Month: May 2015

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Lifestyle

Eco-Friendly Beauty Brands Actually Worth Trying

I’ll confess: I’m a makeup addict. I wear a full face of makeup on almost a daily basis. It’s part of my morning ritual that I truly enjoy. While I embraced the idea that makeup isn’t necessary several years ago, I do think makeup is fun. It’s pretty. I like it and have no qualms about that.

What does concern me is what exactly I’m putting all over my face every day. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve definitely become more health-conscious. Between cooking healthy meals for my three-year-old daughter and me, trying to fit in more exercise than normal (when normal used to be “none,” it’s a low bar), and being concerned about my carbon footprint, I had forgotten all about my beauty routine. Between my mix of creams, serums, and powders, I never thought to check the ingredients and see how these products might affect me or the world around me.

There are so many cosmetics companies that claim to be eco-friendly, animal-friendly, and/or organic. All of those may be true of a certain brand, but that doesn’t mean that the product they’re putting out is worth the money. Like I said, I like my makeup. Just because I want a product that is safe doesn’t mean I want to sacrifice color payoff, pigmentation, or wear time.

Keeping my standards high and my wallet open, I started to do some research and experimentation. Now the results are in. Here are my picks for the best all-around eco-friendly beauty brands.

1. Lush

Lush is a pampered girl’s heaven. If you haven’t been inside one of their stores, I suggest taking a break from this article and getting yourself to your nearest one immediately. The colors and scents are some of the only proof you need that these products are legit. Lush wholeheartedly believes in ethical sourcing of their ingredients. Their ingredients are often fresh and organic, and when a synthetic ingredient is needed, it’s sure to be the safest possible option. On top of that, they lead some major campaigns against animal testing in cosmetics and other charitable campaigns funded by proceeds from sales of various products.

My recommendations: Everything. But seriously… Their bath bombs, body creams, handmade soaps, skincare, and fragrances are incredible. I highly suggest popping into your nearest shop for personalized recommendations from some of the best and most knowledgeable customer service in the industry.

2. Tarte

(A slight disclaimer is needed here before we dive in: In 2014, Tarte was acquired by KOSE, a Japanese cosmetics brand that is, unfortunately, not cruelty-free. However, Tarte has promised to remain cruelty-free by refusing animal testing, as well as environmentally friendly and free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.)

All of that being said, it’s nice to know that you can feel good about a beauty brand that puts out consistently great products. While their eyeshadows have never been a fave of mine, their skin products never fail to impress.

My recommendations: Cheek stains, Power Pigment lip tints, and their Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 mascara.

3. L’Occitane

While L’Occitane doesn’t focus on color cosmetics, you still can’t discount them as a major player in the beauty world. After all, good makeup starts with healthy skin. They are on a mission to use ethically sourced ingredients in well-researched formulas, all sold in eco-friendly packaging designed to reduce their environmental impact. Their wide range of skin, body, and hair care products for women and men are reliably high quality.

My recommendations: Shea Butter Hand Cream, of course. It’s their ultimate best seller. I’m also a big fan of their Almond Milk Concentrate and Almond Supple Skin Oil.

4. Korres

I first discovered Korres in a tiny pharmacy in Santorini, Greece. I was looking for some lip balm and picked up their lip butter in Jasmine. Since then, I’ve been hooked. Every lip butter I’ve tried has been moisturizing and perfectly pigmented. It’s buildable so you can have a light tint or a darker color depending on which one you choose. On top of that, their skincare products are also incredible. Korres is inspired by their Greek heritage to use natural and organic ingredients to target specific skin problems.

My recommendations: Lip butters, Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Facial, Wild Rose Face and Eye Serum.

5. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

Since OCC launched, they have pretty much revolutionized the way that people see lip products. Traditionally, lipstick or lipglosses need to be reapplied semi-regularly and the pigmentation can be hit or miss. OCC fixed that with their Lip Tars. They are like nothing you’ve ever seen and come in every single color in the rainbow and everything in between so you can create your perfect shade. They haven’t stopped there though. Their face and eye products are incredible and definitely a great value considering their middle-of-the-road prices. OCC is committed to being 100% vegan and animal cruelty-free.

My recommendations: Lip Tars. (All of them.) Also worth a shot are the Cosmetic Colour pencils and their large variety of brushes.

It was pretty great to find that the best eco-conscious beauty brands are things I’ve owned for years or have heard about from many friends. Any beauty fanatic knows the importance of high quality products that are worth the money. If we can keep the environment a little greener while we’re at it, it’s well worth the investment. I’m glad I’ve made the switch.

