Month: October 2017

Having Frequent Hunger Pangs? Here’s Why—And What To Do About It

Post author By Jeanne Sager
Post date October 31, 2017

When hunger pangs first hit, they can take you by surprise. We’ve all been there. You’re sitting in a quiet college classroom during a big final or—worse—in an important job interview. Your stomach starts rumbling and the harder you try to get it to shut up, the louder and more demanding it gets. It’s embarrassing and unnerving. What does it want?
Is that growl in your stomach a sign of a building bellyache or is your body just screaming, “feed me”? The truth could be a little bit of both!
Some people refer to hunger pangs as “hunger pains,” and it’s not just because the two words sound so similar. When your body is starting to feel hungry, a hormone produced in your stomach and small intestine called ghrelin kicks into play.
Dubbed an “appetite increaser” by doctors, tells your stomach to release the enzymes that prep it for food. That’s what causes your stomach to sound like the Gremlins from the ’80s horror flick (note the similar name!), and it can get pretty uncomfortable.
So, what should you do when your appetite kicks in and you’re struggling to keep the growl of hunger pangs quiet? Should you give in to your cravings or call a doctor?
Here’s what the experts have to say about what to eat, when to eat, and when to get help.

What is a hunger pang, anyway?

Technically, if you’re feeling pain in your stomach when you’re hungry, it’s because stomach acids are attacking the stomach lining, says Sandra Arevalo, director of nutrition services and community outreach at the South Bronx Health Center in New York City.
Ghrelin tells the stomach to release acids that will break down the food you eat. But if you’re not sending your stomach a hamburger or some cheese for the acids to work on, they have nothing to do but start to go after the lining of your stomach.
True to their name, hunger pangs can be caused by actual hunger. If you don’t stick to a regular eating schedule, your body will eventually protest in the form of a rumbling in the tummy.
That’s why we tend to feel hunger pangs when we’re dieting and denying our body the amount of food it’s used to or when we’re busy and forget (or don’t have time) to eat.
The reasoning is pretty simple: The body uses food for energy. If we don’t supply it with energy, the body warns us that we need to refuel. The hormone stimulates our appetite, so we will chow down to satiate it.
Unfortunately, though, hunger pangs don’t just crop up when our bodies actually need food. Ghrelin works hand in hand with insulin, the hormone that the pancreas releases to keep your blood sugar on an even keel. When insulin levels increase, ghrelin tends to decrease.
On the other side of the same coin, when your insulin levels drop, your ghrelin levels spike. That’s why eating a whole bunch of junk food can fill you up for an hour…only for your body to get hit with cravings to eat again.
“If [you’re] eating sugary and highly processed meals, your blood sugar spikes quickly, and your body releases a lot of insulin, which does it job quickly,” explains Melanie Wirth, a registered dietitian with Taher Food Services in Minneapolis, Minnesota. “Then you have a crash!”
In other words, your insulin levels will bottom out, and ghrelin will be released, triggering stomach acids and eventually your appetite…even though you just ate an hour ago.
Other reasons you might be feeling that ache in your midsection? Some medications, especially antidepressants, can cause ghrelin releases in the body, Arevalo says.
And if you’re not getting enough sleep, your body may punish you for it. Researchers have found that even a single night of sleep deprivation can make your body kick up the cravings. Thirst can also mimic hunger, with your tummy rumbling to tell you it that what it really wants is a glass of water (or six).

What if it’s something else?

Any time you feel pain in the gut, it’s normal to wonder if you’re coming down with a virus or you’ve been hit by [linkbuilder id=”2274″ text=”food poisoning”]. And it’s no different when you’re dealing with hunger pangs.
When ghrelin starts doing its dirty work in your belly, the symptoms of hunger can seem like symptoms of something more insidious.
So how do you tell the difference between hunger and something more serious?
Take note of how you’re feeling overall, says Vanessa Rissetto, a registered dietitian from New York City. “Hunger pangs normally leave you with an empty feeling in your stomach,” she says.
Hunger is often (although not always) accompanied by feelings of lightheadedness or dizziness, which can be related to the insulin crash that your body is experiencing or a lack of energy due to the lack of food to sustain the body’s needs. You may also feel irritable, Arevalo says, hence the popular term “hangry” (a portmanteau of hungry and angry).
On the other hand, if you’re experiencing nausea, diarrhea and/or fever along with that stomach pain, it’s probably time to pick up the phone and call your doctor.
“Hunger will never give you a fever. Hunger will not give you diarrhea,” Arevalo points out.
Even if you have deduced you are hungry (rather than coming down with the gastrointestinal virus that’s been making the rounds at your office), take note of how often you feel hunger pangs. If you experience hunger symptoms often, it’s still important to talk to your doctor.
Frequent hunger issues alone are not normal and could be a sign that you need help. It’s why Arevalo says everyone who is embarking on a diet change should consult with a medical professional who can help them craft a nutritional plan that is right for their body and their needs.
Not trying to change up your diet for a weight loss plan? It’s still important to regulate your meal schedule. Researchers have found that not eating at regular mealtimes doesn’t just cause wacky ghrelin levels. It also causes us to choose foods that aren’t as healthy as the stuff people chow down on when they stick to a schedule.

Am I really hungry?

It may be easy enough to deduce that you’re hungry when you’ve been running around getting things done and haven’t taken a second to nosh, but it’s not always that simple. Sometimes the brain will be telling the body it needs to eat, even when the stomach isn’t presenting those hunger pangs.
That’s when Arevalo tells her clients to sit down and think about what they’re feeling. “Are you feeling the desire to eat more as a pain in your stomach or is the pain in your head?” she asks clients.
If your stomach is uncomfortable and/or making noises (remember the Gremlins), then it’s probably true hunger. If it’s not, then your brain could just be pushing emotional hunger.
If you’ve ever wolfed down a pile of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies because they smelled soooooo good, you know this one firsthand. Just smelling something delicious can trick our bodies into thinking we’re hungry, while seeing food on a billboard or in a TV commercial can trigger our appetites (and our salivary glands). The hunger may all be in the brain, but it can certainly feel like we need to eat ASAP, which often leads to overeating.
Your mental health can also play a role in emotional hunger. Studies have shown that stress, lack of sleep, and other negative experiences can make our bodies feel like they’re in desperate need of food. Your appetite might truly have increased, and you might feel yourself craving something sweet or salty.
The difference, however, is that hunger pains that are felt in the stomach indicate your body actually needs food for energy, Arevalo explains. A craving that’s coming from your brain, on the other hand, is purely emotional. If you can power through it, your body won’t suffer from lack of nutrition.
If you’re sure the feeling isn’t rooted in your emotions, you’ll also want to check in with yourself to determine whether you’re dehydrated. When was the last time you drank some water? Have you been drinking alcoholic beverages, which tend to be dehydrating?
“A lot of times we feel hungry, but we just have thirst and can’t differentiate,” Rissetto explains. That’s because the symptoms of thirst mimic hunger. You can get shaky, irritable, even have pain in your stomach.
Rissetto recommends you drink a tall glass of water, then wait 20 minutes to see if the pains or food cravings go away. If they do, it’s likely your body was just crying out for water. It’s a good reminder to up your intake.

How to Curb Those Cravings

Once you’ve figured out that you’re hungry—and not just craving that bag of chips in your desk drawer because your boss was acting like a jerk and you aren’t sure how you can get all your work done and still get out of the office by 6 to pick up your kid—the obvious fix for hunger pangs is to eat. Right?
Hold on just a second. You don’t need to go running for the kitchen, Wirth says. Nor should you. Even hunger pangs aren’t a sign that you need to eat immediately or else. Instead, you need to take a few minutes to consider your options.
When your stomach is growling, your head is dizzy, and you’re feeling cranky, it’s easy to grab junk food. In fact, scientists say we’re more likely to give in to our worst cravings when we’re in the throes of hunger.
That’s in part because those foods are fast and easy (what could be simpler than grabbing a candy bar, opening it up, and eating?), but Arevalo says it’s also because of the way our body processes different foods. The body can digest carbohydrates much more quickly than proteins and fibers, so we tend to crave carbs that will give our hungry body a fast fix. Of course, then there’s the inevitable insulin crash an hour or two later, and the resulting hunger pangs.
If you just ate recently and need to eat something small to quiet your growling stomach or you don’t have time for a full meal, Wirth says you should eat “hearty snacks that include some protein and healthy fats.”
Protein-laden eats take longer to digest, which means the stomach will feel fuller longer, and you can avoid that ghrelin release. Meanwhile, researchers have found that foods high in polyunsaturated fats, such as walnuts and fish, can actually work against ghrelin and suppress appetite.
Carbs aren’t completely verboten, but Wirth warns they need to be “complex carbs” like oatmeal or whole grains to “increase satiety and prolong the release of ghrelin.”

Some easy (and healthy) snacks for shutting down hunger pangs:

Baby carrots and hummus
Nuts
Veggie smoothies
Low-fat cheese and an apple
Black bean dip with sliced sweet peppers
Soy bean dip with celery sticks
Apple wedges and peanut butter

How to Avoid Hunger Pangs

Once you know what causes them, avoiding hunger pangs is fairly simple. Talk to your doctor or dietitian about crafting a healthy balanced meal plan and eat at regular intervals instead of skipping meals.
And while it may seem obvious, feeling hunger pangs is just another reminder to avoid junk food whenever possible, lest you get caught up in the vicious cycle of insulin/ghrelin releases.
“The more sugar you eat, the more ghrelin may be released,” Rissetto points out. “Limit your intake of sugar if you are always feeling hungry! If you’re always eating sugar/’junky carbs’ you spike your insulin levels, which ultimately crash quickly, leaving you hungrier than before and craving … more ‘junky carbs’!”

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When Yoga Is Actually Just Cultural Appropriation

Post author By Brooke Geller
Post date October 31, 2017

When you think of “yoga culture,” you may very well picture a thin, most likely white woman clad in $80 lululemon leggings, green juice in hand as she heads to her boutique yoga class. Perhaps this imaginary woman bears a striking similarity to former model Tara Stiles, who’s now one of the most famous yoga teachers in the world.
In reality, the yoga culture that most people in America are familiar with is a far throw from the practice’s origins. Hailing from India, yoga is said to have originated thousands of years ago. It is thought, religion, and philosophy all embodied in movement—a practice so multi-faceted that it’s hard to describe with words.
While many of today’s Western yoga teachers are more than happy to string up prayer flags in their studios and exercise their limited vocabulary of Sanskrit words for each pose, it’s not quite as close to the real deal as it could be.

And this is where the problem lies: cultural appropriation.

What exactly is cultural appropriation?

Western society’s fascination with other cultures often pushes boundaries to the point of being offensive. Cultural appropriation has become one of the most talked-about subjects both on the internet and in real life, and for good reason.
But what is cultural appropriation? Dictionary definitions are often limiting, but Oxford Dictionaries actually explains it pretty well: “The unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.”

Everything from hairstyles to headdresses have been involved in accusations of cultural appropriation, and the debate is never-ending.
Some people would argue that some forms of cultural appropriation are more damaging than others—for example, adopting sacred customs from marginalized cultures for fashion (such as Native American feather headdresses).

