PopSugar

Thin the Movie: The Reality of Eating Disorders

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:45:00 -0800

Eating disorders affect 5 million people in the U.S. More than 10% of those diagnosed with anorexia nervosa will die from the disease. Seeking to put a human face on these sobering statistics, acclaimed photographer Lauren Greenfield went inside a Florida treatment center to tell the stories of four women who are literally dying to be thin.

The devastating documentary film titled Thin, reveals her findings. It is captivating and you are drawn in by the heart-wrenching stories of these girls and their painful struggles as they each try to recover.

You can purchase Thin, a groundbreaking book about eating disorders. Greenfield's photographs are paired with extensive interviews and journal entries from twenty girls and women suffering not only from their eating disorders, but from the personal struggles that lead to the disorders in the first place.

Review: Secret Clinical Strength Sport Antiperspirant

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Products marketed toward female athletes always pique my interest. Plus it is great to know that somebody out there knows we exist and like gear! When I saw a new antiperspirant by Secret with the word "sport" as well as the phrase "designed for athletes" on the front of the package, I was curious to try it. It was really the name of the sport fresh scent "marathon" that hooked me. Maybe if I wore this clinical strength formula I could run a marathon - only kidding.

I wore Clinical Strength Secret ($8) on a couple of runs and experienced absolutely no underarm sweating, and received no post-run comments about my stink factor from my 3-year-old. Then I read the fine print: this deodorant isn't really for female athletes. It was designed for women who suffer from excessive sweating, know as hyperhidrosis in medical speak. Secret recommends applying this clinical strength antiperspirant at bedtime, to allow for the active ingredient aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex Gly to dissolve into your pores effectively plugging the sweat ducts for 24 hours. Honestly, the formation of "plugs" in my armpits while I sleep creeps me out a bit. I don't need 24-hour protection from sweating.

Although this product has a girly "sport fresh scent," its "prescription strength wetness protection" is overkill for me. However, it is truly effective and if you sweat regularly due to stress or physical exercise this could be the underarm protection you need. You can find it at DrugStore.com.

Have any of you tried Clinical Strength Secret? Tell me what you thought in the comments section below.

Get Wellness Tips From the Mayo Clinic at Home

FitSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 13:00:00 -0700

The Mayo Clinic offers top-notch medical care but the problem is that not all of us live within driving distance to Rochester, MN.

Now, you can get wellness advice and tips directly from the Mayo Clinic in the comfort of your own home by using their new Wellness Solutions DVDs. From high blood pressure, to back pain, to IBS, you might just be able to find a solution for whatever common health problem ails you. Each DVD includes an informational section along with treatment options (alternative and traditional), nutritional information, and a yoga session. One DVD costs $20, so while they're not the cheapest DVDs on health topics, you know your money is well spent since the advice you're getting comes from the best of the best. Buy online at Gaiam.

Has anyone tried any of these wellness DVDs already? I'd love to hear what you think.

Amelle Is Absolutely Better and Back With Sugababes

PopSugarUK — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:56:00 -0800

Amelle Berrabah has spoken for the first time about her three-week stay in an Austrian clinic after being diagnosed with nervous exhaustion last month. She joined her band mates Heidi Range and Jade Ewen on GMTV to perform on television for the first time as a new line-up and the trio sang their single "About A Girl". Amelle told Andrew Castle she is "absolutely better" and Heidi also explained why Keisha Buchanan left the group. Here are the highlights:

Amelle on going to a clinic: "I just got to the point - it was very difficult for me and Heidi from the other line-up. Basically, I just needed to get away and just shut off and just take a new look. And - I don't know - just sort my head out basically. I feel really good, and we're just getting on with things and it's a really exciting time for us."
Heidi on Keisha's exit: "It got to a point where it wasn't working. We really did try for so long, and you know - I just think life's too short to be feeling like that - and we just couldn't make it work. I feel that myself and Amelle made the right decision morally, and our label stood by us and our management."

Watch the full interview above, and to see the girls perform "About a Girl" just read more.

Diet Tricks for the Non-Dieter

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Looking for some ways to cut calories without really dieting?

The April issue of The Mayo Clinic Health Letter provides quick and easy tips to eat less with portion control without any real strict dieting involved:

Select smaller bowls, plates and spoons for serving and eating. Research has shown that people eat more when food is served in or eaten from larger dishes.
Get rid of high-calorie leftovers; store them in inconvenient locations or in opaque containers. -- Seeing a calorie-laden goody can trigger the desire to eat. Food in the basement pantry is less tempting than leftovers on the kitchen counter. Weight loss is easier when healthy, low-calorie foods are within sight and easy reach.
Buy small packages and serve or order small quantities. Larger packages or larger portions often lead people to eat more than they would if the serving or package were smaller. After serving appropriate portions, put leftovers away immediately or, at a minimum, keep the serving dishes off the dining table.

Check out DearSugar's Post on dealing with snacking at work for some more great tips.

