers compared the participants' heart-rate variability before and after the eight-week intervention, those who had recovered showed a small increase in sympathetic activation and a decrease in parasympathetic influence. Researchers believe it's possible that yoga practice helped the participants shift from a withdrawal from life to active engagement. This shift was reflected in—and may have been caused by—the change in the nervous system's balance.

The point of all of these studies? According to David Shapiro, a professor of psychology at UCLA, "Yoga helps balance the two systems as needed by each individual." That means that if you go through life in emergency mode, yoga will actually awaken your relaxation system. But if you have a tendency to become paralyzed in the face of challenges, yoga can work to shift your body and mind toward active engagement.

Study Yourself

Keep in mind that no matter how well you condition your nervous system, you also need to change the way you perceive stress. You can start this process by practicing svadhyaya, or self-observation. "There is a connection between how you experience a forward bend and how you react to the world," says Elissa Cobb, a Phoenix Rising Yoga practitioner and the author of The Forgotten Body. Take Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend), a pose that can produce strong sensations in even the most flexible practitioners.

One common response is to ignore sensations and force yourself forward, fighting against your tight hamstrings. Another is to come out of the pose to avoid the challenge entirely. Both strategies are variations on the same theme: fight-or-flight. In all likelihood, they create tense muscles and rapid or held breathing—not to mention a total lack of joy.

Paying attention to how your body and mind react to the "stress" of Paschimottanasana or any pose offers clues about how you typically react to stress in your life. By training yourself to actively observe while staying calm in poses, you'll be able to do the same thing when difficult sensations, thoughts, or emotions arise in the face of stress. Instead of going into your habitual reaction mode, you'll notice what's happening while staying present enough to choose an appropriate response.

When it comes to transforming your own response to stress, it's tempting to search for that one pose or breathing exercise that will work its magic. But there isn't one magic pose. The process is a gradual exploration rather than an easy solution. "If you're practicing yoga every day, you're preparing for what life brings. You don't have to have a strategy for what yoga technique you'll use in a difficult situation." According to Weintraub, when challenges arrive, they will begin to flow through you but not overwhelm you. "When life hits, it doesn't explode or roll over us. We're not so caught up in the stress of it, but we're present for it."

This is the real story of how yoga can help you manage stress. It doesn't just provide ways to burn through stress or escape from it. It doesn't only offer stress-reduction techniques for anxious moments. It goes deeper, transforming how the mind and body intuitively respond to stress. Just as the body can learn a new standing posture that eventually becomes ingrained, so the mind can learn new thought patterns, and the nervous system can learn new ways of reacting to stress. The result: When you roll up your mat and walk out the door, you can more skillfully take on whatever life brings.

- Yoga Journal

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Hugo Boss Model Busted in Crime Spree

2009-07-18T10:22:00.002-05:00

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(July 18) - A slinky Hugo Boss model, who has strutted down catwalks in Milan and Paris, was busted Thursday in New York City for his alleged role in a violent crime spree. Joshua Walter, 20, is accused of taking part in robberies at gas stations, convenience stores and fast-food outlets.

The crime spree began on June 14, the New York Post reported. The most recent heist took place on Sunday at a Dunkin' Donuts, where Walter allegedly pistol-whipped one of the victims.

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Joshua Walter is seen leaving his house in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens, N.Y. The Hugo Boss model was arrested on Thursday in a string of violent robberies.

Walter and three other men were arrested after police pulled over their Chevy Astro van, and charged with robbery and criminal possession of a firearm.

This is not the first time Walter has made headlines. Last year there was a fuss over his relationship with Gina Salamino, a former second-grade teacher. She first got involved with Walter when he was 17, and lost her job when the affair was discovered. Now the two live together. Walter refers to his 37-year-old companion as "my shorty," the Post said.

- aol

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5 Tips for Healthier Skin

2009-07-18T01:52:00.002-05:00

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That's right. You don't see the word acne in the title of this chapter. And although the subject comes up here, it's not my primary focus. As a dermatologist, healthy skin is my thing. So, I wanted to provide you with some tips and tricks to keep your skin healthy throughout your life. Just think -- you're going to get your acne under control one day, but you'll have the skin you're in for the rest of your life. So, treat it right. In this chapter, I show you how.