Others say that even adopting everyday cultural aspects from a group that could be considered a minority isn’t okay. Remember when Miley Cyrus started twerking and was accused of appropriating black culture?
Whether it’s slang or clothing, the cultures those things originated from have all, at some point, experienced discrimination for associating with these cultural markers. And therein lies the difference between appreciation and appropriation.
This is why it can be hurtful when Western people use these cultural markers. They’re borrowing an important part of a culture’s identity and benefitting from it, while the original culture continues to experience persecution for doing the very same thing.
[pullquote align=”center”]”Yoga is not about the yoga pants. It’s not about getting a yoga butt.”
-nisha ahuja[/pullquote]
There’s no denying that Indian culture has been highly appropriated by the West. Bindis, henna, and the Om symbol have all become fashion trends in recent years. And while many people understand the potential problem with adopting these things as fashion symbols, the same careful thought is rarely given to yoga—despite the fact that it’s one of the oldest parts of India’s history.

The Cultural Origins (and Erasure) of Yoga

To understand the potential for yoga to be culturally appropriated, it’s important to acknowledge its historical significance.
The spiritual custom of yoga was practiced throughout India for thousands of years and was strongly connected to wisdom, philosophy, and mastery of the mind. It wasn’t so much about physicality as it was energy.

Under British rule, practices like yoga and Ayurveda were demonized and even banned in India. This was just one of many steps taken to erase and control Indian culture during colonization.
British rule of India officially ended in 1947. Just over a decade later, as India was still working to reclaim and rebuild their culture, yoga was trending in America thanks to the New Age obsession of the ’60s.
Nowadays, yoga in the West looks very different. It’s mostly viewed as a form of exercise—ever heard the term “yoga body”? Luxury yoga retreats can cost thousands of dollars; every man and his dog are becoming certified yoga teachers; YouTube videos offer yoga classes to anyone with an internet connection, garnering millions of views; “drinking yoga” classes are now a thing in Germany (though this is hardly surprising considering Germany’s love affair with libations).
Amidst all of this, Indian yoga teachers are still the minority in today’s Western yoga culture.

For Indian teachers like nisha ahuja, co-founder and co-director of SOMA Ayurveda and Integrative Wellness, the way that ancient practices like yoga have been adopted into Western culture can be difficult to deal with.
“Witnessing Ayurveda and yoga become more of a trend brings up complex emotions,” she says. “There is part hope of societal transformation, but given how these medicine/spiritual systems are being practiced, it is often painful. It is painful to witness these 5,000-year-old medicine systems and spiritual paths—that my ancestors could have been killed or imprisoned for practicing during colonial rule that many teachers had to secretly keep alive—now being sold as a diluted version to be consumed by the masses and thus becoming void of its essential purpose as a spiritual path.”

Even when the spiritual purpose of yoga is acknowledged, it’s often misappropriated by those with no cultural ties to its history:
“It is equally painful when these practices/medicines/sciences are revered as spiritual paths, but Western teachers or practitioners have placed themselves or accepted the position of being spiritual leaders and gate keepers to traditions that South Asian people in that region diasporically have to navigate.”
We use these funds ahuja has spoken at length about decolonizing yoga. In fact, SOMA uses donations from its supporters and customers “to support sliding scale appointments and youth programs with marginalized youth in both the West and India (hopefully South Africa soon), so that more young folks who are excluded from the Western Yoga Industry can have holistic access to the teachings.”

She also appeared in a video on the subject called You Are Here: Exploring Yoga and the Impacts of Cultural Appropriation. She’s a firm believer that appropriation of many cultures is a product of colonization.
“It is important to recognize that this is not happening in isolation, but comes from a long history of colonization and a subconscious sense of entitlement embedded in Western/colonizing cultures of owning and having what others have,” she says. “Today, at this moment, this is widely seen in the consumption of African American cultures and cultures of the indigenous peoples of North America, and other People of Colour.”
It isn’t just Indian yoga culture that’s being exploited, either. Yoga’s diverse cultural roots are often ignored.

“Kemetic Yoga from East Africa is rarely recognized within yogic traditions by South Asian people, as well as in the ‘trendy’ yoga industry we see all around us,” ahuja says. “And I imagine for black diasporic people this is doubly painful to have another place of erasure.”
Yoga in India today is a little different from both modern American practices and its own cultural origins. There’s still a lot of debate in India over how yoga should be taught and practiced. But regardless of the debate, yoga in India is far from a fashion statement or gym alternative. It was always primarily a spiritual practice—not, as ahuja says, a method of getting a “yoga butt.”
“Yoga is not about the yoga pants,” she says. “It’s not about getting a yoga butt. It’s not about competition. It’s not aerobics or a good workout. It is not about attachment to the body. So make time to learn, study and practice the depth of the teachings of yogic paths from both South Asia and East African Kemetic Yoga traditions.”

The Appeal of the Exotic

Western wellness culture has an undeniable fascination with India. Ayurveda has become popular among proponents of natural medicine, and meditation—while not exclusively part of Indian culture—is experiencing a serious boom in popularity thanks to the mindfulness trend.
The documentary Kumaré perfectly captures America’s fascination with Indian spirituality. American-born Vikram Gandhi impersonates a spiritual teacher in order to verify if Americans will blindly accept his “teachings” as a supposedly wise, sacred Eastern guru, despite not knowing anything about him or what he’s talking about. (Spoiler alert: they do.)

Where does this fascination come from, and how is it causing yoga to be appropriated in both practice and beyond? One explanation that ahuja gives is that this obsession with yoga’s exoticism is a reflection of how Westerners hold onto the notion of “other”—a desire for the mysterious.
She also thinks that Westerners may feel more comfortable turning to Eastern practices in search of stress relief and spiritual connection rather than their own cultural roots—something that brings a sense of achievement.
“There are many European spiritual traditions that have that potential to offer this deeper connection, but many people of those lineages have also been severed from their ancestral traditions and knowledge systems,” she says. “So turning to another culture that has already been colonized allows a subconscious, continual extracting of parts of spirituality that suit their individual need for something more or for better health.”

Are Western yogis honoring or appropriating Indian culture?

It’s not that Western yogis—especially white women—should be banned from practicing yoga. Like many Indian yoga teachers, ahuja firmly believes that yoga is something that can benefit all of humanity, regardless of ethnicity.
But the problem lies in the commercialization of these culturally significant practices. Turning them into money-making schemes in the West tends to benefit those who are already in places of privilege.

It’s all too easy to claim that cultural appropriation is simply “political correctness gone wild.” But as ahuja points out, it’s important to remember the subconscious sense of entitlement that comes with an inherited position of power.
What about using yoga purely as a physical practice without the spiritual connotations? Well, that’s kind of the exact definition of cultural appropriation—taking one single aspect of a culture out of context.
That’s not to say that yoga can’t be practiced for physical purposes. But it certainly doesn’t hurt to acknowledge the rich philosophy and culture behind this ancient tradition.

One way to consciously practice yoga while acknowledging its roots is to include just one small but powerful element of its core philosophy: humility.
“Invite immense flows of humility into your day to day and your yoga practice,” ahuja says. “If you think you know a lot, are an awesome yoga practitioner, want to be known as a great yoga teacher, pause and witness the dance your ego is doing that it is leading you down a path that is the opposite of yogic teachings.”
She continues, “If others put you on a pedestal as someone who knows a lot about yoga or mediation, actively point out the 5,000-year-old traditions that millions of people have observed and practiced and maintained before you. And remind yourself of it, too.”
As for the Indian garb? Well, maybe leave that at home—unless you’re in an appropriate environment to be wearing it, of course.

“Because racism is an atrocious and painful experience People of Colour are subject to on a daily basis in the West,” she says, “be thoughtful of not wearing South Asian or other diasporic clothing, accessories, or spiritual items as either fashion or an attempt to pay homage to a culture, because the people from that culture very likely are discriminated against for wearing the exact same items and may have had to stop wearing these to lessen the racist encounters they deal with on a day to day basis. An exception to note here is when you are visiting a country or ceremony of a specific culture, it may be more respectful to wear clothing [from] that culture.”
nisha ahuja chooses to spell her name with lowercase letters for cultural reasons. You can read more about her journey and work here.

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Lifestyle

Cyberchondria: How The Internet Can Fuel Our Health Worries

Post author By John Kelly
Post date October 31, 2017

You get a bad headache. You pop a few aspirin, down a big glass of water. A few hours later, your head’s still throbbing, so you take a few more. But the pain just won’t go away. I’ve had headaches before, you think. No biggie. I’ll just lie down for a little while.

When you wake? It’s still there.

Now you’re concerned. Naturally, you go online. “Bad headache won’t go away” you type into Google, and before you know it, you’ve completely forgotten about your headache—because, after falling down a rabbit hole of WebMD, Healthline, obscure Reddit threads, and medical horror story blogs, you’re sweating. You’re biting your nails. Your heart is racing. You’re convinced you have a brain tumor.

Then you make the mistake of clicking on Google Images.

But you shouldn’t be worried about your headache or any brain tumor, for you’ve come down with something altogether different: cyberchondria.

From the Four Humors to Health Anxiety

Cyberchondria sounds like something straight out of science fiction, but it’s a very real problem. As the Collins Dictionary defines it, cyberchondria is the “unfounded anxiety concerning the state of one’s health brought on by visiting health and medical websites”; as the Mayo Clinic explains, “searching the internet because of illness anxiety…only makes that anxiety worse.”

First, a little medical, and lexical, history. The coinage first appeared in British newspapers around 2000 and is a blend of cyberspace and hypochondria—the latter of which has been for centuries. Though the concept reaches back to antiquity, the word hypochondria in English dates to the 1560s, based on Greek roots literally meaning “below” (hypo-) the “cartilage,” referring to the area right below the ribs once thought to be the seat of melancholy in the body. (Remember the four humors when you read Shakespeare in school?)

In the 1600s, hypochondria shifted to a “causeless sadness,” with doctors seeking earnest explanations in the 18th century. They even gave it a more clinical name: hypochondriasis, originally thought to be a disorder of the nervous system, marked especially by indigestion.

In the ensuing centuries, medical understanding of hypochondriasis evolved to view the condition as a mental disorder, though still grounded in that core sense of the fear that one is suffering from a major disease, often on the basis of misinterpreting minor symptoms. Hypochondriasis was even described in the bible of all things psych, the American Psychological Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)—until 2013.

That year, the DSM eliminated the term for its fifth edition. For one, the terms hypochondria, hypochondriac, and hypochondriasis have become pejorative, reduced to punchlines in popular culture and stigmatizing mental health disorders. “That’s it then,” The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper doom-says after accidentally drinking from his friend’s glass of water. “I’m dead.”

For another, mental health professionals didn’t find the term as diagnostically and therapeutically effective. So, the DSM replaced hypochondriasis with two new ones: somatic symptom disorder (SSD) and illness anxiety disorder (IAD).

With SSD, a patient is experiencing some actual symptoms, such as weakness or shortness of breath, which results in “major distress” due to “excessive thoughts, feelings and behaviors relating to the physical symptoms,” the DSM explains. IAD is marked by similar anxieties, but in the absence of any physical symptoms.

