FDA Warns Consumers About Potential Health Risk With Juices Incorporated Juice Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to consume any juice products or other beverages from Juices Incorporated (aka Juices International and Juices Enterprises) of Brooklyn, N.Y. The company's carrot and beet juice products have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause botulism, a serious and potentially fatal foodborne illness. Consumers are warned not to consume these products even if they do not look or smell spoiled.

Botulism can cause the following symptoms: general weakness; dizziness; double-vision; and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these symptoms after consuming carrot or beet juice products from Juices Incorporated should seek immediate medical attention.

Although previously distributed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, Juices Incorporated products were recently found in retail establishments and restaurants in the New York City area, and consumers may have moved the products beyond this region.

The following Juices Incorporated juice products pose a particular concern for Clostridium botulinum contamination:

Carrot Juice DrinkCarrot & Beet Juice DrinkCarrot & Ginger DrinkDouble Trouble Carrot PunchGinger Beet JuiceBeet Juice Drink

The products are packaged under the following brand names:

Juices IncorporatedJuices InternationalJuices Enterprises

On October 7, 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint for permanent injunction against the owners of Juices Incorporated after FDA inspections revealed continuing violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, including insanitary conditions at the Juices Incorporated facility. Under a January 3, 2011 Consent Decree of Permanent Injunction (Consent Decree), the owners of Juices Incorporated are required to stop manufacturing and distributing any articles of food, including all juice products and other beverages, until they correct the food safety deficiencies and insanitary conditions at their facility.

Subsequently, on June 21, 2012, U.S. District Court Judge Sandra L. Townes for the Eastern District of New York issued an Order to Enforce Consent Decree after the owners of Juices Incorporated failed to comply with the requirements of the Consent Decree. FDA investigators recently confirmed that Juices Incorporated and its owners continue to manufacture and distribute juice products and other beverages in violation of the Consent Decree and the Court's Order to Enforce Consent Decree.

Although Clostridium botulinum has never been found inJuices Incorporated's juice products, FDA is concerned about the firm's continuing production of potentially hazardous juice products despite the requirements of the Consent Decree and Order to Enforce Consent Decree. Because the company was ordered not to manufacture or distribute any food, FDA is also warning consumers not to consume other Juices Incorporated beverages, including but not limited to: Ginger Beer Drink, Agony Peanut Punch, Front End Lifter Magnum Punch, Irish Sea Moss, Cashew Punch, Sorrel Drink, Pineapple Twist, Soursop Juice, and Corn Punch. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act refers to unsanitary conditions as insanitary.

SOURCE: FDA, May 10, 2013

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New trial muddies the water about diet, exercise, and diabetes

Posted June 25, 2013, 1:50 pm

Long-awaited results from a nearly 10-year trial exploring the effect of changes in diet and exercise among people with diabetes weren’t what most people expected. The Look AHEAD trial found that intensive efforts to lose weight by eating less and exercising more didn’t provide any more protection against heart disease—a common co-traveler with diabetes—than standard diabetes support and education. The spin from some media reports is that weight loss doesn’t reduce heart disease risk among people with type 2 diabetes, but I think that’s the wrong interpretation.

In the Look AHEAD trial, researchers recruited more than 5,000 men and women with type 2 diabetes. All were overweight. Half were assigned to a program aimed at losing weight by exercising and cutting calories. People in this group were asked to eat between 1,200 and 1,800 calories a day and to exercise for at least 175 minutes a week. Their goal was to lose at least 7% of their starting weight, and maintain that weight loss. The other half of the volunteers met three times a year for group counseling sessions that focused on the importance of lifestyle changes like more exercise, a better diet, and greater social support to control their diabetes.

Both groups lost weight and did a pretty good job keeping it off. Those in the intensive-change group lost a little more weight (about 18 pounds) than those in the comparison group (about 14 pounds). After almost 10 years, the rates of heart attacks, strokes, heart-related deaths, and hospitalizations for chest pain were the same in both groups.

There are several ways to explain why the intensive intervention didn’t seem to do any better than standard care, at least for heart disease. Here’s the “obvious” one: Weight loss clearly helps lower blood sugar, but it may not play an important role in heart attack and stroke risk.

