Most Restaurants' Kids' Meals Still Unhealthy: Report

Too many kids' meals served at major chain restaurants in the United States still contain too much salt and fat and too many calories, according to a report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

The consumer advocacy group analyzed thousands of kids' meals and found that fried chicken fingers and nuggets, french fries and sodas are the most common items offered to youngsters, USA Today reported.

Some children's meals contain more than 1,000 calories. Federal government dietary guidelines recommend that children ages 4 to 10 eat 1,200 to 2,200 calories for the entire day.

"This is really disappointing," Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy for CSPI, told USA Today. "Restaurants should be doing better."

She noted that there has not been much improvement since the group did a similar study in 2008.

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intermittent fasting ?

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The Morning Scoop: Flywheel's Fly New Fashion, Fiber's Latest Health Benefits and More!

Spin studio Flywheel (which has 22 locations nationwide) has upped their style game, now offering a chic line of activewear to rock during your class -- and after, too. [Well+Good NYC]

As if we didn't love fiber enough for its belly-filling benefits, a new study suggests ingesting more of it can also reduce your risk for stroke, too. Yay fiber! [HuffPost]

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard announced the birth of their first child, baby girl Lincoln. Congrats to the happy couple! [People]

You guys know how much we love olive oil -- it is a superfood, people. New research suggests that it may be the oil's scent that can help you consume less food. [NYTimes]

Have you filed your taxes yet? If not, get on it! But first, read up on what this sage CPA says about the 10 biggest mistakes people make. (Need more money advice? Click here.) [Lifehacker]

Image Credit: via Well+Good/Courtesy of Flywheel Sports

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want to feel happy again but...

I'm 15 and 5"7 weighing about 100lbs. I've been eating 700-1100 calories per day for the past year, and I know that's bad. I've been seeing a doctor but my eating disorder hasn't been fixed since last summer. I want to recover and be like everyone else. BUT I don't want to look like everyone else. I still want to be a little skinny. I know, this is the anorexia side of me. Is thee anything I can do??

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4 Qualities To Look For in a Facialist

The weather is finally warming up (YAY!), and that means it's time to schedule an appointment with my facialist to say "Au revior" to all that griminess that made itself quite at home on my skin over the winter. Lucky for me, my skin issues are minimal at best -- I'm just baby sensitive -- which makes me pretty comfortable with most facialists I've seen. However, I'm fiercely loyal to the pros at Blue Mercury.)

That said, not all facials are created equal. So, I've pulled together four things you need to look for in a facialist before you let her (or him!) start diving into your blackheads.

Your friend recommends her: Like all things beauty, I'm a big believer in word of mouth. But with facialists, you have to be careful. If your friend is acne-prone and your skin is on the drier side, that particular facial may wreck your skin. Before you make an appointment, call the spa she goes to and see if there's someone who specializes in your skin type, and make sure to carefully research their options -- a "White Raspberry" facial may sound lovely, but who knows exactly what kind of skin that's necessarily made for. Or, even better: Look for someone with similar skin, and ask them if they get facials and who they see. She speaks your language: Not like "Does my facialist speak English?", but more along the lines of if you tell her you get "weird, cloggy things" on your chin, will she know what you're talking about? Best way to find out: pop by the spa and talk to her for five minutes about your skin. If your personalities vibe, book it! If not, keep looking. It's important to trust the person who's basically picking at your face, for lack of a filter.
The salon looks clean: While you're at the spa chatting up the facialist, take a look around. Does it look dingy? Or is it squeaky clean? You want to make sure the place is super spotless, since you can get an infection if the technician uses dirty tools. See if they have sterilization tools, or again, always ask -- you can never have too many questions when it comes to your skin.
You dig the products: You have preferences on what products you use at home (at least we certainly do), so why wouldn't you have one at the spa? See if the products the spa uses are up to your standards. If you dig organics, do the salon you're visiting use earth-friendly products? If you're a derm-brand connoisseur, are the products actually backed by derms? You may feel picky asking, but it's totally worth it. #Trust.

How do you find a new facialist? Tweet us @AESam and @SELFMagazine!