Give SSD and IAD your WiFi password—and you’ve got cyberchondria.

“All I had to do was put some lotion on.”

Google, the world’s most popular search engine, kicked off in 1994, and just two years later, the leading health information website, WebMD, launched. That’s not even 10 years before the earliest appearance of the word cyberchondria. In that small window, these powerful resources transformed our everyday knowledge and behavior about health and wellness.

Like never before, the average person can now access information about medicine previously accessible only to highly trained and educated specialists—or, if you’re old enough to remember it, the Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, that dense doorstopper that collected dust on your grandparents’ bookshelf. In addition to all the world’s knowledge at our fingertips, the internet also opened new lines of communication, from email to chat rooms, between patients and their doctors.

But all this information, ironically, can really leave one in the dark. And that’s especially true during times of great bodily changes and questions.

“I had an itchy belly during my first pregnancy,” says Jessica Douglas, stay-at-home mother of two and part-time marketing manager in Southern California. “I went online and looked up ‘itchy belly during pregnancy’ and it came back as this disorder called PUPPP,” a cute shortening of the frighteningly named pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. “It’s some crazy skin condition that can cause early labor and is dangerous for the baby.”

“I went to the doctor and all she said it was just dry skin from the belly stretching,” Douglas continues. “Going online freaked me out. All I had to do was put some lotion on.”

It was even worse when her first baby was born, Douglas says, with every cough, sneeze, and gurgle raising a new mother’s alarm. “They send you home with a little human with no instructions. You’re searching for someone to tell you this weird noise your baby is making normal. So, you go online and the next thing you know your baby has some horrible disease or is missing a chromosome.”

And she’s far from alone. Douglas shared a scare her friend recently experienced when her son was unusually quiet and unresponsive. “She was concerned that he wasn’t developing normally. She went online and plugged in some of his symptoms and, lo and behold, WebMD said he had personality disorder and autism,” she says. Panicked, she took her son to the doctor.

“Turned out he just had a bunch of wax buildup in his ear.” The wax was making it hard for him to hear.

Don’t jump—or click—to conclusions.

Douglas—and her many peers—are smart, conscientious people. And indeed, according to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Student Medical Journal, occasional illness anxiety is a frequent occurrence in healthy populations. Full-fledged hypochondriasis affects only between 4 to 9 percent of people.

But in a fall 2017 study, some researchers, led by professors at the Imperial College London and King’s College London, found that one in five patients at British health clinics were experiencing health anxiety—fueled in large part by internet searches, they reasoned.

What’s up with the internet?

Judgment biases, as a landmark 2008 study on cyberchondria by Ryen White and Eric Horvitz at Microsoft concluded. As our teachers admonished us time and time again, don’t just click on the first link Google gives you.

White and Horvitz found that web searches for a symptom like a headache yielded as many results linking it brain tumors as it did for caffeine withdrawal. To be sure, a headache can portend a brain tumor—this is what feeds hypochondriasis after all—but brain tumors are exceedingly rate. Caffeine withdrawal, meanwhile, is common and mundane. And searches for chest pain, as another example, pointed participants more frequently to heart attacks than indigestion.

These skewed results “escalate” medical concerns, White and Horvitz found, compelling people to look up more serious illnesses than in all likelihood they really had.

We humans like to jump to conclusions—often catastrophic ones. And it doesn’t help that the internet overwhelms us with so much information at once, making it even harder to filter out the signal from the noise.

This escalation, this constant checking, only further spikes one’s anxiety. In a 2016 study, New York State Psychiatric Institute’s Emily Doherty-Torstrick and colleagues indeed found that when people go online to seek reassurance for anxiety they are feeling about a symptom, they report feeling even more anxious during and after their searches. The internet backfires.

Cyberchondria is vicious circle: You are worried about a symptom, so you go online. Your search results take your symptoms out of proportion and you get more nervous. You want learn out more, hoping to get some other information that will relieve your concerns, but you’re finding out only makes you more troubled, so you keep searching, spiraling ever faster in the vortex of anxiety.

With 90 percent of Americans—40 million of whom have anxiety disorders—checking symptoms online, this is a cycle that’s all too hard to break out of.

“There is a lot, too, besides WebMD,” Douglas says. She feels like social media and “mommy forums” are “almost just as dangerous. People [kind of] bandwagon…There’s so much noise, so many opinions being thrown out.”

And not even medical professionals are immune to all that noise.

The internet really adds fuel to the fire.

Brittany Raulino, an oncology nurse in Oregon who previously worked in a primary care clinic, recounts a number of colleagues—yes, fellow nurses—ironically succumbing to cyberchondria.

“One nurse,” she says, “had issues waking up with night sweats. So she googled her symptoms and it was the number one thing that came up.” Lymphoma—a cancer of the lymph nodes.

“It was late at night and she was thinking about the [worst-case] scenario,” Raulino says. “‘Oh my god, I have night sweats. Oh my god, do I have lymphoma?’ When she googled it, she spent the rest of the night panicking.”

Fortunately, Raulino continues, “the next day she called her doctor and her friends and talked her out of it.”

But unfortunately, many of Raulino’s patients, who are battling cancer and don’t have friends who are medical professionals, try to talk themselves out of certain treatments as a result of cyberchondria.

“People hear ‘cancer’ and they hear these crazy horror stories about treatment-related side effects. They start fantasizing that they will develop them and it makes them paranoid and not want to get treatment.”

Anxiety often persists during treatment, too, says Raulino. “When people have funky side of effects of chemo, they google and feel like they have something a lot worse than it is. They will google the drug related to the side effect and think they have that weird side effect that affects only one percent. ‘I don’t want this drug.’”

“The internet really adds fuel to the fire,” she says.

Raulino, for her part, thinks a twofold behavior is behind cyberchondria. “I wonder if people automatically go to Google first as that easy method to discern that there symptoms are instead of actually turning to somebody and having to talk to somebody on the phone,” she says. “The internet is that first instinct…We don’t have to have to deal with people in real time. We want that quick-fix answer.”

So, what are we supposed to do?

On the one hand, that hunger for the “quick-fix answer” can needlessly drive us to the doctors—like the one in five found in the 2017 British assessment. That costs patients and healthcare systems money. It also costs doctors, many of whom are already overworked, time and energy. Plus, those extra visits can lead to unnecessary drugs, tests, screenings, further stressing the system.

On the other hand, as Raulino’s experience shows, cyberchondria can also compel people to withdraw from care they actually need owing to fear—or seek inappropriate, even dangerous, treatment as a result of self-misdiagnosis or misinformation. According to the 2008 Microsoft report, a lot of content on medical websites, to say nothing of personal blogs and community forums, can be unreliable or incomplete.

With cyberchondria, it seems like we’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t. And either way we go, we’re dealing with anxiety, which, if it gets severe enough, needs treatment in its own right. What are we supposed to do?

First off, you might not want to go googling if you think have cyberchondria. Remember that a low level of illness anxiety is normal and that nearly all of us use the internet to look up our symptoms—the key to cyberchondria is excessive checking, after all.

Then, use a trusted self-diagnostic tool to help you determine whether or not your symptom-checking is a problem. Based on the Doherty-Torstrick study, Susan Krauss Whitbourne, PhD and professor emerita of psychology and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, provides a handy five-point guide on Psychology Today. One of the signs you may have a problem, Whitbourne says, is if “you check online for symptom information from up to 1 to 3 hours a day.”

If you do think you may be experiencing cyberchondria, stop checking, as it will likely only increase your anxiety, and consult a doctor. Psychological methods like cognitive behavioral therapy have proven incredibly effective for managing health anxiety.

If you are concerned you are at risk or want to be mindful of it, Joni Johnston, PsyD, also for Psychology Today, offers three helpful guidelines: 1) self-screen but don’t self-diagnose, as trusted health questionnaires can be useful starting places for further consultation; 2) check your sources, as not all websites are of equal quality and vetting; and 3) consider the context—health anxiety can spike when a loved one is ill or has passed away.

Brittany Raulino would especially agree the second guideline. “The most important thing is to ask your healthcare provider what websites they can go on if they want to research the symptoms,” she says, highlighting federal websites and the Mayo Clinic online.

Paging Dr. Context

Jessica Douglas is a living example of Johnston’s third guideline: context. With her second child, “it was way easier because all those rashes and weird coughing sounds I knew were fine because I had asked my [pediatrician] the first time,” she says. “I didn’t even bother going online this time because I didn’t want to freak myself out.”

Just because the internet says it does not mean it’s true.

Instead, she swears by her healthcare provider’s nurse hotline. “If they have any trepidation [about a symptom], they will tell me to schedule an appointment. Most of the times they’ve seen it a million times and there’s nothing to be afraid of,” she says.

“I think it’s just important for people to remember that when they type in that search box, an algorithm is picking out things for them,” Douglas says.
“It’s ones and zeroes. It’s impersonal. Just because the internet says it does not mean it’s true.”

So, the next you get that lingering headache, use the internet cautiously and remember the wise words of Douglas—and Arnold Schwarzenegger, for in all probability, “It’s not a tumor.”

Tags 50036501, care, hemingway

Motherhood

4 Mindsets That Are Ruining Your Parenting (And How To Move On From Them)

Post author By Gretchen Bossio
Post date October 31, 2017

I’ve done a lot of hard things in my life, but none as hard as being a mom.

Here’s the thing: When I was younger, I assumed that by the time I had children, I’d have a handle on myself. I assumed I’d have developed good habits, like exercising on a set schedule. Or that I’d be responsible and hang up my clothes at the end of each day. Or that I’d be able to control my emotions and not lose my temper or let little things rattle me into tears.

But, surprise, surprise—I have accomplished none of that. And now, on top of trying to mature and grow into a better person, I’m nurturing my children, teaching them to do all of what I say and only some of what I do. See? Parenting is hard. The road is rough, but thankfully, not impossible.

Early on, I decided that the best mode of action as a mom was to be transparent with my children. Age-appropriately transparent, of course, but transparent nonetheless. That means that when I’m struggling, I share with my kids what I’m dealing with, why I want to overcome it, and the steps I’m planning to take.

This is especially true when I identify a toxic mindset that is poisoning my parenting, and thus, poisoning my children. Sometimes it takes me awhile, but eventually I find 30 seconds of peace and quiet to hone in on what’s causing our family strife.

Sound familiar? Have you identified things throughout in your parenting that you want to change? Mindsets that are an issue? Here are a few common mindsets that plague moms and dads these days accompanied by insight from Emily McMason, a parenting coach at Evolving Parents.

Playing the Comparison Game

Have you ever found yourself thinking “I wish I had it all together like them”? Or “I’d be a better parent if…”? Or “If I just lived there, or “If I just had more money…”? Maybe your comparison was focused more on your kids, with thoughts like “If only my child behaved more like that.”

Social media is a shame factory.

Realistically, we’d be foolish to say we’ve never played the comparison game—I know I have, and I know for sure that it’s a mindset that can easily ruin the parenting experience. Comparing makes everything about everyone else, and effective parenting isn’t about other people. Effective parenting hinges on the relationship between just two people—you and your child. It isn’t influenced by what others are doing, because no one is like you and your child. Each relationship is all its own.