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Lifestyle

Why The Fight For Vaccines Can Seem Unwinnable

The vaccination debate reached a fever pitch in early 2015. When a measles outbreak hit Disneyland in December 2014, mainstream media and parents across the country were suddenly having conversations that are usually reserved for doctors’ offices, mommy groups, and internet blogs. The Most Magical Place on Earth combined with a highly contagious infection produced a perfect storm of parenting wars.

On one side, there are the doctors.

Generally, doctors base their medical opinions on science that has been tested, peer-reviewed, tested, and reviewed yet again. This science has been proven to be true to the best of current medical knowledge. On the doctors’ side are parents who believe this science, as they should.

According to the CDC, around 95 percent of kindergartners have gotten vaccines for preventable diseases, including the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella. More than 90 percent get the vaccinations for polio, hepatitis B, and chickenpox. That means that most parents in the United States are vaccinating their kids which is great news.

On the other side, there are the “crunchy,” natural parents who insist that vaccines, particularly the MMR vaccine, bring a whole host of issues that aren’t worth the risk.

These parents tend to believe that vaccines cause autism, that vaccines are being hawked by scientific frauds working for the money-grubbing pharmaceutical industry, or that “vaccine injury” caused by any number of concerning ingredients is a real thing. 48 states allow religious exemptions and 20 states allow philosophical exemptions from vaccines. Around 5 percent of parents aren’t vaccinating at all, or those that do vaccinate late or don’t keep their children up-to-date with booster shots. Often, these parents have been misled by debunked studies and self-proclaimed doctors whose only degree is from the University of Google.

Also on the anti-vaccination side? Emotions. Really strong emotions.

Therein lies the crux of the dilemma: nothing can beat the emotions of a concerned parent. No matter how many medical facts and peer-reviewed studies are presented, an anti-vax parent will react emotionally and defensively. Often they point to “other science” as the reason for their beliefs. They tell everyone, “Just do your research”-as if a casual Google search for “natural science” blogs that enforce their views based on nothing substantial is the kind of quality research needed to justify the risks of not vaccinating their kids.

City-level, state-level, national, and global organizations of doctors and scientists agree that vaccination should be a foregone conclusion. Knowing that they are more knowledgeable about diseases, vaccines, and the latter’s efficacy on the former than I will ever be, I choose to believe them.

I choose to stand with science. I know I am not alone.

In spite of any political or socioeconomic differences, anyone who vaccinates their kids stands with this science. Many parents who vaccinate also already know about the debunked studies. We know that vaccines do not cause autism, we know that toxins caused by mercury and thimerosal aren’t a real thing, and we know that “big pharma” isn’t out to get us. We know that these are all a bunch of conspiracy theories that support the irresponsible risks of choosing not to inoculate children against diseases that should have been eradicated. We know this and we recognize the personal and societal risks of a population that doesn’t vaccinate against diseases that have maimed and killed millions of children.

Yet when we share these articles from reputable news sources, warnings from government agencies like the CDC, and even emotional appeals from other parents who have actually lost children to these diseases, anti-vax parents still argue their case against all reason. At times like these, it seems as though we aren’t breaking through at all.

It appears that logic and reason cannot defeat the staunchly self-righteous beliefs of parents who think that a vaccine created painstakingly to ensure long-term health with minimal risk is more of a danger than the disease itself. It’s helpful to remember that these people are a minority–a very vocal minority, but a minority nonetheless. When you remember this, it seems like we are finally making progress. If only a minority of parents aren’t vaccinating, it seems like the rest of us are probably safe and it’s not that big of a deal.

Unfortunately, even a relatively small number of unvaccinated kids can greatly damage herd immunity. The theory of herd immunity dictates that if the majority of people in a community are vaccinated, then those that are not vaccinated will most likely still be protected from the disease. However, it’s the belief of many pro-vaccination groups that someone should only be exempt from vaccination if they aren’t actually medically eligible for a vaccine. These exempt individuals include newborns, the very old, or the immunocompromised, like cancer patients. These people physically cannot receive vaccinations and depend on the rest of their community to maintain that immunity for them. When people who are medically eligible for vaccines choose not to be vaccinated, this compromises the stability of herd immunity which puts the vulnerable in danger and may lead to the mutation of viruses that a vaccine cannot stop.

Those that don’t vaccinate claim it’s simply a personal choice for their family and that their choices shouldn’t and don’t affect anyone else. What they fail to realize is that herd immunity is simply a numbers game. By refusing vaccinations, they reduce the efficacy of herd immunity which means that every single person in the community is at risk to contract a serious disease that often takes lives.

