Tag Archives: body

5 ways to shed weight for summer

Memorial Day Weekend kicks off bathing suit season – and diet season, too. Tempting as it may be to go on a crash diet to shed some extra pounds, think again. Starving yourself skinny is neither easy nor healthy. And quick fix diets, if they work at all, don’t keep weight off for very long. The truth is, you can eat well, enjoy treats, drink alcohol, and still lose weight. Here’s how: Eat more to lose more Restricting food can actually slow down your metabolism. Why walk around hungry when you can fill up on delicious foods that are satisfying and naturally low in calories? The secret is to eat foods that are high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables - some have a few as 25 calories per cup.   Sip more water Did you know that dehydration mimics the symptoms of hunger?  For good health and to keep hunger at bay your goal should be to drink eight 8-oz glasses of water a day. It’s easy to do if you keep a full glass on your desk at work and pack a water bottle when you are on the go. Give ordinary water a favor boost with sugar-free powdered flavoring, some fresh fruit wedges, or some cool refreshing cucumber slices. Get moving You don’t have to go for a run to lose weight.  Your best bet is to focus on simple strength training. By building muscle you stoke your body’s calorie-burning machine while giving your body a lean, toned look.  Do this a variety of ways: resistance exercises, hand weights, yoga, or take a Pilates class. Spice it up Spicy foods have metabolism boosting properties. Chili, red pepper, cayenne, cinnamon and ginger all raise the body’s temperature and heart rate, which in turn actually burns more calories.   Banish bloating Salty foods can leave you looking and feeling bloated and you can counter that by eating foods that are rich in potassium such as bananas, papayas, kiwis, strawberries, spinach, cooked beets and broccoli.     For more tips, delicious high fiber meal plans, recipes, and proven ways to lose weight and look great, check out my new book The Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories and Fat Disappear – with Fiber! Tanya Zuckerbrot MS, RD, is a registered dietitian in New York City and the bestselling author of The Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories and Fat Disappear – with fiber, and The F-Factor Diet: Discover the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss.  Follow Tanya on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, and visit her website Ffactor.comsource : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/28/5-ways-to-shed-weight-for-summer/