I asked my mom if she played the comparison game when she was raising me and my sisters in the 80s and 90s. She said yes, that it was part of human nature to compare. But she did bring up an interesting point in how comparing has evolved from her parenting experience to mine—social media. The prevalence of seeing what others do on a daily basis makes comparing almost unavoidable.

“Social media is a shame factory,” says McMason. “Its job, while it seems to be about sharing, is actually about shaming. It says ‘this is the perfection you should aspire to’, and when we don’t, we feel shame.”

“There is nothing more toxic than shame for us,” she continues, “because we are creatures that need community. And shame tells us we don’t belong. That we aren’t enough. So it is important … for ourselves and for our children, that we consume media very carefully. Very consciously. That we use it to fully see others, not to judge them or judge ourselves.”

Projecting Perfection

Laura, a mom of two, shared a bit of her personal journey in overcoming perfection.

Parenting isn’t algebra.

“I struggled greatly with my body’s inability to produce enough breast milk for [my son]. I thought that since I’d homebirthed and cloth diapered and done everything ‘right,’ I was a huge failure for just not being able to nurse,” she says. “Once I realized how unhealthy my body was and how to care for [polycystic ovary syndrome] and depression, things got better. But I carried that guilt with me for a long time.”

Laura experienced the age-old mindset of “I thought if I did X, Y would automatically happen.” And that’s just not the case—for any of us. There is no guaranteed output; we cannot project perfection.

McMason applied this faulty theory to how we parent our children, too.

“Parenting isn’t algebra. There is no equation that says: if I do X, add Y affection, divide by Z discipline, my child will equal perfec
tion. Because in the mix of all that is our little one, who has their own personality, their own quirks, their own wishes,” she says. “They add to the equation factors we can’t predict or control. And while that can feel really frustrating, it is the beauty of it, too, because it means they can take a really hard moment and spin it in to joy.”

So although the math never adds up, we can rest in the fact that our little miracles are bound to do far better than we can imagine in most cases. It just might not look how we imagined in our projection of perfection. They’re perfectly imperfect, and that’s something to hold on to.

Believing That Parenting is Your Everything

Parenting is all-consuming. In the early days, we’re always awake tending to our babies’ every need. Later on, it turns into juggling school and extracurriculars (on top of a bevy of emotions). If you want your children to be your number one focus 24/7, it would be easy to do so. But should parenting be our everything—our only thing?

No, no, it shouldn’t, because you’re a person, too! Believing that parenting is your everything is a mindset that will eventually drive you crazy—or make you really, really tired.

Kids read our temperature—and act accordingly.

Kymberlee, a mom of three, says that the idea of “me time” being selfish for a mother to take nearly ruined her parenting.

“I didn’t need it with my first, or want it, but I needed it more and more with subsequent children,” she says. “I think if I had realized it was normal and necessary to take breaks, I could have avoided postpartum depression being as extreme as it was. I realized quickly [that] breaks make me a better mom.”

Recognize that “me time” will benefit your children. A well-cared-for parent almost always creates a well-cared-for family. When you invest in yourself, you can more easily invest in others.

Fighting No-Win Battles

Have you ever found yourself “fighting” with your kids? How did that end?

Not well, I assume. And that’s because functioning with a mindset of “I’m the parent, I’m going to win” is truly a no-win battle.

“When there is friction between a parent and a child, we are often thinking ‘Are you kidding me?’ or ‘We’re doing this again?’ or ‘You need to follow my directions. NOW,’” says McMason. “And when we are thinking these things, our perspective is that we want to win the situation.”

Making a shift in this mindset, though, can alter our parenting in enormous ways, according to McMason.

“If we can move our mental feet, and instead of standing toe-to-toe against our child, we can be shoulder-to-shoulder … it changes everything. We can say things like ‘Oh, sweetie. You are so sad.’ Or ‘I can understand your frustration.’ Or ‘It’s disappointing. Transitions can be tough.’ We don’t have to agree with their emotions, [but] we need to empathize with them,” McMason says.

“When we do that,” she continues, “they feel seen, heard, and valued. We aren’t caving or capitulating or giving in, we’re simply acknowledging their truth. And when we do that, they are far more ready to move forward the way we hope they will. It means that we are more connected to them after the conflict than before, and that is parenting magic.”

Just one of these four mindsets could be affecting your parenting, or maybe more than one has crept in and caused havoc in your heart and mind.

You’re not alone. We all get caught in the trap sooner or later. Poisonous mindsets are a given; It’s the will to overcome them that will define you and your parenting.

These solutions aren’t one-size-fits-all, but they’re a starting point. Starting is the beginning of a new, healthier parenting experience, and that means both you and your children will benefit.

First, you must recognize that your family is unique. There is no perfect mold; There is no right way. Believe that you know your children best, have their best intentions at heart, and, with the right support, can guide them to become their best selves.

Next, focus inward instead of outward. So much of parenting is about the adult. From her years of coaching and parenting herself, McMason has seen that “kids read our temperature—and act accordingly.” Practice managing your temperature, and you might be happily surprised at the outcome.

Finally, invest in counseling or coaching for yourself and you
r kids, even when you don’t feel that you need it. Personal reflection and an expert who can speak wisdom into your life is priceless. You don’t have to be broken to receive enhancements. Because truly, who doesn’t need more tools in their parenting toolbox? Partnering with a trusted resource will always be a valuable investment.

Tags 50036531, hemingway, parenting

Motherhood

Sabotaged Birth Control And Removal Of Choice: How Reproductive Coercion Hurts Women

Post author By Brooke Geller
Post date October 31, 2017

Actor Ian Somerhalder is best known for his roles on The Vampire Diaries and Lost, but he recently made headlines for a very different reason. During an appearance on Dr. Berlin’s Informed Pregnancy podcast, he revealed that after he and wife Nikki Reed decided they’d like to have children, Somerhalder took it upon himself to sabotage her birth control pills—as a joke, of course.
On the podcast he said, “We decided that we wanted to have children together, and it was just time. But unbeknownst to poor Nikki, she didn’t realize that I was going to go in her purse and take out her birth control.” He later admitted, “Actually, now, thinking about it, I guess I kind of decided.”

A note from us… pic.twitter.com/3WNmrGYS7M

— Nikki Reed (@NikkiReed_I_Am) September 23, 2017

As Somerhalder soon discovered, throwing out your wife’s contraceptives is no laughing matter. While Reed insisted she wasn’t bothered by it and the couple were adamant that it was a joint decision, the public reaction to the interview was far from favorable, forcing him to issue an official apology.
Why? Because destroying someone’s birth control without their permission is a form of reproductive coercion.

What is reproductive coercion?

Jacquie O’Brien, director of public affairs at reproductive health care service Marie Stopes Australia, describes reproductive coercion as the practice of controlling a woman’s contraception.

Reproductive coercion as a form of controlling or abusive behavior is still a relatively under-recognized area.

“There are likely to be many misconceptions because it is relatively unknown and not an issue that is widely discussed,” she tells HealthyWay. “But the reality is, it is a form of abuse and it can include practices such as stealthing and limiting access to contraception. It is serious and is tied to issues such as family violence and sexual assault.”

According to Planned Parenthood, 15 percent of their female clients who reported physical and/or sexual violence also reported birth control sabotage.
Certain forms of reproductive coercion are considered assault in many parts of the world. In fact in Mexico, where abortion is normally illegal, the termination of pregnancies resulting from reproductive coercion are legally permitted.
President of Reproductive Choice Australia Jenny Ejlak says that reproductive coercion still isn’t getting the attention it deserves.
“I think domestic violence, coercive or controlling relationships, and men’s violence against women in general have been getting a lot more attention in recent years than they have in the past,” she says to HealthyWay. “However, reproductive coercion as a form of controlling or abusive behavior is still a relatively under-recognized area compared to other areas of gender-based violence.”

Luckily, Marie Stopes Australia is currently consulting with lawyers, health care professionals, politicians, family violence workers, and academics to develop a policy white paper on reproductive coercion.
Set to be released in the first half of 2018, O’Brien says it’s their hope that this paper will “raise the profile of reproductive coercion, its prevalence, and how we can address it as a society.”

“Reproductive coercion is an [understudied] and misunderstood issue, and we want to shine a light on it,” she says. “It is important that all women are able to determine their reproductive destiny free from duress. As abortion care providers, we do play a privileged role in being able to identity and help women who are experiencing some form of coercion.”

Why Does Reproductive Coercion Happen?

Reproductive coercion is a method of control and manipulation, and there are many reasons the perpetrator may feel compelled to abuse their partner in this way.
They may be afraid the relationship isn’t progressing or is at risk of ending so they resort to reproductive coercion in an attempt to force commitment. They may think that a pregnancy will give their partner a reason to stay with them.

O’Brien explains that “it can create dependency of a woman on her partner, and this can lead to her being controlled in an increasingly abusive relationship.”
People may commit reproductive coercion if their partner doesn’t want or doesn’t feel ready to have children. They might feel that their partner would change their mind about having children if they were to fall pregnant.
Regardless of the reason, any abuse—including reproductive coercion—can never exist in a healthy relationship.
Can women practice reproductive coercion? There’s certainly a common stereotype of women intentionally falling pregnant in order to “trap” their partners—something that often seems to be far more talked about than men forcefully impregnating their partners.

While there’s no denying that men can also be victimized by reproductive coercion, you’d be hard-pressed to find numbers that show an exact percentage. This is most likely due to the fact that men are reluctant to approach health care professionals when experiencing domestic abuse, leading to a lack of data.
Discussion of reproductive coercion often specifies women as the victims since the resulting pregnancies are recorded by health care providers who may be able to determine if domestic abuse is at play.

Pregnancy as Abuse: Why Reproductive Coercion Is So Dangerous

There’s no doubt that reproductive coercion is a form of domestic abuse. Whether it’s threats or actual behavior that takes away a woman’s choice, it’s a method of control.
But aside from the obvious moral issue of taking away a woman’s right to choose, reproductive coercion causes harm in many different ways.
First of all, pregnancy takes a serious physical toll on a woman’s body. If a woman is unable to endure a pregnancy due to health issues or lifestyle factors, then this can cause serious health issues and even put her and her baby’s life at risk.

There can also be negative effects of suddenly stopping birth control without talking to a doctor. For women with polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, migraines, and other serious health issues, taking away their birth control can affect their health for the rest of their lives.
A forced pregnancy can also be a huge detriment to a woman’s mental health, especially considering she may already be experiencing other forms of domestic abuse.
Not to mention that it causes irreparable damage to a relationship. Having a child is one of the biggest decisions a couple can make, and forcing that decision doesn’t make for a healthy dynamic. There’s also the issue of bringing a child into an abusive environment.

How Can We Stop Reproductive Coercion?

The best way to stop reproductive coercion is obvious: literally just don’t do it. Thinking of committing reproductive coercion against your partner? Don’t. It’s that simple.

The way we treat a woman experiencing coercion can determine the very trajectory of her life.

Unfortunately, women still are abused on a daily basis. Since it’s just one form of domestic abuse, we need to address the much larger problem of domestic abuse as a whole.

