If you are reading this, you already know the basics. You are probably aware that there are a few silver bullets when it comes to feeling better: eating right, getting enough sleep, meditation, and exercise are always on the list. The wonders of nutrition, restorative rest, and mindfulness are everywhere–and of course, we know how good exercise is for keeping lean, building strength, promoting sleep, and burning off stress. But there is something about exercise that you may not know. It is one the best investments of our time for general well-being and happiness for another reason: It actually makes our brains work better.
The biochemistry of the brain is fragile and affected by almost everything we can think of. Headlines, photographs, hugs, a touchdown, too little or too much sleep, the sun, a poem, a cup of coffee, a lump of sugar, your commute, a nasty email, or a sip of wine all make their way into the brain, affecting the delicate brain chemistry–and more specifically, our neurotransmitters.
The primary job of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate is to help the neurons in our body communicate with each other. The precise balance needed to function optimally is always being monitored. When there is a problem, like too little serotonin for too long, it can cause depression. Many antidepressants are designed specifically to boost serotonin in an effort to relieve the symptoms. However, these medicines can often come with unwanted side effects, such as low libido, weight gain, and in some cases (believe it or not) depression. This is one reason why some experts have estimated that the relapse rate for depression is as high as 80 percent.
The good news is that there are other ways to improve the functioning of these and other neurotransmitters. These alternatives to antidepressants can reduce these same symptoms. Chief among these is exercise. In fact, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, it would be hard to beat exercise as one of the most effective (and natural) ways to alleviate this type of suffering. The question is: How does exercise affect the brain’s neurotransmitters?
By engaging in moderate levels of exercise for 30 minutes, five times a week, and strength training twice a week, you can change the chemistry in your brain in ways that not only attack the biochemical issue at its core, but also reduce symptoms of depression naturally. Exercise does this through the production of a protein known as BDNF (brain-developed neurotropic factor), which helps brain neurotransmitters function better. Dr. John Ratey, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, describes BDNF as “Miracle-Gro for the brain.”
While exercise isn’t the only thing that can increase the expression of BDNF, it may be the more preferred. Antidepressants and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) also increase BDNF–but often come with the side effects mentioned above for antidepressants, in addition to memory loss, in the case of ECT. In fact, exercise is so effective that it is now considered an evidence-based treatment by the American Psychiatric Association as both a stand-alone and an augmentation therapy for depression. This is worth repeating. Exercise can help improve the effectiveness of antidepressants or it may be able to do the job all on its own. Even moderate levels of exercise can be helpful because they enhance the effectiveness of neurotransmitters in your brain.
If you haven’t taken a walk around the block or used that gym membership in a while, it may be time for a workout. There is a very good chance you will feel better afterward. Your brain will thank you for it.
Month: February 2016
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The Best Diets Don't Have Expiration Dates
Most food you buy at the grocery store has an expiration date, a use by date, or a best by date. Your diet doesn’t come with any such a date. In fact, the best diets don’t have an expiration date. If you think your diet to lose weight has an expiration date, a date when you are finished–then you are thinking of dieting all wrong.
The Best Diets Are Forever
A true diet is forever. It really is. I know you may be sitting there thinking, “No, it isn’t. A diet is temporary.”
Not really. Not if you look at it with a long lens.
Not even according to the trusty dictionary. One dictionary definition of the word diet is “Food and drink regularly provided or consumed.”
Sure, some diets that you go on to drop pounds are temporary because they are horrible, impossible to follow for long, and unhealthy, but I dislike those types of diets immensely.
Why? Because a temporary diet is often a fad diet that encourages unhealthy behaviors and rarely offers sustainable weight loss.
The truth is that a healthy diet never ends. A healthy diet allows you lose the weight you should and then maintain the weight loss for years.
Diets That Must Expire
If you are like a lot of dieters, you’ve been on a temporary diet a time or two. You might have tried one of these popular diets that everyone knows won’t work for long:
- Any diet cleanse
- Grapefruit Diet
- Cottage Cheese Diet
- All Soup Diet
- Jenny Craig (because who could afford the food forever?)
