which is better for conditioning exercises?

I.e burpees Doing less sets of more reps Ex: 2 sets of 60 Or more sets of less reps 6 sets of 10 Which would have the better effect

View the original article here

Running Tights

The way I'm built, my thighs will always rub together. That being said, I've always had the slight annoyance of the creeping shorts...

Three days ago that changed! I bought a pair of running tights and it has been the best investment EVER! No more chafage, no more jiggly thighs, just smooth sailing! 

Just hit my personal record on a 5K by 4 minutes! Must be the tights...

Just thought I would share. Have a Good Evening Everyone!

View the original article here

No Trace of HIV After Stem-Cell Transplants, Researchers Say

Two more patients undergo 'sterilizing cure,' advancing understanding of the process

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Two HIV-positive patients show no trace of virus after receiving chemotherapy and stem-cell transplants as treatment for lymphoma, according to new research.

These patients have become the second and third known cases of a "sterilizing cure," in which medical treatment removes all traces of HIV -- the virus that causes AIDS -- from the body. They have remained virus-free even though doctors months ago took them off their HIV-targeted medications.

"We have been unable to detect virus in either the blood cells or the plasma of these patients," said lead researcher Dr. Timothy Henrich, of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "We also biopsied gut tissue from one of our patients, and we were unable to detect HIV in the cells of the gut. Essentially, we do not have any evidence of viral rebound."

The findings are scheduled for presentation Wednesday at the International AIDS Society Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The patients had been receiving long-term antiretroviral therapy for HIV when they developed lymphoma, a type of blood cancer involving white blood cells, Henrich said.

Both underwent chemotherapy followed by bone marrow transplants to cure their lymphoma. Afterward, Henrich could not detect any HIV infection in their bodies.

Henrich presented preliminary findings on the research at the International AIDS Conference last July. Since then, he and his research team withdrew the patients' antiretroviral therapy to see how completely the cancer treatment had rid them of HIV. One patient has been off treatment with no detectable virus for about 15 weeks, and the second patient for seven weeks.

Henrich warned that it is too soon to declare the patients completely cured of HIV. "Although we cannot detect HIV, it's possible it's there but in extremely low amounts," he said. "We're going to watch and wait, and see where it goes with these patients."

Unfortunately, this type of cure is not something that can be put into widespread practice for all people infected with HIV. "Transplantation is not a scalable, affordable or even safe treatment for HIV patients," Henrich said.

The so-called "Berlin patient," Timothy Brown, is the first documented case of a sterilizing cure for HIV. An American man living in Germany who received a bone marrow transplant for leukemia, Brown has remained HIV-free even after discontinuing his antiretroviral drug therapy. The transplanted bone marrow cells came from a donor who had a rare genetic mutation that increases immunity against the most common form of HIV, and researchers believe that helped protect Brown from re-infection.

In Mississippi, a baby born with HIV nearly three years ago is the first case of a "functional cure," in which early treatment eradicates the virus. Immediate treatment with antiretroviral medications rid the child of all traces of HIV within the first month of life, and she has remained virus-free even after discontinuing drug therapy at 18 months of age.

View the original article here

Obama Administration Delays Key Piece of Health-Reform Law

Employers with more than 50 workers now have until 2015 to provide health insurance coverage

By Karen Pallarito

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- In a surprise announcement, the Obama administration said Tuesday evening that it was delaying implementation of a key part of its landmark health-reform law -- the requirement that employers with more than 50 workers offer insurance coverage by Jan. 1, 2014 or face fines.

The new deadline for providing such coverage is now Jan. 1, 2015, administration officials announced on blog postings.

Administration officials said the delay was prompted by concerns from business leaders that the reporting system needed to carry out the coverage mandate was complex and made it difficult to meet the Jan. 1, 2014 deadline.

"We have heard concerns about the complexity of the requirements and the need for more time to implement them effectively. We recognize that the vast majority of businesses that will need to do this reporting already provide health insurance to their workers, and we want to make sure it is easy for others to do so," Mark Mazur, assistant secretary for tax policy at the Treasury Department, wrote in a blog posting.

Business groups had complained that the employee coverage provision was too complicated and welcomed the delay in its implementation.

There was no advance indication of the Obama administration's decision, which came as a "pleasant surprise," Randy Johnson, senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told the Associated Press.

Neil Trautwein, a vice president of the National Retail Federation, said, "We commend the administration's wise move. It will provide employers and businesses more time to update their health care coverage without threat of arbitrary punishment."

Under the provision, companies with 50 or more workers must provide affordable coverage to all full-time employees or face the risk of escalating tax penalties. The requirement was expected to have the largest impact on major chain hotels, restaurants and retail stores, the AP said.

Some companies with payrolls near the 50-worker cutoff point said they would consider eliminating jobs or switching some full-time workers to part-time status to avoid having to offer insurance coverage, The New York Times reported.

Several observers speculated that the delay could threaten the ultimate goal of the 2010 Affordable Care Act -- to offer insurance coverage to an estimated 30 million Americans who currently don't have it.

"I am utterly astounded," Sara Rosenbaum, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University and a supporter of the law, told the Times. "It boggles the mind. This step could significantly reduce the number of uninsured people who will gain coverage in 2014."

The hospital industry deemed the announcement "troubling" for people who will not get job-based coverage next year. "The goal of the ACA [Affordable Care Act] was to extend coverage to the uninsured, which required a shared responsibility from all stakeholders," Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association, said in a statement. "We are concerned that the delay further erodes the coverage that was envisioned as part of the ACA," he said.

View the original article here

I need help with some exercises for an overweight female with nuerothapy in her feet???????

I could really use some excercises to help strengthen my legs without over doing it,my legs tend to spasm on me when i just walk,im on medication,my legs were alot worse to the point that i could barely feel my toes..walking is getting alot better with me getting up more and walking,but i have bad knees as well and my left knee tends to give out at times making it hard to do anything,it gets really frustrating ! I was a very athletic little girl,chunky but very athletic,i loved playing football,baseball,soccer,and so on and now i just want to ride a bike again,i miss riding it was my favorite thing to do growing up,i had very strong legs,and im asking to please help me get them back....!!

View the original article here

What time during the day do you exercise?

With three kids to juggle in the morning and getting ready for work I end up having to do it right after dinner is ready(6:30pm). So last night I ended up eating at 7 pm and working out at 9 pm. I literally skipped some moves cause my stomach was all out of whack. Curious to see what time you exercise in reference to meal time?

View the original article here

Can age-related heart failure be reversed?

Posted July 04, 2013, 2:00 am

My husband has congestive heart failure. The doctor says it is caused by his age, and that there is no treatment. I read about a new discovery that age-related heart failure can be reversed in mice. Could that help my husband?

There are different kinds of congestive heart failure, and there are effective treatments for many. Your husband may have a common kind called age-related diastolic dysfunction. There is no specific treatment that prevents or reverses this condition. But you are right that a remarkable treatment was recently reported for a similar condition in mice.

Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump efficiently enough to meet the body’s need for blood. In a young, healthy heart, when blood enters the main pumping chambers (the ventricles), their walls stretch and the chambers expand to receive all the blood.

In age-related diastolic dysfunction, the heart muscle becomes thicker and stiffer. As a result, when blood enters the heart, the heart muscle can’t stretch enough to accept all the blood. The blood backs up into the lungs, causing breathing difficulty. Blood also backs up into the rest of the body, causing fatigue and swelling — particularly of the legs and feet.

We don’t know what causes age-related heart failure in humans, and because of that, we don’t know how to prevent or reverse it. A similar condition occurs in mice, and we may now have figured out how to treat it.

A group of my colleagues at Harvard Medical School conducted the research in mice that you read about. They were led by Dr. Richard Lee, co-editor-in-chief of the Harvard Heart Letter, and professor Amy Wagers.

Dr. Lee and Dr. Wager’s team joined the blood circulation of an old mouse to that of a young mouse. Suddenly, the arteries and veins of the two animals shared the same blood. After four weeks of a shared circulation, the thickened, stiff heart muscle of the old mouse became dramatically less thick and stiff. The experiment was repeated on many pairs of old and young mice, with the same results.

This indicated that some substance was present in the blood of the young mice that rejuvenated the heart muscle of the old mice. Most likely, that substance had been in the blood of the old mice when they were younger, but the substance had decreased as the mice aged.

The team then identified a substance, called GDF11, which was present at high levels in the blood of young mice but not old mice. They treated old mice with enough GDF11 to raise their blood levels of GDF11 to the same levels as it was present in young mice. Again, the thickened, stiff heart muscle of the old mice became thinner and more flexible.