How to keep your kid healthy this summer

Summer’s right around the corner and as the weather warms up and your kids get ready for endless days at the beach, pool and park, keeping them healthy is your top priority. Find out how to prevent and treat the most common ailments so your kids will be healthy all summer long. Sunburn According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one blistering sunburn before the age of 18 doubles your child’s chances of developing melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer—later on in life. “The most important thing is prevention,” said Dr. Gary Goldenberg, medical director of the dermatology faculty practice at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.  Goldenberg recommended checking the UV index to find out what your your risk for sunburn is. “It’s not enough to just look outside and say, ‘It’s hot, but it’s cloudy so the chance of sunburn is low,’” he said. Thirty minutes before heading outdoors, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 50. Since the FDA doesn’t measure higher numbers, you might be getting an SPF 50 anyway, Goldenberg said. Be sure to reapply every time your kid comes out of the water and every few hours. Keep your kid in the shade when possible, and dress him in clothing with UPF protection. If your kid does get a sunburn, Vaseline, aloe or Aquaphor can help to ease discomfort. If the burn is severe, a pediatrician might prescribe a topical or oral steroid. Poison ivy, oak, sumac If your kid comes into contact with any of these plants—through skin or clothing—the potent oil urushiol can cause a rash of linear streaks or blisters that is extremely itchy. Depending on how much your child has been exposed to, the rash can show up right away on one part of the body and then on another a few days later, Goldenberg said.  Plus, scratching the rash can help transfer it to another part of the body. Applying calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream is usually the best way to treat the rash, yet sometimes a topical or oral steroid might be needed. Be sure to wash your child’s clothing several times in hot water, because the oil can live on clothing for months, according to Dr. JJ Levenstein, a retired, board certified pediatrician and founder MDMoms.com The best way to prevent getting this nasty rash? Follow the old saying: Leaves of three, let it be. Mosquito bites These little bugs, which start to emerge as the sun sets, can be super itchy when they bite. Long sleeves and pants are best to keep them at bay, but if it’s too hot outside, a bug spray with DEET is most effective.  A word of caution: Since DEET has been shown to be toxic to the central nervous system, experts agree it shouldn’t be used on young children.  Apply DEET carefully so your child doesn’t inhale it, and be sure to bathe him or her before bedtime. Hydrocortisone is usually the best way to treat mosquito bites, although your pediatrician might prescribe a topical steroid. Bee stings A bee sting might hurt, but in some kids, it can cause an allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, which can cause the airways to close. If your kid has been stung and he or she is having trouble breathing, go to the emergency room immediately. If you notice the welt getting larger and larger after each bee sting, speak with his or her pediatrician about carrying an EpiPen, Goldenberg said. Protective clothing, repellent sprays and staying away from bees are the best prevention. Ticks If your kid will be walking through wooded areas or through tall grasses, a tick could possibly latch onto his or her skin, putting them at risk for Lyme disease.  This condition is most common among children ages 5 to 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Tucking pants into socks, hair into hats and wearing long sleeves can help. Be sure to check your kid from head to toe for ticks, because the sooner you catch one, the easier it is to remove. If you’re unable to remove it, your child’s pediatrician might run some tests and prescribe antibiotics. Dehydration and heat stroke If your child doesn’t drink enough fluids, long, hot days in the sun can spell trouble for your kid in the form of dehydration, or worse, heat stroke. “Heat stroke means that you’re overheated to a point where you actually start to become a little delirious,” said Levenstein. “Your pulse is rapid, you feel dizzy and incoherent and your core body temperature could rise above 98.6 degrees. You lose your ability to cool yourself down because you’re out of sweat.” Kids under the age of 6 should pre-hydrate 30 minutes before heading outdoors with two to three large cups of water; older kids should drink a liter of water. They should re-hydrate every 30 to 60 minutes and urinate every three to four hours.  If your kid is playing sports, every second or third drink should have electrolytes in it to replace the sodium lost through sweat.Julie Revelant is a freelance writer specializing in parenting, health, food and women's issues and a mom. Learn more about Julie at revelantwriting.com.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/26/how-to-keep-your-kid-healthy-this-summer/

10 things you only ask Google

Click over to the history tab in your browser and scan what's there. We're going to bet there's at least one semi-embarrassing health question you've been trying to get to the bottom of, but would never breathe a word about to your doctor.  To help you save time (and face), we canvassed doctors across America about common embarrassing symptoms and guess what? None of them flinched. They also had some fascinating clues as to what might be causing them—and what you can do about it. Here, strange symptoms you'd rather not talk about—explained. Why do I pee when I run? “Exercise-induced incontinence is not uncommon in women, and it's usually caused by one of two factors: “1. Stress incontinence occurs when the pressure inside the abdomen exceeds the resistance at the neck of the bladder (for example: if the urethral sphincter muscle doesn't close with enough force). Running or other strenuous physical exercise could cause this increase in abdominal pressure and subsequent urinary leakage. (Sound familiar? See 11 Fixes For A Weak Bladder.) “2. The other main reason is bladder overactivity, where the muscles of the wall of the bladder squeeze when they should be relaxed (during bladder filling). This gives people a sense of urgency, and may cause them to leak urine. “If you're experiencing urine leakage with running or other physical exercise, I encourage you to seek help from a urologist or your primary health care provider.” —Dr. Tomas L. Griebling, professor and vice-chair of urology at the University of Kansas My thighs chafe when I walk. What's up? …

New method for predicting cancer virulence

This work, published on 22 May 2013 in Science Translational Medicine, suggests that identifying the genes that are abnormally activated in a cancer makes it possible to determine its virulence with great accuracy. This study represents an original concept that will allow cancer patients to be given an accurate diagnosis as well as personalized care. All the cells in our body have the same genes. …