- HCG Diet
- Baby Food Diet
I’m even going to go out on a limb and include the Atkins diet in temporary diets. Now I’m sure there are a few people who manage to follow its strict tenets for the long haul, but those people are few and far between.
Definition of a Diet That Doesn’t Expire
The key to finding a diet that doesn’t expire is understanding what that looks like. Of course practically anyone can lose weight eating mainly cottage cheese for a week, but can they keep the weight off?
A diet that doesn’t expire is one you can easily continue even after you reach your goal weight.
The only thing you should need to change is the number of calories you eat. For example, if you lose weight by following a sensible diet such as the DASH diet or even Weight Watchers, to maintain your weight after you reach your goal, simply add enough calories to stop losing weight and not gain any of your lost pounds back.
A diet that doesn’t expire is the easiest kind of diet because it flows naturally into a lifelong habit of nourishing your body with good food.
People Do Maintain Weight Loss
There are a lot of articles written about how dieting doesn’t work and virtually no one ever maintains their weight after dieting. That’s just not true. In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that about 20 percent of people studied who had lost at least 10 percent of their initial body weight had maintained that loss for at least 12 months.
Choosing Wisely
I know it’s tempting to try one of the popular diets that have an expiration date. They seem fun at the beginning. The diet rules give you a lot to talk about with your friends, and everyone seems to be jumping on the bandwagon.
Do yourself a favor and just skip those crazy, unrealistic diets that don’t result in long-term weight loss. Find a diet that doesn’t expire. Look for a diet that uses real food, encourages exercise, and fits with your vision of a healthy lifestyle.
When you find that perfect combination, you will be surprised by how painless it is to lose weight and transition easily into weight maintenance.
A plant-based diet has long been praised for its health benefits. Research has even shown that vegetarians tend to live longer because they have lower blood pressure and an overall lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. While a plant-based diet is undoubtedly good for your health, one concern for vegans and vegetarians is getting enough iron. Can you get enough iron without animal sources? Are plant-based iron sources as good as iron sourced from animals? Let’s take a closer look.
What Does Iron Do in the Body?
Iron is an essential mineral that transports oxygen all over the body. If you’re iron deficient, your body cannot make enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Men and non-menstruating women need 10 mg per day, while menstruating or nursing women need 15 mg, and pregnant women need 30 mg daily.
Heme Versus Non-Heme Iron
Meat, especially red meat, is the best source of heme-iron because you’re directly consuming animal blood proteins (hemoglobin and myoglobin). This means it’s more easily absorbed in the body. Because it’s so easily absorbed, it’s the best source for those who are iron deficient. In all, 7 to 35 percent of iron from animal sources is absorbed.
Non-heme sources of iron are plant-based and include legumes, nuts, and vegetables. Non-heme sources also include iron that’s used to fortify foods like cereal and oatmeal as well as iron found in supplements. This type of iron has to be converted to a usable form in the body, and as a result the body only absorbs between 2 and 20 percent of iron from plant-based sources.
Factors That Affect Iron Absorption
The concern is not solely about the amount of iron that a person consumes, it’s about ensuring that the body is properly absorbing that iron. Iron absorption is affected by a number of different factors, and that’s why the range of absorption is so wide. For starters, if you’re iron deficient your body is more likely to absorb more. But this absorption tapers off as the body gets enough iron.
Diet can also affect absorption. Ascorbic acid or vitamin C found in foods like kiwi, mango, papaya, and pineapple can improve the body’s absorption of iron. Surprisingly, the moderate consumption of alcohol–one drink for women and two for men in a sitting–can also positively affect the body’s absorption of iron.
Certain foods can hinder the body’s ability to absorb iron. For those with healthy levels of iron, this shouldn’t be a concern, but if you’re deficient, it may be worth investigating. Calcium, found in dairy, tofu, sardines, and certain vegetables, can inhibit absorption. Additionally, phosphoprotein, a compound found in eggs, binds to iron proteins and can hinder its absorption in the body. And finally, oxalates found in chocolate, tea, and wheat bran have also been shown to negatively affect iron absorption.