Until then, it’s important to screen and support victims of reproductive coercion. But according to Ejlak, health service providers don’t always have the resources to support these women.
“The domestic violence and reproductive health sectors don’t have sufficient capacity to work better together to support women experiencing problem pregnancy as a result of reproductive coercion,” she says. “Like many areas of the health and social services system, they are disjointed and work in isolation much of the time.”
According to O’Brien, the key to supporting women who have experienced reproductive coercion is to recognize the violation as a health issue.
“The way we treat a woman experiencing coercion can determine the very trajectory of her life,” she says.
O’Brien refers to a speech from Marie Stopes Australia’s Medical Director, Dr. Philip Goldstone. In his speech, Goldstone demonstrated the need to implement a screening process for women who may be experiencing reproductive coercion: “The fundamental question we ask when we see each patient is this: is my patient in control of the decision she has made? Most of the time the answer is yes. However, there are times when it is clear that there is coercion at play.”
Because of a lack of a universal screening process for reproductive coercion, Marie Stopes will be trialling a method of assessment. According to Goldstone’s speech, this will include “targeted clinician-led discussion about contraceptive options for patients that disclose coercion so we can provide the most appropriate contraception for her situation.”

It’s Goldstone’s hope that these trials will help healthcare providers to better understand how prevalent this form of abuse is, and link that with methods of contraception.
Ejlak believes that it’s important to keep an open discourse about reproductive coercion in order to raise awareness.
“I think it would be useful to have more discussion about reproductive coercion to increase knowledge in health and support services, as well as the general community,” she says. “There are myths and stereotypes about women both in relation to being in an abusive relationship and in relation to women who seek to terminate pregnancies, so any discussion that breaks down myths and stereotypes about women’s lived experience is a good thing.”

The Takeaway

If talking about reproductive coercion is crucial, then calling out people like Ian Somerhalder is incredibly important. Not only does it draw attention to an underrepresented issue in gendered violence, but it highlights something that’s both inappropriate and all too common: joking about domestic abuse.

Any discussion that breaks down myths and stereotypes about women’s lived experience is a good thing.

When we joke about these serious issues, we trivialize them and take away from how serious and damaging they are. But worse yet, we normalize them.

Hi Little One I know you, but only because I feel you. How is it possible to love someone so much already? All I know for sure is it’s the strongest feeling I’ve ever felt. We’ve been sharing this body for quite some time, and we’ve already experienced so much together. We can’t wait to meet you… Love Your parents

A post shared by Nikki Reed (@iamnikkireed) on May 4, 2017 at 3:03pm PDT

When we laugh at stories like Somerhalder’s, we send the message that his behavior is not only acceptable, but to be applauded. And that doesn’t just validate his problematic behavior. It tells other perpetrators of domestic abuse that what they’re doing isn’t just okay—it’s funny.
But when it comes to any form of domestic abuse—including reproductive coercion—there’s nothing to laugh about.

Tags 50036371, hemingway, parenting

Lifestyle

Here's Why We Still Fall For Photoshop Falsehoods

Post author By Brooke Geller
Post date October 31, 2017

Internet trends come and go, but the “fail” will always be relevant. And when anyone can buy an Adobe subscription, Photoshop fails are everywhere. From badly imposed thigh gaps to facial features that have been blurred out of existence, the line between reality and fantasy is sometimes a little too obvious.

In the fashion world, cover girls will always be retouched.

But it’s not just amateur retouchers who are guilty of these Frankenstein edits. Everyone from clothing labels to celebrities to Instagram models use Photoshop, for better or for worse.
In her 2011 book, Bossypants, Tina Fey wrote, “Photoshop is just like makeup. When it’s done well it looks great, and when it’s overdone you look like a crazy a**hole.”
Retouching photos isn’t a new phenomenon. Even Andy Warhol admitted to editing his own self-portrait: “When I did my self-portrait, I left all the pimples out because you always should. Pimples are a temporary condition and they don’t have anything to do with what you really look like. Always omit the blemishes—they’re not part of the good picture you want.”

When Photoshop is this pervasive—and has been for decades—is it any surprise that women are falling for it time and time again?

Photoshop Fails

Women’s bodies seem to be particularly troublesome for some retouchers. Recently, the poster for the upcoming Tomb Raider movie caused an internet stir thanks to

Retoucher Brandon Diaz says he’s seen his fair share of terrible retouching: “There are a lot of bad examples or extreme examples that I could probably be listing them forever,” he says.
One company that sprung to mind for him was Ralph Lauren. In 2009, the company issued an apology after publishing an image of an impossibly thin model—clearly the result of excessive retouching.
Even social media is flooded with images that have been edited with more than just filters. YouTube beauty guru Amanda Steele spoke out against her fellow influencers who rely on Photoshop to enhance their Instagram photos, arguing that they were “beautiful enough without Photoshop.”
Forever in the spotlight, the Kardashians often make headlines for their suspiciously perfect selfies, especially when it comes to their famous curves. Kim’s been accused of Photoshopping her figure on more than one occasion.

CLOSE UP

A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on May 4, 2017 at 10:54am PDT

But when unedited photos of her in a bikini—cellulite and all—were posted online, she lost a staggering 100,000 followers. Kardashian’s followers were unimpressed that, up until that point, they had been led to believe that she had what could be considered a perfect body: free of cellulite and defiant of gravity.
If literally millions of people bought into the idea that Kim Kardashian and crew actually look like they do in their “flawless” selfies, what else could they be persuaded to believe?
If they have been misled about what a woman’s body actually looks like until shown otherwise, then how many other retouched images are they not noticing?

How Photoshop Affects All of Us

Many a woman has expressed frustration over the fact that men’s skin is so perfect that they don’t need makeup. But the truth is, men don’t necessarily have better skin than women. We’re just socialized to ignore their “imperfections.” Why? Because women are the beauty industry’s target demographic.

Women are raised to believe they’re not good enough.

Think about it: when was the last time you heard a group of men complaining about their large pores, dark circles, and uneven skin tone? Skin issues are a relatively common topic for women, though. With the U.S. cosmetics industry valued at over $62 billion, the word “imperfections” may just be the most successful marketing term in history.

That’s not to say that men are free from the digital paintbrush—even Justin Bieber’s body seemed to be given the Adobe treatment for his Calvin Klein ad. Bieber denied that the photo was real.
While people of all genders are subjected to unrealistic expectations of what a body should look like, women are particularly susceptible to comparing themselves to the images shown on social media and billboards. As they strive to achieve unattainable perfection, beauty and weight loss industries make billions.
Women are raised to believe they’re not good enough. But maybe if we buy that dress, or use that foundation, or drink those shakes, we’ll look like the women on the billboard, right?
Of course, no amount of products could make anyone look as perfect as a digitally altered image. But that glimmer of hope is still helping to sell everything from fitness supplements to leggings.
Worse yet, it’s having a dangerous impact on women of all ages. Body-positive blogger Jes Baker did a TEDx Talk in 2014 where she revealed that 80 percent of 10-year-olds are more afraid of being fat than cancer.

A post shared by Jes Baker (@themilitantbaker) on Oct 16, 2017 at 9:59pm PDT

This belief only gets worse as we age, with only 4 percent of adult women being confident enough to call themselves beautiful.

The Rise of “Real” Women

If unrealistic images of models and celebrities are causing so much insecurity among women, then what’s the solution? According to beauty brand Dove, the key is celebrating “real women.”
What exactly is a “real woman”? According to what we’re shown in the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, it’s someone who may be a little “curvier” than your average beauty model; a woman with freckles, or darker skin, or even wrinkles.

But there’s still a problem here. The women in Dove’s campaign may not all be size sixes, but there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of variation in weight. Many of the larger women are often shown obscuring their stomachs with their arms, and the mysterious lack of cellulite and fat rolls suggests retouching still plays a strong part in the final result.
In truth, Dove’s campaign isn’t entirely authentic. The term “real women” is the beauty industry’s version of greenwashing: perpetuating a false sense of ethics in order to sell products.
And while Dove’s use of the world “real” refers to models who haven’t been heavily retouched, the emerging trend of suggesting that women with a certain body type aren’t “real” is a little closer to body shaming than body positivity.
Social media is also experiencing the body positivity movement. Instagram is home to the ever-popular #nofilter hashtag, the ultimate badge of pride for a great selfie.

Good morning! #nomakeup #nofilter pic.twitter.com/bYOJqPD7sA

— zooey deschanel (@ZooeyDeschanel) May 17, 2014

In the fitness community, Instagram users have taken to posting before-and-after photos that show them looking shredded in the morning, but incredibly bloated at night after eating. These photos are intended to be a reminder that even women with the most desirably body types don’t always look perfect.
Unfortunately, not every #nofilter or bloating photo is a picture of honesty. There’s a fine line between good lighting and tweaking the contrast and saturation. The same can be said for post-carb fest bloat and pushing your stomach out to an exaggerated point for the sake of a photo.

I have something to tell you… I have a dessert baby! Haha! . … On the left is my belly when I’m not bloated & standing with a “tight tummy” or what I call “good posture”. . On the right is my tummy VERY bloated after eating dessert last night! (It was SO worth it by the way ). . Perfection doesn’t exist, which is easy to forget when we spend so much of our time on social media being bombarded by “perfect bodies” – or what “appears” to be. . So here’s a reminder from me that I bloat.. I also have stretch marks, cellulite and pimples (as you may have seen in previous posts). I’m nowhere near perfect.. and that’s fine by me! ☺ . #perfectnever #foodbaby #bloated #emilyskye . . @emilyskyefitness . .

A post shared by E M I L Y S K Y E (@emilyskyefit) on Jan 18, 2017 at 8:47am PST

It’s a strange contradiction, really—manufacturing perfect images to send a message about falsehoods.

Is transparency the answer?

Not every company retouches images of their models. Many brands, including Modcloth and Aerie, have openly banned the use of Photoshop to change their models’ bodies. (They still use Photoshop to fix minor issues like fly-away hairs, clothing wrinkles, and tan lines.) These policies are an attempt to present their consumers with truthful images. In Aerie’s case, it’s actually improved their sales.
Diaz says that with the public’s reaction to retouching, it’s the logical next step.

“My favorite style from the new Real Me Collection is the lightly lined bra because it is more supportive of my 38DDs. This bra is here to support you, not hold you back.” @raeannlangas. Swipe ‘ to see more!

A post shared by aerie (@aerie) on Oct 10, 2017 at 12:08pm PDT

“When most people, in general, don’t like or understand what retouching is, I am not even surprised when companies don’t want any part in their photos being retouched, or at least retouched to that extent,” he says. “If those companies were to come out with a badly retouched photo, that could easily ruin a company’s good reputation.”
Will these boycotts have an impact on the industry? Bill Costello has worked as a retoucher for 27 years. He thinks the new policies are affecting the way images are edited—companies still use Photoshop for plenty of valid reasons—but he doesn’t believe that these Photoshop bans will have an impact on Adobe’s sales.

