Whether you need a basic blender for morning smoothies or a high-powered model that whips up soups and nut butters with ease, we've got you covered. Here are our top picks for the very best blenders on the market right now. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J December 01, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Monday, 30 November 2015
19 Ways Your Body Changes When You Fall in Love
Those butterflies in your stomach aren't just in your head. Here are some of the ways falling in love can affect your body. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J December 01, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Wednesday, 25 November 2015
24 Fat-Burning Ab Exercises (No Crunches!)
Abdominal exercises to burn fat, flatten your belly, and strengthen your core. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 26, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Tuesday, 24 November 2015
21 Worthless Foods a Nutritionist Will Immediately Cut From Your Diet
Want to start eating healthier and lose weight? Four nutrition experts share the red-flag foods you should avoid as part of a healthy diet. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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After Recovering From Leukemia, She's Racing Marathons for a Cure
Heather Krasnov, 54, was always active, but she didn't make the jump from 5K to marathon until she faced a major life event: recovering from leukemia. In August 2001, at age 40, she was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, and doctors estimated that she had less than a 2 percent chance of surviving. Miraculously, after a month of treatment, she went into remission. "I've always been a glass-half-full kind of person," says Heather, "so when doctors gave me the worst-case scenario, I looked on the bright side. And I think that's what helped me survive."
RELATED: 5 Everyday Foods That Fight Cancer
Wanting to give back, Heather signed up with Team In Training, the fundraising arm of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, to walk the 2004 Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. "Having gone through treatment, all I could think about was children with leukemia," explains Heather. "As an adult, you have an awareness of what's happening to your body that kids don't. We have to find a cure for them."
After months of training, Heather was packed and ready to fly out for the marathon, but she stopped at the doctor's office for a blood test. Then, in San Francisco, she completed a joyous first marathon. "It was really exciting! Once you get to mile 21, you're like, 'I've got this.'"
RELATED: 5 Tourist-Friendly Marathons Worth Traveling To
But she and her husband returned home to six messages on her answering machine informing her that the leukemia was back. She needed immediate treatment. "I just said, 'OK. I've got to do it. Here we go again,'" recalls Heather. "I'm not one to break down."
With each relapse, Heather's chances of reaching remission shrank dramatically. Fortunately, in November 2005, she had a lifesaving bone marrow transplant from her cousin Lynn; she's been cancer-free since.
RELATED: A Running Vacation Rebooted My Spirit
After her recovery, Heather spent six years coaching for her local Team In Training chapter in Wilmington, N.C., and raised more than $26,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In November, she ran her 11th half marathon to celebrate 10 years of remission. "It's a high, the entire race, every race," she says. "When you start to hit the wall, you just think of the people lying in bed, going through treatment. It brings you back to why you're doing it, and you just go." The Canyon Ranch 35th Annual Inspiration Awards went to 70 people recognized for the inspiration they provide to others.
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RELATED: 5 Everyday Foods That Fight Cancer
Wanting to give back, Heather signed up with Team In Training, the fundraising arm of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, to walk the 2004 Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. "Having gone through treatment, all I could think about was children with leukemia," explains Heather. "As an adult, you have an awareness of what's happening to your body that kids don't. We have to find a cure for them."
After months of training, Heather was packed and ready to fly out for the marathon, but she stopped at the doctor's office for a blood test. Then, in San Francisco, she completed a joyous first marathon. "It was really exciting! Once you get to mile 21, you're like, 'I've got this.'"
RELATED: 5 Tourist-Friendly Marathons Worth Traveling To
But she and her husband returned home to six messages on her answering machine informing her that the leukemia was back. She needed immediate treatment. "I just said, 'OK. I've got to do it. Here we go again,'" recalls Heather. "I'm not one to break down."
With each relapse, Heather's chances of reaching remission shrank dramatically. Fortunately, in November 2005, she had a lifesaving bone marrow transplant from her cousin Lynn; she's been cancer-free since.
RELATED: A Running Vacation Rebooted My Spirit
After her recovery, Heather spent six years coaching for her local Team In Training chapter in Wilmington, N.C., and raised more than $26,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In November, she ran her 11th half marathon to celebrate 10 years of remission. "It's a high, the entire race, every race," she says. "When you start to hit the wall, you just think of the people lying in bed, going through treatment. It brings you back to why you're doing it, and you just go." The Canyon Ranch 35th Annual Inspiration Awards went to 70 people recognized for the inspiration they provide to others.
http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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5 Slim Secrets You Learned in Kindergarten
Flashback to the days of enjoying peanut butter power snacks at the kitchen table and hitting the monkey bars on the playground until Mom reeled you in for an early bedtime. Doesn't your 5-year-old self sound like the ultimate health coach? Turns out, she is. “Children are inherently self-regulating. They listen to their hunger cues, they indulge without guilt and they're incapable of sitting still,” says Keri Gans, RDN, author of The Small Change Diet. “These are all healthy lifestyle practices that would serve us well in adulthood, if we implemented them.” With that in mind, we pinned down which kiddie habits are surefire ways to stay in shape, and how to make them work in your grown-up life.
RELATED: 25 Surprising Ways to Lose Weight
Listen to your stomach
When kids are hungry, they eat. When they're full, they stop. “We're born wired to obey our appetite, but somewhere along the way, those wires get crossed,” says Gans. Introduce stress, hormones—even boredom— and most of us end up able to list “professional plate cleaner” on our résumés.
The Adult Spin: Reprogram how you gauge your appetite. “For a day or two, dont pay attention to the clock and eat only when you truly feel hungry, not when you think you should eat or just want to,” says Jennifer McDaniel, RD, owner of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy in Clayton, Mo. “Eat slowly, really chewing each bite, so you're able to hear your body tell you when its getting full.”
Play with your food
As every mom knows, kids bring the mess to the dinner table. But there are benefits to getting hands-on with food: One study out of Eastern Illinois University found that when eating pistachios, people who shelled the nuts themselves ate roughly 86 fewer calories' worth than those who gobbled up ones that were already shelled. “When you eat with your hands, you're more aware of everything you put in your mouth. It's more of an engaged, sensory experience than just absentmindedly bringing your fork to your lips over and over,” says Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, author of Eat Clean, Stay Lean.
The Adult Spin: Have a laborintensive (in a good way) side dish or snack every day, suggests Bazilian. Get in there with pods, shrimp in shells, roasted shishito peppers and pomegranates.
Make a meal of dessert
The more children are cut off from sweets, the more they want them, studies show. The same goes for adults, points out Libby Mills, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “That feeling of deprivation can deflate motivation, making it harder to stick to your diet,” she says. And ignoring sugar cravings can lead you to eat more, she adds: “You have one treat, and then you can't stop because it's such a rarity and has become too important.”
The Adult Spin: Candycoat parts of your meals, so to speak, in order to satisfy your sweet tooth in moderation. Try a Greek yogurt parfait for lunch, layered with fruit and some granola, or indulge in a thin slice of carrot cake with fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt instead of frosting. For a snack, toss sliced strawberries in balsamic vinegar, with a shave of Parmesan cheese.
RELATED: 9 Healthier Dessert Recipes for Fall
Refuse to sit still
Desks, cars and commuter trains have interrupted that childhood state of perpetual motion. “Kids are always on the move,” says Gans. “They're constant calorie burners.” Those active habits help more than just your gut: Sitting for too many hours during the day increases your risk of heart disease, cancer and other illnesses.
The Adult Spin: Invest in a fitness tracker, says Los Angeles celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak. “A FitBit can help you get moving more because it becomes like a game,” he explains. “You can even compete against friends.” Urge each other to move every hour, and compare steps later on.
Have breakfast for dinner
You used to love when Mom and Dad broke the rules by serving eggs and bacon in the p.m.—and it's still a savvy idea. Studies show that eating a high-protein meal helps you stay full longer, and that those who include eggs in their diets consume less overall. “Eggs are protein-packed and filling, and they're a great way to use up leftovers,” says McDaniel.
The Adult Spin: Whip up an omelet with cottage cheese, herbs, fresh or frozen vegetables and deli turkey or chicken for dinner to keep you full until morning, advises McDaniel. The best part? Making breakfast for dinner is a time-saver: You often need just one pan, so there's minimal cleanup required!
RELATED: The 20 Best Foods to Eat for Breakfast
10-MINUTE RECESS
Set up indoors or head to the playground for this fun circuit from Carrie Underwood's trainer, Erin Oprea. (Stay warm while you're at it with the Asics Lite-Show Glove, $30; asicsamerica.com.)
Frog Jumps
Get into a wide sumo squat with your palms on the ground between your legs. Then take a big jump forward. Next, take three small hops backward to your starting mark. Repeat for 30 seconds.
Crab Walk
Sit on the ground with your legs bent and your hands behind you, fingers facing feet. Thrust your hips up and hold yourself in a tabletop position. With your core and tush engaged, crawl backward for 30 seconds.
Extra Credit: Do 20 push-ups once you finish.
Hopscotch
Use sidewalk chalk or masking tape to set up a hopscotch board. (Or imagine one in your head.) Begin hopping through it— alternating one foot, two feet, one foot, two feet—leading with a single hop on your left leg. Use your right leg for the single hops on the way back. Keep it up for one minute.
Extra Credit: At the end of each lap, do 20 alternating plyometric lunges.
One-Woman Keep-Away
Hold a medicine or slam ball at your chest with both hands and lower into a squat. As you stand, launch the ball from your chest as far as you can throw it. Sprint to the ball, squat to pick it up and throw it back toward the starting mark. Continue for 30 seconds.
Bear Crawl
Put your palms flat on the ground and lower your knees so they're hovering just above the floor. Abs engaged and bum low, move one arm and the opposite leg forward, then switch. Crawl for 30 seconds. Extra Credit Tack on 20 burpees when youre done.
High-Knee Skipping
Add power to a traditional skip by bringing your knees as high as you can toward your chest and swinging your arms to get more momentum. Skip for one minute.
Jump-Rope
Grab a light speed rope (or mimic the arm motion) and jump for 30 seconds with both feet. Then jump for 15 seconds on your right foot and 15 seconds on your left. For the final 30, jump with high knees.
RELATED: Strength Moves to Burn Fat
WHY NOT SPICE UP YOUR SNACK BREAK?
Try these nutritionist-approved noshes that are kid favorites fit for grown-ups.
Apple “Panini”
Thinly slice an apple, then put peanut butter or low-fat cheese (Swiss and Cheddar are tasty options) between two slices to create healthy little sandwiches.
Fruit Snacks
These DIY chews are free of preservatives and added sugars: Slice up some fruit and evenly spread out the pieces on baking sheets. (Smaller fruits, like cherries and cranberries, can be used whole.) Set your oven to the lowest possible temperature and bake anywhere from six to eight hours.
Ants on a Log
Fill endive spears with a bit of low-fat cream cheese; chopped, toasted pecans; and dried cranberries.
Rainbow Fruit Skewers
Cut up your favorite fruits and skewer them on bamboo sticks. Dip in nonfat Greek yogurt.
RELATED: 20 Snacks That Burn Fat
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RELATED: 25 Surprising Ways to Lose Weight
Listen to your stomach
When kids are hungry, they eat. When they're full, they stop. “We're born wired to obey our appetite, but somewhere along the way, those wires get crossed,” says Gans. Introduce stress, hormones—even boredom— and most of us end up able to list “professional plate cleaner” on our résumés.
The Adult Spin: Reprogram how you gauge your appetite. “For a day or two, dont pay attention to the clock and eat only when you truly feel hungry, not when you think you should eat or just want to,” says Jennifer McDaniel, RD, owner of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy in Clayton, Mo. “Eat slowly, really chewing each bite, so you're able to hear your body tell you when its getting full.”
Play with your food
As every mom knows, kids bring the mess to the dinner table. But there are benefits to getting hands-on with food: One study out of Eastern Illinois University found that when eating pistachios, people who shelled the nuts themselves ate roughly 86 fewer calories' worth than those who gobbled up ones that were already shelled. “When you eat with your hands, you're more aware of everything you put in your mouth. It's more of an engaged, sensory experience than just absentmindedly bringing your fork to your lips over and over,” says Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, author of Eat Clean, Stay Lean.
The Adult Spin: Have a laborintensive (in a good way) side dish or snack every day, suggests Bazilian. Get in there with pods, shrimp in shells, roasted shishito peppers and pomegranates.
Make a meal of dessert
The more children are cut off from sweets, the more they want them, studies show. The same goes for adults, points out Libby Mills, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “That feeling of deprivation can deflate motivation, making it harder to stick to your diet,” she says. And ignoring sugar cravings can lead you to eat more, she adds: “You have one treat, and then you can't stop because it's such a rarity and has become too important.”
The Adult Spin: Candycoat parts of your meals, so to speak, in order to satisfy your sweet tooth in moderation. Try a Greek yogurt parfait for lunch, layered with fruit and some granola, or indulge in a thin slice of carrot cake with fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt instead of frosting. For a snack, toss sliced strawberries in balsamic vinegar, with a shave of Parmesan cheese.
RELATED: 9 Healthier Dessert Recipes for Fall
Refuse to sit still
Desks, cars and commuter trains have interrupted that childhood state of perpetual motion. “Kids are always on the move,” says Gans. “They're constant calorie burners.” Those active habits help more than just your gut: Sitting for too many hours during the day increases your risk of heart disease, cancer and other illnesses.
The Adult Spin: Invest in a fitness tracker, says Los Angeles celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak. “A FitBit can help you get moving more because it becomes like a game,” he explains. “You can even compete against friends.” Urge each other to move every hour, and compare steps later on.
Have breakfast for dinner
You used to love when Mom and Dad broke the rules by serving eggs and bacon in the p.m.—and it's still a savvy idea. Studies show that eating a high-protein meal helps you stay full longer, and that those who include eggs in their diets consume less overall. “Eggs are protein-packed and filling, and they're a great way to use up leftovers,” says McDaniel.
The Adult Spin: Whip up an omelet with cottage cheese, herbs, fresh or frozen vegetables and deli turkey or chicken for dinner to keep you full until morning, advises McDaniel. The best part? Making breakfast for dinner is a time-saver: You often need just one pan, so there's minimal cleanup required!
RELATED: The 20 Best Foods to Eat for Breakfast
10-MINUTE RECESS
Set up indoors or head to the playground for this fun circuit from Carrie Underwood's trainer, Erin Oprea. (Stay warm while you're at it with the Asics Lite-Show Glove, $30; asicsamerica.com.)
Frog Jumps
Get into a wide sumo squat with your palms on the ground between your legs. Then take a big jump forward. Next, take three small hops backward to your starting mark. Repeat for 30 seconds.
Crab Walk
Sit on the ground with your legs bent and your hands behind you, fingers facing feet. Thrust your hips up and hold yourself in a tabletop position. With your core and tush engaged, crawl backward for 30 seconds.
Extra Credit: Do 20 push-ups once you finish.
Hopscotch
Use sidewalk chalk or masking tape to set up a hopscotch board. (Or imagine one in your head.) Begin hopping through it— alternating one foot, two feet, one foot, two feet—leading with a single hop on your left leg. Use your right leg for the single hops on the way back. Keep it up for one minute.
Extra Credit: At the end of each lap, do 20 alternating plyometric lunges.
One-Woman Keep-Away
Hold a medicine or slam ball at your chest with both hands and lower into a squat. As you stand, launch the ball from your chest as far as you can throw it. Sprint to the ball, squat to pick it up and throw it back toward the starting mark. Continue for 30 seconds.
