Month: June 2018

Categories
Mindful Parenting Motherhood

Questions To Ask A Pediatrician To Find One You Love

Your baby’s pediatrician will be their doctor from birth until they become an adult, which is why it is important to find a pediatrician that you like and with whom you (and your child) are comfortable.
So, no pressure, parents.
If you feel completely overwhelmed when it comes to the daunting task of choosing a pediatrician, don’t fret. I felt the same way when I began interviewing pediatricians, and I had no idea what kinds of questions I was supposed to ask. Luckily, I found Rebecca Cooper, MD, JD, FAAP (yes, you read that right, she’s a lawyer and a doctor), who became my son’s pediatrician. So, during a recent visit with Cooper, I asked her to shed some light on what questions a parent should ask a pediatrician to find one that both you and your child will love.

When should you look for a pediatrician?

Pediatricians typically see babies for the first time between one and two days after hospital discharge, so it is important to have a pediatrician lined up well before you go into labor. The best time to choose a pediatrician is early in your third trimester. At that point, labor is still a few weeks away, so you (should) have plenty of time to interview prospective pediatricians and choose the right one for you. Often, pediatricians will have special appointments for expecting parents to come in, see the office, and ask questions. Here’s what to look for in a pediatrician you and your kids will love:

Make sure the pediatrician takes your insurance.

Before you choose a pediatrician, make sure they take your insurance so you know how much visits will cost ahead of time, how vaccines are covered, and the cost of any emergency medical situations that may come up (like when your kid sticks a bean up his nose). If your child needs routine or specialized care, check to see how much of those visits will be covered, too.

Questions to Ask a Pediatrician: What are your credentials?

Before you embark on your pediatrician interviews, look pediatricians up online and read their bios. Here are some things to look for:

  • Where did they go to medical school? Where did they complete their pediatric residency?
  • How long have they been practicing in the field of pediatrics?
  • Is the pediatrician certified by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP)? “It’s important that your pediatrician be board certified,” says Cooper. That’s because this certification means that the pediatrician has passed a special exam in pediatrics that goes beyond state licensing requirements.
  • Is the pediatrician a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP)? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not certify pediatricians. Rather, it is a peer community that provides professional resources to pediatricians and publishes pediatric research. If your pediatrician is an AAP member, they’ll have the initials FAAP behind their name.
  • Do they provide specialized care? If your child has special needs, make sure to choose a pediatrician who is trained in the type of care your child requires.

If any of this information isn’t available on your pediatrician’s website, ask to see their credentials in person during your interview.

Questions to Ask a Pediatrician: Are our healthcare values in sync?

Aside from the hard facts of their credentials, it’s important to find out if you are going to get along! Are you a crunchy mama who’s willing to share your bedroom with your babe for several years? Are you planning on formula feeding? Are you not quite sure how to feel about antibiotics? To see if you and a prospective pediatrician are in sync, ask yourself these questions before posing them to the pediatrician.

  • How do you feel about breastfeeding? Breastfeeding is an intensely personal experience between mother and baby, and while we all hope it goes smoothly, sometimes breastfeeding can be a challenge. Ideally, your pediatrician will provide support through the breastfeeding process and offer help when necessary, including helpful information when it’s time to stop breastfeeding. If your views on breastfeeding don’t line up with your pediatrician’s, then it may not be a compatible relationship.
  • What are your thoughts on baby’s sleeping habits? Are you comfortable with the idea of sleep training your baby or does the thought of letting your little one cry it out make you cringe? As long as you’re choosing a healthy method to teach your baby to sleep, your doctor should be supportive and provide helpful advice when warranted.
  • When is it appropriate to medicate a little one? This one’s a biggie, mom. If baby has a cold, do you want a pediatrician who calls in a prescription or tries more holistic remedies first? Make sure that your thoughts on medication line up when choosing a pediatrician.

Questions to Ask a Pediatrician: What’s the office like?

All doctors’ offices are the same, right? Front desk, waiting room, exam rooms. Well, you might not think so at first, but a pediatrician’s office is one of the most important factors when choosing a pediatrician, and they’re not all created equal. Ask the pediatrician these questions about their office during your interview:

  • What are your office hours? If you’re a stay-at-home mom, it might be fairly easy for you to get your kid to the pediatrician during regular business hours. But if you’re working 9 to 5, make sure your pediatrician offers early, late, and weekend hours so you can make an appointment that fits your schedule.
  • Do you have someone on call after hours? At some point, you’re going to have a sick baby in the middle of the night. It’s reassuring to know that you can call the pediatrician or nurse on call and get help for your little one no matter what time it is.
  • What about same-day appointments? Emergency room visits are expensive, so if you have a situation that isn’t life-threatening but is urgent, like a sprained ankle, it’s nice to know that your child can be seen the same day.
  • Is this a group practice? “Of course there are pros and cons to a group practice,” Cooper explains. “In a group practice you’ll probably have extended office hours and on-call physicians because there are more doctors, but you may not always see your preferred pediatrician or really get to know your doctor well.” You’ll probably know if the office you’re visiting is a group practice before you go, so make sure you try to visit with as many of the group’s pediatricians as possible to get a sense of how the office operates.

Questions to Ask Yourself After a Pediatrician Interview

“I always tell first-time parents that interviewing a pediatrician isn’t really about asking the right questions, but rather how you feel after the interview,” says Cooper. After a pediatrician interview, sit down and think about your experience. Here are some questions to ask yourself after the interview:

  • Did you feel comfortable with the pediatrician? This is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a pediatrician, says Cooper. If you don’t feel comfortable honestly discussing your child’s health and home life with your pediatrician, then your child won’t be getting the best quality of care because the pediatrician won’t have the full story.
  • Did you notice how the pediatrician and office staff interacted with children? Sometimes a pediatrician can be a wonderful doctor, but not have such a great rapport with kids. If your little one is still incubating, notice how the office staff and pediatrician greet and interact with other kids to get a feel for how they’ll treat your little nugget in the future.
  • How was the waiting room? Was the waiting room clean? Did it have toys and books to entertain little ones? These aren’t necessary, of course, but it is nice when a pediatrician’s office makes an effort to be a place that kids actually like to visit.

Making the Final Decision

These questions to ask a pediatrician are just a guideline to help you stay on track during a pediatrician interview, but don’t get hung up on making sure a doc meets every single thing on your wishlist. Did you find a pediatrician that’s great with kids, feels the same way about breastfeeding as you do, is close to your home, but doesn’t have toys and games in their waiting room?
That’s totally okay, Cooper assures us.
“Listen,” Cooper says as she gives me the best advice so far, “the most important thing I can tell you about choosing a pediatrician is that it’s not like you’re choosing a spouse. Don’t get hung up on finding ‘the one.’ Just make sure you like your pediatrician and that they’ll give excellent care to your child, and you’ll make a great choice.”
[related article_ids=1006832]

Categories
Happy Home Lifestyle

Natural Mosquito Repellents: Do They Really Work?

By numbers alone, the mosquito is the deadliest animal on the planet. They spread diseases like malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, Zika virus, and West Nile virus.
Even if you’re not worried about diseases, there’s no reason to put up with the tiny little bloodsuckers. They’re incredibly annoying, and for most people, itchy red bumps are reason enough to invest in bug spray. Few things can ruin a picnic as quickly as mosquitoes.

So what we can do? Are there natural alternatives to products loaded with DEET and other synthetic chemicals? Can we really load up on certain houseplants to reduce our exposure to bug bites? And do those citronella torches really work?
We spoke with Joe Conlon, the technical advisor of the American Mosquito Control Association, to find out how we can banish mosquitoes from our homes once and for all.

Is DEET a safe mosquito repellent (and how does it compare to alternatives)?

“Let’s face it,” Conlon tells HealthyWay, “DEET is the gold standard by which all other repellents are judged. It’s by far the most prevalent repellent out there.”
N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, better known as DEET, is a synthetic chemical that seems to work by blocking the receptors in mosquitoes’ antennae. They’re then unable to locate humans and therefore unable to bite us.
“There are over 500 DEET products that are registered by the EPA,” Conlon says. “If you’re going to go the DEET route, I would suggest a 25 to 30 percent formulation. That’s both repellent for ticks and mosquitoes. And that will give you a good solid four to eight hours of protection.”

If you’re worried about the safety of DEET, you’re not alone. In the early 2000s, several reports indicated that young children were having seizures when exposed to products with high concentrations of DEET. A 2003 study found no evidence of toxicity, however, and concluded that “the suggestion that young children are more prone than adults to the neurotoxic effects of DEET is not supported by critical evaluation of existing evidence.”

If you’re wondering about using DEET during pregnancy, that too appears to be safe. One study followed pregnant women in Thailand who used DEET; it found no adverse effects in the women or in the babies. More recently, a 2013 study found no evidence that DEET was dangerous to humans in typical concentrations.
The scientific consensus on DEET’s safety is pretty clear, but we’ve got another issue with it: It feels weird and smells bad.
“In the past, DEET has had some cosmetic issues,” Conlon admits. “The manufacturers have seen this as an issue, and there are formulations that don’t have any of those bad cosmetic things anymore. But some people just don’t like it—and that’s fine.”

