Nutrition tips to ease menopause

For up to a decade prior to menopause, your reproductive system prepares to retire and your body shifts its production of hormones. By eating especially well as you enter your menopausal years, you can ease this transition.

• Boost calcium intake. Calcium supports bone health and helps prevent osteoporosis. Also make sure you’re getting plenty of Vitamin D and magnesium, both of which support calcium absorption.
• Limit wine, sugar, white flour products, and coffee. Hot flashes improve in almost all cases when those foods are reduced or eliminated.
• Eat more good fats. Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids can help boost hormone production and give your skin a healthy glow. Evening primrose oil and black currant oil are good sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid that can help balance your hormones and alleviate hot flashes.
• Try flaxseed for hot flashes. Flaxseed is rich in lignans, which help stabilize hormone levels. Flaxseed can be particularly effective in managing hot flashes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed to your daily diet. Try sprinkling it on soups, salads, or main dishes.
• Consider eating more soy. Soy products are high in phytoestrogens, plant-based estrogens that are similar to estrogen produced by the body. Some studies suggest that soy may help manage menopausal symptoms. Try natural soy sources such as soy milk, tofu, tempeh, and soy nuts.

Nutrition tips to boost fertility

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, as they are known to decrease fertility.
• Eat organic foods, in order to limit pollutants and pesticides that may interfere with fertility.
• Take a prenatal supplement. The most important supplements for fertility are folic acid, zinc, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and vitamin C.
• Don’t overlook your partner’s diet. About 40 percent of fertility problems are on the male’s side, so encourage your partner to add supplements such as zinc, vitamin C, calcium, and vitamin D.

Nutrition tips for pregnant or breastfeeding women

You only need about 300 extra calories per day to maintain a healthy pregnancy and provide sufficient nutrition for your growing baby. However, gaining some weight is natural during pregnancy, and nursing can help with weight loss after the baby is born.



Nutrition for a healthy pregnancy

• Fat and protein are very important to your baby’s developing brain and nervous system. Stick to lean sources of protein and healthy fats for weight control.
• Abstain from alcohol. No amount is safe for the baby.
• Cut down on caffeine, which has been linked to a higher risk of miscarriage and can interfere with iron absorption. Limit yourself to no more than one caffeinated drink per day.
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals rather than a few large ones. This will help prevent and reduce morning sickness and heartburn.
• Be cautious about foods that may be harmful to pregnant women. These include soft cheeses, sushi, deli meats, raw sprouts, and fish such as tuna that may contain high levels of mercury.

Nutrition for breastfeeding women

• Keep your caloric consumption a little higher to help your body maintain a steady milk supply.
• Emphasize lean sources of protein and calcium, which are in higher demand during lactation.
• Take prenatal vitamin supplements, which are still helpful during breastfeeding, unless your physician tells you otherwise.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. Just as with the pregnancy guidelines above, refrain from drinking and smoking, and reduce your caffeine intake.

 

If your baby develops an allergic reaction, you may need to adjust what you're eating. Common food allergens include cow's milk, eggs, wheat, fish, and citrus. For a cow's milk allergy, you can meet your calcium needs through other high calcium foods, such as kale, broccoli, or sardines.

Nutrition tips to ease the symptoms of PMS

Bloating, cramping, and fatigue experienced the week or so before your period are often due to fluctuating hormones. Diet can play an important role in alleviating these and other symptoms of PMS.

• Avoid trans fats, refined sugar, and salt. Sugar worsens mood swings and salt worsens water retention and bloating.
• Cut out caffeine and alcohol. Both are known to worsen PMS symptoms, so avoid them during this time in your cycle.
• Limit red meat and egg yolks as they can cause inflammation. You may want to try sticking to vegetable proteins like soy and nuts, to see if it helps with your symptoms.
• Try cutting out dairy. Many women find relief from symptoms when dairy foods are eliminated from their diet. For some, improvements occur when they switch to hormone-free, organic dairy products.
• Add essential fatty acids to you diet. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help with cramps. See if eating more fish or taking fish oil or flaxseed oil supplements eases your PMS symptoms.
• Consider vitamin supplements. For some women, taking a daily multivitamin or supplementing with magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin E may help relieve cramps.

Focus on foods for strong bones

It’s important for women of all ages to eat foods that contribute to strong, healthy bones. Women have a higher risk of osteoporosis than men. But osteoporosis is largely preventable with good nutrition and exercise. After the age of 30, you stop building bone mass, but you can eat to maintain strong bones at any age. The key is to get enough of the nutrients that support bone health.

The role of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D in women’s bone health

Calcium and magnesium, in combination with vitamin D, are vital for women’s bone health. Calcium and magnesium needs are higher for people who eat the standard western diet (high consumption of sugar, caffeine, meat, and alcohol and a relatively low consumption of leafy greens and whole grains).

• Calcium: The recommended daily allowance varies from 400 to 1,200 mg/day. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, oatmeal and other grains, tofu, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, garlic, and sea vegetables. Calcium is absorbed slowly and your body cannot take in more than 500 mg at any one time. See Related articles section below for a PDF factsheet on good sources of calcium.
• Magnesium: The recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 500 to 800 mg/day. Calcium can only work when taken in conjunction with magnesium. Good sources of magnesium include leafy green vegetables, summer squash, broccoli, halibut, cucumber, green beans, celery, and a variety of seeds, including pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds.
• Vitamin D: Aim for between 400 and 1,000 IU (international units) daily. You can get Vitamin D from about half an hour of direct exposure to sunlight, and also from foods and supplements. Salmon is an excellent source of vitamin D. Other good sources include shrimp, vitamin-D fortified milk, cod, and eggs.

Don’t cut out the fat!

Many women have been led to believe that dietary fat is unhealthy and will contribute to weight gain. But fats are a necessary part of a healthy diet. What really matters are the types of fat you eat.

Women need healthy fats in their diet to look and feel great
Healthy fats boost your brain power and mood. Fats are essential to healthy brain function. They put you in a good mood and keep you mentally sharp.

• Healthy fats promote healthy pregnancies. When you’re pregnant, both you and your growing baby need healthy fat to feel your best. Fat is especially important to your baby’s developing brain and nervous system.
• Healthy fats contribute to lifelong beauty. Fats are essential for vibrant, glowing skin, hair, and nails. A lack of healthy fats in your diet can lead to dull, flaky skin, brittle nails, and dry or easily-damaged hair.
• Healthy fats help control cravings. Because fat is so dense in calories, a little goes a long way in making you feel full. Small amounts of good fats like nuts or seeds make great satisfying snacks. 
• Fats lower the glycemic index of foods, easing the spike in blood sugar that results from eating carbohydrates.
• You need fat in order to absorb certain vitamins. Many important vitamins—including vitamins A, D, E, and K—are fat-soluble, meaning you need fat in your system in order to absorb them.

Choosing healthy fats
Rather than cutting fat out of your diet, make smart choices about the types of fat you eat. Saturated fat and trans fat—the “bad fats”—increase your risk for certain diseases, including heart disease and stroke. But polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats—the “good fats”—actually contribute to your health and vitality, support your mood, and help you maintain a healthy weight.

Foods rich in healthy fats include:

• olive and canola oil
• olives
• nuts

• fish and seafood
• peanut butter
• avocados

Get plenty of good carbs

 

You may think that they key to losing weight or avoiding weight gain is cutting out carbohydrates. But carbs, like fats, are a vital part of a healthy diet. They give you the fuel you need to get through your day, fight fatigue, and stay feeling full. The key is to choose the right kinds of carbohydrates.