Heme and Non-Heme Sources of Iron
Heme iron is found in a number of animal sources, most abundantly in beef liver, ground beef, ground chuck, chicken liver, clams, and oysters. Non-heme iron is found in a wide variety of foods, but the most potent sources include fortified oatmeal, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, soybeans, navy beans, lima beans, and black strap molasses.
How to Get Enough Iron on a Vegetarian Diet
Just because you’re a vegetarian or vegan doesn’t mean you have to fret about getting enough iron. Although non-heme iron isn’t absorbed as easily as heme iron, it’s present in so many foods that if you eat a balanced diet, you can easily get enough iron to avoid deficiency. This, combined with foods that are rich in vitamin C to aid absorption, will keep you strong and healthy. If your levels are low you may want to avoid foods that can hinder absorption, such as dairy, eggs, tea, coffee, and chocolate.
If you’re concerned about iron deficiency, talk to your healthcare provider about getting your levels tested. But just because you’re an exclusive veg-eater doesn’t mean you’re deficient. Eating a balanced diet full of healthy iron sources does a body good, whether you’re a plant eater or a meat eater.
“I’m only 23. I don’t need to worry about my heart. I’m young.”
We all fall victim to the arrogance of youth. We feel invincible and strong and too young to worry about “old people” concerns such as heart disease. However, heart disease is the number one killer of women of all ages, not just older women. Women in their twenties are not only laying the foundation for their future heart health, they may also be at significant risk of heart attack without knowing it. Here are three things young women should avoid to protect their hearts:
Combining Birth Control with Other Risk Factors
Hormonal birth control medications such as the pill, implants, or ring can increase blood pressure, thicken the blood, and decrease the natural estrogen protection younger women enjoy. Heart disease risk for women on birth control medications is similar to postmenopausal women. This increased risk is usually considered acceptable when balancing the need to prevent pregnancy.
However, combining the increased risk with other risk factors can be very dangerous. Smoking triples heart disease risk, which is why women on the pill are strongly advised not to smoke. Controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar is very important while taking birth control medication. In addition, women should discuss their family history of heart disease before starting birth control medication. Being smart about reproductive and heart health is important at every age.
Energy Drinks
The popularity of energy drinks has grown quickly, especially in the under-30 crowd. While caffeine is a safe stimulant in moderation, high levels of caffeine can trigger abnormal heart rhythms, which can lead to cardiac arrest. Trendy cocktails combining alcohol with energy drinks can be particularly dangerous. These cocktails allow you to easily overindulge in caffeine because a single energy drink can contain nearly twice the daily limit, and alcohol inhibits the body’s ability to process caffeine. Being conscious of your daily intake of caffeine and limiting it to no more than 500 mg (about 3 to 5 cups of coffee) will protect your heart.
Being Dismissed
Even young women in their 20s have heart attacks. Knowing the signs can mean the difference between permanent damage and a full recovery. Women’s heart attack symptoms are often subtle and hard to diagnose. However, we all know what is normal for our bodies.
Any abnormal pain or pressure in the torso should not be ignored. Most women who have had heart attacks say they knew something was very wrong. I initially thought my heart attack, at age 35, was indigestion. However, the pressure and pain moved quickly from heartburn to something more, and I knew I was in trouble. Women can have a heart attack without any chest pain; in fact, many women only experience flu-like symptoms. Women’s heart attack symptoms can be very subtle and build over time, contrary to the sudden crushing chest pain depicted in the movies.
Women should never ignore the following symptoms:
- Unusual lingering pain, fullness, or pressure in the chest, torso, neck, jaw, or back. Some women describe heart attack symptoms as their bra feeling two sizes too small.
- Unusual stomach or digestive pain or discomfort, especially when accompanied by nausea or vomiting. Often unexplained vomiting is the key to a heart attack diagnosis.
- Cold sweat, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Any unusual symptom can be a sign that something is wrong.