Conlon says that another synthetic ingredient offers similar mosquito protection: picaridin. While it’s not a natural mosquito repellent, it’s pretty close.
“It’s the most widely sold repellent in the world outside of the United States, and it’s very good,” Conlon explains. “It’s got a very light feel, it doesn’t smell bad, and it’s a synthetic derivative of pepper plants, so that’s kind of an organic pedigree. I’d suggest that your readers look for products with a 15 to 20 percent formulation of picaridin.”    
Research indicates that picaridin is roughly as effective as DEET, although the authors noted that different mosquito species might respond differently to varying active ingredients.

Natural Mosquito Repellents: What to Know About Alternatives to DEET

Let’s say that you want to avoid DEET simply because you don’t like it, and you’re looking for some sort of completely natural mosquito repellent. That’s perfectly fine, but most of the natural repellents approved by the EPA aren’t quite as effective. The good news: If you’re willing to reapply your repellent every once in a while, you can get the same basic effect.
“Citronella oil is repellent, a bona fide repellent,” Conlon says, “but it’s a mild repellent. The current formulations out on the market give you about one hour of protection. And that’s one hour more than you’ll get if you don’t use any type of protection, but I’m afraid it’s far poorer than anything you would get with any of the other [active ingredients] that are marketed.”
One study found that citronella oil could work for up to two hours—which really isn’t great, all things considered. Unfortunately, that same study found citronella oil to be a more effective option than various other essential oils. Patchouli and clove oil provided similar levels of protection, but before you start building your own DIY natural mosquito repellent with those substances, remember: Natural doesn’t mean safer.  
“Clove oil is a repellent if you get purified oil, and it will repel mosquitoes,” Conlon says. “At that purified level, it doesn’t smell like cloves, [but] it will burn a hole right through your skin. It’s extremely corrosive. A lot of nefarious groups will market these chemical concoctions that contain clove oil and say, ‘It’s a known repellent of mosquitoes.’ Well, that’s true, but not at the concentration they’re using.'”
It’s not all bad news for naturopaths. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is a useful natural alternative, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that parents shouldn’t use it on children 3 years of age or younger.

“DIY mosquito repellents that use oil of lemon eucalyptus as one of their main ingredients will be the most [effective], since the oil is almost as effective as 25 percent DEET,” says Karen Thompson, editor of pest control blog InsectCop. “However, since lemon eucalyptus mosquito repellents work for no more than six hours, depending on their potency, you’ll need to reapply often. I’d advise reapplying this type of insect repellent every two to three hours.”

Thompson recommends mixing oil of lemon eucalyptus with a neutral oil (such as soybean or olive oil) and alcohol. To reiterate, though, this natural repellent isn’t appropriate for young children. Test for sensitivities before spraying it all over your skin by putting a small amount on your wrist or another non-sensitive area.
Conlon notes that oil of lemon eucalyptus isn’t technically as effective as DEET, but he still thinks it’s a valid alternative.
“I’m not quite sure people could tell a difference,” he says. “There’s a difference in, maybe, 86 percent repellency versus 95 percent repellency. Whether a person could notice that or not, it’s difficult to say. But it’s a natural alternative for people who want a natural product.”
Catnip oil is also effective, but only when refined and concentrated.
“There’s a formulation of catnip oil called refined oil of Nepeta cataria,” Conlon says. “It’ll give you seven hours of protection… I’ve never used it myself, but it’s a bona fide repellent registered by the EPA.”
Conlon says that the USDA is currently looking at breadfruit—apparently, its smoke is an excellent repellent—and other natural repellents, but currently, there’s not many tried-and-tested options.
“There’s a huge amount of research going on to find natural insecticides and natural repellents because the public is really looking for them,” he says. “Whether we’re ever going to be able to find [a perfect natural mosquito repellent], I don’t know. …A lot of people are under the impression that nature has provided us with the answer. Nature might—but there’s no evolutionary pressure for plants to produce something like that.”

Get rid of mosquitoes around your house.

We were excited to read about natural mosquito-repellent plants, so we asked Conlon what we should start planting.
Unfortunately, he says that “there aren’t any plants that are going to provide any level of protection at all. Citronella, which is effective, is derived from [different species of lemongrass], but you have to crush the leaves in order to get the oils out.”

As for lemongrass, Conlon says, “If you plant lemongrass all over your yard, you’re not really going to repel anything. The wind currents will waft off any volatilization of the chemicals inside the plants. Unfortunately, there’s no silver bullet in that regard.”
For a second opinion, we asked Thompson to weigh in.
“Plants like lemongrass, lavender, basil, marigolds, garlic, and peppermint will be unpleasant for mosquitoes, and therefore, they will be less likely to visit the area where these plants grow,” she says. “But these mosquito-repelling plants don’t automatically mean no mosquitoes.”
In other words, planting these types of plants won’t hurt your cause, but it probably won’t help much, either.
Well, at least we’ve got those citronella torches. Speaking of which—do those things actually work? Sort of.
Citronella oil is a real repellent, but Conlon says that commercial citronella oil candles don’t contain enough of the substance to do much of anything. Any sort of smoke will drive mosquitoes away, but you’ll have to be fairly close to the flame to enjoy any benefit.
A better option is a simple house fan, which will blow the weak-flying insects away while dissipating the carbon dioxide and chemical signals from your body, effectively masking you.

Easy Ways to Get Rid of Mosquitoes

Besides plants, there are a few things you can do around your backyard to keep it skeeter-free—or at least less enticing for them.
“Obviously, drain any type of standing water,” Conlon says. “If you have ditches that fill with water, make sure that they’re clean, so that the water flows freely. Mosquitoes will not lay their eggs in water that’s flowing, but stagnant water is fair game for them.”
He continues, “If you’ve got low-lying areas on your property that fill with water after heavy rains, it’d be good to fill those in because there are mosquitoes that breed specifically in those kinds of low-lying depressions. They lay their eggs in the dirt, and when the water comes and covers them, they hatch. They can withstand a drought for three to five years.”
Look for containers with standing water and empty them out. Don’t worry about putting insecticides in them, but wipe down the sides and clean them with soap and water; some mosquito species lay eggs just above the waterline, so thoroughly scraping the sides of a container will help to prevent infestations.
“It takes a minimum of five days for a mosquito to go from an egg to an adult,” Conlon says. “If you empty containers every five days, you’re good to go.”
Check evaporation pans, leaky faucets, and any other place where water might build up over time. Mosquitoes don’t need much water to do their thing.
“When I was in South America doing research, I found Aedes aegypti, the Zika mosquito, breeding in Coke bottle caps,” Conlon says. “It’s incredible. You’ve got to have a lot of respect for mosquitoes.”
Once you’ve eliminated standing water, look for ways to prevent the skeeters from making their way into your home.
“People should maintain their window screens,” Conlon says. “If you’ve got any vents to the outside, bathroom vents, things like that, I would suggest putting some hardware cloth or screening over the vent on the outside. Mosquitoes can and will get in through those vents. They’ve done it in my house—I learned the hard way.”
Getting completely skeeter-free will require multiple steps: Carefully evaluate your home and yard, try out different repellents, and use traps and zappers to reduce mosquito populations around your area.
If you’re sticking with natural products, research them carefully. Conlon recommends following EPA guidelines when protecting yourself from mosquitoes.
“Some of the nastiest diseases on the planet are a seven-hour plane flight away,” he says. “Zika and West Nile virus should’ve convinced us that we need to be prepared for diseases for which we have no historical antecedent. People need to be very serious in terms of what they’re using in terms of mosquito control methods and repellents. That’s why I say stick with the EPA. Stick with the stuff that we know, because it could be a matter of life or death.”

Categories
Healthy Relationships Wellbeing

Experts Weigh In On How Long To Wait Before Tying The Knot

We see you over there, watching what seems like every other friend either dropping to one knee or squealing with delight upon a magical proposal against an outrageously beautiful backdrop. You’re happy for your friends, naturally. But…with every sparkly ring that’s bestowed to another giddy woman, you also feel a tiny pang that prompts some serious introspection.

iStock.com/PeopleImages

Maybe you’re at an early point with your partner where you’ve begun toying with the idea of getting hitched someday and aren’t sure what the next steps ought to be. Or perhaps tying the knot is something you’ve seriously considered and you’re ready to get a move on already! Whatever the case, we urge you to put on some blinders toward others’ relationships and instead channel all that focus into your own partnership.


The truth is that every couple is unique, and what’s right for one duo may be completely wrong for another. There are couples who got hitched after a few months of dating and have been together for 20 years, and there are other couples who’ve been together just as long without ever walking down the aisle. In that sense, “How long should we wait before getting married?” is a question each couple needs to consider for themselves, and there’s a lot more that goes into it than a simple timeline.

Three Relationship Musts to Check Off Before a Proposal

To help you determine if you’re ready to take that next step toward engagement and, ultimately, marriage, you must be able to do the following.

Get past the intense lust stage.