Researchers move closer to development of universal flu vaccine

Researchers say they have made a major step towards the development of a universal flu vaccine, after a new immunotherapy approach has shown promise in animal studies, Medical News Today reported. The method involves creating a stronger immune reaction against the flu virus in the body, protecting against more viral strains than the current vaccines do. A new flu vaccine is developed each year in order to offer the most protection against the circulating viruses.  But for the developers, it is usually a race against the clock, as the data they use quickly becomes out of date once it reaches them. Also, there is always the possibility that new flu virus strains will emerge after the vaccine has been created. The development of a universal flu vaccine would eliminate the need for the development of annual flu shots. To test their new approach, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) created a vaccine that utilized a fusion of the protein ferritin, which can assemble itself into tiny nanoparticles, and the protein hemagglutinin (HA), which is found on the surface of the influenza virus.   The protein combination ultimately produced nanoparticles with eight protruding viral spikes, which served as the basis for the vaccine’s antigen – what the immune system responds to when creating antibodies. Through a series of tests on mice and ferrets, the researchers found the vaccine was more effective at boosting immunity against a much wider range of virus strains than the current flu vaccine, including strains they were not testing for. According to the researchers, the vaccine is effective because it prompts the immune system to develop antibodies to the parts of the flu virus that stay the same from strain to strain.  They say the study’s findings, published in the journal Nature, could lead to a universal flu vaccine that protects against numerous strains of the influenza virus. Click for more from Medical News Today.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/23/researchers-move-closer-to-development-universal-flu-vaccine/

How to exercise without eating more

Maintaining that delicate balance of eating enough to fuel your workouts and not overdoing it afterwards is a source of confusion for even the most educated exerciser. Sometimes, those post-workout hunger pangs hit, begging you to replace what you just burned off. Other times, your brain is telling you it's time to reward your hard work (with extra cheese). Related: Foods That Will Make You Look Younger Recent research from Australia has reopened the debate on this quandary: Is it possible to exercise and not eat more? While findings have been mixed, a review of studies published in the journal Appetite showed that exercise does not, in fact, lead to a significant increase in calorie consumption. Related: Stylish Male Athletes Who Became Models And calories might not matter much anyway, according to Equinox tier 4 coach Dr. Paul Spector.  “The goal of someone who says they want to lose weight is really to lose fat and gain muscle,” Spector said. “Therefore the real question with regard to exercise and nutrition is how to maximize the use of fat as a fuel source. It's about body composition, not weight.” More: The Worst Celebrity Eyebrows of All Time Want to train your body to burn more fat?