If any one of these symptoms stops you from normal activity it is time to call 911. It is not normal to have to sit down to catch your breath, lie down to feel less dizzy, or stop working because of pain or pressure. Don’t miss the subtle signs.
While the disparity in diagnosis and treatment of women’s heart disease has improved, symptoms of a heart attack are far more likely to be dismissed in women. We have to be advocates for ourselves. When I recently went to the hospital with an abnormal heart rhythm, one doctor dismissed my symptoms as “your emotions getting the best of you.” Several hospital staff told me, “you are too young to be here.” Both comments indicate we still have work to do in educating healthcare providers about women and heart disease.
What Should You Do?
Demand tests to rule out a heart attack. Don’t leave until you are sure your heart is safe. Stand up for yourself and protect your heart.
Typically, a healthy diet and good exercise habits set us up for a healthy heart. Even young women, however, need to take their heart health seriously, understand their risk, and manage their lifestyles to ensure a long and healthy life.
“These pants don’t fit anymore. I need the next size up. I think my jeans shrunk in the wash.”
These are just a few of the many excuses people give for needing to buy a new, bigger size. While jeans do shrink and the dry cleaner does ruin the occasional clothing item, needing the next size up should be a red flag that your weight loss isn’t working and you need to turn things around—fast.
A Personal Tale
After I was first married, I quickly put on weight. I blame myself for never cooking healthy foods, always going out to eat, and never exercising. I gained about 35 pounds in 3 years.
Not good.
Instead of turning things around, I began buying the next size (or two) up. I lied to myself about my weight gain. I rationalized that my old clothes didn’t fit anymore because of washing errors or some made-up excuse. I stopped wearing my fitted business suits and switched to flowy dresses that made it less obvious I was gaining weight.
Denial was strong and lasted for years.
Sizing up is a red flag.
Unless you are underweight, consistently needing bigger size clothing is a red flag for weight gain. Now, I understand that a healthy-weight person doesn’t always wear a certain size. Size 6 is not the perfect size for everyone, and neither is a size 10. It all depends on you—on your body shape, height, etc. I get that. I also understand that clothing sizes aren’t standard.
But one of the first signs that your diet isn’t going well is needing larger sized clothing. I see it all the time with the weight loss clients I coach.
They share stories similar to mine. They were trying to lose a few pounds but instead of seeing the scale go down, they saw the scale move in the wrong direction. Then they found they needed larger jeans, skirts, and dresses.
Some people are good at turning things around before their weight gain gets out of control, but for others, needing larger clothes is what finally gets their attention.
Turn it around quickly.
The faster you recognize the problem, the easier it is to turn things around and get back to a healthy weight or get back to losing weight. Denial, although powerful, doesn’t do you any favors.
When you discover your pants are suddenly too tight and your favorite skirt doesn’t quite look the same, take action.
1. Stand on the scale and assess the damage.
It’s never fun to see what weeks or months of overeating have done to you, but honesty is the best policy in this case. Stand on the scale, record your current weight, and move forward.
2. Analyze what you’ve been eating.
When your pants get tight and you need a bigger size, food is usually the problem. Think back on how your diet has been, what kind of portions you are consuming, and what your snacking patterns are.
3. Find the foods you’ve been overindulging in and remove them from your house and diet.
I overate a variety of foods but had a special weakness for sweets. When I finally turned things around, getting rid of sweets was vital to my success. Find your danger foods and get rid of them.
4. Increase or restart your exercise plan.
Exercise won’t fix weight gain but it will help. Plan regular workouts that make you sweat and don’t settle for being lazy.
5. Monitor your weight and clothing fit.
Once you are on the path to turning things around, keep an eye on your weight and how your clothes fit. Hopefully those bigger sized jeans won’t fit for long.
If you do these five things, you can turn the weight gain around before you blow your diet completely. Believe me, it is easier to lose 10, 20, or even 50 pounds than 150 pounds. That’s how much I ended up gaining before I finally turned things around and stopped ignoring red flags like needing larger sized clothing.