I think a closer look at the Look AHEAD participants, and other findings, tell a more important story:

Both groups lost weight at the end of the 9.6 years of the study. The average difference between the two groups was 2.5% of starting weight. It’s possible that weight loss matters for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, but greater weight loss is needed.Fewer people in the intensive intervention group needed medications to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, probably because their diets and exercise did that for them. More people in the usual care group were treated with such medications, which have been shown to decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke.The volunteers generally had their diabetes under control. One measure of diabetes control is a blood test called hemoglobin A1c. The goal for people with type 2 diabetes is a reading under 7.0. Those in the intensive change group had an average of 7.2; those in the comparison group, 7.3. Greater benefits may be in store for lifestyle interventions among people with poorly controlled diabetes.People in the intensive lifestyle intervention group were instructed to eat a standard low-calorie diet that was relatively high in carbohydrates and lower in fat. But such diets aren’t best for cardiovascular health. Urging the intensive change volunteers to adopt a Mediterranean-style diet may have had a greater payoff.

People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those without diabetes. And deaths from heart conditions and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability among people with diabetes.

Lifestyle changes have been emphasized as the mainstay of diabetes treatment, especially for people with type 2 diabetes. Exercising more, losing weight, and adopting a healthier diet are clearly good for lowering blood sugar, which translates to benefits around the body.

The results of the Look AHEAD trial don’t contradict the value of lifestyle changes. People in that group improved their blood sugar with fewer drugs, saving an estimated $600 per year. Those in the intensive change group were 30% less likely to have developed chronic kidney disease, a feared complication of diabetes. They also had less self-reported vision problems (diabetes is a leading cause of vision loss), less depression, and reported feeling better.

The Look AHEAD results reinforce for me that diabetes care needs to be tailored to the individual. It is not a one-size-fits-all recipe. It should go beyond blood sugar control and weight loss, and give equal priority to preventing all of the many complications that follow in the wake of diabetes.

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FDA Warns Pregnant Women About Migraine Drugs

Medicines containing valproate linked to lower IQs in children, agency says

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women who struggle with migraine headaches should never use medicines containing the ingredient valproate because they can lower the IQ scores of their children, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Monday.

The new warning will be included on the labels of medicines that contain valproate. These medicines already carry a boxed warning about fetal risk, including birth defects. Valproate products include valproate sodium (Depacon); divalproex sodium (Depakote, Depakote CP, and Depakote ER); valproic acid (Depakene and Stavzor); and their generic versions.

"Valproate medications should never be used in pregnant women for the prevention of migraine headaches because we have even more data now that show the risks to the children outweigh any treatment benefits for this use," Dr. Russell Katz, director of the division of neurology products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in an agency news release.

Valproate medicines have several FDA-approved uses including: prevention of migraines, treatment of epileptic seizures and treatment of bipolar disorder.

This new warning was issued after a study found that children whose mothers took valproate drugs to protect against epilepsy during pregnancy scored eight to 11 points lower on IQ tests at age 6 than children who were exposed to other antiepileptic drugs in the womb.

It's not known if there's a specific time during pregnancy when valproate can result in decreased IQ in children. The women in the study took the antiepileptic valproate drugs throughout their pregnancies, the FDA said.

Valproate may have some value in treating bipolar disorder and epileptic seizures in pregnant women, but should only be taken if other medications have failed to control the symptoms or are otherwise unacceptable, according to the agency.

The FDA also said that:

Women who can become pregnant should not use valproate unless it is essential to managing their medical condition.Women of childbearing age taking valproate products should use effective birth control.Women who are pregnant or who become pregnant while taking valproate medications should talk to their health-care professional immediately. Women should not stop taking their medication without talking to their health-care professional because stopping treatment suddenly can cause serious and life-threatening medical problems for the woman or the fetus.

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Kate Moss and Lila Grace out and about in London

Kate Moss was snapped out and about with her mini-me, as she and her adorable daughter Lila Grace attended an exhibition of fashion photographer Debbi Clark's portraits in London yesterday. The catwalk queen is still as in demand as ever, having just been announced as the new face - and body - of tanning gurus, St. Tropez.