For this reason, we have to press on. For every parent who is unwavering in their belief that vaccines harm more people than actual diseases do, there is another parent who might just be on the fence. Making parenting choices is hard and when you’re confronted with competing opinions that sound a lot like facts, it can be hard to make the right decision.

Hearing that vaccinating is a choice that affects only your family can be just what some people want to hear. Unfortunately, this is completely untrue. It’s willfully ignorant and indicative of an incredibly privileged attitude. The vast majority of the most vocal proponents of the anti-vax movement are educated, upper-middle class, white families.

Those that don’t vaccinate are lucky to have healthy children. They are lucky to have access to some of the best medical care in the world. Not everyone is so lucky, whether you look at the data in your own city or across the world.

Though the anti-vax crowd yells louder and louder, those of us that side with science have to be even more vocal. We must accept that we will probably never change the opinions of those firmly in the anti-vax camp, but we must also recognize that there are some who are still questioning. As parents and citizens of the world, it’s our duty to teach anyone with doubts about the importance of vaccinations. While this feels a lot like a losing fight, lives are literally at stake. We just have to keep fighting.

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Lifestyle

Living On A Boat Will Change The Way You Think About the Environment

Most people have pictured this at one time or another — settling down in a comfortable house, with a playroom for the kids and a big yard for the family dog. You start out wanting comfort, but then you want more — the latest technology, the prettiest yard on the block. The American Dream, Keeping up with the Joneses — hardly anyone is immune to the pressure of having it all.

The late George Carlin once said, “It’s called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.”

All joking aside — Americans are sleeping in houses bigger than ever before. In the past 40 years, the average house size has grown by 1,000 square feet, yet the average size of a household is declining. Everyone has more space, so what’s the bad here?

No matter how modernly efficient these homes are, they are still energy gobblers. One major side effect of all the electricity used to heat, cool, and power a house this big is 28,000 pounds of CO2 every year, which only exacerbates the very real threat of global warming. On average, a typical homeowner uses over 15,000 gallons of water and produces 1,600 pounds of trash every year.  If you’re beginning to feel like recycling isn’t enough, you’re not alone.

Some people have decided in favor of downsizing in order to reduce their impact on the environment. The tiny house movement has gained attention over the years, but another equally green lifestyle has been happening for quite some time now…out on the water.

Live-aboards — the term for anyone who has given up the literal roof over their heads in favor of living on a boat. Tucked away inside every marina, live-aboards enjoy a full, adventurous life, just in a smaller space. In some ways, they are no different from the typical homeowner: they work 9 to 5s, keep pets, and even use wireless internet. Except that they’re surrounded by water as they do it.

Stop picturing a dirty, uneducated pirate – sailors come from all walks of life, but one thing they have in common? A sense of adventure, an aversion for anything that’s strictly normal.

They have completely lost sight of land for days on end, weathered the worst storms, and fish their dinner straight out of the water. They deal with far less living space than most and spend a great deal of time optimizing their resource and energy use.

Boats can have modern conveniences, just not an inexhaustible supply of them. Water comes from a tank that periodically needs refilled, so boat users are much more aware of their water usage, and the end result is truly impressive: 15,000 gallons a year plummets to less than 2,000. Renewable energy sources are viable options as well — two 50 watt solar panels (about $100 each) can provide 100% of a boater’s power needs for an entire summer. A solar-powered house, by comparison, costs thousands of dollars to achieve, and you won’t see a return on your investment for at least 20 years.

This green way of living comes with a price — not monetary, but a sacrifice of convenience. Depending on the boat, typical amenities are not always accessible. Refrigeration is more of a luxury than a necessity, so eating anything that didn’t come from a can, even sprouts of all things, tastes like a gourmet meal.  

And just how does someone fit all of their possessions into a 30 foot sailboat? A change of mindset regarding “stuff” is vital: in order to occupy a place in your home, something has to be absolutely crucial. That, or be very special. There is always room for a family photo or your 2 year old niece’s latest illustration. Boat life is all about economizing, and while sacrifices must be made, you gain a lifestyle that is not only kinder to the environment, but is free from the rat race of constantly remodeling and upgrading your life.

You spend less time worrying about replacing a perfectly functional TV or getting new window treatments. You learn to savor that cold beer as the sun shines down on the deck. And you’ll know that your life respects the world around you, giving it a chance to still be beautiful for future generations.

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Lifestyle

Which Is Worse: Exercising In Polluted Air Or Not Exercising At All?

