Month: March 2016

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Sweat

Healthy Travel: Staying Fit While On The Road

Staying healthy while traveling can be a major challenge. After all, you’re away from home, your routine is completely disrupted, and you often end up eating things you wouldn’t normally put into your body. But have faith. There are ways to stay fit while on the road, they just require a little discipline, foresight, and planning on your part.
Here are some tips that may come in handy on your next trip.

Don’t Skip Your Workouts

It can be tough to maintain a regular workout schedule while away from home, but if possible find a way to exercise when you can. It may not be for the same duration or intensity as your regular workouts, but at least you’ll still be burning some calories, and you’ll feel a lot better about yourself too.
These days, most hotels have a fitness center on the premises, which you can usually take advantage of both in the early morning and in the evening. Even 30 minutes on the treadmill or stationary bike can do wonders for maintaining your current fitness level and keep you from regressing too far if you’re away for an extended period of time.
If you don’t have access to a gym while you’re traveling, pack your running or walking shoes instead. When the opportunity presents itself, sneak in a little cardio workout to help keep the heart and lungs in tip-top shape. Besides, if it’s a business trip, you’ll appreciate the fresh air and sunshine after a long day indoors.

Don’t Overindulge

While we’re traveling there is a tendency to overindulge in both food and alcohol. That’s part of the fun of going on vacation, of course, but it can also be counterproductive for reaching your fitness goals. While you should absolutely enjoy yourself on your vacation, don’t lose sight of where you want to be health-wise either.
By all means, enjoy your trip and live it up a little. That is truly one of the great joys of travel after all. But when perusing the menu at a restaurant for something to eat, check to see if there are any healthy options to choose from that might still make a tasty meal. If you plan on having dessert, why not order something lighter for your main course and avoid heavy, fried foods when you can. All of those things are delicious, of course, but you may end up regretting them down the line.
In terms of alcohol, we all know how enjoyable it can be to have an adult beverage from time to time. But those drinks are also filled with mostly empty calories, and if you truly want to maintain your level of fitness you’ll limit the amount of alcohol you take in too. The same goes for sugary drinks like soda and some fruit juices as well. Water is the best option, of course, but there are a few others—such as all-natural fruit juice—that are good choices too.

Pack Healthy Snacks

Although sometimes it’s impossible to control exactly what kind of meals you’ll be eating while traveling, you can have direct control over the snacks you munch on between those meals. Bring your own healthy snacks—such as nuts, energy bars, and granola—or pick up fresh fruit after you arrive at your destination. That way when you find yourself feeling a little hungry you’ll have healthy options to choose from.

Stay Active

If you’re someone who prefers to sit on a beach and do nothing while on vacation, you’re probably not doing much to help maintain your healthy lifestyle while away from home. Taking a vacation is meant to be relaxing, of course, but when it comes to staying fit you need to try to be at least a little active. That means walking to nearby destinations such as shops and restaurants, taking the stairs rather than the elevator, or renting a bike to get around town. The possibilities for maintaining your fitness levels are there. You just need to look out for them and take advantage of them when you can.
As you can see, there are some good ways to remain healthy and fit while on the road that still allow you to enjoy your vacation too. Ultimately, the goal is to return home feeling refreshed, rested, and relaxed while still managing to maintain your level of fitness. This does take a bit of planning and discipline to accomplish, but in the long run you’ll probably find that it is well worth the effort.
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Nosh

Protein Powder—Strong Enough For a Man, Made For A Woman Too

It’s a rare day that a woman comes in the gym and says she wants to be a bodybuilder. Most women are out for one thing. They want to lose weight and tone up—not bulk up. So when women join our boot camp program at our gym, they are surprised to hear our speech on the importance of protein.

Protein powder isn’t just for bodybuilders anymore, even though that is what most women think. And since most of them have no desire to grow manly muscles, they walk right past the protein aisle on their way to the fat loss section at their favorite vitamin store—if they only knew what they were missing!

Supplementing your diet with protein powder has more benefits than just building muscle. Boosting your protein can help you get that bikini body you’ve been dreaming about. Here’s why.

1) Protein prevents muscle deterioration during fat loss.

If you want to lighten up, chances are you want to tighten up too. In other words, you don’t just want to be skinny. You want to be fit and trim. A program that boosts fat loss typically involves burning more calories and eating fewer calories. Unfortunately, a low-calorie diet and high-calorie-burning workout routine can result in more than just fat loss if you aren’t careful. It can result in muscle loss too.