Online dating is going strong even though most people will tell you they hate it. With new apps popping up all the time, Bumble has put a spin on traditional dating by putting the woman in charge. Taking a closer look, however, this may not be in her best interest.
I have to admit that tackling a topic like online dating is a bit out of my wheelhouse. I’m going to be 50 soon, I’m not single, and although I’m divorced and met my current beau on Match.com six years ago, I feel very far removed from this culture. I am a therapist, however, so I often get a bird’s-eye view of the dating scene when conversing with my 20- and 30-something clients about their love lives. I feel lucky that I get to stay connected vicariously to the fascinating phenomenon of virtual dating.
In general, the consensus is that online dating sucks. I have yet to meet anyone who loves it. It’s kind of like flying. You do it because you need to get from point A to point B, but in no way does the journey feel good. Online dating has become a hobby for many, a game for some, and a last-ditch effort for those who have practically given up on finding the right partner at all. In fact, online dating has become so commonplace that meeting someone in the real world is often considered “impossible” and even “old school.”
So when a lovely 32-year-old client told me about Bumble, the newest dating app from the creators of Tinder, I was intrigued. “I’ve given up on all the dating sites,” she said, “except for this one called Bumble.”
“What’s Bumble?” I asked (feeling pretty out of it having to even ask that question). She explained to me that it’s exactly like Tinder except that women make the first move, and if they get a response from the pursuit they only have 24 hours to close the deal.
According to Bumble, “Girls must initiate the conversation with their matches, or else they disappear after 24 hours. The only control the guy has in the situation is the ability to extend one match each day for an extra 24 hours.”
I was immediately intrigued and wanted to know how she felt about that flip-flop of traditional dating values. To me, it sounded like fishing using your own charm and good looks as the bait. The idea of putting yourself out there as a woman without any guarantee that he’ll bite seemed both empowering and frightening at the same time. I could see how this would be a great option for the more assertive and confident girls on Bumble, but for the insecure or shy it sounded like a nightmare.
Handing girls the power to choose is good marketing at best, and the way it’s pitched leads girls to believe that they’ll have men piling up at their feet waiting to be selected. In reality, this app is basically Tinder without the mutual swipe. The real concern I have with Bumble is more about mate selection and how we’re messing with the natural dance we’re evolutionarily wired to engage in. At first, it seemed that the men were at a disadvantage, but as I thought about it more they were just being let off the hook.
Online dating has changed the way we do courtship, robbing us of the very important primitive mating rituals we’re wired to practice–the ones that make our most important life encounters playful and fun, like flirting, looking fancy, gazing across the room, and making a move to approach.
We know that traditionally the woman is pursued by the man and that the woman has always been in the position to accept or decline that pursuer. This may be an antiquated model in today’s world of modern love and female empowerment, but I couldn’t help but wonder if a website like Bumble isn’t messing things up even more. Dating is already a confusing process that has become more about thinking than natural chemistry, and now the one piece of the process that seemed to endure has been obliterated in the service of marketing a new online dating platform.
I think there’s something important for a woman in being pursued by a man that is both romantic and flattering. All girls, even the most self-sufficient and independent, want to be the most desirable female around. She wants the males to find her, line up for her, and compete for her. This is part of our natural drive to mate, and for so long this has been the expectation of how things will play out. Women have already had to forgo many courtship traditions in response to the current dating culture, so stepping up to the batting plate is a move toward equality, but it also signifies a loss.
Bumble has put a new spin on things, but maybe as women we shouldn’t be so quick to grab that mighty baton of being the pursuer without considering what is being sacrificed. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a more traditional experience, and acknowledging the need to be pursued and chosen is nothing to be ashamed of. The most important part of finding a partner is not how it happens, but there is great value in how you feel about the process.
Do what feels good and right for you without apology, because at the end of the day you write the script of your love story, not Bumble.
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Can Energy Drinks Hurt Your Heart?