Bear Crawl
Put your palms flat on the ground and lower your knees so they're hovering just above the floor. Abs engaged and bum low, move one arm and the opposite leg forward, then switch. Crawl for 30 seconds. Extra Credit Tack on 20 burpees when youre done.
High-Knee Skipping
Add power to a traditional skip by bringing your knees as high as you can toward your chest and swinging your arms to get more momentum. Skip for one minute.
Jump-Rope
Grab a light speed rope (or mimic the arm motion) and jump for 30 seconds with both feet. Then jump for 15 seconds on your right foot and 15 seconds on your left. For the final 30, jump with high knees.
RELATED: Strength Moves to Burn Fat
WHY NOT SPICE UP YOUR SNACK BREAK?
Try these nutritionist-approved noshes that are kid favorites fit for grown-ups.
Apple “Panini”
Thinly slice an apple, then put peanut butter or low-fat cheese (Swiss and Cheddar are tasty options) between two slices to create healthy little sandwiches.
Fruit Snacks
These DIY chews are free of preservatives and added sugars: Slice up some fruit and evenly spread out the pieces on baking sheets. (Smaller fruits, like cherries and cranberries, can be used whole.) Set your oven to the lowest possible temperature and bake anywhere from six to eight hours.
Ants on a Log
Fill endive spears with a bit of low-fat cream cheese; chopped, toasted pecans; and dried cranberries.
Rainbow Fruit Skewers
Cut up your favorite fruits and skewer them on bamboo sticks. Dip in nonfat Greek yogurt.
RELATED: 20 Snacks That Burn Fat
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Your Ultimate Guide to the 64 Best (and Worst) Holiday Foods
Prevent your pants from getting tighter this holiday season with these smarter food choices. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J
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November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
How to Do Windshield Wipers
Do a round of this yoga-inspired move to strengthen your obliques. In this video, Kristin McGee shows us how to execute Windshield Wipers, which will tone and strengthen your whole core. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do a Tone-It V Hold
Build strength in your core with this challenging ab exercise. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates the belly fat-burning Tone-It V Hold. Your abs will thank you! http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do a Teaser Exercise
This advanced Pilates-inspired move can help you get a stronger core in no time. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates how to do a Teaser for an intense and effective ab workout. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do the Swan Dive Exercise
Here's a great way to build your core while lying down (and without crunches). In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates the Swan Dive exercise, which strengthens your back and abs. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do a Supine Twist
Stretch and strengthen your abs at the same time with a Supine Twist. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates the proper way to get into this relaxing and powerful pose. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do a Straight-Arm Plank
The plank pose is a great workout for your whole body, from your arms and back to your core. Watch this video to see Kristin McGee demonstrate the perfect plank form and give tips on how to add it to your routine. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do a Standing Side Crunch
Need a killer ab exercise? Try doing the Standing Side Crunch. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates how to use a stability ball to build a stronger core. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do a Side Incline with a Twist
Work your abs, waist, and arms with this exercise. Watch this video to see Kristin McGee demonstrate how to do a Side Incline With a Twist. Your whole body will thank you! http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Achieve a Scale Pose
A scale pose can be a challenging move to master. In this video, Kristin McGee demonstrates the best way for both beginners and experts to practice this pose, which is amazing for your core. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Plank on a Stability Ball
Combine two ab-strengthening workouts into one by doing planks on a stability ball. Fitness expert Kristin McGee shows us how to plank on a stability ball for sculpted abs. Watch this video to see how it's done. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do Plank Hip Dips
Planks are already a powerful exercise for your core. Make them even more effective by adding oblique-strengthening moves to the pose. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates how to do Plank Hip Dips. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 25, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Friday, 20 November 2015
How to Do the Jumping Jack Reach Move
Adding a stability ball makes an ab workout even more challenging. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates how you can do the Jumping Jack Reach move on a stability ball to tighten your core and boost your energy. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 22, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Tone Your Abs With the Low-Belly Leg Reach Move
This is a great move for targeting your abs. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee shows us how to do the Low-Belly Leg Reach, which strengthens your ab muscles and tightens your core. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 22, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do Medicine Ball Russian Twists
Tighten your core and sculpt your obliques with this calorie-torching exercise. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates how to do Medicine Ball Russian Twists to tone your abs. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 22, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do an Oblique Driving-Knee Crunch
Here's a great way to strengthen your obliques for a tighter core. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee shows you how to use a stability ball to do the Oblique Driving-Knee Crunch. Your abs will thank you! http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 22, 2015 at 01:15AM
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57 Ways to Lose Weight Forever, According to Science
The ultimate list of research-backed weight loss tips that will keep the pounds off for good. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 21, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do the Hula Hoop Pump Ab Exercise
Who knew an ab workout could be so much fun? In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee shows us how to use a Hula Hoop (yes, really!) to tighten your core. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 21, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do Cross-Leg Diagonal Crunches
This exercise is particularly good for targeting your obliques, the ab muscles at the sides of your body. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee shows us how to do the Cross-Leg Diagonal Crunch, which helps tighten your core and cinch in your waist. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 21, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Tone Your Abs with Donkey Kickbacks
This is the ultimate calorie-torching move. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates how to do Donkey Kickbacks, which tighten your core and tone your glutes at the same time. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 21, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do a Body-Weight Squat
You might not think of squats as being an ab exercise, but surprise—they also work your core. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates the best way to do Body-Weight Squats to tighten your glutes and flatten your belly at the same time. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 21, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do Bridge Opposite Arm-Leg Reach
Not only will this move tighten your core, but it can also help improve your focus. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates how to do the Bridge Opposite Arm-Leg Reach exercise. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 21, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do the Circles in the Sky Exercise
This easy ab exercise can help tighten your core as well as strengthen your inner thighs. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates the best way to do the Circles in the Sky move. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 21, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Thursday, 19 November 2015
17 Great Gifts for the Runners on Your List
Find a practical and fun gift that the runner in your life is sure to appreciate—on and off the trail. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 20, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Wednesday, 18 November 2015
17 No-Diet Tricks to Keep Off Holiday Weight
Don't be a victim of holiday weight gain. Take charge of your waistline with these easy ideas to keep the pounds off all season long. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 19, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Tuesday, 17 November 2015
Tone Your Core With Boat Pose
In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates how to do the Boat Pose for stronger abs. While it requires a bit of balance, this yoga-inspired move is terrific for sculpting and strengthening your core. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 18, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do the Belly Blaster
Ready to get flat, sculpted abs in no time? In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates how to do the Belly Blaster move to tone your abs and obliques. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 18, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Do Advanced Leg Crunches
Here's how you can take your leg crunches up a notch: Add a weight. In this video, fitness expert Kristin McGee demonstrates how to perform Advanced Leg Crunches, which use a 3- to 10-pound weight to better target your lower abs. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 18, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Monday, 16 November 2015
20 Habits That Make Holiday Stress Worse
Avoid these common anxieties to stay merry all season long. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 17, 2015 at 01:15AM
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17 Ways to Age-Proof Your Brain
Sharpen your memory with these surprising anti-aging tricks. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 17, 2015 at 01:15AM
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12 Worst Habits For Your Mental Health
Change these simple, everyday routines to live a happier life. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 17, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Friday, 13 November 2015
20 Habits That Make You Miserable Every Winter
Beat the winter blues by learning the ways you've been sabotaging your mood. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 14, 2015 at 01:15AM
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A Smart Guide To Scary Chemicals
"Scientists issue warning over chemicals in carpets, coats, cookware." "chemicals in pizza boxes may be health risk."
Headlines like these make you want to curl up on the sofa and never leave the house—except that couch! Chances are it's loaded with toxic chemicals, too. As a savvy, health-conscious (and, OK, slightly worry-prone) woman, how are you supposed to function in a world where everything from the dust bunnies in your home to your ATM receipt could be poisoning you?
First, some perspective: Yes, chemicals are everywhere, and some are undoubtedly harmful. But linking a health issue, whether it's breast cancer or premature births, to specific substances is difficult. "We're exposed to so many chemicals—some potentially hazardous, some not—and often health problems take months or years to develop. That makes it tricky to identify the culprit," explains Tracey Woodruff, PhD, director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
Moreover, the average person's exposure to any one toxin is relatively low, as is her individual health risk. The potential peril of, say, eating microwave popcorn pales in comparison to smoking, which is directly responsible for 30 percent of cancer deaths, says Margaret Kripke, PhD, professor emerita at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and co-author of the President's Cancer Panel report on environmental cancer risk.
RELATED: 9 Ways to Detox Your Home
That said, developing fetuses, infants and children are more vulnerable to chemicals' effects. In fact, this fall, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics issued a report sounding an alarm about the serious health effects of exposure to toxic chemicals during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
Whether you have little ones or not, it's smart to understand the science behind the most buzzed-about chemicals. We talked to top scientists and analyzed the research to find out what you should really be concerned about and how you can protect yourself and the planet.
Flame retardants (including polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PDBEs)
What are they?
In the 1970s, California instituted strict flammability standards for upholstered furniture sold in the state, leading manufacturers to add flame-retardant chemicals to the foam used in furniture sold throughout the U.S. Today these chemicals—designed to inhibit the spread of fire—are in chairs, sofas, cars, commercial airplanes and infant car seats. A typical sofa contains three or more pounds of treated foam.
What's the worry?
Because the flame retardants are sprayed on rather than chemically bonded to the product, the molecules migrate out of the products and collect in household dust, where they get on our hands and, inevitably, into our mouths and bodies, says Philip Landrigan, MD, a pediatrician and dean for global health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Studies have linked different formulations to a variety of health problems, but the most worrisome issue is the effects on infants' brain development. "PBDEs are fat-soluble and can easily enter the brain," says Dr. Landrigan. "When that happens to babies in the womb and during infancy, it can result in reduced IQ and a shorter attention span."
RELATED: 10 Products You Think Are Healthy, But Aren't
Flame-retardant chemicals build up in body fat and, as a result, have been found in breast milk, infant cord blood and children's blood. Children are also more exposed than adults because they crawl or play on the floor, where they come into contact with chemical-laden dust, says Ted Schettler, MD, science director of the Science and Environmental Health Network.
Several types of flame retardants have already been phased out due to safety concerns, but other (and possibly dangerous) ones have taken their place—and the old versions will likely remain in the environment for years, since they're designed to be durable.
Reduce your risk
It's not realistic to buy all new furniture, but old sofas with crumbling foam should be a priority because they release the most chemicals, says Marya G. Zlatnik, MD, professor of maternal-fetal medicine at UCSF.
The great news: In early 2014, California revised its flammability regulations, enabling furniture makers to meet the standards without flame-retardant chemicals. Many companies, including Ashley Furniture, Crate & Barrel, Ikea, La-Z-Boy and Walmart, now sell upholstered products without the chemicals. (Go to http://ift.tt/1MclDVu for more details on how to find furniture without flame retardants.)
RELATED: How to Clean Everything Better
New couch not in the budget? You may be able to update just the cushions with flame retardant--free foam at a local upholstery shop. In the meantime, dust and vacuum (vacuums with HEPA filters are best at removing small particles) several times a week to rid your home of dust that contains the chemicals, advises Dr. Zlatnik, and wash your hands (and your kids') before eating.
Formaldehyde
What is it?
This pungent, flammable chemical is found in the wood glue used in furniture and flooring (especially laminate) and many manufactured wood products, like particle board, medium-density fiberboard and hardwood plywood. The chemical grabbed national attention after Hurricane Katrina, when people who were put up in trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency started suffering from respiratory problems, headaches and nosebleeds linked to high concentrations of formaldehyde in the air. It made headlines again this year when 60 Minutes reported that Chinese-made laminate flooring sold by Lumber Liquidators emitted formaldehyde at levels exceeding California standards. (The company has stopped selling the product, though its own testing program showed that the vast majority of customers' homes were within safe levels.)
RELATED: 10 Ways to Keep Air Clean at Home
What's the worry?
Inhaling formaldehyde can cause nose, throat and eye irritation and trigger asthma attacks—probably the biggest risk for most people, says David Krause, PhD, a toxicologist in Tallahassee, Fla. Although the National Toxicology Program said formaldehyde is "known to be a human carcinogen" in 2011, after studies linked it to cancers of the nose and myeloid leukemia, that research looked at manufacturing and funeral industry workers, who are exposed to higher levels of the substance than the general population, explains Laura Beane Freeman, PhD, an epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute. However, the Environmental Protection Agency is concerned enough about the chemical that it is finalizing new national rules that will set limits on formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products.
Other formaldehyde-related concerns, like getting Brazilian blowouts, are likely overhyped, says Krause. "I'd be more worried about hairdressers who are exposed to those chemicals routinely than a woman who gets the treatment a few times a year," he says.
Reduce your risk
If solid wood isn't an option, the next best thing is to buy wood products that comply with the formaldehyde regulations set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB)—they're the most stringent to date. (Look for a label indicating CARB phase 2 compliance, or ask the manufacturer directly if the product meets those standards.) Put products in the garage or a spare bedroom to allow the chemical to off-gas for a few days to a few weeks—or until they don't smell, which is a good sign that a large portion has off-gassed, says Krause. If you don't have that kind of time, keep your windows open as much as you can for the first few months after a new wood product is in your home.
RELATED: 8 Ways to Protect Your Health (And the Planet)
PFASs (poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances; also known as perfluorinated chemicals, or PFCs)
What are they?
These compounds make products more resistant to stains, grease and water; they're found in such items as sofas, carpets, pizza boxes, microwave popcorn bags and waterproof clothing. They're also in some nonstick cookware.
What's the worry?
PFASs can accumulate in the body (including the brain, liver, lungs, bones and kidneys) and remain for as long as a decade. Studies have shown links to kidney cancer, high cholesterol, obesity, abnormal thyroid function, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure and low-birth-weight infants. Most of the research has been done on folks with very high exposures, including those who lived near chemical plants in West Virginia and Ohio, where drinking water had become contaminated. But even low levels are a concern, says Simona Balan, PhD, senior scientist at the Green Science Policy Institute in Berkeley, Calif.
And almost everyone has traces of PFASs in their blood, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Released from factories and consumer products, they accumulate in the environment (some versions won't degrade for thousands of years), ending up in water, fish and livestock. In May, a group of more than 200 researchers and scientists from all over the world signed the Madrid Statement, asking for a limit to production and use of these chemicals.
Reduce your risk
You probably can't completely avoid eating and drinking PFASs, but you can wash your hands often to remove those you pick up around the house (they may collect in household dust), and replace your nonstick cookware with ceramic-coated pans, advises Linda S. Birnbaum, PhD, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program. Make popcorn on the stove instead of in the microwave, and don't get stain-resistant finishes on new cars or furniture.
RELATED: 50 Gifts Under $50
You can also help reduce the amount of these chemicals that get into the environment by opting for clothing that hasn't been treated with PFASs. Brands that have committed to phasing out the substances include Adidas, Puma and Zara. (Scientists don't know enough about whether PFASs are absorbed through the skin, so it's unclear if clothing treated with them poses a direct health risk, says Birnbaum.)
BPA (bisphenol A)
What is it?