Supplementing your diet with protein drinks can help preserve muscle while you lose body fat. As you boost protein and reduce overall calories, you are more likely to hold on to the muscle you have (and even gain some) while melting away the unwanted fat.

Another reason you want to preserve muscle mass is because muscle burns more calories than fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn throughout the day.

2) Protein suppresses your appetite.

Many of our clients learned firsthand that the days they were the hungriest were the days their protein intake was the lowest. This isn’t just one person’s opinion or personal experience. Research proves a high-protein diet is more filling.

Two different studies from Purdue demonstrate protein’s effectiveness when it comes to appetite. One study group of female participants who took in 30 percent of their calories from lean protein felt more satisfied than another group who ate less protein.

In the other study, researchers found that people’s appetite improved when they increased protein intake by 20–30 grams of protein or 3–4 ounces of lean protein a day. On the flipside, the study showed that diets with inadequate amounts of protein increased the participants’ desire to eat.

In a nutshell, a high-protein diet means a more satisfying diet. A satisfied dieter is a happy dieter.

3) Protein supplements are a convenient way to get good nutrition.

Let’s face it. There is no shortage of convenient carbohydrates and fats. You can go to any convenience store and 90 percent of the items on the shelves will be packed full of fats and carbs. There are just not a lot of high-protein options that are fast and easy.

Trying to get protein from whole foods requires a certain level of food prep. Not everyone has time to stop at a rest area on a road trip and fire up a grill. Although it is important to get the majority of your nutrients from whole food, protein shakes are an easy and effective way to boost protein on the go.

In just a few seconds flat, you can combine your favorite liquid and protein powder in a shaker and get 30 grams of powerful protein without even turning on one stove. There are even ready to drink (RTD) shakes that make it even easier. Give me a woman who wouldn’t appreciate having to cook one less meal or make one less snack.

4) A high-protein diet is lower in calories.

You may be thinking “Bonnie, carbohydrates and protein have the same amount of calories per gram.” Yes. You are correct, they each have 4 calories a gram. But when is the last time you had a mound of shredded chicken the size of a bowl of pasta?

We can consume a lot more calories from carbohydrates than we can consume in protein. Lean protein is so dense and heavy, it is difficult to eat that much of it. But I’m sure you can eat the heck out of some linguini.

Carbohydrates aren’t the only thing that racks up the calories. Fat has more than twice the calories per gram as protein or carbs. Packing 9 calories a gram, you could trade one gram of fat for 2 grams of protein and still get out with fewer calories.

5) Increasing protein can help you sculpt pretty toned muscle.

You may not want to look like a bodybuilder, but you probably don’t want mushy arms and jiggling thighs either. Firming up often requires increasing muscle mass with strength training and increasing protein intake.

Since fat is soft and lumpy and muscles are smooth and firm, increasing muscle improves your appearance. When you increase lean mass, your body gets tight and toned. Your new muscle will fill out loose skin, giving it added support and shape and even smoothing out the appearance of cellulite—not to mention what it does for your self-esteem.

As you get stronger, you will begin to feel more confident and capable of things you might not have even attempted before. This inner strength will help drive you to discover even more physical strength. You will continue to watch your body change and improve even beyond your initial weight loss.

You don’t have to have three shakes a day to benefit from taking protein supplements. One 20–30 gram shake is typically a great place for most people to start. Just remember to reduce overall calories if you want to reduce body fat (so you can see that beautiful muscle you are sculpting), and don’t be afraid to hit the weights. Your body will thank you—and then you will thank me!

How much protein should we eat?

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that for general health the average individual should consume 0.35 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. So a person who weighs 165 pounds should consume 60 grams of protein per day. (Note: This is for general health. If you want to look and feel fit, you want to take your body beyond general health.)

To increase muscle mass, a person who lifts weights regularly or is training for a running or cycling event should eat a range of 0.5–0.8 grams per pound of body weight. So, a 165-pound person who wants to increase muscle mass would increase protein intake to 75 grams to 128 grams a day.