It’s three o’clock and your energy is lagging. Maybe it is time for an energy drink? But could a drink intended to wake you up cause problems for your heart? It turns out, the answer is yes. High-caffeine energy drinks can trigger heart rhythm issues, which could lead to long-term heart problems or even death. Maybe that energy drink isn’t such a good idea.
Although many of us turn to coffee for a pick-me-up, energy drinks have gained in popularity, especially among millennials. Caffeine is considered a safe stimulant, but a study published in the International Journal of Cardiology links consuming high-caffeine energy drinks to hospital admissions for heart problems. The problem isn’t the caffeine itself, but rather the amount in one serving. Here’s what you need to know about energy drinks and your heart.
Coffee is okay.
A cup of coffee contains about 90 mg of caffeine, and the 2016 Dietary Guidelines for Americans indicate that drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee per day is okay. The guidelines indicate you can consume up to 500 mg of caffeine per day without negatively affecting hydration or wellness. This is the good news.
Energy drinks are loaded with caffeine.
The bad news is that many energy drinks, especially energy shots, can contain ten times the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee. Some drinks contain nearly double the daily limit in a single serving.
People consume energy drinks differently from how they drink coffee.
The concentration of caffeine in energy drinks is compounded by the way we to drink them. While we tend to sip a cup of coffee, energy drinks are guzzled down in a few swallows. Combining energy drinks with alcohol is particularly dangerous. Not only are you more likely to over consume and make poor decisions about consumption, alcohol inhibits the body’s ability to process caffeine, thus multiplying the effect.
High levels of caffeine can trigger abnormal heart rhythms, which can lead to significant problems.
The rush of stimulant caused by a high level of caffeine consumed quickly can trigger an abnormal heart rhythm, even in seemingly healthy people. Caffeine is a significant trigger for atrial fibrillation, the most common abnormal heart rhythm. Even young and apparently healthy people can have an underlying electrical problem that is dormant until triggered. Abnormal heart rhythms cause palpitations, which many people describe as skipping beats or a fluttering or flopping in the chest. Other people may experience a racing heart or chest pain. Any of these symptoms should be evaluated by a medical professional immediately. In some cases, abnormal heart rhythm can lead to cardiac arrest and death. Chronic episodes can weaken the heart and increases the risk of stroke, which is a high price to pay for an afternoon pick-me-up.
If you need to wake up and protect your heart, choosing a good ol’ cup of joe may be your best bet. Even better, try a little walk outside. Fresh air and exercise are good for your heart and proven natural energizers.
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Healthy Travel: How To Avoid The Zika Virus
One of the biggest health-related news stories across the globe at the moment is the growing alarm over the fast-spreading Zika virus. Up until a few weeks ago, almost no one had even heard of this disease, yet now it is causing widespread concern across Latin America and has many travelers rethinking their plans for this year. But what exactly is Zika, and how can you avoid it? Read on for some answers.
What is Zika?
Like many other diseases such as malaria and yellow fever, the Zika virus is spread through the bites of mosquitoes. The first reported cases date back to the 1950s, but until recently Zika was mainly found in regions that fall close to the equator. That is changing, however, as the virus seems to be migrating further north and south from those regions.
For the most part, the symptoms of Zika are very mild, with only about 20 percent of victims even realizing that they’ve contracted the disease. Those who do take ill often dismiss it as the flu, with sore muscles, headaches, and a general lack of energy being the most common manifestations of the virus. The symptoms typically last for a few days to a week, with the infected person returning to full health shortly thereafter.
What is most concerning about the Zika virus, however, is its potential links to a birth defect known as microcephaly. This is a rare physical condition that manifests itself in some newborns resulting in an abnormally small head, which in turn leads to a severely underdeveloped brain. Last year, the number of cases of microcephaly in Brazil–a country where Zika is known to be rampant–spiked dramatically.
Because of the connection between Zika and microcephaly, women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant are discouraged from traveling to regions where the disease is active. On top of that, some governments in Central and South America have advised their populations to avoid having children for up to three years while they look for ways to combat the virus. That alone should give you an indication of how serious this situation is for the places that are affected.