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Move over Mediterranean—a vegetarian diet is equally good for health

Posted June 05, 2013, 2:31 pm

When you think of the Mediterranean these days, the region’s azure waters, rich history, and lively cultures may not come to mind. Instead, you may first think of the Mediterranean diet. This heart- and brain-healthy diet includes olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish; occasional red meat; and a moderate amount of cheese and wine. Most doctors and nutrition experts I interview for the Harvard Health Letter tell me that the evidence points to a Mediterranean diet as the very best for our health. But there’s another diet that appears to be equally good: a vegetarian diet.

A study published this week in JAMA Internal Medicine found that people who ate a vegetarian diet were 12% less likely to have died over the course of the five-year study than nonvegetarians. The researchers, from Loma Linda University in California, noted that the benefits of a vegetarian diet were especially good for men, who had a significant reduction in heart disease. Keep in mind that the study couldn’t prove that a vegetarian diet caused good health—it’s possible that it was something else that vegetarians did and nonvegetarians didn’t do that made the difference.

The fact that vegetarian diets are good for you isn’t new. They have long been linked to reduced risk for hypertension, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. This one underscores the idea that meat consumption influences long-term health. “A diet with meat in it raises the risk of heart disease and cancer, when compared with a vegetarian diet,” says cardiologist Dr. Deepak Bhatt, a Harvard Medical School professor. Red meat and processed meats appear to be the worst offenders as far as boosting the risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer.

Dr. Bhatt told me that he is a vegetarian—meaning that he doesn’t eat meat—and he personally feels that a vegetarian diet is the way to go for environmental and ethical reasons. He also feels it’s a healthy way to eat.

Should you consider forgetting the Mediterranean diet and becoming a vegetarian instead? There isn’t much high-quality data from comparing different types of healthy diets against each other. There is good evidence that following either a Mediterranean diet or a vegetarian diet—which share many common features—can lower cardiovascular risk. “The bottom line is that either type of diet is healthier than the typical American diet,” says Dr. Bhatt. So it’s really a matter of personal choice.

It’s also a matter of determining what kind of vegetarian you want to be. A vegetarian diet can take a number of forms. A vegan diet excludes all animal products (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy or gelatin). Other more liberal interpretations include a pesco-vegetarian diet, which includes seafood; a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, which includes dairy and egg products; a lacto-vegetarian diet, which includes dairy products; and an ovo-vegetarian diet, which includes eggs.

With all of that variety, you’ll need to assess your eating style and determine which fits in best with your lifestyle and personal beliefs.

It’s also important to consider your nutritional needs, warns Dr. Bhatt. Vegetarian diets that include only raw fruits and vegetables can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Without meat or dairy, you may run the risk of not getting enough protein, calcium or vitamin B12. You can get all the protein you need from plant sources, such as peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, seeds, nuts, soy products, and whole grains such as wheat, oats, barley, and brown rice. You can get calcium from plant sources, such as bok choy, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, collards, and kale. And you can get vitamin B12 from soy and rice drinks, and fortified breakfast cereals.

It’s also important to remember that even with a vegetarian diet, calories still matter and consuming too many—even if they are meat-free—is bad for health.

Becoming a vegetarian will require you to pay more attention to your nutrition, which is a good thing. But it’s also a bit of work, so don’t hesitate to get some advice from your doctor or a dietitian before proceeding. If you want to go with a Mediterranean diet, that’s a good thing, too, and probably easier for many people. Again, it’s a personal choice.

Future research on vegetarian, Mediterranean, and other beneficial diets should examine what is it about these diets that makes them good for us. As Dr. Robert Baron, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco wrote in an editorial accompanying the Loma Linda study, “Our debates about the superiority of one diet over another have not served the public well. It is time to acknowledge the common features of diets associated with good clinical outcomes.”

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Andrea Riseborough at the Oblivion premiere in Brazil

Andrea Riseborough wears a brown dress with yellow accessories at the Oblivion premiere in Brazil - vote on celebrity fashion, style and red carpet looks in GLAMOUR.COM’s Dos and Don’ts

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Taylor Swift performs in New Jersey

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HPV transmission during oral sex a growing cause of mouth and throat cancer

Posted June 04, 2013, 3:40 pm

Actress Angelina Jolie recently went public with her double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer. Governor Chris Christie told us his reasons for gastric bypass surgery. And now actor Michael Douglas is shining the spotlight on the human papilloma virus (HPV)—the number one cause of mouth and throat cancer. In an interview published in The Guardian newspaper in London, Douglas mentioned that his own throat cancer could have been brought on by oral sex, a common way to become infected with HPV.