SEE KATE MOSS FOR ST. TROPEZ AD CAMPAIGN & BEHIND THE SCENES HERE

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How to Talk to Your Child About ADHD

Talking with your child about his ADHD isn't always easy. But it's important to do, and it goes better if you keep it productive and positive.

"I have two children with ADHD, so I can speak from experience here," says Terry Dickson, MD, director of the Behavioral Medicine Clinic of NW Michigan, and an ADHD coach. "The reason why you need to talk about your child's ADHD with him directly is because you want them to be involved, to understand, and to be on board."

These eight tips will help you talk about it.

When you find out your child has ADHD, that's the time to start communicating with them about it.

"It's never too early to start talking with your child about his ADHD," says Patricia Collins, PhD, director of the Psychoeducational Clinic at North Carolina State University.

You'll talk about it many times as your child grows and develops. Start having those talks as early as possible.

A good approach is to help your child understand what ADHD means, what it doesn't mean, and how to be successful at school and in life. What you say should be appropriate for their age.

"You need to help your child feel special, and like he is part of the plan," Dickinson says. "He should feel like he is involved."

Help him understand that ADHD has nothing to do with his intelligence or his ability, and it's not a flaw, Dickson says.

"It should be a time when you are unlikely to be interrupted," Collins says.

Try to pick a time when your child isn't eager to do something else, like playing outside or before dinner or bed. 

Leave some time for follow-up, so you're available to the child after the conversation is over if he has extra questions.

Many other people have ADHD, too, and everyone with ADHD can be successful. 

Give your child examples of people who have or had ADHD that they might know, like Walt Disney, Michael Phelps, and designer Tommy Hilfiger. 

Let your child know they are special and they can succeed as well as anyone else.

Talk to your doctor, reach out to advocacy groups, and find support groups in your area. 

"One of the best things you can do is talk to other parents who already have experience with ADHD about what they've learned," Collins says.

"Focus on their strengths, what they do well, and praise their accomplishments," Dickinson says. 

"Whether its sports, arts, or dance, they can pursue their interests and do well with your support."

"Kids can't take the easy way out by blaming their setbacks on their ADHD," Collins says. 

"Parents need to help their child understand that ADHD is not a reason to not turn in homework, to not try their hardest, or to give up."

Don't be surprised if your child doesn't respond immediately or seems uninterested, Collins says. 

It takes some children, particularly younger ones, some time for new information to make sense, or for them to know what questions to ask.

"One conversation is just the beginning," Dickinson says. 

"Keep the dialogue going, talk about school, their friends, homework, extracurricular activities, and keep a positive attitude."

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Drop 10 Success Story: "I Haven't Felt This Good About Myself in a Long Time."

Tori Bachan, 21, of Brooklyn, New York, shed 10 pounds in five weeks (and counting!) with SELF's Drop 10 plan this spring. "I am so proud of all of the hard work I have been putting in and the results I continue to see on a daily basis," she says.

HER MOTIVATION

With her college graduation on the horizon, Bachan wanted to embrace a healthy lifestyle, but getting to the gym regularly and maintaining healthy eating habits--especially with her job as a music industry professional, which requires her to be on the road a lot--was a struggle. Instead of reaching for nutritious options, Bachan found herself in college dining halls or fast food joints, where healthy choices were harder to find.

THE PAYOFF

Courtesy of Drop 10, Bachan has a slew of new favorite healthy foods on her go-to menu. She keeps an eye out for Drop 10 superfoods when she's eating on the road, and when she's not traveling, she cooks more often rather than dining out. "I've been experimenting with quinoa," she says. "I make a breakfast quinoa with cut-up apples and cinnamon that tastes like apple pie in the morning--I'm obsessed." In general, her days are simply easier and more joyful. "The amount of energy I have now is insane. Plus, my confidence has skyrocketed. I feel better in my clothes, and it shows."

Now it's your turn: Sign up for the Drop 10 plan now and be on your way to losing two pounds a week!

If you shed pounds on our plan, we want to hear from you! Email us at eatright@self.com with the subject line "Drop 10 Success" and your story could be featured in the magazine or on Self.com.

View the original article here

Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford out and about in New York

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

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Cities can learn lessons about diabetes from rural areas

Posted June 19, 2013, 11:00 am

City dwellers often think of rural America as a throwback to past “good old days.” But when it comes to obesity and diabetes, people living outside urban areas offer a frightening glimpse of the future.