Your sexual chemistry is out of control and you’ve never had a more fulfilling physical relationship in your life. This is great news, but there’s more to coupledom than that. Your first hurdle in any relationship is to see beyond the steamy physicality of it all and into the, well, boring stuff.

iStock.com/Foremniakowski

“Marriage is a financial, emotional, romantic, familial, and lifestyle partnership which requires compromise, good communication, and a shared vision,” says Bianca L. Rodriguez, MA, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Los Angeles. “Seeing how your partner reacts to these situations is very important because it tells you about their communication style, frustration tolerance, intimacy template, level of emotional maturity, and ability to navigate life.”

Before anyone gets down on one knee, make sure you’ve thoroughly discussed your approach toward finances and how that might change as a committed couple; whether you want to have children and how many and when; the importance (or lack thereof) of family relationships; and what kind of major lifestyle shifts you see in your future, including any relocation, extensive travel, career change, or continued education.
Back to lust: It shouldn’t disappear. In fact, being able to keep that spark alive after the initial chemical rush—and this does require work from both—is another sign that you two just might be in it for the long haul.
“The lust stage can last years or a lifetime if there is truly crazy chemistry,” notes Bonnie Winston, a celebrity matchmaker and relationship expert. “If lust fades out quickly within a year or two, did you really ever have it? Or was it just a shooting star?”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjSP7lXAIDw/?taken-by=bonniewinstonmatchmaker
Maybe it’s not quite as intense (and it probably isn’t because that’s how nature works), but you should still remain attracted to each other as the years go by.

Hit these important milestones.

Not to sound like a broken record, but sharing experiences in a relationship is crucial in the months and years leading up to a formal engagement. After all, understanding how you work together in various scenarios is the best indicator you have of what the future will look like.
[pullquote align=”center”]“Travel together is huge, as it can show you a different side of your significant other.”
—Bonnie Winston, celebrity matchmaker and relationship expert[/pullquote]
Some important relationship milestones a couple should experience, says Rodriguez, are introducing each other to your close friends and key family members (and becoming a comfortable part of these circles), celebrating holidays and events together, dealing with sickness or injury, getting through a major argument, dealing with a serious disappointment, attending professional business functions as a couple, and traveling together.

“Travel together is huge, as it can show you a different side of your significant other,” says Winston. “For example, one of my clients was smitten with her boyfriend until they vacationed together. He snapped his fingers at the waiters, treated the staff as if they were a lower class, and had a meltdown at the airport when their flight was delayed. Needless to say, they never made it to the altar. She saw a side of him she couldn’t abide and broke it off.”

Living together, or at least being very familiar with the way your partner lives, is also very important. Is your partner remarkably tidy or exceptionally messy? Do they like to keep the windows closed all day or feel the breeze? What’s the thermostat at? What’s their morning routine look like? Do they have pets? What’s their preferred aesthetic? Do they make the bed in the morning? Is the bathroom a sanctuary or a catch-all? Do they crave extensive alone time or prefer to be attached at the hip?

iStock.com/PeopleImages

There will be inevitable growing pains once you’re actually living together—and there’s always room for compromise on all the above—but make sure you know what this person is like in their day to day living space in case there are any non-negotiables.
Lastly, another important milestone is hitting a lull or low point in your relationship and making it through to the other side. Every couple experiences seasons of warm bliss and then chilly winters. For example, maybe one partner temporarily pulls away or one of you is going through an exceptionally trying personal battle. Being able to find the warmth in the cold—or being able to trudge through the slushy snow until spring—is a telling of a relationship’s strength.

Time it right.

While the length of time may not be quite so important, the timing is. Things to consider include your age, your career path, your education, and your desire to start a family. For example, older couples who want children tend to tie the knot more quickly in order to begin their family. On the other hand, couples who are young and finishing their schooling may prefer to wait until they have a degree in hand.

iStock.com/FatCamera

That said, waiting around for perfection means you’ll be waiting around forever. At some point, you do need to make the decision of whether or not this is the partner you want to commit to for the rest of your life.

So, you’re looking for an actual number?

We get it. You came here looking for an exact number of how long you ought to wait, and we sent you on a wild journey of important factors to consider before walking down the aisle. If you’re looking for a ballpark range, our experts agreed that an appropriate waiting time was between one and three years.
“Even if you absolutely know you’ve found your person, I think two to three years between dating and marriage is a healthy incubation time between first date and I do,” says Amiira Ruotola, a dating expert and the co-author of How to Keep Your Marriage from Sucking and It’s Called A Breakup Because It’s Broken.

OWN/Youtube

“The early days are always effortless and exciting, which is not the norm for long-term relationships. Excitement wears off and is replaced with stability which is its own kind of sexy. As you get more comfortable with your partner, you allow yourself to become the more authentic version of yourself rather than the ‘best, most easy going’ version you were being at the beginning.”
[pullquote align=”center”]“Every love story makes its own rules.”
—Amiira Ruotola, dating expert[/pullquote]
Rodriguez adds, “If I had to give a range, I would recommend a minimum of one year as this allows a couple to experience the ‘four seasons’ together. Although this is literal, it’s also figurative as over the course of 365 days you’re likely to encounter the ups and downs of life, like illness, holidays, travel, family drama, etc.”
https://twitter.com/alexismagana27/status/946015574563479553
Basically, you’re looking for that ability to feel like you can be your authentic self with your partner, which for many can take several years. Once you’ve hit that point you can take your relationship to the next level. Start by having real conversations about what life will look like in a long-term, committed partnership, what sort of struggles you might encounter, and what steps you’ll take to remain teammates, lovers, and friends through it all.
And remember, the one-to-three-year waiting range is not a hard and fast rule.
[pullquote align=”center”]“Marriage is not the prize, though we tend to rush towards it as though it is.”
-Amiira Ruotola, dating expert[/pullquote]
“Some of our best friends dated, lived together, and shared their lives for 17 years before getting engaged,” says Ruotola. Though it was a point of contention for many of those years, their relationship was so healthy and buoyant that neither party wanted something different just to get to be married or not married. They have now been together for more than 25 years and have one of most vibrant marriages we know of. Every love story makes its own rules.”

The Real Prize

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of a grand wedding, a person to call husband or wife, or checking off an item on your life’s to-do list. And while planning a wedding can be great fun and it’s understandable to have specific life goals, it’s the journey toward that “big day” and the years that follow that are the most important.

“Marriage is not the prize, though we tend to rush towards it as though it is,” says Ruotola. “The real prize is seeing and being seen, knowing and being known, finding the partner that helps you achieve your goals while you help them achieve theirs. Marriage is a three-legged race, so pick your partner wisely.”

Categories
Nosh Nutrition x Advice

Caffeine And Cortisol: A Coffee Lover's Guide To Timing Your Consumption For Optimum Health

It feels like every month a new study comes out telling us that drinking coffee is healthy (or not healthy), life extending (or life shortening)…and everything in between.
If you’re like most people, having a cup of coffee is a regular part of your day. So the question has likely crossed your mind: Is drinking coffee good for you or not?
As you might have guessed, the answer is complex. Coffee on its own (without cream and sugar) has many intrinsic health benefits, and for the most part, it can be incorporated easily into a healthy lifestyle.
That said, a lot of recent research has studied the negative effects drinking coffee has on our levels of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. Does this mean coffee’s bad for you, then?
We’ve made our way through a maze of conflicting data to bring you the information you need. Below, you’ll find the information you need to develop a strategy for smart (and healthy) coffee intake and to keep coffee as part of your everyday routine.
coffee and cortisol

Categories
Healthy Pregnancy Motherhood

Signs Of Preterm Labor To Watch Out For

Pregnancy can feel eternally long—40 weeks (which is actually 10 months, not nine!). But sometimes something goes awry, and the baby decides they want to come out early. Dangerously early.
Although many women fear going into labor and giving birth early, it’s actually not all that common: In 2016, 9.6 percent of births were preterm, and 75 percent of those happened between 32 and 36 weeks.

What is premature labor?

A pregnancy is considered preterm before 37 weeks’ gestation. “Technically, premature labor is defined as uterine contractions, which cause cervical change,” explains Sara Twogood, MD, OB-GYN, and assistant professor at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.
In other words, if your contractions are causing your cervix to change—meaning dilation or effacement are taking place—and you are not yet 37 weeks along, then this is considered preterm.  

What premature labor signs should I be looking out for?