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Nosh

Fighting Food Resentment: Don’t Be Mad At Food

Did you know that over the course of a month you will eat an average of 120 times? Breaking it down further, if you have an average of three food options per meal, you’re up to at least 360 food choices every month. That’s a lot of dealings with food, which can be hard if you are trying to lose weight. One of the common complaints I hear from dieters is this: “I resent I have to think about food so much. Why can’t it just be easy?” If you feel resentful toward food, here’s how to not be mad at food.

I get feeling resentful and mad at food. It plays a significant role in your life and has a tremendous impact on your weight.

I spent a lot of time feeling angry at food during my years of obesity. I felt as though:

  • Food made me fat.
  • Food was everywhere.
  • Food was good.
  • Food was bad.
  • Food was controlling my life.

It frustrated me that I had to spend so much time thinking about something that caused me so much angst. Friends who were thin didn’t seem to spend nearly the amount of time obsessing over food that I did.

When I was dieting I thought about all the foods I couldn’t or shouldn’t have. When I wasn’t dieting I thought about all the foods I would have. In both cases, I felt angry at food.

Of course, these feelings didn’t help my weight loss efforts. Instead, feeling resentful over the fact that I had to think about and plan the foods I needed to eat in order to get healthy just made me less likely to make good choices.

The Root of the Matter

Being mad at food and resenting the fact you have to be careful with your food choices often has a root cause.

What’s the cause? Feeling sorry for yourself.

  • You feel sorry for yourself because you can’t eat like you assume everyone else does.
  • You feel sorry for yourself because you have to track your food or avoid certain foods altogether.
  • You feel sorry for yourself because you feel deprived.

Turn Your Thinking Around

When you diet, thoughts about your food choices often become all encompassing. The focus of your everyday life seems to revolve around food. You’ve probably had thoughts like this run through your head throughout the day: “What should I have for breakfast, should I bring my lunch or buy it, can I safely go out to dinner, what will people think of me if I have dessert?”

Instead of focusing on food as a bad thing, shift your thinking to treating food in the same way you think about other routine decisions.

For example, do you resent brushing your teeth, taking a shower, doing laundry, or shopping for necessities?

Probably not.

Stop thinking about food as the enemy to a full life and instead think about it as a fun, necessary part of your day. Think about it as an opportunity to learn how to feed your body healthy food that will make you look and feel better.

When I turned my thinking around from resentment to adventure, I stopped feeling mad at food. That shift in my thought process was an important step in weight loss success and in eventual maintenance.

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Wellbeing

5 Things Hawaii Reminded Me About Living Well

Living well is as much a choice as it is a privilege. Learning lessons and getting reminded of how to live a healthy, happy life can renew the spirit and motivate you to make a few shifts in your daily habits.
I was lucky enough to escape to Hawaii for a few days last week and although the beauty was overwhelming, the visit served as a powerful reminder to live fully and honestly. I observed the locals closely and felt inspired to bring a bit of their well-lived lives home to my own daily routine.
I think we are guilty of being too busy. But even worse, when we become too busy we forget to do the things that matter and to spend time doing things that are both necessary and beneficial to our overall health. There is so much research surfacing around spending time in nature, the powerful benefits of awe, and the importance of down time. Yes, vacations make this much easier for sure, but in small ways we can all do better when it comes to living well.
Upon my return, I committed to a few improvements in how I’m living my life, and I want to share them with you. They may not seem overly groundbreaking, but I think you’ll find that you’ve forgotten about at least one of these things, so I hope they serve as a small reminder for you as you move forward in your life.

Don’t miss a sunset.

Hawaiian people congregate at dusk. No matter what side of the island they’re on, they are not inside watching TV when the sun is about to set. It’s almost like a natural need instead of a conscious choice to go outside and witness this time of the day because it’s inherently part of the culture and lifestyle. I often forget to enjoy the beauty of life, and this Hawaiian habit reminded me of the importance of making time for moments of awe every day.

You don’t need much.

I over packed on this trip because I have this underlying feeling that I’ll need something I don’t have. This is a byproduct of living in a state of deprivation instead of abundance and of living too long in a consumer-driven culture. In Hawaii, I learned that you need very little to feel satisfied, and even if something is missing you can easily make things work anyway. Spending a few days in only flip flops and a bathing suit is a great reminder that living minimally doesn’t equate with sacrifice.

Playing is important.