Last week I had the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion on rural health, sponsored by the Association for Health Care Journalists (AHJC) in Birmingham, Alabama. The discussion highlighted troubling statistics on diabetes, raised some knotty issues, and explored creative solutions.

More than 8% of Americans now have diabetes, a percentage that’s expected to grow along with our waistlines. Diabetes is already the nation’s leading cause of kidney failure, non-traumatic limb amputation, and new cases of blindness. It’s the seventh leading cause of death, and would rank higher if deaths from heart disease accelerated by underlying diabetes were included. What would a much higher diabetes rate look like?

The answer lies just outside nearly every metropolitan area in the diabetes belt that extends across the Southeastern United States. Surrounding Birmingham, Alabama, for example, are several rural counties where about 20% of people have diabetes.

“Diabetes is definitely not distributed evenly across the country,” said Dr. Andrea L. Cherrington, associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), pointing to a CDC county-level map of diabetes prevalence. It’s not just rural versus urban, Dr. Cherrington added. Urban areas in the diabetes belt have higher rates of diabetes than urban areas outside of the diabetes belt.

Dr. Cherrington next pointed to a map showing the U.S. counties with the highest levels of obesity. The map looks nearly identical to the diabetes map. The answer to obesity is better nutrition and more exercise. What makes it more difficult to manage weight in rural communities?

The answer to that question will look familiar to anyone who’s been to the less-advantaged parts of any U.S. town or city: barriers to health. These include:

Limited access to health care, especially to specialists such as endocrinologistsMinimal exposure to diabetes educationLimited access to safe sidewalks, exercise facilities, and grocery stores with affordable produce.High rates of poverty.

Such barriers get in the way of exercising, eating a healthy diet, and other healthy lifestyle choices. They also lead to obesity and its many consequences.

“It’s not easy living with diabetes,” Dr. Cherrington said, noting that disease management requires mastering a complex schedule of medications, exercise, self-care, and doctor appointments. “If you overlay this regimen on these barriers to health, it becomes really challenging. If you don’t have resources, it is easy to see how disparity can exist.”

Battling the obesity epidemic has been the life work of panelist Bonnie A. Spear, professor of pediatrics at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and a nationally recognized expert in child and adolescent obesity.

Spear noted that overweight and obese children and teens tend to become obese adults. Obese children who become obese adults are at extremely high risk of developing diabetes and other chronic conditions.

Too often, Spears argued, we fuss over details such as whether schools should offer chocolate milk rather than whether schools should be allowed to make money from on-campus vending machines, which often sell sugary soft drinks and snacks. Too often, she said, we worry about the cost of providing breakfast and lunch to too many kids when missed breakfast and poor nutrition are linked to lower test scores and difficulty concentrating. And when we worry that U.S. kids are falling behind in academics, physical education classes are the first thing to go—even though fit kids do better at academic subjects than unfit kids. Creating healthy school environments is crucial for preventing obesity and diabetes in the next generation of adults.

When it comes to adults who have diabetes today, one key problem is the lack of primary care physicians. While cities have too few of them, noted Dr. William Curry, associate dean for primary care and rural medicine at the University of Alabama, Birmingham,  the problem often is worse in rural areas, particularly for those who lack transportation.

Part of the answer may be community health workers, Dr. Cherrington suggested. Her work shows that community health workers—lay people trained to provide diabetes education and outreach—can have a major impact on the wellbeing of people with diabetes living in rural areas.

That work has turned her attention to cities, as she now leads Birmingham’s Cities for Life program. Led by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the program borrows from the rural community health worker concept by having doctors refer people with diabetes to “patient navigators” who help them find local resources such as nearby exercise classes or mobile farmers’ markets.

In addition to the clinical component of the program, its community component makes use of a community action team made up of more than 80 organizations drawn from local primary care, health, civic, business, and charitable organizations. A major part of this effort is the mydiabetesconnect.com website, which shows people where to find resources in their own neighborhoods.

Will it work? The program is just a year old, but Dr. Cherrington believes Birmingham eventually will become a model for diabetes control—in both urban and rural areas.

