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Ok so when I look up a baked sweet potato it says a little over 100 calories...Now when I look it up at Longhorn Steak house it says 270 calories? Where are the extra calories coming from? I get the cinnamon and butter on the side of the potato and only use a dab, is thats what's counting for the extra cals??
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Kate Middleton gets Baby On Board badge at Baker Street
Kate Middleton (sort of) slummed it with the commuters this morning when she took the tube at Baker Street with none other than the QueenContinue reading...
Recovery and body changes.
Dear Caloriecount,
I've actually been in recovery from anorexia for past 3 months or so. I am now completely weight restored + @. And to be honest, I am not 100% happy about it, though I am aware of what I'm going through and I am still willing to fully go through this process.
I am aware that now I'm in the healthy range, however, I weigh a bit more than I used to. I also gained more fat in my thighs and stomach and I seem to have smaller breasts and arms than before. In a way, this almost feels like a punishment for what I've done to my body.
I am now into intuitive eating after a bingeing period then trying-to-eat-set-amounts-at-set-time period. Since I started Levlen ED oestrogen tablets 3 weeks ago, I've actually been having random binge urges which I've been responding appropriately. I haven't had period in 7~8 months or so.
Well, the question is... being a typical woman... would I be able to get my pre-ED body back? That is really all I wish for now. Nothing more, nothing less. I just wish all could go back to the normal and I wouldn't be any happier...
The Morning Scoop: Watch Justin's New Video, Search for Any GIF and More!
Just because we haven't had enough Justin Timberlake in our lives recently, the singer has also just released his latest music video for his song "Mirrors." What do you guys think? [MTV]
When you cook, do you use Kosher salt? Chefs use it because it's easier to handle, but do you need to? [Lifehacker]
Happy Spring! Get a head start on the season with these organizational tips straight from the pros. [Refinery29]
Build the perfect club sandwich with this handy guide. Mmmmmm. Yum. [Greatist]
If you're pounding the exact same pavement every day, it's time to switch up your running route. Here's why. [POPSUGAR Fitness]
Image Credit: Courtesy of RCA
Little Mix arrive at an event in New York
Browse through Glamour's extensive daily celebrity photo gallery online today. Check out what your favourite celebrity has been up to!Continue reading...
Talk Therapy Can Ease Depression, But No Single Type Deemed 'Best'
Experts say choice depends on individual patient, treatment availability
By Amy Norton
HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- Various forms of "talk therapy" can help people with depression, but no single type stands out as better than the rest, according to a new analysis.
Experts said the results confirm what is generally thought: Psychotherapy can help lift depression, and there is no one form that is best for everyone.
Instead, a person's therapy choice may come down to the nature of the depression, and practical matters -- like finding a therapist you're comfortable with, and being able to pay.
In the study, published online May 28 in PLoS Medicine, Swiss researchers from the University of Bern analyzed nearly 200 clinical trials testing seven different types of psychotherapy for major depression. Overall, they found that all of the therapies were better than no treatment. The typical effect was "moderate to large," they say -- which means that the average patient who received the therapy was doing better than half of the patients in the untreated, comparison group.
"This study is reassuring, because it shows all of these therapies can work," said Dr. Bryan Bruno, acting chair of psychiatry at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City, who was not involved with the analysis. "I'd encourage people to get educated about the different types of therapy that are out there."
Most of the studies in the review (70 percent) tested cognitive-behavioral therapy -- which aims to change the dysfunctional thinking and behavior that feed a person's depression. In the United States, it's the most widely available talk therapy for depression.
Another approach is known as interpersonal therapy, which focuses on improving a patient's relationships and social skills.
Interpersonal therapy is well-studied, but it's harder to find than cognitive behavioral therapy, said Steven Hollon, a professor of psychology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., who was not involved in the review.
Both cognitive behavioral and interpersonal therapies are attractive, in part, because they are fairly short-term -- typically lasting for 10 to 20 sessions over a few months.
Some other therapies, like an approach known as supportive counseling, are longer term, Bruno noted. So your ability to pay may be an obstacle, even if the therapy is available to you.
"Most insurers do not dictate the type of psychotherapy they'll pay for," Bruno said. "But they may dictate the number of sessions."
The nature of depression varies widely from person to person, so ideally psychotherapy would be individualized. Bruno said that a person who has suffered a trauma, for example, might benefit from short-term "psychodynamic therapy" -- where the therapist tries to help you figure out how past experiences, from childhood onward, may be affecting your mental health now.
"Or sometimes a therapist will use a combination of therapies, depending on what seems best for the patient," Bruno said.