Source

Amy Winehouse Is Wearing a Ring on Her Engagement Finger

PopSugarUK — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:30:00 -0800

We've been hearing rumours about Amy Winehouse and Blake Fielder-Civil getting back together, and now Amy has got tongues wagging even more by wearing a ring on her engagement finger as she left a clinic in London today. Just last month she wore a shirt embroidered with Blake's Girl, and reports suggested the former couple had been sending each other love messages on Facebook, following Amy's dad Mitch allegedly finding the pair in bed together. They were granted a divorce back in July, but reports today claim that Amy apparently proposed to Blake, and he reportedly told friends:

"We both know we’ve only ever been divorced on paper. This is the right thing to do. She is wearing the engagement ring I gave her the first time round. I think it cost £2,000 from Tiffany. We’ve been talking five or six times a day. We changed our status to married on Facebook a couple of weeks back but that was more of a laugh. This is the real deal. She told me she wanted to get married again. I feel so happy."

Do you think Amy and Blake will get remarried?

View 5 Photos ›

Would You Like Botox With That?

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 09:45:00 -0800

The mall is a one stop shopping spot where you can go and get virtually anything you need. Turns out that some people are taking that claim further than we think.

While shopping at the mall this holiday season, maybe you want to stop in a cosmedical clinic. What's that? Well cosmedical clinics are like medical spas, and they are starting to pop up in malls across America. At these clinics you can get noninvasive procedures like Botox injections. The scary part is that some of the clinics don’t require their practitioners to be plastic surgeons or dermatologists; it just depends on the state where the procedure is being done.

It just seems odd that we are considering putting help labels on plus size clothing yet we are making it more and more available to get Botox and Restylane.

What do you guys think?

Mommy's Lil Helper: Sleep Aid

LilSugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:00:55 -0800

Most mommies welcome the chance to hit the hay, but some have a hard time getting back into the swing of things once babe is sleeping through the night. The Mayo Clinic offers up a hint on falling asleep. And, it involves a lil late night refrigerator raid.

The clinic suggests:

Foods containing the amino acid tryptophan, such as dairy products, oats, poultry, peanuts, and bananas, may help you fall asleep faster. If you're having trouble sleeping, try a light snack of cheese, yogurt, deli turkey, or oatmeal with milk before bed.

Source

Speak Up: Vertical Workstations in Your Office?

FitSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 11:45:00 -0700

The Mayo Clinic has decided to implement the idea of "vertical workstations," which are desks fitted over standard treadmills and they've certainly got everyone up and buzzing.

For the study, researchers asked a few overweight workers to use the vertical station to see how many calories they could burn. On average, it was found that the overweight volunteers burned 100 calories more every hour while walking slowly, 1.6 km per hour, than while sitting in a chair. Vertical workstations are not cheap, as the desks/treadmills are said to cost about $1,600 and they're a little on the bulky side. I wish they had measured productivity in the study as well because I am pretty sure I would have a hard time keeping focus on my work if I were moving on a treadmill -- Though they do say exercise makes you smarter.

I have not decided how I feel about this yet. On one hand I think it is great for people to get moving while at work. On the other hand I think it is just another reason for people to clock more hours and not see the light of day. Besides, there is something to be said for actually taking a walk or going to the gym during your lunch break, at least for sanity's sake.

What do you guys think -- Would you use a vertical workstation? Or would you rather just hit the gym? Let me know in the comments section below.

More Tips on Dealing with Stress After a Hardship

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Unfortunately we can not always foresee what will happen in the future, good or bad. Typically the bad events can lead to major stress and bouncing back is not always easy. In light of the major disasters going on in the world, more specifically the recent tragedy we've all heard about at Virgina Tech, here are a few tips from The Mayo Clinic on becoming more resilient and figuring out how to cope with serious stress:

Work toward goals. Do something every day that gives you a sense of accomplishment. It doesn't have to be a major goal, such as getting the college degree you've been meaning to pursue. Even small, everyday goals are important, such as finishing a work project or making a difficult phone call. Having goals helps direct you toward the future.
Take action. Don't just wish your problems would go away or try to ignore them. Chances are, they won't disappear on their own. Instead, figure out what needs to be done, make a plan to do it, and then take action to resolve your problems.

There's more, so read more

Learn new things about yourself. Look back on past experiences and think about how you've changed as a result. You may be stronger than you thought. You may have gained a new appreciation for life. If you feel worse as a result of your experiences, think about what changes could help. Also explore new interests, such as taking a cooking class or visiting a museum.
Think better of yourself. Congratulate yourself for enduring hard times, loss or stress. Be proud of yourself. Trust yourself to solve problems and make sound decisions. Think positive thoughts about yourself. Nurture your self-confidence and self-esteem so that you feel you're a strong, capable and self-reliant person who can withstand hardships and criticism. This will give you a sense of control over events and situations in your life and confidence in your ability to manage them well.
Maintain perspective. This doesn't mean comparing your situation to that of somebody you think may be worse off. Comparing yourself to someone else may only make you feel worse or feel guilty. Rather, look at your situation in the larger context of your own life, and of the world. Keep a long-term perspective and know that your situation can improve if you actively work to make it better.

To read even more tips check out this post I did earlier in the week.