This discovery in mice may one day lead to effective treatments to prevent or reverse this common type of heart failure in humans. Although it will take many more years of research to determine if this discovery will help us, recent advances in aging research gives me hope that it will.

window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({appId: "199616670120169", status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true});}; (function() { var e = document.createElement("script"); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js"; document.getElementById("fb-root").appendChild(e);}());

View the original article here

Checking blood pressure at home pays off

Posted July 03, 2013, 2:57 pm

Do-it-yourselfers, take heart. Here’s something else to do at home that can have a substantial benefit on your health: measure your blood pressure. It’s easy, inexpensive, and helps control blood pressure better than visits to the doctor.

The latest evidence for the benefits of home blood pressure monitoring comes from researchers in Minnesota. They studied 450 people with hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure. All had blood pressures higher than deemed healthy—above 140/90, or above 130/80mmHg if they had diabetes or kidney disease.

About half of the volunteers were given home blood pressure monitors capable of electronically sending readings to a secure website. After being shown how to use their monitors, the volunteers were asked to send six readings each week. That information was assessed by pharmacists, who could adjust medications if needed and offer advice on lifestyle changes that could improve blood pressure. The other volunteers received usual care from their primary care providers.

At every step of the way, people in the home monitoring group had more success getting their blood pressure under control than people who had received only usual care. At the end of the trial, 72% of those doing home monitoring had their blood pressure under control, compared to 57% of the usual care group. The benefits persisted six months after the program had ended.

The results, published today in JAMA, are similar to the findings of previous studies on home blood pressure monitoring. But, according to the researchers, this is the first time people with both uncontrolled blood pressure and other conditions (such as diabetes) have been studied in such a program, and the first time results were measured after the formal monitoring program had ended.

“More frequent blood pressure monitoring allows more opportunities to detect blood pressure that is higher than the desired range. That may trigger more intensive treatment of elevated blood pressure,” says cardiologist Dr. Deepak Bhatt, a professor at Harvard Medical School. In other words, if you stay on top of it, you’ll do a better job of treating it.

An editorial accompanying the report said that the study “demonstrates how to improve blood pressure control by making hypertension management more like modern banking: accessible, easy, and convenient.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 in 3 adults in the United States has high blood pressure, and half of them don’t have it under control. High blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, the leading causes of death in the United States.

Even though the American Heart Association and other organizations have called for greater use of home blood pressure monitoring, it isn’t yet widespread. One reason is that insurance coverage for such programs still lags. Another is that full-fledged efforts like the one in Minnesota could cost $1,350 per person.

But you don’t need a special program. You can buy a good home blood pressure monitor at a pharmacy or online merchant for anywhere from $50 to $100. (Ask if your insurance company will cover the cost.) A few things to look for:

an automatic monitor that doesn’t require a stethoscope (it’s easier to use)a monitor that takes the blood pressure reading using a cuff that fits around the upper arm;a read-out large enough for you to see the numbers;a seal from an organization such as the British Hypertension Society, International Protocol for the Validation of Automated BP Measuring Devices, or Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).

Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist for help calibrating your monitor and learning how to use it.

How often should you check? At first, take your blood pressure twice a day for a week. The best times are early in the morning (before you have taken any blood pressure medications) and again in the evening. After you’ve done this for a week, once or twice a month—or whatever your doctor recommends—is fine.

“It can be a very effective way to see if blood pressure medications are doing the trick. It can also be useful to monitor for the side effect of blood pressure that is too low. Just remember that home monitoring should not be used as a substitute for regular physician check-ups, especially for patients with poorly controlled blood pressure,” says Dr. Bhatt.

Check out the video below to see the right, and wrong, ways to check blood pressure at home. And you can see more tips here.

View the original article here

Having such a hard time!

I need to regain my motivation somehow... Last year I lost 75 lbs, and still have about 20 to go to finally be a "normal" weight. Not "ideal", but at least in my appropriate range. But I took December off due to so many family events and an unemployed spouse and not knowing how we'd do Christmas for the kids.

Here it is, July, and I still can't make any headway. I'll do really well for a couple days, and then I'll get depressed or stressed and end up eating something not so good, and the carbs will do crazy things to my blood sugar, leading to massive cravings and "oh what the heck, I'll eat it anyway" syndrome. Literally eating until I'm sick sometimes. I was maintaining okay regardless of the lack of exercise and bad eating, but now it's caught up with me.

How do I get back on track and stay back on track? I can't afford, mentally or physically, to slide back up to the nearly 230 lbs on my 5'2" frame! My lack of self discipline is literally making me cry at times...

View the original article here

Why Yoga Can Be Good for Rheumatoid Arthritis

By Kara Mayer Robinson
WebMD Feature

Regular exercise is a must when you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA). "It's important to keep muscles strong to support the joints, and movement is important to reduce stiffness," says Susan J. Bartlett, PhD, an associate professor of medicine at McGill University in Montreal.

Yoga can be a fun alternative to walking, swimming, biking, and other activities. Exercise, including yoga, helps you maintain a healthy weight and get fit, which in turn takes pressure off your joints. Plus it makes you less likely to get heart disease and diabetes, two conditions that have been linked to rheumatoid arthritis.

A program of yoga poses, breathing, and relaxation can make a big difference in joint tenderness and swelling, according to the Arthritis Foundation. And the better you feel, the better you'll be able to handle your RA.

Yoga is flexible -- literally. "Yoga can be modified in many different ways to help protect your joints and [be] adapted to the specific needs of most individuals," Bartlett says.

So if you're having problems with your wrists, you can make adjustments to protect them. And on those days when your body is telling you to pull back a little, yoga lets you do that.

Yoga has also been shown to boost energy, build positive feelings, and ease anxiety. For people who have an ongoing illness, particularly one that's painful and unpredictable, the mood-boosting impact of yoga is a great bonus. "It really helps with increased stress that goes hand-in-hand with living with a chronic disease," Bartlett says.

"We know that stress worsens RA symptoms and even the disease itself. So it's important to manage stress effectively and to listen to your body," Bartlett says. "When you practice yoga, you learn to listen to and respect your body as it is today, here and now. You learn to focus on yourself and on calming and quieting your body. By doing yoga, you're learning how to relax and let go of muscle tension."

To be sure it's safe and beneficial, it's important to choose a gentle type of yoga, such as hatha, anusara, or iyengar. If you're new to yoga, you should avoid power yoga, astanga, bikram or hot yoga, or kundalini.

"Talk with your doctor first to find out if you have any limitations or restrictions related to your joints," Bartlett says. If some joints are more damaged than others, your rheumatologist may want you to be extra careful about how you use them to avoid pain or stiffness.

Learning from an experienced, certified professional is critical. Bartlett recommends finding a yoga instructor with an advanced level of training and experience working with people who have arthritis. (Find one at the Yoga Alliance, yogaalliance.org.) It's not a good idea to do yoga by yourself with a video or the TV guiding you. Let your teacher know about any limitations you may have, before the class starts. They can often offer modifications if some poses are too challenging at first.

Take a gentle approach. If something hurts, don't do it. If you're experiencing an RA flare, listen to your body and adapt your poses, make your yoga session less intense and/or shorter, or wait for another day.

View the original article here

herbalife

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

I Sometimes Eat Too Many Calories! Help.

Hi!

Long story short: I recently lost tons of weight... in 1 or 2 months. I worked out hard and ate small portions (counted calories). I fell in love with the new me. After my weight loss I felt the urge to eat. and eat. ...and eat! I began craving things I never even had when I was over weight! Like cookies, cakes, brownies, ice cream, etc. I gained about 10 pounds. I developed gastritis. Horrible experience!! I went to the doctor and finally got it taken care of. I am now at a healthy weight and maintain eating right and exercising regularly. HOWEVER sometimes (usually weekends or when I'm home alone) I binge eat like crazy! I'm not even hungry! I eat simply for pleasure or if I get bored. I ALWAYS consider calories when eating and most of the time, I eat less than than what I should. I have a feeling it's a mental thing but seriously, if I eat a meal that is 300 calories or over, I freak out! I should be eating 1,700ish but I feel like I should never pass above 1,200. If I can keep it under 1,000 - the better! I have a feeling this is why after my long day at work/school I just want to eat and eat! When this happens I don't give a **** about calories. (sorry about that) Afterwards I feel bad, guilty, and ...fat (the worst feeling). I hate it! But I seriously don't know what to do! Can anyone help!?? 