1) Steering Clear of Excessive Sun Exposure

The sun is an immense nuclear reactor. As well as producing heat and light, it also sends out other types of radiation that can sometimes damage your skin. The Earth's atmosphere filters out much of the more dangerous solar radiation, but some of it gets through -- mainly in the ultraviolet (UV) band. The UV radiation in sunlight can cause painful sunburns and certain types of skin cancer, and can also age your skin.

If you have a personal or family history of skin cancer or you have very fair skin that never tans but always burns, do whatever possible to minimize sun exposure. If you have skin of color or are naturally very dark complexioned, you can probably ignore the following advice unless you develop allergic reactions from the sun, take medications that may make you extra sensitive to the sun, or have a medical condition that sunlight worsens.

The best way to prevent skin damage from the sun besides moving to the Antarctic -- oops, never mind, I forgot about the hole in the ozone layer there -- is to avoid excessive exposure to UV and the sun. You can accomplish this by following these tips:

Shun the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m, especially during late spring and summer when the sun is most intense.
Wear protective headgear such as a hat with a wide brim to protect your face, head, and the back of your neck. You can also wear a baseball cap, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants.
Be aware of reflected light from sand, water, or snow.
Avoid tanning parlors.
Slather on the sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater -- at least 30 minutes before sun exposure, even on cloudy, hazy days.
Reapply sunscreens liberally and frequently at least every two to three hours, and after swimming or sweating.
Choose a broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVB (the burning rays) and UVA (the more penetrating rays that promote wrinkling and aging).

TIP: If you're a person of color and have the dark spots of PIP, they're often further darkened by sun exposure. A broad-spectrum sunscreen will offer you the best protection. (I cover PIP in Chapter 12.)

2) Opting for Sunless Tanning

Sunless tanners, sometimes referred to as self-tanners or tanning extenders, are promoted as a way to get a tan without the sun. You can try:

Self-tanners: These artificial tanning preparations contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA interacts with dead surface cells in the outermost (horny) layer of your epidermis and produces a color change. As the dead skin cells naturally slough off, the color gradually fades back to your normal skin color, typically within five to seven days after a single application. DHA-containing products are available as lotions, creams, sprays, and gels and aren't considered to be harmful. Airbrush tanning using DHA is now offered in salons.
Bronzers: The term "bronzer" refers to a variety of products used to achieve a temporary tanned appearance. These products contain a transparent color additive that also stains the outermost layer of your skin. You can choose a bronzing gel or cream that enhances your own skin color. The chemicals in bronzers may react differently on various areas of your body, producing a tan of many shades. It can be washed off with soap and water at the end of each day. Bronzers are also considered to be harmless.
WARNING: Although self-tanners and bronzers give the skin a golden brown color, these products don't offer protection from the damaging effects of UV radiation unless they also contain sunscreen ingredients.

Clinique, Estee Lauder, Clarins, and Bain de Soleil all offer sunless tanning products. Neutrogena has foams that are easy to apply to areas with body hair.

Other means of producing a tan without the sun, including tanning pills (which contain color additives) and tanning "accelerators" (which contain other chemicals), should be avoided. According to the FDA, there is a lack of scientific data showing that they work; in fact, at least one study has found them ineffective.

3) Dimming the Shine of Oily Skin

If you have oily skin -- you're lucky! Oily skin has great advantages. Your skin will probably be less likely to wrinkle, age, and sag. On the other hand, it may feel greasy and develop shiny patches even a short time after you wash it. The highest concentration of sebaceous glands is in the T-zone, and the excess sebum from this area plus the sweat glands on the skin can make your skin look even greasier and shinier. (Take a look at Chapter 4 to see the T-zone.)

But you can temporarily squelch the shine with many products now available such as blotting papers, oil-absorbing powders, and foundations. Even the application of medicated prescription products such as retinoids and benzoyl peroxide are temporary cosmetic maneuvers that remove the surface oil. The deeper oils (sebum) are bound to keep flowing despite what you do to the surface.