When I first arrived I wasn’t dying to go in the ocean. It looked beautiful, but I’m a bit afraid, and it just didn’t seem like something I was eager to do. When I got hot I would wade in up to my waist and then head back to the towel. By day two, after watching surfers and the happy frolicking people in the water, I couldn’t help but feel the urge to go deeper. Finally, I dove under the waves, floated, did summersaults and body surfed until my face hurt from smiling. I had forgotten how to play, and the waters of Hawaii invited me back to that part of myself.

Do what you love.

Being on vacation can always open perspective and serve as a good reminder to do the things you love, but the people who live in Hawaii take that to a new level. Yes, they’re living in one of the most beautiful locations possible, but they’ve made a choice to be close to what they’re passionate about. Surfers, ocean lovers, and students alike are there to pursue their dreams and live the life they want. This brought me back to the awareness of trying to make more time for the things that really matter and lift my spirit and to live from a place of passion as much as possible.

Take advantage.

Anyone who lives in a cold environment where getting outside to do anything is a luxury knows it’s essential to take advantage when the opportunity is presented. I live in a warm climate, so for me it’s more about pushing myself to get out before it’s too dark or to steal a few moments away from the grind to get a breath of fresh air.
But for someone else, taking advantage might be more centered around doing something that inspires or lifts the spirit when there’s a break in weather or a chance to get away to somewhere else. In Hawaii, the beauty of the landscape is never wasted, and this was a reminder that life is precious and so is my time.
These aren’t profound discoveries, and you certainly don’t need to go to Hawaii to remember how to live, but when there’s an opportunity to get out of the hustle and bustle, the chance to re-center and evaluate life is hard to ignore. Stepping back to get a broader, big-picture view of the way you’re living your life is an important practice that you can engage in at any time and anywhere.

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Sweat

The Fitness Craze That's Changing How We Work Out

From barre3 to SoulCycle, boutique fitness studios now make up more than 20 percent of the U.S. health club market. Despite high price tags, these specialty studios give big box gyms some healthy competition, in part because they promise more than just a good workout; attending them is an experience or, for some, an all-out lifestyle.

THE CONS

Experience or not, regularly attending $20 to 35 studio classes costs more than most gym memberships, which average $40 to 50 a month and offer unlimited access. Even at a meager two classes a week, you’d be spending an easy $160 a month, and many find themselves spending quite a bit more.
Then there’s the problem of variety. You can change the resistance and speed of a stationary bike all you want, but it will always be a leg-powered workout with minimal strength training. Yoga is a powerful tool to improve functional muscle strength but will never truly be a cardio activity. Both provide phenomenal workouts, but there’s only so much innovation you can build into them individually.
Not only does mixing up your workout routine make sense to avoid a fitness rut, but it’s also crucial for it to be effective. Our bodies adapt to repetitive movements, and without a shake-up here and there, the same workout can actually burn fewer calories two months in than it did that first session. We have to challenge our bodies if we want to get the most out of our exercises.
I worry, too, that there might be a dark side to the sense of community bred by these niche studios. When do we cross the line from social fitness phenomenon into a cult-like preoccupation of “fitting in” and keeping up with The Joneses? This almost tongue-in-cheek, but all-too-resonant article from Racked brings up some legitimate concerns about the culture of some of these studios.

THE PROS

That being said, I have been attending classes at a boutique SurfSET studio since December, and there is none of that competitive, brings-you-back-to-the-high-school-lunchroom obsession with status and appearances discussed in the article above. The workout itself really hooked me, but it’s absolutely the environment that keeps me coming back. I’m now friends with the instructor. I see the same people every week in my classes. We laugh together, we sweat together, and no matter how brutal the session is (it’s usually pretty brutal), I have a great time.
I also get more individualized attention. It’s almost like having a personal trainer, only I share him with a small group and pay much less. I don’t get lost in the shuffle of a large class or disappear in a sea of weightlifters. The instructor is always there to adjust my form, tell me to push harder, and modify the routine to best suit my goals and abilities.
Even if the higher cost of these classes seems more justifiable when compared with the services of a personal trainer as opposed to the offerings of a big box gym, it’s still an expense that some may not be able to afford. If that’s the case, there are other options. Companies like Fit Reserve and ClassPass pull together many of the top boutique studios under one convenient monthly fee. You get unlimited monthly access to your favorite studios but for a fraction of the cost. They also help you explore new studios and workouts, which all but eliminates the concern of getting stuck doing the same workout over and over again.
Perhaps that is, ultimately, the greatest draw of these boutiques. Fitness can be fickle; or rather, a person’s preferences for physical activity can be. There is no such thing as One Perfect Workout for everyone (or even one person!), and the more boutique studios that crop up, the more we can all explore new modes of fitness to find what works for us as individuals and what doesn’t. Having the freedom to try out a spin class one day and a barre class the next can help you find your own niche in the broad expanse of fitness options and actually get excited about your next class.