County-by-county maps of diabetes and obesity in the United States prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The darker the color, the higher the rate of obesity or diabetes.

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Talking About Your Psoriasis to Others

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By Peter Jaret

Reviewed By Stephanie S. Gardner, MD

One of the challenges of psoriasis is having to explain your skin condition to others. Most people don't know much about psoriasis, and many fear it's contagious.

"That can make the job of explaining why your skin looks the way it does especially difficult," says Julie Nelligan, PhD, a Portland-based psychologist who specializes in counseling people with psoriasis and other chronic conditions. "There's something about skin conditions that make people uneasy."

It's important to know how to explain your psoriasis to others for your own health, as well. Managing psoriasis can be stressful, and stress can make your psoriasis worse. For better or worse, psoriasis can be an important part of your life.

"The more people around you know about it, the more support you'll get," says Linda Cornish, a dermatology nurse who works with psoriasis patients at Kaiser-Permanente Medical Center Oakland. "And being open and honest can make you feel less self-conscious."

Here are six tips to help you talk about your psoriasis to friends and coworkers.

1. Choose the right time to bring up psoriasis.

Because talking about psoriasis can be awkward, it's important to choose a time and place where you will feel most comfortable. "If you're relaxed and at ease, the person you're talking to is more likely to feel at ease," says Nelligan. The right setting is likely to depend in part on the person you're talking to. With a co-worker, you may want to bring up the subject during a work break or over lunch. If you're talking to someone you've begun dating, you may want to arrange a special time to talk.

2. Think through what you want to say about your psoriasis.

Preparing for your conversation can help make it easier to say exactly what you want to say. Chances are you'll also feel more relaxed. The amount of information you give will depend on who you're talking with. A co-worker may need to know only what psoriasis is and the fact that it's not contagious. Your boss might need to know about your treatments if that means taking time off from work. When talking to a date, you may want to explain what living with psoriasis is like for you.

For especially delicate conversations, try rehearsing what you plan to say with someone who already knows and cares about you, such as a parent or a spouse. "A loved one can help you choose the right words and decide on the appropriate amount of information," says Nelligan. "Having a loved one to turn to can also be helpful if the conversation you have doesn't go as smoothly as you'd hoped."

3. Address people's worries about psoriasis upfront.

Because a big concern people have is that psoriasis is contagious, start by reassuring them that it isn't. Explain that psoriasis is a chronic condition caused by an abnormal immune reaction. You may want to explain what psoriasis feels like and what the treatments involve. "Be sensitive to people's reactions," says Nelligan. "If the person you're talking to seems uneasy, tell them just what you think they need to know and move on to something else. You can always bring the subject up again later." In some cases, it may be helpful to refer people to good sources of information online.

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How to Talk With Your Partner About ED

Never before has erectile dysfunction been so openly discussed in our society. It appears in everything from news reports and comedy sketches to national advertising campaigns. “But ironically, it’s still very difficult for many couples to talk about sex, and especially to talk about erection problems,” says Brian Zamboni, PhD, a clinical psychologist specializing in human sexuality at the University of Minnesota.

That’s too bad. For most couples, talking about erection difficulties is the first step toward treating them -- and enjoying better sex. A few simple strategies can help you communicate more easily.

If you feel hesitant about starting the conversation with your partner, spend some time by yourself preparing your approach. If it helps, rehearse your opening and then choose a time and place that feels comfortable.

“Sometimes the best way to start is by acknowledging that this isn’t an easy subject to talk about,” says Louanne Cole Weston, PhD, a sex therapist in private practice in California. “You might say, ‘This is a little embarrassing, but I seem to be having some problems in the erection department.’ Of course your partner may bring up the subject before you do. Then your job is to make her or him comfortable.”

When problems happen in the bedroom, emotions can run high. If you’ve begun avoiding sex for fear of not getting an erection, your partner may begin to think you no longer find them attractive. Feelings get hurt. Couples begin to feel less intimate. Resentment creeps in.

“That’s why it’s so important to talk about sexual problems like erectile dysfunction in an open and supportive way,” says Weston. “Say right up front that it’s not a matter of being attracted to your partner. Reassure your partner that he or she is still attractive to you.”