TIP: You can try tackling T-zone oiliness with Clinac O.C. (Oil Control) Gel, which can be purchased without a prescription. It mops up excess sebum without drying the skin. In addition, if you're looking for a matte finish, you can try a "mattifier," a shine-stopping product that helps absorb oil on your face and, ideally, prevents oil from breaking through. The following are a few suggestions:
Neutrogena Pore Refining Mattifier Shine Control Gel
Lancome Pure Focus T-Zone Mattifier
Loreal Hydra Mattify

4) Humidifying Dry Skin

If your skin is excessively dry, it may be due to a diminished production of sebum, reduced sweat activity, and environmental factors.

Xerosis, or dry skin, can affect anyone, but it tends to be more severe in certain folks, especially those with a hereditary predisposition. Modern lifestyles are also a contributing factor. In Western societies, we tend to over-bathe; use of harsh soaps and hot water also contribute. Xerosis is a common occurrence in winter climates, particularly in conditions of cold air, low relative humidity, and indoor heating.

Use moisturizers to help with dry skin. Moisturizers don't add water to the skin, but they help to retain or "lock in" water that was absorbed during your shower or bath. Therefore, apply a moisturizer while your skin is still damp. The choice of product is based on personal preference, ease of application, cost, and effectiveness.

TIP: You can find numerous over-the-counter preparations in ointment bases, cream bases, and lotions. Eucerin, Nivea, Aquaphor, Oil of Olay, Moisturel, and Curel are just a few of the popular name brands. Am-Lactin (ammonium lactate 12 percent) lotion or cream is applied after bathing. It is very effective and is used for more severe cases of xerosis and may be purchased over the counter. If your skin is really scaly and dry, you can also get special, heavy-duty moisturizers that are available by prescription only.

5) Soothing Sensitive Skin

Acne medications, many of which are irritating in the first place, can wreak havoc with sensitive skin. Applying bland moisturizers such as Oil of Olay and Cetaphil Lotion over acne medications and using soap-free, gentle cleansers designed for sensitive skin is particularly important for people who have an underlying skin condition such as eczema (atopic dermatitis).

TIP: Women who have sensitive skin or eczema should discard cosmetics that have been on the shelf for a long period. That's because they can become contaminated if some of their preservatives break down or oxidize over time.

- Intent

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Do You Turn Men Off?

2009-07-17T18:58:00.003-05:00

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A short guide to misguided flirty behavior...

My friend Doug and I came up with this list the other night after Doug spent an hour complaining about how he thinks women are now just as bad as men when it comes to putting on an act to pick up a guy...

Women who are always dancing on the bar
This is a metaphor, people. Think of it this way. If a woman dances on the bar once in a while, after three shots of tequila or a break-up or some jackass dares her to -- that kind of behavior is hot. But when you're talking about the kind of woman who always dances on bars, who'd dance on the bar at an airport Chili's, who will do the equivalent of dancing on a bar whenever possible... well there's just something look-at-me about that kind of behavior that isn't that hot.

Just One of the Guys
You know the woman who always talks about how she just loves steak and loves it bloody and brags (a little too loudly) about how much she knows about slugging percentage and bunting? We can see through that.
Genuine love of baseball on the other hand? Awesome.

Drunken Seductresses
A little tipsy? Kinda cute. So drunk you think taking your shirt off at a party is just this side of subtle? Not cute.

The Braggart
Strength? Accomplishment? Confidence? All very estimable and sextimable traits. Trying to prove to us how much more impressive her job/income/car/surfing ability is than ours? Pass.

Neg Ladies
Who doesn't like a little sassy conversation? You know, calling us on our BS, telling us our shoes don't match our belt or that we don't know as much about Mideast policy as we appear to. But there's a thin like between sassy and a female Simon Cowell. Being nice isn't against the law, you know.

What do you think? Is this nitpicking? Are these types annoying to women as well?

- Glamour

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