BOTTOM LINE: FIT!

Studio classes don’t have to be an all-or-nothing activity, and in fact I wouldn’t even recommend it as the ideal. I’ve found that taking a class or two a week, in addition to at-home routines and the occasional warm-weather run or tennis match, offers good variety without costing me an arm and a leg.
Take a class if you’re feeling in a fitness rut with your current routine. Sign up for one with your best friends as a healthier alternative to getting drinks at the end of the week.
Really, with so many types of studios out there, the question isn’t should you try them out, but which will you choose first?

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Wellbeing

What Women Can Learn From Men About Parenting

It’s no secret that men and women approach parenting differently (fortunately, children can benefit from both unique styles). In general, men are not the primary caregiver and perhaps have a perspective that’s a little bit removed from the situation but ironically can be quite helpful and effective in raising kids. Unfortunately, sometimes there may be even a bit of a pride factor where women think they know best about how to raise their family. If this describes you at all, I challenge you to put that notion aside and realize that there’s actually a lot that moms can learn from dads. Here are a few examples of parenting strategies and characteristics that women can adopt from men.

The first is to be more flexible and even a bit more fun. Mothers often like to stick to the rules and may get frustrated when schedules aren’t followed exactly. For example, bedtime can be a common source of stress for moms, but dads are usually pretty good about not worrying too much if a kid goes to sleep a little bit later than normal every once in awhile. Of course, it’s possible to overdo it and get too lax about rules, routines, eating nutritious foods, etc. Think about the parents from Mrs. Doubtfire: Sally Field’s character was pretty uptight, while Robin Williams’ character was incredibly fun but also highly irresponsible (before he became Mrs. Doubtfire, of course). In real life, though, moms and dads can balance each other out and help their children follow the rules, such as getting to bed on time more often than not. So maybe moms can loosen up a bit?

Another strength that men often have and that women can learn from is expecting compliance the first time. When a mom’s limits are tested, sometimes she is overly nice and almost too patient and forgiving of her son or daughter. Maybe she has to ask five times for her child to clean his room before he finally does it. Dads, on the other hand, tend to have an expectation that a child will do as he/she is told immediately. There’s no arguing or bargaining; it’s not up for debate. Kids learn very quickly how much or how little bad behavior will be tolerated, so women can be like men and have high standards for their kids that must be met the first time (or at least very soon). There’s no need to be mean, just firm in our expectations.

Women can glean the power of simplicity from men. I honestly think that Pinterest has done a lot of harm to women’s self-esteem in showing them what they think their lives should be like. For instance, consider kids’ birthday parties. A customized cake, homemade decorations, an extravagant piñata, and party favors for 6-year-olds may be an unrealistic expectation that women put on themselves, whereas a dad in charge of a birthday party might order pizza, get a cake from Costco, and call it good. Men know they’re not going to be perfect and don’t let it bother them. Women tend to ruminate and replay mistakes or shortcomings in their minds. As moms, we can learn to simplify and let go of parenting perfectionism. Also, why not have the man of the house plan the next birthday party?

And one final lesson about parenting that women can learn from men is to separate or differentiate themselves from their children. Moms work so hard for their kids and want the best for them but may inadvertently over-identify with them. For example, if a child bombs a test, a mother might feel some guilt and stress over it. Dads are generally pretty good about realizing that a child’s behavior or performance does not necessarily reflect on them. Of course, there are limits to this idea: Parents are to blame for a child being an addict if they were the ones who first introduced him to drugs. But beyond dramatic situations like these, parents don’t need to feel like their children’s individual actions are their own responsibility, and so women can follow men’s example in drawing an emotional distinction between themselves and their kids.

Props to the great dads out there who aren’t perfect (none of us are!) but are using their natural gifts in raising their families in a healthy and loving way. Let’s all learn from them about how to relax, be simple, and have high but reasonable expectations for our children and for ourselves.