50 Women Who Influenced American Health, The Latest Twinkies News and More!
In honor of Women's History Month, check out these 50 incredible ladies who influenced America's health in all kinds of awesome ways. Pictured is Clara Ross, the incredible woman who founded the Red Cross. [HuffPost]
OMG: Twinkies are making a comeback! A judge has approved the sale of various Hostess products, including this popular cream-filled treat. Expect to see 'em in grocery stores this summer. [CNN]
Some of Princess Diana's dresses are going up for auction. They're still totally gorgeous over a decade after she wore them. Lady had taste! [Telegraph]
It's not easy to have bombshell hair -- all that blow drying, coloring and flat ironing can wreck your mane. Here's how to do serious strand damage control. [YouBeauty]
If you purchased any pairs of the now-infamous Lululemon black pants after March 1, you can get a refund. [Consumerist]
Image Credit: Courtesy of HuffingtonPost
Getting dizzy
I am 212 lb and I just started cutting calories. Nothing drastic but may be 200 300 calories per day. I got so dizzy this morning when I woke up that I had to gulp up ready sugar foods and then I started feeling better. I had a 800 calorie dinner last night around 7 :30 PM. I had a carb high diet all these days. Could this be beacuse of that ? Any suggetions or how to avoid this ? Thanx in advance.
Get Outside! How to Work Out with Your Dog
Get ready to shed some pounds with your pup -- pun intended. Just in time for spring, Victoria Stilwell, author of Train Your Dog Positively, which hits shelves today, gave us her top tips for exercising al fresco with your dog.
Don't torture your puppy with doga, says Stillwell. "The majority of dogs that I've seen do it, do not look happy," says Stilwell. Instead, she recommends hiking, running, swimming or simply playing in the backyard as the best way to workout with your dog, but says that walking is absolutely the most important thing.
A good walk or hike outside allows dogs to use their innate senses to smell things around them that they miss out on when they're cooped up indoors. Did you know that a dog's sense of smell is up to 100,000 times stronger(!!!) than humans' sense? Those nostrils need to get worked. Being outside is not only beneficial for your pet, it can also do wonders for your own body.
If you're looking for more cardio, running can be a great activity to do together, but make sure your dog likes it -- and has enough energy to withstand a long run. "There is nothing worse out there than seeing a jogger or a runner dragging their dog who clearly doesn't want to run with them, or a dog like a dachshund," Stilwell laments. She warns that short-nosed breeds, like Shih Tzus and pugs, should also not be taken on long runs because anatomically, they cannot breathe as well as other breeds. (Come on, you KNOW that smush face can't last during your 10-miler.)
"A lot of people have the best intentions [when they take their dogs running]. The dogs may still be fit, but they haven't built up the stamina in their dog. You have to give your dog time to build up its stamina and fitness level too," she says.
Have a stubborn pooch that doesn't like to exercise? Stilwell says there is usually something else going on if your dog doesn't wanna go for a walk. Ask yourself: Is your dog in pain? Is it a behavioral issue? Take your pup to the vet to find out, and then make sure you are using equipment that is comfortable for them. She suggests attaching a leash to a harness rather than a nylon collar, and for dogs that pull, use a harness that attaches to the front of their chest, which is their center of gravity.
Make sure to also keep hydration and temperature (for both of you!) front of mind, too. Because dogs are closer to the ground (and have fur coats -- duh), they heat up more quickly. So, if it's going to be a hot day, stick with early AM or evening exercise. Stilwell also suggests bringing along a water bottle/bowl combo for longer walks or runs and allowing your pet to drink "little and often." Now if only it would get warmer so we (and our dogs) could get out there.
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Image Credit: Conde Nast Digital Archive
Secrets We Got Gwyneth To Spill
Just when you thought we'd shared everything Gwyneth, we have a bit more EXCLUSIVE deets on all things Paltrow. Check out her quick-fire answers to our Qs.
Thing about yourself that you'd most like to change: My ego. It's what I fight against.You know you need to workout when: I've been traveling and feel lethargic and bloated.On a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being most confident and 1 being the least, how would you rate your confidence in a bikini? For a 40-year-old, mother-of-two, I feel pretty confident. I mean, 7? 8? 9? Alright, I'll say 9. I do still have butt insecurities.Best $20 you ever spent: Pregnancy kits? If Chris wants to make you laugh, all he has to do is: Open his mouth. If you have 10 free minutes to yourself, you: check email, take a hot bath with Epsom salts or read a book. I just finished Gone Girl.Wanna learn more about Gwyneth? Watch her behind the scenes at our April cover shoot!