Complex vs. simple carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates—the “good carbs”—have not been stripped of their fiber and nutrients.  Because they’re rich in fiber, they keep you full longer and help with weight control. Good sources of complex carbs include whole grains such as whole grain brown rice, stone ground whole wheat, millet, or quinoa, as well as beans, other legumes, fruit, and vegetables.

Simple carbohydrates—the “bad carbs”—have been stripped of their fiber and many of their nutrients. Simple carbs lead to a dramatic spike in your blood sugar, followed by a rapid crash.  These carbs are much less efficient at filling you up and keeping you energized. Simple carbs include white flour, white rice, and sugary foods.

Get plenty of good carbs

• Complex carbohydrates:
• Leave you full and satisfied
• Are packed with nutrients
• Provide long-lasting energy

Simple carbohydrates:

• Leave you hungry for more
• Are mostly empty calories
• Provide only short-lived energy

Eat to control cravings and boost energy

 Your diet has a major effect on your food cravings, your stress levels, and your energy throughout the day. By making smart food choices and developing healthy eating habits, you’ll find it much easier to stay slim, control cravings, and feel energetic all day long.

Eat breakfast. Get your metabolism going in the morning by eating a healthy breakfast. Studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to weigh less than those who skip it. A solid breakfast provides energy for the day.

Eat regularly. Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat something at least every 3-4 hours. Support your body’s natural cycle of energy by eating a substantial breakfast, a nutritious lunch, a snack around 2 pm (to compensate for the body’s natural low point that occurs around 3 each afternoon), and a light early dinner.

Cut the junk. The ups and downs that come with eating sugary snacks and simple carbohydrates cause extreme swings in energy level and mood. Cutting out these foods can be tough, but if you can resist for several days, your cravings will subside.

Focus on complex carbohydrates. Foods such as baked potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain breads, and bananas boost your “feel-good” serotonin levels without a crash. They also provide plenty of fiber, so you feel full much longer.

Good nutrition for women of all ages

 

 Good nutrition starts with the basics: a well-rounded diet consisting of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and lean sources of protein. These kinds of foods provide women with plenty of energy, the means for lifelong weight control, and the key ingredients for looking and feeling great at any age.

Top diet and nutrition tips for women

• Focus on whole, plant-based foods. Fill most of your plate with fruits and leafy green vegetables. Also include a variety of whole grains, beans, and legumes to give you filling fiber and keep you going throughout the day. Try to find minimally-processed or locally-grown foods whenever possible and make these foods the mainstay of your diet.
• Bone up on calcium. Women are at a greater risk than men of developing osteoporosis, so it’s important to get plenty of calcium to support your bone health. While dairy products are high in calcium, their animal fat and protein can accelerate bone loss. So also consider plant-based sources of calcium like beans, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and collard greens.
• Don’t eat too much protein. Protein is an essential part of any healthy diet, but eating too much animal-based protein—such as the levels recommended in many low-carb, high-protein diets—is particularly dangerous for women. Eating lots of protein causes calcium loss. Over time, this could lead to a decrease in bone density and osteoporosis.
• Make sure you get enough iron. Many women don’t get enough iron in their diet. On top of that, women lose a lot of this important mineral during menstruation. Boost your intake by eating iron-rich foods such as lean red meat, dark poultry, lentils, spinach, almonds, and iron-fortified cereals.
• Cut back on alcohol and caffeine. Women who have more than two alcoholic drinks a day are at higher risk of osteoporosis. Caffeine consumption interferes with hormone levels and also increases the loss of calcium. Try to limit alcohol consumption to one glass a day and caffeine to one cup a day.

Nutrition and Diet

Balanced nutrition includes drinking plenty of clean water and regularly eating foods from each of six food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk products, meat and beans, and oils. These foods contain six kinds of nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins, and water. A person should regularly eat or drink enough of all of these nutrients to grow and remain healthy. (See Nutrition Calculations.) For infant nutrition, mother’s milk itself provides an ideal balance of nutrients, with the gradual introduction of solid foods after four to six months of age.

If a variety from all food groups is eaten regularly, it is not usually necessary to take supplements. Even carefully chosen vegetarian diets that include dairy products or eggs can be quite sufficient. But if little or no animal products are eaten, then grains must be eaten with legumes (beans, peas, peanuts, and lentils), nuts, and seeds to provide balanced protein.

Food and drink must also be clean and free from disease-causing germs (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) to be healthy. Purified water (potable water) is prepared by removing dirt from the water and treating the water to remove or kill germs. In some areas, the government purifies water that is delivered through secured plumbing; this water is safe to use directly from the faucet for food and drink. In most of the world, however, water should be purified before use. Foods should be washed free of dirt and then peeled, cooked, boiled, or sanitized before eating.

Food must be eaten in proper amounts to maintain good health. Eating disorders are serious, negative eating behaviors that can be fatal if untreated. Generally, obesity results from eating more, while malnutrition results from eating less food than needed for growth, maintenance, and daily activity. Daily energy needs can be estimated based on age, height, weight, and level of activity. The body mass index (BMI) can be a useful measure of the degree of under-nutrition or over-nutrition.

Building Your Perfect Skincare Routine

 Step 1: Know Your Skin Type

Who doesn't want great-looking skin? Start by knowing your skin type. Then you'll know how to take care of it.

• Dry skin is flaky, scaly, or rough.
• Oily skin is shiny, greasy, and may have big pores.
• Combination skin is dry in some spots (cheeks) and oily in others (forehead, nose, and chin).
• Sensitive skin may sting, burn, or itch after you use some makeup or other products.

Normal skin is balanced, clear, and not sensitive.

Step 2: Cleaning Normal/Combo Skin

Don't just grab whatever soap is in the shower or at the sink to wash your face. You don't have to buy fancy, expensive products. You just need to find skincare that works for you. Use a gentle cleanser or soap and wash -- don't scrub your face. Rinse with plenty of warm water, then pat dry. If you find your skin dries out or gets oily, try a different cleanser.

Step 2: Cleaning Dry Skin

If you have dry skin, use a gentle cleanser that doesn't have alcohol or fragrance. Those ingredients can dry your skin out even more. Gently wash your skin, then rinse with plenty of warm water. Don't use hot water because it removes the natural oils from your face faster. Try exfoliating once a week to get rid of flaky skin cells. It will make your skin look clearer and more even. 

Step 2: Cleaning Oily Skin

If your skin is oily, use an oil-free foaming cleanser to wash your face. Rinse with plenty of warm water. You may want to use a toner or astringent after you've washed your face, but be careful because it might irritate your skin. They can remove extra oil, making your face less shiny, and help keep skin clean.

Step 2: Cleaning Sensitive Skin

If your skin is sensitive, wash it with a very gentle cleanser and rinse with warm water. Be sure to pat -- don't rub -- dry. Exfoliating may irritate sensitive skin. Try not to use products that have alcohol, soap, acid, or fragrance. Instead, look on the label for calming ingredients like aloe, chamomile, green tea polyphenols, and oats. The fewer ingredients in a skincare product, the happier your face may be.

Step 3: Moisturize

You may think you're too young to need moisturizer -- or your skin is too oily -- but all skin needs moisture. Moisturizers help keep your skin from drying out. Use it every day, no matter what skin type you have. Apply it while your skin is still damp from washing or rinsing to help seal in moisture. If you have acne or your skin is oily, find a moisturizer that is lightweight and oil-free, so it doesn't block your pores.

Step 4: Put on Sunscreen

Your moisturizer may already have sunscreen in it. But it's a good idea to use a separate sunscreen, too. The sun can damage your skin in only 15 minutes. Even though you're young, you can get skin cancer. Look for sunscreen that works against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of at least 30. Wear it every day, even if it's not sunny and even if it's cold. The sun's rays can reflect off water, sand, and snow. Reapply every two hours.