Admit it: we’ve all used outdoor conditions that are out of our control as an excuse for skipping a workout. “It’s too cold, it’s too hot, it’s raining, it’s snowing, it’s humid”…the possibilities for Mother Nature’s sabotage are endless. After all, if you can blame weather for canceling your run, it somehow seems to make excuses for skipping that workout more valid. But one “this might make my run difficult” outdoor factor that so many of us might not even stop to consider?
Air pollution.
Air quality is something that so many runners and outdoor exercise enthusiasts take for granted. But for those who live in big cities and highly populated areas, pollution, smog, and other air quality issues can become a serious health concern. As it should be: many runners pride themselves on taking a proactive approach to their health. After all, it seems kind of counterproductive to train in an atmosphere that may cause more harm than good.
Air pollution, by definition, is the presence in or introduction into the air of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects. As exercise increases our breathing rate, and thus increases the volume of air passed in and out of our lungs, it’s safe to assume that when we exercise in polluted air that we are greatly increasing the risk of inhaling possible toxins and pollutants in the air. Imagining thick smog taking hold and embedding pollutants in the lining of your healthy, pink, lungs is enough to scare anyone into running for the indoor treadmills…or make excuses to not exercise at all.
Which begs the question, which is worse for our health? Exercising in polluted air, or not exercising at all? Let’s take a look:
The list of the positive benefits of exercise is long and well known, from decreased risk of premature death, heart disease, type two diabetes, cancer, and more. If you are already an avid runner or exerciser, I don’t need to repeat these benefits to you, chances are you are already experiencing them yourself. On the other hand, inactivity can not only increase the possibility of these risks, but can contribute to obesity and an overall poor quality of life.
So let’s look at the negative effects of exercising in polluted air: damage to airways of the lungs, increased risk of asthma development (or worsening of existing asthma or other lung conditions), increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, and increased risk of death from lung cancer and cardiovascular disease
All of these negatives sound terrifying, right?
Don’t fret your healthy lungs just yet, the good news is this: research has found that the positive effects of exercise not only outweigh the negatives, but might actually aid in fighting the negative effects of pollution. In one research study, mice that regularly performed aerobic activity while exposed to diesel fuel fumes had less inflammation in their lungs than mice that were also exposed to diesel fuel fumes but did not exercise.
In other words, while exercising in pollution does indeed have negative effects, regular exercise has protective counter effects, which in the end makes exercise, even in poor conditions, more beneficial than not exercising at all. So in most cases, air pollution shouldn’t be an excuse to skip your workout (sorry!).
Still, there are a number of precautions you can take to avoid over exposure to air pollutants while exercising.
> Pollution levels tend to be highest during the warmest parts of the day, so time your run or other outdoor activity for early morning or later in the evening.
> Check the air quality index for your location. Experts recommend not exercising outdoors when the air quality is ranked at “Code Orange” or higher.
> Avoid running or exercising near roads, if at all possible. Air quality levels tend to be worse near heavy traffic areas.
> Have a backup plan. On days when the air quality is exceptionally poor, head indoors to a local gym. Use the opportunity to do some cross training.
Sure, exercising in polluted air environments is certainly not ideal, but the benefits of exercise as a whole seem to outweigh the potential risks. As always, let your body be the determining voice. If you experience any negative symptoms from exercising in polluted air, seek treatment and advice from your doctor, and look for cleaner air alternatives.