Also, when this does happen, is it safe to workout the same day/night? Or would it be best to wait until morning. I just hate going to bed feeling all the bad stuff that went into my stomach. 

PLEASE HELP! Thanks a bunch 

View the original article here

Trying to lose weight but I don't think it's working

Ok I'm 22 yr old female, 5'10, 184 lbs. Athletic build, but i do have some belly fat. I wanna get to 165. I looked at a lot of calculators and told me that I should be eating around 1900-2000 calories daily, but i decided to go 100 calories below (1800). The first 2 weeks was better good. I was at 180 lbs. But now for the past 5 weeks, my weight has been going up and down. 2 weeks ago, I was at 177, and then next week I was 181. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I workout 3-4 times for about an hour, eating pretty clean, and I pick one day where I have a "cheat" meal. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!

View the original article here

Question for Women...

Wasn't sure where this question belonged, so I apologize if this is misplaced. I started my new healthy lifestyle in February when my husband deployed. I have totally cut white flour from my diet as well as MOST processed sugar, and began a moderate jogging regimen. Anyway, I started losing slowly, 1-2 lbs per month (I was 5 ft 1 and 134 lbs) and was thrilled that it was working. Well, in June, I started to lose lots of weight and am now down to 122. I am not starving myself and ALWAYS eat healthy snacks when I am hungry (except very late at night).

Now for the reason I directed this at women- I was a regular 26 cycle day kind of girl before all this, with my cycles getting somewhat longer as I lost more weight. This cycle I have had cramps but no period and I am on cycle day 31. This has never happened to me before. No, there is no way I am pregnant- my husband has been deployed since February. Yes, I am taking prenatal vitamins so I am not lacking in any essential nutrients. Should I be concerned? Is it possible to "skip" a cycle? At what point do I contact an OBGYN? I would appreciate anyone's personal experiences regarding this issue... Thanks!

View the original article here

New book ideas

I am really into true crime books and books that deal with real life situations (exp. Jodi Picoult books). I have read all of the Jodi books except for the last one. I have it but i just can't seem to get into it. Any other suggestions?

View the original article here

Hypothyroid and Weight Loss

It's so discouraging to have no sense of control. What's the deal? Which foods should I avoid? Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

for a great healthy snack

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

My 4 Month Transformation!!

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

less active days

hi

i am just wondering on sundays i sat at my partners and in alot more sedartary then i am in the week. i was thinking that i should not eat as much on this day becuase im not burning it off as much. i stayed there two nights last week and i only manged to lose 3/4 of a pound.

or does it really not make much difference and should just eat the same.

View the original article here

recipes to make with turkey or chicken??

Hi

I'm looking for good tasty food with my favourite meats

I don't like nuts or beans and peas

So anything anyone can add at all there's only so much chicken and salad and chicken and vegtables you can stomach

Thank you

Xoxox

View the original article here

A bit of advice needed

Good day

I'm a 22 year old guy, weigh about 74 or so kg, am 162cm tall. I have developed a binging habit from restricting my diet too much. I do weight training 5 days a week and cardio 6 days a week. Using this I got that I should maintain my weight at 2500 calories a day. What I need advice on is if I eat about 2000 calories a day with the exercise I currently do, will I be able to keep up my weight loss, even after having restricted my diet for so long? I need to stop the binging now, but I don't want to derail weight loss. I just need to do it in a bit more of a healthier way.

Thanks for any help!

View the original article here

why am I not loosing weight?

So I have been doing this for about 2 months eating good and exercising often, but I'm starting to feel really sad I'm not seeing any results and I just don't under stand why!!

View the original article here

Three Reasons

Had reached the flag that obesity is a health point of imbalance in the metabolism and this is due to the accumulation of grease or endocrine disorder, And genetics is not a big role in obesity, as some believe has been confirmed by scientific research that obesity dire consequences on the human body has issued an insurance company American statistics it was decided that the longer the lines Belly Ring shortened lines of old men who are over the vicinity of their stomachs over the vicinity of their hearts are dying by more As research has proven also

that diabetes affects the obese more often than normal and that obesity affect the organs of the body especially the heart, where resolved fats replace some heart muscle cells, which directly affects the function and sincerity of the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him when he warned of obesity and satiety He said: (House of stomach disease) and warned that research of the use of drugs to reduce the weight of what caused the damage and noted that the optimal treatment and prevention of obesity

He said prophet mohammed peace be upon him (what a human and a bowl filled with evil than his stomach, according to the son of Adam a few mouthfuls, the actor had to be third for his food and one-third for drink and one third for himself (To breathe)) and saying (House of stomach disease)

Including what  ordered by God Almighty not excessive eating and follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him to eat and talk explained that we are dealing with, The application of the verse: ((31) O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.) Al-custom: 31 and this has already Islam of modern science for more than four centuries to the importance of balance in eating and drinking and warned of the dangers of excess in which on human health ,Protection of the digestive system

 said peace  be upon him (the root of all disease Burda) Burda: Glut:This talk is a milestone in the health of the digestive system, and thus protect the whole body of the poisoning of self that arises from (satiety) and the filling of the stomach and loaded up their energy from food heavy, and eat food again before the digestion of food first, which happens indigestion and fermentation, And thus become an acute inflammatory contagious as a result of chronic endemic disease germs in the intestines that sends toxins into the

circulation, to affect the nervous system and respiratory system, urinary system and the kidney and other vital organs from the body, which causes disruption of its functions. Hence, the medical miracle possible to reach the root cause of each disease is excessive eating that is causing the glut lead to many diseases as revealed bymodern medical research

View the original article here

why are you post to eat protein after working out?

So lately I've been reading that people like to eat protein after a work out and I was wonder why ? Should I be eating protein after a work out also I'm Not really trying to lose weight maybe like 5 pounds I just want my body to be toned

Edited Jul 03 2013 09:38 by coach_k
Reason: Moved to the Fitness Forum as more appropriate

View the original article here

ok food choices for a mom to a busy baby!

I'm having a very hard time with my meal plan. I've always had a poor connection with food. I don't enjoy fixing it or cooking it at all and I'd rather hair skip eating all together... But that's not possible obviously. I need quick, easy meals with limited prep. Simple ideas that are foods a normal person has heard of.

I don't know what to eat or web to eat it. This is my norm lately

Coffee with creamer and sugar first thing in the morning. (6am-8am)

Greek yogurt or bagel and cream cheese (9-11am) sometimes a protein powder fruit smoothie at noon

Turkey sandwich on wheat with sweet baby rays BBQ sauce instead of mayo, or chicken tenders, or left overs from the night before (1-3pm)

String cheese, popcorn, pudding, crackers... Anything at reach that takes seconds to eat so I don't have to share with my son

Dinner can range from chicken, chicken nuggets, burger, minute brown rice, canned veggies. I'm not a good cook so its usually shake n bake or some oven bag roaster thing.

I drink Powerade Zero during the day (one 32 oz bottle) i'll have 1-2 cans of root beer, and drink most of my water after dinner and before bed (I hate water)

View the original article here

can green tea increase weight loss?

I was just wondering. I've heard that it can. If so, can you drink too much of it?Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

are almonds good for you?

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

what is a healthy diet?

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

Weight Loss

I'm not considered overweight, but I don't think I look good either. I want to eat healthier and get toned and in shape so I can accomplish a healthy body, not specifically a skinny one. But I can't motivate myself to stop eating the junk food and to exercise (I am incredibly out of shape just so you know). Any suggestions on a diet plan, exercise plan, or just motivational tips?

View the original article here

how much should i eat?

I am a new recovering anorexic and I am trying to find out how much to eat... I was eating around 2,400 calories but I lost more weight. I am very active and I don't really want to drop my activity because it is so nice out and i'm a 15 year old kid who loves to run around. How many calories should I eat if I am trying to gain about 1-2 ibs a month (this retribution was suggested by my doctors) any help would be awesome! thanks!

View the original article here

Can somebody give me advice??

Hi! I am 16 and my sister is 13. My sister eats extremely unhealthy. I want to help her eat better! How do i make her realize that she should eat healthy foods?

She does need to lose a little weight but not that much (10 lbs max i think)

I love her for who she is but I know she doesnt feel comfortable in her body

View the original article here

Advice please?