Web sites and books offer valuable advice on how to overcome erection problems and enjoy better sex. Along with providing information, they provide a language to communicate for couples who don’t normally talk directly about sex.

“Words are a big problem for many people,” says Zamboni. “Some people feel comfortable only with medical terms like penis. Others are more comfortable with slang terms. Any words will do, as long as they make it easy for a couple to talk openly.”  Sharing a good book or web site about sex can help give you permission -- and a vocabulary -- to talk together about ED and your sex life in general.

That’s right. Many sex therapists recommend taking a break from sex while you and your partner focus on emotional intimacy.

“Most of the couples who come to our clinic assume that we’re going to be talking a lot about sex,” says Zamboni. “In fact, we often talk a lot less about sex than they expected.” That’s because most erection problems have little to do with the mechanics of sex and a lot to do with stress, anxiety, anger, and other feelings that find their way into the bedroom.

“Talking intimately about work, about the marriage or relationship, about yourself, can be much more helpful than banging away and trying to have sex,” says Zamboni. He counsels couples who are having sexual problems to take walks together, go out for dinner at a favorite restaurant, or spend a quiet evening just talking. Once you and your partner feel more intimate on an emotional level, you may find that your sex drive and your erections perk up.

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Should I be worried about the new kind of “bird flu” discovered in China?

Posted June 17, 2013, 2:00 am

I heard that a dangerous new kind of “bird flu” was recently discovered in China. Should we in the United States be worried?

You’re right: In March 2013, cases of a brand-new kind of bird flu were discovered in China. One of the hardest things to predict is what will happen when a new strain of the influenza (“flu”) virus first infects humans. I’m not exaggerating when I say it could turn out to pose no threat at all in the U.S., or it could be truly terrible.

The world is full of different flu viruses. Most of them infect just animals, often just one type of animal. Sometimes they are able to jump from one type of animal to another. Sometimes they are even able to jump from animals to humans.

Flu viruses are so unpredictable because they are constantly changing or mutating their genes. (Genes are sections of DNA that control specific characteristics of an agent, such as a flu virus.) They also are constantly swapping their genes with the genes of other flu viruses. When they change or swap their genes, they change their character.

There are two questions to ask about the character of every new flu virus that affects humans: how easily is it spread from one person to another, and how sick does it make the people it infects? Its assortment of genes determines the answer to those questions.

When a new virus spreads easily between people, and if it makes people very sick, there is a lot to worry about.

How bad can a flu virus be? The worst flu outbreak for which we have good records occurred in 1918. A new virus was born that spread easily between people and made people very sick. In the course of a few months, 30 percent of the people in the world caught the virus, and at least 20 million people died. That’s more than were killed in World War I.

From what we know about this new flu virus, called H7N9, it has jumped from chickens and ducks to humans in eastern China. It is not yet clear whether it has spread from one human to another. It has made some people very sick and there have been several deaths.

The latest numbers were reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on April 29, 2013. China had reported 126 human cases of the new flu. The people affected have been older (average age in their 60s), and many have had chronic illnesses. So far, many fewer children and young adults have been infected.

The CDC and scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are working overtime to protect our health. They are doing what they can despite the fact that the funding for these two critically important federal agencies has been cut by the “sequester.” Regardless of what you think about federal spending in general, if you are against cutting funding for health research and public health, your representatives in Congress can do something about that.

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Comments about post-ED weight gain

Hi. For those of you who have successfully gained weight after having an ED, how did you cope with comments about your weight gain?

I know that most of the time the comments are just observations made innocently. But how did comments about your weight gain make you feel? How did you deal with it?

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What would you like to change about yourself?

I LOVE the post about what you love about yourself. :) But what would you change? I don't mean, getting rid of crows feet or trying to fit a size zero in pants. What positive traits do you admire or want to develop? What are you doing to accomplish that? I always see women with such great qualities and try to emulate what I love about them. So I'll start :)

1. I wish I had stronger willpower. I see all these beautiful women who have lost weight and look amazing, and I haven't quite figured it out yet.

I've started thinking more about eating intuitively, and eventually my goal is to be at a point where I can cook really healthfully and LOVE good foods, and not crave junk all the time.

