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12 Ways to Health

FitSugar — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 04:04:31 -0800

All this time I was thinking that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention had no sense of creativity and then they brought us this:

The 12 Ways to Health (sung to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas.

The first way to health, said the CDC to me
Wash hands to be safe and healthy.

The second way to health, said the CDC to me
Bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

The third way to health, said the CDC to me
Manage stress, bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

The fourth way to health, said the CDC to me
Don't drink and drive, manage stress, bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

The fifth way to health, said the CDC to me
BE SMOKE-FREE, don't drink and drive, manage stress, bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

There's 7 more, so read more

The sixth way to health, said the CDC to me
Fasten belts while driving, BE SMOKE-FREE, don't drink and drive, manage stress, bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

The seventh way to health, said the CDC to me
Get exams and screenings, fasten belts while driving, BE SMOKE-FREE, don't drink and drive, manage stress, bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

The eighth way to health, said the CDC to me
Get your vaccinations, get exams and screenings, fasten belts while driving, BE SMOKE-FREE, don't drink and drive, manage stress, bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

The ninth way to health, said the CDC to me
Monitor the children, get your vaccinations, get exams and screenings, fasten belts while driving, BE SMOKE-FREE, don't drink and drive, manage stress, bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

The tenth way to health, said the CDC to me
Practice fire safety, monitor the children, get your vaccinations, get exams and screenings, fasten belts while driving, BE SMOKE-FREE, don't drink and drive, manage stress, bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

The eleventh way to health, said the CDC to me
Prepare dinner safely, practice fire safety, monitor the children, get your vaccinations, get exams and screenings, fasten belts while driving, BE SMOKE-FREE, don't drink and drive, manage stress, bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

The twelfth way to health, said the CDC to me
Eat well and get moving, prepare dinner safely, practice fire safety, monitor the children, get your vaccinations, get exams and screenings, fasten belts while driving, BE SMOKE-FREE, don't drink and drive, manage stress, bundle up for warmth, and wash hands to be safe and healthy.

I will definitely give them credit for trying to make it interesting but this proves that the CDC is officially still very, very dry.

Don't Blow Your Healthy Habits at the Movies This Weekend

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:53 -0800

It's a big movie weekend, for sure. With New Moon finally out, I've already committed myself to spend an afternoon at the theater - the only complication is that I'm not so fond of the movie-theater fare. It's an admittedly challenging place to stick to healthy food choices, since there usually aren't any to begin with. Just in case you don't believe me, recent research is revealing just how unhealthy movie popcorn can be - and it's probably a lot worse than you think.

An article from WebMd highlights the Center for Science in the Public Interest's findings on the state of popcorn, which claims movie theater popcorn is just about as bad for you as "a pound of baby back ribs and a scoop of Haagen-Dazs ice cream or maybe two Big Macs" - and that's before you even add the butter. For the study, researchers sent samples of popcorn and toppings from three different movie theater chains and compared their findings to the chains' own nutritional information. What they found is likely to make you rethink how you view your movie treat.

The study's results show that the calorie count of movie theater popcorn ranges from just about 400 to 1,200 calories, and contains an alarming serving of saturated fat that's equivalent to three days worth of your daily recommended portion, and anywhere from 200 (in the smallest 6-cup size serving) to 1,500 milligrams of sodium. Additionally, the study revealed that both AMC and Regal theaters pop their popcorn in coconut oil, which has a saturated fat content of a whopping 90 percent. Cinemark theaters, which pops their popcorn in canola oil, earns the rep as the healthiest chain, with a significantly lower saturated fat content - ranging from 2 grams in the 420-calorie small size to 5 grams in the 910-calorie large popcorn bucket. But, keep in mind that popcorn is usually just a part of the order - add a soda or your choice of candy, and your order is easily nearing 1,700 calories.

To learn about healthier options at the movies read more.

To avoid a serious caloric overload on your movie outing, the solutions are simple. Opt to share a small, unbuttered popcorn, and request that it be popped without salt (according to the article, these chains will happily oblige), or knosh on something healthy before you head out. If you can, bring a small bag of almonds or a piece of fruit along. Be smart about your choices, and don't let one afternoon at the movies spoil your healthy habits. It's totally fine to indulge every now and then, but a 1,200-calorie serving of popcorn that packs more saturated fat than you need in three days is hardly a treat for your bod or health.

US STD Rate Highest of Developed Countries - and Rising!

TresSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:00:49 -0800

Let's talk about sex . . . or else! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reluctance to talk about sex is keeping STD infection rates on the rise in the US, especially among teens. After practically being eradicated, syphilis is resurgent, and chlamydia and gonorrhea are also at "unacceptably high levels." Thanks to our prudishness, the US has the highest rate of STDs of any developed country in the world.