Basically I started putting on weight about 10 years ago, I have lost, and then put some back on in that time. My highest was 17 stone. I am about half way through my weight loss (70 lbs, 12 stone is my target) the thing is, as the same as most people, the thought of loose skin is freaking me out. I am about half way through my diet now, I can pinch little bit's of loose skin I think on my lower stomach, however there is obviously still a lot of fat under there. Also I am COVERED in stretch marks. But with my diet I am getting A LOT of protein and I drink around 15 pints of water a day! I'm also 24 and 6 ft. I hit the gym 6 times a week, 3 for cardio and 3 for resistance training. 

So what do you think my chances are? 

View the original article here

umbilical Hernia

Anyone have advice for exercising to lose weight with an umbilical hernia? If I can get my weight down I may not need surgery for it.

View the original article here

Are there lifestyle changes that can help my cancer recovery?

Posted July 03, 2013, 2:00 am

I’m a cancer survivor. Should I be following special guidelines for diet and exercise?

Advances in cancer treatment and earlier detection are allowing more people to live longer after a cancer diagnosis. Today, more than 12 million Americans are cancer survivors. And many of them look to diet and exercise to help prevent cancer recurrence, live longer or just feel better.

Recently, the American Cancer Society (ACS) reviewed and summarized the scientific evidence about the role of diet and exercise for cancer survivors. They found that the same things that prevent cancer from developing in the first place also help keep it from coming back. The ACS published its findings in a report called “Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Cancer Survivors.”

The ACS found that to reduce the chance of cancer returning and increase the chance of surviving, cancer-free, after a cancer diagnosis, survivors should:

Achieve and maintain a healthy weight;Get enough physical activity (at least 150 minutes per week);Eat a healthy diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruits and whole grains;

The ACS also provided specific advice for survivors of a variety of major cancers. I’ve put a summary of the guidelines below.

The ACS also advised:

Cancer survivors should work with a registered dietitian who has special certification in cancer care. He or she can provide specific, evidence-based advice.Many cancer survivors have trouble taking in enough calories each day. Eating smaller and more frequent meals can help. Or try special fortified or nutrient-dense foods.Use dietary supplements cautiously. Taking more than the recommended daily amounts (RDA) of vitamins and minerals does not improve treatment outcomes or long-term survival. In fact, it can interfere with some cancer treatments. For example, taking a beta-carotene supplement may encourage the growth of lung cancer.Exercise can help fight fatigue, keep you functioning and improve your quality of life. Discuss when to start exercising, and how much, with your doctor.Obesity appears to increase the risk of breast (and possibly other) cancer recurrence. Losing weight and keeping it off can help improve survival.

When some of my patients hear advice like the ACS has given, they are skeptical. To them, cancer is a powerful force, and it seems unlikely that a healthy lifestyle could do much to tame it. I tell them that the advice is supported by large and well-done scientific studies. There is little doubt from those studies, for example, that survivors of breast cancer who are overweight have a worse prognosis than those of normal weight. Or that those who exercise regularly have a better prognosis than those who don’t.

We even are beginning to understand why. A research study was published recently which showed regular exercise leads to hormonal changes that discourage the growth of breast cancer cells. It’s not anecdotal: It’s science.

window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({appId: "199616670120169", status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true});}; (function() { var e = document.createElement("script"); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js"; document.getElementById("fb-root").appendChild(e);}());

View the original article here

exercise

What's a good exercise routine for building overall strength and stamina? Please help!! No motivation. :(

View the original article here

My opinion on why it is so hard to lose the last few lbs.

I went over to this calculator:

http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expend iture-advanced

and plugged in my stats. With the exercise I do, I should maintain my weight of 69kg on about 2280 calories a day.

I wound it down to the weight I wouldn't mind being: 64kg. The maintenance number went to around 2180. Only 100 calories difference, right? Not much at all. with a deficit of 500, I should get there in 2 months.

Well, the thing is, the human body is very *very* good at adapting. 100 calories is nothing. If I'm low on energy, I fidget less, quite unconsciously. I don't get up and walk around as often, I group things to carry upstairs, rather than dash up and down, I sleep a little more. I make the DH make the breakfast and the tea. I slow down in ways that are very difficult to measure on a simple TDEE calculator with windy dials.

This makes me feel that, if you are already a healthy weight, hitting a specific weight target is uncertain and possibly pointless, quite apart from daily fluctuations. The very fact that you are restricting intake will reduce TDEE. You can't get there fast. -500 cals can be too high a deficit. All you can do is eat a healthy amount and move a healthy amount *consistently* and asymptotically settle around a certain point. Where will it be? Who knows? It depends on what you eat, what you do, and your eating history.

ps: I've read that for some people, the above calculator gives high TDEE values, but I think this actually illustrates the point.

View the original article here

Failing

I've been doing so well during the day and end up failing myself come night. I always get the munchers sitting around watching tv after the day is done. It's so frustrating to know that I had lost 30 pounds last year and have gained it all back so easily.. I feel like I have no support.

View the original article here

recovery success stories

I know this is not a healthy website to frequent when in anorexia recovery, so I try to be vigilant about avoiding triggering threads. That being said, I am determined to beat this horrible disease and live a REAL life.

One thing that has been helping me fight lately is by forcing myself to have positive thoughts. About myself, my future, the world in general... As I continue to seek health and freedom, I would appreciate any positive encouragement, particularly success stories. I feel like we hear SO much about people who relapse and relapse or fall in to different unhealthy behaviors. Can anyone out there give me some hope and positivity?

On another note, I feel like all I hear from long-time restrictors is how eventually they become bingers. Is this inevitable? It scares me to think that I will go from one horrible extreme to another horrible extreme. I'm hoping my recovery will take me to normalcy and balance. Is this possible? Thanks in advance for the support.

View the original article here

Sharp Rise in Drug Overdoses Among U.S. Women: CDC

More now die from prescription medications than from car crashes, study finds

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- The rate of fatal overdoses of prescription painkillers and other drugs among U.S. women quadrupled between 1999 and 2010, federal officials reported Tuesday.

Long thought of as primarily a male problem, drug addiction is increasingly affecting women, and the new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 42 women in the United States die each day from prescription drug overdoses.

"Prescription drug overdose deaths have skyrocketed in women," CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden said during a noon press conference. "Mothers, wives, sisters and daughters are dying from overdoses at rates we have never seen before."

The CDC said that nearly 48,000 women died of overdoses from any form of prescribed drug between 1999 and 2010. The annual death rate for women from drug overdoses now surpasses that of car crash deaths, the agency said.

Emergency room visits for abuse or overdose have also increased dramatically, Frieden added.

Much of this increase is due to the widespread abuse of prescription opioid painkillers such as Oxycontin or Vicodin, which have been more frequently prescribed in the past decade.

"The increase in opioid overdoses and opioid overdose deaths is directly proportional to the increase in prescribing," Frieden said.

These drugs should be reserved for treating severe pain, as occurs with debilitating illnesses such as cancer. "But in many other situations, the risks [to patients] far outweigh the benefits," he said. "Prescribing an opioid may be condemning a patient to lifelong addiction and life-threatening complications."

Although men are still more likely to die from painkiller overdoses, since 1999 the percentage increase in deaths was greater among women -- 400 percent in women compared with 265 percent in men, the CDC said.

Other statistics, based on 2010 data:

Suicides from these drugs accounted for 34 percent of all suicides among women, compared with 8 percent among men.More than 940,000 women were seen in emergency departments for drug misuse or abuse.More than 6,600 women, or 18 women every day, died from a prescription painkiller overdose.Narcotic painkillers accounted for four times more deaths among women than deaths linked to cocaine and heroin combined. More than 200,000 emergency department visits were for misuse or abuse of these drugs among women -- about one every three minutes.

"This is a major public health concern and it's getting worse every year," said Dr. Yves Duroseau, chairman of emergency services at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "People are losing their lives unnecessarily.

"There needs to be more public awareness of the detrimental effects of these medications," he added. "And there needs to be more support to get people off narcotic painkillers and help them with their dependence."

View the original article here

I love bananas, but...

... they bind me up.  I would love to eat a banana or even a half of a banana every once in awhile, but they are hard on my system as they ...dare I say it, constipate. Last time I ate one I more than tripled the calories consumed with prune juice, prunes, etc. 

Any ideas how I can sneak bananas into my diet every once in a while without either being uncomfortable for days or having to negate their affect on my body?

View the original article here

eating less, moving more; GAINING WEIGHT?