As your pregnancy progresses, you should be looking out for uterine contractions with cervical change. There’s a difference between having Braxton Hicks, or false, contractions (which won’t lead to labor) and having contractions that are actually leading to labor.
How can you tell the difference? “This varies from woman to woman, but I usually describe Braxton Hicks contractions as only being in the uterus. In fact, sometimes you actually feel a tightening of the uterus. You may see your abdomen change shape, and it might be uncomfortable. If you palpate your abdomen, the uterus feels firm. But a few minutes later, it feels soft.” Braxton Hicks are irregular and unpredictable. They go away with rest and hydration.
As anyone who has given birth will tell you, labor contractions are painful—and they become more painful with time, as well as (usually) more predictable. In other words, you know when the next one is coming, since they are approximately 5–6 minutes apart (and grow more frequent). “Labor may start in the back or low pelvis and travel forward,” explains Twogood. “They feel like severe menstrual cramps. They are more painful, and won’t go away with hydration and rest.” Women often have terrible back pain, especially if they’re having back labor.
The key is to differentiate between the two. “If we catch preterm labor early, it’s easier to stop,” says Twogood. “So it’s easier to stop dilation that is 1 cm than 8 cm. We don’t want women ignoring contractions thinking they’re Braxton Hicks, but we don’t need them coming in for them.”
As for cervical change, this, too, can be hard to know and will usually require an evaluation. “Your mucus plug can pass anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 minutes before delivery,” says Twogood, “so it’s not a good gauge.” It can also pass multiple times during pregnancy, so losing it at 35 weeks does not necessarily indicate that labor is imminent.
In the hospital, your OB will check your cervix, if it’s safe. More specifically, she will check the Bishop score: effacement, dilation, consistency of the cervix, position of the cervix, and fetal station (how far up the birth canal the baby is stationed). She’ll also check your cervical length—how long the cervix is. This gives her (and you) a sense of how far off labor might be. If you score below a 5, you’re not close yet.
Always call your doctor if you feel that something is off, but remember that Braxton Hicks are quite common, especially in the late stages of pregnancy.

Can bed rest prevent preterm labor?

“Hydration and rest can help ease Braxton Hicks contractions,” Twogood explains. “Hydrating with IV fluids can also help decrease or minimize labor contraction, but it won’t stop preterm labor.” Bed rest is a management strategy that might bring more blood to the placenta, but it unfortunately does not change outcomes.
Twogood explains that doctors and patients use it because it makes sense intuitively—rest, decreased stress, and diminished pressure on the cervix doesn’t hurt. But bed rest does have its own risks: muscle and bone weakness, increased risk for deep vein thrombosis (or blood clot), increased anxiety or depression, and musculoskeletal and cardiovascular deconditioning.
It’s becoming more popular to instead move to modified activity, or activity restriction, rather than complete bed rest. If a patient is admitted to the hospital for preterm labor, she is monitored continuously, which also limits activity.
These restrictions depend on both patients and physicians, but in general, if you are at home and not in the hospital, and you are at risk of going into preterm labor, you can abide by the one-thing-a-day rule:

  • One trip to the grocery store or one outside activity but no more.
  • No heavy lifting.
  • Not being on your feet for more than a few hours per day.
  • Limited work (depending on the type of work).
  • Minimized stress.

I think I might be in preterm labor. When should I go to the hospital?

One thing is certain: If your water breaks, go straight to the hospital, because there are different treatment and management guidelines when that happens.
Additionally, if you’re experiencing any bleeding or consistent, heavy contractions, contact your doctor, who can help you decide if you should head to the hospital.

What causes preterm labor?

There are a few ways to tell whether you might be at risk for preterm labor:

  • A history of preterm labor. “This is by far the biggest risk factor,” explains Twogood. “The earlier the preterm labor (say 24 weeks vs. 36½ weeks) puts a woman at higher risk for having another episode of preterm labor.” It’s important to distinguish between preterm labor and preterm birth—the former does not always lead to the latter. Preterm labor leading to preterm birth will put you in the highest risk group.
  • Smoking and/or drug use. “Almost every bad outcome is linked to those two factors,” says Twogood.
  • An infection. Kidney infections or appendicitis during pregnancy can increase your risk for preterm labor. You can also develop an infection in the uterus or amniotic cavity. This is treated slightly differently because in those cases, the baby can be infected as well.
  • Stress. This one is complicated because women often assume stress is the culprit for preterm labor, but stress itself is not necessarily a risk factor. It all depends on your physiological response to stress: If it increases cortisol levels, causes changes in your diet (food and drink), or creates lifestyle alterations—these can predispose you to preterm labor. “That said, different women respond differently to stress,” says Dr. Twogood. “Some life event in one woman might not cause any physiological changes in another woman. It’s so variable from one woman to the next. I don’t want them to think they can’t work! Work has actually been shown to be healthy for pregnancy. Stress can’t cause preterm labor. It does cause physiological changes, but it is not a source of preterm labor.”

What happens if I go into preterm labor?

If you go into preterm labor, your doctor may try to stop it with medications called tocolytics that can only be administered in the hospital. If your baby is not yet 34 weeks, you’re identified as higher risk, so in addition to medications to stop contractions, doctors also administer antenatal corticosteroids to the mom to help the baby’s lungs mature. In case the baby is born, the baby will do better than without the steroids.

How can preterm labor (and premature birth) affect mom and baby?

This depends almost entirely on how early a baby is delivered. A preemie born at 36 weeks and 6 days will do better than a baby born at 28 weeks.
“Before 34 weeks, you can expect the baby to be hospitalized,” says Twogood. “There is also potential for all sorts of complications. The baby will need to stay in the hospital for monitoring weight gain/loss, bowel function, and brain development, among other things.”
Preterm birth can also, of course, impact nursing. “If the baby is hospitalized with tubes and not feeding well, this can really affect how mom is connecting to baby,” she says. “This can predispose her to postpartum depression, especially if she’s neglecting to care for herself. Women who’ve had babies in NICU have a different experience than having baby in the room with you and going home a few days later.”
An early birth is often accompanied by a slew of complications, which are exacerbated the earlier the baby is born. Other than being quite small, the baby might have difficulty breathing and regulating temperature and a lack of reflexes to suck or nurse. The baby may have heart problems (low blood pressure or heart complications), brain problems (because of possible brain bleeds), blood problems (anemia and/or jaundice), and gastrointestinal problems (because the system is underdeveloped). The immune system is also compromised.
Preemies often develop into healthy kids, but some can suffer long-term effects, such as cerebral palsy, hearing or vision problems, impaired learning ability, and compromised immune systems.

When it comes to preterm labor, trust your body.

Pregnancy is a trip, but it’s a chance to get to know your own body: Does this contraction feel like it did last week? Yesterday? Does drinking water and sitting down help? Or do I really feel like my body is going into labor? If you feel like something is off, then reach out to your provider. You know your body best. Trust your gut.

Categories
In the Kitchen Nosh

The Quick-Pickled Beets Recipe That Will Make You Love Beets

Before you tell me how much you hate, even detest, pickled beets (and who hasn’t had a bad pickled beet before?) hear me out: Homemade pickled beets are light years ahead of the suspicious-looking red disks you can find floating in room-temperature brine in the canned vegetable aisle. This recipe for quick-pickled beets will do what you’ve probably thought was impossible: It will make you love beets!
Before you know it, you’ll be making these quick-pickled beets every week and finding new ways to include them in your favorite recipes (which is fantastic, especially when you consider all the amazing nutritional benefits of pickled beets). It’s time to cast aside your aversion to beets and give this easy quick-pickled beet recipe a try!

Why Pickled Beets Can’t Be Beat (Nutritionally, That Is)

Despite their humble origins, beets (including beets of the pickled variety) are a formidable source of essential vitamins and minerals. Julie Kostyk, registered dietitian, nutritional counselor, and co-founder of Pure Nutrition Consulting, is a big fan of beets because of their potassium and folate content. She says:

Nutritionally, I think beets are a fantastic way to get in a source of potassium and folate. Some people may be surprised to learn that a half cup of cooked beets has more potassium than one medium orange or a half cup of raw tomato! In terms of folate, a half cup of cooked beets has more folate than one cup of raw spinach or one slice of white bread made from folate-enriched flour.

Cristel Moubarak, registered dietitian, food coach, and founder of nutriFoodie, loves beets for their vitamin C and iron content, sharing that “one unique aspect about the benefits of beets concerns vitamin C and iron, as vitamin C helps with the absorption of plant-based iron sources.” Beets contain both of these nutrients, which means the iron in beets is readily absorbed by the body thanks to their vitamin C content.
[related article_ids=1004299]
Kostyk also points out the fact that “beets offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits due to their content of anthocyanins, which help give beets their gorgeous color.” Anthocyanins are so powerful that they’re currently being studied for their effects on cardiovascular disease, cancer (including lung, colon, and skin cancer), and cognitive function.

Basic Quick-Pickled Beets

These quick-pickled beets require very little prep time, making for a great lazy weekend afternoon activity. For best results, choose beets that are young and relatively small (the farmers market is a fantastic place to find both regular and heirloom beets). Use common red beets, golden beets, or candy cane beets (or a combination of these varieties) in this recipe, but be warned that red beets will dye all the other ingredients a vivid shade of crimson.
Because the vinegar does the pickling in this recipe (versus pickling that occurs as a result of lacto-fermentation) these beets won’t have any probiotic benefits. If you’re specifically looking for fermented pickled beets, we recommend ordering a jar of these highly rated organic pickled beets from Oregon Brineworks. Store your quick-pickled beets in the refrigerator for up to a month—but be warned that given their deliciousness, the likelihood of them lasting that long is very low!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb young beets
  • ½ cup white wine vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 4 whole black peppercorns
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

Special Equipment:

  • Large pot
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Disposable gloves (if desired)
  • Small saucepan
  • Whisk
  • 1-quart mason jar

Method:

  1. Using a paring knife, trim the beets, removing all their green stems and any overly long roots.
  2. Fill a large pot with the trimmed beets and enough cold water to cover them.
  3. Gently simmer the beets over medium-high heat until tender (about 40 minutes to 1 hour depending on the beets), adding more water as needed.
  4. Remove the beets from the water and allow to cool until you can comfortably handle them.
  5. Wearing the disposable gloves to prevent your hands from becoming stained, rub the peels off the beets. The skin will slip off easily and can be discarded.
  6. Cut the beets into ¼ inch slices or quarters if they’re very small. Transfer to the mason jar, adding the thinly sliced onion, and set aside.
  7. In a small saucepan, bring the white wine vinegar, water, sugar, peppercorns, and salt to a boil and whisk together until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
  8. Allow the brine to cool slightly before pouring over the beets and red onion slices. Cover with a lid and let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or overnight, if possible) before serving.

