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Team GLAMOUR.COM put The Woodland Spa in Lancashire to the test.Continue reading...
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Losing Weight While Injured
I recently tore my meniscus, and I need surgery following by crutches and physical therapy.
I used to play intensive sports three hours a day, every day of the week so calories and exercising were never really a huge problem for me.
Just within the past week that I've been off of exercise, I've gained a lot of weight and I almost feel myself losing muscle (maybe its all just psychological ;P) But still, if anyone has any tips for exercising, losing weight, or maintaining muscle while injured, please share!
Rosie Fortescue at the AllSaints Biker Project
Rosie Fortescue wears a black fedora hat, beige trench coat, skinny leather trousers and a black Celine bag to the AllSaints Biker Project exhibition in London - vote on celebrity fashion, style and red carpet looks in GLAMOUR.COM’s Dos and Don’tsContinue reading...
Ant & Dec bag UK No.1 with 19-year-old hit
Ant & Dec have bagged themselves a No1 slot with their 1994 hit Let’s Get Ready To Rhumble after they performed the song on Saturday Night Takeaway.Continue reading...
10 Foods for Children's Brain Development
By Anne Krueger
WebMD FeatureReviewed by Patricia Quinn, MD
WebMD FeatureReviewed by Patricia Quinn, MD
As fast as children whiz from classroom to activity to home and back again, their brains are just as actively and dramatically growing and changing.
"These years are critical for brain development, and what they eat affects focus and cognitive skills," psychiatrist Drew Ramsey, MD, coauthor of The Happiness Diet, says.
Food is one of many factors that affect a child's brain development.
The following 10 foods can help kids stay sharp all day long, and affect brain development well into the future.
Eating a high-nutrient protein like eggs (which have nutrients including choline, omega-3s, zinc, and lutein) will help kids concentrate, Beth Saltz, RD, says.
How to Serve It: Fold scrambled eggs into a whole-grain tortilla for a filling breakfast or late-afternoon snack. "The protein-carb combo tides kids over until the next meal with no sugar-induced energy crash," Saltz says.
Fat is important to brain health, says Laura Lagano, RD. A full-fat Greek yogurt (which has more protein that other yogurts) can help keep brain cell membranes flexible, helping them to send and receive information.
How to Serve It: Pack Greek yogurt in lunch with some fun mix-ins: cereal with at least 3 grams of fiber and blueberries for a dose of nutrients called polyphenols.
Or add a few dark chocolate chips. Polyphenols in cocoa are thought to keep the mind sharp by hiking brain blood flow.
Full of folate and vitamins, spinach and kale are part of a healthy diet linked to lower odds of getting dementia later in life. "Kale contains sulforaphane, a molecule that has detoxifying abilities, and diindolylmethane, which helps new brain cells grow," says Ramsey, coauthor of 50 Shades of Kale.
How to Serve It:
Whip spinach into smoothies for snack time.Add it to omelets.Saute it at dinner drizzled with olive oil (the dash of fat helps your body absorb vitamins).Make chips out of kale: Cut kale from stems/ribs, drizzle with olive oil and a bit of salt, and bake.
Low in sugar, high in fiber, and full of folate and B6 that help regulate mood, memory, and attention, purple cauliflower also delivers inflammation-fighting nutrients called anthocyanins.
How to Serve It: Roast and puree cauliflower to make a nutritious dipping sauce for carrots and other veggies such as peppers, celery, and radishes.
Naturally fatty fish are a good source of vitamin D and omega-3s, which protect the brain against cognitive decline and memory loss. Salmon, tuna, and sardines are all rich in omega-3s.
"The more omega-3s we can get to the brain, the better it will function and the better kids will be able to focus," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, author of Read It Before You Eat It.
How to Serve It: Grill it, roast it, or add it to a salad or sandwich.
Simple Breath Test Might Diagnose Heart Failure
Noninvasive method found accurate in small, early study
By Alan Mozes
HealthDay ReporterMONDAY, March 25 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental breath test, designed to quickly identify patients suffering from heart failure simply by analyzing the contents of a single exhaled breath, has demonstrated promise in early trials, a team of researchers says.