When Should You Wash?

You can dry your skin by washing it too much, so once a day is fine for most people. In the morning, rinse your face with lukewarm water. Use a soft towel to pat it -- not rub it -- dry. At night, washing with a cleanser or gentle soap helps get rid of the day's dirt and makeup. If you exercise, play sports, or have PE, you may want to wash your face afterward with a gentle cleanser. Sweat can clog your pores and make acne worse.

Don't Wear Makeup to Bed

When you're tired, it can be tempting to go to bed without washing your face. But leaving makeup on your skin can clog your pores and cause acne. So use a gentle cleanser or makeup remover to wash it off. Use a soft wash cloth or cotton pads. If you use acne medicine, now's a good time to put it on -- when your face is clean and when you're not going to be putting on makeup.

All About Acne

Why does acne happen primarily when you're a teen? Puberty causes your body to make more hormones, which lead your body to make more sebum -- an oil that comes from your pores. Too much sebum and dead skin cells can clog pores, trapping bacteria. The bacteria thrive in this environment and acne starts. Acne can take a few forms including whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples.

How to Treat Acne

Don't pop those pimples! Squeezing can lead to infection and permanent scars. Instead, go to a store where you can find many acne-fighting products. They come as lotions, creams, gels, and cleansing pads. Be patient -- they can take eight weeks to work. And follow the directions carefully. Using too much or using them too often can irritate your skin and cause more blemishes. If your acne is really bad, get help from a dermatologist.

Hiding Blemishes

To make blemishes less noticeable, you can cover them with oil-free makeup. Foundation may help cover large patches of acne. Concealer covers smaller areas. Green-tinted color-correcting concealer may cancel out redness. You also can hide acne and treat it at the same time. Some tinted creams and concealers contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Stop using any product if it bothers your skin or causes more acne.

The Dangers of Tanning

You may like to be tan, but a tan means damaged skin. You hurt your skin when it changes color from the sun or indoor tanning. UV exposure can increase your risk of skin cancer -- now or later. It can also lead to wrinkly, leathery-looking skin and spots. You can get a sunburn in a tanning bed just like you can in the real sun. Regularly using tanning beds increases your risk of melanoma (the deadliest skin cancer) by eight times.

Fake Tans

For a safer tan, try sunless self-tanner. It stains your skin and comes in many forms including lotions, sprays, and towelettes. Or try airbrush tanning, where a salon expert sprays the tan right on your skin. With a fake tan, you still need to protect your skin from the sun. For a quick fake tan, try some bronzer. It's a brush-on powder or tinted cream that gives the look of a fresh tan.

Choosing Makeup

If you wear makeup, choose products that have "nonacnegenic" or "noncomedogenic" on the label. They should be less likely to cause acne or clog pores. Look for makeup that is water-based and not oil-based. Some makeup has expiration dates, even though they're not required. In general, eye products should be replaced first. Mascara, for example, should usually be used no longer than four months.

Makeup Safety Tips

Don’t share makeup or makeup tools, and use fresh applicators when trying on makeup in stores. Germs from other users can make you sick. Don't apply eyeliner inside your lid because it may irritate your eye. And if you've had an eye infection, buy new makeup to avoid re-infecting yourself. Never put on makeup in a bus or car. A bump or swerve could cause you to scratch your eye or get makeup and germs in it.

False Advertising

Seeing a model's perfect skin in an ad may make you want to buy the product. Don't be fooled. It takes a team of stylists and professionals to get her looking that great. Graphic artists can digitally remove pimples and freckles. Lighting experts use light and shadow to show the model's best features. England has even banned some cosmetic ads that change the models’ looks too much.

Other Things That Bug Your Skin

To keep skin healthy, try to avoid habits that can cause acne, redness, and scars. Don't pick at your skin -- especially your pimples -- or you can have permanent scars. Keep hairspray and gel away from your face. They can clog pores. Don't wear tight headbands or wool hats that can irritate your skin. Don't smoke. It can age your skin and make it yellow and dry.

Food and Sleep for Healthy Skin

Keep your skin healthy by eating smart. Eat lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. Choose lean proteins like chicken, fish, lean meat, beans, and eggs. Watch foods that are high in cholesterol, trans fats, saturated fats, salt, and sugar. And get plenty of sleep for good health and to avoid dark circles, fine lines, dull skin, and other side effects of bad rest. Relax! Even stress can make you break out.

5 Summertime Tips for Healthy Ears

Everyone has heard of swimmer's ear -- but there are other "ears" you don't want this summer, such as "music-lover's ear" and "unpressurized ear." Experts gave WebMD five tips for keeping your ears healthy -- over the summer and year-round.

No. 1: Don't Blast Your Inner Ear With Music

According to a Zogby International poll reported in March by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 28% of high-schoolers say they have to turn up the volume to hear the television. A similar number (29%) report saying "huh" or "what" a lot during conversations. A smaller, but significant number (17%) say they have experienced tinnitus, or ringing in the ears.
Other symptoms of hearing damage from personal entertainment devices include thinking that other people are speaking in a "muffled" way.
These are symptoms older people get, not kids. Until now.
The earbuds on MP3 players funnel the sound waves directly into the ear.
Long-term exposure to high volume levels can gradually wear out the tiny hair cells of the inner ear that convert sound into nerve signals that go to the brain.
Hearing loss can also be caused by age, disease, infections, drugs, trauma, and genetics. Or it can occur with sudden exposure -- or a very few exposures -- to severely loud sounds (like an explosion).
Occasionally music slamming into the ear from earbuds can be 100 decibels. "The rule of thumb," Bruce R. Maddern, MD, chair of the otolaryngology section of the American Academy of Pediatrics, tells WebMD, "is if an observer can hear the device, it's too loud."
"If it's that loud," Maddern adds, "you also can't hear a car coming at you."
Hearing loss from noise usually accumulates over time and does not happen all at once.
Richard M. Rosenfeld, MD, professor of otolaryngology at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., offers the following advice:

• Take breaks if you must listen to music through earbuds. "An iPod at 60 is safe for an hour a day," he says.
• Check out noise-reducing headphones. That way, you don't have to crank up the music volume to cancel out party noise or beach shouts.
• Don't stand or sit right next to a speaker at a party or concert.
• Parents should note: Do not let your child fall asleep with earbuds in. Make sure their devices are set at 60 or lower.

Incidentally, 60 decibels is the level of normal conversation. A power lawn mower can generate 90 decibels, a chainsaw or rock concert 110-140, and a 12-gauge shotgun 165 decibels.

No. 2: Don't Go Overboard Cleaning Your Ears

Earwax may look unsightly, but it is designed to protect the ear. When it migrates to the outside, you can clean it off with a washcloth.
"Every package of [swabs] says not to insert into the ear!" cautions Rosenfeld. "Sticking something in your ear canal to get out wax can push the wax farther in and compact it."
If your ear is impacted with ear wax, see your doctor who can safely clear it out for you.

No. 3: How to Treat Swimmer's Ear

Maddern says you might want to make sure your child's ears are not packed with wax and debris before the summer-long pool dunking starts. "If there is a lot of stuff down there and it is not addressed and warmth and bacteria-filled water is added," he says, "swimmer's ear can result."
Swimmer's ear is caused by any number of common bacteria found in lakes, hot tubs, and pools. In many cases, the infection gets going from a trauma in the ear canal – possibly a nick or scratch.
Swimmer's ear starts out as itching and maybe some soreness inside the ear but soon becomes severely painful and swollen, especially if you press on the little flap next to the ear opening.
"The doctor," Rosenfeld says, "may clean everything out. If the ear is swollen shut at this point, he or she may also put in a wick, which is a cellulose sponge that will carry the prescription drops to the infection."
Rosenfeld does not recommend that you use earplugs in the pool, however. "These can also cause trauma in the ear canal," he points out.
People who wear hearing aids are especially prone to swimmer's ear, according to Rosenfeld. "If you get a case, leave out the hearing aids for awhile," he advises.