Pink Pickled Beet and Shredded Chicken Salad

This delightfully tangy pink salad uses the above recipe for quick-pickled beets and leftover shredded chicken breast (a perfect way to make the most of the rest of that rotisserie chicken sitting in your fridge). For the sake of convenience, you can buy pre-shredded carrots and red cabbage, or you can use a box grater or the shredding attachment on a food processor to create them yourself.
This beet salad is delicious when piled on a bed of greens (arugula, radicchio, and endive work particularly well) or stuffed into warm pita bread with alfalfa sprouts. This salad keeps in the fridge for two days.

Ingredients for the Dressing:

  • ⅓ cup tahini
  • ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

Ingredients for the Salad:

  • 2 cups quick-pickled beets, julienned or roughly shredded (see this video for tips on julienning)
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips
  • 2 cups red cabbage, shredded
  • 2 cups shredded chicken breast
  • 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
  • ½ cup fresh mint, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds OR crushed peanuts

Special Equipment:

  • Blender
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Large salad bowl
  • Salad tongs

Method:

  1. Make the salad dressing first by adding all the ingredients to the blender and blitzing until smooth and creamy, adding extra water to thin the dressing if necessary. Allow the dressing to sit for 30 minutes.
  2. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl and drizzle with the salad dressing. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to two days.

Other Creative Ways to Use Pickled Beets

On a Cheese and Charcuterie Board

Pickled beets add plenty of gorgeous color to any cheese or charcuterie board. In order to prevent any red color from bleeding onto the other items, put the pickled beets in a small bowl or ramekin and place next to the meat, cheese, and other accompaniments.

In a Middle Eastern–Inspired Buddha Bowl

Tuck some julienned pickled beet slivers beside baked falafel, cucumber spears, shredded cabbage, tzatziki, hummus, crumbled feta, and black olives for a tasty Middle Eastern–inspired power bowl.

As Part of a Muffuletta Sandwich

Muffuletta is a type of pressed sandwich full of deli staples such as salami, mortadella, provolone, olives, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and other pickled vegetables (you can see where this is going, right?). Use pickled golden beets whenever possible when you’re making muffuletta as this will prevent the rest of the filling and the bread from turning bright red. If you don’t have pickled golden beets, don’t worry, the muffuletta will still taste delicious despite its vivid color.

Categories
Health x Body Wellbeing

Best Natural Remedies for Sunburns: Soothe Sun-Damaged Skin With These 11 At-Home Options

You come home from a day at the beach after slathering on sunscreen every couple hours, only to find parts of your face and body are beet red. Ouch! We’ve all been there. No matter how well you think you’re applying (and reapplying!) sunscreen this summer, sunburns happen to the best of us. In fact, according to 2015 research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults in the U.S. reported having a sunburn in the previous 12 months, even though 71 percent of adults said they usually or always take sun protection measures like wearing sunscreen or seeking shade.

Why’d I get sunburned? And what is a sunburn, exactly?

A sunburn is your skin’s response to prolonged, unprotected exposure to UV radiation (UVB rays in particular). “Ultraviolet rays in sunlight directly damage DNA and other molecules in the skin,” says  Anna Guanche, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Bella Skin Institute. “The broken-down and damaged skin cells signal the body, just as they would with any other type of skin burn. Then blood vessels dilate in order to bring healing factors and cells to the skin and an inflammatory response is what you see.”
A sunburn usually appears about six hours after sun exposure, says Guanche. While the redness and pain associated with a sunburn are temporary (three to five days for the typical sunburn or seven days for one that’s more severe, says Guanche), the cellular damage lasts a lifetime. According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, an overall history of severe sunburns was associated with an increased risk of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.
Of course, being super diligent with your sun protection is key to avoiding sunburns (and potentially skin cancer down the road), but if you have a sunburn, you’re probably looking for a way to relieve the irritation, like, right this second.
While sunburn relief products are available, a study published in the Archives of Dermatology found that hydrocortisone cream—just one example of an OTC sunburn treatment—did not have much of an effect on sunburn when applied six to 23 hours after sun exposure. Natural remedies for sunburns usually involve cooling and soothing the skin, says Guanche. If you’re concerned about the ingredients, cost, or efficacy of OTC creams, you may want to consider a natural sunburn remedy instead.

The Best Natural Remedies for Sunburns

Ready for relief? Try one of these natural remedies, all of which are suitable for mild to moderate sunburns. “Consult a doctor if your sunburn is severe,” says Guanche, sharing that severe sunburn can involve any of the following:

  • Blistering
  • Sunburn that covers a large portion of the body
  • Fever
  • Headache pain
  • Chills
  • Nausea

And while these natural remedies for sunburns are generally safe for pregnant women and kids, Guanche says it’s best to consult your doctor just to be sure before trying anything if you’re pregnant or intend to use a natural remedy on a child. Once you’re good to go, apply your natural remedy of choice two to three times a day for maximum benefits.

1. Aloe

Ah, the gold standard in sunburn relief. Aloe has been used for centuries to heal skin, and for good reason. A study published in the Annals of Plastic Surgery stated that topical aloe vera improves wound healing and minimizes scarring. Julie DeMaio, an herbalist who specializes in skincare, says aloe would be her first choice for soothing a sunburn. She suggests buying a giant aloe leaf, which you can find in a grocery or health food store. Use the back of a spoon to scrape the inner gel of the plant out and apply it directly to your skin. According to DiMaio, you can use it on both your face and body. “Keep the leaf in the fridge through the lifetime of your burn,” says DeMaio.

2. Witch Hazel

“Witch hazel is a plant, but only the leaves, bark, and twigs, are used medicinally,” explains Marina Peredo, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skinfluence. “It contains chemicals called tannins which, when applied directly to the skin, can help reduce swelling, repair damaged skin, and ward off nasty bacteria.” Peredo is a fan of Dickinson’s Witch Hazel, which can be used on face and body. Apply to a cotton ball and gently rub it over your sunburned skin. A study published in the European Journal of Pediatrics found that [linkbuilder id=”6458″ text=”witch hazel”] was equally as effective as a prescription moisturizer for treating skin conditions (like diaper rash and burns) in children.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

“Consider a diluted apple cider vinegar bath,” says Dendy Engelman, MD, dermatologic surgeon at Medical Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery Centers. “Try adding a cupful or two to your bath to neutralize the burn. After soaking for 10 minutes, the apple cider vinegar will have helped restore your skin’s pH levels and your skin will feel cool and soothed.” Engelman says that if you’re going to apply apple cider vinegar to your face, you need to be careful to avoid your eye area because it can be irritating. “Soak a paper towel or washcloth and gently press [it on your] face instead of splashing,” she says.

4. Whole Milk

“The fat and the pH factor [of whole milk] has an anti-inflammatory effect on sunburned skin, says Peredo. Make a compress by submerging small cotton towels in cool whole milk and wringing the excess, then apply the towel to your face and/or body. As long as you don’t have a milk allergy, this natural sunburn remedy is safe for pregnant women and children, says Peredo.

5. Vitamin E Oil

“It’s important to treat the sunburn with products that have ingredients like vitamin E, which helps the skin heal,” says Engleman. She likes Bio-Oil Multiuse Skincare Oil for treating mild to moderate sunburns on the face or body because the vitamin E neutralizes free radicals (molecules that are damaging to the skin) and it also contains nourishing and calming ingredients like chamomile oil, calendula oil, and rosemary.

6. Oatmeal

Remember taking oatmeal baths to soothe itchy chicken pox when you were younger? Guanche says oatmeal baths can help ease the pain associated with a mild to moderate sunburn on your face or body. She likes Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment, which helps relieve irritation and itchiness temporarily. All you have to do is pour a single packet into your bath and lightly rub the oatmeal onto your skin. Just make sure your bath water isn’t too warm, says Guanche, since this can cause further irritation.

7. Lavender Oil

Lavender oil can offer relief from sunburns, says DeMaio. Look for lavender oil in hydrosol mist form, like Plant Therapy’s Organic Lavender Hydrosol. Hydrosol is the liquid that is left over when a plant is turned into an essential oil, and it’s typically less concentrated, says DeMaio, meaning it can soothe without irritating. Because hydrosols aren’t quite as highly concentrated as essential oils, you can apply them to your face as well as your body. DeMaio likes spritzing a lavender hydrosol onto a sunburn a few minutes after applying aloe.