Feet contain most fungi on body, new research shows

A new map of the fungal species lurking on human skin reveals the most diverse communities can be found on — you guessed it — the bottom of the feet. Genetic sequencing found the fungal genus Malassezia dominated on most of the core body regions and arms. The heel, toenail and toe web (skin between the toes), by contrast, supported highly varied fungal communities. Imbalances in these populations may lead to athlete's foot and other fungal diseases, the researchers say. The skin serves as a barrier to pathogenic microorganisms, but is also home to a rich array of harmless microbes. Until now, most efforts to study the skin's microorganisms have focused on bacterial species, but fungi (which are a distinct biological group) form a significant part of these skin communities. Feet love fungi In the study, scientists took skin scrapings from 10 healthy adults at 14 different sites on the body. They sequenced the DNA from the swabs. In addition, the researchers isolated more than 130 fungal strains from the genera Malassezia, Penicillium and Aspergillus, and grew them in the lab.   The genus Malassezia, which may cause dandruff, was the most abundant type of fungus at all 11 core-body and arm sites, results showed. These areas included the inner elbow, palm, space between the eyebrows, back of the head, nostril and forearm, among other spots. Core-body sites, such as the chest and abdomen, had the fewest types of fungi, ranging from two to 10 genera. The three foot sites — heel, toenail and toe web — contained much greater fungal diversity, with populations of Malassezia¸ Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula and Epicoccum, among others. Overall, the heel had the most diverse fungal makeup, with about 80 fungal genera. One study participant had an especially diverse array of fungi. This person had taken a course of oral antifungal medication for a toenail infection seven months prior to the study. The unusual fungal diversity suggests that either an imbalance in the fungal community was causing the stubborn toenail infections, or that changes in the microbe composition due to the medication continued even seven months after stopping treatment, the researchers say. The results demonstrate that human skin is capable of harboring a highly varied fungal population. When fungi go awry The researchers also sequenced bacteria on the skin. The results confirmed previous findings for skin bacterial makeup in healthy people. In contrast to fungal populations, the most diverse bacterial populations were found on the arms. The person with abnormal fungal diversity appeared to have a normal distribution of bacteria. The study of the skin's native fungi has important implications for infection and disease. About 20 percent of the study participants showed signs of possible foot fungal infections, and previous studies have shown up to 60 percent of healthy people may harbor such infections. Fungal infections affect 29 million North Americans. Several factors influence the prevalence of fungal infections, including population and climate. Antifungal medications can have dangerous side effects, and new treatments that target fungal imbalances are needed, the researchers say. The findings were reported online May 22 in the journal Nature.  source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/22/feet-contain-most-fungus/

5 steps to a happier, healthier life

Stress and depression can take a toll on our bodies and our lives. An estimated 19 million Americans suffer from depressive disorders and stress can translate into disease by altering the sympathetic nervous system through elevated adrenaline and cortisol. Taking some time to practice these self-care tips can drastically reduce your stress levels and promote health and happiness. Release the pain. Life can be painful. We suffer disease, heartbreak and tragedy. At any moment there is someone facing a struggle. Our pain and experiences are part of our evolution and can help us become stronger. The trouble comes when we bring our pain into our future and let it define who we are.  Find ways to learn from it, let go and move on, no matter what it takes. While not the same, we all experience tragedy, the difference is how we choose to carry it. Positive emotions will bring us far greater joy than pain ever could and eventually the pain will pass; it always does. Disregard others opinions of you. People will always have opinions, and chances are, you’ll have moments when someone’s words will hurt you. The good news is that you don’t have to take what others say as your truth. Recognize and embrace your uniqueness, the only person who has to be happy with your decisions is you, so be true to yourself. Ultimately, what people say is a reflection of them, not you. How you react to those words is completely up to you. Lift weights. Exercise has been proven time and time again to be a useful tool in treating depression. It helps release endorphins, feel-good hormones that can brighten your mood. Regular exercise can reduce stress, help ward off depression, improve sleep, increase self-esteem and boost energy levels. Choosing to incorporate weights will have further benefits. Lifting weights will increase your lean muscle mass and lower body fat. It can also help fight inflammation and stress within the body which will help keep you healthy. Find a diet you can live with. Many of us live in a constant battle with our weight, watching what we eat and feeling guilt after an indulgence. Getting off this rollercoaster is one of the best things you can do for yourself. You don’t have to be vegan, low-fat, low-carb, Paleo or gluten-free to be healthy; you have to find what works for your body and stick with it. Following a plan that’s too rigid will ultimately lead to failure and feelings of low self-worth. Finding a diet that works for your body and your lifestyle will help you feel vibrant and energetic. Love yourself. Being truly happy begins with learning to love yourself. Be gentle with yourself and find all the things you love about yourself that make you unique. Make time to do the things you love, don’t let yourself get so wrapped up in work and the frustrations of life that you forget what makes you happy. When we exercise self-love, oxytocin is released which increases our feelings of happiness. While on the contrary, being self critical releases cortisol which will lead to elevated stress levels. Focus on the positive, and practice a weekly tradition of writing down three good things that happened to you.Jacqueline Banks is a certified holistic health counselor and busy mother. & Her focus is on helping other busy moms in all stages of motherhood keep themselves and their little ones healthy and happy. & She uses natural and organic solutions to solve individual health problems and promote clean living. Check out her website at www.jbholistic.com.& & source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/22/5-steps-to-happier-healthier-life/