No. 4: Pierce Only in the Lobe

Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, is co-director of laser surgery at the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery in Washington, and teaches at Johns Hopkins University.
She tells WebMD that she worries about people neglecting to put sunblock on their ears. "The ears are very sensitive to sun," she exclaims. "Don't forget them."
Tanzi says she sees a fair amount of skin cancer on the top of the ear. It starts out as a red, flaky patch and can bleed easily if scratched. Consult a doctor if this occurs.
As for insect repellent, it's OK to put it on the outer ear. Never spray inside.
As for piercing, Tanzi recommends sticking with the lobe area, which has a good blood supply to fight infection. Piercing up the curve goes into cartilage, which has a shortage of blood and where a serious infection can get going and not leave. "It can be very difficult to clear those," Tanzi says.
Take care of newly pierced ears as instructed. Wash your hands before handling the area. Then soak a cotton ball in alcohol and smoosh it around over the earring and post several times a day. If the lobe starts to get hot or itchy (hours or days after the piercing), you may have an infection. If this cannot be stopped with antibiotic cream, you may need to let the hole close.
As for earrings, if you have a contact allergy to nickel, which is common, stick with gold or stainless steel posts or hooks. Tanzi says that commercial coatings for ear wires designed to keep the nickel away from the skin don't work well for the severely allergic.

No. 5: Plane-Proof Your Ears

The next time you start to deplane, and babies and toddlers start screaming, this is a good thing! "Not equalizing pressure in the ears on planes is called barotitis," explains Rosenfeld. "This is not a problem when taking off, but it is when landing. Such a severe vacuum situation may be set up in the ears that a traveler may have severe pain, bleeding, or even perforation [of the eardrum].
"You want to chew, yawn, swallow -- anything to move the pressure around when landing," he adds. "If you have problems with this you can even take an oral decongestant before leaving."
Children can be especially susceptible. "Don't let your child remain asleep during landings," Rosenfeld says. "If they cry at the landing -- that is a good thing. It is equalizing pressure."
"A pacifier can also help kids with this," Maddern says. "Or give them some water to sip." Chewing gum is not recommended for toddlers, much less infants.

Silent strokes can jeopardize memory

The symptoms of a stroke are sometimes obvious, like numbness or weakness on one side of the face, trouble speaking, difficulty walking, and vision problems. Some strokes, though, pass completely unnoticed. But even these can have a significant and lasting effect on memory, reports the June 2012 issue of the Harvard Women's Health Watch.
These so-called silent strokes create pinpoints of dead cells in the brain. The damaged areas are smaller than with a traditional stroke, and often don't affect areas of the brain associated with movement or speech.
During a typical ischemic stroke, a blood clot blocks a blood vessel that feeds part of the brain. Without a steady supply of blood, cells in that area malfunction and may die. Symptoms that appear reflect the functions that were controlled by the affected part of the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke caused by a burst blood vessel does the same thing.
During a silent stroke, the interruption in blood flow occurs in part of the brain that doesn't control any vital functions. Although it doesn't cause any obvious symptoms—most people who've had a silent stroke have no idea it occurred—the damage does show up on an MRI or CT scan.
Silent strokes could interrupt the flow of information in the brain needed for memory, especially if several of these strokes occur over time (which is the most common scenario). Damage from silent strokes can accumulate, leading to more and more memory problems.
Is there anything a woman can do when faced with a stroke that has no symptoms, and that can only be found on an MRI or CT scan? "I think that it should make people aware that it's imperative to manage risk factors," says Karen Furie, associate professor at Harvard Medical School and director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Stroke Service. This means:

• controlling blood pressure and diabetes
• not smoking
• keeping cholesterol levels in check
• aiming for a healthy weight
• managing atrial fibrillation

If you are experiencing signs of memory loss, don't dismiss it as a normal part of aging. See your doctor for testing to make sure the issue isn't a silent stroke.

Radiation from cardiac imaging and procedures may pose cancer risk

Procedures for diagnosing and treating heart disease that use ionizing radiation can potentially damage cells and increase the risk of cancer. Although no single test is likely to be harmful, radiation from cardiac tests, dental x-rays, chest x-rays, mammograms, and tests performed for other reasons can add up, quickly reaching or surpassing the recommended lifetime medical radiation limit of 100 milliSieverts (mSv) set by the American College of Radiology.
There's growing concern about CT scans because the popularity of these tests has exploded, exposing large numbers of people to sometimes substantial doses of radiation.
Tests that emit ionizing radiation include:

• Chest x-ray: 0.04 mSv
• Mammogram: 0.07 mSv
• Calcium scoring test: 1-2 mSv
• Cardiac catheterization: 7 mSv
• Chest CT: 10 mSv
• Coronary CT angiogram: 3-14 mSv
• Radionuclide sestamibi stress test: 10-12 mSv
• Radionuclide dual isotope myocardial perfusion imaging: 25 mSv

"One or two CT scans over a lifetime is appropriate. But if you have a condition that requires repeated monitoring, a test that does not expose you to ionizing radiation may be preferred," says Dr. Warren Manning, chief of noninvasive cardiac imaging and testing at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a professor at Harvard Medical School.
Cardiac tests that pose no radiation risk include ECG, echocardiography, ultrasound, and MRI.
Radiologists in Harvard-affiliated hospitals, as well as those in many other leading medical centers, take precautions to minimize radiation exposure. This includes using protocols that allow cardiac CT scans to be performed with one-sixth the conventional radiation dose.

8 tips to a good night's sleep without relying on medicine

Almost everyone has trouble sleeping from time to time. But when insomnia persists day after day, it can become a real problem. Beyond making a person tired and moody, a lack of sleep can have serious effects on health, increasing the risks for obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Sleep issues can plague women as they get older. "Later in life there tends to be a decrease in the number of hours slept," says Dr. Karen Carlson, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of Women's Health Associates at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Many women turn to sleep medications in search of more restful slumber. However, these drugs can have side effects ranging from appetite changes to dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, and strange dreams. A study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that people who were taking hypnotic drugs had a higher incidence of cancer, and death, than people who didn't take these sleep medicines.
If a sleep aid is needed, there's no reason to avoid using one. But before turning to pills, here are eight tips for getting a better night's sleep:

• Exercise at some point during the day.
• Reserve your bed for sleep and sex—not work or TV.
• Keep the bedroom comfortable.
• Start a sleep ritual.
• Have a bedtime snack—but not too much.
• Avoid alcohol and chocolate before bed.
• Wind down before going to bed.
• See your doctor about what's keeping you up at night.

5 easy steps to prevent sinusitis

A cold that lingers—and lingers—isn't something that happens only in winter. It may not even be a cold. It could be sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. You can relieve the symptoms of this common infection with several easy treatments.
When the sinuses become blocked, viruses or bacteria in the nose can become trapped in a pool of mucus with nowhere to go. The germs can grow out of control, causing infection and inflammation. The result: swelling, which causes headache and facial pain; mucus buildup, which produces congestion; and an influx of white blood cells to fight the infection, which thickens and tints the mucus. Other symptoms may include loss of smell or taste, bad breath, fever, and fullness in the ears.
The main cause of blocked sinuses is swelling produced by the common cold. More serious sinusitis can result from a deviated septum or nasal polyps.
Here are some suggestions from Harvard Women’s Health Watch for reducing your chance of developing sinusitis or relieving early symptoms:
Bathe your nasal passages daily. Use a small pot or squeeze bottle to run water into the nasal passages. This helps clear excess mucus and moisten membranes.
Drink lots of water. Good hydration helps keep mucus thin and loose.
Inhale steam. Linger in a hot shower. Or bring water to a boil, pour it into a pan, place a towel over your head, and bend over the pan to inhale the steam.
Avoid dry environments. A humidifier by your bed or at your desk can help keep nasal passages from drying out.
Sleep with your head elevated. Mucus pools when your head is down.