8. Coconut Oil

“Coconut oil may soothe and hydrate the skin,” says Guanche. According to a study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, coconut oil can help improve skin barrier function and promote wound healing. Plus, a study published in the journal Dermatitis found that the application of extra virgin coconut oil significantly improved skin dryness. Mix a few drops of an essential oil like lavender into coconut oil before applying it to your face or body, says DeMaio.

9. St. John’s Wort

“As an infused oil, St. John’s wort is amazing for burns,” says DeMaio. “It’s an analgesic, which means it helps reduce the pain associated with sunburns.” A study published in the Journal of Postgraduate Medicine found that applying a St. John’s wort ointment topically to skin helped improve psoriasis lesions. DeMaio says St. John’s wort is particularly useful at the beginning of a sunburn (whether on the face or body) when the pain is at peak levels.
As with lavender, try mixing a few drops of St. John’s wort into coconut oil, or another carrier oil like jojoba, to dilute it so that you can apply it directly to your skin, says DeMaio. You can also find St. John’s wort in hydrosol form, although it’s less common than the oil.

10. Helichrysum

This little-known herb is actually a major sunburn soother. “Helichrysum is an incredible wound healer and skin regenerator,” says DeMaio. It’s great for damaged skin.” A study published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents explains that helichrysum, which comes from a shrub in the Mediterranean, has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. The only downside is that helichrysum is expensive, so you may just want to use it on your face or an area that’s exposed, as opposed to a large area of skin, says DeMaio. Again, mix it with a carrier oil first since, as with all essential oils, it’s potent on its own.

11. Peppermint Tea

“Peppermint is a cooling herb,” says DeMaio. Make a gallon of iced peppermint tea, dip a cotton ball into it, and gently rub it onto your skin wherever you’re burned, she suggests. “You can also address a sunburn from the inside,” says DeMaio. “When you’re burned, your skin is dehydrated, so it’s just as important to make sure you’re increasing liquids.” So try sipping on a glass of peppermint tea, too.
The bottom line: While these natural remedies for sunburn can be used to help relieve the pain and irritation associated with mild to moderate sunburns, head to a doc STAT if your burn is more serious. And do not, we repeat, do not go back into the sun while you’re still burned as doing so can lead to even more skin damage!

Categories
Health x Body Wellbeing

How To Track Your Period—And Why You Should

Every woman experiences menstruation a bit differently regardless of whether she’s using a period tracker. The luckiest ones have light, regular periods that come and go like clockwork. For many others, menstruation is somewhat of a mystery. Some months are heavy, crampy nightmares, while your period hardly makes an appearance in others.
But if there’s one universal experience, it’s having your period show up at the worst possible time—at the beach when you’re wearing a white bikini, on an airplane when you forgot your tampons, or maybe when you’re on a run a couple of miles from home. Ugh! The only way to get some sense of when Aunt Flo is coming to town is by using a period tracker.
Yes, period tracking: that thing most of us were encouraged to start doing when we got our first period, but we got annoyed with (or even embarrassed by) making little red dots on a calendar and gave it up entirely. I’ll admit it—I’ve become a sex-positive, health-conscious woman who still bashfully shrugs at the gyno’s office when she asks the date of my last period and who scrambles to find a tampon when my period shows up seemingly out of nowhere. Not an ideal situation—and let’s not even get into the pregnancy scares that can happen if you aren’t tracking your menstrual cycle.
Fortunately, getting a handle on your cycle isn’t that hard. A range of period tracking methods—from high-tech apps to old-school, pen-and-paper calendars—can help you learn when to expect the crimson tide and how long it will take to ride it out. We asked Diana Ramos, MD, a board-certified OB-GYN and chair of the National Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative, to share the best ways to track your period and the benefits of being disciplined about it, once and for all.

Period Tracking: What’s the point?

It’s thought of as a tedious task that requires discipline and a willingness to tune in to your body on a daily basis. Why should you even bother with period tracking?
“One of the most important benefits of period tracking is getting to know your body—this is especially important if you’re of reproductive age and you’re trying to become pregnant or avoid pregnancy,” Ramos explains.
Using a period tracker can help you notice disruptions in your menstrual cycle. You might realize that your period has become irregular or changed in frequency, which could be symptoms of bigger health concerns.
“Sometimes a woman’s period is happening more often and for longer duration—signs that something could be abnormal. Heavier bleeding might also indicate a hormone imbalance, fibroids, or an underlying disease. Unless you know what’s normal for your body, you’re not going to know when something’s potentially wrong,” says Ramos.
And of course, one of the main benefits of period tracking is knowing when you should throw a couple of tampons in your purse. Who doesn’t want that peace of mind?
But despite all of these benefits, most women still haven’t figured out how to track their periods. Ramos estimates that only about a third of women use a period tracker—the rest of us are in the dark about our menstruation and ovulation. Yikes!

How to Track Your Period the Old-School Way

You don’t need to get fancy when it comes to tracking your period. The old-school approach of using pen and a calendar has helped women track their periods for centuries (maybe longer)—and can give you a better understanding of your body.
Start by putting a mark on the calendar on the first day of your period. That signifies the start of your menstruation cycle, says Ramos, and it’s the date gynecologists want when they ask when your last period was. Continue marking every day that you bleed with a red dot or whatever symbol resonates with you (a heart, a skull and crossbones, a frowny face—we don’t judge). Then, start the process again the next time you menstruate.
Your calendar should also include information about how much you’re bleeding, Ramos says. You could measure it based on how many pads and tampons you’re using or by giving your flow a loose estimate of light, medium, or heavy.
Other symptoms, like your emotions, cramps, and overall health, can also be noted on your period tracker, depending on how much information you want to include. After about three months of tracking your period, you will learn the length of your cycle (typically 21 to 35 days), roughly when you’re most fertile (usually the mid-point between periods), and other patterns related to your menstruation.
“The longer you do it, the more you can learn,” says Ramos. “Period tracking should be a lifelong habit and can give you something to refer to if your body changes.”

Bringing Period Tracking Into the 21st Century

Technology has made a lot of things easier for us—including period tracking. Monitoring your cycle has gone modern with a range of femtech apps that can help you track everything from your flow and period length to your moods, weight, and birth control use. Here are three of our favorite digital period trackers:
Dot: Rated 4.7/5 stars in the App Store, Dot Period & Fertility Tracker “works like a weather forecast for your menstrual cycle.” All you have to do is record the first day of your flow, and the period tracker gets to work predicting your likelihood of getting pregnant any day of the month, when you’re going to ovulate, and the date of your next period. You can note your moods, period symptoms, and sexual activities right in the app. Dot’s pretty smart—it’ll let you know if your cycle is off and you might need medical attention.
Clue: Clue has earned high marks for its accuracy, features, and functionality. Its intuitive design makes it easy to track your period, the heaviness of your flow, and even the types of menstrual products you use. Clue also encourages users to log their birth control, cramps, sleep, skin and hair conditions, and tons of other health-related symptoms. The more information you provide, the better Clue becomes at analyzing the state of your reproductive health.
Flo: While it brands itself as an ovulation and period tracker, the Flo app does much more than just record the days of your cycle, although it’s great at that! It’s an overall lifestyle monitor that allows you to record your weight, travel, stress levels, sex drive, sleep duration, water consumption, and just about every other healthy lifestyle activity you could imagine—earning it an average of 4.8 stars from more than 200,000 people who’ve rated it in the App Store.
While digital tools have taken the guesswork out of period tracking for many women, the pen-and-paper method is still perfectly acceptable. Healthcare professionals just want you to track your period in whatever way works best for you so they can be aware if something’s amiss.
“Period tracking is a good habit to get into as young as possible, but you can start any time,” Ramos notes. “The most important thing is that if you notice something abnormal, go see your healthcare provider. Don’t try to guess what might be happening.”
[related article_ids=1003499]

Categories
No Gym Required Sweat

Building A Jump-Rope Workout: Experts Give The Best Tips For Beginners

If you haven’t jumped rope since grade school, you’re missing out.
“I picked up a jump rope for the first time at the age of 42, and that was six years ago,” says Janine Delaney, former ballerina and self-described jump-rope queen.

“I’m not a fan of running, and I promised myself that I would never force myself to do any exercise I didn’t enjoy,” she says. “I saw a wrestler at my gym skipping rope, and he just looked so cool.”
Delaney says that she was initially embarrassed by her limited rope-skipping skills. That quickly changed.
“I started practicing in the exercise room of my gym where no one could see me,” she tells HealthyWay. “Eventually, when I could skip a few minutes consecutively, I was brave enough to venture downstairs. Pretty soon I started getting carried away and trying out all new sorts of new tricks. It was fun, and my energy was through the roof.”
Over the past several years, Delaney has developed a sizable social media presence, with over 989,000 followers on Instagram alone. She doesn’t just jump rope—she also uses resistance training and weights to meet her fitness goals—but she says that she relies on her rope for her warm-ups and cardio.   
“Jump-rope workouts tend to be very underrated,” says Tyler Spraul, certified strength and conditioning specialist and head trainer at Exercise.com. “Maybe it’s because it’s easy to see the jump rope as more of a kids’ toy than serious training equipment, but I don’t see a lot of people using them.”
But really, this kids’ toy can be a fun, effective, and inexpensive workout tool for adults. Here’s a crash course in this oft-overlooked fitness technique.