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Sweat

Accepting Genetics Without Excusing Obesity

Obesity isn’t a condition that you should ignore or embrace. These days with plus-sized models on the cover of Sports Illustrated and the rise of the health at any size movement (HAES), you might find it hard to convince yourself to keep trying to lose weight because of size acceptance.

Former supermodel Chery Tiegs was recently criticized for saying that Ashley Graham, the plus-sized model featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated shouldn’t be celebrated because she wasn’t healthy. While Tiegs eventually clarified her quote, the incident revived the public discussion about the acceptance of obesity in our society.

Not everyone has the genetic makeup to be super slim nor the desire to be so, but there is a recommended weight range based on age, height, and sex. Falling outside that weight range on either side isn’t ideal for your health unless you are a super muscular bodybuilder or athlete.

When you see successful models like Graham, feel frustrated with your natural body type, or notice that almost everyone around you is overweight, you may start to feel as though losing weight is just a waste of time and effort.

If you’ve ever read any of the literature on the HAES movement, you will find that proponents of the movement believe that it doesn’t matter what the scale says, so long as you are healthy.

My argument against that way of thinking is that many of the people who promote HAES are young and haven’t yet felt the long-term impacts of their obesity. I’ve seen firsthand what years of obesity do to a person, and the consequences can be quite serious: diabetes, cellulitis, heart disease, high blood pressure, ruined knees, and even premature death. If those aren’t bad enough, the Cleveland Clinic has another long list of medical problems that go along with obesity.

Obesity is nothing to scoff at or brush under the rug.

So how do you ignore the increasing acceptance of obesity and keep going with your own weight loss efforts?

Be Your Own Person

Come to the place where you believe that losing weight is the best thing for you regardless of what messages the media, organizations, or even your friends send you.

Although I lost weight before the time when obesity was more accepted, I did have friends tell me to just “accept my size and quit worrying about losing weight.”

I’m glad I didn’t listen to them.

Listen to Your Doctor

Your doctor knows the health consequences of long-term obesity. If your doctor has been after you to lose weight, then don’t give up because some sectors of society tell you it doesn’t matter.

Think About Your Future

If you are on the fence about trying to lose weight, just think about your future. Living your life with 50, 100, or 150 pounds of extra weight isn’t easy. Just the other day I picked up a 50-pound bag of sand from the home improvement store and barely got it into the shopping cart. I remarked to my daughter, “I can’t believe I carried around the equivalent of three of those bags on my body for 10 years.”

Be Satisfied with Small Progress

It can be overwhelming to face the fact that you’ve got a lot of weight to lose. If that’s you, then take small steps and be happy when you make some progress. Think about your weight loss as a long-term project that may take time. As long as you are going in the right direction, it doesn’t matter if it takes you a while to get there.

Categories
Wellbeing

Is Your Tongue The Window To Your Health?

Your eyes may be the windows to your soul, but your tongue may be the closest thing there is to a window to your health. A healthy tongue is pink, the edges are smooth, and the surface is covered with small bumps. Those bumps are called papillae and they’re there for several reasons, one of which is to help the tongue grip your food and move it around inside your mouth. Papillae are also home to the thousands of receptors (which we call taste buds) that allow you to taste what you’re eating.
Unfortunately, not all tongues are healthy, pink, and smooth. So every once in a while (at least once a week), get in front of a mirror and give your tongue a thorough once-over, paying close attention to any unusual textures, colors, pain, or discomfort. Sometimes these things are no big deal and will go away on their own, but some tongue symptoms may indicate a larger health issue. So if you see anything that scares you (we’ll talk about that below), the pain doesn’t go away, or your tongue doesn’t return to its normal, pink, smooth self within a week or two, see your healthcare provider.
Let’s take a look at some common tongue issues and what they might mean if you see one in the mirror.

White Tongue

There are actually a variety of ways whiteness can show up on your tongue.
White lines on the tongue that look kind of like lace are called oral lichen planus. Brush your teeth a little more thoroughly and stop smoking, and they’ll go away.
A white coating on the surface of the tongue is usually caused by drinking too much alcohol, smoking, and not brushing well enough.
If the white coating looks as thick as cream cheese, you may have a yeast infection or thrush, both of which can be caused by taking antibiotics (which wipe out the “good” bacteria in the mouth), leaving the “bad” bacteria to run wild. This cheesy coating may also be caused by taking inhaled steroids (the kind you take if you’ve got asthma or lung disease). People with diabetes, who have a compromised immune system (such as people with AIDS), or who are on chemotherapy are especially susceptible to developing this condition.
If you’ve got white splotches on your tongue, you’ve got something called leukoplakia, which develops when your mouth produces too many cells. It’s also common among smokers. Leukoplakia generally looks worse than it is, but because it’s sometimes a sign of oral cancer, have your dentist take a look at it.

