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Meditate For a Healthy Heart

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:00:31 -0800

My father introduced TM (transcendental meditation) to me my senior year of high school as a way to unwind, relax, and fight stress as I headed off to college. Since then, I've always felt lucky to know a kind of secret way to recharge my batteries, without needing a nap. But I was surprised to learn that practicing meditation has another heath benefit for your heart.

It turns out regular practice of TM doesn't just help your psychological well-being; it has also been shown to have significant therapeutic effects on people at high risk for heart attacks. A recent study, which followed 200 patients for five years, reveals that "the high-risk patients who meditated cut their risk of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from all causes roughly in half compared with a group of similar patients who were given more conventional education about healthy diet and lifestyle."

According to Dr. Robert Schneider, director of the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention, who presented the study's findings, TM's ability to help reduce blood pressure is essential to helping prevent heart attacks and heart complications, “We found reduced blood pressure that was significant – that was probably one important mediator," claims Schneider.

TM is also easy to learn and practice - it doesn't require specific education, and from my own experience, I totally agree with Dr. Schneider - "it's a straightforward technique for getting deep rest to the mind and body."

Don't Let Traveling Get You in a Bind

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:30:31 -0800

The stress of traveling and being away from home can really mess with your bathroom schedule. Changing times zones, eating foods you're not used to, and skipping out on exercise doesn't help either. To prevent tummy issues, here are some tips on how to stay regular when traveling.

Drink water whenever you can as your choice of beverage. Not only will it keep you hydrated, but it'll also keep things moving.
When traveling, bring your own snacks that are high in fiber. Nibble on carrot sticks, apples (with the peel), trail mix with dried fruit and nuts, granola bars, and high fiber cereal. Having healthy snacks on hand will prevent you from eating processed foods that can tie the digestive system in knots.

For more helpful tips keep reading.

Ashley Greene's New Moon Diet

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:00:19 -0800

If you were part of New Moon fever this weekend, I’m sure you were transfixed as I was watching the epic battle scene between the Cullen family and the Volturi. The young actors demonstrated dynamic moves coupled with super human strength that were spectacular to watch on the big screen.

Moves like that don’t come easy, Twilight actress Ashley Greene told Us Magazine. Greene, who plays Alice Cullen in the films, said that prepping for the role involved a lot of training - up to four hours a day! In addition to working out with a personal trainer every day, she also had an intense week of fight training with the rest of the New Moon cast. No wonder all the actors look ripped.

To find out how else Greene stays in shape, read more.

Greene was pretty candid in admitting another reason she’s looking so svelte - 12 hour workdays don't "leave too much time to eat." Before dismissing Greene as an actress who starves herself to look good, the star did say that she ate well and stuck to healthy foods during filming. As for her day-to-day off the set she does Pilates six times a week.

"I do it early in the morning. It wakes you up, and it's kind of refreshing," said Greene, who is headed to London in a few months to begin filming the thriller The Apparition. "And that is basically it. Sometimes cardio. I am not a big weight person because when I do weights I build muscle mass."

The Next Nine Months: Postpartum Exercise Time Line

LilSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:00:13 -0800

It's no secret that pregnant women easily put on a few pounds each month until their bundle of joy arrives -unfortunately getting rid of that weight is not so effortless. Along with eating right, exercise is a sure way to getting your body back to the way it was pre-baby. Our basic postpartum exercise time line helps you determine how and when to slowly add exercise so that you can watch the number on the scale drop as your baby grows.

View Slideshow ›

Instead of Tylenol, Reach For a Photo of a Loved One

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0800

If you're feeling a world of hurt, you might want to skip the pill form of pain relief. New research found that just gazing at a photo of someone you love could reduce your pain.

A small study, involving 25 women who had been in healthy and loving relationships for at least six months, found gazing at images of loved ones helps manage pain. In the study heat was applied to the forearm of each participant, the women reported their levels of pain while looking at a photo of their boyfriend, when looking at a photo of a stranger, and while looking at a picture of a chair. The women also received the heat treatment when holding hands with their guys, while holding hands with a complete stranger, and while holding a stress ball.

