Categories
Nosh

12 Popular Foods That Are Complete And Total Frauds

Cooking using all-natural foods is a wonderful way to know what you’re eating, but it’s also a great way to spend a lot of money. Not everyone has the financial resources or time required to craft a 100 percent farm-to-table menu at home, meaning most of us opt for something a little easier with relative frequency.

HealthyWay
iStock

But it might be time to rethink our eating options, especially considering that these 12 foods are notorious frauds.
Portions of this article were updated on Oct. 23, 2018.

1. Red Velvet Cake

Everyone loves red velvet cake. What’s not to love? There’s cake, there’s cream cheese, usually there are some sprinkles on top, and it’s delicious. #treatyoself. The thing is, we also love red velvet cake because the taste is comforting and decadent, even though the color indicates something, well, unnatural is probably going on.

HealthyWay
iStock

Red velvet cake is really just chocolate cake with some food coloring (some people use beet juice for a natural coloring effect). During the Great Depression, a Texas company began selling food coloring and flavoring extracts that were purported to cut down on the costs of cooking. One recipe that Adams Extracts brought to life was the red velvet cake.
The story is mentioned in the 2014 New York Times article titled “Red Velvet Cake: A Classic, Not a Gimmick.” It goes like this:

After Congress passed the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act in 1938, shoring up regulations for food coloring, Mr. Adams [the company’s founder] figured he could sell a lot more extracts and dyes, and a red cake would be just the way to do it. Sometime in the 1940s, the company tricked out a mahogany cake [popular at the Waldorf Astoria where Adams and his wife enjoyed it] recipe with food coloring, printed it on cards and began plans to merchandise it alongside bottles of vanilla, red dye and artificial butter flavoring, which was popular when butter was rationed during World War II.

HealthyWay
iStock

Today, red-velvet themed products from pancakes to candles are available all over, and it’s still a favorite, even if it really is just dyed chocolate cake. Want to make your own? You can find a red velvet cake recipe here.

2. Wasabi

If you go out for some sushi, you know you’re going to mix that fiery hot green wasabi in with some soy sauce (or just smear a dollop of it on top of every single bite of California roll, if you’re a real heat seeker). The catch is, real wasabi is incredibly expensive and the stuff we’re typically served at our local sushi joint isn’t actually wasabi.

HealthyWay
iStock

The Daily Meal states, “The wasabi you’ve most likely had differs quite a bit from the real thing. Wasabi roots are difficult to grow, and a pound can cost up to $100, so a substitute is often made by combining mustard, horseradish, and food coloring to give it its iconic light green hue.”
The biggest difference is that, as with almost all culinary cost-cutting methods, the flavor of the product is compromised. Real wasabi has more of a pleasurable kick at the end, whereas the cheaper concoction will give you that runny-nose burn. That said, most of us will happily endure a little short-term pain over the alternatives: a long-term loss of money we’d have to spend on the real thing, or sushi without that signature spiciness we know (isn’t real) and love.
HealthyWay
iStock

If you’re set on trying the real thing, here are a few ways to make your own genuine wasabi-flavored condiments at home.

3. Crab Meat

Hold on tight for this one, because if you don’t already know about this, then what you’re about to read will essentially do what Supersize Me did for the McDonald’s chicken nugget.

HealthyWay
Frrrrred (via Wikimedia Commons)

In Japanese, those iconic crab sticks (pictured above) are called surimi, which actually means “ground meat”—and they’re essentially the oceanic version of the hot dog.
HuffPost explains, “Surimi is made of different kinds of fish, which are ground together [and pulverized] into a paste. According to SF Gate, manufacturers add starch, artificial flavors, sodium and sometimes MSG.” Then, of course, it is dyed with orange food coloring to give it that authentic, crab-like look.
HealthyWay
iStock

Unless you’re averse to food colorings, this might not seem like a big issue. And while it’s not as bad for most consumers as eating an actual hot dog, the HuffPost article points out that, “Because starch is often made from wheat, imitation crab meat is not gluten free. True crab meat, on the other hand, is safe for the gluten-averse.”
“On most nutritional counts,” it goes on to note, “this processed seafood pales in comparison to the real thing.”
In our opinion, it’s best not to ingest imitation anything, so try to go for the salmon, tuna, or yellowtail when eating sushi—or opt for vegetarian and vegan options like mushroom rolls and delicious inarizushi. Also, we are not listing a recipe for making your own fake crab meat because doing that at home could be…disastrous.

4. White Chocolate

White chocolate is hit or miss with most people (our favorites, though, include white chocolate Crunch bars and Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme). The funny thing about white chocolate, of course, is the fact that it’s hardly chocolate at all.

HealthyWay
iStock

As described in this Greatist article, “Real chocolate contains three must-have components: chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, and cocoa solids (often in addition to other ingredients). But the white kind lacks chocolate liquor and cocoa solids—which means it’s also missing flavanols, the antioxidants that give the authentic stuff nutritional benefits.”
So, not only does white chocolate lack much of what makes chocolate chocolate, it is void of the few healthy components that come with chocolate, too. In 2004, the FDA got involved and mandated a law that required white chocolate to have a minimum of at least 20 percent cocoa butter and no more than 55 percent sugar or other sweeteners.
HealthyWay
iStock

That way companies couldn’t basically put sugar on a stick and call it white chocolate. In case you’re curious, here’s a recipe for making white chocolate—not sure why you’d want to though!

5. Pomegranate Juice

You should probably be a little cautious about anything labeled “juice” or “fruit drink.” It is worth checking the ingredient list since more often than not, you’ll find some oddities in there—along with an insanely high dose of sugar.

HealthyWay
iStock

That said—we know that pomegranates are incredibly healthy and do amazing things for your heart and cholesterol levels, but the problem with buying the “juice” version is that you might not be getting that healthful beverage you were after. Unfortunately, it’s not just off-brand companies trying to claim their products offer you the benefits of the pomegranate; magnate corporation Coca-Cola was actually sued by Pom Wonderful because they were putting out a drink and calling it “Blueberry-Pomegranate Juice.”
Yet, as discussed in this article from The New York Times, “the blend, sold under Coca-Cola’s Minute Maid brand, is made almost entirely from apple and grape juice. [The juice] is made up of 99.4 percent apple and grape juices, 0.3 percent pomegranate juice, 0.2 percent blueberry juice and 0.1 percent raspberry juice.”
HealthyWay
iStock

The lesson here is to check your labels, or, to be extra safe, make your own juice. Interested? Learn how to seed and juice a pomegranate here.

6. Breakfast Syrup

Unless you’re putting the tap into a tree and getting the maple syrup yourself, it’s tough to say exactly what you’re eating when you drizzle Aunt Jemima (or any other) syrup over your waffles. Most likely, unless it’s labeled as 100 percent pure, authentic maple syrup, it’s probably a mixture of corn syrup, cane syrup, and a slew of natural and/or artificial ingredients and sweeteners.

HealthyWay
iStock

Some people take this blasphemy very serious, so much so that there was a law being pushed forward that would make it illegal to sell fake maple syrup. The Huffington Post reported that “legislation would make the sale of fraudulent maple syrup a felony offense with up to a five-year maximum penalty. Currently, it is only a misdemeanor. The MAPLE (Maple Agriculture Protection and Law Enforcement ) Act aims to protect the producers of maple syrup.”
While it’s best to go with a natural fruit topping for your favorite breakfast items, we know that is not going to always happen. The next time you’re at the store, it might be worth spending the extra couple dollars to get something authentic rather than a jug of artificial (and clawing) sweetness.
HealthyWay
iStock

Since maple syrup is all natural, here is a link to buy your own tap kit. Note that it does not come with a flannel shirt or wool beanie.