There are about 200 different strains of HPV. Some cause common warts when they invade the skin. Others are the cause of sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States.

HPV transmitted by sexual contact often doesn’t become active enough to cause symptoms. When it does become active, it tends to invade mucous membranes, such as those covering the lining of the vagina, cervix, anus, mouth, tongue, and throat. An HPV infection can cause warts in and around these tissues.

Most people sexually exposed to HPV never develop symptoms or health problems, and most HPV infections go away by themselves within two years. But the infection can persist and cause long-term problems. These include cervical cancer in women, penis cancer in men, and in both sexes some cancers of the anus and oropharyngeal cancer (cancer in the back of throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils).

In the past, oropharyngeal cancers were mostly linked to smoking or alcohol abuse. Today, oropharyngeal cancers related to smoking and alcohol are on the decline while those caused by HPV are rising dramatically. Some experts predict that HPV-caused mouth and throat cancers will become more common than cervical cancer by 2020.

Sexual contact, including oral sex and deep kissing, can transmit HPV from one person to another. The likelihood of contracting oral HPV is directly associated with number of sexual partners a person has had.

There are a few ways to prevent HPV-related oral cancer, depending on your age.

Pre-teens, teens, and young adults of both sexes can get vaccinated against HPV. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that young women get vaccinated against the virus to prevent cervical cancer. The CDC also recommends the vaccination for young men for two reasons: to help prevent its transmission to women, and to help prevent some of the 7,000 HPV-related cancers that occur in men each year. The two available vaccines provide excellent protection against sexually transmitted HPV.

Vaccination won’t help older people (those beyond their early 20s) or the millions of people already infected with HPV. The use of condoms can prevent the spread of the virus during penile-vaginal, penile-anal, or penile-oral sex. The use of a dental dam (a thin piece of latex) can help prevent the spread of the virus during oral-vaginal sex.

If you’ve been infected with the virus, diagnosing an HPV-related oral cancer as early as possible greatly improves the chance of cure. See your doctor if you have one or more of these symptoms for more than two to three weeks:

A sore in your mouth or on your tongue that doesn’t healPersistent pain with swallowing or sore throatA lump in your neck that persists

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Try This Yoga Pose NOW to Feel Stronger, Lighter and Pain-Free

If you're like me and spend most of your day sitting in front of a computer (read: slumped in front of a computer) then you're not alone. Not to mention, most of us walk, talk, eat and do basically anything while looking down at our phones. And most of us know of the negative impacts that sitting and slouching has on our bodies, which usually manifests itself in the form of back pain, stiff muscles, fatigue, and more. Need a quick fix? Enter Cobra Pose, a simple yoga position that works to counteract all of that sitting and slouching that creeps up on you during the day. "It's a good countermovement for most of us who sit in a forward bend position at a desk all day. It reverses our general 'spinal habit' of being in a forward bend while we sit, stand, drive, etc.", says Heather Lilleston, NYC-based yoga teacher and Program Director at Yoga Vida. Do the move daily to reap some serious benefits -- check 'em out below.

Stretch and Strengthen: Cobra Pose stretches the neck, chest and abs while at the same time strengthening the back, shoulders, and spine, improving the flexibility of the upper and middle back and helping to realign the spine. "The spinal region is toned and it is a good pose to bring the spine back into place" says Lilleston, citing Light on Yoga by B.K.S Iyengar, the founder of Iyengar Yoga.Alleviate Back Pain: Cobra Pose is a backbending pose and although it may sound counter intuitive, backbending can actually help to alleviate back pain. By engaging the spinal muscles, the very areas of the back that have been weakened by chronic forward bending are strengthened and become more flexible, easing stiffness that causes pain. Fight Fatigue: Cobra Pose can be invigorating and revitalizing, too. It improves blood circulation and opens the chest to promote better respiration (hello more oxygen), helping to fight fatigue. Additionally, "when the more advanced variations of this posture are practiced, the thyroids, parathyroids, and adrenals receive a copious supply of blood, resulting in increased vitality," says Lilleston. Opens the Heart: Cobra Pose expands the chest which literally and figuratively opens the heart area. "Backbends are traditionally discussed as heart-openers," says Lilleston, "They have to do with moving into your future." Opening the heart area can provide a deep emotional release, helping you to feel lighter and more open, positively affecting your mood.