He also says not to expect retouching to disappear. “The boycotts did raise public awareness, and this is why we retouchers and photographers are told not to distort women as much as we used to,” he says. “However, in the fashion world, cover girls will always be retouched. They were since way before computers, and they always will be. It sells. It is what the average person wants to see.”
Forgoing plastic surgery via Photoshop might help raise awareness of excessive retouching, but perhaps the real issue lies with the technique itself. After all, no technology is inherently bad; it’s all about the way it’s used. And it does seem that people are more upset about the use of Photoshop to make models appear unrealistically thin—or, in some cases, a completely different ethnicity.
France has actually taken measures to raise awareness about edited images, introducing a law that requires retouched images to come with a warning label. Perhaps the solution is a healthy balance between these two: an appropriate level of retouching, while still reminding the consumer that what they’re seeing isn’t quite real.
According to Diaz, the first part is already starting to gain popularity.
“The good thing though is that fashion retouching is becoming more and more natural with their retouching approach,” he says. “You can see this on Elle, Vogue, et cetera, where the photos are retouched, but carefully done. That way, it doesn’t go overboard. It gives the illusion of how they would look on their best day out.”

Tags 50036381, care, hemingway

Nosh

Cantaloupe, Cutting Boards, And Other Things In Your Kitchen That Can Make You Sick

Post author By Tara Kulash
Post date October 31, 2017

It seems like every other day scientists discover a seemingly benevolent, everyday food item is actually a germ-riddled toxic bomb. For instance, remember that time when researchers studied restaurant lemons and found them to be covered in pathogens more commonly associated with the bathroom than the kitchen? Everyone and their mother claimed they would never order lemons in their water again.

Unfortunately, the problem goes way further than just lemons.

There are many food items in the kitchens of our homes and restaurants that carry a plethora of microbes that can be dangerous for us. Those microbes are also breeding on our appliances. Most people don’t know this and haven’t been properly cleaning their food (or kitchen).

It’s not about being excessive or having a compulsion. It’s a matter of being safe about food.

Still, it’s better to learn late than never. That’s why we’re here to share with you some common microbial problems in the kitchen and what you can do to decrease their presence.

The 5-second rule is not as trustworthy as we thought.

If you drop your pizza on the floor and then quickly pick it up, you might think it’s okay to continue eating it, but that’s not necessarily the case.

While it’s true that the amount of time spent on the floor makes a difference, studies show that other factors are important, too, such as what sort of germs were on the surface and whether the surface or the food were wet.

For example, if you drop a dry chip onto the kitchen counter that you recently cleaned, your chances are of getting sick are lower. But if you drop oily pizza onto a floor where your pets are walking, you will likely be picking up a lot of unwanted bacteria.

Lemons carry a multitude of microbes on them.

A study back in 2007 found that more than two-thirds of lemon slices in restaurants had microbial contamination.

Lemon juice itself is actually supposed to be antimicrobial, the study says. Many people will squeeze it onto their hands, food, or kitchen utensils to sterilize them. But the lemons in the study had 25 different microbial species on the peel and flesh. Researchers said they could have come from fecal matter, raw-meat, or poultry contamination.

In another study commissioned by ABC in 2012, cameras caught restaurant employees handling lemons with their bare hands.

A more recent study from 2017 found that if lemons were contaminated with E. coli and left at room temperature for 24 hours, the bacteria population increased. And while refrigeration managed to stave off population growth for the others, it did not kill off the already-present bacteria.

One possible solution is to squeeze the juice of the lemon into your drink instead of putting the whole slice inside.

Most produce items are carrying microbes.

It’s not just lemons you have to watch out for. Other drink garnishes like olives, cherries, and celery could be covered in the same microbes. It’s not a restaurant-specific problem, though. Much of the produce we bring home from grocery stores is also contaminated.

Glenner Richards, PhD, is the director of microbiology and analytical chemistry laboratories at Microban, a world leader in antimicrobial research and technology. She researches this sort of thing every day.

Richards tells HealthyWay contamination usually happens in the field before shipping the product to grocery stores or restaurants.

“When it’s contaminated and you take it home and put it in your refrigerator, obviously you can contaminate other food items and surfaces in your refrigerator,” she says.

Lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes are good examples of food prone to contamination, Richards says; she also cautions us about cantaloupe.

“Cantaloupe have a very rough exterior,” she says. “So bacteria are hiding out there and it has been proven that if the skin is contaminated and then you use a knife to cut through, you’re introducing the bacteria off the flesh.”

Obviously you won’t be removing everything, but it’s cleaner.

Richards recommends washing your cantaloupe and drying it with a paper towel before cutting into it.

“Obviously you won’t be removing everything,” she says. “But it’s cleaner.”

Double-dipping is as gross as we think.

Lots of people are grossed out by double-dipping, but how bad is it really?

According to one s
tudy, it depends on what you’re dipping in.

Researchers tested salsa, melted cheese, and chocolate syrup to see how much mouth bacteria appeared after double dipping. Salsa had five times more bacteria than the chocolate and cheese.

Food scientist Paul Dawson told CNN that there was a likely reason for this.

“Common sense tells you that if you bite it and dip it in the salsa and more of it falls back into the bowl and doesn’t stick to the chip, then there’s going to be more bacteria going back in the bowl with it,” he said.

The chocolate syrup and the cheese, unlike the salsa, managed to stay on the chips better and therefore did not transfer as much bacteria.

So what’s the obvious solution? Don’t double-dip.

Blowing out the birthday candles is not good for your party guests.

Birthday cake in general is not something to be feared. However, if the guest of honor blows out some candles on the dessert, you might think twice about having a piece.

Dawson learned that when we blow out candles, there are 15 times more bacteria on the frosting than when the candles are not blown out. This is because the bacteria in our mouth travel through blowing.

“The amount of bacteria varies a lot from person to person based on how sloppy someone is when blowing their candles out, but it does occur,” Dawson told CNN. “I don’t know the chance of this occurring, but in fact if someone is sick, carrying a disease, and blows on the birthday cake, there is going to be bacterial transfer.”

Kitchen appliances are harboring a lot of the bacteria we want to avoid.

Sometimes it’s not the food itself but the tools we’re using that could make us sick.

Richards lists several kitchen appliances that are havens for bacteria.

Remember that moisture only encourages growth.

It may sound ironic, but the first on her list is the dishwasher. “It harbors a lot of microbes for the simple reason that there’s a lot of moisture,” she says.

Dirty dishes carry nutrients with them into the dishwasher. If the dishwasher remains wet, it can become moldy and encourage the growth of bacteria and yeast. All that gross stuff is then transferred to what we think are our clean dishes. Richards recommends leaving your dishwasher open to dry and periodically doing a hot rinse with bleach water.

The refrigerator can also be dangerous because it’s full of highly perishable foods, such as meats, eggs, and dairy.

“Of course you’re coming in with the packaging from the grocery store, so whatever microbes and germs are in the refrigerator at the grocery store, you’re putting them in your refrigerator,” she says. Chicken, for example, could be leaking from the bag, and if you put that bag in the refrigerator, there could be a salmonella presence.

Richards reminds us that the refrigerator does not kill germs. It only slows their growth. What’s more, there are some microbes that continue to grow at a steady rate in colder temperatures.

She recommends occasionally emptying your refrigerator and wiping down the surfaces with warm, soapy water. Then leave them to dry. Remember that moisture only encourages growth.

Also be sure to wash and dry your produce and then put them in separate containers in the fridge, rather than just dropping them on the surface. Finally, she says, don’t buy more food than you need. Try to keep food items stocked in your fridge for no more than a week.

If your food gets moldy and you consume it, there can be long-term consequences. Richards says those molds develop mycotoxins, which are proven to be carcinogens.

Finally, when it comes to storing and transporting goods, she tells us it’s better to wash your reusable grocery bags and to designate one bag for produce and another for meat so that you can avoid cross contamination.

It’s no joke that appliances are dirty. Here are some more examples:

Yet another dangerous kitchen item is the cutting board.

Richards says the grooves that are formed from our cuts become “excellent places for microbes to get lodged into and they reproduce.”

She recommends having separate cutting boards for various uses, such as one for poultry and one for produce. She also says to periodically throw out your cutting boards and get new ones.

The blender and can opener are other breeding grounds.

“I have an electric (can opener) at home and there’s a tiny blade that goes into the food, and then residue is left over,” she says. “You’re just moving all those germs from one can to the next.” That’s why it’s important to disassemble appliances and wash thoroughly.

Also be sure to wash and drain your sink, Richards says. She uses vinegar because it’s not corrosive like bleach.

“It’s not about being excessive or having a compulsion,” she says. “Our immune systems work, but you [need to] try to keep contamination to a minimum. It’s a matter of being smart about food.”

For more ideas on how to keep your kitchen and food safe, visit Microban’s website, The Cleaner Home, which provides a virtual kitchen to explore.

Tags 50036486, fuel, hemingway

Motherhood

Getting Play-Doh Out Of Carpet (And Other Hacks To Clean Up After Your Kids)

Post author By Gretchen Bossio
Post date October 30, 2017

I have been known to try and vacuum messes right off the kids. They don’t appreciate it, but oh well.

When I was six years old, my parents built a house. My dad was a design engineer with a penchant for architecture, and between my mom’s dreams and his skills, they designed the whole thing from scratch. It was perfect for our family, and my two sisters and I especially loved it—mostly because there was a giant loft playroom.

We spent many of our younger days up there, and even though it was carpeted, my mom let us get creative with Play-Doh on occasion. While I don’t recall any mishaps, I do vividly remember a large dried patch of neon orange Play-Doh crusted into the carpet right near the stairs—the mishaps must have happened.

Childhood messes are often like that—an eternal memory, marked into our cars or homes or clothing for the rest time. I’ve experienced it myself with my own children—in our case, it was permanent marker meets Daddy’s desk.

My daughter is not a troublesome child. I was surprised and a little horrified, then, when I found her wildly scribbling all over her Daddy’s desk one day. Her dad had been letting her climb onto his lap and use highlighters to draw pictures, so I can only assume that she thought the Sharpie was up for grabs, too.

When it comes to cleaning up, a marker is a much different beast than a highlighter. Good news is, we found a way to clean it up—that desk is as good as new! Not a mark in sight!

Have you run into kid messes like Play-Doh in the carpet or Sharpie where it doesn’t belong? Are you ready to hear some cleaning hacks that really work?

I know a few that I’m excited to pass on, and a handful of wise moms are spilling their best hacks, too. Thank goodness we have a way to collaborate, learn, and clean up the unavoidable kid messes! It takes a village!

Get Play-Doh out of Your Carpet

Laura, a mom of four, has a hack that’s seems counterintuitive when it comes to a Play-Doh mess. She said that if Play-Doh makes its way into the carpet, “get the Play-Doh wet again. Then, it comes out easily.”

Opt for hot water and let it sit for a while. Then take a fresh piece of Play-Doh from the tub and use a small ball of that to press onto the mess. It adheres to the wet Play-Dog and grabs it out of the carpet.

If the Play-Doh stained the carpet, Leah, a mom of two, recommended making an OxyClean paste (a big scoop of OxyClean and a few tablespoons of water) and letting it sit overnight.

“Just make sure the kids and pets stay away while the paste soaks in. You don’t want to add a call to poison control on top of cleaning Play-Doh,” she says.