I started running a bit more mileage after my track season ended, to prepare for cross country (from about 30 to 38.5). I've been running anywhere from 5-7 miles in a day, lifting weights 2-3 times a week (usually 3, although i've been skimping out on leg work lately; changed that this week however). I didn't eat too much differently once summer started. I mean, I would splurge at parties and stuff, but I would do that during the year too. And when I did, I usually wouldn't be very hungry the next day. So, one day, i'd have like 2800 for example, and the next i'd have 2000 because I just wasn't as hungry.

But, the scale's gone WAY up (from 108 to a solid 112) in the matter of a month. I doubt it's water weight. I don't understand how this happened! I'm eating just about the same (I started trying to eat more healthily again, so i'm eating less than I was during track at this point most likely) and I weigh MORE! I'm still at a healthy weight, but not necessarily where i'd like to be. Why did this happen? How do I stop (or even reverse) the gain?! It just confuses me so much and I need some help. Thanks!

EDIT: I remember this time last year maintaining on 2500 or so no problem. I was 16 then, 17 now; did my metabolism slow down THAT much in one year? It's really depressing if it did, cause that means i'm now gaining on 2200-2400 calories...

View the original article here

Is it ok to exercise less?

I recently got to my goal weight and that was through strict diet (no junk at all and lower cals) and adequate exercise (6+ hours/week). I still do around the same amount but more of it is focused on strength circuits and less on cardio. I know this means less calorie burn. To make matters worse, I am eating more now and allowing myself a treat almost every day (yesterday was apple pie and today wwill probably be muffin and chips). 

Now that I'm working to prevent weight gain, is it a safe decision to tone down on exercise...say only 4-5 hours/week? Or is it too risky? I feel like I don't have as much motivation as I did before and afraid of gaining weight. 

Did you exercise less and/or eat more once you reached your goal weight?

Suggestions welcome

View the original article here

Does BMR factor into total calorie deficit?

I know CC says that your total daily calorie intake/deficit includes your BMR, so does that mean that I can hypothetically have a 1200 deficit? Because that seems really odd and I've only heard about calorie deficits being like 300-500, which doesn't include BMR...?

View the original article here

My father had a lacunar stroke — what does this mean?

Posted July 02, 2013, 2:00 am

My father just had a lacunar stroke. I’ve never even heard of this. What can you tell me about it?

The most common kind of strokes, called ischemic (iss-KEE-mick) strokes, occur when an artery supplying oxygen-rich blood to a part of the brain is blocked. This leads to the death of some brain cells. Many strokes are caused by blockages of the largest arteries in the brain.

A lacunar stroke involves smaller arteries deep in the brain that branch off the large arteries. Because the arteries are smaller, the amount of brain tissue they feed is smaller than the amount fed by the large arteries. Still, lacunar strokes can cause significant disability. (I’ve put an illustration of the areas of the brain affected by lacunar stroke below.)

 (Image courtesy of Staywell Krames.)

The smaller arteries deep in the brain are vulnerable because they branch directly off of a high-pressure main artery. As a result, high blood pressure can directly damage the walls of these arteries. High blood pressure also can damage the walls of larger arteries and help stimulate the growth of plaques of atherosclerosis, which can block blood flow.

The symptoms of lacunar stroke vary depending on the part of the brain that is deprived of its blood supply. Symptoms may affect the ability to feel things, to move, to see, to speak, and one’s balance and coordination. If a person has multiple lacunar strokes, this can affect emotional behavior and lead to dementia.

Full recovery is possible with early treatment. Ideally, doctors would be able to administer a clot-dissolving medication within three hours after symptoms start. If blood supply is interrupted for longer, there may be more brain damage. In this case, symptoms may last for many weeks or months, requiring physical rehabilitation. There may be permanent disability.

The first person I ever cared for after a lacunar stroke just noticed that his writing hand was suddenly clumsy. Fortunately, there were no other symptoms, and the clumsiness gradually improved with physical therapy.

What probably happens when people recover from the symptoms of a stroke is that some new brain cells grow to take the places of some of the cells that were killed. We used to think that this couldn’t happen, but now research has showed us that it can. Probably more important, other brain cells that are sitting around with not enough to do learn to take on the jobs of the brain cells that were killed by the stroke.

Your father must control his risk factors to prevent another stroke. He will probably need to take a daily aspirin or other blood-thinning medication. He should control his blood pressure and heart disease with lifestyle changes and medication. Exercising regularly, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and avoiding saturated fats and cholesterol will help. If he smokes, he should quit. If he has diabetes, he should control his blood sugar.

window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({appId: "199616670120169", status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true});}; (function() { var e = document.createElement("script"); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js"; document.getElementById("fb-root").appendChild(e);}());

View the original article here

New 'Active' Video Games May Give Kids More Exercise

Youngsters in Australian study were a bit less sedentary

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Newer-generation "active" video games give a slight boost to children's physical activity levels at home, according to a new study.

Most video games are passive and no better than watching television in terms of getting youngsters to move and burn energy. Children in developed nations spend 38 to 90 minutes a day playing video games.

But it wasn't known if active video games are any better. In this study published online July 1 in BMJ Open, Australian researchers looked at how removing passive games from the home or replacing them with active games affected the activity levels of 56 children, aged 10 to 12.

For eight weeks, all video games were removed from the home. This was followed by eight weeks of being allowed to play passive video games and then eight weeks of being allowed to play active video games.

Levels of physical activity didn't vary much during any of the three eight-week periods, according to a journal news release. Removal of video games was associated with a nearly four-minute increase of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day and a nearly five-minute decrease in sedentary time. During the period when the children were allowed to play active video games, their daily activity levels increased by about three minutes and sedentary time fell by just over six minutes.

The differences appear small and, by themselves, are unlikely to have any effect on children's health, according to the study authors Dr. Leon Straker at Curtin University, in Perth, Western Australia, and colleagues.

However, the researchers said these slight increases in activity are significant in light of the rapidly increasing levels of exposure children have to electronic gaming on computers, tablets and smartphones, as well as Internet surfing and social media.

"Therefore small changes across a variety of these platforms could result in a more substantial clinical impact," the study authors wrote.

"While our study focused on the home setting, school offers another opportunity for more active technologies such as sit-stand desks or active-input electronic media as part of lessons," they added.

The researchers also noted that replacing passive video games with active versions may be easier for families to maintain than a total ban on video games.

View the original article here

Pharmacist-Guided Home Blood Pressure Monitoring May Help Patients

Study found combination led to better control of hypertension

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Using home blood pressure monitoring and partnering with a pharmacist for lifestyle advice and medication changes led to better control of hypertension, a new study shows.

After six months of the intervention, nearly 72 percent of the study volunteers had their high blood pressure under control compared to 45 percent in the group that received usual care. Also, the effects of the intervention persisted even after the intervention ended. Six months later, about 72 percent of the intervention group had their high blood pressure under control compared to 57 percent in the usual care group.

"The reason that only about half of people with [high] blood pressure have it under control is that usual care isn't working. We combined two interventions that we thought would be very powerful together -- home monitoring and pharmacist managements -- and this is one system that we've shown works very well for blood pressure control," said senior investigator Dr. Karen Margolis, from the HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research in Minneapolis.

The findings appear in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

High blood pressure affects about 30 percent of U.S. adults, according to background information in the study. Treating and controlling high blood pressure can help prevent cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks. However, only about half of the adults in the United States with high blood pressure have it under control.

Home blood pressure monitoring has shown some success in helping people lower their blood pressure, so the researchers took that a step further and used telemonitoring devices that could send blood pressure readings to a pharmacist who could then adjust that person's blood pressure medication accordingly.

The study included 450 people receiving care at one of eight different clinics. All of the people recruited for the study had high blood pressure that wasn't well controlled.

The patients were randomized to receive either usual care (222 people) or the study intervention, which included blood pressure telemonitoring with pharmacist management.

In the study intervention group, each person received a home blood pressure monitor capable of sending readings to a secure website that a pharmacist monitored. At the start of the study, patients met with the pharmacist for an hour and were taught how to use the machines. They were also given lifestyle advice on lowering their blood pressure.

People in the study intervention group were asked to send at least six blood pressure readings from different times of the day to the pharmacist each week. During the first six months of the study, patients and pharmacists talked by phone every two weeks, until blood pressure was under control for at least six weeks, and then they talked monthly. During months seven to 12 of the study, the calls were reduced to every two months. During the calls, pharmacists reviewed lifestyle changes and emphasized adherence to medications.

View the original article here

I Feel Like a freak on this website...