Try Cobra Pose during your post-workout stretch, before bed, or even on the floor while watching TV if you've been sitting for too long. Remember to breathe deeply and smile - you're doing something good for yourself!

Note: Cobra pose should be avoided by those with back, rib, or spinal injuries and those who are pregnant or have undergone recent abdominal surgeries.

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Image Credit: Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

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Why does balance decline with age?

Posted June 05, 2013, 2:00 am

In a previous column you wrote about the importance of balance exercises as we age. But why does our balance get worse as we get older?

A number of changes that come with aging can affect our balance.

Inside our ears is a balance center called the vestibular system that detects where our body is in space. Are we upright or lying flat; are we standing on our feet or performing a handstand?
The vestibular system is connected to centers in the brain that also control our balance. When the vestibular system and brain determine that we’re about to fall over, the brain directs the body to take corrective action. Maybe we twist back upright so we don’t fall. Maybe we’re too far off center to avoid falling, so our arms and hands stretch out to brace our fall.
As we age, cells in the vestibular system die off. This affects how accurately we detect our position in space. That, in turn, affects our ability to correct our position. For example, if we start to tilt to the right and the vestibular system doesn’t detect this quickly, it becomes harder for the brain to prevent falling to the right.Our sight, the ability to focus and see things clearly, diminishes with age. So do depth perception, night vision and sensitivity to contrast. Eye problems can impair, blur or distort vision. The loss of these visual cues compromises balance. Corrective lenses or surgery may help.Blood pressure can dip suddenly when you stand up, causing dizziness, lightheadedness, blurry vision, even fainting. Standing up slowly — sitting first on the side of the bed when you rise, for example — may help.We lose a lot of muscle mass and strength as we age. We also lose power — a function of strength and speed — which affects balance, too. If you start to trip, power helps you react swiftly. Exercise can help you rebuild strength and power, or at least slow the pace of decline.Our reflexes and coordination slow with age. Thus, you may be more likely to stumble — and take more time to react when you do.

Many health problems can interfere with balance. They include, but are not limited to, arthritis, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

Medications may also increase your risk of falls. They can cause blurred vision, dizziness, lightheadedness and drowsiness. Some medications may damage the inner ear, spurring balance disorders.

Along with regular aerobic exercise and weight training, balance exercises are important as we get older. Such exercises really can help you improve your balance. I’ve posted some of these simple exercises before, but I think it’s worthwhile to highlight them again, so I am including them below.

These exercises are a good first step towards improving shaky balance. They can be done by people of many ages and abilities, including those who are elderly, frail, or recovering from illness or surgery.

Reps: 10

Sets: 1

Intensity: Light

Tempo: 2–4–2

Starting position: Sit up tall in a chair. Lift your chest, keeping your shoulders down and back. Brace your abdominal muscles and bend your elbows, palms toward each other.

Movement: While exhaling, roll your shoulders further down and back, away from your ears. Turn your arms out so your palms face forward, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold. Slowly return to starting position.

Tips and techniques:

Think of squeezing a tennis ball between your shoulder blades.Keep your spine neutral and brace your abdominal muscles throughout the movement.Breathe comfortably.

Too hard? Squeeze your shoulder blades together gently.

Too easy? Hold squeeze for eight counts and do three sets.

Reps: 10 on each side

Sets: 1-3

Intensity: Light to moderate

Tempo: 2-2-2

Starting position: Stand up straight behind a chair, holding the back of it with both hands. Put your feet together and evenly distribute your weight on both feet.

Movement: Slowly lift your right leg straight out to the side about 6 inches off the floor. Hold. Return to starting position. Finish all reps, then repeat with the left leg. This completes one set.

Tips and techniques:

Exhale as you lift your leg.Keep your shoulders and hips aligned throughout the exercise.

Too hard? Just touch your foot out to the side on the floor.

Too easy? Hold your leg up for eight counts, or close your eyes.