The investigators stressed that their evaluation is based on a small group of participating patients, and that more extensive research will have to be done to confirm their initial success.
But by subjecting a patient's breath to a rigorous but fast analysis of the hundreds of so-called volatile organic compounds contained therein, the study team said it has so far been able to correctly diagnose heart failure among newly hospitalized patients with a 100 percent accuracy.
"Every individual has a breath print that differentiates them from other people, depending on what's going on in their body," explained study lead author Dr. Raed Dweik, a staff physician in the department of pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine with the Respiratory Institute at Cleveland Clinic. "And that print can tell us a lot about a person, what they've been exposed to and what disease they have," he added.
"That's what makes the new field of breath testing so promising, because it is non-intrusive, so there is no risk involved," Dweik said. "And you can do it anywhere, in a clinic, in a hospital, anywhere."
The findings were published March 25 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The study authors pointed out that the most common reason American patients are admitted to a hospital is when there is a suspicion of heart failure -- a tough-to-treat condition in which the heart's pumping action grows gradually weaker over time.
Currently, a diagnosis of heart failure comes from a variety of factors, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. These include medical history and symptoms, and a physical exam in which a doctor will listen to a patient's heart and lung sounds, and check ankles, feet, legs and abdomen for signs of fluid buildup. Blood tests and an electrocardiogram can help confirm that heart failure exists.
In the new study, to gauge how well the noninvasive breath test could identify heart failure, the team collected exhaled breath samples from 41 patients who had been admitted as in-patients to the Cleveland Clinic.
Of those, 25 had been admitted with a primary diagnosis of "acute decompensated heart failure" while another 16 patients had shown no signs of heart failure but did have other cardiovascular issues. A single breath sample was obtained from each of the patients within 24 hours of admission, as well as from an additional 36 patients with acute decompensated heart failure as an independent point of comparison.
Comparing the New Blood Thinners to Warfarin
May 31, 2013 -- More than 2 million Americans have an abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation, raising their risk of blood clots leading to stroke. For many years, the blood thinner Coumadin (warfarin) was the only game in town to help lower that stroke risk.
In the past 3 years, though, three new blood thinners, also called anticoagulants, have been FDA-approved for atrial fibrillation.
WebMD asked two doctors to compare them to warfarin and describe the risks and benefits of each. Neither doctor has ties to the drug companies making the blood thinners.
All three new drugs are approved for atrial fibrillation treatment in people who do not have heart valve problems or artificial valves. One of the three also has FDA approval for additional conditions.
Atrial fibrillation disrupts the flow of blood through the heart. As blood pools, it's more likely to form clots that can travel to the brain, causing a stroke.
The new drugs are different in some respects but work in the same general way. ''All of them work on the clotting 'cascade,'" says John Doherty, MD. He is a professor of medicine at the Thomas Jefferson University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, and a member of the American College of Cardiology's Anticoagulation Initiative.
That cascade ''is a series of events by which different compounds are generated and ultimately result in blood coagulation [clotting]."
The three new drugs, which target various points along that cascade, include:
Pradaxa (dabigatran).It was approved by the FDA in October 2010 for prevention of stroke and blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation.
Xarelto (rivaroxaban). It was approved in November 2011, to treat atrial fibrillation. It had been approved earlier to lower the risk of blood clots after hip and knee replacements.
In November 2012, the FDA also approved it to treat deep vein thrombosis, (blood clots that occur usually in the lower leg and thigh) and pulmonary embolism (the condition that results when a blood clot from a vein breaks off and travels to an artery in the lungs and blocks blood flow.)
Eliquis (apixaban). It was approved in December 2012 to lower the risk of stroke and dangerous blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation.
"We are excited there are these new options, but each patient will have to have a conversation with their physician and decide what is appropriate for them," says Clyde Yancy, MD. Yancy is chief of cardiology at Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, and past president of the American Heart Association.
While the new drugs offer some benefits over warfarin, some patients may do better to stay on the old drug if they are doing well, says Doherty.
Yancy agrees. "If you are doing well on warfarin, there is no reason to take a more expensive drug unless the other advantages are so uniquely important it's worth the transition," he says.