It's no secret that abstinence-only sex education is popular in America. Thankfully, after confronting the fact that abstinence-only education does not effectively reduce STD infection rates, some school districts are moving to abstinence-plus education, which reasonably stresses the importance of using protection if a teen is sexually active.

Of course, parents can also do something to reduce STD risks by providing a little sex education at home. When I asked a while back, more than half of TrèsSugar readers said their parents avoided having an awkward conversation about contraception. Maybe these new statistics will remind parents that reducing health risks are worth a few uncomfortable minutes.

Lil Links: Ali Landry's Top 10 Baby Items

babysugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:00:17 -0800

Ali Landry's top 10 baby items - Mamaista
Get James Broderick's look - Celebrity Baby Blog
New ways to shelve it - Momologie
Teachers speaks out on bullies in the classroom - CafeMom
Reporter dunks on a kid and brings a tear to the eye - ParentDish
Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber at center of an extortion plot - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Swine-flu-shot guilt - MomLogic
Hallelujah! Tantrum-free hair products - Babyccino
Is tough-love approach the best? - The Mommy Files
What you must tell your daughter to help her lower her risks - Health

Say What? Priest Says Don't Just Sit There and Masturbate!

TresSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

"My concern is these students are in this developmental phase, and I don't think it's a good developmental practice to just tell somebody to just sit around and masturbate. I don't think that promotes good relationships."

- Father Joe Vetter, Duke University's Catholic Center director, reacting to news that a behavioral economist and student health workers at Duke University asked women on campus to discuss how they felt about sex toys. Of course, Father Vetter is also concerned about women sleeping around too much: "I'm concerned about promiscuity also," he said. Ummm, so what's a gal to do?

Have You Had Luck Getting a Swine Flu Shot?

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:00:12 -0800

I don't have to read about the shortage of swine flu vaccine, I'm living it. Everywhere I go to get vaccinated it's the same - there are not enough shots to go around. Supplies are extremely limited, and a recent poll conducted by Harvard University School of Public Health says that 70 percent of adults and 66 percent of children who tried to get vaccinated couldn’t.

On Friday the National Center For Immunization and Respiratory Diseases said that the high demand is outweighing the supply, but that more doses would be available in the coming weeks. I've heard this every week and no matter where I go, I leave without getting a shot. I'm starting to get frustrated but I want to protect myself.

Have any of you had better luck than I have?

Hump Day: I Have Little Desire to Have Sex Anymore

TresSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Welcome to Hump Day, TrèsSugar's sex advice column. Are you confused about sex? Do you have trouble having an orgasm? Is there something you'd like to try but you're worried it's too weird? Send your questions to TrèsSugar, and our friend Dr. Charlie Glickman from Good Vibrations will offer his sound advice!

Today's Question:

“When my husband and I first got married, I was so in love with him that we had sex what (for me) seemed like a lot (a few times a week). But now, three years into it, I feel like my baseline libido, which never was much in the first place, has flatlined. I simply have no interest in sex mentally or physically. My husband keeps asking me if there’s someone else, but in reality, I don’t want sex at all - with anyone. I’m worried he’s going to leave me, this is causing so many problems between us. Any advice?”

To see the answer, read more

It’s pretty common for sexual frequency for couples to lessen after a couple of years. It’s not always just the stereotypical “things are becoming routine” situation. Shifts in hormones can occur as time goes by and those shifts can affect sexual desire. Lots of people have a low interest in sex for any of a number of reasons. It’s not necessarily a sign of any kind of problem and if that has been your pattern for a long time; that may be simply how your sexuality is.

Do you consider your lack of interest in sex a problem? If you do, you might want to see if there are any medical issues causing it. You could have low testosterone for example. While we generally only think of it as a male hormone, women also have some testosterone in their systems and it’s often related to interest in sex. Sexual desire is quite complex and sometimes, the answers aren’t as easy as that, but it could be worth exploring.

Whether you think that your low desire is a problem or not, it sounds like your concerns center on how you and your husband talk about it and what his and your expectations are. Differences in desire can be one of the more tricky relationship challenges and almost all couples face it at some point or another. When you consider how much we (as a culture) equate sexual desire with relationship health, it’s no wonder that many of us feel a lot of pressure around it.

While I would NEVER suggest to anyone that they engage in sex that they don’t want, the two of you might want to explore other ways to connect physically. After all, it doesn’t have to be sex or intercourse. For example, would it work if you gave him backrubs? What if he masturbated while you help him or ran your hands across him? And are there ways that you would like to receive physical contact? As another possibility, are there ways in which the two of you could make room for him to get his sexual needs met, such as giving him solo time at home for some self-pleasure?