Overall the women reported the lowest amount of pain when in the "presence" of their partners, whether it be from their boyfriend's photo or actual hand. This simple experiment illustrated how the support of a loved one can help ease pain. The next time you want to pop some Tylenol, grab a framed photo or the hand of someone you love instead. Or if you're going through a painful experience and your favorite person can't be with you, the researchers suggest bringing a photo of the special person along. It could have the same calming effect.

Doctors Tell Women to Ditch Annual Pap Test

TresSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:42 -0800

There may be no need to feel guilty about putting off your annual trip to the gynecologist anymore! New guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists assert that healthy women should not get cervical cancer screening pap tests every year. Instead they encourage women to get the screening every two to three years. The medical group also recommends against getting a pap test until after the age of 21, even if an adolescent is sexually active.

The new recommendations against annual cervical cancer screenings are not intended to save you embarrassment or discomfort - they're meant to prevent unnecessary and possibly harmful treatments. For example, treatment of precancerous HPV symptoms that would otherwise go away on their own puts women at a higher risk of giving birth to a premature or underweight baby. Still, cervical cancer rates have dropped 50 percent since the 1970s mostly thanks to the pap test, so I hope the doctors aren't trying to fix something that isn't broken. But the authors of the guidelines explain that the same results can be accomplished with less-regular screenings.

I'll admit the idea that less screening can be better for your sexual health seems counterintuitive. Will you stick to your annual pap test or do you welcome a chance to get one less frequently?

How Long Until Your Aunt Flo Returned?

LilSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:00:58 -0800

Pregnancy has its drawbacks, but one thing an expectant mama can get some relief from is her monthly period. A nine month (and often more) break from her monthly friend is a nice perk for most moms, but all good things must come to an end. Eventually, the cramps will return along with the tampons, pads, and PMS. Many women don't get their period for a few months after giving birth (especially those that are breastfeeding), but some get back on track as soon as the baby comes home from the hospital.

How long until you got a visit from Aunt Flo after having your baby?

What's the Diff: Omega-3s vs. Omega-6s

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:00:10 -0800

Omegas are all the buzz right now, and it seems like everywhere you turn, new foods are being enhanced with this essential fatty acid, or labeled as an excellent source. What people don't know is that there are different types of omegas, and eating too much of one kind can actually be harmful to your body.

Omega-3s are found in flax seeds, walnuts, cod liver oil, and fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, albacore tuna, and salmon. Fish are the best sources because they are high in two particular fatty acids that are crucial to good health, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).

Then there are omega-6s. These fats are found in eggs, nuts, chicken, and vegetable oils such as corn, soy, safflower, and sunflower oil. Omega-6s are high in LA (linoleic acid), which is converted by the body into GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), and then further broken down to AA (arachidonic acid).

Do you know which type of omega fatty acid we should be eating more of? To find out, keep reading

Many Probiotics Short on Bacteria

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:00:09 -0800

With claims that they improve digestion, bolster immunity, and fight acne, it's no wonder that probiotic supplements are big business. Newsweek reports that sales of these supplements have more than quadrupled in the last 10 years. I will admit, I'm a fan these friendly bacteria found in yogurt and miso, but it's the quality of the supplements that's raising eyebrows.

Many popular probiotic supplements were tested by Consumer Lab, an independent agency that monitors vitamins, herbal remedies, and supplements not regularly tested by the government. The lab's findings are a bit startling. Some of the products contain as little as 13 percent of the amount of "viable bacteria" claimed on the products' labels, although most products do contain one billion organisms - the amount needed to register some health benefits.

When it comes to misleading marketing with these supplements, much of the problem stems from the fact that the term probiotics has no legal definition and can be used loosely by manufactures. Of the supplements tested, ConsumerLab ranked Advocare Probiotic Restore, GNC Nature Brand Best Super Acidophilus, and Jarrow Formulas Jarro-Dophilus as having the highest quality. You can buy a full review from Consumer Lab for $12.

Test Your Knowledge of Fad Diets

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:08 -0800

It seems like every day a new diet makes the news. Some of these fads can sound promising because they're veiled in medical and health jargon or carry the backing of a celebrity or doctor. But reading between the lines reveals that regardless of the details, these diets are generally not healthy because they lack balance and are very restrictive.

Many of them are just plain kooky too - it's as if they're trying to outweird one another. How well do you know your trendy diets? Take my quiz and find out.

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