Red Tongue

If your tongue is red and you haven’t been drinking strawberry slushies or sucking on cherry lollipops, you may have a deficiency of vitamin B-12, iron, or folic acid. If you’ve also got a high fever, you may have scarlet fever or a condition called Kawasaki syndrome, so get in to see your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Black, Hairy Tongue

As revolting as this sounds (and looks), it’s rarely serious. Remember those bumpy papillae? Well, they’re constantly growing. Most of the time, they get worn down by our eating, brushing, and so on. But some people’s papillae keep on getting bigger. And the taller they get, the more they get covered with bacteria, which can give the tongue a black, fuzzy coating that looks like hair. As with some of the white tongue conditions, this one is more common among people with diabetes or who are taking antibiotics or are on chemotherapy. Brushing the tongue 2-3 times every day with a soft brush usually takes care of the problem within a week or so.

Cracking or Fracturing

If your tongue looks like it’s got cracks in it, you may be dehydrated or be a mouth breather. Drinking more water will generally help.

Spots, Bumps, and Sores

Do not ignore these. Anything that doesn’t look right or feel right is worth getting checked out by a dentist or your regular provider. Seemingly insignificant sores that don’t go away—even if they’re not painful—could be stress, could be the result of a trauma (such as biting your tongue or burning it by eating something too hot), or they could be signs of cancer.

Scalloped Edges

If the edges of your tongue are scalloped (a series of wavy indentations running along the sides), you may be pressing your tongue really hard against your teeth. That could be because your jaw is narrow and teeth are so close together that they aren’t giving your tongue enough room. Or it could be because your tongue is abnormally enlarged, probably by a thyroid condition. Your dentist should be able to help you figure out the source of the problem.

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Sweat

Returning To Form: Getting Ready For Spring Running

Spring is finally in the air! The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and the last remnants of winter are nearly gone. That means it’s time to head back outside and ramp up your running routine once again. If you’re one of those runners who took the winter off, getting started again can sometimes be a real struggle. But if you’re ready to jump back into your workout regimen, here are a few tips to help ease the transition while avoiding injury too.

Start Slowly 

If you’re a long-time runner who took time off for the winter, you’ll probably want to start right where you left off last fall. Unfortunately, that isn’t realistic. It’ll take some time to get your legs and lungs accustomed to working out again, so be patient and don’t push yourself too quickly. Over the course of a couple of weeks you’ll start to return to form, and before long you’ll be back where you were before your hiatus. But if you push too hard and too quickly, you could end up with an injury, which would only set you back further.

This same advice holds true even if you’ve been running on a treadmill indoors during the winter. A treadmill doesn’t offer the same challenge as an outdoor workout, so you should still expect to ramp up slowly. The good news is that you’re likely to return to form much more quickly than if you hadn’t worked out at all over the past few months.

Check Your Shoes…

Before returning to your running routine be sure to check your shoes to see if they’re up to the task. There is a good chance it may be time to replace them, so a trip to the shoe store could be in order. Remember, your running shoes should be replaced every 300-500 miles. Doing so will not only help to prevent injuries but will also allow your legs to stay fresh on longer runs.

…And Your Rain Gear Too! 

While we all love the warmer weather that comes with spring, the season tends to usher in quite a few rain showers as well. That means your shoes aren’t the only piece of gear that will need to be up to the challenge of spring running. A good rain jacket is also a must. After all, you’re not going to let a little thing like wet weather keep you from heading outside for a run, right?

Set a Schedule 

One of the biggest challenges to resuming your running workouts will be getting back into a regular routine. But the only way to improve, get stronger, and attain your fitness goals is to run on a regular schedule. That means you need to make exercise a priority: Pencil it in on your calendar and stick to that schedule as closely as you can. The repetition will help build muscle and improve cardio performance too. And when that starts to happen, you’ll be reminded of why you fell in love with running in the first place.

Mix It Up!