U.S. Agency Puts Poison Prevention in Spotlight
Title: U.S. Agency Puts Poison Prevention in Spotlight
Category: Health News
Created: 3/24/2013 10:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 3/25/2013 12:00:00 AM
Category: Health News
Created: 3/24/2013 10:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 3/25/2013 12:00:00 AM
Breath Test Might Predict Obesity Risk
It works by measuring bacteria balance in the gut, researchers say
By Denise Mann
HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, March 26 (HealthDay News) -- A simple breath test may be able to tell if you are overweight or will be in the future, a new study suggests.
According to the findings, results from a standard breath test used to assess bacterial overgrowth in the gut can also tell doctors if you have a high percentage of body fat.
The microbiome, or the trillions of good and bad bugs that line your gut, can get out of balance. When bad bacteria overwhelm good bacteria, symptoms such as bloating, constipation and diarrhea may occur. The new study, appearing in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, suggests that this scenario may also set someone up for obesity.
For the study, individuals drank a sugary lactulose syrup. Breath samples were then collected every 15 minutes for two hours. Participants also had their body fat measured in two ways. One was body mass index (BMI), which takes height and weight into account. The other method uses low-wattage electrical conductivity, which differentiates between lean and fatty tissue.
Those participants whose breath samples showed higher levels of two gases -- methane and hydrogen -- had higher BMIs and more body fat than participants who had normal breath or a higher concentration of only one of the two gases, the study showed. This pattern suggests that the gut is loaded with a bug called Methanobrevibacter smithii, the researchers explained.
It's possible that when this type of bacteria takes over, people may be more likely to gain weight and accumulate fat, said lead study author Dr. Ruchi Mathur, director of the outpatient diabetes treatment center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Although there are other ways to measure body fat and BMI, the researchers suggested that individuals with higher methane and hydrogen content in their breath may be more likely to respond to specific weight loss methods down the line. "Obesity is not a one-size-fits-all disease," Mathur said.
If the study findings are confirmed, certain weight-loss treatments could be matched to people who have this breath pattern. One possibility, for instance, might be that probiotics, which help restore and maintain the natural balance of organisms in the gut, could have a role in treating or preventing obesity.
But the science is not there yet, experts cautioned.
"This is an important study looking at bacteria in the intestine and how they are related to BMI," said Dr. Spyros Mezitis, an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "The more methane and hydrogen in the breath, the higher the body fat." But, "we need more studies to figure out how bacteria is related to the growing obesity epidemic and what happens if we modify it," Mezitis said.
Smartphone Apps Can Make Workouts More Fun
Latest technology lets you jog along with zombies, bulls and race cars
By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay ReporterFRIDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- You're jogging at a steady pace, enjoying your favorite music through your headphones. Your breath is short and your heart is pumping. Your legs feel like they couldn't carry you any faster.
And then you hear the groan of a zombie over your right shoulder. It's sprint or be eaten.
The zombie apocalypse isn't upon you. You're just taking part in the latest fitness craze -- smartphone apps that make a fun and interactive game out of your daily workout.
Software developers are taking advantage of smartphones' advanced technology -- GPS, accelerometers, MP3 players -- to create "immersive" fitness games that appeal to both avid and reluctant exercisers.
It's part of an overall trend in the fitness industry toward making your daily workout "a fun experience rather than something you have to do," said Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise.
"We are attempting more 'play' opportunities as opposed to working out, basically getting people to move and having fun while they are doing it," Matthews said, noting that fitness instructors are being encouraged to include game play in group and one-on-one exercise as well.
One popular fitness game app, Zombies, Run!, places you in the role of a supplies runner for a walled community trying to survive against the walking dead.
During your run, the game's surprisingly complex story unfolds through your headphones. You "pick up" supplies for the community as you jog along. At certain intervals, you're alerted that zombies are nearby, and if you don't pick up the pace you'll have to pitch some supplies to keep from being caught.
The game doesn't end once your jog is over. After your workout, you can use the supplies you picked up during your run to fortify your community. The GPS statistics from your run are uploaded automatically to the game's website, so you can review your average speed and the estimated calories you burned.