--Erin Bried
Image Credit: Matt Jones
Tots' Sleep Differences Due to Genes, Environment, Study Suggests
But parents should still try to correct bad sleep habits, expert says
By Amy Norton
HealthDay ReporterMONDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- A new study of twins suggests that genes may play a big role in how long babies and toddlers sleep at night, while environment is key during nap time.
Researchers found that among nearly 1,000 twins they followed to age 4, genes seemed to explain much of the difference among youngsters' nighttime sleep habits. In contrast, napping seemed mainly dependent on the environmental setting -- especially for toddlers and preschoolers.
So does this mean the amount of sleep your little one gets at night is out of your control?
No, said the lead researcher on the study, which was published online May 27 in the journal Pediatrics.
"[Parents] should not give up on trying to correct inadequate sleep duration or bad sleep habits early in childhood," said Evelyne Touchette, of Laval University in Quebec, Canada.
For one, the study found that environment did matter in babies' and toddlers' nighttime sleep -- and even seemed to overshadow genes by the age of 18 months.
The reasons for the findings are unclear, Touchette said. But she said it makes sense that environment would matter more at the age of 18 months versus 6 months, when the maturation of the brain may be key in infants' ability to sleep for longer stretches at night.
There's no clear explanation, though, for why genetic influences became stronger again after the age of 18 months, Touchette said.
A sleep researcher not involved in the study said it's not really possible to break down children's sleep into "nature or nurture" questions.
"Everything is a complex interaction between genes and environment," said Hawley Montgomery-Downs, an associate professor of psychology at West Virginia University in Morgantown.
It's not possible, she said, to parse out what proportion of young children's sleep duration is due to genes, and what proportion is environment.
For the study, Touchette's team followed nearly 1,000 Canadian twins whose mothers reported on their sleep habits from the ages of 6 months through 4 years. About 400 children were identical twins, which means both twins share all of the same genes; the rest were fraternal twins, who are no more genetically similar than non-twin siblings.
In general, such studies can help researchers sort out the influences of genes versus "shared environment," which could include anything from a mom's diet during pregnancy to family income.
When it came to hours slept at night, genes seemed to explain more than half of the variance among children at the ages of 30 months and 4 years. Genes were nearly as important at the age of 6 months.
The exception was the age of 18 months, when environment seemed to account for about half of the variance among the children.
Fewer Kids Getting Hurt in Most Sports, Study Finds
However, football and soccer injuries have risen over past decade
By Carina Storrs
HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Football has been blamed for a growing number of injuries among young players in the past decade, but a new study finds that football is an exception, and injuries from most other popular sports have dropped in children.
The study compared the number of injuries in children aged between 5 and 14 that occurred in 2000, 2005 and 2010 based on a national survey of the emergency rooms of about 100 hospitals.
It focused on eight popular activities: football, basketball, baseball/softball, soccer, bicycling, roller sports such as skating, playground use and trampoline use.
The study is scheduled for presentation Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, in Chicago.
"Physicians and children's hospitals have reported an increase in injuries from pediatric sports and the number of surgeries on kids [but] there was no population-based study to see if there is a real increase," said study author Dr. Shital Parikh, an associate professor of pediatric surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Parikh's analysis suggests that the number of acute injuries, in particular sprains and fractures, has declined over the past decade. The study does not, however, address trends in chronic wear-and-tear damage and injuries that require surgery, such as a torn ligament, and these types of injuries have probably increased, he said.
The study found a more than 13 percent decrease in the rate of injuries seen in emergency rooms between 2000 and 2005 but only a roughly 1 percent decrease between 2000 and 2010.
The rebound in the number of injuries in 2010 appears to be due largely to an increase in the injuries related to football, baseball/softball and soccer between 2005 and 2010.
Looking at the population using U.S. Census Bureau data, Parikh found that for every 1,000 children, 31.9 sustained an injury in 2000 whereas 27.6 and 31.6 did so in 2005 and 2010, respectively.
The biggest drop in injury rate was for bicycling, which saw a more than 29 percent decrease between 2000 and 2005 and a 38 percent decrease overall. During this decade, the sport went from the most dangerous to the second most dangerous.
There were also drops in roller-sport and trampoline injuries of nearly 21 percent and 17.5 percent, respectively, between 2000 and 2010, and to a lesser extent, fewer injuries related to basketball.
Football injury rates, however, shot up by nearly 23 percent between 2000 and 2010, and soccer injuries rose by almost 11 percent.