Men aren’t particularly safe from the virus either, as it has now been shown that they can pass the disease along to their partners through sexual intercourse. That means that a man who became infected with Zika could transmit it to his significant other, thus creating a threat for their unborn children too. This adds an entirely new level of concern over how dangerous Zika could potentially be.
Avoiding Zika
Because of the nature of the virus and how quickly it is spreading, a number of organizations have issued warnings recommending that travelers avoid countries and regions where the disease is active. This is, of course, the best possible way to prevent exposure to Zika, at least in the short term. As it continues to spread, avoiding infected areas may become more difficult, but for now it is recommended that prospective parents adjust travel plans to keep themselves–and their unborn children–safe.
If you absolutely can’t avoid visiting a country or region where Zika is known to exist, there are several other ways of lowering your chance of exposure to the virus. For instance, using insect repellent can help keep not only mosquitoes at bay but other types of bugs too. But since some insect repellents (such as DEET) can be very harmful in their own right, you’ll want to limit your exposure to them as much as possible. Don’t use these chemicals for prolonged periods of time. Or look for natural repellants such as lemon eucalyptus, which has proven highly effective too.
Alternatively, travelers could also wear insect repellent clothing. Both ExOfficio and Craghoppers make stylish travel apparel that is specifically designed to be worn while visiting parts of the world where insect-borne diseases are a threat. These garments are treated with a product called Insect Shield, which has been proven to be highly effective at keeping biting bugs away.
If you know you’ll be visiting a destination where the Zika virus is a problem, consider investing in a few shirts and pairs of pants that use Insect Shield. They look like other travel clothes that you already have in your closet, but will provide an extra layer of protection. Wearing a hat or face netting may be wise as well.
The best piece of advice for travelers potentially visiting an area where Zika is active is to take the virus seriously and protect yourself from exposure. This is especially true for pregnant women or couples who are considering having a child. If you don’t fall into that category, it is highly likely that even if you get infected, you’ll come away completely healthy in a short period of time.
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5 Ways That Love Can Keep You Healthy
Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love. We shower our Valentines with chocolate, flowers, and romantic dinners, but beyond the fun of Cupid’s favorite day, did you also know that love can be good for your health?
Here are five ways that love can actually keep you healthy and moving forward on your journey:
1. Loving Yourself
One of the most important things you can do is LOVE YOURSELF. When people are struggling to lose weight, the problem often lies inside of them. Do you call yourself names? Do you say things to yourself like “I am fat” or “I am no good”? This attitude can really damage you long term. You have to LOVE yourself before you can accept the love of anyone else. Loving yourself gives you a healthy relationship with your body and your mind. This Valentine’s Day, give yourself the gift of self-love. It will make a significant difference in the rest of your year and the rest of your life!
2. Family Love
Family relationships have their ups and downs and are incredibly dynamic. The more you realize that your family is there to love and support you no matter what, the better life will become. Thankfully due to technology, it is easier than ever to stay connected with our family. Need an extra pick-me-up? Set up a video chat session with your family. You can send texts throughout the day when small things remind you of them. The beautiful thing about families and the love they provide is that its unconditional.
3. Love For Food
We all love food! But it’s your relationship with food that is important. No matter where you are in your journey, you need to love food. It’s what fuels your body and your mind. Food truly should make you happy. When you aren’t eating enough or aren’t eating the right things, your emotions will swing. Food can also change a lot of situations–it can spice up a meeting, it can improve a celebration, and it creates time to talk around the dinner table. Don’t fear food. Instead, love it for what it does. Understand it and become more knowledgeable about it. A healthy relationship with food is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
4. Loving Fitness Is Key
Do you love fitness? Loving fitness doesn’t have to mean you love burpees and pushups…though it can! Loving fitness essentially means you love being active. You love movement, activity, and enjoying different sports, workout routines, and just life in general! So much in life is due to your mindset. If you can convince yourself that you love fitness, then getting more active will be a breeze. And of course, working out releases endorphins, and endorphins make people happy!