Although returning to your previous running form may be your goal, don’t forget to change up your workout routine regularly. Cycling, swimming, and lifting weights are all good alternatives to running every day, and each will help increase your overall level of fitness. They’ll also build muscles while giving your body a break from the high-impact workout that running provides.

Don’t Forget to Have Some Fun 

Running shouldn’t just be about getting fit and burning calories. It should be fun too. It’s easy to lose sight of that fact when you’re working hard to get back in shape, but don’t forget to take some time to enjoy the warm spring weather and just how good it feels to be back outside. It’s also a great time to join a running group, which will usually have training groups for others just like you who are working to get back into shape. The camaraderie and support that comes from such a group can be a lot of fun and lead to some good friendships as well.

Winter is over, my friends. You can no longer use bad weather as an excuse to stay inside and avoid running. It’s time to get back to work and start getting healthy once again.

Categories
Wellbeing

Is The Pill Killing Your Sex Drive?

I’ve spent almost half my life on some form of birth control. I tried the Depo shot early on but found that it seemed to work by killing my sex drive. Then I tried several different pills with side effects ranging from increased migraines to fatigue before I finally found one that seemed to work well for me. It worked great for a number of years both as a birth control and to help keep my periods consistent when they decided to start showing up more often than they should.
In 2010 I had problems with my blood pressure and as a result had to stop taking the pill. Then last year I asked my doctor if I could start it again. My blood pressure had returned to normal and I’d since been diagnosed with endometriosis. I hoped that taking the pill again would reduce the symptoms associated with endometriosis. It did, but it came at a price: my sex drive.
According to a 2012 medical review, it’s not uncommon for the pill to affect your sex life negatively. In fact, taking the pill commonly affects a woman’s sex drive in three primary ways.

  • Reduced Lubrication – Women using oral contraceptives are more likely to report reduced vaginal lubrication. Reduced lubrication can lead to discomfort during sex and even pain. The good news is that the dryness associated with oral contraceptives typically goes away after 12 months on the pill.
  • Increased Pain – Use of oral contraceptives can result in increased pain in the vulvar vestibule. Women using the pill for more than two years or women who started using the pill at a very young age are more likely to report vulvar pain. Some reports indicate that this pain stops when the women stop using the pill.
  • Reduced Libido – Although early studies concluded that there was no connection between oral contraceptive use and sex drive, recent studies have shown otherwise. Studies show that the pill can reduce sex drive in women anywhere from 8% to 50% of the time. Other factors in the women’s lives may play a role, but it is understood that the changes in androgens are a factor in libido.

Unfortunately, oral contraceptives aren’t the only type of contraceptive that can negatively affect your sex life. Any hormonal contraceptive can carry the same side effects because of the changes to your hormones.

  • Condoms are hormone-free and have a high success rate of preventing pregnancy. Condoms are effective 98% of the time when used correctly.
  • The diaphragm is a flexible dome-shaped cup that is inserted into the vagina prior to sex. It creates a barrier preventing sperm from passing beyond the cervix. The diaphragm has an effectiveness rate of up to 94% when used correctly.
  • The contraceptive sponge is a small piece of sponge coated in spermicide that is inserted into the vagina and over the cervix. It creates a barrier preventing sperm from passing while the spermicide kills any sperm that come into contact with it. With proper use the sponge has an effectiveness rate of 94%.
  • The IUD (intrauterine device) is an implantable device that interferes with the sperm’s ability to move inside the uterus, causing the sperm to die before it can implant. An IUD must be implanted by a medical professional and has an effectiveness rate of 99%.
  • Natural methods include pulling out or withdrawal of the penis prior to ejaculation, the rhythm method, and fertility awareness. These methods range in effectiveness from 73% to 98% if used consistently and carefully.

Although hormonal birth control methods may come with some negative side effects, they are still the right choice for many women. The pill worked great for me for many years, but something changed in my hormones so that when I tried to use it again, I wasn’t able to do so without losing my libido, even though it was the same pill I’d used previously.
The question of birth control as a right doesn’t come up very often these days. Fortunately, there are many available options, and we can each choose the one that is best for us with the fewest side effects. Unfortunately, making that choice may require some trial and error.
Source:
Burrows LJ, Basha M, Goldstein AT. The effects of hormonal contraceptives on female sexuality: a review. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2012;9(9):2213–2223.