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Wellbeing

Using Meditation to Conquer Your Insomnia

I’ve lived with insomnia for almost a decade. It started with hitting my head on a chair. “Nothing more than a mild concussion,” they said. If only that had meant it wouldn’t affect me for the rest of my life. It’s a rare night when I can fall asleep easily and stay asleep through the night; and about once a month I just won’t be able to sleep at all.
Insomnia can be caused by a number of things. Aging alone decreases the neurotransmitters and affects sleep patterns. I am getting older! Stress and anxiety don’t help, and neither does chronic illness. Check. Check. And Check. Add indigestion and medications (or better yet indigestion caused by medications) and you can end up with serious issues with insomnia.
Lucky me, I have all of that!
But, insomnia is about more than just lost sleep; insomnia impairs your cognitive functioning, your behaviors, and your emotions. Insomnia affects every facet of your life, and it can often feel like nothing helps.
You follow all the instructions for great sleep hygiene, making sure the room is completely dark, the TV is off an hour before bed, you avoid electronics, take a warm bath, etc. Yet sleep still doesn’t come. Or you fall asleep only to wake up again two hours later. It seems like no matter how many sheep you count, you just can’t get back to sleep. But, I have found one thing you’ve probably not tried that really can help me get to sleep, or get back to sleep, and stay asleep—meditation.
Meditation is a practice, based on Eastern theology, of clearing the mind and focusing on a specific thought, to change the way you think. Meditation has been shown to be a powerful tool to help not only aid with insomnia, but improve self-confidence, develop positive emotions, reduce anxiety, and improve immune response (Sun, Kang, Wang, & Zeng, 2013).
Meditation is quite easy to learn thanks to the large number of apps available that offer meditation training. Typically, the apps allow you to choose a focus and most offer meditation to help calm you and help you fall asleep.
To find these apps visit the app store for your device and search for “meditation.” You’ll find several free apps, so just try a few until you find one you like.
I’ve tried a few of these apps and I’ve found that they can be really helpful. The meditations typically begin by telling you to clear your mind, they then provide you with guided imagery to help you focus your mind on an image that calms you and lulls you into sleep.
If you have a busy mind, like I do, it can be difficult to clear it and really focus on the imagery. I struggled, often finding my thoughts wavering back to real life, but the more that I practiced the easier it got to return to the focus provided by the meditation.
Often when I wake up in the middle of the night I will plug my headphones in and turn on one of these meditation apps and before I know it I’m back in a restful state and asleep; sometimes I won’t wake again until morning.
I find that when I’m using meditation regularly, I sleep better and stay calmer during the day.
These apps will typically allow you to choose to play a meditation once or have it repeat. Often, when I’ve chosen the latter I will wake up in the morning to find that it is still playing and I’ve slept right through it. I also find that when I use these meditations to help me sleep I wake up in a more restful state with less anxiety.
I will also use meditation during the day to help calm my nerves when I’m feeling anxious or stressed. A simple 15-minute meditation really helps clear the mind and leaves me refreshed, focused, and ready to face the day again. This decreased stress during the day may also contribute to the reduced insomnia later.
Proper sleep is associated with increased production, higher quality of life, improved cognitive functioning, improved life satisfaction and happiness, and decreased inflammation (Irwin, et al., 2013).
Insomnia often prevents our ability to get this proper sleep, but meditation can help. By learning to use meditation to conquer your insomnia you will find that you not only sleep better at night, but you wake up more refreshed, less stressed, and with higher mental functioning. Using meditation during the day can also help reduce your stress and aid in conquering insomnia.

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Lifestyle

Misinformed: What to Make of False Nutrition Claims

While recently skimming Facebook from my tablet, I noticed a cartoon illustration of a patient sitting on an examination table in a doctor’s office where gracing the wall is a sign that reads: “Thank you for not mentioning Dr. Oz.” Published in the New Yorker, this simple sketch reinforces the tendency of many healthcare providers and health professionals to cringe at the mere mention of the name “Dr. Oz.” With good reason too, as he’s come under fire in the United States Congress for preaching inaccurate, unsupported health advice throughout his career.

The physician-turned-television-personality who’s undoubtedly become among the most trusted sources of nutrition and disease-related information among Americans is most certainly not the only “expert” accused of touting false claims. From book authors to health and fitness coaches to chefs and personal trainers, everyone seems to possess their own healthy nutrition secrets or the latest miracle weight loss formula that usually turns out to be a simple recycling and repackaging of the same information over and over again.

Unfortunately, this lingering movement of expert misinformation has fueled continuous development of confusing and oftentimes misleading nutrition labeling tactics courtesy of the food and beverage industry. Take a closer look and you’ll notice just how many manufacturers have actually altered their packaging labels in an effort to remain in tune with the misinformation getting passed around. This is why nutrition labels on many of your all-time favorite food packages have been completely made over to highlight specific attributes like: “Gluten-Free”, “Low-Carb, and “Fat-Free”, all of which mean absolutely nothing in terms of the overall nutritional quality of foods.

The persuasive effects of nutrition misinformation is most pronounced in the weight loss market, with estimations of over $40 billion spent annually on specialty foods, supplements and services in the United States alone. Within this arena, mainstream experts are known to advocate excessive consumption of food bars, shakes, pills, and other supplements, which is unnecessarily expensive and just plain ol’ impractical for successful and sustained weight loss.

Among the most widespread products for weight loss are those comprised of green tea compounds and a certain chemical called hydroxycitric acid (HCA). You may not be familiar with HCA but I’m sure you’ve heard of Garcinia Cambogia pills and extracts, which experts have endorsed in mass as “miracle” weight loss supplements due to their proposed fat burning potential and appetite suppressing effects. Interestingly enough, such products are largely comprised of HCA, which used to be an ingredient in Hydroxycut until numerous reported cases of liver damage, seizures, and other health problems were reported.  