Muscle and skeletal injuries, such as fractures, sprains and bruises from football and soccer rose by about 24 percent and 9 percent, respectively. Rates of these injuries declined for the other sports, except for baseball and softball, which saw a 2.5 percent increase.
#NailArt Tuesday: Galaxy-Inspired Tips
You guys!!! I am feeling really proud right now. I've been gawking over the idea of galaxy-inspired nails for, like, months and I finally figured out how to do it on my own. And guess what? It looks AWESOME. Even though you need like five different polishes, it's a worthwhile time investment for the fabulous result. It's so pretty it makes my heart flutter. (Once a beauty girl, always a beauty girl, I guess.)
You'll need:
First, set yourself up, cause as I mentioned, this is a process. Open all the polishes almost all the way, cut your sea sponge or makeup sponges into one-inch chunks and lay out a piece of paper you can cover in polish. Oh, and pull up an awesome galaxy picture for inspiration. I used the one pictured here.
Next, do a basic mani with your dark navy polish, and let dry completely. Do NOT mess this part up for fear of a chunky polish job. [Ed. note: Shudder. - RJ]
Once your nails are dry, pour about six drops of the bright pink polish on to a piece of paper. Dab the corner of a sponge into the polish, tap off any excess lacquer on the paper, the tap the sponge on your nail to create a nebula-like shape. It'll look like weird pink tie dye at this step, but don't stress. Repeat on all ten nails.
Next, pour about six drops of the purple-mauve polish on to a piece of paper. Use a new sponge's corner to dab polish over the edges of the pink nebula. No need to be super neat here. Then repeat the dabbing again with the silvery sparkly polish. It should kind of look galaxy-ish.
Now for the finishing touch: Dip a clean sponge in your sparkly navy lacquer and cover your entire nail except for a *little* bit of the center of the "nebula" you already made. Make sure there's only a tiny bit of polish, or you'll accidentally cover all of your hard work.
At this point, you can cover with a coat of clear, sparkly polish, but I prefer a subtle-looking galaxy so I skipped that. You can also touch up any sad-looking nebulas.
Finish with a super light layer of top coat to seal everything in and viola! You're nails are out of this world -- pun intended.
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Image Credit: via Pinterest
Should I take extra folic acid to boost my immune system?
Posted May 28, 2013, 2:00 am 
I’m a healthy woman in my 40s. Should I take extra folic acid to boost my immune system?
Folic acid is, essentially, a vitamin. We all need vitamins. Indeed, the word “vitamin” was coined to refer to a substance that was essential to human life. The natural form of folic acid, folate, occurs in some foods, including vegetables, fruits, and dried beans and peas.
Each of us is a collection of about 13 trillion cells. If our cells get sick, we get sick. If our cells get old, we get old. Folate is essential for the production and maintenance of our cells. That’s especially true during rapid periods of growth, such as pregnancy and infancy. Folate is needed to make DNA and RNA, the genetic material that dictates how our cells function, and it helps prevent mutations to DNA that may lead to diseases, including cancer.
Our immune system cells, which are white blood cells, are always in a rapid period of growth. These cells don’t live very long, so they constantly need to be replaced. Folate deficiency can cause anemia — inadequate production of red blood cells. But it doesn’t weaken the immune system sufficiently to make us more vulnerable to infections, for example.
Over the past 30 years, many studies have found that people with high blood levels of a natural substance called homocysteine are at higher risk for heart disease. One easy way to reduce homocysteine levels is by taking folic acid supplements. Studies have not shown that taking folic acid supplements protects most people from heart disease. The exception is people born with a genetic defect that causes high homocysteine levels. I’m one of them; I take folic acid every day.
For most healthy adults, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of folate is 400 micrograms (mcg) a day. Pregnant women should take more: 600 mcg a day. The extra folate helps to reduce the risk of neural tube defects, a serious malformation of the spine, skull or brain in the baby.
Experts advise against getting more than 1,000 mcg per day of folic acid from supplements or fortified foods. You’re unlikely to suffer any ill effects even if you exceed that limit, because your body excretes excess folic acid in the urine. Still, there might be long-term health effects that we don’t yet know about.
On the other hand, there’s no health risk associated with getting plenty of naturally occurring folate from foods. Get as much of your daily requirement as you can from a healthy diet. Good food sources of folate include spinach, asparagus, rice, green peas, broccoli and great northern beans. Many breads, cereals, flours, cornmeal, pastas, rice and other grains are enriched with folic acid.
If you’re not getting enough folate from foods, take a multivitamin that contains 400 mcg of folic acid.
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