7. Bacon Bits

Bacon is one heck of a trendy culinary pick right now. And it’s earned its stripes—it is delicious. You can put bacon on just about anything and it will increase the flavor and texture while boding well for foodie photos. However, you have to be careful when eating it because while some products may be called bacon, there’s a possibility that they’re something else.

HealthyWay
iStock

Enter bacon bits. Shockingly enough, those little nibs of goodness are actually vegetarian! Greatist explains what they’re made from: “Lacking any animal products, these crispy bites are made of artificially flavored textured soy flour and other ingredients including caramel color, maltodextrin, yeast extract, and flavor enhancers called disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate.”
HealthyWay
iStock

So technically, if you’re vegetarian or even vegan, you could eat these little toppers, but we warn you, it may not be the best idea. If you’re really craving some bacon, you could always buy an actual package, cook it, and then refrigerate the leftovers for use when needed.

8. Supermarket Sourdough

Sourdough bread is a classic baked good that has a long history and a tanginess that’s won it a place in the hearts (and stomachs) of many a carb connoisseur. Unfortunately, if you’re grabbing your sourdough off a grocery store shelf, it might not be sourdough at all.

HealthyWay
iStock.com

Matt Bowler, founder of Bowler Organics, explains: “Sourdough bread and pasta set themselves apart from quick-rise products, and even some ‘sourdough’-labeled products because of the presence of lactobacillus, a type of bacteria which naturally produces lactic acid during the fermentation process.”
“Some of the more prevalent ‘sourdough’ products will leverage acid as an ingredient added to the dough rather than allowing the lactobacilli to work their magic.”
image
iStock.com/alle12

Even if you’ve been satisfied with the flavor of your go-to faux sourdough, you’re missing out on some other key benefits of genuine sourdough, according to Bowler.
“Quick-rise breads utilizing commercial yeast products—whose rise-time may be less than two to three hours—essentially cheat the process during which those nutrients and enzymes are unlocked. This results in fewer readily-available nutrients our bodies can use.”
On the contrary, “fermentation with sourdough cultures, which tends to last between six and 36 hours, ensures active microbial colonies are working to break down grains and allow the finished product to be much easier for our bodies to process.”
image
iStock.com/fcafotodigital

Plus, all the lactobacillus in real sourdough starters means it’s full of probiotics, right? Not so fast! “Sourdough bread is not a probiotic product due to the high temperatures reached while baking,” says Bowler. “Enzymes are effectively deactivated between temperatures of 120 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit.”
That doesn’t mean sourdough isn’t great for your gut. Here are Bowler’s tips for buying bread that’s the real deal:

  • Always look at the ingredients label first. Yeast should never be listed as an ingredient for naturally-leavened, true sourdough bread.
  • No acids should be listed as an ingredient in a genuine loaf of sourdough. Sourdough is very simple and consists of only base two ingredients: water and flour. Salt is added during the process to facilitate fermentation and influence flavor. So, generally speaking, you should look for a basic loaf of sourdough to contain only flour, water, and salt.
  • Other grains can be added while still allowing the bread to be classified as sourdough.

HealthyWay
istock.com/Paolo_Toffanin

To find out if the sourdough bread at your grocery store is legit, “check the labeling, and if you have questions or suspicions, don’t be afraid to ask the bakers about the fermentation process,” Bowler says. “Ask how old their sourdough starter, or ‘mother,’ is and if they proof their dough at room temp or in the fridge, or both. A quick-fermented sourdough loaf will typically undergo between two and four hours of bulk fermentation and an additional two to 24-plus hours of during final fermentation. Cold-fermentation is usually performed during the final stage and will dramatically increase the sour flavor of the dough.”
Once you get your hands on a legit loaf, Bowler—who’s been nurturing his first sourdough starter, affectionately named “Josh,” for a year—has the following advice: “When experiencing sourdough products, I really enjoy tasting them plain first. No butter, cheese, honey, et cetera. There is a depth of flavor achieved by simple fermentation which sets legit sourdough apart from all other types of bread.”
image
iStock.com/muratkoc

“What’s more,” he says for the bakers out there, “your favorite style of bread can most likely be made with sourdough by substituting commercial yeast with some sourdough starter as an ingredient and modifying the process to account for longer fermentation and rise times.”

9. High Fiber Options

Fiber is an important part of any diet, and according to “High In Fiber: Everything You Need To Know About A High Fiber Diet,” a previous piece by HealthyWay, it’s essential to the health of our gut microbiomes. So rather than reaching for a slice of red velvet cake or even a bottle of real pomegranate juice when we need a little something sweet and tangy, we ought to opt for a high-fiber snack, right?

HealthyWay
istock.com/Alexeg84

Registered dietitian Rachel Fine says this isn’t so cut and dry: “When it comes to packaged foods claiming to be high in fiber, it’s important to examine more than just the number on the label.”
She goes on to say that “plant-based, minimally processed foods are going to be your ideal source for naturally occurring intact fibers—such as beans, veggies, whole fruits, and whole grains. These foods offer significantly more nutrition per bite, and there is sufficient research supporting the wide array of health benefits behind intact naturally-occurring fibers.”
“Highly processed foods,” she says, pointing to ice cream treats, high fiber protein bars, and high fiber powders, “contain processed fibers, which are created in a lab from isolated starches. The research behind these fibers remains limited.”
HealthyWay
istock.com/Nastasic

She also stresses that “processed fibers lack additional nutrients and bioactive substances found in naturally occurring high fiber foods.”
Want a high fiber option that doesn’t contain isolated starches that hail from a lab? Rachel urges you to “compare a grain salad to a highly processed packaged food that is not usually high in fiber, e.g., cakes or brownies. Bottom line: If you’re trying to increase the fiber from your diet, do it from whole food sources.
Need some recipes to get you going? Check out the links in this piece on pulses.

10. Bottled Teas

Tea. It just sounds healthy. But odds are, if you’re reaching for sweetened flavored iced teas to quench your thirst, you’re actually sipping on what the FDA calls a sugar-sweetened beverage, or SSB, which in many cases includes sugar as the second ingredient (after water), along with preservatives and other unidentified natural flavors.

HealthyWay
Snowacinesy (via Wikimedia Commons)

According to a resource from the State of Rhode Island Department of health, “the calories in sugar sweetened beverages can contribute to weight gain and provide little to no nutritional value. …Those extra calories can lead to other health risks including obesity, tooth decay, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”
Not exactly what you had in mind when you decided on tea rather than soda.
Zoe Kissam, herbalist and marketing manager of innovation at Traditional Medicinals—the most popular seller of wellness teas in the U.S.—says, “Quality matters when you are buying tea. While there currently isn’t an FDA standard definition for products labeled as ‘tea,’ our products fall into the dietary supplement and food categories, which are both highly regulated. In addition to our teas being formulated by herbalists, they also use medicinal grade herbs whenever possible, which simply means that our products deliver on their intended health benefits.”
HealthyWay
Traditional Medicinals

Of course, this isn’t necessarily what you’re getting when you grab a bottle of tea on the run.
Kissam’s advice: “If you are trying to make healthy decisions, it really doesn’t matter if you are purchasing brewed/steeped at home or bottled iced teas. The best thing to do is read the labels so you know what you are getting. There are options for healthy and clean products in most categories—you just have to be conscious about what you are buying.”
Want to ensure you’re consuming the highest-quality iced tea (rather than an SSB)? Kissam says, “We have a range of teas that work really well as iced teas, including Hibiscus, Raspberry Leaf, Green Tea Matcha, Nettle, Stress Ease, and Roasted Dandelion Root.”
HealthyWay
@tradmedicinals/Instagram

Traditional Medicinals even has a recipe for roasted dandelion iced “coffee” that Kissam says is one of her favorites—it’s pictured above.