Another all-too common form of nutrition misinformation by experts involves aggressive over-promotion and utter overhyping of “low-carb,” “high-protein,” and “low-fat” diets for weight loss which is often done an effort to sale branded foods and supplements. Although such tactics can be highly effective for short-term weight loss, their long-term effectiveness and safety is uncertain, as a well-balanced diet of carbohydrates, fat, and protein is essential for optimal health.

And then there are those weight loss diets that rely heavily on consumption of prepackaged or frozen meals which are commonly endorsed by celebrities as if this somehow makes them authentic. Although prepackaged and frozen weight loss meals are proportioned to ensure a set calorie intake, most are packed full of sodium and other preservatives. Not the best approach for disease prevention especially considering that excess sodium consumption is linked to high blood pressure, kidney disease, and other health problems.

So what are you to make of such false claims by the experts?

When it comes to healthy eating and good nutrition, it’s important to always vet your information carefully and choose your “experts” wisely. There’s a lot of misinformation floating around in the mainstream media, much of which I believe is designed to keep you in a vicious cycle of confusion so you’ll continue to seek out more information and ultimately buy more products.

Consider your experts’ certifications and/or licensures but understand that even those with formal education or training sometimes have difficulty separating their own personal preferences and opinions from actual truth. All things considered, I encourage you to accept expert advice that encourages a balanced approach to weight loss and overall good health. Such an approach includes regular exercise, a sensible diet based on sound nutrition, and strategies that reflect realistic expectations within your comfort zone so you can implement them for a lifetime.

Categories
Wellbeing

Here's The Secret To Feeling Better When You're Feeling Down

Most people have struggled with self-esteem issues at some point in their lives. Sadly, many people compare themselves to the best of the best: movie stars, sports heroes, and supermodels. This unrealistic and unhealthy comparison can set anyone up for a sense of perceived failure.
Supermodels are a very small population, and even they are made to appear more flawless with the help of computerized editing. As you gaze upon picture-perfect images in magazines, it’s no wonder you may become more critical about the way you look in comparison.
With obesity on the rise and activity at an all-time low, there may appear to be an even a bigger wedge between reality and Hollywood’s standards. As a result, you can easily be left feeling very discouraged and insecure.
If this sounds familiar, implementing an exercise plan may give you the confidence boost you need.
Exercise will make you feel better.

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One of the most common complaints inactive people have is that they simply do not feel well. Not only does an inactive lifestyle lend itself to low energy and sickness, a sedentary life increases the risk for numerous health issues, including high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, cancer, obesity, and heart disease. As you begin to exercise, you will quickly notice a variety of immediate benefits, beginning with improved sleep and increased energy. The longer you exercise, the more health benefits you will discover.
In addition to improving the way you feel physically, exercise also improves the way you look. Since many people are not happy with their bodies, making any physical improvement is always welcomed. Even if you do not lose weight, regular exercise can increase muscle tone and reduce body fat.
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Whether you are getting stronger, faster, or leaner, each victory will take your self-esteem to the next level. This sense of accomplishment can give you the added assurance you need to pursue your dreams and set higher goals both in and out of the gym.
Nothing builds self-confidence like gaining physical strength and power. As you attempt new exercises and complete more difficult workouts, you begin to accomplish tasks in the gym that seemed impossible in the very beginning. The more you challenge your body, the more you uncover your true potential. Even the smallest accomplishment can result in a huge mental boost.
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Stress and anxiety can take a toll on your self-esteem. Ironically, people who need to exercise the most feel they do not have the time to work out.
However, if they did work out, they would be surprised how much exercise would help them handle stress and manage their time. Multiple studies have followed the psychological effects exercise has on a person’s mental status. Researchers have found that exercise reduces depression and anxiety and helps people manage stress. As you handle life’s stresses better, you are able to relax more and get better sleep so you are refreshed for the next day. When your thoughts are not consumed with worry, you are able to focus on your daily tasks. As a result, you are more productive and more in control, giving you an increased sense of accomplishment.
While it is always best to consult a physician to rule out any mental-health or body-image disorders, exercise has been proven to be a very successful remedy for low self-esteem.

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Nosh

The Real Problem with 'Natural' Foods

10 for $10. Double Coupon week. Manager’s special – $2.99. Last chance to get fresh summer squash. I feel immediately overwhelmed as I walk through the sliding doors of my local grocer. For me, a trip to the grocery store has never been a simple chore. When I was thirteen, I dragged my feet every time my parents needed to go food shopping for the week. My aversion was so strong that my dad once sighed exasperatedly and said, “We all know, dear, it’s a dreadful place.”