I'm 18 years old, 5'9.5" and around 108-115 lbs and have always been very skinny. About a year ago, due to stress/health issues I accidentally dropped a few pounds, and before I knew it anorexia took a hold of me. I managed to get back up to the weight I was before but my BMI is still so low---As background, my family runs "long and lean". My father is 6'2" and 130 lbs, my mother is my height and around 15-20 lbs more than me (she was much lighter when she was my age). I don't starve myself; quite the opposite, I find myself eating 2500+ calories a day with little exercise other than walking, yoga, and the occasional run/light weight session. 

Yet on this website, I often see girls much heavier than me eating astonishingly less to maintain. I get such mixed signals---people saying I need to gain weight and am "undereating" when their meal plans equate to sometimes less than half of mine. I have found it extremely difficult to gain past this point and with my period resumed and energy levels stable, I wonder what it really is my body wants? My doctors express no concern about my weight, and actually never diagnosed me as anorexic though my loved ones and I know from the symptoms I was. However, a recent blood test revealed I had mild anemia. Basically, what should I do? I read startling posts about how BMIs less than 18.5 are dangerous and life-threatening and wonder what I'm doing wrong? 

View the original article here

Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Have Same Impact on Time Lost at Work: Study

Patients gained no more benefit from higher-priced biologic drug Remicade vs. cheaper medications

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with a pricey biological drug was no better than cheaper, conventional therapy in terms of reducing time off from work for people with rheumatoid arthritis, a new study finds.

Swedish researchers assessed lost work days among rheumatoid arthritis patients who had not responded to initial treatment with a standard medication, methotrexate.

The group of 204 patients were randomly given either the biological drug infliximab (Remicade) or conventional combination therapy with the non-biologics sulfasalazine plus hydroxychloroquine.

At the start of the study, the average amount of lost work time was 17 days per month for all patients. During the 21-month study, the patients receiving conventional therapy lost about six fewer days of work per month, compared with about five fewer days for those taking Remicade -- not a significant difference.

Regardless of the drugs used, early and aggressive treatment for patients who've failed to respond to methotrexate "not only stops the trend of increasing work loss days but partly reverses it," concluded researchers led by Jonas Eriksson of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

However, the team say they "did not find any difference" in terms of work absentee rates depending on which drugs the patients took, even though Remicade did seem to provide "significantly improved disease control."

Experts not connected to the study said the relative price tags of these drugs is another key factor to consider.

"Currently, there are nine biologics FDA-approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis," explained Dr. Steven Carsons, chief of the division of rheumatology, clinical immunology and allergy at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y.

However, he said that biologics can cost between $15,000 to $20,000 per year, while the two non-biologics included in the Swedish study might cost only a tenth of that amount.

So, the new findings are "reassuring in terms of having effective, lower-cost alternatives with established safety profiles available for patients who do not have coverage for the more expensive biologics," Carsons said.

He added, however, that in the "real world" each patient responds differently to various rheumatoid arthritis medications, and many do fare much better on a biologic drug.

Another rheumatologist, Dr Diane Horowitz of North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., said the new study "brings into question the utility of choosing the more expensive [treatment] option" if ability to function well at work is a key consideration.

It's not clear, however, if the work-related benefits of a biologic would improve over a longer period of use. According to Horowitz, who is also a rheumatologist at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y., "further reseach needs to be done" to answer that question.

The study was published July 1 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

View the original article here

is this enough?

Hi! I'm 16, 5 foot 3 and about 110 pounds but I feel like my weight may be slowly going up. I lost about 20 pounds last year due to celiac disease and had to gain back 10. While gaining i ate about 2,300 calories a day with little exercise. Now I'm trying to maintain around 110 by eating 2,000-2,100 calories a day. I was really busy a few days ago and only managed 1,600 could this be why the scale went up? Should I continue to eat the same amount or wait more to see if I gain more?!

View the original article here

I blew my dinner tonight and help with major stomach cramp from exercising.

Yesterday, we went to the YMCA, and I did 200 reps of lifting 5 lb weights, and 7 minutes of the elliptical machine.

This morning, I woke up with a major stomach cramp on my lower left side. We went to the Y again this afternoon, and I did 20 minutes of the elliptical machine.

I still have the cramp, which hurts like a dog when I breathe, and I was wondering how I should treat it and how I should exercise or rest it out a day.

And I've been trying to eat healthier, but tonight we went to Ruby Tuesday, where I had 8 oz of Coke, 4 hot wings, 5 tortilla chips, 3 tbsp of spinach dip, half of my petite sirloin steak, 1/4 of white cheddar mashed potatoes with butter, and all of my broccoli.

So I'm really pissed off at myself for doing what I did tonight. I should've got water and the kid's menu grilled chicken with broccoli.

So anyways, thanks for listening to/reading my whining, lol.

View the original article here

10 Ways to Reset Your Sleep Cycle

By Camille Peri
WebMD Feature

Travel, shift work, or even a few nights up worrying can upset your sleep. They can throw off your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that controls when you sleep and wake.

You don't have to take sleep problems lying down. Try these 10 tips to get your sleep cycle back in sync.

Nix the Nightcap for Better Sleep?

Joanne Brucker, 47, grew up with European parents, who considered it traditional to drink wine with dinner each night. But eventually she noticed her nightly quaffing was interfering with her slumber. "I tried to keep it up," she says, "but anything more than two glasses definitely kept me from falling asleep. Why does alcohol before bedtime affect me so much?" Simply put, alcohol makes it hard for you to stay asleep and sleep well, says J. Todd Arnedt, PhD, clinical assistant professor at...

Read the Nix the Nightcap for Better Sleep? article > >

1. Use Bright Light in the Morning

Your body's clock is "set" by cues like light, darkness, and when you eat or exercise. Light is the strongest of these cues. It tells your brain whether it's night or day, and that tells you when to sleep.

When you wake up, turn on bright lights and throw open the curtains to bring in daylight.

2. Dim the Lights in the Evening

Too much light at night pushes your sleep time later. To cut down on light at night:

Keep lights low near the end of the day. Turn off bright overhead lights.Ban laptops, tablets, cell phones, and TVs from your bedroom -- and don't use them in the hour or so before sleep. "Our eyes are most sensitive to the bluish light that electronic screens emit," says Yo-El Ju, MD, of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo.If you're on the overnight shift, wear sunglasses from the time you leave work until you get home.

3. Time Your Meals

When you eat may affect your internal clock, according to Harvard researchers who tested that on animals. They suggest that shifting meal times may help people handle changes in time zones or work schedules.

Say you are traveling from the U.S. to Japan -- an 11-hour time difference. If you fast for 16 hours, about the length of the flight, and then eat as soon as you arrive, it could ease jet lag.

At home, keep a regular routine for meals and exercise. That helps steady your internal clock and your sleep.

Go to bed and get up at about the same time, too, even on weekends.

4. Limit Your Time in Bed

If you lie awake when you're in bed, temporarily restricting your sleep may give you better, deeper sleep.

First, log the hours you sleep each night for a week or two. Average them out. Let's say that you sleep about 4 hours a night. If you need to get up at 6 a.m., start going to bed at 2 a.m.

Don't nap during the day. "You want to build up your sleep drive," Ju says. Once you're sleeping solidly the whole 4 hours you're in bed, gradually move your bedtime 15 minutes earlier until you're back on track. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night.

5. Limit Caffeine

You may be tempted to use caffeine to get over the afternoon hump. Don't. Instead, avoid caffeine after lunch. It can affect your sleep that night.

View the original article here

walking or running?

Cutting out running I eat less. I'm on a low carb diet to and all I want to do is walk. I'm also healing my hormones and body so I'm justifying why I no longer run. Should I b running or walking?

View the original article here

flat stomach help.

Any help on getting a flat stomach? I do a lot of an workouts but now I want to be able see those abs! Thanks :-)

View the original article here

Protein pancakes

I cannot recommend whey protein powder enough!

myprotein.com do a really cheap one in a million flavours. It's a fantastic protein substitute. Don't waste your money on sculptress or big brands!

I love making protein pancakes!

Recipe:

2 eggs whites

100ml skimmed milk

1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons of water

1 scoop of whey protein powder (I used Apple Crumble and Custard flavour)

Just mix it all together, add the water and olive oil to your skillet and make a delicious pancake!

It's only 210 calories and is a tasty desert that is pure protein! If you find it too dry, just add some natural yogurt or sliced banana.

Hope this helps anyone stuck on ideas for healthy deserts or vegetarian recipes!