Tips For Healthy Living On The Go

Are you a busy entrepreneur or employee who is usually on the go and doesn’t have a lot of time, but still wants to make 2008 the year that you get more healthy?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Most people want to get healthy, more fitter and look younger yet they can’t seem to find the time for it. In fact, I have seen advertisements on TV since the new year for at least 7 different fitness workouts by various celebrities and actresses, but I wonder how many people will actually stick to the plans when they purchase it.
Listen, if 2008 is going to be different for you, your body and your family, then it’s time to buckle up and find new habits that will serve you better. Don’t you agree? Healthy living doesn’t have to be hard, it was never created to be. But it does require a small amount of commitment and a big love for being refreshed.
Here are eight tips for healthy living on the go:

1. Enjoy a pint of water first thing in the morning.
If you haven’t got time for anything else in the morning, make time to drink a big glass of water. We lose a lot of oxygen through the night and to rejuvenate our cells, we need to supply them with water and oxygen. Drink a glass of water and within a week you’ll begin to feel less tired. I like the taste of water, but I know some people do not so if you’re one of them, squeeze some fresh lime into your water to give it taste and drink up.

2. Grab a few fresh fruits on your way out.
Wherever you’re going – whether it’s a walk or drive to the supermarket or on your way to a meeting – pick up one or two fruits and eat them. If you leave for work in the morning and don’t return ’til evening, take a few fruits and eat them throughout the day. Fruits are great for their nutrients, vitamins and sugars that are required in our body.

3. Avoid going to junk food shops with your work mates.
If your work mates are going and you want to go along, go ahead but don’t order the burger or french fries. Go for a nice salad instead. Or any other healthy meal that takes your fancy. Junk food is full of “empty calories” that do nothing for your body but put on extra unneeded and unhealthy fat.

4. Exercise on the go.
If you work in an office, get up every 30 minutes and go for a walk. If you have an office with stairs, run up and down the stairs every couple of hours. Get your blood flowing and your muscles moving.

5. Drink herbal teas.
When at work or home, many people love to get a cup of tea or coffee. Decide that you’ll be more healthy and get a warm cup of herbal tea. The selection available today is absolutely massive, so you’re guaranteed to find one you enjoy. I like mandarin and ginseng tea as well as fennel seed tea.

6. Eat a handful of nuts.
Get your favorite selection of nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc.) and raisins and have a big handful of them at around 3pm. This has been shown to increase afternoon energy and productivity.

7. Say yes to freshly squeezed juice.
One of the biggest and most exciting changes I made in my health about 7 months ago was when I said “yes” to having my own freshly squeezed juice every morning. Since then, my energy, body health and vitality has increased ten-fold. I create the time to squeeze my own carrot-apple-ginger juice; however if you don’t have the time, ask someone if they can make it for you in exchange for something you can help them with, or get yourself to a local juice bar and get your share of the juice!

8. Deep breathing.
When you’ve got time – at your desk, driving the car, cooking food – do some deep breathing. Inhale and count up to 5 seconds, hold it for a few seconds, and release slowly. Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is one of the best things we can do for our blood and cells.
Do you have any tips for healthy living on the go? Do tell…

Healthy Sleep Tips

1. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule including weekends.

Our sleep-wake cycle is regulated by a "circadian clock" in our brain and the body's need to balance both sleep time and wake time. A regular waking time in the morning strengthens the circadian function and can help with sleep onset at night. That is also why it is important to keep a regular bedtime and wake-time, even on the weekends when there is the temptation to sleep-in.

2. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music.

A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep. Avoid arousing activities before bedtime like working, paying bills, engaging in competitive games or family problem-solving. Some studies suggest that soaking in hot water (such as a hot tub or bath) before retiring to bed can ease the transition into deeper sleep, but it should be done early enough that you are no longer sweating or over-heated. If you are unable to avoid tension and stress, it may be helpful to learn relaxation therapy from a trained professional. Finally, avoid exposure to bright before bedtime because it signals the neurons that help control the sleep-wake cycle that it is time to awaken, not to sleep.

3. Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool.

Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep – cool, quiet, dark, comfortable and free of interruptions. Also make your bedroom reflective of the value you place on sleep. Check your room for noise or other distractions, including a bed partner's sleep disruptions such as snoring, light, and a dry or hot environment. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, "white noise," humidifiers, fans and other devices.

4. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.

Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive. The one you have been using for years may have exceeded its life expectancy – about 9 or 10 years for most good quality mattresses. Have comfortable pillows and make the room attractive and inviting for sleep but also free of allergens that might affect you and objects that might cause you to slip or fall if you have to get up during the night.

5. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex.

It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment. Use your bed only for sleep and sex to strengthen the association between bed and sleep. If you associate a particular activity or item with anxiety about sleeping, omit it from your bedtime routine. For example, if looking at a bedroom clock makes you anxious about how much time you have before you must get up, move the clock out of sight. Do not engage in activities that cause you anxiety and prevent you from sleeping.

6. Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime.

Eating or drinking too much may make you less comfortable when settling down for bed. It is best to avoid a heavy meal too close to bedtime. Also, spicy foods may cause heartburn, which leads to difficulty falling asleep and discomfort during the night. Try to restrict fluids close to bedtime to prevent nighttime awakenings to go to the bathroom, though some people find milk or herbal, non-caffeinated teas to be soothing and a helpful part of a bedtime routine.

7. Exercise regularly. It is best to complete your workout at least a few hours before bedtime.

In general, exercising regularly makes it easier to fall asleep and contributes to sounder sleep. However, exercising sporadically or right before going to bed will make falling asleep more difficult. In addition to making us more alert, our body temperature rises during exercise, and takes as much as 6 hours to begin to drop. A cooler body temperature is associated with sleep onset... Finish your exercise at least 3 hours before bedtime. Late afternoon exercise is the perfect way to help you fall asleep at night.

8. Avoid caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) close to bedtime. It can keep you awake.

Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it can produce an alerting effect. Caffeine products, such as coffee, tea, colas and chocolate, remain in the body on average from 3 to 5 hours, but they can affect some people up to 12 hours later. Even if you do not think caffeine affects you, it may be disrupting and changing the quality of your sleep. Avoiding caffeine within 6-8 hours of going to bed can help improve sleep quality.

9. Avoid nicotine (e.g. cigarettes, tobacco products). Used close to bedtime, it can lead to poor sleep.

Nicotine is also a stimulant. Smoking before bed makes it more difficult to fall asleep. When smokers go to sleep, they experience withdrawal symptoms from nicotine, which also cause sleep problems. Nicotine can cause difficulty falling asleep, problems waking in the morning, and may also cause nightmares. Difficulty sleeping is just one more reason to quit smoking. And never smoke in bed or when sleepy!

10. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime.

Although many people think of alcohol as a sedative, it actually disrupts sleep, causing nighttime awakenings. Consuming alcohol leads to a night of less restful sleep.

If you have sleep problems...