He said it to mock me, but the truth is, I just hate grocery shopping. The realization you made the wrong decision between a basket and a cart. That scramble to put all of your items on the conveyor belt as a disapproving line forms behind you. Doubling back to get that one item you forgot on your list after planning your route just perfectly. If I can get out of there in under thirty minutes, I consider the trip a triumph. But the worst part, the most challenging aspect?

The produce aisle.

“Organic,” “Natural,” “Preservative-free,” “No pesticides.” What does it all mean? Is organic worth the extra price? Will the regular bananas give me cancer? Is natural really better for you?

“Natural” gives the impression that something is pure and free of manipulation, so that must mean natural food is better, right? But in reality, nature tries to kill people everyday. Take raw milk for instance. Some bloggers firmly advocate consumption of raw milk, straight from the cow with all of its natural bacteria, even suggesting that it helps maintain normal levels of gut flora (the microorganisms that digest your food). Painting pasteurization, the very necessary process of heating milk to kill harmful bacteria, as the villain is incredibly misleading, because it makes milk safe to drink.

So natural doesn’t always mean good for you, but what about organic? You may have noticed by now that the concept of GMOs – genetically modified organisms – is a hot-button issue, and the organic movement gains momentum every day based on the assumption that GMOs are unsafe to eat, and yet GM produce is, in fact, perfectly safe – hundreds of studies exist to support this claim, and according to this 2014 analysis, GM crops effectively minimize the need for those harmful pesticides everyone is so worried about — because these plants have been engineered to be resistant to insects.

Yet anti-GMO campaigns are strong. The pressure to eliminating the chemicals and go “GMO-free” is so strong that major companies, like Chipotle and Panera, are changing their menu to remove them and hundreds of other benign additives, even in the absence of scientific evidence. The USDA recently announced that they would verify non-GMO foods and label them as such. So what to believe?

Definitely don’t trust anything labeled as “natural.” It doesn’t really mean anything. For a food to be organic, the USDA certifies that it hasn’t been treated with pesticides, herbicides, or NPK fertilizers, and, in the case of meat products, the animal has not consumed antibiotics or growth hormones. Natural makes no such promises, and any company can use the label to cash in on the health craze.

So what can you trust, when there seems to be convincing studies on both sides of the fence? A good practice is to check out the studies that articles are referencing — a lot of the time, they can turn out to be total bunk. So before you switch to exclusively buying organic, “all-natural” foods — do thorough research by reading multiple sources. According to a recent Pew survey, 88% of scientists report that GMOs are safe, compared to only 37% of Americans. This gap is a direct result of the rampant spread of misinformation regarding GM foods.

This means that, for now, on my next trip to that “dreadful” place, I won’t be buying organic. Unless I accidentally grab it in an attempt to set a new record time for grocery shopping.

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Nosh

That Twinkie's Just Making You Think You're Hungry

I did not get to be 300 pounds by eating only sugary foods. They played a major role in my weight issues, however. So much so that during the 10 years I was morbidly obese, my favorite breakfast was brownies.

As embarrassing as it is to admit, I am 100 percent certain I ate even more sugar than the average American does. That’s pretty bad, considering that most Americans consume an astonishing 28 teaspoons every day, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

I would have argued that sugar was not making me fat or hungry. (Not that I knew what I was talking about at that point.) Instead of blaming my endless hunger and uncontrollable weight gain on poor food choices, I blamed it on:

-A slow metabolism, which I did not even have

-A thyroid problem, which I did not have either

-Genetics: My genetics were fine

-Bad luck: Luck has nothing to do with weight

-Anything but sugar

Like so many things in my life that I thought were true, this one was not. The truth was that refined sugar was not my friend.

Refined sugars were in my favorite foods, and I’m not just talking about sweets. The cereal I ate, the ketchup I squirted on hamburgers, the dressings I saturated my salad greens with, and even the yogurt I consumed had substantial amounts of added sugars. I never gave them a second thought.

However, as I began my final diet that would help me lose half my body weight, I drastically reduced the amount of added sugars I consumed.

The funny thing is that I did not do it on purpose, but it happened naturally because I stopped eating junk and started eating whole foods.

Over the years, I have read a lot of research on sugar and weight. Like so many things in science, there are conflicting findings. Some studies say all sugars are bad, and others–like one in a January 2013 issue of the “Journal of the American Medical Association”–says that fructose seems to be worse than glucose in terms of increasing hunger.

Dr. Richard Johnson, physician at the University of Colorado and author of “The Fat Switch,” postulates that fructose (found in many processed foods) decreases sensitivity to the appetite-controlling hormone leptin. This decrease in sensitivity makes us hungrier after eating sugar and contributes to weight gain and eventual obesity.