Remove Permanent Marker From Hard Surfaces

Before attempting to remove Sharpie, it’s important know what kind of surface you’re dealing with: some methods can strip paint or remove the finish. In our case, we had a dark wood melamine desk, and a quick scrub with acetone did the trick.

Leila, a mom of two, got a bit more creative.

“I’ve used aerosol hairspray on a doll to get Sharpie off, and also the kitchen counter,” she says. “Just spray it on and let it soak for a minute before wiping with a damp cloth. I also used Mentadent toothpaste to get Sharpie off of my coffee table! It didn’t damage the finish or anything!”

Even though I’ve had luck with acetone, I much prefer to less abrasive option of hairspray and toothpaste. A middle school janitor also recommended the product Graffiti Off for Sharpie stains.

Clean up Glitter

Naomi, a mom of one, says that a lint roller works magic when it comes to glitter spills. Perhaps the biggest tip when it comes to glitter, though, is what happens before the mess.

When starting a glitter project, make sure the crafting happens on a flat surface—a cookie sheet, a large piece of newspaper, or at least a table without grooves. That way, if a spill happens, you can more easily scoop the glitter up.

De-Sand the Car

The beach trip is always a blast. The clean up, not so much. Sand, sand, everywhere!

Evie, mom of three, said that, “Sand cleans up with baby powder.” Just sprinkle baby powder, let it sit for a minute or two, and then vacuum it all up!

Make Poo Stains Disappear

Multiple moms who use cloth diapers swear by the power of the sun when it comes to poo stains. And they would know—they deal with the stuff a

If you have a pesky poo stain that just won’t come out in the wash, wait for the next sunny day, wet the item, and allow it to sit in the sunlight until the stain is gone.

Lorna, a mom of one, also shared that “a bar of Lava soap [works greats] for underwear stains … It’s an old fashioned thing my Grandma taught me! Lava soap has finely ground pumice stone mixed in, and it really works! Although, it can wear out the fabric depending on how often the item needs scrubbing.”

Soak Away the Blood Stains

Two words: hydrogen peroxide.

“I gave birth to a 9 pound baby … in the bed of a rental. Hydrogen peroxide got rid of all the evidence,” she says. “Cleaning deposit fully refunded.”

I, too, have had amazing results with hydrogen peroxide when it comes to blood stains. Place the stained item in a plugged sink and pour 25 to 50 percent of a bottle of hydrogen peroxide onto the stain. Let it sit, and then wash like normal in your next load of laundry. Cross my heart, the blood will disappear!

Save Clothing From Berry Stains

The key to dealing with stains is often prevention. Jeanette, a mom of one, says her son “wears a nylon, long-sleeved art smock instead of a bib during meal time. It keeps laundry stains to a minimum.”

My own mom was a big fan of saying “shirts off!” when she served something extra messy or potentially stain-inducing. Berries, spaghetti sauce, juicy watermelon, cherries, you name it, “shirts off!” Sometimes, it was easier for her to plan a post-meal bath rather than to with difficult stains.

If you do get a berry stain, consider following one of Kitchn’s berry stain removal method: boil water in a tea kettle, turn the stained garment inside out and pull it taut over a large bowl, and affix it to the bowl with a rubber band. Place that bowl in the sink, hold the tea kettle as high as possible, and “flush the stain with a constant stream of boiling water.”

Get Dry Erase Markers Off Of Clothes

Erika, a mom of three, says dry erase markers have become popular at her kid’s school. Those markers, when paired with laminated practice sheets make for a great learning opportunity. What they’re not great for is kids who don’t always keep their markers on the intended surface.

“Murphy’s oil soap worked like a champ, with very little effort, and ended up saving lots of clothes,” Erika says. “Especially my daughter’s tutus!”

Remove Fruit Snacks From The Carpet

Tasha, a mom of two, has had the lovely task of getting stuck fruit snacks out of her carpet.

“I used a super hot rag and placed it on the fruit snack for a minute. It came right out,” she says.

Simple enough. Thanks, Tara.

Solve the After Dinner Rice Mess

Did you serve rice to the toddler for dinner and not think of the messy implications? Well, Traci, mom of three, has a quick fix for you.

“If you have rice on the floor after dinner, sprinkle some cornmeal over it,” she says. “Wait 30 seconds and then it sweeps up nicely.”

The cornmeal binds to the sticky rice, making clean up similar to how you would sweep up dry cereal from the floor. Man, feeding toddlers is quite the exercise in housekeeping!

For Everything Else

Sarah, a mom of two, offered some wise advice in regards to cleaning up after kids.

“I am no stain pro, but I do hang a bottle of Shout next to every hamper. So, before clothes go in, they get sprayed for spots. It has helped prevent many of tougher stains later,” she says.

“Also,” she continues, “I am a lover of my vacuum. I bought a cheaper, lightweight vacuum with a hose. I literally suck everything up: Glitter, play dough, rice, crackers…I have been known to try and vacuum messes right off the kids. They don’t appreciate it, but oh well.”

The little kid years (and sometimes the big kid years, too) are full of messes.

But don’t let it get you down. For every mess, there’s a tried and true cleaning hack floating around the mommy-verse.

Are you dealing with a particularly tragic mess? Do you have a secret cleaning hack? Don’t keep your wildest messes or best fixes to yourself—we want to know!

Tags 50036116, hemingway, parenting

Nosh

Meal Prep Hacks For Busy Beginners

Post author By Brooke Lark
Post date October 30, 2017

Whether you’re shuttling kids from school to soccer or sitting in meetings all day, you deserve to eat well. We’ve found the best way to nourish your hungry belly while still making that 5 o’clock obligation—a brilliant little solution called meal prep.
We swear by it, and we’re here to share the secret. Meal prep is a miraculous way to bring healthy, home-cooked meals to the table on hectic weeknights—or busy mornings, if that’s your weak spot.

Meal prep involves taking one day a week to shop and preparing your meals for the next seven days (we’re partial to Sunday afternoon). Prep breakfasts, lunches, dinners, or all three to keep your weekly meals on track.
After chopping, dicing, cooking and roasting, all of your prepped food is tucked in tidy little containers and stored in the fridge, ready for a Tuesday night or Thursday morning when you don’t have the energy to cook from scratch. It’s amazing how much time you’ll save by cooking a week’s worth of food all at once! Another major benefit? When you’re at your hungriest, you’ll reach for a prepped meal or snack instead of grabbing junk food.

Now that you know meal prep is a lifesaver, we think you’re ready for some yummy inspiration. From high-protein breakfasts to antioxidant-rich mains, we’ve got some meal prep hacks to get you started. Why wait a second longer?

Batch Bake and Season with a Sheet Pan

Enjoy a different meal every day and avoid the “meal prep blahs” by making several flavors of meat or veggies at once.

Use aluminum foil to turn a classic cookie sheet into a three-section sheet pan. Place diced chicken, steak or veggies in each section, drizzle with olive oil and season each section with a different spice mix.
To make, simply mold aluminum foil together, pinching two pieces together to create a wall between sections. Aim for a 1 inch wall or higher, to keep juices from seeping into the neighboring section. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until pieces are cooked through.

Prepare High-Protein Snacks in a Muffin Tin

To keep hunger at bay, add more protein to your meal prep menu.

One of the simplest ways to prep enough protein daily is to bake boiled eggs, “over-easy” eggs, and scrambled eggs together in a muffin tin. Added bonus: you’ll get perfect serving sizes that are ready to pack into your meal prep container. Enjoy the boiled eggs chilled or at room temperature. For a delicious breakfast, lunch, or post-workout snack, reheat the scrambled and baked eggs.
To prepare each style of egg at once, start by placing boiled eggs in muffin tin, bake for 10 minutes, then add scrambled eggs. 10 minutes later, crack baked eggs into tin. In 30 minutes, you’ll have 3 types of eggs ready to pack.
Begin by heating oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
For Boiled Eggs: Place eggs in a muffin tin. Cook in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Once done, remove from oven and immediately plunge into icy water for easy peeling.

Packing tip! Pack with almonds and diced cheese for a high-protein snack pack. Or slice in half and pack with hummus and veggies for a vegetarian lunchbox.

For Scrambled Eggs: Scramble desired number of eggs with veggies, cheese, and spices. Spray muffin tin with nonstick coconut oil spray. Spoon egg mixture into cups. Bake for 20 minutes total or until centers spring back when touched lightly.

Packing tip! Pack with fresh yogurt and berries for a quick and simple high-protein breakfast.

For Baked (“Overeasy”) Eggs: Spray empty muffin cups with nonstick coconut oil spray. Crack an egg in each cup. Bake for 10 minutes, or just until egg whites are cooked.

Packing tip! Pack with sliced chicken sausage, wilted greens, diced tomatoes, and a slice of gluten-free toast for a hearty breakfast that reheats nicely.

Make Green Smoothies in Minutes with Zipper Packs

Feel like there’s never time to kickstart your day with healthy eats? This simple idea will have you running out the door with a nourishing green smoothie in hand. No matter how many minutes you have in the morning, all you need is 2 minutes more to make a green smoothie.

The secret? Prepare smoothie zipper packs by filling ziptop bags with kale or spinach, fresh berries, bananas or apples, and healthy add-ins like almonds, oatmeal, or chia seeds. Place flat in the freezer and they’ll be ready whenever you are.
To prepare, simply dump your zipper pack in the blender, top with almond milk and blend. If desired, add a bit of honey or protein powder, pour into an on-the-go container, and head out the door. Meal prep, done!

Bake Veggies to Boost Your Intake

Meal prep works because when hunger strikes, you’ve already got a healthy option ready to go. Similarly, having lots and lots of seasoned, cooked veggies ready to eat is the secret to actually eating enough.

Rather than preparing pots and pans full of different types of veggies, make prep extra easy by roasting a variety together on a sheet pan. Many grocery stores have prepared packs of cleaned and diced veggies, so if prep time is a concern, look for those ready-to-go options, toss on a sheet pan, and bake. Boom! A whole bushel of veggies, ready to pack and enjoy.
A few favorites that stand up well to roasting:

Diced sweet potatoes *
Diced potatoes *
Brussels sprouts *
Sweet peppers
Onions
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Carrots
Peas
Green beans
Asparagus
Sliced squash or zucchini

To prepare, begin by heating oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Select 5-8 veggies from the list above and place in piles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive or coconut oil, chopped garlic, and salt and pepper.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Veggies with an *asterisk will likely need more cooking time, so get them going first. Add in faster cooking veggies 10-15 minutes later.

Breakfast & Lunch 101

If breakfast or lunch has you stumped, we’ve got your back.

Use this simple formula to put together a wholesome meal with your prepped goodies:
Whole Grains (brown rice, quinoa, wheat berries, etc.) + Proteins (eggs, lean meat, nuts or nut butter, etc.) + Greens (baby greens, spinach, kale, fruit, etc.)
What’s for Breakfast?
Whole Grain Toast + Scrambled Egg + Baby Spinach
Oatmeal + Chopped Almonds + Blueberries
Or, grab a Boiled Egg + Green Smoothie to go.
Let’s do lunch:
Brown Rice + Baked Chicken + Roasted Veggies
Quinoa + Steak + Baby Greens
Lentils + Cashews + Stewed Greens
Spice It Up!
A little spice makes everything nice, including meal prep. Go beyond plain and add a sprinkle of flavor to spice things up.