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Joshua Jackson and Diane Kruger at the New York premiere of The Host

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Snack Time: Magnolia Avocado Ice Cream

You know that cool, creamy texture after an avocado's been made into guac? Well, wait until you try avocado ice cream! This green treat my sound strange, but it's actually quite tasty -- practically mind-blowingly tasty, in fact. Magnolia Avocado Ice Cream by California based gourmet food company, Ramar Foods is an all-natural ice cream which contains only California pasture-raised dairy along with whole avocado puree.

One bite of the naturally silky-smooth sweet ice cream will make you feel like summer is already here, I could swear. But at just 220 calories per half cup, thankfully you can have way more than one bite. (Happy calories, anyone?) Plus, since avocado is listed as the third ingredient only behind milk and cream, it is safe to say that you'll be enjoying some of the more than 20 essential nutrients that this superfood provides -- all in the form of a sweet treat. We'll definitely have a bowl of that.

If avocado just isn't your thing, try one of Magnolia's other fun tropical ice cream flavors, including mango, coconut, lychee, Thai tea and purple yam. We'll take one of each, please.

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Image Credit: Courtesy Ramar Foods

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has anyone redeemed points here?

I was wondering if anyone has actually redeemed their points for any of the rewards and what your experience was.

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12 Back Pain Remedies: Posture, Core Exercise, Flexibility, and More

Should you wear a back brace and take it easy? Maybe not.By Carolyn Sayre
WebMD Feature

Like the nearly 80% of Americans who will experience a back problem during their lifetime, Beverly Hayes suffers from back pain. For many, the injury is triggered by a strenuous activity, like gardening or weight lifting. Others simply bend down to pick up a pencil and their back gives out.

“It felt like a screwdriver was piercing through by bones,” the 46-year-old Chicago artist says about the pain that developed shortly after she ran a half-marathon. “It took over my life. I couldn’t bend down or sleep — I was petrified I would never feel normal again.”  

Back Pain Solutions: Exercise and Movement Therapies

Being active is good for everyone, even if you have back pain. Some gentle types of exercises and movement therapies may help you get stronger, which could help you feel better. You may also need other medical treatment for your back pain; exercise alone may not be enough. But building your strength, especially in the muscles that support your back, is still a good idea. Before you get started, it's a good idea to talk with your doctor about what activities might be right for you. If you work with...

Read the Back Pain Solutions: Exercise and Movement Therapies article > >

Mary Ann Wilmarth PT, DPT, OCS, a spokeswoman for the American Physical Therapy Association and chief of physical therapy at Harvard University, says it is critical that people address any back pain or injury right away. “Early intervention can help prevent a chronic problem from developing and obviate the need for medication and surgery,” she says.

Thanks to a combination of activity, core strengthening exercises, and physical therapy, Hayes says her symptoms have improved dramatically over the last year. Here are 12 ways to help alleviate back pain:

It may seem counterintuitive, but studies show that people with acute low-back pain who rest have more pain and are less able to perform daily tasks than those who stay active.

“Patients should avoid more than three days of bed rest,” says Mike Flippin, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in back and spine care at San Diego Medical Center. “I encourage my patients to get moving as quickly as possible.”

Activity is often the best medicine for back pain. “Simple exercises like walking can be very helpful,” Wilmarth says. “It gets people out of a sitting posture and puts the body in a neutral, upright position.”

But remember to move in moderation, Flippin says. “Stay away from strenuous activities like gardening and avoid whatever motion caused the pain in the first place.”

The pain may have started after a long workout at the gym, but the strain that caused it has probably been building for years. Wilmarth says most people perform their daily activities with poor posture, putting unnecessary strain on their back.

“Little things add up,” she says. “You can increase the pressure on your back by 50% simply by leaning over the sink incorrectly to brush your teeth. Keeping the right amount of curvature in the back takes pressure off the nerves and will reduce back pain.”

Developing an individualized exercise plan is essential to managing chronic back pain, says D. Scott Davis, PT, MS, EdD, OCS, an orthopaedic physical therapist and associate professor at West Virginia University.

“There is no magic aspirin that addresses lower back pain in everyone,” Davis says. “Some patients need more core strengthening while others benefit mainly from stretching and improving flexibility. Find a physical therapist, exercise physiologist, or chiropractor who specializes in back care. They will match you with the right exercise plan.”

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