Sugar excites the brain in much the same way that drugs do, according to a study published in “Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.” This would indicate that sugar does indeed have addictive qualities that make you crave it. And because you may feel hungrier after consuming sugar, you are probably going to reach for more high-sugar foods.

I know that happened to me. The more sugar I ate, the hungrier I felt, and the foods I wanted were almost always high-sugar foods. Truthfully, I never craved carrots, but I sure did crave–and eat–carrot cake.

The sugar-hunger cycle is similar to a carousel that keeps going round and round. The only way to get off the sugar cycle and beat the hunger that comes after consuming added sugars is to throw the brakes on the carousel and stop.

I follow simple guidelines to keep my sugar intake down and avoid the cycle of eating sugar and craving more food.

1. I read the entire label of unfamiliar foods to find out if there are any forms of sugar. I look for glucose, dextrose, fructose, and other common forms of sugar.

2. I know the recommended limits. The American Heart Association recommends keeping your added sugar intake to 100 calories a day if you are a woman and 150 calories a day if you are a man. That’s not much.

3. I do not limit fruits and vegetables. Although fruits and some vegetables have naturally occurring sugars, the overall nutritional profile of each makes the sugars in the food balance out.  

4. I don’t justify adding sugar to foods. Honey and other natural sweeteners have some marginal nutritional values, but they are still sugar. I am careful about adding these to foods or drinks.

Give yourself at least 10 days to acclimate to eating less sugar. Be prepared for cravings to creep up when you are tired or around sugary foods. Say “no” to those cravings, and over time you will conquer your sugar craving and stop the cycle of eating a bunch of sugar, feeling hungry, and eating more sugary food.

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Nosh

Super Size My Sweet Potato Fries: McDonald's is Unbranding the Big Mac

Much like a 40-something father in the throws of a mid-life crisis, McDonald’s has been trying (unsuccessfully) to reinvent themselves as young, healthy, and hip. With sales numbers steadily declining in recent years and millenials turning their backs on the iconic golden arches, it’s clear that the fast food giant is feeling a bit obsolete.
In an effort to appeal to a more health-focused, environmentally conscious group of consumers, McDonald’s has tried a few different tactics.
The “Create Your Taste” campaign was introduced in select stores, and appeared to be McDonald’s answer to the DIY craze. So instead of your basic ketchup-mustard-pickle, customers were encouraged to “customize” their burgers by adding exotic ingredients like guacamole, grilled pineapple and jalapenos. They could also choose from a variety of breads, cheeses and sauces.
As you can imagine, this new customizable burger presented a number of problems, most importantly taking the “fast” out of “fast food.” The more complicated orders took considerably longer to prepare and were more expensive to buy, not to mention that these custom sandwiches were not available through the drive-thru, which accounts for over 60 percent of U.S. restaurant sales.
In another cringe-worthy attempt to stay relevant, McDonald’s unveiled their “Artisan Chicken Sandwich,” boasting 100 percent grilled chicken breast filet and pantry seasonings with a zesty vinaigrette. The company’s feeble attempt at gourmet cuisine was met with scorn and ridicule by several media outlets and the fast food equivalent of  “putting lipstick on a pig” did not result in a huge boost in sales.
Maybe the most bizarre and confusing PR play was the return of the Hamburglar. The once pudgy, freckle-faced man-muppet was recently rebranded to be a surprisingly handsome, but ultimately creepy suburban dad with a burger fetish.
“We felt it was time to debut a new look for the Hamburglar after he’s been out of the public eye all these years,” Joel Yashinsky, McDonald’s’ Vice President of U.S. Marketing said in a statement to Mashable. “He’s had some time to grow up a bit and has been busy raising a family in the suburbs and his look has evolved over time.”
There are at least half a dozen more we could name, some of which backfired like their ill-fated attempt at transparency (“Our Food, Your Questions”) and the most recent turnaround plan which made no mention of the actual food whatsoever and instead focused on reorganizing its corporate makeup and giving billions of dollars back to shareholders.
Now, let’s be honest, with 27 million customers a day, McDonald’s isn’t going bankrupt anytime soon. And they’ve actually made some substantial efforts to improve the quality of their food, such as phasing out chicken raised with certain types of antibiotics.
But is a sexy new mascot and some kale chips enough to entice the 20-something hipster generation away from their Chipotle burritos and Panera paninis?
And lest we forget, this is a company that built their fortune on cheap, greasy burgers and super sized fries; folks go to McDonald’s for a happy meal, not a healthy one. It’s also very possible that by trying to reinvent themselves, they may actually alienate a large portion of their loyal customer base.
Then who’s lovin’ it?