5. Let’s Talk About SEX, Baby!
No one ever wants to talk about it, but the reality is, if you are in a healthy relationship, you are probably enjoying a sexual relationship with your partner. The majority of adults are sexual in some way, shape, or form. Beyond even just the act of sex itself, when you feel sexy, you exude a confidence that will reverberate through the rest of your life. Whether you’re talking about a high-five, a hug, a kiss, or the full-blown shut-down session, human touch and contact is something that most of us yearn for in some form. Sex is such an intimate way to relate to your partner and get in touch with your body.
I hope you take a moment to think about how LOVE truly does make this world go around. The more ways you inject love into your life, the happier and, ultimately, the healthier you will be. Love yourself, love your family, love food, love fitness, and love sex. Then watch your life as your life becomes the healthiest it can be!
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3 Practical Steps To Stop The Food Binge
Do you ever wake up and instinctively know this isn’t going to be a successful diet day? Can you just feel the urge to binge in every pore of your body? Or perhaps your binge feelings come on over the course of the morning and by midday you are in full food binge mode. No matter what the scenario, bingeing does nothing good for weight loss. Here are three steps to stop the food binge in its tracks.
1. Recognize the Signs
A true food binge is usually different from just feeling a craving for junky foods. You probably know what I mean. When you are craving junky foods you might aimlessly wander from room to room but always end up looking in the refrigerator or standing in front of the pantry. Nothing really appeals to you but you settle on an apple or perhaps a handful of chocolate chips if your diet isn’t going so well.
A food binge is intense, unrelenting, and hard to control. You may feel an unstoppable urge to eat all the ice cream in the house, go to the grocery store and buy a bunch of chocolate, or eat all the little bags of chips you had set aside for your child’s lunch.
2. Take Immediate Action
When the food binge feeling starts and you have identified it, you’ve got to take quick action before you eat 1,000 calories in a Mississippi minute, as they say in the South.
In other words, really fast.
Here are five ideas to make it harder to binge.
– Ruin the food. I know it seems drastic, but if there is one particular type of food in the house that you are getting ready to binge on, pour some water on it, throw it in the trash, and make sure it is inedible.
– Get away from the food. Remove yourself from close vicinity to the food. Get out of the house for a while, leave the grocery store if that’s where the binge strikes, or if you can’t leave your house, jump in the shower or take a long bath. Taking a step away from the immediate vicinity can help you control the urge to binge.
– Call or text a supportive friend or your therapist. Reach out to someone you know will help you through the difficult time. This can be your therapist, a close friend, or even a trusted co-worker. Talking through how you are feeling lessens the intense desire to binge, and a friend can help hold you accountable. Eat something indulgent. Although not for everyone, this technique works for some people who are on the verge of a binge. It often worked for me. Try eating a small amount of an indulgent food like an ounce of dark chocolate, two spoonfuls of your favorite ice cream, or a cup of coffee with a dollop of whipped cream.
Even though these aren’t low-calorie options, they can take the edge off the binge until you get your feelings under control. And, let’s face it, a spoonful of ice cream has hundreds of calories less than a whole container.
– Start writing down the calorie content of foods you want to eat. Part of the problem with binges, besides the fact they are often a sign of an eating disorder, is that you can consume a tremendous number of calories in a short time. Write down the calorie counts of the foods you are tempted to binge on. Think about how you will feel after you eat that many calories and what that will do to your weight loss efforts.
3. Wait for the Urge to Pass
Part of the food binge cycle is its urgency. The good thing is that food binges tend to come on quickly and fade once you’ve practiced some self-care.
Wait for the urge to overeat to pass. Eventually, the urge to eat large quantities of food will pass and you will be free of the binge–for now.
As you move forward with your weight loss efforts, pay attention to how often you get the urge to binge. An occasional food binge may not indicate an eating disorder, but frequent desires to binge certainly can. Don’t be like some people who avoid seeking help for a true food disorder out of a sense of embarrassment. Get in touch with your doctor and ask for help.