View the original article here

IVF Tied to Small Risk of Mental Deficits in Children

Large Swedish study did not find higher risk for autism

By Amy Norton

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Despite some concerns, children born by in vitro fertilization do not seem to have an increased risk of autism, a large new study finds. They may, however, have a slightly higher-than-normal chance of being intellectually impaired.

The study, reported in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at more than 2.5 million infants born in Sweden between 1982 and 2007. It found that the nearly 31,000 children conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF) did not have an increased risk of the developmental disorder autism.

They were, however, 18 percent more likely to have an intellectual disability (which used to be called mental retardation), defined as an IQ lower than 70 and limited abilities in schoolwork .

Experts stressed that the risk is quite low: The rate of intellectual disability among IVF kids was about 46 per 100,000 each year, versus about 40 per 100,000 among kids conceived naturally.

"The vast majority of children born after the different types of IVF treatment will be perfectly healthy," said lead researcher Sven Sandin, of the Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm, and King's College London, in England.

What's more, the risk seemed largely related to the fact that babies born via IVF are often multiples (such as twins or triplets), and, therefore, frequently born preterm or at a low weight. That in itself carries a higher-than-normal risk of intellectual disability.

Experts said the findings suggest that whenever possible, IVF should involve implanting only one embryo in the woman's uterus, rather than the traditional route of implanting at least two.

"From the results of this study, we think that the use of single-embryo transfer should be extended," Sandin said.

An infertility specialist not involved in the study agreed. "I think we should be encouraging more single-embryo transfers," said Dr. Marcelle Cedars, director of reproductive endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco.

That is happening more often these days, said Cedars, who wrote an editorial published with the study. At her center, she said, more than half of IVF patients have a single embryo implanted -- although that is higher than the national norm.

There is still a chance, however, that certain IVF procedures carry a risk.

Sandin's team found that a specific IVF technique used for male infertility -- called intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI -- was related to an increased risk of intellectual disability, even among single babies.

Again, the actual rates of intellectual impairment were quite low, Sandin said. But the results suggest there could be something about the intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or fathers' infertility, that contributes to the risk.

"People have for some time been concerned about the ICSI procedure," Cedars said.

View the original article here

How much calories should I eat?

Hello everybody! I'm Detti, I'm 16 and I don't know how much calories should I eat one day? My aunt said 2500 is normal but I only ate 1000... what do you guys think? Please help.

View the original article here

Triggers that you have to completely avoid??

For me, eating out at a restaurant almost always triggers a binge/purge episode.  Even if I order something healthy and eat a reasonable amount, I will think that I've lost control (because I didn't actually prepare the meal) and go home and binge and purge.  I'm starting to wonder if I should just completely avoid eating at restaurants all together.  To me, eating out isn't worth going through the horrendous habit of b&ping afterward.  I'm starting to realize that I may never be able to eat at a restaurant.

What do you guys think?  Are there any specific triggers that you just have to completely avoid like the plague?  Or have you been able to learn and "train" yourself to approach these triggers and make them a normal part of your routine.  If so, how did you do it?

View the original article here

Can Hi-Tech Avatars Promote Real-Life Weight Loss?

Virtual sessions on portion control and exercise helped women in small pilot study

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Watching an avatar exercise and learn healthy habits in a virtual community might help people shed excess weight, a small new study suggests.

An avatar is the graphical or physical representation of the user, in video games or online, for instance.

"This pilot study showed that you don't have to be a gamer to use virtual reality to learn some important skills for weight loss," Melissa Napolitano, an associate professor of prevention and community health at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, said in a university news release.

She added that the findings suggest "that virtual reality could be a promising new tool for building healthier habits."

The new study included eight overweight women who once a week watched a 15-minute DVD featuring an avatar demonstrating healthy weight-loss behaviors. In one lesson the avatar sat down for dinner and learned about portion sizes. In another lesson, the avatar used a treadmill and learned the walking pace needed to lose weight.

At the end of four weeks, the women had lost an average of 3.5 pounds, which Napolitano called a fairly typical amount for traditional diet plans. But it's hoped that by watching the avatar, people using this type of program would be much more likely to establish long-term healthy habits and keep the weight off for good, she said.

"This is just the first step to show that women -- even those who are not gamers -- are interested in an avatar-based technology to help them with a weight-loss plan," Napolitano said. "We are excited by the potential of this technology as a scalable tool to help people learn the skills to be successful at weight loss over the long run."

The study appeared in the July 1 issue of the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology.

If further studies show that this type of program is effective, it may offer an inexpensive way for millions of overweight and obese men and women to learn the skills and behaviors they need to lose weight and keep it off, Napolitano said.

View the original article here

help with the binge temptation

Hi I'm quite new to this forum but its ace for support , just what I need when I don't see much of my girlfriends since my baby was born , however I do absolutely fine with my calories and my healthier choices etc, but I'm noticing on a weekend come when the kids go to bed I wanna reach for the sweets and crisps what do people do to help with the temptations of just binging out on everything in sight I lost 6 stone on my own but can't seem to get this last stone away I'm sticking at the same weight or going up a lb or too

View the original article here

Wagon Jumpers July 1st -7th

This thread is designed to encourage long term commitment to our goals by publicly declaring them and asking the other members of this thread to hold us accountable. The primary focus of Wagon Jumpers is not how much weight you have lost, or need to lose, but what you need to do on a daily basis to meet your long term goals.

The idea of Wagon Jumpers was to create a close community where participants could get to know each other, creating a virtual support network as they attempt long term weight management.

This is impossible with an 'always open' group as there would be too many people coming and going. For this reason we have capped group membership numbers to 20 participants.

** If you would like to be a member of this group please contact our wait list manager: the_dragon

There are two rules for Wagon Jumpers:

1. All members must post once per week between Monday and Sunday.

2. All members must check the thread for members who have not posted by Saturday (a short list is posted at the end of the week) or are on the MIA list on Sunday and send them a polite and positive message to stay involved in the group and on track with their goals.

Wagon Jumpers Participants:15

CURRENT GOALS

By Sunday, August 11th I will...

68551 (Sue) – NEW: Exercising 30 min dailyDefrog3 (Denise) - Maintenance: Workout 3x week for 9 of the 12 weeks. New: Avoid grain-based carbohydrates 6 of 7 days/week for each of the 12 weeks.Feljones (Debbie) - NEW: log my food 3/days a week, keeping below 2,000 cal; 200 minutes of exercise every week, which includes a minimum of two walks during office hours each week.Figurethefat (Laura) - NEW: Exercise for 1500 minutes every 4 weeks. Eat 5 fruit and veg daily. gertie1birdy (Gertie) - NEW: log each day, stay under, 1300 or 1400 calories.gterv (Galia) – NEW: avoid caffeine, and irritants, continue training.healthmd (Monica, Co-Moderator) - NEW: gym 5 days a week and logging daily.Kellyonthecoast (Co-moderator) - NEW: I will exercise for 3 of 7 days for 10 out of 12 weeks; I shall take my vitamins 5 of 7 days each week.     kleibs - NEW: get in at least 4 cardio and 2 strength training sessions a week.librarianlisa (Lisa) - Exercise 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes.  At least 3 of those times must be cardio.mhNYC (Mari) - NEW: Take my vitamins (especially calcium!) daily. Maintenance: Wake up at least 5 days every week at 5:30 am.newdock (Donna, Co-Moderator) - NEW: exercise for at least 30 minutes 3 times a week for 10 of the 12 weeks.   I will drink 8 glasses of water a day  runyourlife (Carmela, Co-Moderator) - To stop munching while preparing dinner. I have a hard time not grazing when I’m cooking. Exercise:  run 3x per week + HIIT, leg and upper body workout 2x per weekthe_dragon (Hilary, Co-Moderator) - NEW: Drink 4 pints of water daily; 6 portions of F&V daily.x-lawrence (Lawrence, Co-Moderator) - NEW: I will count calories daily; For exercise row 20 times a month and do 100-200 pushups a day. 

MIA one week:

MhNYC

Gterv

MIA two weeks:

NONE

MIA three weeks & will be removed from the list if there is no contact by the end of this week:

Wagon Jumpers on Hiatus:

Waiting List: 

Wagon Jumper threads now have a separate host for each week, as listed below:

Mid-Week Reminders: x-lawrence (Lawrence)Waitlist Management: the_dragon (Hilary)Thread Issues: If there are any issues with a thread, first contact should be the thread host for that week. 