Other fitness game apps place you in different scenarios.
BullDash, for instance, puts you in the middle of the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, with immersive audio propelling you forward lest you receive a taste of the horns. Fit Freeway makes you the engine of a race car that you drive while on a treadmill or elliptical machine. The phone's accelerometer picks up the motion of your stride -- the faster you go, the faster your car goes. You tilt the phone left or right to steer.
Fitness apps that take a more social tack also are available. Teemo, Nexercise and Fitocracy all allow you to post your latest workout to share with friends. Some games have you work with friends to reach a common goal -- completing a relay race, for example -- while others encourage competition.
Olivia Palermo on the street in NY
Olivia Palermo wears a red floppy hat, tan double-breasted coat, olive skinnies and suede boots on the street in NY - vote on celebrity fashion, style and red carpet looks in GLAMOUR.COM’s Dos and Don’tsContinue reading...
quality of food during recovery
I'm currently trying to recover from anorexia on my own, I haven't been able to meet with a nutritionist yet but hopefully will within the next week. I'm 5'3" 100 lbs up from 97 lbs. I have already added around 700 calories to my diet and have decreased the amount of cardio I'm doing.
I'm wondering if the quality of foods I eat while recovering is important. Usually I try to stay away from foods high in sugar and sodium. I do this because I want to eat foods that will properly nourish my body and enable me to be stronger and be more fit.
My other question is about muscle loss. If I stop running and lifting weights while recovering, will I lose the muscle tone I have? I like having a strong healthy body. I'm fine gaining a bit of body fat, I know I need to. But I don't want to lose the muscles I have.
Thanks!
My Name is Hannah, and I'm a Freshman at Life
I'm Hannah, the Freshman at Life. But I'm really a senior at Northwestern University. And in my case, "Life" could really mean cooking (I just can't), self-control (that king-sized Sour Patch Kids box gets me every time) or long-term relationships (never had one). But not sports -- I will dominate you in sports -- or at least try. And probably not history trivia either. It's the only Jeopardy category I'd ever risk a true Daily Double betting on.
Let me back up. You know on the first day of class when you have to go around the room and say a "fun fact"? Mine is always that I live in a town with one stoplight, and then, as if on cue, the room does a collective gasp. I love the gasp. And as much as I love my little Minnesota town, I have a problem staying put. In the last year and a half, I've lived in Chicago, Denmark, Pennsylvania and New York, interning at SELF. And that's how I got this sweet gig as the Freshman at Life.
I'm the Freshman at Life because, well, just when I finally got the hang of college, you know, finally the "Big Man On Campus," I have to start all over again. I'll be at the bottom of the barrel; tossed to the wolves with just a diploma in hand and four years of Journalism and Revolutionary War knowledge floating around in my brain.
But for now, I'm suppressing these adult anxieties (mostly with long runs, followed by Two-Buck $2.49 Chuck) because, let's get real, anybody who TiVos Arthur on a regular basis should not be considered a grown-up. Plus, I still have a few more months of caffeine-fueled all-nighters in the library, a few more months of being broke before I'm really, really broke, and a few more months of doing things only a charming 21-year-old can get away with -- and you're here for the ride. You'll get to live vicariously through me, checking out the things I experience, love, hate or just don't get as I finish college and more importantly, as I navigate this so-called "real world."
I'm going to be a bit feisty and at times a little awkward, but always always honest. I'm the senior-at-college-for-not-much-longer who burns mac and cheese, considers a brownie serving size to be the size of the pan and famously fails at flirting, but who can totally sink threes like Lebron.
Come along for the ride with me by following me on Twitter at @hmils. Got suggestions for me? Write in using #FALHelp @SELFMagazine!
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Image Credit: Courtesy of Author
Reduced 'Fine-Tuning' of Brain May Hamper Face Recognition in Autism
Title: Reduced 'Fine-Tuning' of Brain May Hamper Face Recognition in Autism
Category: Health News
Created: 3/22/2013 12:36:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 3/25/2013 12:00:00 AM
Category: Health News
Created: 3/22/2013 12:36:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 3/25/2013 12:00:00 AM
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