Use a sleep diary and talk to your doctor. Note what type of sleep problem is affecting your sleep or if you are sleepy when you wish to be awake and alert. Try these tips and record your sleep and sleep-related activities in a sleep diary. If problems continue, discuss the sleep diary with your doctor. There may be an underlying cause and you will want to be properly diagnosed. Your doctor will help treat the problem or may refer you to a sleep specialist.

tips for healthy skin

Don't have time for intensive skin care? Pamper yourself with the basics. Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay the natural aging process and prevent various skin problems. Get started with these five no-nonsense tips.

1. Protect yourself from the sun

One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.
For the most complete sun protection:

• Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. When you're outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours — or more often if you're swimming or perspiring.
• Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest.
• Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.

2. Don't smoke

Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow. This depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles.
If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.

tips for healthy hair and skin

- Remember that the most important factors that decide the quality of your skin and hair are your genes and family history, your nerves and emotions, and your immune system.
- Use an appropriate face wash meant for your skin type and wash twice a day.

- Use cleansers at night to remove make up and dirt before using a face wash.
- Use sunscreen everyday even if you are indoors - the sun's UVA rays come through windows too and contribute to aging, pigmenting and tanning. Ideally, sunscreen should be applied every three hours.
- Sunscreen should have an SPF of 30 or more. SPF is the degree of protection against UVB rays, hence sunscreen must have UVA protection as well. The usual UVA protection ingredients are Avobenzone, Titanium dioxide, Zinc oxide, Mexoryl and Tinosorb.
- Make up products like foundations, mineral powders and compacts do not have adequate sun protection.
- Indian skin tends to tan and pigment easily and patchily. There is a very thin line between tanning and pigmentation. If your tan hasn't gone in 4-6 weeks, see a dermatologist.
- It is advisable to use mild skin lightening creams as prevention. Look for botanical ingredients like Arbutin, Bearberry, Licorice, Mulberry, Ginseng, Gingko, Emblica, Turmeric - curcuma, Grapeseed and vitamins like C and A, and Niacinamide.
- Aging can be intrinsic, i.e. genetic, and can be delayed by exercise and, to a lesser extent, through diet. Extrinsic factors include increased UV intensity, increased pollution as well as stress. All these factors tend to dry the skin and make it more prone to pigmentation and aging. Hence it is important to start caring for your skin in your teens.
- Extrinsic factors produce Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which are naughty oxygen molecules that damage the cells and make them age faster. Anti-oxidants neutralise these ROS.
- At night, use a moisturiser with an age-protecting agent.
- For younger skin, look for ingredients with antioxidants like vitamins C, E or a whole range of botanicals like green tea, grapeseed or pomegranate extract, curcumin, etc. You might also like to look out for the following: Genistein, ECGC, Resveratrol, Idebenone and Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10.
- Kitchen ingredients like fruits do not work.
- For older skin, look for the following ingredients: peptides, vitamin A and derivatives like retinol and other retinoids, Alpha, beta and polyhydroxy acids.
- Exfoliation should be done with extreme caution and only with modern bead exfoliators. Avoid granular scrubs as these tend to damage the skin microscopically, which can lead to slow, insidious and patchy darkening.

- It is advisable to visit a dermatologist at least once a year. There are a lot of nuances in skin colour, texture, smoothness, etc. that we can't see for ourselves. These can be detected by the dermatologist and mild creams/treatments can be recommended.
- Always use a conditioner after you shampoo your hair. It protects your hair and is a better option than oil. Conditioners neutralise electrical charge in the hair shaft and help in detangling. Conditioners also improve shine and to some extent repair minor frays in the hair shaft. Conditioning agents like hydrolized protein or silicons are added to increase manageability and shine in the hair.

Tips for a healthy heart

A strong heart is a result of healthy lifestyle choices. Be active and stress-free
Today's fast-paced life and workplace pressures escalate stress levels, taking a toll on one's heart. We must realise that the healing power of the body decreases when under stress, leading to many complications like hypertension and poor immunity. Today, even youngsters are prone to heart ailments. So, it's very important to stay healthy and manage your stress levels by understanding the risk factors — high cholesterol levels, stressful lifestyle, smoking, and lack of exercise — following simple changes in lifestyle.

Avoid smoking
Smoking reduces life expectancy by 15-25 years. If you are a smoker, you are twice more likely to have a heart attack than a non-smoker. The moment you stop smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to reduce.
Cut down on salt
Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease.
Watch your diet
Try to have a balanced diet. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, starch foods such as wholegrain bread and rice.
Monitor your alcohol
Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Avoid intake of alcohol or at least limit it to one to two units a day, gradually decreasing the consumption.
Get active
At least aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Keeping yourself fit not only benefits the heart but also improves mental health and well-being.
Monitor your BP, blood sugar and cholesterol levels
Routine medical check-ups will ring an alarm, if you need medical help.
Manage your waist
Cholesterol deposition in blood vessels begins in the first decade of life. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health. Make small but healthy changes in your diet.
Manage your stress level
If you find things are getting on top of you, you may fail to eat properly, smoke and drink too much. This may increase your risk of a heart attack. Practice yoga/meditation. Take a vacation.
Check your family history
If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high BP, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.
Laughter is the best therapy
Laughter anytime will work wonders for you. It is an instant way to unleash the pressure and it makes you feel light.

Tips To Healthy Eating

1. Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.
   
2. Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.
   
3. Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.
   
4. Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes.
   
5. Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.
   
6. Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods. Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them.
   Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your choices.
   Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake significantly.
   If you love fried chicken, however, you don't have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion.
   
7. Balance your food choices over time. Not every food has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern.
   
8. Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital nutrients.
   
9. Make changes gradually. Just as there are no "superfoods" or easy answers to a healthy diet, don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too.
   
10. Remember, foods are not good or bad. Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.

10 Tips to healthy eating and physical activity for you.

1. Start your day with breakfast.
   Breakfast fills your "empty tank" to get you going after a long night without food. And it can help you do better in school. Easy to prepare breakfasts include cold cereal with fruit and low-fat milk, whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, yogurt with fruit, whole-grain waffles or even last night's pizza!
   
   
2. Get Moving!
   It's easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or jog to see friends. Take a 10-minute activity break every hour while you read, do homework or watch TV. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day.
   
   
3. Snack smart.
   Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups - a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart at other meals, cookies, chips and candy are OK for occasional snacking.
   
   
4. Work up a sweat.
   Vigorous work-outs - when you're breathing hard and sweating - help your heart pump better, give you more energy and help you look and feel best. Start with a warm-up that stretches your muscles. Include 20 minutes of aerobic activity, such as running, jogging, or dancing. Follow-up with activities that help make you stronger such as push-ups or lifting weights. Then cool-down with more stretching and deep breathing.
   
   
5. Balance your food choices - don't eat too much of any one thing.
   You don't have to give up foods like hamburgers, french fries and ice cream to eat healthy. You just have to be smart about how often and how much of them you eat. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron and calcium from a variety of foods. Balancing food choices from the Food Guide Pyramid and checking out the Nutrition Facts Panel on food labels will help you get all these nutrients.
   
   
6. Get fit with friends or family.
   Being active is much more fun with friends or family. Encourage others to join you and plan one special physical activity event, like a bike ride or hiking, with a group each week.
   
   
7. Eat more grains, fruits and vegetables.
   These foods give you carbohydrates for energy, plus vitamins, minerals and fiber. Besides, they taste good! Try breads such as whole-wheat, bagels and pita. Spaghetti and oatmeal are also in the grain group.
   Bananas, strawberries and melons are some great tasting fruits. Try vegetables raw, on a sandwich or salad.
   
   
8. Join in physical activities at school.
   Whether you take a physical education class or do other physical activities at school, such as intramural sports, structures activities are a sure way to feel good, look good and stay physically fit.
   