Previous Threads

Wagon Jumpers June 24-30th

Wagon Jumpers June 17-23

Wagon Jumpers June 10-16

Wagon Jumpers June 2-8

View the original article here

Early Respiratory Infection May Double Type 1 Diabetes Risk: Study

Researchers looked at children who had first-degree relatives with the autoimmune disease

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- What may seem like a harmless cold during the first six months of life may more than double a child's chances of developing antibodies that often lead to type 1 diabetes, new German research suggests.

Infections that occur later don't seem to pose as high as risk. When infants between 6 and 12 months had a respiratory illness, their risk only increased by 32 percent, the study found.

The researchers noted that these findings probably don't apply to all youngsters, because this study was done with children who have a high risk of developing the disease because they have a first-degree relative who has type 1 diabetes.

"In general, the early immune system is still in a phase of development, and may therefore be particularly susceptible for challenges by infectious agents. However, we cannot explain yet why specifically respiratory infections might be relevant in this phase," said study author Andreas Beyerlein, head of the working group on epidemiology at the Institute of Diabetes Research in Munich.

Results of the study were published online July 1 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Infections have long been suspected as potential triggers of type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that causes the body's immune system to mistakenly attack and destroy insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, according to background information in the study. Insulin is a hormone needed to metabolize the carbohydrates in foods so that they can be used as fuel for the body and brain.

Substances called islet autoantibodies appear in the blood before the development of type 1 diabetes, sometimes years before diabetes is evident. These autoantibodies help researchers predict whether or not someone will develop type 1 diabetes.

In the current study, the researchers followed 148 children who were under 3 months old when they started the study. All of the babies had a first-degree relative with type 1 diabetes.

When the children were 3 months old, the parents were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire that included information about their baby's history of infections, fever and medication use. They were asked to detail the types of symptoms their child had. They were also asked about family history of diabetes, and questions about lifestyle factors, such as whether the mother smoked during pregnancy.

Parents were then asked to record information about any illnesses or diseases that occurred until the child was 3 years old. The children also had their blood tested every three months to look for evidence that they had developed islet autoantibodies.

Over the three-year study, there were 1,245 infectious "events." Most -- 669 -- were respiratory infections that affected the upper respiratory tract, including the ear, nose, throat or eye. Infections that affected the digestive system totaled 257, and another 319 cases were classified as "other" infections, such as skin infections.

View the original article here

What is with all the guilt and remorse?

I've noticed that a lot of people will post daily reports in which they say they feel bad because they ate too much of a particular food, or they didn't consume quite enough of a given nutrient, or they (heaven forbid) couldn't exercise because they were tired and/or in pain. And when you look at the total numbers on their reports, they mostly still have a huge deficit. What is with all this shame and perfectionism? It disturbs me. The confessions people make are like the confessions some guilty Catholic would make. This just gets my goat.

View the original article here

losing weight with large ribcage for women...

I read a lot of posts in the past about women being sad about their huge ribcage when I was looking for a solution for my large ribcage. It made me sad how many women were so bothered by it and how they admitted to becoming bitter towards other women for their small ribcage. I first want to say, it's worse in your own eyes, I've seen big rib cages...BIG, and these women pull it off just fine, we are our own worst critics. But anyways! I wanted to ask if anyone tried the breathing techniques and abdominal strengthening exercises? It's made a huge difference for me. I too was told I lookedmalnourished and that I was too skinny for my own body. I didn't start to see improvements, though, until I had lost the desired amount of fat and started toning. Very padded bras help keep the proportion, and you don't need a small ribcage to still look good. I got my big rib cage from my mom. But really try the ab and breathing techniques, my sister and fianc? have both asked me how I made my ribs smaller andI haven't gained a pound!

View the original article here

Addicted to kool-aid/sugar, gaining weight from it.

So at the beginning of June I decided to quit soda. Since I was drinking diet, I wasn't gaining any weight from it. The thing is, I was drinking about 4 liters, the equivalent of a full gallon every day.

The unfortunate thing is, in my mind, I have not successfully quit. I am instead drinking a full gallon of kool-aid every day. I put in half the normal amount of sugar, but that's still a full cup instead of 2 cups. I just did a calculation and that's 774 calories that are doing nothing beneficial to my body.

I attempt to drink water, consume a full cup then decide it doesn't have the sweet taste I desire and proceed to drink a full cup of kool aid next.

Because of all the kool-aid, I've gained 7 pounds since June started. Fortunately, I've been on a diet for a year now, lost 60 pounds, and am at a solid 20.2 BMI. But the pounds are creeping back on.

Any suggestions on how to stop my kool-aid addiction would be great. I just don't know what to do because I went a year drinking massive amounts of diet soda everyday and am not used to not having my sweet fix.

View the original article here

Heart Rate Monitors?

I am looking to buy one of those heart rate monitor watches but I'm a little torn as to which would be good for me. I want to be able to use it on my treadmill, during bosu workouts, workout DVDs, working out in a park, runs outside, hiking, lifting weights, etc. so it won't be used just for running. I'd like to know how many calories I am burning during these various exercises. That is my main goal in which watch I choose.

Anyone have a HRM watch? Love it? Hate it? Any recommendations? Thanks guys!!!

View the original article here

Jealousy Towards Partner Losing Weight? Advice?

It seems every time my obsessions over my weight pick up, everyone around me starts dropping pounds like crazy. That's just how life works, eh? Everyone around me is getting skinny, specifically my boyfriend, and I'm stuck. Has anybody ever started to feel disdain or jealousy towards their boyfriend or girlfriend for losing weight?

It's insane - I should be feeling happy for my boyfriend, whose weight fluctuates from 240-170 many times a year. He recently has dropped down to 170 again and is actively trying to lose even more, alongside myself. I feel increasingly jealous and suspicious about him, and find myself being way needier than I have ever felt. When he is complimented on his weight loss by friends or family, I feel angry at him. At times, I've even attempted to sabotage his weight loss or make him feel bad about his slimmer self.

I feel like a horrible girlfriend, how can I get over this?

View the original article here

Collapsible Laundry Hampers May Pose Risk to Kids' Eyes

Two reports show wires can pop out, threatening vision

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Collapsible laundry hampers can cause serious eye injuries to children if a sharp wire contained within the device breaks free, according to a new report.

The researchers documented the cases of two children, one 23 months old and the other 11 years old, who each suffered a puncture wound in one eye from a collapsible laundry hamper.

The devices collapse and then pop back into shape because they have embedded within them a flexible wire that winds around the outside of the cloth hamper.

"The wire has fabric holding it in place, and it's like a humongous spring," said study co-author Dr. Iris Kassem, an assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology at the University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Medicine. "When the fabric becomes frayed, the wire pops out and the end of the wire is very sharp."

The 11-year-old boy suffered a corneal laceration while placing clothes in a collapsible laundry hamper, according to the report. The wire mechanism within the hamper suddenly snapped up and struck his right eye, puncturing it.

The report said the 23-month-old girl received her injury after being poked in the eye from a wire protruding from a collapsible hamper.

Both patients came to the University of Illinois at Chicago Eye and Ear Infirmary for treatment within one year of each other.

The cases were detailed online July 1 and in the August print issue of the journal Pediatrics.

These types of penetrating eye injuries are uncommon but very serious, said Dr. Alon Kahana, an oculoplastic surgeon at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center.

"The risk of vision [loss] is acute, and those patients require immediate evaluation in an emergency room," Kahana said. "Outcomes can be very good. There are some patients that end up with 20/20 vision, [but] there are some patients who end up with no vision at all."

In both reported cases, the children received prompt emergency treatment and, as a result, are expected to regain much of the sight in their injured eyes, Kassem said.

Both children required eye surgery to repair the damage. They have since required some vision therapy to fix developmental problems that occurred as a result of temporarily losing sight in one eye at such a young age. The boy has suffered from exotropia, a form of crossed eyes, while the girl has had amblyopia, or lazy eye.

"They both did extremely well," Kassem said. "They both got very lucky. They both beat the odds to do well."

The authors have reported the injuries to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Kassem said.

They urged parents to be aware of the risk to kids. "Children shouldn't be playing around these things, and if the integrity of the hamper is compromised in any way, you need to throw the product away," Kassem said.

Kahana agreed. "When it pokes out, it pokes out with force. You have the combination of sharp and force," she said. "Most of these are cheap items not meant for extended use. People should see when something approaches the end of its useful life and toss it away."

Kassem has two kids and, at the time of the injuries, had a couple of these hampers around her house.

"When the second kid came in with an injury, I said, 'That's enough of that,' and got rid of the hampers," she said. "It kind of freaked me out."

View the original article here