Scientific Reasons to Skip: Why You Want to Start a Jump-Rope Workout

We get it; if you’re going to add a new type of exercise to your workout regimen, you need some solid scientific reasons to make the change. Fortunately, science has you covered:

  • It’s great cardio. A 2017 study found that vigorous jump roping had advantages over stationary bike exercise (although we should note that the experiment group listened to uptempo dance music while working out—you’re certainly free to do the same).

  • It’s good for your bones. Jumping rope is an impact exercise, and a 2006 study found that it improves bone mineral density in women. That’s huge, since even minor differences in bone density can greatly affect your chances of a serious injury.

  • It’s practical. A high-quality jump rope also offers practical advantages over elliptical machines, stationary bikes, and other cardio tools.

    “Jump ropes are excellent tools for conditioning, and they are easy to take anywhere—even on road trips,” Spraul says. “You can adjust the difficulty [or] pace for all levels of experience, and even a beginner can usually pick up the technique and get in a good rhythm after just a few minutes. You can get a great workout in without needing much space at all, and it’s relatively low-impact, so you can use it as a warm-up and/or cool-down as well.”


We’ve got one other reason to start a jump-rope workout: It looks awesome. Pick up a few advanced techniques, and you’ll look like you’ve been doing this for years. Before you get there, though, you actually have to start.

How to Skip Rope: What the Experts Say About Starting a Rope-Skipping Routine

One of the great things about rope jumping is its simplicity. Pick up your rope, start jumping, and you probably won’t make any serious mistakes.

With that said, we’ve got a few tips for getting the most out of your first jump-rope workout.

Warm up.

If you’re already exercising regularly, the easiest way to incorporate a jump rope is to start developing your stamina during your warm-up.  

“Jumping rope is the best way to warm up for any workout session,” Delaney says. “Start slow with 30-second reps and a 30-second rest in between. Once you can do this for a week or two, increase your jumping to one-minute sets, then five, and eventually try for 15 to 20 per workout. Yes, it’s achievable!”

We’d like to emphasize the “start slow” thing. To research this article, we started a jump-rope routine, and we overdid it the first day; while we didn’t sustain any real injuries, our calves were incredibly sore after our first 15-minute session.

Stay safe.

 “Jump only a couple of inches off the ground,” Delaney suggests. “Higher is not better. It will fatigue you faster and does not add value.”

Don’t try to do too much too quickly.

“When you’re first starting out, don’t get caught up trying to do all the fancy double-unders and criss-crosses,” Spraul says. “Keep it simple, and try to add a small hop between rope passes so that you’re not jumping only when the rope is coming through. This will make it easier to get into a rhythm and build your streak of consecutive successful swings.”

Gradually add complexity.

When you’re starting out, focus on simply keeping the rope moving. To keep a steady rhythm, you can try working out to music. Over time, you can start adding in trick jumps and gradually increasing the length of your jump-rope intervals.
 


“You can adjust the times as needed to train for different goals,” Spraul says. “If you want to slowly ramp things down after a high-intensity workout, you can add a few minutes of jump rope in at the end as well. Just a few minutes at a slower pace can be a great way to allow your system to transition back to its resting state.”

Jump-Rope Workout Challenge: Stepping Up Your Cardio

While jumping rope is a good workout on its own, you’ll maximize your benefits by pulling in other exercises. If you’re ready for a serious challenge, we’ve got you covered.

“I incorporate what I call ‘dynamic cardio days’ into my weekly workouts,” Delaney says. “These are cardio days that get my heart pumping. They’re fun, and I design them to incorporate multiple combinations of exercises, including jump rope.”

Here’s Delaney’s recommendation for calorie-busting cardio:

  • Start with one minute of jumping rope. Keep the pace moderate at first. You can throw in a few double-unders if you’ve got enough experience, but a steady pace is key.
  • Continue with one minute of burpees. This will likely feel like the hardest part of the circuit. Focus on keeping your form perfect, and remember to breathe.
  • Keep the circuit going with one minute of bear crawls and crab walks. If you have no idea what those exercises are, we’ve linked demonstration videos for each. Again, form is crucial.
  • Rest, then restart the circuit. Shoot for three to four repetitions, and be ready for total exhaustion.

Don’t forget the cool-down; it’s certainly one of the most important parts of your workout.
“Take advantage of the blood flow you achieve throughout your body when jumping, then finish off with some stretches,” Delaney says. “You will feel like a million dollars when you’re done.”

What type of jump rope should you buy?

You can get a simple jump rope for under $7, and if you’re just starting out, it’ll work just fine. We evaluated a few different ropes and found that most inexpensive ropes were made of PVC, cloth, or plastic beads that resemble uncooked macaroni noodles (you’ll likely remember those plastic-bead jump ropes from gym class in grade school).
Of those, we had the most trouble with the PVC ropes, which tend to arrive with twists and bends in the line. With that said, those imperfections usually work themselves out of the jump rope over time, but they’re a bit of a bummer if you’re just starting out.
If you’re willing to spend $20 or more, you can find a speed rope made from a high-quality, thin plastic or metal. The thinness allows the rope to move more quickly, so if you’re looking to eventually incorporate advanced techniques like double-unders, they’re a good choice. Just be careful—if you accidentally hit your thighs or ankles, you’ll feel it. Experienced jumpers can look for features like swivel-bearing handles, which further improve speed and reliability.
Since jump ropes are relatively inexpensive, we’d recommend picking up a few different options to see which you prefer. Remember, if you’re not enjoying your workout, you probably won’t stick with it. Get a decent jump rope and a basic training plan, and you’ll be skipping with the best of them in no time.

Categories
Happy Home Lifestyle

Refresh Your Living Space With These Budget-Friendly Home Decor Finds

Redoing your home is a major undertaking, and tossing all of your old decor for everything new just isn’t in the budget for most people. But there’s no reason that revamping your home has to be expensive. In fact, some of the most impactful changes can be made with the smallest pieces.
We’ve found pieces that can liven up your space and even change the look of an entire room—all without breaking the bank.

Pillows Under $20

Pillows are perhaps the easiest and quickest way to add a pop of color and comfort to your space in seconds. Even though throw pillows can be surprisingly expensive, there are just as many affordable and stylish options out there.

Threshold Fringe Printed Throw Pillow ($20)

This fringed pillow from Target is a cute way to add texture to any space. The muted colors are perfect for laid-back boho vibes.

Target

[link-button href=”https://fave.co/2jLRHbr”] Get it from Target [/link-button]

Slow Cow Embroidered Throw Pillow Cover ($12)

If you already have pillows that feel nice but you want to switch up their look, opt for a pillow cover instead. If you don’t already have a throw pillow though, you can find affordable inserts to fit the cover you like.

Amazon

[link-button href=”http://amzn.to/2sPscxa”] Get it from Amazon [/link-button]

World Market Ivory Fringe Indoor/Outdoor Lumbar Pillow ($20)

This neutral lumbar pillow is perfect for adding a touch of comfort and texture without any extra color. Toss it on your couch, armchair, or even your bed to amp up the coziness.

World Market

[link-button href=”http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/5339270/type/dlg/https://www.worldmarket.com/product/ivory-fringe-indoor-outdoor-lumbar-pillow.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&from=fn”] Get it from World Market [/link-button]

Shop More:

Throw Blankets Under $30

Tossing a soft, drapey throw over your couch or armchair is another easy way to add an element of interest to your room. Both luxurious and functional, no living room really feels complete without a throw blanket.

Bourina Textured Throw Blanket ($20 to $25)

This textured knit blanket is soft and lightweight, perfect for when you need just an extra bit of warmth. Available in six shades, you can use it to add a pop of color to your room or (our preference) keep things neutral.

Amazon

[link-button href=”http://amzn.to/2CfQwMy”] Get it from Amazon [/link-button]

Panama City Beaches Cotton Throw Blanket ($25)

If you’re looking for a patterned throw, this woven cotton one is not only beautiful but is also affordable. Perfect for draping over your shoulders on a cold night or even laying over the foot of your bed, it’s a blanket you’ll be reaching for all year long.

Joss & Main

[link-button href=”http://shopstyle.it/l/Ji5W”] Get it from Joss & Main [/link-button]

Threshold Chenille Throw Blanket ($20)

In need of something a little more chunky and warm for the colder months? This chenille throw blanket is ultra-soft and oversized and comes in multiple color options to coordinate with any room.

Target

[link-button href=”http://fave.co/2F64Ubq”] Get it from Target [/link-button]

Shop More:

Knick Knacks Under $40

Small trinkets and decorative pieces are truly what make a space feel more lived-in and homey. Though people tend to pick up most of these items over time, adding even a small piece or two can really start to add some of your own personality and sense of style to your home.

Artificial Banana Plant ($37)

If you like the look of plants but are more of a black thumb, there are plenty of faux plant options out there that look realistic but don’t require any maintenance. This faux banana plant is great for adding a pop of color and is the perfect stand-in until you can grab (and care for!) a live one.