   
9. Foods aren't good or bad.
   A healthy eating style is like a puzzle with many parts. Each part -- or food -- is different. Some foods may have more fat, sugar or salt while others may have more vitamins or fiber. There is a place for all these foods. What makes a diet good or bad is how foods fit together. Balancing your choices is important. Fit in a higher-fat food, like pepperoni pizza, at dinner by choosing lower-fat foods at other meals. And don't forget about moderation. If two pieces of pizza fill you up, you don't need a third.
   
   
10. Make healthy eating and physical activities fun!
    Take advantage of physical activities you and your friends enjoy doing together and eat the foods you like. Be adventurous - try new sports, games and other activities as well as new foods. You'll grow stronger, play longer, and look and feel better! Set realistic goals - don't try changing too much at once.

Five Rules for Maintaining Healthy Skin

Our morning routine is no time for self indulgence. Typically, five minutes is all most of us can afford to devote to skin care before we head out for the day. However, incorporating these five skin care rules into your daily lives will ensure that you'll never need more than those 5 minutes to keep up that ageless appearance.

Rule #1: Avoid the sun!

Sure we all look better with a tan, but before this trend was popular, paleness was a sign of beauty and wealth. So where did we go awry? Well leave it to Coco Chanel to ignite a complete reversal of the image when arriving home from a vacation looking bronze. This must have been the birth of the freckle, sun spot, and skin cancer. Thankfully, with the advent of sunless tanning, we can achieve the sun kissed look sans the damage. However, it does not protect our skin from those nasty ultraviolet (UV) rays. So, never leave the house without applying sunscreen, at least SPF 15. Most facial lotions already have it mixed in, but be sure to double check the label. Additionally, avoid the sun during the "Prime Tanning Hours" of 10am-4pm. If you do expect to spend an extended period of time out during this time frame wear sun glasses, and a wide brimmed hat. Squinting leads to the development of crows feet, and UV rays also cause eye damage. Hats provide an extra layer of protection, and will also keep color treated hair from fading prematurely.

Rule #2: Drink more water!

Put down that soda, and pick up a water bottle. You're not doing yourself any favors by getting jacked up on caffeine all day. Caffeine dehydrates the body which contributes to the drying, and aging of skin. Alcohol also causes dehydration, and depletes the body of Vitamin A, an important antioxidant. It can cause broken capillaries, and aggravates rosacea. Excessive consumption of it damages the liver which then cannot properly rid the body of toxins. Toxins accelerate the aging process, and are accumulated from pollutants in the environment, and preservatives in food and beverages. Water is the only fluid that can flush out these toxins. An inadequate intake of water forces them to release through the skin causing damage, and break outs. Proper hydration will also help alleviate those unsightly dark circles under the eyes. So substitute water for your usual iced coffee or appletini once a week,and maybe next happy hour you'll be carded!

Rule #3: Quit stressing!

Stress and skin problems are directly related. So it's no coincidence that you have flair ups the night before a presentation, or a party you've been planning. Unfortunately, we can't avoid stress, but managed properly we can prevent additional aggravation caused by skin problems stemming from it. Stress causes an increased amount of oil production and secretion, which if trapped under the skin leads to acne. An easy way to de-stress is to break a sweat. Exercise will not only release Endorphins that contribute to feeling happy, but produce sweat that will unclog pores. It also increases circulation that helps deliver nutrients, and oxygen to the skin making for a more glowing complexion. Sweating might not be the most attractive process, but it's a natural alternative to harsh chemicals in some facial cleansers, and an easy way to release stress. So during periods of increased stress it's important to pay extra attention to skin care.

Rule #4: Maintain a healthy diet!

Healthy skin starts from the inside out. Providing it with proper vitamins and nutrients from is something that no cream can accomplish on its own. Focus on adding foods rich in Omega-3, Vitamin C, A, and E to your diet. Omega-3 found in seafood, increases the production of collagen and elastin needed to keep the skin moist and youthful looking. Vitamin C from fruits such as oranges, and grapefruits, while known to boost the immune system, also negates the effects of free radicals; unstable molecules found in the natural environment that age the skin. Vegetables such as carrots, and spinach provide Vitamin A. This is a key component in the fight against wrinkles because it is converted into retinol, a compound in most all anti-wrinkle creams on the market. It stimulates new cell growth that reduces the appearance of wrinkles, and fine lines, as well as fades age spots. Lastly Vitamin E found in nuts such as almonds, and walnuts, acts as an antioxidant that protects skin cell membranes from damaged caused by exposure to UV rays. They also contain fatty acids that help to prevent and treat dryness associated with such skin disorders as acne, psoriasis and eczema. While purchasing these vitamins in pill form sounds like a good idea, in some cases they can have the opposite effects. So head to the grocery store and get creative with skin care in the kitchen!

Rule #5: Be gentle!
Daily cleansing is a standard routine, but if performed too often or with overly harsh products it can be damaging. Be gentle and keep it in moderation. Don't take excessively hot or long showers. It will strip too much oil from your skin forcing your body to overcompensate and produce excess oil. Also be sure that your using a body soap that's free of synthetic ingredients or chemicals. Remember our skin is a porous surface, and absorbs what's put on it. Try an organic soap with all natural ingredients such as, olive oil, and almond extract. They do the same job, but without the unnecessary additives. After cleansing try not to rub the water off, instead gently pat away excess moisture. Lastly, chose a facial cleanser and moisturizer specific to your skin type. Limit washing your face to twice a day, morning and night. Always follow with moisturizer. Avoid products containing a high alcohol alcohol, and fragrance, they can dry out your skin. Look for oil free, and non-comedogenic products, they're designed to clean without leaving residue that clogs pores. It may be a bit of an experiment, finding the right combination of products that works for you but ultimately worth the results.

So what have we learned? Mostly what we already knew, but don't make enough time for. It's easy to forget why these things are important in lives as busy as ours. It's time to get back to the basics. Use common sense, be vigilant, and take care of yourself, not just for your skins sake, but for your sake.

Best Superfoods for Weight Loss

So-called superfoods are nutritional powerhouses that help build bones, prevent chronic diseases, improve your eyesight, and even keep your mind sharp. But did you know new evidence suggests these foods can also help you get—and stay—slim?

Read on for the top superfoods for weight loss, and how to pack them into your daily diet!

Black beans

A cup of black beans packs a whopping 15 grams of satisfying protein and doesn't contain any of the saturated fat found in other protein sources, like red meat.

Oats

Oats are rich in fiber, so a serving can help you feel full throughout the day. Just a half cup packs 4.6 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Avocados

There's no reason to be afraid of eating fats—as long as they're the right fats.

Oleic acid, a compound in avocados' healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), may trigger your body to actually quiet hunger. Stick to a quarter or a half of an avocado and watch that belly fat melt away. The creamy fruit is also packed with fiber and protein.

Salmon

Lean sources of protein help you feel full without adding fat. However, 50% of women ages 18 to 50 don't know if they get enough of this essential nutrient.

Up your intake with salmon; it's a leaner choice than red meat and is chock-full of MUFAs to boot. A 2001 study found that dieters eating a MUFA-rich diet lost an average of 9 pounds, while their low-fat diet counterparts gained, on average, 6.

Blueberries

Best known for their anti-aging effects, blueberries, while tiny, are a powerful figure-friendly eat: A 1-cup serving sets you back only 80 calories, and helps you feel full with 4 grams of fiber.

Broccoli

Cooked or raw, this cruciferous veggie is well-known for its cancer-preventing powers, but with a punch of filling fiber in less than 30 calories a serving, it's bound to prevent weight problems too.