2. I want to be more driven.

So many people have careers, or are in college, and I've kind of drifted aimlessly. I'm starting school for Cosmetology soon, and I'm hoping to someday be a makeup artist.

3. I want to be confidant. I've always felt self concious. I would like to start getting more in touch with my body, how I feel vs how my body looks. When I move out in September, I want to have an area where I can do yoga, meditate, and just really focus on my inner wellbeing.

4. I want to be someone people want to be around. I'm a bit abrasive at times, speak without thinking, and at times feel very socially awkward.

I have been trying to open up to people easier, try to focus more on having fun and being a good friend, and less on how people judge me during social situations.

5. I want to feel beautiful I compare myself to other girls, and I don't see myself positively due to being bullied for a large part of my life. I see myself as fat and ugly, and I know that I'm not seeing myself how other people do. I want to focus on the positive traits I have, and do the things that make me happy, instead of worrying that people are judging me or thinking I'm ugly. I just dyed my hair a bright pink, and I LOVE it :)

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Austin Butler and Vanessa Hudgens out and about in Los Angeles

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

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Suri Cruise out and about in New York

Suri Cruise has got this whole outfit-present co-ordination thing that we've just decided is a thing down to a fine art. The toddle-ista avoided any such unslightly colour clashing as she hauled the harlequin-printed gift through New York yesterday.

SUPER YOUNG & SUPER STYLISH

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Sienna Miller and her family out and about in New York

The official week of Karen O worship continues with Mosquito. Plus, the latest tracks from Daft Punk, Laura Marling, Poliça, London Grammar, PYYRAMIDS and Tiny Dancer… »

Read more »

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Pierce Brosnan out and about in LA

Well maybe you shouldn't be living HEEEEEEEEEEERRRE!* Still Brozza's best work, if we say so ourselves.

*If you don't have any idea what we're talking about, please watch this movie gem.

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question about muscle building and calories needed

i am at a healthy weight that I want to maintain but I am starting a heavy lifting regime so I can convert the fat into muscle. In order to do this successfully, do I need to be eating maintenance calories or a weight loss amount? Logically I would think it would be maintenance but I am not totally sure how this works.

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Sienna Miller and Tom Sturridge out and about in New York

Enjoying another spring day in New York yesterday was loved-up pair Sienna Miller and fiancé  Tom Sturridge. The two were snapped without their newborn tot, baby Marlowe, as they soaked up the warm weather ahead of Tom's TimesTalks conference in the city for his new Broadway production of Orphans, in which he stars opposite Alec Baldwin.

SEE THE  TV BAFTA 2013 NOMINATIONS IN FULL

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Question About #2

Hi everyone,

I realize this isn't the most pleasant topic, nonetheless i'll get straight to the point.

Every morning I go to work, have some coffee, and have my breakfast, which is normally a frozen banana/protein/unsweetened almond milk/flaxseed shake with blueberries & strawberries mixed in. 99% of the time, this induces a bowel movement. I normally feel it coming on and can comfortably get to the bathroom and "go" no problem. I will then, more often than not, feel pretty empty and fine.

The problem then starts about 3 hours later. I have a snack, a small snack, such as a Greek yogurt, an apple, just something small. After eating this snack, whatever it is, I then have the urge to "go" again. Except this time, instead of practically forcing it's way out like my first BM, this time i'm just incredibly gassy, feel bloated, and I have to quite literally go to the toilet and push it out. It's often very small and not comfortable at all.

The same thing then happens AGAIN when I eat my lunch. Normally i'll either have peanut butter and jelly or a grilled chicken sandwich, nothing too big but enough to fill me up. And once again, I get this unpleasant, gassy, bloated feeling, which prompts to go to the bathroom and push another one out.

The funny thing though is that when I eat dinner, which is definitely my biggest meal of the day (I know this shouldn't be the case but it's just the way it is), I feel perfectly fine afterwards. Never have a bloated feeling, never have the urge to go after dinner, EVER. It's only during the morning and early afternoon, prompted by much, much smaller meals.

What it boils down to is that I go once in the morning, and even though I initially feel empty and fine, it's almost like i'm not getting "all" of it out, and it then takes 2-3 more very uncomfortable, small BMs to feel "empty" until the cycle repeats itself the next day.

Any ideas what could be going on?

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