Here are a few ways to add flavor:
Indian Blend: 2 tablespoons curry + 2 tablespoons cumin + 2 teaspoons turmeric + 2 teaspoons ground coriander + 1 teaspoon ground ginger + 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom + 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Fajita Blend: 2 teaspoons chili powder + 1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon paprika + 1 teaspoon sugar + 3/4 teaspoon crushed chicken bouillon cube + 1/2 teaspoon onion powder + 1/2 teaspoon cumin + 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder + 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Herbes de Provence: 3 tablespoons oregano leaves + 3 tablespoons thyme leaves + 1 teaspoon basil leaves + 1 teaspoon sage leaf + 3 tablespoons savory + 2 tablespoons lavender flowers + 1 teaspoon rosemary
Garlic & Olive Oil: Keep it super simple and tasty—mix chopped garlic with olive oil and drizzle over your grains, meat and greens. Perfecto!
Eat healthy and save time with those incredibly simple meal prep tips. Now that we’ve shared some delicious ideas, it’s time to get prepping!

Tags 50036651, fuel, hemingway

Nutrition x Advice

Are Superfoods As Super As We’ve Been Told? 5 Foods That Are…And 3 That Aren’t

Post author By Ashley Linkletter
Post date October 30, 2017

It seems like every time I browse Facebook or Pinterest I’m introduced to yet another food that falls into the “super” category. From chia seeds to watermelon to wild salmon, these foods are no longer merely healthy, they’re super. It’s incredibly easy to fall into a superfood trap, when shopping for food becomes all about intentionally seeking out superfoods over what you perceive to be mere “regular” food.
But is the term superfoods just a marketing ploy? And how many of their supposed health claims have actually been proven?
A fixation on superfoods can be costly not only to your wallet but potentially to your health. Let’s take a look at the history and usage of the term superfood and explore some examples of foods that live up to their hype (and some that don’t).

Superfood: Unpacking a Loaded Word

The widespread use of the term “superfood” to describe a food with a multitude of nutritional benefits is relatively new. According to an article in The Guardian, the superfood trend began as a strategy to market blueberries and pomegranates.
In the article, researcher Jeremy Spencer, PhD, of the University of Reading, argued against the usage of the term superfood and said, “Not only is it completely misleading to break a food down into its component parts and study those one by one, but it is impossible to predict the reactions of individual metabolisms to specific foods. Apart from the fact that the effect of the whole food may be more [than—or quite different from—] the sum of its parts, it is impossible to say each person will have the same physiological result.”
The concept of seeing food as the sum of its parts rather than as a whole is central to the idea of a superfood; instead of eating for pleasure you’re basing your diet on individual nutritional characteristics, some of which are still scientifically unproven.
Benjamin Sit, a registered dietitian with a focus on sports nutrition, agrees with Spencer’s stance. He believes that superfoods are a “marketing ploy to describe foods with high amounts of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients when compared to other similar foods. The primary issue is that the body can only absorb what it needs, so in many cases not all the nutrients are even absorbed when eating superfoods. That doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t include them into their diet but that these superfoods are a healthy addition to a balanced diet.”
Sit also says that despite people’s best efforts to eat a healthy diet made up of superfoods, this kind of eating plan can lead to an unbalanced diet. He cites instances in which people have gone “overboard with superfoods like quinoa or matcha to be ‘healthier,’ but they tend to overdo it and it throws the entire diet off balance. Healthy eating is about finding your personal balance, it’s not about taking huge quantities of goji berries!”

The High Cost of Superfoods

Foods that have been deemed “super” often have a higher cost than similar foods that might actually have equal or even greater nutritional value. Superfoods that are considered exotic, such as matcha, agave nectar, açai berries, and royal jelly, can be incredibly expensive and have no real scientific studies to back their supposed health claims. Even more run-of-the-mill superfoods such as kale, coconut water, and kimchi have cheaper alternatives, as illustrated in an infographic on HuffPost. Remember, just because certain superfoods might have a higher price tag doesn’t mean they have more to offer in terms of nutritional benefits.

The Environmental Impact of Superfoods

Any time a specific food gets positive media attention, it tends to go up in popularity, but where does that leave the people who grow and produce the food—and what is the impact on their environment? Sales of avocados have doubled since 2005, according to a 2015 article in The Washington Post, and although we all may love avocado toast and guacamole, the spike in avocado’s popularity has had a profound impact on deforestation in central Mexico.
Almonds are another so-called superfood that have had a negative effect on the environment. About 80 percent of the world’s almond supply comes from California, a state that is now known for its perpetual problems with drought, and it takes one whole gallon of water to grow a single almond to maturation. When shopping for foods based on their nutritional merit, it’s still important to buy local and in-season whenever possible. This will decrease negative environmental impact while supporting local farmers.

Superfoods That Live up to Their Super Reputation

Despite the shaky nature of the term superfood, there are certain foods that not only taste delicious but also have evidence-based nutritional benefits.

1. Greek Yogurt

One of Sit’s favorite superfoods is Greek yogurt. “I can’t tell you how much I love Greek yogurt! Aside from the creamy, thick texture; it’s an easy-to-prepare, high-protein snack with pro- and prebiotics,” he says.
What makes these pre- and probiotics so beneficial? Not only do these healthy bacteria keep your gut healthy and help regulate digestion, they’ve also shown themselves to be helpful in other areas of the body. One study concluded that dairy that contains probiotics helped skin remain younger looking (along with many other foods typically found in the Mediterranean diet, such as olive oil, fruits, and vegetables). Yet another study showed that yogurt-specific probiotics significantly helped with brain function and stress in women, adding credence to the saying “you are what you eat.”

2. Chia Seeds

Justine Chard, a registered dietitian and founder of Ever After Health, is a big fan of chia seeds. She says that their “high fiber content helps you to feel full and manage your blood sugars, and it’s a versatile ingredient to add to your meals and snacks.”
In case you’re unfamiliar with these tiny seeds: Yes, they’re the namesake of those Chia Pets advertised on TV. When they’re not growing into the shape of Bob Ross’ hair, chia seeds can be soaked in water or any other liquid until they expand into tapioca-like balls. A single 1 ounce serving of chia seeds contains 11 grams of fiber (95 percent of which is insoluble, which means it helps with regularity, problems with constipation, and hemorrhoids in addition to staving off hunger pangs, which can lead to potential weight loss). Add chia seeds to smoothie bowls or make a super tasty chia pudding for an energizing midday snack.

3. Wild Pacific Salmon

Diana Steele, a registered dietitian and owner of Eating for Energy, counts wild Pacific salmon among her proven superfood favorites. Not only is wild salmon a tasty addition to any dinner in need of protein, it’s also “a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, essential fats that are beneficial for the heart, brain, mood disorders, reducing arthritic pain, prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.”
When shopping for wild sockeye salmon, look for fish that has been caught in Alaska, where finfish farming is outlawed. Enjoy sockeye salmon grilled, baked, or lightly poached either on its own or as a main protein in salads.

4. Kale and Swiss Chard

Your mother had it right when she told you to eat your greens! Steele is a huge fan of kale and Swiss chard in particular, and it’s easy to understand why they are favorites. With a single cup of uncooked greens coming in at only 36 and 7 calories respectively, it’s easy to load up on these healthy superfoods without worrying about overdoing it.
Steele makes a habit of including these greens in her diet because they’re “loaded with vitamin C, K, beta carotene, folate, potassium, calcium, and fiber. They also contain antioxidants and powerful anti-cancer phytonutrients called indoles.” Steele loves to eat her greens in chip form by making up a batch of kale chips; chopped Swiss chard can be sautéed or steamed and added to frittatas and pasta sauces.

5. Blueberries

Both Sit and Steele are huge proponents of the superfood benefits that come with eating fresh blueberries. Steele explains that much of the interest in blueberries comes from their bright blue–red color, which is indicative of high antioxidant levels: “Antioxidants protect our cells from free radical damage. Blueberries are associated with several health benefits, including reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease. They also contain tannins and, like cranberries, are known to help prevent urinary tract infections.”
Sit likes to enjoy blueberries by combining them with fellow superfood Greek yogurt; other ways to include blueberries in your diet include in smoothies, on top of oatmeal, and tossed in with green leaf or grain salads.

Foods That Don’t Live up to the Hype

1. Açai Berries

Perhaps one of the most overhyped so-called superfoods, açai berries are indigenous to South America and are constantly being touted for their high antioxidant levels and miracle nutritional properties. Are these berries really as incredible as marketers claim? It turns out, not really. Pomegranates and blueberries actually contain higher levels of antioxidants, and both are more readily available in the United States (and considerably less expensive than açai).

2. Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass shots seem to go hand-in-hand with eating for health, but are there actually any scientific studies to back up these claims? Praised for its generous amounts of vitamin A and C, iron, calcium, and magnesium, wheatgrass actually has a very similar nutritional profile to far less expensive and far more palatable greens such as broccoli and spinach when compared by weight.
Even worse, wheatgrass consumption causes many people to experience negative side effects, such as nausea, light-headedness, and headaches, which are often falsely said to be detoxifying effects from drinking wheatgrass juice.

3. Aloe Vera Water

Aloe vera water is marketed as a superfood in liquid form, and its advocates claim it boasts healing properties that cover everything from detoxifying your system to helping with digestive issues. However, a more in-depth look at aloe vera uncovers a long list of potentially damaging side effects that can accompany consumption of this beverage.
Negative side effects include diarrhea and stomach upset, lower blood sugar levels that could become problematic if you take medication for diabetes, and even kidney failure for those already on medication for kidney-related issues.

How to Eat a Super Diet Without Worrying About Superfoods

Eating a diet that’s rich in nutrients and health benefits doesn’t have to become a tedious search for the best of the superfood world. Sit thinks that the ideal approach to incorporating superfoods in your diet is moderation. He says:

A little bit goes a long way. Superfoods can be like fad diets; someone in the media promotes them and all of a sudden everyone is adding that superfood to their diets, sometimes unnecessarily. If you want to try out a superfood and want to watch your food budget, buy a little and incorporate into what you’re already cooking. A 10 lb bag of quinoa is out of your budget? Then try combining quinoa together with rice! Instead of making a goji berry smoothie, try sprinkling some goji berries in your oatmeal!

Chan agrees with Sit’s advice and adds that keeping it simple is often the best way to go in terms of healthy eating: “Eat your veggies! They are nutritional powerhouses that have been shown consistently in research to help prevent disease and make you feel good. When comparing the cost of veggies to other ‘superfoods,’ you are typically going to get more bang for your buck.”
Finally, Steele offers some practical advice for anyone looking to eat a healthier diet—with or without the inclusion of superfoods. “Always choose food first over supplements. Choose frozen when fresh is not in season. Eat tinned fish. Buy or grow your own in the summer and freeze it,” she says.
Perhaps the most important advice is to remember to find pleasure in the foods you’re eating. You’re much more likely to stick to a healthy eating plan if you think the food you’re eating is absolutely delicious, however you choose to enjoy it.

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