Portland, Ore., rejects adding fluoride to water supply

The mayor of Portland, Ore., has conceded defeat in an effort to add fluoride to the city's drinking water. With more than 80 percent of the expected ballots counted late Tuesday night, the Multnomah County election website showed the fluoride proposal failing, 60 percent to 40 percent. Mayor Charlie Hales supported fluoridation and said “the measure lost despite my own `yes' vote. “That's sure disappointing, but I accept the will of the voters,” he said in a statement. Fluoridation foes were delighted. “We're very excited with how the numbers look,” said Kellie Barnes with the anti-fluoride group Clean Water Portland. If the early returns hold up, “then Portlanders spoke out to value our clean water and ask for better solutions for our kids.” Voters in Portland twice rejected fluoridation before approving it in 1978. That plan was overturned two years later, before any fluoride was ever added to the water. The City Council voted last year to add fluoride to the water supply that serves about 900,000 people. But opponents quickly gathered enough signatures to force a vote on the subject. Rejection of the proposal would keep Portland the largest U.S. city without fluoride in the water or with plans to add it. San Jose, Calif., - which is larger than Portland - has been working to add fluoride to its water supply. Voters had weeks to make their choice in the mail-ballot election. By Tuesday it was too late to rely on the postman, so drop boxes were placed across the city to accommodate those who waited until the final day. “We were still getting ballots from drop sites close to 8 p.m.,” said Eric Sample, a Multnomah County elections spokesman. That meant a “pretty darn long night” of vote counting that likely would stretch into Wednesday, he said. Supporters and opponents of fluoridation raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and traded accusations of sign-stealing and shoddy science in an election that has been the city's most contentious of the 21st century. A sampling of voters dropping off ballots earlier Tuesday in rainy Pioneer Courthouse Square found people opposed to fluoridation. “People don't like change. When in doubt, say no,” said Tracy Rauscher, a native Portlander who, like a native Portlander, did not use an umbrella. Portland's drinking water already contains naturally occurring fluoride, though not at levels considered to be effective at fighting cavities. Backers of fluoridation say adding more of it to the water is a safe, effective and affordable way to improve the health of low-income children whose parents don't stress proper nutrition and dental hygiene. Opponents describe fluoride as a chemical that will ruin the city's pristine water supply, and they argue that adding it would violate an individual's right to consent to medication. Although most Americans drink water treated with fluoride, it has long been a contentious topic. In the 1950s, fluoridation was feared as a Communist plot. Today, people worry that its effect on the body has not been sufficiently examined. “I don't want chemicals in my water,” Sarah Lazzaro said after voting Tuesday. “I know that there are really no known health risks with it, but there's a lot of things we find out later in life really do have health risks.” The issue re-appeared on Portland's radar late last summer, when health organizations that had quietly lobbied the City Council for a year persuaded the panel to unanimously approve fluoridation by March 2014. Days before the vote, 227 people - most of them opponents - signed up to testify at a public hearing that lasted 6 1/2 hours. When their objections weren't heeded, they quickly gathered tens of thousands of signatures to force Tuesday's vote.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/22/portland-ore-rejects-adding-fluoride-to-water-supply/

Poliovirus vaccine trial shows early promise for recurrent glioblastoma

The treatment, developed at Duke and tested in an ongoing phase 1 study, capitalizes on the discovery that cancer cells have an abundance of receptors that work like magnets drawing the poliovirus, which then infects and kills the cells. The investigational therapy, known as PVSRIPO, uses an engineered form of the virus that is lethal to cancer cells, while harmless to normal cells. …