Brown rice

Brown rice is a heartier, fiber-packed alternative to less-than-super white rice. A half-cup serving contains 1.7 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Plus, brown rice is a low-energy-density food, meaning it's heavy and filling but low in calories. One study found that women who ate a higher-energy-density diet gained three times as much weight over six years than women eating a low-energy-density diet.

Pears

Just one pear packs 15% of your daily recommended amount of fiber. One study found that women who ate three pears a day consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than those who didn't. Ditch the peeler though; the skin is where all that filling fiber is hiding!

Wine

Resveratrol, the famed antioxidant found in grape skin, stops fat storage. Studies show that moderate wine drinkers have narrower waists and less belly fat than liquor drinkers. Downing a glass can boost your calorie burn for a good 90 minutes.

Grapefruit

Even if you changed nothing else about your diet, eating half a grapefruit before each meal may help you lose up to a pound a week!

A compound in the tangy fruit can lower insulin, a fat-storage hormone, and that can lead to weight loss. It's also a good source of protein, and because it's at least 90% water, it can fill you up so you eat less.

Kidney beans

One of several varieties of beans to make the list, red beans offer protein and fiber (more than 5 grams per serving!). Kidney beans are also rich in Resistant Starch; a 1/2-cup serving packs nearly 2 grams of this slimming carb.

Almonds

Nuts are another superfood rich in healthy fats that help you slim down.

Almonds in particular can help you shed pounds: In one study, people who added a daily helping of the nuts to a low-cal diet lost more weight than people who followed the same diet but swapped almonds for a carb-heavy snack like crackers.

Green tea

This steamy sip hydrates like water, which can help fill you up and shed pounds. Plus, the antioxidants in green tea will up your fat burn and calorie burn. One study found that five cups a day could help you lose twice as much weight, most of it around your middle.

Lentils

Lentils are a great source of satiating protein and fiber. A half-cup serving delivers 3.4 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Bananas

Bananas are a slimming superfood at the heart of Health's CarbLovers Diet. A slightly green, medium-size banana will fill you up and boost your metabolism with its 12.5 grams of Resistant Starch. Even a ripe banana still ranks high on the list of foods containing RS, with almost 5 grams.

Best and Worst Foods for Digestion

In theory, you should be able to digest just about any type of food you put in your mouth.

But changes in food processing and preparation (think fried) not to mention lifestyle (think sedentary) mean our stomachs don't always react well to everything we eat.

It's best to avoid some food—like fatty meats—to avoid upset tummies. But, fortunately, nature also provides foods that can ease our digestion. Here's a guide to what's good and what's bad when it comes to keeping your system running smoothly.

High-fat and fried food

 Both high-fat and fried food can overwhelm the stomach, resulting in acid reflux and heartburn. "The body can only handle so much at one time," says Jessica Anderson, RD, a diabetes educator with the Texas A&M Health Science Center Coastal Bend Health Education Center, in Corpus Christi.

High-fat food also can result in pale-colored stool, a phenomenon called steatorrhea, which is essentially excess fat in the feces. A lot of people with irritable bowel syndrome need to stay away from foods high in fat, she says, including butter and cream because they can cause digestive problems.

Chili peppers

 This staple of spicy cuisine can irritate the esophagus and lead to heartburn pain.

This can be a particular problem for people with irritable bowel syndrome or those who already suffer from chronic heartburn, says Tim McCashland, MD, a gastroenterologist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha.

Dairy

 You need calcium in your diet, and an easy way to get it is from dairy products such as milk and cheese. But, for the lactose intolerant, these can cause diarrhea, gas, and abdominal bloating and cramps.

Lactose intolerance, a common problem, occurs when people don't make enough lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose (the sugar found in milk). Celiac disease, Crohn's disease, and chemotherapy can damage the intestines, which also can lead to lactose intolerance.

If you're lactose intolerant, staying away from dairy is probably your best bet.

Alcohol

Alcohol relaxes the body, but, unfortunately, it also relaxes the esophageal sphincter. This can lead to acid reflux or heartburn.

Drinking also can inflame the stomach lining, impairing certain enzymes and preventing nutrients from being absorbed, Anderson says. Too much alcohol can cause diarrhea and cramping, but unless you have a gastrointestinal disorder, moderate amounts of alcohol shouldn't irritate the digestive tract.

Guidelines suggest no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women.

Berries

Berries

Berries are good for your health, but ones with tiny seeds can be a problem for people who have diverticulitis, or pockets that develop in the intestine (usually the large intestine) that become inflamed or infected.

"The theory is that the seeds will obstruct the [pockets] and pose a risk of infection," Dr. McCashland says. "It's never been proven in a study but it's always been theorized." If you find that seeds, including sunflower or pumpkin seeds, irritate your intestines, stay away from them.

Chocolate

A 2005 study suggested that chocolate may be a problem in those with irritable bowel syndrome or chronic constipation.

But chocolate itself may not be the villain, Anderson says. For people with milk allergies, the real culprit could be the milk contained in many chocolate treats. And chocolate has caffeine in it, which can stimulate cramps, bloating, and diarrhea. 

Coffee, tea, and soft drinks

Coffee, tea, and carbonated beverages not only over-relax the esophageal sphincter, which keeps stomach acid confined to the stomach, but they also can act as diuretics, which can lead to diarrhea and cramping, Anderson says.

Caffeinated beverages can be a particular problem, especially for people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

If you have GERD or heartburn, you should avoid mint tea; it can, however, also calm the stomach, Anderson says.

Corn

Fiber-rich corn is good for you, but it also contains cellulose, a type of fiber that humans can't break down easily because we lack a necessary enzyme.

Our evolutionary ancestors were probably able to break it down with bigger, stronger teeth, Anderson says. If you chew corn longer, you can probably digest it just fine, she says. But wolf it down and it may pass through you undigested, and cause gas and abdominal pain.

Yogurt

You have trillions of bacteria in your gut that help you digest food, and yogurt contains some types of these healthy bacteria. (Although not all yogurts have them—check for "live and active cultures" on the label.)

Yogurt has bacteria, which replenishes the normal flora within the gastrointestinal tract so it's healthy

Kimchi

Kimchi is a Korean favorite usually made with cabbage, radish, or onion, along with lots of spices. The main ingredient is usually cabbage, which promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in the colon.

And cabbage is a type of fiber that's not digested, so it helps eliminate waste, keeping bowel movements regular, Anderson says. Sauerkraut is good for the same reasons.

This dish can be spicy, however, so it might not be a good option if you’ve found that spicy foods trigger digestive problems for you.

Lean meat and fish

If you're going to eat meat, go for chicken, fish, and other lean meats—they'll go down a lot easier than a juicy steak.

"Red meats tend to be fattier," Anderson says. "Your body can handle lean meats and fish and chicken a whole lot better than prime rib."

And lean meats and fish have not been associated with an increased risk of colon cancer like high-fat red meats have.

Whole grains

Whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread, oats, and brown rice, are a good source of fiber, which helps digestion.

"If there's one thing America lacks, it's fiber," Anderson says. "We need 20 to 30 grams a day and we maybe get 12."

Fiber also can help you feel full and lower cholesterol, but it can cause bloating, gas, and other problems in people who quickly ramp up their intake—it's better to take it slow when consuming more. And wheat grains are a no-no for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. 

Bananas

Bananas help restore normal bowel function, especially if you have diarrhea (say, from too much alcohol).

And they restore electrolytes and potassium that may be lost due to runny stool. This fruit also has lots of fiber to aid digestion.

 Ginger

This spice has been used for thousands of years as a safe way to relieve nausea, vomiting, motion sickness, morning sickness, gas, loss of appetite, and colic.

But it's best to consume it in moderation. High doses of ginger can backfire; more than 2 to 4 grams per day can cause heartburn.