11. Sugar-Free Snacks

Registered dietician Paige Penick says, “One of the things that drives me nuts is when labels say ‘sugar free’ on the front, because it’s very misleading.”
Working to cut added sugar out of our diets isn’t the problem. Penick says “sugar-free” packaging is deceptive because companies “usually make up for the lack of actual sugar by adding in something artificial, which may or may not give people—to put it nicely—gastrointestinal discomfort. There are more pleasant and healthful ways to address your sugar cravings.”

HealthyWay
istock.com/MangoStar_Studio

The Vermont Department of Public Health hosts a simple and informative resource that can help consumers identify different types of sweeteners in their foods. It also points out that:

There are two types of sweeteners found in food and beverages: sugars and sugar substitutes. Sugars provide calories, or energy, for our bodies and increase blood glucose, as well as overall calorie intake. All carbohydrate-containing foods, such as breads, fruits, vegetables, milk, and yogurt, increase blood sugar, even if they do not have added sugars.

Depending on your nutritional needs and goals, some sugar-free snacks might be right for you, but you may also want to explore options that contain no added sweeteners—sugar or otherwise.

12. Oatmeal

Oatmeal can be an extremely satisfying (and quick) breakfast option. And even if you’re a fan of steel cut or overnight oats, let’s be honest, almost everyone has their favorite flavor of single-serve instant oatmeal, too.

HealthyWay
Mx. Granger (via Wikimedia Commons)

Registered dietitian nutritionist Kelsey Peoples says, “Instant oats come in a massive range of flavors now and often have little bits of fruit like raisins, apples, peaches, and dates.” So what’s the controversy?
“You may want to double check the ingredient list, as those little fruit chunks aren’t always what you’d think. One titan of the oatmeal industry has both Peaches and Cream and Strawberry and Cream [flavors] that use dehydrated apples with coloring and fruit flavoring—but no actual pieces of the fruit listed in the title.”
HealthyWay
istock.com/LumineImages

The cream? Well, she says that refers to “a ‘creaming agent’ made up of maltodextrin, plant oils, corn syrup solids, whey, and casein.” Looks like it might be best to add your own fresh or dried fruit and cream to plain instant, steel cut, or rolled oats after all.

Categories
Nosh

The Correct Ways To Eat Tricky Foods

The rules around eating have gotten so relaxed that for the most part basically anything can become a finger food. If you’re going to a nice restaurant and want to look impressive, however, then you might want to arm yourself with the knowledge of correct dining etiquette. If nothing else, this is good information to have for your next dinner party.

Spaghetti

If you have seen Lady and the Tramp then you know the right way to eat spaghetti.
Just kidding. We can’t lie, though. That impulse goes through our heads almost every time there’s a plate of pasta in front of us.

HealthyWay
Wendy Dunne/YouTube

But the correct way to eat one of the world’s most beloved pastas is with your fork—and fork alone. In the U.S., we often use the spoon to help us kind of ball up the noodles as we twirl with our fork, but that is not the case in Italy or most other places in Europe.
HealthyWay
iStock

As writer and food critic Trevor Adams told the Daily Mail, “This is eaten with a fork alone and never cut with a knife. The idea of using a spoon as well comes from the USA but is not practiced in authentic Italian homes or upmarket British ones.”

Banana

Certain countries and cultures use fruit as a palate cleanser in between courses. This isn’t especially common in the U.S., but you will often see melons, bananas, or other fruits served with upscale meals in other countries.

HealthyWay
iStock

If you ever find yourself at a fancy meal where fruit is served and you don’t want to simply peel the banana like we normally do, then you can learn from this YouTube video. In it, Sara Jane Ho explains part of her $16,000 eating lesson plan designed for China’s 1 percent.

Place the banana on your plate, cut off the ends, then take your knife and drag it lengthwise across the banana to open it. Slice the banana into bite-size pieces with your fork and knife and eat it like a cut-up hot dog.

Asparagus

Asparagus can be eaten in different ways depending on what course it is. If it’s an appetizer and there is a dipping sauce, then go ahead and use your hands and dip.

HealthyWay
iStock

Always have a napkin nearby so your hands aren’t totally gross, and if you are at a networking event, remember to eat with your left so your right is always clean and ready to shake someone else’s hand.
HealthyWay
iStock

If asparagus is served with your main meal, then, of course, use your knife and fork and cut into pieces and eat. Do not slurp like it’s spaghetti or try to fit the whole spear in your mouth.
Chopsticks
Think you know the proper way to use chopsticks? Think again.

Caviar

It’s still up for debate whether people actually like these fancy fish eggs or if they just think eating caviar makes them look sophisticated. Either way, if you find yourself with an opportunity to eat caviar, the best way is to use a small utensil and plate (neither of which should ever be metal, because if metal directly touches the roe that taste takes away from the flavor of the caviar).

HealthyWay
iStock

The best materials to use are ceramic, glass, or even plastic—and if you’re really going upscale, mother of pearl or bone. Take small bites and let the taste linger on your tongue.
HealthyWay
iStock

You can also put it on bread, crackers, or blini, which are little Russian pancakes. If you want the in-depth presentation, check out the 10 steps on wikiHow.

Ice Cream

If you happen to throw a dinner party and want to bring some old school manners back, then you’ll be serving your ice cream with a spork.

HealthyWay
iStock

In an article on proper food etiquette, Reader’s Digest has this to say: “The point of entertaining guests was not the food, but the company. It was common, for instance, for a host to serve ice cream with a sort of spork, almost ensuring that guests would eat it in a dignified manner before it melted—which it would quickly do if one was taking small, graceful bites in between exchanges of clever repartee.”
HealthyWay
iStock

No slurping the melting mint chocolate chip until there is nothing left.

Chicken Wings and Pizza

If you’re at a place that is serving chicken wings and pizza, then you’re probably at a place where it is totally appropriate to use your hands.

HealthyWay
iStock

We understand that on a first date it might seem weird to eat with your hands, but then again, you can learn a lot about a person this way.
Do not cut your pizza into pieces; we aren’t children anymore. And part of the fun of eating some really good pizza is folding it in half. Haven’t you seen Big Daddy?
Laura Gottman is the founder of the Protocol School of Texas, and even she admits that “people make the mistake of attempting to formalize finger foods by using a knife and fork, but when ordering foods that would typically be eaten with your fingers, feel free to pick them up and readily indulge.”
HealthyWay
iStock

Just have napkins on hand, and be mindful of the extra sauce. Please don’t dissect the chicken wings, though. Nobody wants to see that.

Sushi

Sushi in the United States is usually eaten with chopsticks, but that’s not the traditional way to eat it. In reality, we should eat sushi (cut hand rolls) as finger foods.

HealthyWay
iStock

If you don’t believe us, take it from Tokyo sushi chef Naomichi Yasuda, who told the LA Times, “Picking up that salmon roll with your fingers is correct. And don’t dunk sushi in your soy sauce—dip it. Just enough to taste the soy, then eat it. Finally, never eat that pickled ginger together with your sushi. Eat it separately. Think of it as the sherbet of a fancy five-course meal—a palate cleanser.”
There is no mention of the spicy mayo, but we imagine that it’s not polite to order and then dunk your sushi it. If it makes you happy, though, go ahead and break the rules.

Mussels

Mussels are messy. Especially when served in a bowl of delicious garlic broth that’s paired with some crusty bread. The best way to eat mussels is with a tiny fork to scoop out the meat, dunk in the broth, and then eat.

HealthyWay
iStock

If you’re not given the proper utensils, you can also use an empty shell as tweezers or chopsticks to help free the meat. Feel free to ask for a small bowl of water to dip your fingers in so your napkin doesn’t look like it came from a seafood battlefield.

Lobster

Want to know a crazy fact about lobsters? They are borderline immortal. Some of the oldest lobsters in the world lived for more than 140 years.

HealthyWay
iStock

Males typically live into their thirties, whereas females age to their mid-fifties. They usually die from disease or fishing but not old age. The bigger the lobster, the older it is.
When it comes to eating lobsters, most connoisseurs assert that younger lobsters are more tender. And if you get the opportunity to eat lobster, you’ll want to follow the directions that Reader’s Digest has laid out for readers:
“First, twist and pull the large front claws off. Then separate the pieces of the front claws at the joints. Use a nutcracker to crack the larger part of the claw and pull the meat out with a lobster fork. Twist the tail and the body in opposite directions, pulling the tail free. Discard the green gunk; that’s tomalley, the lobster’s liver.
HealthyWay
iStock

“Break off the tail flippers and insert your thumb or finger into the flipper end to push the meat out of the tail. Or use a knife to cut the under-shell. Remove the large vein-looking digestive tract so you can enjoy the lobster tail.”

Categories
Motherhood

Incredibly Dangerous Social Media Challenges Kids Are Doing

When we were kids, we maybe had a pager. Then a cell phone in high school. The most advanced social media we had access to was texting, and it usually cost a quarter a text.

HealthyWay
iStock

Those days are long gone, and today’s young people are growing up in the hashtag generation, with these “challenges” that promote self harm in ways we never thought of (fortunately).

The Eraser Challenge

Some people do things that are silly, yet for a good cause–like the ice bucket challenge that helped raise awareness for ALS. But there are other people who come up with dangerous ideas for no real reason at all.

HealthyWay
Chris Rand/Creative Commons/Wikimedia

Thus, we give you “the eraser challenge,” in which kids rub an eraser vigorously on their arms while reciting something like the alphabet.
HealthyWay
iStock

The result? A nasty burn on their skin and an Instagram post that all their friends will like and comment on. No charity. No good cause.
It’s painful and can become pretty dangerous if you erase enough skin to break through and bleed. “Anytime the skin barrier is broken down, there is an increased risk of skin infections,” Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatric and adolescent specialist at the Mayo Clinic, told USA Today.
HealthyWay
kidspot

“Burns, whether from heat or chemicals, result in a break of the natural skin barrier. The skin barrier’s job is to keep bad things out like potential infection causing bacteria (that live normally on the skin).”
HealthyWay
swaged__out__savage/Instagram

The activity might seem dumb—and it is. But it can be much worse if you get an infection, especially if you’re sharing erasers with other kids who have done the same thing. Purell won’t stop this one, but it will surely make it sting.

Salt and Ice

For us to fully understand the danger of this challenge we have to remember a little science.

HealthyWay
iStock

Thanks to the internet’s wealth of informative resources (and because high school was unfortunately a long time ago), we can tell you this about salt and ice:
“When salt is added to ice it lowers the melting point. In other words the ice begins melting at a temperature lower than 0° C. This is why salt is added to ice on the roads in the winter. It causes ice that would have otherwise remained as a solid in sub-zero temperatures to turn to water. Note that the temperature of the water has not changed. It’s still at a sub-zero temperature but, as mentioned above, the salt allows it to remain as a liquid at the lower temperature. Don’t think that just because the salted-ice has become water the temperature has risen.” – Stuff Explained
HealthyWay
TMNTiger/YouTube

Now back to the challenge. Kids are taking an ice cube, putting salt on their arm, and then letting the ice cube melt on it. As we just learned, the salt will lower the melting point so the ice will melt more quickly, but the temperature is still the same as the water.
Therefore these kids are getting frostbite, which is effectively the same as burning themselves. The kicker is that the ice is numbing them while it’s happening, so they don’t realize how bad the burns are at first.
HealthyWay
Dr. Claudia

This trend was so bad that the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the United Kingdom issued a warning to parents about the craze. At least we can keep an eye on these kids to a certain extent, because they feel like they have to upload the challenge to social media or it never happened.
Doesn’t this make you happy we grew up without it?

The Pass Out Challenge

You don’t need to know a lot of science to understand that this one is potentially deadly.

HealthyWay
@arman_badriza/Twitter

This ridiculous trend involves kids filming themselves choking or restricting their breathing ability to the point that they pass out.
HealthyWay
Cigdem Sacma/YouTube

This is such a disturbing fad. And with today’s added pressure of social media, some young people are trying this alone and then recording the whole thing. So we are seeing too many heartbreaking cases in which kids are literally filming their own death.
HealthyWay
iStock

This is what happened with 11-year-old Davorius Gray, whose mom, Latrice Hurst, found his dead body in his bedroom.
“If I could rewind time, I would go back and heavily monitor his use of social media, YouTube and the Internet,” she said. “I don’t believe young people should be on social media and it should be limited to adults, or at the very least, with extreme adult supervision—where the parents can see everything that takes place on the sites—should be a requirement.”
HealthyWay
“Chi Chi” Ray/GoFundMe

It’s crucial that people who have kids heed this warning that these challenges are not just harmless pranks—and that kids’ internet and social media activity should be closely monitored.

The Duct Tape Challenge

This is another challenge that doesn’t require any knowledge of science, but you do need a little “help” from your friends. The problem is that if your friends are dumb enough to wrap you up in duct tape like a broken leg of a chair at a frat house, then they’re probably not going to be much help if something bad happens.

HealthyWay
ABC News

Just ask the family of Skylar Fish, who did the duct tape challenge and wound up in the hospital. His friends had done this challenge before. Usually they tape the person to a pole, but this time they taped Skylar standing up.
The problem is that if you fall, like Skylar did, then your hands are still taped to your sides. So the only thing to break your fall is your head. Skylar fell into the corner of a window ledge and then hit the concrete.
HealthyWay
Siemny Kim

The result: “It crushed his whole eye socket and pinched off nerves in his eye. It’s unknown whether Skylar will regain vision in that eye. He now not only has a brain aneurysm from his head slamming into the concrete, but he also had to get 48 staples,” according to his mom, Sarah Fish.
Skylar at least has found some purpose after the tragic events, saying he wants to “teach other kids not to do it. When I think about it, I become sad and then really happy, because I’m happy, because I survived it. I almost died.”

Fire Spray Challenge

The name alone makes you question just what goes through the mind of a teenager. We are sure that at some point everyone has taken a can of hairspray and a lighter and made a fireball. But this challenge has taken that one step further.

HealthyWay
iStock

The hairspray + fire + indoors combination is dumb enough, but in some instances kids are covering themselves with the hairspray then lighting themselves on fire and jumping into a pool.
As one worried father told the Daily Mail after he discovered his sons had been doing this: “I felt sick and worried when I heard what they’d done. It could easily have been a phone call saying my sons are in hospital or they’ve died. They have been punished more than I have ever punished them before. It’s shocking that kids are able to watch videos like that.”
HealthyWay
@ImTheOnlyMaj/Twitter

We think the word shocking is a perfect description of these dangerous fads. We hope to see more schools start educating students on the harm these “challenges” can cause.

Categories
Motherhood

Parents Of Successful Kids Have These 7 Things In Common, According To Science

Parents have a great responsibility to raise their kids to the best of their ability. Here are seven things that parents who raise successful children have in common.

HealthyWay
iStock

Adopting some of these practices may help to ensure the growth and success of your children now and in the future.

They make their kids do chores.

If you never teach your kid to do their laundry because they aren’t great at sorting, you aren’t doing them any favors. They’ll go off to college and, as actual adults in the world, will not know how to do their own laundry. And that’s pretty insane.
The most important thing to realize with chores is that you’re teaching your kids responsibility (not to mention that if they don’t do these things, someone else will have to).

HealthyWay
iStock

Julie Lythcott-Haims, former dean of freshmen at Stanford University and author of How to Raise an Adultsaid, “If kids aren’t doing the dishes, it means someone else is doing that for them, and so they’re absolved of not only the work, but of learning that work has to be done and that each one of us must contribute for the betterment of the whole.”
HealthyWay
iStock

Lythcott-Haims goes on to elaborate about how teaching your kids when they’re young to do chores and have responsibility will most likely shape them into better employees, teammates, and people of empathy because they’ll have more understanding of independence and hard work.

They teach their kids social skills.

There was a 20-year study done on kids beginning in kindergarten and following them until they were 25 years old. The research found a huge correlation between kids learning social skills in kindergarten and going on to become successful adults versus those who did not learn the proper social skills.

HealthyWay
iStock

As summarized here, “The 20-year study showed that socially competent children who could cooperate with their peers without prompting, be helpful to others, understand their feelings, and resolve problems on their own, were far more likely to earn a college degree and have a full-time job by age 25 than those with limited social skills.”
This theory is more important than ever today because of the constant use of iPads and phones as a means of distracting a child while adults enjoy their meal or socialize.
HealthyWay
iStock

It’s incredibly important to teach young kids proper social behavior as well as emotional behavior and tools to deal with everyday situations.

The family gets along.

We understand this may not always be an achievable situation, but hopefully the parents are willing to try.

HealthyWay
iStock

It may be common knowledge that kids whose parents get along tend to do better emotionally than kids who grow up in a house with parents who fight, but it’s also proven true that kids tend to do better with a single, happy parent over two parents who do not get along.
Conflict prior to a divorce can have a major negative impact on the child. What is also key to a child’s well-being is how the parents get along after the divorce.
HealthyWay
iStock

Business Insider says, “One study found that, after divorce, when a father without custody has frequent contact with his kids and there is minimal conflict, children fare better. But when there is conflict, frequent visits from the father are related to poorer adjustment of children.”
HealthyWay
iStock

The study goes on to explain how kids in their twenties still report pain and distress over the conflict from their parents divorcing from when they were children.

The parents have attended higher education and have good jobs.

This idea goes along with the theory that kids want not just to follow in their parents’ footsteps, but they frequently want to achieve more than their parents. There is a mentality that kids want to make their parents proud.

HealthyWay
iStock

By doing so, they often feel the desire to earn more money or build a better business in an effort to do something that builds on the foundation of what their parents did and goes one step further.
In one study researchers found that “Pulling from a group of over 14,000 children who entered kindergarten in 1998 to 2007, children born to teen moms (18 years old or younger) were less likely to finish high school or go to college than their counterparts.”
HealthyWay
iStock

Parents who went to college are more likely to [linkbuilder id=”6668″ text=”raise kids”] who will go to college, and furthermore, when children are young, their parents’ educational level seemed to have a direct effect of the child’s desire for education and occupation well into their forties.

Parents teach conflict and resolution.

E. Mark Cummings, a developmental psychologist at the University of Notre Dame said, “When kids witness mild to moderate conflict that involves support, compromise, and positive emotions at home, they learn better social skills, self-esteem, and emotional security, which can help parent–child relations and how well they do in school.”

HealthyWay
iStock

An example of this is a kid who witnesses his parents fight and then come to a resolution (and make up happily) or solve another problem together. In these instances, when the child sees the comforting conclusion to the fight, he or she will be happier and more emotionally secure afterward when the tension from before the fight has been released.
Therefore, the child will learn to have more of an open mind about constructive arguments and trust in the process to talk about certain feelings, emotions, and things that may be causing problems. Cummings goes on to say, “Our studies have shown that the long-term effects of parental withdrawal are actually more disturbing to kids’ adjustment than open conflict.”
HealthyWay
iStock

This is because the children will feel stress but won’t know exactly why, which could lead to further developmental and behavior problems.

Quality Time Over Quantity

There is a social stigma that parents—especially mothers—should be around their young children as much as possible. But a recent study found that “In fact, it appears the sheer amount of time parents spend with their kids between the ages of 3 and 11 has virtually no relationship to how children turn out, and a minimal effect on adolescents.”

HealthyWay
iStock

The research goes to explain how helicopter parenting or forced parent/child time could actually have a negative effect on the child because the parent is stressed during their time together.
Whether it’s because of work, marital problems, or any other reason, the stress is passed on to the child. This is called “emotional contagion,” which is the psychological phenomenon in which people “catch” feelings from one another like they would a cold.
HealthyWay
iStock

The most important factor was the focus on quality time with children versus quantity. It’s not so much about the number of hours, but what goes on during those hours. Talking, going outdoors, exploring are all examples of quality time; doing activities together benefits the child more than just sitting around and watching television.

Valuing Effort Over Focusing on Failure

There is an ancient proverb that says, “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” There are countless other adages that explain the idea that much more emphasis should be placed on trying, failing, and trying again versus the notion of succeeding or not succeeding. This article about “fixed mindsets” and “growth mindsets” further explain this concept, which is summarized here:
A “fixed mindset” says that our character, intelligence, and creative ability are predestined traits that we can’t change. Essentially, if you fail, you are never going to learn. You’ll always fail.

HealthyWay
iStock

A “growth mindset,” on the other hand, thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of a lack of intelligence but as a platform for growth and for stretching our existing abilities.
HealthyWay
iStock

Therefore we must teach our children the importance of learning from failure and using what they’ve learned to try again—only this time with more knowledge.
One way to look at this that many kids can relate to is if you’re playing a video game and you die at a certain point, you don’t give up. You play again, and now that you know there is someone hiding behind that wall, you’ll be prepared. You have learned from your first time and will use that knowledge to advance further in the game—just as you do in life.

Categories
Sweat

Tanning Myths Exposed: What's True And What's Hype?

Rates of skin cancer have been rising steadily for the last 50 years. With summer quickly approaching, it’s time to clear up some tanning myths—and learn a little more about being in the sun.

Indoor tanning doesn’t cause melanoma: MYTH

You’d think you would have to live under a rock to believe that indoor tanning doesn’t cause cancer. But the Indoor Tanning Association (yes, that is a real thing) claims this is not certain.

HealthyWay
iStock

“There are a lot of studies out there and a lot of conflicting evidence about what causes melanoma,” says John Overstreet, the executive director of the ITA. He goes on to claim that skin cancer is largely hereditary but does conclude that if skin cancer runs in your family, you should definitely stay away from an indoor tanning bed. You don’t say…

HealthyWay
iStock

Of course we have all been told how bad tanning is for us, which is the exact sentiment of David E. Fisher, MD, PhD, chairman of dermatology and director of the melanoma program at Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard Medical School and president of the Melanoma Research Foundation. He says, “There is no question that ultraviolet exposure is associated with an increased risk of melanoma.”

HealthyWay
iStock

There is also research that shows those who do indoor tanning before the age of 35 increase their risk of skin cancer by 75 percent.

Outdoor tanning doesn’t cause skin cancer: MYTH

Again, you’d have to be living under a rock to believe this one! But there are people who don’t think that outdoor tanning causes skin cancer. Fortunately, those people are few and far between, but an article in the British Journal of Dermatology reports that the sun is merely a scapegoat for what causes melanoma skin cancer.

HealthyWay
iStock

They claim that people are reported having skin cancer when in reality they just have a cancerous lesion, not necessarily skin cancer, nor is it caused by the sun. “These findings should lead to a reconsideration of the treatment of ‘early’ lesions, a search for better diagnostic methods to distinguish them from truly malignant melanomas, re-evaluation of the role of ultraviolet radiation and recommendations for protection from it.”

HealthyWay

The authors go on to express that we should be searching in a new direction for the cause of melanoma.

You only get vitamin D from the sun: MYTH

There are some theories that say you can only get your daily dose of vitamin D from natural sunlight and a small amount of UV radiation. Health journalist Kathleen Doheny says that “Limited exposure to natural sun—exposing skin to about two to 10 minutes a day without sunscreen—is recommended by some experts as a way to produce enough vitamin D.”

HealthyWay
iStock

In truth, however, we can get our dose of vitamin D from a variety of other sources like “milk, cereal, yogurt, and orange juice fortified with vitamin D as well as salmon, mackerel, and tuna.” There is also an easy over-the-counter pill you can take to get your daily dose of vitamin D.

HealthyWay
iStock

Although the sun does provide vitamin D, levels can fluctuate daily depending on your location and the weather, so the surest thing to do is take a pill or eat vitamin D–rich foods.

Tanning doesn’t cause signs of aging: MYTH

Have you ever looked at someone and thought their skin was beginning to look like leather? Okay, that is kind of mean, but that appearance can often be caused by prolonged periods in the sun.

HealthyWay
Twentieth Century Fox

If you remember the movie There’s Something About Mary, Mary’s roommate was an old, tan lady who was always shown with that aluminum face shield thing that directs sunlight into your face—hence the wrinkles.

HealthyWay

What causes this look is the two different UV rays that come from the sun: UVA and UVB. “UVA rays are the rays that cause tanning as well as wrinkles and other signs of premature aging, and UVB rays cause sunburns and skin cancer. But both ultimately damage your skin. UV rays are more powerful during the summer months,” writes Krisha McCoy on Everyday Health.

If your appearance is important to you, something to keep in mind is that the tanner you get, the more wrinkled you’ll get. So limit your time in the sun and always wear sunscreen to help prevent burns.

And now for some key information about sunscreen and how you’re probably using it wrong!

We have briefly discussed the difference between UVA and UVB rays, both of which are bad and should be protected against. In order to shield yourself from the harmful rays, you should always apply sunscreen. The best time to do that is a full half hour before you go out in the sun so it has time to soak in and not wash off with sweat or water.

HealthyWay

Furthermore, the Skin Cancer Foundation has some great information about just how important reapplication is:

“Reapplication of sunscreen is just as important as putting it on in the first place, so reapply the same amount every two hours. Sunscreens should also be reapplied immediately after swimming, toweling off, or sweating a great deal.”

HealthyWay
iStock

The right amount of sunscreen to be applied is one ounce every two hours (which is about a single shot glass worth, for those of you who measure things that way).

HealthyWay
iStock

Most people apply less than that and therefore do not get the full protection benefit of the sunscreen.

Who should wear sunscreen?

Anyone over the age of 6 months should use a sunscreen daily. Even those who spend most of their time indoors are exposed to ultraviolet radiation for brief periods throughout the day, especially if they work near windows, which generally filter out UVB but not UVA rays.

HealthyWay
iStock

If you have an infant who is under 6 months old then the best thing to do is cover them in clothing and keep them in the shade, because the chemicals in sunscreen can be harmful to a baby’s skin.

As for people who are out on cloudy days, they too should always wear sunscreen. “Up to 40 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth on a completely cloudy day. This misperception often leads to the most serious sunburns, because people spend all day outdoors with no protection from the sun,” the Skin Cancer Foundation cautions.

HealthyWay
iStock

Always be mindful of the sun, even indoors, by windows, and on cloudy days.

What is SPF anyway?

SPF stands for sun protection factor. It’s a measure of the sunscreen’s ability to protect the skin from harmful UVB rays. To break it down into math and time, it takes about 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to begin turning red, but if you use SPF 15 sunscreen, then essentially your skin won’t turn red for 15 times as long. (So in this case, instead of 20 minutes, your skin will turn red after 300 minutes.)

HealthyWay
iStock

That does not account for sweat or water, though, so to be safe you should reapply every two hours. There is another way to look at SPF in terms of percentages: “SPF 15 filters out approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 keeps out 97 percent and SPF 50 keeps out 98 percent,” the Skin Cancer Foundation explains.

It may not seem like a lot, but those small differences make quite an impact on sun protection and sensitivity, especially when you apply sunscreen throughout the day.

HealthyWay
iStock

The tricky thing is that even when your skin becomes red, that is an effect of UVB rays alone and doesn’t let you know the actual damage happening underneath, which is done by UVA rays. So it’s always best to play it safe and stay covered!

Categories
Lifestyle

Chill Out: These "Scary" Health Symptoms Are Usually Harmless

We all have a tendency to make a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to self-diagnosing ourselves. Thanks to sites like WebMD, we have turned into full-on hypochondriacs and have probably all thought at one point in time we have a serious illness, when, in fact, it was nothing more than a bad cold or weird bruise.

HealthyWay
Startup Stock Photos

While we can’t offer legitimate medical advice—that’s what your doctor is for—it may ease your mind to know that those odd aches and pains are most likely something completely benign. With any of these symptoms, we always recommend checking with a medical professional if you are concerned or have any questions.

But if your mild hypochondria is getting the best of you and you’re curious to see the most common self-misdiagnoses, check out this list to find out what those body aches might actually be.

Symptom: An Inability to Focus

Self-Diagnosis: ADD/ADHD

What is probably is: Us no longer having an attention span

In today’s society, we all tend to think we have a little hyperactivity. In truth, however, we just have no attention span.

HealthyWay
Hero Images

We are always easily distracted and desperate to know everything so quickly. There is a reason that videos that go viral on social media have incorporated subtitles: it’s because companies know that we are so scared to commit to watching a two-minute video. If they add subtitles then we don’t have to click on the video itself and feel that commitment; we can just stay on the main page and watch music videos without sound while reading the lyrics.

We can go on and on about the lack of attention span but feeling distracted or unable to focus does not necessarily mean you have ADD or ADHD. The next time you’re feeling hyperactive, try cleaning your apartment—you’ll quickly realize that you don’t have that much energy after all. Bring on the Netflix.

Symptom: A Mysterious Lump

Self-Diagnosis: Malignant tumor

What it probably is: Swollen gland

Every single one of us has felt a lump on our bodies at some point and immediately thought, “Okay, this is it, this is how I die.”

HealthyWay
Livestrong

Now no one is saying it’s not something to take with caution and get checked out. In fact, we encourage it!

But quiet your mind for a moment by recognizing there is also the possibility that it is nothing more than a swollen gland. We have glands all over our body and when we fight off an infection, they put in overtime so they swell. It’s easy to think that since you’re already sick and your glands in your neck are swollen that it could be serious, but more times than not, it’s simply your body fighting extra hard to kill whatever is making you feel sick.

Give it a couple days and if they’re still incredibly swollen, go to the doctor, but if they’ve decreased, then it’s probably nothing to worry about.

Symptom: A New Mole

Self-Diagnosis: Skin cancer

What it probably is: Well… A new mole

Skin cancer is nothing to joke about. In reality, one in five people in the U.S will get skin cancer at some point in their lives. That is a heavy fact and something we should all take seriously.

HealthyWay
Elijah Henderson

However, every time we look in the mirror and find a new freckle or mole, our minds immediately go to melanoma or skin cancer. The fact is, as we age we get spots, colorations, moles, freckles, and more, and it’s nothing more than just that: aging.

There is a lot of research out there which tells us how to prevent getting age spots and also lower any chances for skin cancer. Always be safe and use sunscreen and stay out of the sun when possible, because no one wants to age quicker than they have to.

By protecting yourself from UVA and UVB rays with a broad spectrum sunscreen, you’ll also lower your chances of new freckles (which are caused by a group of cells in the skin making more melanin, a dark pigment, than the surrounding skin) which will then lower your anxiety of thinking you have skin cancer.

Bottom line: always take your skincare seriously and cover up, but don’t give yourself a nervous breakdown when you look in the mirror and find a new spot.

Symptom: Muscle Twitch

Self-Diagnosis: Something very wrong. You don’t know what, but it’s something.

What it probably is: Dehydration

We have all experienced those random, annoying muscle spasms. They can happen out of nowhere and in the most random spots—eyelids, lower back, feet, fingers—nowhere is safe.

HealthyWay
Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock/Getty Images

When it first happens, it comes at a shock and can easily freak us out as we have no control over the spasm and aren’t quite sure what is happening. It is really nothing to worry about though as these twitches happen with over 90 percent of people and tend to happen at random locations in our body.

The truth behind them isn’t fully understood but most doctors think it depends on our stress level, caffeine intake, and amount of sleep. They are more common after a workout since you have some lactic acid built up in your muscles. The best thing to do is stay hydrated so your muscles can heal quicker.

HealthyWay
iStock

Next time you get a series of these annoying twitches, go grab a coconut water that is full of potassium and it should help you out.

Symptom: Headache

Self-Diagnosis: Brain clot

What is probably is: Stress and lack of sleep

First off you’ll be happy to hear that your brain can’t actually feel pain so when you get a headache, it’s not your actual brain, but the area around your head, face, and neck. Now to be safe, of course you should always take precaution, but don’t give yourself more pain by automatically assuming the worst.

There can be a number of reasons you get a headache: too much caffeine (or lack thereof if you’re a habitual coffee drinker), stress, a strained muscle, sinus problems, a fever—the list goes on and on.

The best thing to do is try to relax, maybe take some ibuprofen, and wait it out. If it continues then of course you may want to see a doctor, but try to not over react at first.

HealthyWay
iStock

There is also a trick to try to relieve some pressure if it’s a sinus headache. Take your thumbs and push them into the part right above your eye but below your eyebrow. You can also push your tongue into the roof of your mouth and then pinch the nerve right between your thumb and pointer finger. Try it next time and see if it helps!

Symptom: Stomach Pain

Self-Diagnosis: Crohn’s, cancer, or internal damage

What it probably is: Constipation, bloating, or gas

Stomach pain can be absolutely debilitating. You can have intense pain or trouble breathing, which leaves you feeling like a beached whale. It’s not uncommon to be keeled over, feeling overly sensitive and in pain.

HealthyWay
iStock

There are a number of things that run though our heads in these situations and most are very serious, but in truth these symptoms can be caused by nothing more than constipation or gas. It’s not pleasant or pretty, but it can be the truth. A very relieving truth.

A lot of things can affect your body and stomach to create constipation or bloating. For instance, if you’ve just traveled on an airplane, or taken certain pain medications, or eaten your heart out on a charcuterie board, then try taking some Tums or a gentle laxative and see if that relieves the pain you’re feeling.

HealthyWay
iStock

If it becomes more serious then of course the doctor is the way to go, but it’s worth trying before spending all the money and time waiting at the doctor’s office for him to simply say, “Yeah, you need to poop.”

Symptom: Knee pain

Self-diagnosis: A torn ligament or muscle—something that definitely requires surgery

What it probably is: Soreness

Knees are very sensitive areas and no one wants to have an injury that impacts their daily mobility like a knee injury. Therefore, every time something happens with our knees, we tend to think it is more serious than it really is. Especially if the pain lasts.

There might be a simple cause of this that we tend to overlook. For the majority of people with a job, that job takes place in an office and has us sitting at a desk for nine hours a day. We don’t really get up to walk around but a couple times throughout the day, and then when we leave, we walk to our car, sit in traffic, maybe go to the gym and rush in to make that intense workout class like kickboxing or soul cycle.

If this describes most of your week days, the soreness makes sense. You essentially just sat for nearly 10 hours without using your legs at all and then rush your body into an extreme workout where you extend your knee.

HealthyWay
iStock

That can create intense pain and soreness and could lead to a serious injury. The next time you have pain in your knee, try scheduling some time to get a good warm-ups in and some stretching before rushing into that yoga class.

Symptom: Back pain

Self-diagnosis: A slipped disc

What it probably is: Sleeping (or sitting) in a bad position

Ever wake up and realize you slept in a funny position and now you can only turn your neck to the right? We know it’s due to sleeping all crammed up and in an odd position. The same rules can apply to our lower back and hips.

HealthyWay
iStock

The correct way to sleep is on our side with a pillow in between our legs so our spinal cord can lay parallel with our bed in an even position. People who actually sleep like that are lucky. Most of us sleep on our backs, stomachs, or sprawled out like Spider-Man in the middle of our bed.

We wake up the next day and jump in the shower, rush off to work, sit in a chair, and then go home and sit on our couch. Then back to bed and repeat. Needless to say, this leads to soreness and pain.

HealthyWay
iStock

The next time you incur some lower back pain and you think you’ve slipped a disc, try rearranging your sleeping position, buy a body pillow, and do some gentle stretches upon waking and see if that helps. No need to rush into back surgery just yet.

Categories
Sweat

8 Myths That Could Hurt Your Workout (And You)

We all want to be in shape and live a healthy lifestyle, but we also know how difficult that can be. Going to the gym, eating right, all while balancing your normal life, it’s tough. To help you out here are some things that you might have thought was going to help you get into shape, but in reality, might be hurting yourself.

What you’re doing wrong: Pushing yourself too hard

What you should be doing instead: Knowing your limits and letting your body rest

HealthyWay
Shape Magazine

There are plenty of people in the exercise world with the mindset of “no pain, no gain.” Many of them think that feeling sore after a workout is a sign they did a good job. Others believe that soreness is a buildup of lactic acid, which can happen when you lift weights or do other anaerobic exercises, where muscles contract without oxygen (unlike walking or jogging where blood flows through your muscles as you work them).
What really happens after a solid workout is that you create slight tears in your muscles, which then become inflamed and therefore cause soreness. Any lactic acid build-up is dissolved within a couple hours before any real soreness sets in. So a little pain does result in gains—after all, when your muscles rebuild they are newer and stronger.
HealthyWay
Runner Ritual

But it’s essential that you be careful to not overdo it. A slight tear can heal quickly but if you push yourself too far into the pain then you might risk serious injury.

What you’re doing wrong: Getting less than six hours of sleep

What you should be doing: Pushing the workout to the evening and letting yourself sleep
Setting your alarm for that 6 a.m. workout might sound like a great idea but if you’re not careful it can actually backfire. Unless you’re getting a full six hours of sleep (minimum), you’re going to be doing more harm than good to your body.

HealthyWay
Greatist

Getting fewer than six hours of sleep nightly has been linked to chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and especially obesity. Reason being, your body is tired and tricks itself into thinking you need energy, energy comes from carbs, and too many carbs make you, well, fat.
Ever get a bad night sleep and the next day you crave potato chips and snack food? That’s that fatigue at work.
HealthyWay
Pixabay

There is a great benefit to getting your six hours and then working out but don’t just work out to work out if you’re body isn’t well rested. A post-workout treat might sound good at the time if you’re feeling sluggish, but you don’t want to have your cake and eat it too—and by “too” we mean two pieces.

What you’re doing wrong: Using working out as an excuse to drink or eat unhealthy

What you should be doing: Limiting yourself and trying to refuel properly
Have you ever stayed in on a Friday night, woken up early that Saturday, hit the gym, felt amazing, and then thought to yourself, “Hey, I did well! I should get a treat”?

HealthyWay
Janet Kwan

Fast forward to three mimosas and a Bloody Mary later, your workout turned into a self-sabotaging binge and now you’re drunk at noon, one beer away from inhaling a California burrito. Don’t get us wrong—we’ve all rewarded ourselves a little too much for working out and, hey, it’s a lot of fun.
But it’s important to remember that there is a trigger in our brain that wants to reward us for our exercise and to maintain that workout high. Another way to get that high? Indulging on some of our favorite treats.
HealthyWay
Life Of Pix

On weekends especially, be careful of the workout-to-reward program when there’s only booze at the finish line. However, if you’re going to brunch it up, drink beer since you’ll at least get some protein, sugar, and carbs, which is a step closer to what your body needs to replenish what you burned.

What you’re doing wrong: Stretching too hard

What you should be doing: A warm-up exercise instead
Stretching is key—you probably know that. Most of us grew up doing the one leg crossed behind your back and pulling up to our butt stretch, as well as putting your arms over your head and across your chest, but did you know that stretching has not proven to be beneficial for protecting against injury?

HealthyWay
Pixabay

The best time to stretch is actually after your workout when your muscles are already loose. If you do so before you could actually risk pulling something by over-stretching when your body has not had the chance to warm up because you’re essentially pulling a tightened cold muscle.
The best thing to do before working out is a warm-up routine, like an easy jog or some cardio to get your blood flowing to all your muscles and joints. Then you can do your workout and finish it off with some stretching.
HealthyWay
Christopher Campbell

If you must stretch at some point in your day, try in the morning when doing a few simple stretches or yoga poses will help awaken your body. Follow it up with some lemon water and you’ll be ready to tackle the day.

What you’re doing wrong: Going to extremes in exercise and dieting

What you should be doing: Finding a balance to lose weight and strengthen your body without risking injury
Excessive cardio and dieting are really not the answer here. There is a reason in life we are told over and over again about balanced nutrition, as well as a balanced lifestyle.

HealthyWay
picjumbo

We don’t want to fall into any one side of the spectrum, because neither are healthy. When you do excessive cardio and dieting, there is a fine line between being balanced and burning the candle at both ends. A lot of people think that if they diet really well and then jump on the treadmill or go for a 10-mile run a few times a week they’ll lose weight and look good—and for a moment they most likely will.
But you have to be incredibly careful not to overdo it. The fact is, your body needs calories for energy and also to rebuild muscle. Therefore, when you run 10 miles and only eat salad and the occasional avocado, you run the risk of damaging your muscles by not giving them what they need to regenerate and push you forward.
HealthyWay
Tookapic

You could end up weakening certain muscles, over-straining them, or even pulling them since they aren’t getting what they need to heal.

What you’re doing wrong: Rushing into an intense workout class right after work

What you should be doing: Warming up so you can loosen up after sitting all day
Most people work a desk job for nearly 10 hours a day with extremely limited movement. We sit on a chair, legs in front, shoulders hunched, eyes strained, and our only exercise is getting up for lunch or to the bathroom.

HealthyWay
energepic

By the time we get out of work, sit in traffic, then rush into the gym, we’re five minutes late to our kickboxing class so we just jump right in.
The problem is, at this point your body is going to be one incredibly tightly wound ball when you haven’t used your feet, knees, or hips all day. Now suddenly you’re kicking a bean bag 100 times in five minutes. Those movements create extreme stress on your bones and joints and could lead to serious injury in the moment; it also allows long-term issues to potentially sneak up on you.
HealthyWay
Greatist

Do yourself a favor and try to hit a later class to allow yourself some time to warm up those joints and begin to build the muscles within your arms and legs a little each day.

What you’re doing wrong: Running on concrete without proper shoes

What you should be doing: Running on a track or grass with enough cushion
Running around your neighborhood: It’s the easiest way to get in a little exercise and one that creates an easy loop. However, running repeatedly on a hard surface could lead to injury.

HealthyWay
JÉSHOOTS

The impact from the ground goes directly into your foot and ankle, with shock absorption going into your knees and hips and reverberating throughout your body. Needless to say, this can quickly become a risk for an injury. Studies show that concrete is about 10 times harder than asphalt so if you’re choosing your neighborhood over a bike path, that’s the smart move. Just be careful not to push too hard because these hard surfaces are surely pushing back.
If possible, hit the local school’s track or run around in a park. Those surfaces are far more likely to provide the cushion that your joints need, and in 30 years, your joints will thank you.
HealthyWay
Unsplash

The best advice runners give is to buy shoes with some extra padding to help decrease the impact and it could also help build strength since you’ll be running with just a little more weight in your shoes.

What you’re doing wrong: Only using weights to work out

What you should be doing: Using your body and the power of resistance training
You may think that strength training is only done by using weights. Well, that is just simply not true.

HealthyWay
Scott Webb

However, it is a great way to outdo yourself and take on more than you can physically lift. Of course, by overexerting yourself, you can seriously injure yourself—or someone else if you’re using free weights. Don’t send that dumbbell flying!
That is why bench-pressing is usually done with a partner (hey spotter!), but if you’re on your own and trying to really bulk up, start with some resistance training.
HealthyWay
Kateryna Trysh

You’ll be able to gauge your own strength while truly building your core muscles, which turn into lean muscle and that is what you need as your foundation. Put down the dumbbell and use a resistance band or medicine ball.