BPA is used to make hard polycarbonate plastics (like those used for water bottles and food-storage containers) and epoxy resins, found in the lining of many food cans. There was a big news splash about the fact that it's in the thermal receipt paper you might get at the ATM and grocery store—but food and drink are the primary way most of us are exposed, according to the National Institutes of Health.
What's the worry?
BPA is considered an endocrine-disrupting chemical, which means it may act like a hormone in the body and affect the functioning of natural hormones, like estrogen. "It can potentially have a negative impact on fetal development, including brain development," says Dr. Schettler. In 2014, researchers from nine institutions, including the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Michigan, concluded that BPA is a "reproductive toxicant," based on studies showing that it reduced egg quality in women undergoing in vitro fertilization—and said there's strong evidence that it's toxic to the uterus as well. "It could disrupt women's ability to get pregnant," says Woodruff.
There's also preliminary evidence that it may be linked to obesity. Several years ago, Harvard researchers reported that people who had higher BPA concentrations in their urine were more likely to be obese; in May, Canadian researchers reported that the body seems to break down BPA into a compound that might spur the growth of fat cells.
RELATED: 6 Eco-Friendly and Socially Conscious Gifts
Reduce your risk Eat fresh or frozen food instead of canned, or choose brands sold in BPA-free cans. Researchers from Harvard and the CDC found that people who consumed a 12-ounce serving of canned soup every day for five days had a twelvefold increase in BPA levels in their urine compared with those who ate fresh soup—a temporary blip, since the body gets rid of BPA quickly, but potentially worrisome if you eat canned food regularly or have other exposures. Store food in glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers. And avoid microwaving in plastic, because heating the containers allows the chemicals they contain (whether BPA or other compounds) to leach into food, says Birnbaum.
Pesticides (including organophosphates)
What are they?
Poisons formulated to kill, harm or repel pests. Farmers may apply them on fields, and they're in many lawn, garden and home products.
What's the worry?
They can damage your nervous system, irritate your skin or eyes, affect your hormones or even cause cancer. The biggest risk by far is to farm workers and those who live near farms, who are exposed to higher levels than the rest of us, says Irva Hertz-Picciotto, PhD, a pesticide researcher at the UC Davis MIND Institute.
For starters, farmers and other agricultural workers appear to have higher rates of certain cancers. In March, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, raised new concerns about a link between glyphosate, the active ingredient in weed killers such as Roundup, and cancer risk. (Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, disputes the IARC's findings.) But pesticides in the home also pose a potential danger. A new review published in Pediatrics connected indoor pesticide exposure to a significantly higher risk of childhood leukemia and lymphoma.
Researchers are also studying the relationship between pesticides and neurodevelopmental disorders. A study of an agricultural region of California found that evidence of pesticide exposure in pregnant women was linked to a higher risk of attention problems in their young children. And last year, researchers at the MIND Institute reported that pregnant women who lived near fields where chemical pesticides were used had a roughly two-thirds higher risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder, and an even higher risk of having one with other developmental delays.
What about pesticide residues in nonorganic food? The American Cancer Society says there's no evidence at present that they increase the risk of cancer. However, research by Hertz-Picciotto and her colleagues has shown that there may be a risk to kids' neurological health.
Reduce your risk Go organic. "That alone can reduce exposure to pesticides by 90 percent," says Dr. Landrigan. When researchers at Emory University and the University of Washington substituted organic food for children's conventional diets for five days, the metabolites for two types of organophosphate pesticides all but disappeared from the kids' urine. Can't afford all-organic? Choose fruits and veggies with lower pesticide residues (see the Environmental Working Group's guide at http://ift.tt/1MclBNk) and scrub them with water to reduce surface chemicals further.
And, of course, minimize or eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides in and around your home—and remove shoes at the door to prevent tracking in chemicals, says Dr. Zlatnik.
RELATED: 10 Dirty (Plus 5 Clean) Fruits and Veggies
Phthalates
What are they?
These chemicals make plastic flexible (think vinyl shower curtains, food packaging and soft plastic food containers, garden hoses, medical tubing, kids' toys). They're also in products like shampoo, hairspray and nail polish; if you see "parfum" or "fragrance" on a label, it could contain phthalates.
What's the worry?
Phthalates, which decrease testosterone and may also mimic estrogen, have been linked to increased breast cancer risk. "I'm particularly concerned about the effects during pregnancy," says Shanna Swan, PhD, professor of preventive medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She and her colleagues have found that exposure to phthalates in the womb might affect baby boys' sexual development. "Fetal development is to a large extent determined by hormones, so phthalates may be having other subtle effects as well," she says.
Those at elevated risk include women exposed to high levels through jobs in the automotive industry, rubber hose manufacturing facilities and nail salons, but as with other endocrine-disrupting chemicals, scientists are concerned that low doses might be harmful, too.
Reduce your risk The main source of exposure to one of the most concerning phthalates, DEHP, is food, says Swan, so avoid microwaving in plastic, and if you eat, drink or store food in plastic, steer clear of those labeled #3. Also, buy low-fat dairy products and eat leaner cuts of meat, says Sheela Sathyanarayana, MD, associate professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Washington. In 2014, she and colleagues reported that dairy (particularly cream) and meat can contain high levels of a certain type of phthalate, possibly from animal feed or because the chemicals leach into the food from plastics used in processing and packaging.
Congress has already banned several phthalates in toys and in teething and feeding products, but since plastics contain a concoction of chemicals, it's best to avoid plastic toys until your child outgrows the tendency to mouth them, advises Woodruff.
Phthalates can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin as well, which means personal-care products may pose a slight risk. "Choose products that contain few ingredients and are unscented—which means they probably don't contain phthalates," says Woodruff.
As scientists continue to sift through the concerns over chemicals, new scares are likely to keep making headlines. But instead of fretting, let Congress know where you stand. And try to put the risks in perspective, suggests Woodruff: "The sanest approach is to make a few changes to the food and products you buy and adopt some simple habits that reduce your exposure—then enjoy your life.
What about parabens?
These preservatives (found in products like makeup, moisturizers and hair care) have been in use since the 1930s and have long been deemed safe. Parabens are considered to be weak estrogen mimics—10,000 to 100,000 times less active than the estrogen in your body, according to one 1998 study. While they could theoretically increase breast cancer risk, at this point the risk is just that—theoretical—"and based on animal and other lab studies," says Janet Gray, PhD, director of science, technology and society at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., who researches environmental impacts on breast cancer. Bottom line: There's no need to panic about parabens, but it's always wise to limit your exposure to any chemicals that may act like hormones—in this case, by opting for paraben-free personal-care products.
RELATED: 3 Beauty Products You Need to Ditch, Stat
Additives that only sound dangerous
Just because these ingredients have hard-to-pronounce names doesn't make them evil. Don't freak if you see them on the side of a package; they're safe.
Azodicarbonamide is added to flour as a whitening agent and to help bread dough rise. It caused an uproar when it was revealed that it's also used to make yoga mats and a variety of other products you wouldn't want to eat. The World Health Organization has said it can be potentially dangerous when inhaled, possibly triggering asthma in workers who are heavily exposed during the manufacturing process. But as a food additive, it is used in tiny amounts—a maximum of 0.0045 percent of the treated flour, points out Alissa Rumsey, RD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Xanthan gum is a sugarlike substance made from fermentation, feeding cornstarch to bacteria. It's used as a thickener and emulsifier—it helps keep oil and water from separating in products—and increases shelf life. It's in salad dressings and sauces and is what gives most gluten-free breads and baked goods a texture similar to that of wheat-based breads. Some people are allergic to xanthan gum, but if you don't have an allergy, it's harmless, says Rumsey.
RELATED: Which Internet Food Rumors Are True?
Ascorbyl palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C. It helps increase the shelf life of foods and makes food color last longer. When you consume it, it breaks down into vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and palmitate, a kind of fat, explains Rumsey. "Vitamins often have worrisome-sounding names, but this one is actually an antioxidant, so it's good for you," says Robert Gravani, PhD, professor of food science at Cornell University.
Lecithin is a type of fat usually derived from egg yolks or soybeans. It's used as an emulsifier in salad dressing and as a stabilizer in bread. "It's a fat that's essential to most cells in our bodies," notes Gravani. Unless you have a soy or egg allergy, lecithin is safe to consume, says Rumsey.
Calcium propionate is added to breads and bakery products to prevent mold and bacteria growth. It has been studied extensively for toxicity, and findings were negative, says Rumsey. "Some people may get migraines triggered by foods with this preservative," she notes, "but there hasn't been much research to back this up."
Take action
It's natural to assume that the government has safety checks in place for environmental chemicals, but that's not the case. In 1976, when Congress passed the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), there were roughly 62,000 substances already in use in the U.S.—all of which were grandfathered in by Congress and presumed to be safe, without testing. Since then, another 20,000 chemicals have come on the market, and very few have been tested, thanks to weak regulation, says Philip Landrigan, MD, dean for global health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
You can help make a difference in the fight to keep toxic chemicals out of our bodies and our environment. Voice your support for chemical safety reform, which Congress is currently debating: Write your members of Congress to say you're in favor of reforming the TSCA; learn more and join the movement at http://ift.tt/1lns7bu.
RELATED: 15 Ways to Be a Natural Beauty
3 things you don't have to worry about
Dyeing your hair.
Though ingredients in older (pre-1980) hair- dye formulas were shown to cause cancer in lab animals, those ingredients are no longer in use; newer studies haven't found a cancer link. Hairdressers exposed to dyes at work may have a slightly higher risk of bladder cancer, but the IARC says there's not enough evidence to link personal hair-dye use and cancer.
Keeping your mercury fillings
"I have no qualms about using them to treat my patients," says Hadie Rifai, DDS, a dentist with the Cleveland Clinic, and everyone from the Mayo Clinic to the FDA and American Dental Association agrees they're safe.
Eating sushi once a week.
"It's safe to eat two servings of fish a week. Just go for a variety of types," says Emily Oken, MD, associate professor in the department of population medicine at the Harvard School of Public Health. "That way, you get the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and, as long as you're not pregnant, you don't need to worry about mercury exposure."
http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 14, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Headlines like these make you want to curl up on the sofa and never leave the house—except that couch! Chances are it's loaded with toxic chemicals, too. As a savvy, health-conscious (and, OK, slightly worry-prone) woman, how are you supposed to function in a world where everything from the dust bunnies in your home to your ATM receipt could be poisoning you?
First, some perspective: Yes, chemicals are everywhere, and some are undoubtedly harmful. But linking a health issue, whether it's breast cancer or premature births, to specific substances is difficult. "We're exposed to so many chemicals—some potentially hazardous, some not—and often health problems take months or years to develop. That makes it tricky to identify the culprit," explains Tracey Woodruff, PhD, director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
Moreover, the average person's exposure to any one toxin is relatively low, as is her individual health risk. The potential peril of, say, eating microwave popcorn pales in comparison to smoking, which is directly responsible for 30 percent of cancer deaths, says Margaret Kripke, PhD, professor emerita at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and co-author of the President's Cancer Panel report on environmental cancer risk.
RELATED: 9 Ways to Detox Your Home
That said, developing fetuses, infants and children are more vulnerable to chemicals' effects. In fact, this fall, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics issued a report sounding an alarm about the serious health effects of exposure to toxic chemicals during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
Whether you have little ones or not, it's smart to understand the science behind the most buzzed-about chemicals. We talked to top scientists and analyzed the research to find out what you should really be concerned about and how you can protect yourself and the planet.
Flame retardants (including polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PDBEs)
What are they?
In the 1970s, California instituted strict flammability standards for upholstered furniture sold in the state, leading manufacturers to add flame-retardant chemicals to the foam used in furniture sold throughout the U.S. Today these chemicals—designed to inhibit the spread of fire—are in chairs, sofas, cars, commercial airplanes and infant car seats. A typical sofa contains three or more pounds of treated foam.
What's the worry?
Because the flame retardants are sprayed on rather than chemically bonded to the product, the molecules migrate out of the products and collect in household dust, where they get on our hands and, inevitably, into our mouths and bodies, says Philip Landrigan, MD, a pediatrician and dean for global health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Studies have linked different formulations to a variety of health problems, but the most worrisome issue is the effects on infants' brain development. "PBDEs are fat-soluble and can easily enter the brain," says Dr. Landrigan. "When that happens to babies in the womb and during infancy, it can result in reduced IQ and a shorter attention span."
RELATED: 10 Products You Think Are Healthy, But Aren't
Flame-retardant chemicals build up in body fat and, as a result, have been found in breast milk, infant cord blood and children's blood. Children are also more exposed than adults because they crawl or play on the floor, where they come into contact with chemical-laden dust, says Ted Schettler, MD, science director of the Science and Environmental Health Network.
Several types of flame retardants have already been phased out due to safety concerns, but other (and possibly dangerous) ones have taken their place—and the old versions will likely remain in the environment for years, since they're designed to be durable.
Reduce your risk
It's not realistic to buy all new furniture, but old sofas with crumbling foam should be a priority because they release the most chemicals, says Marya G. Zlatnik, MD, professor of maternal-fetal medicine at UCSF.
The great news: In early 2014, California revised its flammability regulations, enabling furniture makers to meet the standards without flame-retardant chemicals. Many companies, including Ashley Furniture, Crate & Barrel, Ikea, La-Z-Boy and Walmart, now sell upholstered products without the chemicals. (Go to http://ift.tt/1MclDVu for more details on how to find furniture without flame retardants.)
RELATED: How to Clean Everything Better
New couch not in the budget? You may be able to update just the cushions with flame retardant--free foam at a local upholstery shop. In the meantime, dust and vacuum (vacuums with HEPA filters are best at removing small particles) several times a week to rid your home of dust that contains the chemicals, advises Dr. Zlatnik, and wash your hands (and your kids') before eating.
Formaldehyde
What is it?
This pungent, flammable chemical is found in the wood glue used in furniture and flooring (especially laminate) and many manufactured wood products, like particle board, medium-density fiberboard and hardwood plywood. The chemical grabbed national attention after Hurricane Katrina, when people who were put up in trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency started suffering from respiratory problems, headaches and nosebleeds linked to high concentrations of formaldehyde in the air. It made headlines again this year when 60 Minutes reported that Chinese-made laminate flooring sold by Lumber Liquidators emitted formaldehyde at levels exceeding California standards. (The company has stopped selling the product, though its own testing program showed that the vast majority of customers' homes were within safe levels.)
RELATED: 10 Ways to Keep Air Clean at Home
What's the worry?
Inhaling formaldehyde can cause nose, throat and eye irritation and trigger asthma attacks—probably the biggest risk for most people, says David Krause, PhD, a toxicologist in Tallahassee, Fla. Although the National Toxicology Program said formaldehyde is "known to be a human carcinogen" in 2011, after studies linked it to cancers of the nose and myeloid leukemia, that research looked at manufacturing and funeral industry workers, who are exposed to higher levels of the substance than the general population, explains Laura Beane Freeman, PhD, an epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute. However, the Environmental Protection Agency is concerned enough about the chemical that it is finalizing new national rules that will set limits on formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products.
Other formaldehyde-related concerns, like getting Brazilian blowouts, are likely overhyped, says Krause. "I'd be more worried about hairdressers who are exposed to those chemicals routinely than a woman who gets the treatment a few times a year," he says.
Reduce your risk
If solid wood isn't an option, the next best thing is to buy wood products that comply with the formaldehyde regulations set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB)—they're the most stringent to date. (Look for a label indicating CARB phase 2 compliance, or ask the manufacturer directly if the product meets those standards.) Put products in the garage or a spare bedroom to allow the chemical to off-gas for a few days to a few weeks—or until they don't smell, which is a good sign that a large portion has off-gassed, says Krause. If you don't have that kind of time, keep your windows open as much as you can for the first few months after a new wood product is in your home.
RELATED: 8 Ways to Protect Your Health (And the Planet)
PFASs (poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances; also known as perfluorinated chemicals, or PFCs)
What are they?
These compounds make products more resistant to stains, grease and water; they're found in such items as sofas, carpets, pizza boxes, microwave popcorn bags and waterproof clothing. They're also in some nonstick cookware.
What's the worry?
PFASs can accumulate in the body (including the brain, liver, lungs, bones and kidneys) and remain for as long as a decade. Studies have shown links to kidney cancer, high cholesterol, obesity, abnormal thyroid function, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure and low-birth-weight infants. Most of the research has been done on folks with very high exposures, including those who lived near chemical plants in West Virginia and Ohio, where drinking water had become contaminated. But even low levels are a concern, says Simona Balan, PhD, senior scientist at the Green Science Policy Institute in Berkeley, Calif.
And almost everyone has traces of PFASs in their blood, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Released from factories and consumer products, they accumulate in the environment (some versions won't degrade for thousands of years), ending up in water, fish and livestock. In May, a group of more than 200 researchers and scientists from all over the world signed the Madrid Statement, asking for a limit to production and use of these chemicals.
Reduce your risk
You probably can't completely avoid eating and drinking PFASs, but you can wash your hands often to remove those you pick up around the house (they may collect in household dust), and replace your nonstick cookware with ceramic-coated pans, advises Linda S. Birnbaum, PhD, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program. Make popcorn on the stove instead of in the microwave, and don't get stain-resistant finishes on new cars or furniture.
RELATED: 50 Gifts Under $50
You can also help reduce the amount of these chemicals that get into the environment by opting for clothing that hasn't been treated with PFASs. Brands that have committed to phasing out the substances include Adidas, Puma and Zara. (Scientists don't know enough about whether PFASs are absorbed through the skin, so it's unclear if clothing treated with them poses a direct health risk, says Birnbaum.)
BPA (bisphenol A)
What is it?
BPA is used to make hard polycarbonate plastics (like those used for water bottles and food-storage containers) and epoxy resins, found in the lining of many food cans. There was a big news splash about the fact that it's in the thermal receipt paper you might get at the ATM and grocery store—but food and drink are the primary way most of us are exposed, according to the National Institutes of Health.
What's the worry?
BPA is considered an endocrine-disrupting chemical, which means it may act like a hormone in the body and affect the functioning of natural hormones, like estrogen. "It can potentially have a negative impact on fetal development, including brain development," says Dr. Schettler. In 2014, researchers from nine institutions, including the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Michigan, concluded that BPA is a "reproductive toxicant," based on studies showing that it reduced egg quality in women undergoing in vitro fertilization—and said there's strong evidence that it's toxic to the uterus as well. "It could disrupt women's ability to get pregnant," says Woodruff.
There's also preliminary evidence that it may be linked to obesity. Several years ago, Harvard researchers reported that people who had higher BPA concentrations in their urine were more likely to be obese; in May, Canadian researchers reported that the body seems to break down BPA into a compound that might spur the growth of fat cells.
RELATED: 6 Eco-Friendly and Socially Conscious Gifts
Reduce your risk Eat fresh or frozen food instead of canned, or choose brands sold in BPA-free cans. Researchers from Harvard and the CDC found that people who consumed a 12-ounce serving of canned soup every day for five days had a twelvefold increase in BPA levels in their urine compared with those who ate fresh soup—a temporary blip, since the body gets rid of BPA quickly, but potentially worrisome if you eat canned food regularly or have other exposures. Store food in glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers. And avoid microwaving in plastic, because heating the containers allows the chemicals they contain (whether BPA or other compounds) to leach into food, says Birnbaum.
Pesticides (including organophosphates)
What are they?
Poisons formulated to kill, harm or repel pests. Farmers may apply them on fields, and they're in many lawn, garden and home products.
What's the worry?
They can damage your nervous system, irritate your skin or eyes, affect your hormones or even cause cancer. The biggest risk by far is to farm workers and those who live near farms, who are exposed to higher levels than the rest of us, says Irva Hertz-Picciotto, PhD, a pesticide researcher at the UC Davis MIND Institute.
For starters, farmers and other agricultural workers appear to have higher rates of certain cancers. In March, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, raised new concerns about a link between glyphosate, the active ingredient in weed killers such as Roundup, and cancer risk. (Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, disputes the IARC's findings.) But pesticides in the home also pose a potential danger. A new review published in Pediatrics connected indoor pesticide exposure to a significantly higher risk of childhood leukemia and lymphoma.
Researchers are also studying the relationship between pesticides and neurodevelopmental disorders. A study of an agricultural region of California found that evidence of pesticide exposure in pregnant women was linked to a higher risk of attention problems in their young children. And last year, researchers at the MIND Institute reported that pregnant women who lived near fields where chemical pesticides were used had a roughly two-thirds higher risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder, and an even higher risk of having one with other developmental delays.
What about pesticide residues in nonorganic food? The American Cancer Society says there's no evidence at present that they increase the risk of cancer. However, research by Hertz-Picciotto and her colleagues has shown that there may be a risk to kids' neurological health.
Reduce your risk Go organic. "That alone can reduce exposure to pesticides by 90 percent," says Dr. Landrigan. When researchers at Emory University and the University of Washington substituted organic food for children's conventional diets for five days, the metabolites for two types of organophosphate pesticides all but disappeared from the kids' urine. Can't afford all-organic? Choose fruits and veggies with lower pesticide residues (see the Environmental Working Group's guide at http://ift.tt/1MclBNk) and scrub them with water to reduce surface chemicals further.
And, of course, minimize or eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides in and around your home—and remove shoes at the door to prevent tracking in chemicals, says Dr. Zlatnik.
RELATED: 10 Dirty (Plus 5 Clean) Fruits and Veggies
Phthalates
What are they?
These chemicals make plastic flexible (think vinyl shower curtains, food packaging and soft plastic food containers, garden hoses, medical tubing, kids' toys). They're also in products like shampoo, hairspray and nail polish; if you see "parfum" or "fragrance" on a label, it could contain phthalates.
What's the worry?
Phthalates, which decrease testosterone and may also mimic estrogen, have been linked to increased breast cancer risk. "I'm particularly concerned about the effects during pregnancy," says Shanna Swan, PhD, professor of preventive medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She and her colleagues have found that exposure to phthalates in the womb might affect baby boys' sexual development. "Fetal development is to a large extent determined by hormones, so phthalates may be having other subtle effects as well," she says.
Those at elevated risk include women exposed to high levels through jobs in the automotive industry, rubber hose manufacturing facilities and nail salons, but as with other endocrine-disrupting chemicals, scientists are concerned that low doses might be harmful, too.
Reduce your risk The main source of exposure to one of the most concerning phthalates, DEHP, is food, says Swan, so avoid microwaving in plastic, and if you eat, drink or store food in plastic, steer clear of those labeled #3. Also, buy low-fat dairy products and eat leaner cuts of meat, says Sheela Sathyanarayana, MD, associate professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Washington. In 2014, she and colleagues reported that dairy (particularly cream) and meat can contain high levels of a certain type of phthalate, possibly from animal feed or because the chemicals leach into the food from plastics used in processing and packaging.
Congress has already banned several phthalates in toys and in teething and feeding products, but since plastics contain a concoction of chemicals, it's best to avoid plastic toys until your child outgrows the tendency to mouth them, advises Woodruff.
Phthalates can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin as well, which means personal-care products may pose a slight risk. "Choose products that contain few ingredients and are unscented—which means they probably don't contain phthalates," says Woodruff.
As scientists continue to sift through the concerns over chemicals, new scares are likely to keep making headlines. But instead of fretting, let Congress know where you stand. And try to put the risks in perspective, suggests Woodruff: "The sanest approach is to make a few changes to the food and products you buy and adopt some simple habits that reduce your exposure—then enjoy your life.
What about parabens?
These preservatives (found in products like makeup, moisturizers and hair care) have been in use since the 1930s and have long been deemed safe. Parabens are considered to be weak estrogen mimics—10,000 to 100,000 times less active than the estrogen in your body, according to one 1998 study. While they could theoretically increase breast cancer risk, at this point the risk is just that—theoretical—"and based on animal and other lab studies," says Janet Gray, PhD, director of science, technology and society at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., who researches environmental impacts on breast cancer. Bottom line: There's no need to panic about parabens, but it's always wise to limit your exposure to any chemicals that may act like hormones—in this case, by opting for paraben-free personal-care products.
RELATED: 3 Beauty Products You Need to Ditch, Stat
Additives that only sound dangerous
Just because these ingredients have hard-to-pronounce names doesn't make them evil. Don't freak if you see them on the side of a package; they're safe.
Azodicarbonamide is added to flour as a whitening agent and to help bread dough rise. It caused an uproar when it was revealed that it's also used to make yoga mats and a variety of other products you wouldn't want to eat. The World Health Organization has said it can be potentially dangerous when inhaled, possibly triggering asthma in workers who are heavily exposed during the manufacturing process. But as a food additive, it is used in tiny amounts—a maximum of 0.0045 percent of the treated flour, points out Alissa Rumsey, RD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Xanthan gum is a sugarlike substance made from fermentation, feeding cornstarch to bacteria. It's used as a thickener and emulsifier—it helps keep oil and water from separating in products—and increases shelf life. It's in salad dressings and sauces and is what gives most gluten-free breads and baked goods a texture similar to that of wheat-based breads. Some people are allergic to xanthan gum, but if you don't have an allergy, it's harmless, says Rumsey.
RELATED: Which Internet Food Rumors Are True?
Ascorbyl palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C. It helps increase the shelf life of foods and makes food color last longer. When you consume it, it breaks down into vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and palmitate, a kind of fat, explains Rumsey. "Vitamins often have worrisome-sounding names, but this one is actually an antioxidant, so it's good for you," says Robert Gravani, PhD, professor of food science at Cornell University.
Lecithin is a type of fat usually derived from egg yolks or soybeans. It's used as an emulsifier in salad dressing and as a stabilizer in bread. "It's a fat that's essential to most cells in our bodies," notes Gravani. Unless you have a soy or egg allergy, lecithin is safe to consume, says Rumsey.
Calcium propionate is added to breads and bakery products to prevent mold and bacteria growth. It has been studied extensively for toxicity, and findings were negative, says Rumsey. "Some people may get migraines triggered by foods with this preservative," she notes, "but there hasn't been much research to back this up."
Take action
It's natural to assume that the government has safety checks in place for environmental chemicals, but that's not the case. In 1976, when Congress passed the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), there were roughly 62,000 substances already in use in the U.S.—all of which were grandfathered in by Congress and presumed to be safe, without testing. Since then, another 20,000 chemicals have come on the market, and very few have been tested, thanks to weak regulation, says Philip Landrigan, MD, dean for global health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
You can help make a difference in the fight to keep toxic chemicals out of our bodies and our environment. Voice your support for chemical safety reform, which Congress is currently debating: Write your members of Congress to say you're in favor of reforming the TSCA; learn more and join the movement at http://ift.tt/1lns7bu.
RELATED: 15 Ways to Be a Natural Beauty
3 things you don't have to worry about
Dyeing your hair.
Though ingredients in older (pre-1980) hair- dye formulas were shown to cause cancer in lab animals, those ingredients are no longer in use; newer studies haven't found a cancer link. Hairdressers exposed to dyes at work may have a slightly higher risk of bladder cancer, but the IARC says there's not enough evidence to link personal hair-dye use and cancer.
Keeping your mercury fillings
"I have no qualms about using them to treat my patients," says Hadie Rifai, DDS, a dentist with the Cleveland Clinic, and everyone from the Mayo Clinic to the FDA and American Dental Association agrees they're safe.
Eating sushi once a week.
"It's safe to eat two servings of fish a week. Just go for a variety of types," says Emily Oken, MD, associate professor in the department of population medicine at the Harvard School of Public Health. "That way, you get the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and, as long as you're not pregnant, you don't need to worry about mercury exposure."
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9 Superfood Upgrades That Will Make Your Meals Even Healthier
Give every meal an upgrade with these hot superfood add-ins—all it takes is a sprinkle or scoop. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 14, 2015 at 01:15AM
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4 Ways Your Pet Makes Your Life Better
Just as human friends can make you happy in the deepest ways, so too can the furry variety, research shows. "One of my earliest studies found that dog owners are as emotionally close to their dogs as they are to their closest family member," says Sandra Barker, PhD, professor of psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University and director of the university's Center for Human-Animal Interaction. While your sister might not be pleased to hear that, it's good to know that pet ownership has many benefits—like the ones here.
RELATED: The Best Pets For Your Health
1. They keep your stress in check
When your dog starts wagging his tail, it's hard to obsess about that pile of work you just left on your desk. In fact, in one of Barker's studies, her team had people complete a stressful task, then measured their brain waves, blood pressure, heart rate, salivary cortisol and self-reported stress after 30 minutes with their own dog or a therapy dog. "We saw a consistent pattern of stress reduction across all measures," says Barker. "Other researchers have found reduced stress in owners interacting with their dogs after stressful tasks, compared with interacting with friends and spouses."
2. They get you moving
Especially if you have a pup. "Dogs require at least 30 minutes of exercise a day," says Ernie Ward, DVM, founder of the Association for Pet Obesity and Prevention, "and that just so happens to be about how many minutes humans need, too." Dog owners are 34 percent more likely to meet federal guidelines for exercise, according to a 2011 study in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. And exercise is a proven mood booster: In a Norwegian study, people who exercised had better mental health than those who were sedentary. Another study suggested that walking briskly for 30 minutes could have a significant impact on mild to moderate depression symptoms.
RELATED: 13 Fun Ways to Work Out With Your Dog
3. They combat loneliness
In the age of FOMO, having a pet to keep you company can prevent that "Am I the only one who doesn't have plans tonight?" feeling. "Researchers have found a reduction in loneliness in pet-owning women living alone, while others have seen reduced loneliness in nursing home residents after animal-assisted activities," says Barker. But then, if you're an animal lover, you don't need us to tell you about that comfort you get when you're working late into the night and your cat cozies up by your side, or when your dog gleefully greets you after a long, solitary commute.
4. They boost your confidence
Sure, getting a promotion at work can give your self-image a lift—but so can owning a dog. According to one study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, dog owners scored higher in certain well-being categories, including self-esteem, than nonowners. "Because pets can decrease loneliness, anxiety and depression, there's a good chance dog owners will feel more self-assured," explains Barker. The same authors also found that when faced with social rejection, dog owners were better able to stay upbeat—and keep negative feelings at bay.
RELATED: 12 Ways Pets Improve Your Health
GO FISH... TO FEEL JOYFUL
Not a cat or dog person? You can still get happiness perks by owning a fish (or three). Scientists at the National Marine Aquarium in England discovered that looking at an aquarium improved people's moods—and that the more fish they added, the more those folks' heart rates fell.
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RELATED: The Best Pets For Your Health
1. They keep your stress in check
When your dog starts wagging his tail, it's hard to obsess about that pile of work you just left on your desk. In fact, in one of Barker's studies, her team had people complete a stressful task, then measured their brain waves, blood pressure, heart rate, salivary cortisol and self-reported stress after 30 minutes with their own dog or a therapy dog. "We saw a consistent pattern of stress reduction across all measures," says Barker. "Other researchers have found reduced stress in owners interacting with their dogs after stressful tasks, compared with interacting with friends and spouses."
2. They get you moving
Especially if you have a pup. "Dogs require at least 30 minutes of exercise a day," says Ernie Ward, DVM, founder of the Association for Pet Obesity and Prevention, "and that just so happens to be about how many minutes humans need, too." Dog owners are 34 percent more likely to meet federal guidelines for exercise, according to a 2011 study in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. And exercise is a proven mood booster: In a Norwegian study, people who exercised had better mental health than those who were sedentary. Another study suggested that walking briskly for 30 minutes could have a significant impact on mild to moderate depression symptoms.
RELATED: 13 Fun Ways to Work Out With Your Dog
3. They combat loneliness
In the age of FOMO, having a pet to keep you company can prevent that "Am I the only one who doesn't have plans tonight?" feeling. "Researchers have found a reduction in loneliness in pet-owning women living alone, while others have seen reduced loneliness in nursing home residents after animal-assisted activities," says Barker. But then, if you're an animal lover, you don't need us to tell you about that comfort you get when you're working late into the night and your cat cozies up by your side, or when your dog gleefully greets you after a long, solitary commute.
4. They boost your confidence
Sure, getting a promotion at work can give your self-image a lift—but so can owning a dog. According to one study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, dog owners scored higher in certain well-being categories, including self-esteem, than nonowners. "Because pets can decrease loneliness, anxiety and depression, there's a good chance dog owners will feel more self-assured," explains Barker. The same authors also found that when faced with social rejection, dog owners were better able to stay upbeat—and keep negative feelings at bay.
RELATED: 12 Ways Pets Improve Your Health
GO FISH... TO FEEL JOYFUL
Not a cat or dog person? You can still get happiness perks by owning a fish (or three). Scientists at the National Marine Aquarium in England discovered that looking at an aquarium improved people's moods—and that the more fish they added, the more those folks' heart rates fell.
http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 14, 2015 at 01:15AM
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7 Subtle Signs You're Burned-Out
When Tess Kearns and her husband started an all-natural catering company in Chicago last year, the responsibilities of running a new business and raising two kids were super-consuming. "I found myself with a late mortgage and not enough business and racing to learn new skills to keep it all going," says Tess. "But I didn't feel like I was worn-out. I just felt like I had a heavy load to carry."
Then her memory began to slip. "I'd meet someone for a second or third time and not recognize them," she says. "I needed to write to-do lists so I wouldn't forget tasks, but then I'd lose the lists. I was in my 40s, and I was afraid I had early-stage Alzheimer's."
Tess didn't have dementia: She was careening toward burnout. Memory blips are just one of the body's clues that it's stressed to the max. But we're often operating at such a fast pace that we don't even notice the signs. "Our bodies try to tell us to slow down, and we just don't listen," says Alice Domar, PhD, founder of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health in Waltham, Mass. "If you ignore the distress signals for too long, they can turn into health problems." Watch out for these biological tip-offs that it's time for a breather.
RELATED: 17 Surprising Reasons You're Stressed Out
You keep drawing blanks
When you're under stress, your adrenal gland pumps out cortisol, and research has shown that this fight-or-flight hormone can hinder your powers of recall, making it tougher to access stored facts (including so-and-so's name and where you left your phone).
Add late nights or insomnia to the mix and your recollection may get even slipperier. "During sleep, your brain replays whatever you learned that day and moves it into long-term storage," explains Sandra Ackermann, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in biopsychology at the University of Zurich. If you don't get enough shut-eye or you go to bed with your cortisol levels still spiking, that process of encoding details is disturbed.
Tess finally connected her spaciness to burnout at a networking event, where a Reiki therapist spoke about how stress can make the body go haywire. "I went in for a session, and while I was there I felt peace and calm," says Tess. "It may sound 'woo woo,' but I got my focus back. Shortly after that, we had our best business month yet."
RELATED: 17 Ways to Age-Proof Your Brain
Your cuts take forever to heal
Whether you graze your knuckle with a vegetable peeler or develop a nasty blister on a long-distance run, expect to wear a Band-Aid for a while if you're overtaxed. "When you get an injury, your immune system engages right away, sending signals to produce collagen, form a blood clot and recruit cells to protect against germs," explains William Huang, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. "But when you're stressed, your body has higher levels of chemicals called glucocorticoids, which suppress your immune system and make healing slower." Researchers from Ohio State University studied this effect in the caregivers of dementia patients: They found that people shouldering such responsibility healed 24 percent more slowly than those in a control group.
Your cramps are lethal
You already know that stress can make your period late. That's because when the hypothalamus, the regulatory center of the brain, senses that your body is running on empty, it can delay the release of an egg, shifting your whole cycle offtrack.
But for some women, feeling frazzled may make PMS worse as well. In a National Institutes of Health study, researchers followed 259 women for more than a month and quizzed them on how often they felt, for example, nervous or not in control of their lives. Those who reported more stress early in their cycle were more likely than relaxed women to have moderate to severe symptoms before and during their period. (Because killer cramps are just what you need right now.)
RELATED: 9 Best Workouts to Do When You Have Your Period
Your GI tract protests like whoa
Christa Reed, from Park Ridge, Ill., had always had a stomach of steel. But about nine months into a TV news gig that required her to be on-site by 3 a.m., she was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Her doctor prescribed a modified diet and more sleep. Six months later, the pain was worse. "Instead of carrying lip gloss and gum in my purse, I had Tums and Pepto Bismol," says Christa, who was then 27. "My doctor told me that if I didn't get more rest, I'd end up with esophageal cancer." So she decided to quit her job, and within two weeks, the reflux was gone.
Christa's story is far from unusual. "Stress can alter gut secretions and slow or speed up digestion, causing problems like reflux, nausea, constipation or diarrhea," says Michael Gershon, MD, professor of pathology and cell biology at Columbia University and author of The Second Brain.
There may be farther-reaching consequences as well: "When anxiety disrupts digestive processes, the gut's microbiome may begin to change," explains Dr. Gershon. "The presence or absence of different bacteria can influence the strength of your entire immune system, your weight, even your mood." The good news: A little R & R can help restore the balance of bugs in your belly.
You can't stop scratching
In response to any sort of trauma or pathogen, the skin's nerve endings release chemical signals called neuropeptides that communicate "Houston, we have a problem" to the brain. Weirdly, a looming deadline or crammed social calendar can activate the same messengers—resulting in inflammation that makes you feel itchy. "The skin is a dynamic organ, and skin and stress have a complicated interplay," says Dr. Huang.
Your dreams are downright wacky
If your sleep scenes play out like Dancing with the Stars-meets-The Walking Dead fan fiction, you may need a lot more shut-eye. People who are sleep-deprived tend to have more intense dreams, though experts aren't entirely sure why.
One possible explanation: When you're not getting enough rest, your brain prioritizes REM sleep—the most restorative stage, which also happens to be when dreams occur. "Typically, REM sleep doesn't begin until about 90 minutes after you fall asleep," says Joyce Walsleben, PhD, associate professor at the Sleep Disorders Center at NYU School of Medicine. "But if you're exhausted, the brain can get there in as few as 10 minutes." Throughout the night, it will cycle quickly through the other two stages of sleep to make up for the deficit in REM, which means more time for creative nocturnal imaginings to unfold.
Plus, if you're stressed-out and sleeping fitfully, you're more likely to wake up middream, or just after one, and remember the details vividly—especially if it involved, say, flamenco-dancing zombies.
RELATED: 7 Tips for the Best Sleep Ever
Your head pounds on Saturdays
After a brutal week at the office, the weekend feels like a gift from the gods. You sleep in, enjoy a leisurely brunch and then...develop throbbing pressure in your skull? "We're not exactly sure why, but migraines are sometimes triggered by the letdown after a period of stress rather than the stress itself," explains Peter Goadsby, PhD, a neurologist who specializes in headache disorders at Kings College London. The effect might be the result of a sharp drop in cortisol. Who knew?
RELATED: 10 Foods That May Trigger a Migraine
POSES FOR PEACE
Your brain and body are screaming for z's—but stress is keeping you up at night. Help! This simple yoga series from celebrity instructor Mandy Ingber can help relax your mind for better rest.
1. Easy seated pose with alternate-nostril breathing
Sit on the floor, legs crossed. Use your right thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale through your left nostril. At the top of the inhale, close your left nostril with your right ring finger and release right nostril. Exhale and inhale through your right nostril. Close right nostril again and exhale through left nostril. Repeat the sequence 16 times.
2. Reclining Pigeon Pose
Lie on your back, knees bent and soles of feet on the floor. Cross right ankle over left knee. Clasp your hands behind left hamstring and draw thigh toward your torso. Hold for up to two minutes, breathing deeply. Switch sides.
3. Legs-up-the-wall pose
Sit by a wall with right hip and shoulder touching it, knees bent. Roll onto your back and extend legs up the wall. Stay here for 5 to 10 minutes. "This mellow inversion reverses blood flow, encourages lymphatic drainage and brings renewed blood to your heart," says Ingber.
RELATED: 3 Stress-Busting Yoga Poses
TENSION-BUSTING TIPS THE PROS USE
"I've created little cues to remind myself to take breaks. Now, whenever I'm stopped at a red light, or whenever I glance at the clock at work, I practice diaphragmatic breathing." —Alice Domar, PhD
"Some whole foods can actually help you handle stress better. Berries, red bell peppers and kale are all good sources of vitamin C, which helps regulate cortisol. And avocados contain loads of potassium, which helps keep your blood pressure healthy."—Wendy Bazilian, RD
"For the best sleep, you have to find a way to separate the day from the night. That might mean taking a quick shower before bed or starting a new bedtime routine, like writing in a journal or doing some yoga."—Joyce Walsleben, PhD
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Then her memory began to slip. "I'd meet someone for a second or third time and not recognize them," she says. "I needed to write to-do lists so I wouldn't forget tasks, but then I'd lose the lists. I was in my 40s, and I was afraid I had early-stage Alzheimer's."
Tess didn't have dementia: She was careening toward burnout. Memory blips are just one of the body's clues that it's stressed to the max. But we're often operating at such a fast pace that we don't even notice the signs. "Our bodies try to tell us to slow down, and we just don't listen," says Alice Domar, PhD, founder of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health in Waltham, Mass. "If you ignore the distress signals for too long, they can turn into health problems." Watch out for these biological tip-offs that it's time for a breather.
RELATED: 17 Surprising Reasons You're Stressed Out
You keep drawing blanks
When you're under stress, your adrenal gland pumps out cortisol, and research has shown that this fight-or-flight hormone can hinder your powers of recall, making it tougher to access stored facts (including so-and-so's name and where you left your phone).
Add late nights or insomnia to the mix and your recollection may get even slipperier. "During sleep, your brain replays whatever you learned that day and moves it into long-term storage," explains Sandra Ackermann, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in biopsychology at the University of Zurich. If you don't get enough shut-eye or you go to bed with your cortisol levels still spiking, that process of encoding details is disturbed.
Tess finally connected her spaciness to burnout at a networking event, where a Reiki therapist spoke about how stress can make the body go haywire. "I went in for a session, and while I was there I felt peace and calm," says Tess. "It may sound 'woo woo,' but I got my focus back. Shortly after that, we had our best business month yet."
RELATED: 17 Ways to Age-Proof Your Brain
Your cuts take forever to heal
Whether you graze your knuckle with a vegetable peeler or develop a nasty blister on a long-distance run, expect to wear a Band-Aid for a while if you're overtaxed. "When you get an injury, your immune system engages right away, sending signals to produce collagen, form a blood clot and recruit cells to protect against germs," explains William Huang, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. "But when you're stressed, your body has higher levels of chemicals called glucocorticoids, which suppress your immune system and make healing slower." Researchers from Ohio State University studied this effect in the caregivers of dementia patients: They found that people shouldering such responsibility healed 24 percent more slowly than those in a control group.
Your cramps are lethal
You already know that stress can make your period late. That's because when the hypothalamus, the regulatory center of the brain, senses that your body is running on empty, it can delay the release of an egg, shifting your whole cycle offtrack.
But for some women, feeling frazzled may make PMS worse as well. In a National Institutes of Health study, researchers followed 259 women for more than a month and quizzed them on how often they felt, for example, nervous or not in control of their lives. Those who reported more stress early in their cycle were more likely than relaxed women to have moderate to severe symptoms before and during their period. (Because killer cramps are just what you need right now.)
RELATED: 9 Best Workouts to Do When You Have Your Period
Your GI tract protests like whoa
Christa Reed, from Park Ridge, Ill., had always had a stomach of steel. But about nine months into a TV news gig that required her to be on-site by 3 a.m., she was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Her doctor prescribed a modified diet and more sleep. Six months later, the pain was worse. "Instead of carrying lip gloss and gum in my purse, I had Tums and Pepto Bismol," says Christa, who was then 27. "My doctor told me that if I didn't get more rest, I'd end up with esophageal cancer." So she decided to quit her job, and within two weeks, the reflux was gone.
Christa's story is far from unusual. "Stress can alter gut secretions and slow or speed up digestion, causing problems like reflux, nausea, constipation or diarrhea," says Michael Gershon, MD, professor of pathology and cell biology at Columbia University and author of The Second Brain.
There may be farther-reaching consequences as well: "When anxiety disrupts digestive processes, the gut's microbiome may begin to change," explains Dr. Gershon. "The presence or absence of different bacteria can influence the strength of your entire immune system, your weight, even your mood." The good news: A little R & R can help restore the balance of bugs in your belly.
You can't stop scratching
In response to any sort of trauma or pathogen, the skin's nerve endings release chemical signals called neuropeptides that communicate "Houston, we have a problem" to the brain. Weirdly, a looming deadline or crammed social calendar can activate the same messengers—resulting in inflammation that makes you feel itchy. "The skin is a dynamic organ, and skin and stress have a complicated interplay," says Dr. Huang.
Your dreams are downright wacky
If your sleep scenes play out like Dancing with the Stars-meets-The Walking Dead fan fiction, you may need a lot more shut-eye. People who are sleep-deprived tend to have more intense dreams, though experts aren't entirely sure why.
One possible explanation: When you're not getting enough rest, your brain prioritizes REM sleep—the most restorative stage, which also happens to be when dreams occur. "Typically, REM sleep doesn't begin until about 90 minutes after you fall asleep," says Joyce Walsleben, PhD, associate professor at the Sleep Disorders Center at NYU School of Medicine. "But if you're exhausted, the brain can get there in as few as 10 minutes." Throughout the night, it will cycle quickly through the other two stages of sleep to make up for the deficit in REM, which means more time for creative nocturnal imaginings to unfold.
Plus, if you're stressed-out and sleeping fitfully, you're more likely to wake up middream, or just after one, and remember the details vividly—especially if it involved, say, flamenco-dancing zombies.
RELATED: 7 Tips for the Best Sleep Ever
Your head pounds on Saturdays
After a brutal week at the office, the weekend feels like a gift from the gods. You sleep in, enjoy a leisurely brunch and then...develop throbbing pressure in your skull? "We're not exactly sure why, but migraines are sometimes triggered by the letdown after a period of stress rather than the stress itself," explains Peter Goadsby, PhD, a neurologist who specializes in headache disorders at Kings College London. The effect might be the result of a sharp drop in cortisol. Who knew?
RELATED: 10 Foods That May Trigger a Migraine
POSES FOR PEACE
Your brain and body are screaming for z's—but stress is keeping you up at night. Help! This simple yoga series from celebrity instructor Mandy Ingber can help relax your mind for better rest.
1. Easy seated pose with alternate-nostril breathing
Sit on the floor, legs crossed. Use your right thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale through your left nostril. At the top of the inhale, close your left nostril with your right ring finger and release right nostril. Exhale and inhale through your right nostril. Close right nostril again and exhale through left nostril. Repeat the sequence 16 times.
2. Reclining Pigeon Pose
Lie on your back, knees bent and soles of feet on the floor. Cross right ankle over left knee. Clasp your hands behind left hamstring and draw thigh toward your torso. Hold for up to two minutes, breathing deeply. Switch sides.
3. Legs-up-the-wall pose
Sit by a wall with right hip and shoulder touching it, knees bent. Roll onto your back and extend legs up the wall. Stay here for 5 to 10 minutes. "This mellow inversion reverses blood flow, encourages lymphatic drainage and brings renewed blood to your heart," says Ingber.
RELATED: 3 Stress-Busting Yoga Poses
TENSION-BUSTING TIPS THE PROS USE
"I've created little cues to remind myself to take breaks. Now, whenever I'm stopped at a red light, or whenever I glance at the clock at work, I practice diaphragmatic breathing." —Alice Domar, PhD
"Some whole foods can actually help you handle stress better. Berries, red bell peppers and kale are all good sources of vitamin C, which helps regulate cortisol. And avocados contain loads of potassium, which helps keep your blood pressure healthy."—Wendy Bazilian, RD
"For the best sleep, you have to find a way to separate the day from the night. That might mean taking a quick shower before bed or starting a new bedtime routine, like writing in a journal or doing some yoga."—Joyce Walsleben, PhD
http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 14, 2015 at 01:15AM
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16 Perfect Gifts for the Yoga Lover in Your Life
The ultimate yoga gift guide for anyone who loves to say om. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 14, 2015 at 01:15AM
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13 Ways the Holidays Can Ruin Your Looks
Don't let stress, calories, or a lack of sleep steal your party-fabulous look this season. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 13, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Clean Your House in a Hurry
Companys coming, and your house is a mess? No worries. Follow this advice from Julie Edelman, author of The Accidental Housewife, and youll have a neat, party-ready place in no time.
Get out the baskets
Its OK to hide stuff in plain sight (i.e., magazines in a basket near the sofa, remote controls in a basket near the coffee table). Its a trick Edelman calls “reshifting,” and itll not only make your home look organized but also ensure that youll be able to find key things later.
Pretty up the clutter
Got junk everywhere? Make it a decorative element—stack books horizontally and vertically on tables and floor (very bookish London flat!), put cooking utensils in a cheerful water pitcher, fan out magazines in a fun way on the coffee table.
Dont forget about the bathroom
Pull out disinfectant wipes and quickly clean the key surfaces. For the toilet bowl, drop a couple of effervescent tablets (like Alka-Seltzer) or pour a can of soda into the bowl; let it fizz for 20 minutes, then flush.
Suck it up.
Sorry, but vacuuming is a must. Just run the vacuum quickly through the house. Itll pick up little pieces of paper and dust and make your place look more polished instantly. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 13, 2015 at 01:15AM
from Healthy & Happy - Health.com http://ift.tt/1Qmmyqt
Get out the baskets
Its OK to hide stuff in plain sight (i.e., magazines in a basket near the sofa, remote controls in a basket near the coffee table). Its a trick Edelman calls “reshifting,” and itll not only make your home look organized but also ensure that youll be able to find key things later.
Pretty up the clutter
Got junk everywhere? Make it a decorative element—stack books horizontally and vertically on tables and floor (very bookish London flat!), put cooking utensils in a cheerful water pitcher, fan out magazines in a fun way on the coffee table.
Dont forget about the bathroom
Pull out disinfectant wipes and quickly clean the key surfaces. For the toilet bowl, drop a couple of effervescent tablets (like Alka-Seltzer) or pour a can of soda into the bowl; let it fizz for 20 minutes, then flush.
Suck it up.
Sorry, but vacuuming is a must. Just run the vacuum quickly through the house. Itll pick up little pieces of paper and dust and make your place look more polished instantly. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 13, 2015 at 01:15AM
from Healthy & Happy - Health.com http://ift.tt/1Qmmyqt
How to Keep a Super-Clean House
From Health magazine
You've worked hard to make your house a beautiful, peaceful haven—but even super-tidy homes can harbor unwelcome germs. In fact, "you're more likely to get sick from a germ in your own house than from any other source," says Kelly A. Reynolds, PhD, an environmental microbiologist at the University of Arizona.
But, not to worry: we've tracked down these germs and come up with simple strategies to get rid of them. Here, 10 places in your home, ranked from most to least germy by a team of experts, and easy ways to keep them clean—and you healthy.
1. Kitchen sink, countertop, and sponges
There are lots of places for germs to hang out in the kitchen, including the drain in your sink (typically home to more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch), the countertop (a welcome mat for food crumbs and meat juices), and the sponges, rags, scrubbers, and towels you use for cleaning (roughly 70% harbor microbes like E. coli, the bacteria responsible for most urinary tract infections). But for every germy hot spot in the kitchen, there's a smart and simple way to clean up.
Simple Fix: After you rinse or cook food, clean the sink, counters, and faucet with soap and water or an antibacterial cleanser. (Water washes germs away. A cleanser with bleach kills the germs.) It's tempting to leave your cleaning implement—a damp rag or sponge—hanging around to use the next day, but that could create a germ breeding ground, says Michael G. Schmidt, PhD, professor and vice chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Instead, sanitize your sponge or brush in the dishwasher and your dishrags in the washing machine. To really disinfect the sink and drain, clean them twice a week with a solution of one tablespoon of bleach and one quart of water: scrub the basin, then pour the solution down the drain.
2. Your cutting boards
Before you start chopping, it's wise to make sure you're 100% up on the danger of food contaminants. Pathogens that can hide in foods like leafy greens, potatoes, and berries—three of the 10 riskiest foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—are thought to be responsible for 20,000 illnesses since 1990, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Washing your food before eating removes some germs, of course, and cooking meat kills dangerous bacteria like salmonella. And you probably know it's smart to chop meats and veggies on separate boards. Still, almost 25% of food-sickness outbreaks are the result of kitchen mistakes, such as using contaminated cutting boards, according to Donna Rosenbaum, executive director of Safe Tables Our Priority, a nonprofit food-safety organization.
Simple fix: After washing all your fruits and veggies well, use your senses to help guide you. "We can't see microbes but we can sometimes smell and feel them," Schmidt says. If your food doesn't smell or feel right, throw it out. As for your cutting board, use glass or plastic, both of which are nonporous and most resistant to germs, says Laura Dellutri of HealthyHousekeeper.com and author of Speed Cleaning 101.
When you're done with the board, wash it in hot, soapy water, and then spray it with a mixture of one teaspoon of bleach to 16 ounces of water that you keep in a clearly labeled spray bottle, Dellutri says. Finally, rinse the cutting board again with hot water or toss it in the dishwasher. Got a beat-up board? Replace it. Bacteria can hide in a cutting board with lots of knife-cut indentations.
3. Wet laundry
An icky fact: There's a tenth of a gram of feces hiding in every pair of underwear, and washing doesn't always remove it all. That means you can get E. coli on your hands every time you transfer underwear from the washer to the dryer, says Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona. And a single soiled undergarment can spread those dangerous bacteria to the whole load.
Simple fix: Think 150 degrees, the temperature at which you should run your washer and dryer, to kill bacteria. "Most organisms die in the drying cycle," Reynolds says. Wash underwear separately, and wash whites with bleach, which kills 99.99% of bugs.
Transfer wet laundry to the dryer quickly so germs don't multiply; dry for at least 45 minutes (or until the load is fully dry). Wash your hands after doing laundry, and run a cycle of bleach and water after laundering unmentionables to eliminate any lingering germs.
4. Your toothbrush
The human mouth contains about 100 million microbes per milliliter of saliva, Schmidt says. Those microbes eat the same food you do, and when you brush, food particles and bacteria stick to your toothbrush. The unhappy result: an overgrowth of germs on your brush.
Simple fix: After brushing, rinse your toothbrush with hot water and stand it up in a water glass to air-dry, says Margaret Lewin, MD, a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Cornell University and medical director of the insurance company Cinergy Health. Don't lay it on the counter, where it can gather other bathroom germs, and don't store it in a travel case, where bacteria can thrive in the moisture. You can even clean your toothbrush in the dishwasher once in a while.
5. The bathtub/shower
Every time you take a bath or shower, you remove germs and viruses from your body. That's the great news. But all the bad stuff doesn't conveniently slide down the drain or die on the porcelain; some of it thrives if those surfaces stay moist.
In fact, researcher Elizabeth Scott, PhD, co-director of the Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community at Simmons College in Boston, found staphylococcus bacteria, a common cause of serious skin infections, in 26% of the tubs she tested, compared with just 6% of garbage cans.
Simple fix: Use a disinfecting cleanser once a week on the bathroom floor and sides of the tub and shower; rinse well and dry the surfaces with a towel. Keep the shower dry on a daily basis by using a squeegee, and disinfect the squeegee weekly, too.
6. Your cell phone and other tech stuff
The things you touch a zillion times a day—iPhone, BlackBerry, keyboard, computer mouse—are big carriers of germs, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and flu viruses.
Simple fix: Clean the surfaces of your phone or other tech devices with a disinfecting product. Any antibacterial wipe will work; just don't get your sensitive equipment too wet.
7. Bathroom floor
Believe it or not, there are more germs on the bathroom floor than on the toilet seat. The problem is flushing, during which microscopic fecal matter is sprayed into the air and lands on the floor, where moisture helps germs grow.
Simple fix: Be sure to close the lid of the toilet before you flush. Also, mop your bathroom floor once a week with a bleach-based cleanser. And clean and dry mats used on your bathroom floor; damp ones help mold and bacteria grow. Hang mats up so they are more likely to dry out between uses, wash them in very hot water weekly, and make sure they're dry before using them again.
8. Your shoes
Whatever sticks to your shoes comes into your house—irritating pollen during allergy season, pesticide residue from your lawn, lead-contaminated dust.
Simple fix: It's easy to keep the germs and yuck outside. Remove your shoes at the door. Wipe your feet on a high-quality, abrasive doormat. (Clean the mat once a week, too.) Also, consider some eco-friendly ways to keep lawn chemicals outdoors. Try organic lawn sprays and other nonchemical options—from aphid-
eating ladybugs to heat (electrocution) for termites; they work pretty well and won't contaminate your home, experts say.
9. The bedroom
You spend so much time in the bedroom (one-third of your life, actually) that it's no wonder some germs take up residence there. We all shed dead skin cells on the bedding, floor, or bedside table and sometimes toss sweaty clothes into a hamper instead of right into the wash. It's pretty rare, but those skin cells may contain staph.
Another potential problem is your damp clothes can grow mold in the hamper. What's more likely, however, is you'll be aggravated by dust mites, those critters that love sheets and mattresses—20 million people are allergic to them (signs include itchy eyes, a runny nose, even asthma symptoms like wheezing).
Simple fix: To eliminate dust mites and the dead skin cells they eat, wash bedding in hot water at least once a week. Turn up the water heater to a dust mite–killing 130 degrees before you wash, and turn it back down afterward. And consider using an anti-allergy mattress wrap (several are available at AllergyBuyersClub.com), which can keep mite waste from contaminating your air. Wet-mop the floor and clean surfaces with a germ-killing cleanser. And don't let damp clothes sit in a hamper longer than a day.
10. Dusty spots
"In general, dust isn't filled with germs," Schmidt says. "It doesn't have enough moisture." But dust can cover germy surfaces that should be disinfected regularly—and it may contain chemical residue and insect debris, which can trigger asthma and allergies.
Simple fix: Wet-mop floors at least once a week to keep dust to a minimum. And vacuum smarter with a high-quality unit that has a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Vacuum not just floors and carpets but soft furnishings and even counters and bookshelves. Decluttering can help, too, Schmidt says: "If you're into minimalist design, you'll be less prone to dust." Follow vacuuming of hard surfaces by cleaning with an antibacterial wipe or spray. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 13, 2015 at 01:15AM
from Healthy & Happy - Health.com http://ift.tt/1Y9sfJQ
You've worked hard to make your house a beautiful, peaceful haven—but even super-tidy homes can harbor unwelcome germs. In fact, "you're more likely to get sick from a germ in your own house than from any other source," says Kelly A. Reynolds, PhD, an environmental microbiologist at the University of Arizona.
But, not to worry: we've tracked down these germs and come up with simple strategies to get rid of them. Here, 10 places in your home, ranked from most to least germy by a team of experts, and easy ways to keep them clean—and you healthy.
1. Kitchen sink, countertop, and sponges
There are lots of places for germs to hang out in the kitchen, including the drain in your sink (typically home to more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch), the countertop (a welcome mat for food crumbs and meat juices), and the sponges, rags, scrubbers, and towels you use for cleaning (roughly 70% harbor microbes like E. coli, the bacteria responsible for most urinary tract infections). But for every germy hot spot in the kitchen, there's a smart and simple way to clean up.
Simple Fix: After you rinse or cook food, clean the sink, counters, and faucet with soap and water or an antibacterial cleanser. (Water washes germs away. A cleanser with bleach kills the germs.) It's tempting to leave your cleaning implement—a damp rag or sponge—hanging around to use the next day, but that could create a germ breeding ground, says Michael G. Schmidt, PhD, professor and vice chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Instead, sanitize your sponge or brush in the dishwasher and your dishrags in the washing machine. To really disinfect the sink and drain, clean them twice a week with a solution of one tablespoon of bleach and one quart of water: scrub the basin, then pour the solution down the drain.
2. Your cutting boards
Before you start chopping, it's wise to make sure you're 100% up on the danger of food contaminants. Pathogens that can hide in foods like leafy greens, potatoes, and berries—three of the 10 riskiest foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—are thought to be responsible for 20,000 illnesses since 1990, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Washing your food before eating removes some germs, of course, and cooking meat kills dangerous bacteria like salmonella. And you probably know it's smart to chop meats and veggies on separate boards. Still, almost 25% of food-sickness outbreaks are the result of kitchen mistakes, such as using contaminated cutting boards, according to Donna Rosenbaum, executive director of Safe Tables Our Priority, a nonprofit food-safety organization.
Simple fix: After washing all your fruits and veggies well, use your senses to help guide you. "We can't see microbes but we can sometimes smell and feel them," Schmidt says. If your food doesn't smell or feel right, throw it out. As for your cutting board, use glass or plastic, both of which are nonporous and most resistant to germs, says Laura Dellutri of HealthyHousekeeper.com and author of Speed Cleaning 101.
When you're done with the board, wash it in hot, soapy water, and then spray it with a mixture of one teaspoon of bleach to 16 ounces of water that you keep in a clearly labeled spray bottle, Dellutri says. Finally, rinse the cutting board again with hot water or toss it in the dishwasher. Got a beat-up board? Replace it. Bacteria can hide in a cutting board with lots of knife-cut indentations.
3. Wet laundry
An icky fact: There's a tenth of a gram of feces hiding in every pair of underwear, and washing doesn't always remove it all. That means you can get E. coli on your hands every time you transfer underwear from the washer to the dryer, says Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona. And a single soiled undergarment can spread those dangerous bacteria to the whole load.
Simple fix: Think 150 degrees, the temperature at which you should run your washer and dryer, to kill bacteria. "Most organisms die in the drying cycle," Reynolds says. Wash underwear separately, and wash whites with bleach, which kills 99.99% of bugs.
Transfer wet laundry to the dryer quickly so germs don't multiply; dry for at least 45 minutes (or until the load is fully dry). Wash your hands after doing laundry, and run a cycle of bleach and water after laundering unmentionables to eliminate any lingering germs.
4. Your toothbrush
The human mouth contains about 100 million microbes per milliliter of saliva, Schmidt says. Those microbes eat the same food you do, and when you brush, food particles and bacteria stick to your toothbrush. The unhappy result: an overgrowth of germs on your brush.
Simple fix: After brushing, rinse your toothbrush with hot water and stand it up in a water glass to air-dry, says Margaret Lewin, MD, a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Cornell University and medical director of the insurance company Cinergy Health. Don't lay it on the counter, where it can gather other bathroom germs, and don't store it in a travel case, where bacteria can thrive in the moisture. You can even clean your toothbrush in the dishwasher once in a while.
5. The bathtub/shower
Every time you take a bath or shower, you remove germs and viruses from your body. That's the great news. But all the bad stuff doesn't conveniently slide down the drain or die on the porcelain; some of it thrives if those surfaces stay moist.
In fact, researcher Elizabeth Scott, PhD, co-director of the Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community at Simmons College in Boston, found staphylococcus bacteria, a common cause of serious skin infections, in 26% of the tubs she tested, compared with just 6% of garbage cans.
Simple fix: Use a disinfecting cleanser once a week on the bathroom floor and sides of the tub and shower; rinse well and dry the surfaces with a towel. Keep the shower dry on a daily basis by using a squeegee, and disinfect the squeegee weekly, too.
6. Your cell phone and other tech stuff
The things you touch a zillion times a day—iPhone, BlackBerry, keyboard, computer mouse—are big carriers of germs, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and flu viruses.
Simple fix: Clean the surfaces of your phone or other tech devices with a disinfecting product. Any antibacterial wipe will work; just don't get your sensitive equipment too wet.
7. Bathroom floor
Believe it or not, there are more germs on the bathroom floor than on the toilet seat. The problem is flushing, during which microscopic fecal matter is sprayed into the air and lands on the floor, where moisture helps germs grow.
Simple fix: Be sure to close the lid of the toilet before you flush. Also, mop your bathroom floor once a week with a bleach-based cleanser. And clean and dry mats used on your bathroom floor; damp ones help mold and bacteria grow. Hang mats up so they are more likely to dry out between uses, wash them in very hot water weekly, and make sure they're dry before using them again.
8. Your shoes
Whatever sticks to your shoes comes into your house—irritating pollen during allergy season, pesticide residue from your lawn, lead-contaminated dust.
Simple fix: It's easy to keep the germs and yuck outside. Remove your shoes at the door. Wipe your feet on a high-quality, abrasive doormat. (Clean the mat once a week, too.) Also, consider some eco-friendly ways to keep lawn chemicals outdoors. Try organic lawn sprays and other nonchemical options—from aphid-
eating ladybugs to heat (electrocution) for termites; they work pretty well and won't contaminate your home, experts say.
9. The bedroom
You spend so much time in the bedroom (one-third of your life, actually) that it's no wonder some germs take up residence there. We all shed dead skin cells on the bedding, floor, or bedside table and sometimes toss sweaty clothes into a hamper instead of right into the wash. It's pretty rare, but those skin cells may contain staph.
Another potential problem is your damp clothes can grow mold in the hamper. What's more likely, however, is you'll be aggravated by dust mites, those critters that love sheets and mattresses—20 million people are allergic to them (signs include itchy eyes, a runny nose, even asthma symptoms like wheezing).
Simple fix: To eliminate dust mites and the dead skin cells they eat, wash bedding in hot water at least once a week. Turn up the water heater to a dust mite–killing 130 degrees before you wash, and turn it back down afterward. And consider using an anti-allergy mattress wrap (several are available at AllergyBuyersClub.com), which can keep mite waste from contaminating your air. Wet-mop the floor and clean surfaces with a germ-killing cleanser. And don't let damp clothes sit in a hamper longer than a day.
10. Dusty spots
"In general, dust isn't filled with germs," Schmidt says. "It doesn't have enough moisture." But dust can cover germy surfaces that should be disinfected regularly—and it may contain chemical residue and insect debris, which can trigger asthma and allergies.
Simple fix: Wet-mop floors at least once a week to keep dust to a minimum. And vacuum smarter with a high-quality unit that has a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Vacuum not just floors and carpets but soft furnishings and even counters and bookshelves. Decluttering can help, too, Schmidt says: "If you're into minimalist design, you'll be less prone to dust." Follow vacuuming of hard surfaces by cleaning with an antibacterial wipe or spray. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 13, 2015 at 01:15AM
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How to Clean Everything Better
From your fingernails down to your hardwood floors, here are the healthiest, gentlest ways to give dirt and grime the one-two punch. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 13, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Keep Your Kitchen Clean, Healthy, and Safe
Follow these six steps to make your favorite room in the house as clean as it looks. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 13, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Thursday, 12 November 2015
29 Gifts For People Who Can't Live Without Coffee
Buzzworthy coffee gifts for the budding barista in your life. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 13, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Monday, 9 November 2015
Hoda Kotb: "Suddenly Life's Not So Scary"
Her first name means "guidance" in Arabic, but Hoda Kotb's most defining quality might just be resilience. At 51, the Egyptian-American journalist has survived divorce and breast cancer, not to mention reporting on war zones and natural disasters. While millions tune in to watch her on TV (NBC, 10 a.m. EST), Hoda often looks to others for inspiration. Now she's collected powerful stories about people (some famous, some not) who've found their true callings—and true selves—in a new book, Where We Belong: Journeys That Show Us the Way (out Jan. 5). "I think we've all felt at some point—you don't know if you're on the right path," says Hoda. "It's nice to read about people who changed direction not because of circumstance but because they decided, 'This is the way I'm going to go.'"
RELATED: Worst Things to Say to a Breast Cancer Patient
One key lesson from the book: If you realize you're not in the right place, that doesn't mean you should quit your job and choose a wildly different track. Here's the thing: We need insurance. You can take baby steps toward that thing you're really meant to do, all the while living in a way that's still smart and practical.
You wrote about your dream to open a camp for underprivileged kids. Are you pursuing that?
Yes. I've met so many kids who are right on the bubble. They can be so much, but they live in difficult circumstances. You feel like if they just had a little more attention, love—something—they could be great.
Do you have other dreams you've yet to accomplish?
When I'm walking down the street with my boyfriend [New York City financier Joel Schiffman], I stop every baby. Seriously. It's totally crazy. He'll just walk slowly next to me. I think that, because I didn't have my own kids, the summer camp will fulfill me in that way.
RELATED: 10 Tips for Getting Pregnant
Were there times in your life when you felt you weren't in the place you belonged?
I worked in accounts payable at USAir. Look, numbers are not my thing. My checkbook is on the floor in my dressing room somewhere. That was not a fit. I covered hard news for a long time. I'm sure I was fine at it, but it doesn't feel as right as this job does.
What is it about this job that feels so right?
When I'm sitting with Kathie Lee, it's like breathing. It doesn't feel like work. I was very buttoned-up at first, so it took a while. But when you're with someone who will catch you and support you, you feel safe.
You're very fit. How do you take care of yourself?
First of all, I think I'm sort of fit. I do a little, a lot. This morning I ran in Central Park. I bet if you took my blood pressure while I'm running down Sixth Avenue toward the park versus the minute I step into the park, something happens. It just feels peaceful, especially when it's predawn.
RELATED: 15 Running Tips You Need to Know
You started walking, then running again after having a mastectomy and reconstruction in 2007. What did you learn about yourself during recovery?
Before getting sick, I always felt very lucky to have my career. I couldn't believe I got hired at Dateline. I felt kind of like I didn't deserve it. My illness empowered me in a way I didn't expect. Before, I never would've asked for my current job. I would've thought, Why would they pick me? But it gave me courage, knowing you get one ride around the sun. And then, suddenly, it isn't so scary.
You wrote last year that your body confidence was at about 90 percent. What got you there?
I think that when someone loves you, you get a kind of confidence. When you look into someone's eyes and they see beauty, it really does change how you see yourself. I guess I feel freer now than I ever did before. I don't think I ever wore a bikini before I got sick. But now I feel like "OK, this is my body," you know? "Have at it."
RELATED: Instantly Improve Your Relationship
Lessons Learned
A few epiphanies from the pages of Where We Belong.
"You're the only one who can decide...what you're going to do with your day. You can sit around thinking, I have no choice, but there's always another choice."
—Chef and internist Michelle Hauser, MD, whose high school guidance counselor in Mason City, Iowa, suggested she aspire to factory work
"Everybody's going to have an opinion, but you have to do what's in your heart."
—Laila Ali, on her decision to box and step into the spotlight
"When you look back at your life, it's really who you loved and who loved you, and how you spent your time with those you're close with."
—Neshama Abraham, who grew up in a mansion in the lap of luxury, then helped found a cohousing community in Boulder, Colo.
http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 10, 2015 at 01:15AM
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RELATED: Worst Things to Say to a Breast Cancer Patient
One key lesson from the book: If you realize you're not in the right place, that doesn't mean you should quit your job and choose a wildly different track. Here's the thing: We need insurance. You can take baby steps toward that thing you're really meant to do, all the while living in a way that's still smart and practical.
You wrote about your dream to open a camp for underprivileged kids. Are you pursuing that?
Yes. I've met so many kids who are right on the bubble. They can be so much, but they live in difficult circumstances. You feel like if they just had a little more attention, love—something—they could be great.
Do you have other dreams you've yet to accomplish?
When I'm walking down the street with my boyfriend [New York City financier Joel Schiffman], I stop every baby. Seriously. It's totally crazy. He'll just walk slowly next to me. I think that, because I didn't have my own kids, the summer camp will fulfill me in that way.
RELATED: 10 Tips for Getting Pregnant
Were there times in your life when you felt you weren't in the place you belonged?
I worked in accounts payable at USAir. Look, numbers are not my thing. My checkbook is on the floor in my dressing room somewhere. That was not a fit. I covered hard news for a long time. I'm sure I was fine at it, but it doesn't feel as right as this job does.
What is it about this job that feels so right?
When I'm sitting with Kathie Lee, it's like breathing. It doesn't feel like work. I was very buttoned-up at first, so it took a while. But when you're with someone who will catch you and support you, you feel safe.
You're very fit. How do you take care of yourself?
First of all, I think I'm sort of fit. I do a little, a lot. This morning I ran in Central Park. I bet if you took my blood pressure while I'm running down Sixth Avenue toward the park versus the minute I step into the park, something happens. It just feels peaceful, especially when it's predawn.
RELATED: 15 Running Tips You Need to Know
You started walking, then running again after having a mastectomy and reconstruction in 2007. What did you learn about yourself during recovery?
Before getting sick, I always felt very lucky to have my career. I couldn't believe I got hired at Dateline. I felt kind of like I didn't deserve it. My illness empowered me in a way I didn't expect. Before, I never would've asked for my current job. I would've thought, Why would they pick me? But it gave me courage, knowing you get one ride around the sun. And then, suddenly, it isn't so scary.
You wrote last year that your body confidence was at about 90 percent. What got you there?
I think that when someone loves you, you get a kind of confidence. When you look into someone's eyes and they see beauty, it really does change how you see yourself. I guess I feel freer now than I ever did before. I don't think I ever wore a bikini before I got sick. But now I feel like "OK, this is my body," you know? "Have at it."
RELATED: Instantly Improve Your Relationship
Lessons Learned
A few epiphanies from the pages of Where We Belong.
"You're the only one who can decide...what you're going to do with your day. You can sit around thinking, I have no choice, but there's always another choice."
—Chef and internist Michelle Hauser, MD, whose high school guidance counselor in Mason City, Iowa, suggested she aspire to factory work
"Everybody's going to have an opinion, but you have to do what's in your heart."
—Laila Ali, on her decision to box and step into the spotlight
"When you look back at your life, it's really who you loved and who loved you, and how you spent your time with those you're close with."
—Neshama Abraham, who grew up in a mansion in the lap of luxury, then helped found a cohousing community in Boulder, Colo.
http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 10, 2015 at 01:15AM
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Train Like an Olympian With Lindsey Vonn's Lower-Body Workout
Lindsey's lower-body workout torches calories and builds muscle in all the right places. http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 11, 2015 at 01:15AM
from Diet & Fitness - Health.com http://ift.tt/1Y0EPLf
from Diet & Fitness - Health.com http://ift.tt/1Y0EPLf
Turning 40 Inspired Me to Lose 75 Pounds
Jennifer Lasher
41, 5'6"
Hauppauge, N.Y.
Before: 210 lb.
Dress size: 16
After: 135 lb.
Dress size: 6
Total pounds lost: 75 lb.
Sizes lost: 5
Growing up Italian, I had carb-heavy meals as the usual dinner fare. And while I exercised at times in high school and college, my weight would continually flip-flop: down a few pounds one month, then back up two months later. Once I married and had kids, any interest in going to the gym was gone; the baby weight never went away. By March 2013, I was 210 pounds, my highest ever, and it struck me that I would soon be 40, overweight and unhappy. So I decided it was time to drop the weight for good.
RELATED: 16 Ways to Lose Weight Fast
Real food = real energy
Using all the healthy lifestyle tips I'd learned from magazines and my girlfriends, I cleaned up my diet, swapping deli sandwiches with high-sodium meat and mayo for Tupperware containers of big butter-lettuce salads topped with carrots, walnuts, feta and homemade dressing. Tracking everything I ate held me accountable, and I found that ditching processed foods left me with more energy, a clear head and better skin, too.
Couch to 26.2
Next, I tackled a longtime goal: running. I had wanted to start my entire life, but I never had the confidence to lace up my sneakers. With a friend, I slowly moved from power walking to hitting the trails for 10-milers. It was overwhelming at first—I was often out of breath—but I quickly gained strength. Thanks also to my healthy eating, I dropped 35 pounds in four months. I reached my goal weight of 140 in September 2014, and now I'm happily at 135 pounds! I'm even running my first marathon next May. I'm not out there to break any records, just to run and love it.
RELATED: 15 Eating Habits That Make You Live Longer
Jennifer's Weight-Loss Journal
To lose big, Jennifer got advice from friends. Now she's sharing her own hard-won secrets. Find even more tips at http://ift.tt/1EzX92l.
Set scary goals
My goal is to run 100 miles in a month. I finally hit it (and then some) this past August, with 104.
Spiralize it!
As an Italian-American, I find it tough to cut out pasta, but I use zucchini linguine or spaghetti squash instead. It's just as delicious!
RELATED: 7 Ways to Eat More Veggies
Carry a Mary Poppins purse
My bag is always packed with nuts, apples and hard-boiled eggs. It stops me from getting so hungry that I overeat.
Become an early bird
My old excuse: I have no time to exercise with two kids and a full-time job. Now I fit in a two-mile run and strength training at 5 a.m., long before my children get up and I head to work.
Share your transformation
Did you reshape your body? Tell us about it at health.com/i-did-it and let us know what diet and fitness strategies worked for you.
What Jennifer is wearing
GapFit gFast Print-Panel 21" Capris ($60; gap.com); Space-Dye Running Pullover (gap.com for similar styles); and Interlace-Back Tank ($40; gap.com) http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 10, 2015 at 01:15AM
from Diet & Fitness - Health.com http://ift.tt/1Y0EOXR
41, 5'6"
Hauppauge, N.Y.
Before: 210 lb.
Dress size: 16
After: 135 lb.
Dress size: 6
Total pounds lost: 75 lb.
Sizes lost: 5
Growing up Italian, I had carb-heavy meals as the usual dinner fare. And while I exercised at times in high school and college, my weight would continually flip-flop: down a few pounds one month, then back up two months later. Once I married and had kids, any interest in going to the gym was gone; the baby weight never went away. By March 2013, I was 210 pounds, my highest ever, and it struck me that I would soon be 40, overweight and unhappy. So I decided it was time to drop the weight for good.
RELATED: 16 Ways to Lose Weight Fast
Real food = real energy
Using all the healthy lifestyle tips I'd learned from magazines and my girlfriends, I cleaned up my diet, swapping deli sandwiches with high-sodium meat and mayo for Tupperware containers of big butter-lettuce salads topped with carrots, walnuts, feta and homemade dressing. Tracking everything I ate held me accountable, and I found that ditching processed foods left me with more energy, a clear head and better skin, too.
Couch to 26.2
Next, I tackled a longtime goal: running. I had wanted to start my entire life, but I never had the confidence to lace up my sneakers. With a friend, I slowly moved from power walking to hitting the trails for 10-milers. It was overwhelming at first—I was often out of breath—but I quickly gained strength. Thanks also to my healthy eating, I dropped 35 pounds in four months. I reached my goal weight of 140 in September 2014, and now I'm happily at 135 pounds! I'm even running my first marathon next May. I'm not out there to break any records, just to run and love it.
RELATED: 15 Eating Habits That Make You Live Longer
Jennifer's Weight-Loss Journal
To lose big, Jennifer got advice from friends. Now she's sharing her own hard-won secrets. Find even more tips at http://ift.tt/1EzX92l.
Set scary goals
My goal is to run 100 miles in a month. I finally hit it (and then some) this past August, with 104.
Spiralize it!
As an Italian-American, I find it tough to cut out pasta, but I use zucchini linguine or spaghetti squash instead. It's just as delicious!
RELATED: 7 Ways to Eat More Veggies
Carry a Mary Poppins purse
My bag is always packed with nuts, apples and hard-boiled eggs. It stops me from getting so hungry that I overeat.
Become an early bird
My old excuse: I have no time to exercise with two kids and a full-time job. Now I fit in a two-mile run and strength training at 5 a.m., long before my children get up and I head to work.
Share your transformation
Did you reshape your body? Tell us about it at health.com/i-did-it and let us know what diet and fitness strategies worked for you.
What Jennifer is wearing
GapFit gFast Print-Panel 21" Capris ($60; gap.com); Space-Dye Running Pullover (gap.com for similar styles); and Interlace-Back Tank ($40; gap.com) http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 10, 2015 at 01:15AM
from Diet & Fitness - Health.com http://ift.tt/1Y0EOXR
Lindsey Vonn: "You Don't Have to Be a Size 2 to Be Beautiful"
"You guys, did you hear that somebody was murdered in the basement here?" Lindsey Vonn asks her cover shoot glam squad, who are gathered in the kitchen of California's famous Sowden House, the rumored site of the unsolved 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short, aka the Black Dahlia.
Fortunately, Lindsey—the four-time World Cup champion and Olympic gold medal-winning skier—is bringing some positive energy to the alleged crime scene. She is in a good place: Her recent ankle injury (more on that later) is fully healed, she just took a much-needed girls' vacation, and she's been training her butt off—with the 2018 Winter Olympics, in South Korea, firmly in sight.
A competitive skier by the age of 10, Lindsey is used to growing up in the spotlight. But recently, the 31-year-old has had to endure a new level of public scrutiny, thanks to a nearly three-year romance with pro golfer Tiger Woods that ended in May 2015. While the tabloids speculate about her love life, she chooses to focus on her actual passion: The Lindsey Vonn Foundation, which she launched this year to help empower girls. Turns out, girl power is very much on her mind these days.
You've been spending more time on the red carpet. Do you feel comfortable out there?
At first it's kind of awkward standing there while people take pictures of you; now it's fun—although I definitely don't fit in on the red carpet.
RELATED: Check out Lindsey's intense lower-body workout
What do you mean?
I'm, like, twice the size of anyone, in both height and weight! I'm five-foot-ten, but I'm definitely quite a bit heavier than everyone else. I feel like the odd man out sometimes, but that's even more reason to be confident, to show girls that you don't have to be a size 2 to be beautiful. Any size is beautiful as long as you're confident in yourself.
You've worked hard at putting out that message, especially with your foundation.
I'm really proud of it. I've always wanted to start my own foundation, but with skiing I didn't think I had the time to do both. I don't ever want to do something and not put all my energy into it. But when I got hurt the second time, it was honestly a blessing in disguise because it gave me the opportunity. We've got scholarships, camps. The main goal is to teach young girls about self-esteem and teamwork.
Have you ever experienced body image issues?
It's kind of funny because before I was 17, I was incredibly skinny. I was made fun of and called "chicken" and "chicken wings"—I was super tall and probably weighed 30 pounds less than I do now. Then I gained weight because my metabolism slowed down, and I kind of was on the other end of the spectrum. I'm normal-size, but when I started to do well and do events and photo shoots, I felt like I was too big.
Any advice for women reading this who might be having body image issues?
The most important thing is to eat healthy. When I'm eating really clean and splurge on something really sugary, I feel like I'm gonna vomit. So eat what your body wants, and try to be as active as you can. Get into a routine, and the more you can stick to that routine, the easier it'll be to stay fit and healthy.
Do you believe in the revenge or breakup body? Because you look better than ever.
Thanks. I think it's just given me more time to spend on myself. That's what happens with most breakups: You really look at yourself and figure out what makes you happy, and you also have a lot more free time. I'm focusing on my job—my skiing—and I've been working really hard. I got a new nutritionist, and I'm just doing everything I can to be in shape for this season. And it's paying off.
Recently, there was a gossip item about a new guy you were supposedly dating. How does it feel when your personal life is splashed across the tabloids?
It's almost comical because it's not even my life. I feel like people just write whatever they want, and it's funny—even some of my friends who I haven't seen in a while are like, "Oh my God, are you dating so-and-so?" And I'm like, "No! Are you kidding? I would've called you!" Everyone assumes that it's fact, and it's not, so I just have to laugh. I mean, if you take all that stuff seriously, then you'll drive yourself crazy. So I don't take it seriously. At all.
RELATED: More about all the looks Lindsey's wearing in this story
Like Beyoncé, do you have a Sasha Fierce?
I don't—it's not that extreme. [Laughs] But I definitely have more confidence when I'm on the red carpet and in photo shoots because normally I'm a pretty low-key, shy person.
Are you? You don't seem shy.
Yeah, I'm kind of talkative, but with guys I'm shy. I'm never the person to put myself out there.
Is there anything you want to clear up, rumor-wise?
I'm single, and I probably will be for a while. I think this is just a good time for me to focus on myself. I'm not ready to have a family yet, but I will be at some point.
So you want to have kids?
I definitely do. I love kids. I love working with them. But right now I'm gonna focus on me.
You've dealt with a lot of injuries. What's your recovery process like?
I'm a planner, so when I get injured, I need a plan and a timeline. We map out the next however many months, weeks and days, figure out what needs to be done, and then I get to work right away. I need the light at the end of the tunnel. I need to say, "In this many weeks, I'm gonna be back skiing." Having goals and mini goals gets me through.
Have you always been very goal-oriented?
Always, since I was a kid. I wanted to make the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake, and I was 17 when I made it. My dad and I had made a five-year plan when I was 12.
Around that same time, your family moved from Minnesota to Vail so you could train competitively. Your siblings had to leave their friends. That's a lot of pressure.
It was a lot of pressure. The realization that your family basically gave up their lives to move to Colorado so you could follow your dreams was really intense. I always felt as though eventually I'd be in the Olympics and that I would win the Olympics. But I was a kid, so it was kind of like a childish dream. But then when it hit me that my family had given up so much, failure was not an option for me.
We know from your recent Instagram posts that even when you're on vacation with your friends, you're still hitting the workouts hard.
I was planning on taking that whole week pretty easy, but then I broke my ankle, so I couldn't take a week off because I wasn't going to be able to come back and train really hard, so I was like, "Great, I have to work out on my vacation." But if I have to work on vacation, I'm gonna at least do it by the pool!
Why are girlfriend trips so important to you?
Because I travel so much, and I never get to see my friends. All of my friends throughout my whole life come together, and we've become this awesome group of women. It's my squad. I mean, it's not like I have a huge entourage. Unfortunately, I'm not T-Swift. [Laughs] I have, like, seven friends. I don't have to wear makeup. I don't have to be someone else. We could literally not say a single word to each other all day and just listen to music and have margaritas, and we would all be perfectly content.
http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 11, 2015 at 01:15AM
from Beauty & Style - Health.com http://ift.tt/1iOPVTE
Fortunately, Lindsey—the four-time World Cup champion and Olympic gold medal-winning skier—is bringing some positive energy to the alleged crime scene. She is in a good place: Her recent ankle injury (more on that later) is fully healed, she just took a much-needed girls' vacation, and she's been training her butt off—with the 2018 Winter Olympics, in South Korea, firmly in sight.
A competitive skier by the age of 10, Lindsey is used to growing up in the spotlight. But recently, the 31-year-old has had to endure a new level of public scrutiny, thanks to a nearly three-year romance with pro golfer Tiger Woods that ended in May 2015. While the tabloids speculate about her love life, she chooses to focus on her actual passion: The Lindsey Vonn Foundation, which she launched this year to help empower girls. Turns out, girl power is very much on her mind these days.
You've been spending more time on the red carpet. Do you feel comfortable out there?
At first it's kind of awkward standing there while people take pictures of you; now it's fun—although I definitely don't fit in on the red carpet.
RELATED: Check out Lindsey's intense lower-body workout
What do you mean?
I'm, like, twice the size of anyone, in both height and weight! I'm five-foot-ten, but I'm definitely quite a bit heavier than everyone else. I feel like the odd man out sometimes, but that's even more reason to be confident, to show girls that you don't have to be a size 2 to be beautiful. Any size is beautiful as long as you're confident in yourself.
You've worked hard at putting out that message, especially with your foundation.
I'm really proud of it. I've always wanted to start my own foundation, but with skiing I didn't think I had the time to do both. I don't ever want to do something and not put all my energy into it. But when I got hurt the second time, it was honestly a blessing in disguise because it gave me the opportunity. We've got scholarships, camps. The main goal is to teach young girls about self-esteem and teamwork.
Have you ever experienced body image issues?
It's kind of funny because before I was 17, I was incredibly skinny. I was made fun of and called "chicken" and "chicken wings"—I was super tall and probably weighed 30 pounds less than I do now. Then I gained weight because my metabolism slowed down, and I kind of was on the other end of the spectrum. I'm normal-size, but when I started to do well and do events and photo shoots, I felt like I was too big.
Any advice for women reading this who might be having body image issues?
The most important thing is to eat healthy. When I'm eating really clean and splurge on something really sugary, I feel like I'm gonna vomit. So eat what your body wants, and try to be as active as you can. Get into a routine, and the more you can stick to that routine, the easier it'll be to stay fit and healthy.
Do you believe in the revenge or breakup body? Because you look better than ever.
Thanks. I think it's just given me more time to spend on myself. That's what happens with most breakups: You really look at yourself and figure out what makes you happy, and you also have a lot more free time. I'm focusing on my job—my skiing—and I've been working really hard. I got a new nutritionist, and I'm just doing everything I can to be in shape for this season. And it's paying off.
Recently, there was a gossip item about a new guy you were supposedly dating. How does it feel when your personal life is splashed across the tabloids?
It's almost comical because it's not even my life. I feel like people just write whatever they want, and it's funny—even some of my friends who I haven't seen in a while are like, "Oh my God, are you dating so-and-so?" And I'm like, "No! Are you kidding? I would've called you!" Everyone assumes that it's fact, and it's not, so I just have to laugh. I mean, if you take all that stuff seriously, then you'll drive yourself crazy. So I don't take it seriously. At all.
RELATED: More about all the looks Lindsey's wearing in this story
Like Beyoncé, do you have a Sasha Fierce?
I don't—it's not that extreme. [Laughs] But I definitely have more confidence when I'm on the red carpet and in photo shoots because normally I'm a pretty low-key, shy person.
Are you? You don't seem shy.
Yeah, I'm kind of talkative, but with guys I'm shy. I'm never the person to put myself out there.
Is there anything you want to clear up, rumor-wise?
I'm single, and I probably will be for a while. I think this is just a good time for me to focus on myself. I'm not ready to have a family yet, but I will be at some point.
So you want to have kids?
I definitely do. I love kids. I love working with them. But right now I'm gonna focus on me.
You've dealt with a lot of injuries. What's your recovery process like?
I'm a planner, so when I get injured, I need a plan and a timeline. We map out the next however many months, weeks and days, figure out what needs to be done, and then I get to work right away. I need the light at the end of the tunnel. I need to say, "In this many weeks, I'm gonna be back skiing." Having goals and mini goals gets me through.
Have you always been very goal-oriented?
Always, since I was a kid. I wanted to make the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake, and I was 17 when I made it. My dad and I had made a five-year plan when I was 12.
Around that same time, your family moved from Minnesota to Vail so you could train competitively. Your siblings had to leave their friends. That's a lot of pressure.
It was a lot of pressure. The realization that your family basically gave up their lives to move to Colorado so you could follow your dreams was really intense. I always felt as though eventually I'd be in the Olympics and that I would win the Olympics. But I was a kid, so it was kind of like a childish dream. But then when it hit me that my family had given up so much, failure was not an option for me.
We know from your recent Instagram posts that even when you're on vacation with your friends, you're still hitting the workouts hard.
I was planning on taking that whole week pretty easy, but then I broke my ankle, so I couldn't take a week off because I wasn't going to be able to come back and train really hard, so I was like, "Great, I have to work out on my vacation." But if I have to work on vacation, I'm gonna at least do it by the pool!
Why are girlfriend trips so important to you?
Because I travel so much, and I never get to see my friends. All of my friends throughout my whole life come together, and we've become this awesome group of women. It's my squad. I mean, it's not like I have a huge entourage. Unfortunately, I'm not T-Swift. [Laughs] I have, like, seven friends. I don't have to wear makeup. I don't have to be someone else. We could literally not say a single word to each other all day and just listen to music and have margaritas, and we would all be perfectly content.
http://ift.tt/eA8V8J November 11, 2015 at 01:15AM
from Beauty & Style - Health.com http://ift.tt/1iOPVTE
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