Whether you find your low desire a problem or not, you could also find a sex-positive therapist. One of the most helpful things that a therapist can offer is tools for talking about tricky topics and a safe space to do it in. Plus, sometimes an outside perspective can be really helpful. There are plenty of great people who know about sexuality issues and lots of them can be found on the website for the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists. Anyone in their directory has passed a rigorous certification process, which gives them the foundation to be as helpful with sexuality topics as possible.

Ultimately, the best advice I can offer you is to be honest with each other about what’s going on for you and how you each feel about it. With that as the foundation, the two of you can start looking for new ways to be together that work for both of you.

The Skinny On: HMR Weight-Loss Program

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:30:22 -0700

Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Nutrisystem help people lose weight with packaged meals that teach portion control. HMR (Health Management Resources) is another weight-loss program that's offering meal and snack replacements. However, HMR programs are offered at hospitals and medical centers as well as health facilities as opposed private offices. You can also opt for the HMR at Home program. The program is highly structured menu-wise, and utilizes HMR shakes, entrees, hot cereal, and bars. It also emphasizes support in the form of group meetings or phone calls.

To hear more about HMR, see photos of its food, and find out how much it costs read more.

This program isn't as well-known as say Jenny Craig, so if you can't find a program offered at a facility near you then you'll have to do it on your own. Entrees cost about $3.50 each, and the shakes are $21.50 for 12 servings. If you want more variety, you can order hot cereal, some weird soup they call HMR 500 Chicken Soup, or four different flavors of BeneFit Bars. I'm not one to knock it till you try it, but HMR seems too rigid. It's not a lifestyle you can keep up, unless you wan to eat its Five-Bean Casserole for the rest of your life. I understand that some people need structure, but this program just hand-feeds you and doesn't do anything to teach you about maintaining a healthy diet. I guess that's how they make it's money though - from you buying its food.

I'm curious, have any of you ever tried HMR?

View 13 Photos ›

What's the Deal With All the Food Allergies?

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:00:00 -0700

If it seems like food allergies are everywhere these days, that's because they are. According to a new study from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food allergies are on the rise, now affecting more than 3 million kids. Approximately one in every 26 children has one, as opposed to one in 29 in 1997. The most common culprits include peanuts, shellfish, milk, and eggs.

Amy Branum, the lead author of the study, says that the 18 percent increase isn't just a fluke, but even the CDC isn't quite sure about the reasons behind the rise. To see the theories, read more.

Though about two in five Americans think they have a food allergy, only about one percent actually do. Most are merely food intolerances, which do not trigger an immune reaction like allergies do. But even so, food allergies are on the rise, according to the latest news:

A doubling in peanut allergies - noted in earlier studies - is one factor, some experts said. Also, children seems to be taking longer to outgrow milk and egg allergies than they did in decades past.

But also figuring into the equation are parents and doctors who are more likely to consider food as the trigger for symptoms like vomiting, skin rashes, and breathing problems.

"A couple of decades ago, it was not uncommon to have kids sick all the time and we just said 'They have a weak stomach' or 'They're sickly,'" said Anne Munoz-Furlong, chief executive of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, a Virginia-based advocacy organization.

But why the rise in peanut allergies, and why are kids outgrowing their childhood nemeses later? Some folks in the medical community hypothesize that our culture has actually gotten too hygienic. Thanks to clean drinking water and antibiotics, our immune systems don't have as much to battle, so they're battling foods instead.

What do you think lies behind the rise in food allergies? Do you have or have you ever had one?

Source

South Africa Weighs Legalizing Prostitution For World Cup

TresSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Fans heading to South Africa for the World Cup 2010 are interested in more than soccer. Anticipating that sport tourists will frequent prostitutes while they're in town, health experts are calling on the South African government to legalize prostitution for the tournament. The hope is that testing and registering legal sex workers will reduce HIV infections among visiting fans and South Africans alike.

In South Africa, approximately 50 percent of sex workers are HIV-positive. While this figure might be enough to dissuade cautious would-be customers, experts figure that the party atmosphere, fueled by alcohol, will lead to much promiscuity. In fact, South Africa has been anticipating a surge in prostitution demand for some time now. More than a year ago, police unveiled plans to legalize sex services for the 2010 games, arguing that Germany opened safe and easy "adult entertainment centers" during the 2006 World Cup. These plans have been rejected so far, for reasons including concerns about greater transmission of HIV, but if legalization means screening sex workers for HIV, it could make things safer.

No matter what happens, let's hope South Africa can use the World Cup to raise awareness about HIV testing. If that happens, everybody will walk away from the tournament a winner.