Target

[link-button href=”http://fave.co/2F3mtsq”] Get it from Target [/link-button]

West Elm Extra-Small Cross Base Terrarium ($19)

A terrarium is another great way to add a touch of green to your home without bringing in a full-blown plant. These globe-style options are not only beautiful on their own—they sit on a fun brass base for a unique look and the extra-small size is under $20.

West Elm

[link-button href=”http://shopstyle.it/l/zpwS”] Get it from West Elm [/link-button]

In The Company of Women Coffee Table Book ($25)

A great coffee table book not only adds visual appeal but can also provide you and your guests with some serious inspiration. You can go with something that’d be of general interest to everyone, like In The Company of Women, or add a book that relates to one of your personal hobbies or interests.

Amazon

[link-button href=”http://amzn.to/2EOaG21″] Get it from Amazon [/link-button]

Shop More:

Wall Art Under $75

Get rid of those asylum walls and hang some art up; it’s the quickest way to add a pop of color and texture to any room. Pieces can be expensive though, especially when they’re from local artists. To get a unique addition that won’t break the bank, check out these fun pieces—all under $75.

World Market Black & Blush Strokes Wall Art Set ($70)

This three-piece set can be hung together in any room for an interesting focal point, or hung separately in different rooms for strategically placed pops of color and pattern.

World Market

[link-button href=”http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/5339270/type/dlg/https://www.worldmarket.com/product/black-and-blush-strokes-by-lanie-loreth-wall-art-set-of-3.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&from=fn”] Get it from World Market [/link-button]

Urban Outfitters Lydia Macramé Wall Hanging ($60)

Who says that adding art into your home has to mean hanging up a painting? This handwoven macrame hanging makes a statement—put it up on any blank wall for an Instagram-worthy look.

Urban Outfitters

[link-button href=”http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/5339270/type/dlg/https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/shop/lydia-macram-wall-hanging?category=apartment-room-decor&color=012&quantity=1&size=L&type=REGULAR”] Get it from Urban Outfitters [/link-button]

Shop More:

Rugs Under $300

Buying rugs on a budget is rough—they’re crazy expensive! And it’s hard to go too budget-friendly: The difference in quality between a cheaper rug and one that’s a little pricier is pretty evident. Thankfully, there are lots of rugs that sit right in the middle, offering good quality at a fair price. If you’re looking to freshen up a blah-feeling space or you want to change up the style altogether, invest in a new rug to switch things up.

Laurel Foundry Modern Farmhouse Olga Gray Rug ($146)

If you’re going for the modern farmhouse look on a budget, this rug is for you. It’s available in a variety of sizes, so it’s easy to find an option to fit in whichever room you need it for.

Wayfair

[link-button href=”http://shopstyle.it/l/znFd”] Get it from Wayfair [/link-button]

Aliyah Pink Area Rug ($223)

A rug is usually the focal point of the room and that’ll definitely be true of this rug. These bright colors would be dreamy in a white-walled room with neutral furniture.

Joss & Main

[link-button href=”http://shopstyle.it/l/znOM”] Get it from Joss & Main [/link-button]

Project 62 Indigo Modern Lines Rug ($250)

This rug adds a little eye-catching detail without going overboard. Perfect for high-traffic areas, it’ll give any room a pop of color without the maintenance of a high pile rug.

Target

[link-button href=”http://fave.co/2sM8W3L”] Get it from Target [/link-button]

Shop More:

Lighting & Lamps Under $80

Lighting plays a big role when it comes to the atmosphere in your home—anything too dim can make things feel bleak and depressing, while anything too bright can make you feel like you’re standing under grocery store fluorescents. The key is having different lighting options available so you can adjust the light during different times of day.

Rivet Minimalist Tripod Floor Lamp ($80)

A tripod lamp is an easy way to add a unique visual element to any room. It’ll give off the perfect amount of warm light for reading or watching a movie at home.

Amazon

[link-button href=”http://amzn.to/2EMPB8k”] Get it from Amazon [/link-button]

Project 62 Modern Acrylic Accent Lamp ($40)

Forget your basic table lamp: With mixed materials and clean lines, this lamp mixes brass and acrylic for a stylish, sophisticated twist that’ll heighten the look of any room.

Target

[link-button href=”https://fave.co/2kBhCTI”] Get it from Target [/link-button]

Project 62 Geometric With Marble Accent Lamp ($35)

This lamp is basically a two-for-one because it’s almost a work of art on its own. Set it on a side table or your nightstand for a modern touch.

Target

[link-button href=”http://fave.co/2sSLiCS”] Get it from Target [/link-button]

Shop More:

Ottomans & Poufs Under $100

Sometimes our couches and chairs meet our fashion needs but totally fail when it comes to function. There’s no need to go out and buy an entirely new living room set if yours isn’t quite as comfy as you’d like, though. In addition to tossing on some pillows and a cozy throw, adding a fluffy pouf or sturdy ottoman can really help you relax and, literally, kick your feet up.

World Market Gold-Printed Faux Cowhide Pouf ($70)

This faux-fur pouf will help lend a luxurious, bold look to your sitting area. It’s even firm enough to be used as a makeshift seat when you have extra guests over.

World Market

[link-button href=”http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/5339270/type/dlg/https://www.worldmarket.com/product/gold-printed-faux-cowhide-pouf.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=fn”] Get it from World Market [/link-button]

World Market Ivory Faux Flokati Stool ($100)

If you want something a little sturdier, this faux-wool stool gives the same bold look with the addition of wooden legs.

World Market

[link-button href=”http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/5339270/type/dlg/https://www.worldmarket.com/product/ivory-faux-flokati-stool.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=fn”] Get it from World Market [/link-button]

Shop More:

Accent Chairs Under $200

If you’re really looking to change the look of your living or sitting room, adding in new furniture is your best bet. But it can be hard to justify spending the money on new furniture when there might not be anything wrong with what you have, especially when you see the high price tag on certain pieces.

Divano Roma Mid Century Modern Chair ($160)

The mid-century modern look is in right now and, thankfully, you don’t have to spend a ton to get it. This armchair is not only affordable but comfortable and stylish, too.

Amazon

[link-button href=”https://amzn.to/2J4sTGx”] Get it from Amazon [/link-button]

Urban Outfitters Haylee Mono Rattan Chair ($150)

Think outside the box when it comes to accent seating! This woven rattan chair is simple but makes a statement with its cool, summery vibe.

Urban Outfitters

[link-button href=”http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/5339270/type/dlg/https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/shop/haylee-mono-rattan-chair?category=chairs&color=065″] Get it from Urban Outfitters [/link-button]

Threshold Hudson Swoop Arm Chair ($170)

For a simple chair with clean lines, opt for this sloped, wingback style. Sleek and stylish, it comes in 15 different colors and patterns to fit any style.

Target

[link-button href=”http://fave.co/2F3kiW8″] Get it from Target [/link-button]

Shop More:

Side Tables Under $100

If you already have a coffee table, adding an accent table or two may have slipped your mind. They can be a great addition to any space, though: Just add a lamp, a plant, and some cute coasters and you’ve got a piece that works for your room.

Rivet Hairpin Wood and Metal End Table ($80)

Hairpin legs are currently on-trend, and an end table is the perfect way to work them into your decor. The metal legs combined with a wooden table top add an industrial, modern edge to any space.

Amazon

[link-button href=”http://amzn.to/2F0pLgd”] Get it from Amazon [/link-button]

World Market Glass Lorelei Accent Table ($100)

This brass side table makes a statement, whether you use it as a functional side table or not. Try setting it up in a corner as a unique stand for a cascading plant.

World Market

[link-button href=”http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/5339270/type/dlg/https://www.worldmarket.com/product/glass-lorelei-accent-table.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&page=2&from=fn”] Get it from World Market [/link-button]

Urban Outfitters Annette Marble Side Table ($89)

The beautiful combination of brass and marble add a lavish touch to any room. With a clean, simple silhouette, this side table easily fits in with any decor while still standing out.

Urban Outfitters

[link-button href=”http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/5339270/type/dlg/https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/shop/annette-marble-side-table?category=tables&color=010″] Get it from Urban Outfitters [/link-button]

Shop More:

Coffee Tables Under $200

A living room or sitting area doesn’t always feel quite right without a coffee table in the middle. Use it for game nights, to display coffee table art books, or even to kick your feet up on. Though they tend to be a more expensive item, the great news is that you can find one that looks nice and holds up well for less than $150.

WE Furniture Coffee Table (~$125)

If you have an angular sectional sofa, round things out with this brass coffee table. We especially love the glass top, which won’t take up too much visual space.

Amazon

[link-button href=”http://amzn.to/2EQ8cjE”] Get it from Amazon [/link-button]

Sauder Canal Street Coffee Table ($148)

This coffee table is perfect for a more rustic style. The raised edge adds an interesting touch that makes it easy to hold photos or other decorative elements.

Target

[link-button href=”http://fave.co/2F4L8gk”] Get it from Target [/link-button]

Mercury Row Corona Coffee Table ($179)

For a more modern, angular look, this coffee table combines the look of wood and chrome for a piece that’ll easily become a focal point in your home. It’s also two-tiered, allowing you to use it both functionally and decoratively.

Wayfair

[link-button href=”http://shopstyle.it/l/zI7G”] Get it from Wayfair [/link-button]

Shop More: