Tag: body

Sweat

What Every Parent Needs To Know About Spina Bifida

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date June 20, 2017

Spina bifida is an uncommon but often debilitating birth defect. Globally, about 1 person in 1,000 has some form of spina bifida, although rates vary from country to country.

This birth defect occurs when a baby’s spinal cord is left exposed due to an incomplete closure of the neural tube; as a result, the spinal cord doesn’t receive adequate protection. This often allows for spinal cord damage, which can result in mental or physical impairment.
Here’s what every person should know about this condition.

1. There are three types of spina bifida.

The most common form is the mildest.
Spina bifida occulta occurs when the baby has a small spinal gap without any opening in the back. It’s rarely discovered in early childhood, and it usually doesn’t result in disabilities.
Meningocele spina bifida occurs when a fluid sac protrudes from an incomplete closure in the baby’s back. This is a serious issue, but because the spinal cord isn’t within the site, it rarely results in major disabilities. Some nerves may be within the sac, however.

Myelomeningocele spina bifida is what most people think of when they think of spina bifida. A fluid-filled sac protrudes from the baby’s back, and part of the spinal cord is within the sac. In many instances, this type of spina bifida can cause significant disabilities.

2. Researchers aren’t sure exactly what causes spina bifida.

Nutrition seems to play a key role in the development of the birth defect. Mothers can take vitamin supplements to substantially decrease the chances of spina bifida, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Folic acid seems to be especially important. In fact, the Spina Bifida Association recommends that all women should take folic acid supplements during their childbearing years. About half of all pregnancies are unplanned, and taking a regular supplement can be the best way to prevent the condition.
There’s evidence that overheating can cause some cases of spina bifida, so pregnant mothers should exercise caution and avoid hot tubs and saunas. Fevers can also increase the chances of spina bifida. Pregnant women who have elevated temperatures should consult with a healthcare professional for advice on how to treat a fever safely.
Although lifestyle modifications can have an impact on whether a child is born with spina bifida, in many cases the condition is due to genetics or other factors out of a mother’s control.

3. Treatment options are limited.

Serious cases of spina bifida are treated within several days of birth. Doctors attempt to minimize damage to the baby’s nerves and spinal cord, and in many cases, they’re successful; a relatively low percentage of children with spina bifida have paralysis.

Additional surgeries may be necessary as the child grows older, however. Some children also need ongoing physical therapy. For the mildest form of spina bifida, spina bifida occulta, treatment usually isn’t necessary.

4. Spina bifida is often detectable before birth.

Doctors can frequently see the more serious types of spina bifida on ultrasounds, and blood tests during the 16th to 18th weeks of pregnancy can identify the disease. Additionally, doctors may perform a test called a maternal amniocentesis to study protein levels in the womb.

Once again, it’s important to note that most cases of spina bifida do not result in lifelong issues. Still, expectant mothers—and all women who are able to bear children—should understand the risks and the known causes of this potentially serious condition.
Learn more by visiting the Spina Bifida Association’s website.

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Sweat

8 Disturbing Fitness Trends That Keep Gaining Traction

Post author By Staff Writer
Post date June 20, 2017

We all want to be physically fit, but there’s no such thing as a universal definition of “fitness.” To some people, fitness is simply a healthy BMI (even though there’s plenty of evidence that BMI is flawed). To others, it’s a toned, slim, beach-ready body. For some people, fitness means touching your elbows together in front of your bellybutton.
Wait, what?
Each year brings new fitness trends, and some of those trends are healthy—there’s nothing wrong with Pilates, for instance, and we’re not going to mock anyone for picking up a few yoga classes. However, some fitness trends are downright dangerous.

To evaluate some recent trends in getting fit, we spoke with Rui Li, a National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer and the owner of New York Personal Training, a boutique fitness studio.
“My studio’s philosophy is all about total body wellness, so these crazy fitness trends are actually the opposite of what I preach,” Li says. She’s talking about things like…

1. Thigh Gaps

This is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: You’re thin enough that there’s a clear gap between your thighs when you stand up.
As cool as some people may think it looks, unless your body is naturally built to have a gap, it’s almost impossible to create one while maintaining your overall health.

The biggest factor in determining whether you have a thigh gap is how your thighs sit in relation to each other. That’s largely determined by your bone structure—you can burn all the fat you want, but you can’t magically change the positioning of your hips.
If you don’t have the body type for a thigh gap, achieving one can be dangerous, since you’d need to bring your body fat down to a dangerously low level while decreasing your muscle mass.
“If you look at all the strongest people in the world, powerlifters, Olympic weightlifters, and strongmen competitors, they all have thick thighs that have no space whatsoever,” Li explains.
Those athletes don’t have thigh gaps—and that’s completely fine.

“In fact, many strength athletes complain about their inner thighs rubbing together and causing skin irritation and deterioration of their pants,” Li says, proving that some of the strongest people in the world aren’t aiming for a gap.

2. Sunburn Tattoos

Don’t have the money for a tattoo? You could always use sunlight to burn a stencil right onto your skin. Of course, that’s an insanely unhealthy idea, but the #sunburntattoo hashtag took off in 2015, drawing an outcry from dermatologists everywhere.
By some estimates, UV light exposure causes approximately 90 percent of all melanomas (the most dangerous form of skin cancer). Sunburns increase your chances of melanomas substantially; according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, on average, a person’s risk of developing a melanoma doubles if he or she has had more than five sunburns.

Besides, this trend doesn’t look cool—it just looks painful.

3. Cracked Abs

Meet the ab crack, which is essentially the thigh gap for your abs. It’s basically just a line that runs down the middle of your abdomen, and it’s a byproduct of having a low percentage of body fat.
As you might have guessed, it isn’t healthy.
To have clearly defined abdominal muscles, most people need to sit around 6 percent body fat. While we’d never say that anyone with a six pack is unhealthy—after all, you can still nourish yourself well and be really lean—you’ll have to go even further beyond this to get an ab crack. You’d also have to lose some muscle.

“If the ab muscles are underdeveloped, then the crack becomes much more prominent when the person is lean,” Li says. “If you look at bodybuilders who are in competition, they are extremely lean, often dropping to 4 percent body fat, but they don’t have a bizarre crack in their abdominal midline because they strength train to develop bulk in their abdominal muscles.”
Li says that the “ab crack” can be a sign of a condition called diastasis recti, which often affects people who have lifted heavy items without building up adequate core strength.

The medical editor of Health, Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, notes that “getting an ab crack is probably not a realistic or healthy goal for the average person.” Most people will never be able to attain the look with even a clean diet and an intense workout regimen.

4. Protruding Ribs

Recently, social media users have started discussing “rib cage bragging,” which is exactly what it sounds like. People post photos to social media that show their rib cage visibly sticking out, with each and every bone clearly defined under the skin.
You can guess by now where we’re going with this one—while some people’s rib cages may stick out more than others, having one so clearly defined can only be attained with an extremely low level of body fat.

“This is entirely genetic,” Li says. “Some people just have ribs that stick out while others do not. I hover around 18-23 percent body fat, but even at my highest, around 25 percent, all I have to do is raise my arms to stretch and my ribs will pop out.”
Li says that your standing posture might affect whether or not your ribs protrude, but otherwise, it’s not something to strive for.
“This is an absolute nonsensical trend,” Li says.

Thankfully, this is one trend that seems to be on its way out, with many social media users publicly stating they’re not buying into the hype. As one Twitter user wrote, “‘Ribcage bragging’ is apparently a new trend? Only ribs you’ll see of mine are the BBQ ribs on my plate.”

5. Waist Training

This trend was started in large part due to the Kardashian family, who frequently post pictures of themselves in Victorian-like corsets.
The idea is that the waist trainers will gradually reduce your waistline, but Li says that contracting your waist within such a small frame can be dangerous.

“There is no way to squish your fat, muscles, organs, and ribs together without hindering how well your body functions,” Li says. “The human body evolved to be of a certain shape and proportion, and aside from exercise and diet, there is no other healthy way to modify the body.”
When worn for too long, waist trainers essentially push all of your internal organs together, resulting in some strange side effects.
“Every single thing you do to your body affects your biomechanics, from sitting at your workstation to wearing pointy-toed high heels,” Li says. “Think about how important it is to take a deep belly breath. If everything around your waist is regularly squished tighter together, you will have a much harder time getting a deep breath. Short, shallow breaths can cause anxiety, make sleeping difficult, and even cause dizziness and fainting.”

6. The A4 Waist Challenge

The A4 Waist Challenge, which has reportedly taken hold in China, encourages women to take photos of themselves with a piece of A4–size printer paper in front of their waists to show that their waists are as wide or smaller than the piece of paper. A4 printer paper, by the way, is 8.27 inches wide.

Not only is the challenge ridiculous, it prompts many women to strive for a goal that’s completely unattainable. Even with a low body fat percentage, your natural shape isn’t something you can change.

7. Alien Yoga

Also known as “nauli,” alien yoga is a yoga move that is said to strengthen your core and detoxify your digestive system.
To perform the move, you start by exhaling fully, pushing your stomach outwards. Then, while holding your breath, you pull your abdominal muscles up towards your chest, then move them from left to right.

So, does it work? Well, sort of—it contracts your core, but the “detoxification” benefits are dubious at best (detoxification doesn’t really exist, apart from the natural processes of your liver and kidneys).
Though the move should always be done in the presence of an instructor, it’s fairly safe. Yoga website DoYouYoga doesn’t recommend nauli for women who are pregnant or for people who suffer from ulcers, hernias, or heart conditions.

8. The Belly Button Challenge

Originating in China, this has to be one of the strangest body-related challenges out there. The idea is that if you’re able to wrap your arm behind your back and around to your belly button, you’re at an ideal shape and weight.
That is, of course, untrue.
“This is simply a mobility challenge,” Li says. “When you see yogis contorting themselves, it’s because they have a great deal of flexibility in their joints. Being able to wrap your arm around your waist and touch your belly button from the other side simply means you have a lot of shoulder mobility. Hypermobility, to be precise.”

While there’s nothing inherently dangerous about the pose itself, challenges like these can be harmful to people with eating disorders, according to James Hamblin of The Atlantic. Li also believes that successfully conquering the “challenge” isn’t such a great accomplishment.
“Too much of a good thing is not great,” she says. “To be that mobile means the person is lacking strength and stability in their shoulder, which makes them prone to serious injuries. “

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Wellbeing

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms That Most People Ignore

Post author By Staff Writer
Post date June 20, 2017

What is B12?
Vitamin B12 is one of the vitamins responsible for a well-functioning metabolism and robust energy levels. In addition, B12 helps promote healthy function of red blood cells and nerve tissue.

It’s found naturally in high-protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and milk.

Who is at risk for B12 deficiency?

Because B12 is not generally found in plant-based foods, vegetarians are at risk for B12 deficiencies. Older adults are also at risk, because the body doesn’t readily absorb B12 as we age.

If you take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for chronic heartburn or have been diagnosed with a gastrointestinal condition like Crohn’s disease, you may also be at risk for B12 deficiency.

B12 Deficiency Treatments

Most symptoms can be treated simply by increasing the number of B12-rich foods in your diet. If you suffer from a mild deficiency, upping your protein intake might be enough to get your energy back.

If your B12 deficiency is more severe, you may need B12 injections or supplements to get your health back on track. Not sure if you’re getting enough B12? Check to see if any of these b12 deficiency symptoms apply to you.

1. Anemia

A B12 deficiency can cause anemia (low red blood cell production). Red blood cells carry oxygen all over the body. When the body doesn’t produce enough red blood cells, the available oxygen decreases as well.

B12-related anemia can cause many other issues, including:

Extreme Fatigue

It’s normal to get tired during the day if you didn’t sleep well the night before, just ate a large meal, or completed strenuous exercise. But it isn’t normal to experience an overwhelming fatigue that doesn’t go away with rest.

Muscle Weakness

You might experience soreness after a hard workout for a day or two, but if your muscles feel like you just ran a marathon after a simple activity like brushing your hair, you may be anemic.

Heart Palpitations

Feel a flutter in your chest? You could be experiencing heart palpitations due to decreased oxygen circulation.

Breathlessness

Breathlessness is normal after activity, but if you find yourself short of breath during rest, it’s an indicator that something’s not right. Just like heart palpitations, anemia can cause breathlessness due to a lack of oxygen in the blood.

Pale Skin

Red blood cells are responsible for the rosy color in our cheeks. When red blood cell production decreases—as it does in anemic individuals—the skin becomes pale and colorless.

2. Pins-and-Needles Sensation

You know the pins-and-needles sensation you often get when your foot falls asleep?

This sensation is called peripheral neuropathy and can be linked to nerve damage caused by a B12 deficiency.
According to the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy, a B12 deficiency damages the sheath that surrounds and protects nerves, resulting in an unpleasant and sometimes painful tingling sensation.

Other diseases such as diabetes can also cause a pins-and-needles sensation, so it’s always best to make an appointment with your doctor to rule out other conditions.

3. Forgetfulness and Confusion

One of the more frightening symptoms of B12 deficiency is severe forgetfulness and confusion. This symptom most frequently occurs in older adults and can be misdiagnosed as dementia. That’s what happened to Ilsa Katz, the subject of a 2011 New York Times article about vitamin B12 deficiency.

Ms. Katz’s daughter noticed her mother’s increasing inability to remember faces and events. She became easily confused and often couldn’t remember where she was going or how she got there.
The preliminary diagnosis was Alzheimer’s disease, but routine blood work showed low levels of B12. With a few weeks of B12 injections, Ms. Katz’s condition vastly improved.

It’s normal to experience what’s called brain fog every now and then, like forgetting where you parked your car or why you came to the grocery store in the first place. But if you are consistently unable to recall your boss’ name or often find yourself in a certain place with no recollection of how you got there, you may be experiencing extreme B12 deficiency.

4. Mood Disorders

Many mood disorders, including anxiety and depression, are linked to low levels of B12. As Wellness Mama explains, B12 helps regulate the production of mood-controlling chemicals such as serotonin. When B12 levels are lowered, production of these chemicals are interrupted, which can result in certain mood disorders.

Of course, anxiety and depression can be caused by many other factors, like stress or hormonal imbalance.
But if you find yourself suddenly crying for no reason, or if you experience other symptoms of anxiety, you may want to have your B12 levels checked.

5. Changes in Vision

If you notice changes in your vision, you might assume it’s time to visit the optometrist. However, a B12 deficiency could be to blame. Because low levels of B12 in the body can cause nerve damage, one of the more serious symptoms of B12 deficiency is blurry vision.

You may also experience shadows over your field of vision or sensitivity to light. If your vision problems are caused by an undiagnosed B12 deficiency, you could risk long-term damage to the optic nerve, resulting in permanent vision loss.

6. Jaundice

Most of us have only heard of jaundice in reference to newborn babies, who are occasionally born with this condition, in which skin and eyes may take on a yellow tone. Jaundice occurs when bilirubin builds up in the bloodstream.

Normally, the liver filters bilirubin out of the body along with old red blood cells. A B12 deficiency can cause a breakdown in red blood cell production, which results in a buildup of bilirubin.
If you notice your skin has taken on a sallow appearance, or the whites of your eyes appear yellow, you may have a B12 deficiency.

7. Smooth Tongue

When was the last time you took a good look at your tongue? If you haven’t checked out your mouth lately, it might be time to take a peek. According to Stanford University, the tongue should generally be a pink–red color, have a rough surface (where your taste buds are located), and fit comfortably against your front teeth.

smooth tongue is a symptom of low vitamin b12 — Stanford Medicine

If you notice that food just doesn’t taste as flavorful, check your tongue. In individuals with a B12 deficiency, the tongue will actually appear swollen, smooth, and bright red. You may also experience glossitis, which is the medical term for an extremely sore tongue.

Always speak with your doctor.

A B12 deficiency is hard to diagnose because symptoms of low B12 levels are also symptoms of many other conditions and diseases. Although it might be tempting, don’t try to diagnose or treat your symptoms yourself.

Speak with your doctor before beginning any treatment—even a vitamin supplement. A simple blood test can confirm if you have a B12 deficiency, and your doctor will recommend the appropriate treatment plan.

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Mindful Parenting Motherhood

One Mother's Awesome Response When Her Daughter Called Her Fat

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date June 19, 2017

Maintaining a positive body image isn’t always easy. There are lots of messages out there telling us to be ashamed of how we look—especially those of us who weigh more than society says we should.
It can also be tricky to know how to talk about all of this. People who want to be sensitive about the way overweight people are often treated search for just the right word to use as a descriptor while not being insulting. And they frequently find themselves at a loss for words.
Self-help author Allison Kimmey has the right approach—and for the record, she doesn’t view the word “fat” as an insult.

When Kimmey overheard her daughter use that word in anger, she decided that she had to do something about it.
Many mothers would immediately punish their children for using “fat” as an insult. Kimmey, however, doesn’t believe in the effectiveness of that approach.
“Each moment these topics come up, I have to choose how I’m going to handle them,” she wrote. “‘Fat’ is not a bad word in our house. If I shame my children for saying it, then I am proving that it is an insulting word, and I continue the stigma that being fat is unworthy, gross, comical, and undesirable.”

“Since we don’t call people fat as an insult in my household, I have to assume that she internalized this idea from somewhere or someone else,” she continued. “Our children are fed ideas from every angle. You have to understand that that will happen; at a friend’s house whose parents have different values, watching a TV show or movie, overhearing someone at school—ideas about body image are already filtering through their minds.”
“It is our job to be the loudest, most accepting, positive, and consistent voice they hear. So that it can rise above the rest.”

Here’s how Kimmey responded to her daughter’s words (text taken directly from Allison Kimmey’s Instagram page).

“She was upset I made them get out of the pool and she told her brother that mama is fat. I told her to meet me upstairs so we could chat.”
Me: “What did you say about me?”
Her: “I said you were fat, mama, im sorry”

Me: “Let’s talk about it. The truth is, I am not fat. No one IS fat. It’s not something you can BE. But I do HAVE fat. We ALL have fat. It protects our muscles and our bones and keeps our bodies going by providing us energy. Do you have fat?”
Her: “Yes! I have some here on my tummy”
Me: “Actually everyone, every single person in the world has fat. But each of us has different amounts.
“Her brother: “Oh right! I have some to protect my big muscles! But you have more than me”

Me: “Yes, that’s true. Some people have a lot, and others don’t have very much. But that doesn’t mean that one person is better than the other, do you both understand?
Both: “Yes, mama”
Me: “So can you repeat what I said”
Them: “Yes! I shouldn’t say someone is fat because you can’t be just fat, but everyone HAS fat and it’s okay to have different fat”
Me: “Exactly right!”

Kimmey’s exchange went viral almost instantly, and for good reason.

She’s doing a great job of showing a healthy, positive way to deal with body shaming.

Kimmey has more parenting wisdom to share. She recently announced that she’s working on a children’s book about body confidence. The book will be available for pre-order this month, and it should hit store shelves in autumn. For more information, follow Kimmey on Instagram here.

Tags 50027251, body, hemingway

Wellbeing

6 Telltale Signs Of Liver Trouble

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date June 19, 2017

A healthy liver is essential to your overall wellness. The liver plays a vital role in keeping our bodies functioning, and liver disease is a serious health issue that can have devastating effects if it goes undiagnosed.

Listen to your body and look for signs that may indicate your liver is in distress. This will ensure you get the help you need before serious damage is done. Before we get to the symptoms of an unhealthy liver, though, let’s take a look at what a healthy liver actually does.

What’s a liver for, anyway?

The liver is a large, bright red organ that sits protected inside the rib cage above the stomach. Its main jobs are to filter blood coming from the digestive tract, metabolize drugs, break down fats and nutrients so they are easier for your body to absorb, and regulate chemicals in the bloodstream. It is a crucial part of your entire digestive system.

Among the liver’s most important jobs is breaking down and filtering out any harmful substances. The toxins then leave the liver in the form of bile and eventually exit the body as waste.
When your liver is struggling to work properly, it will negatively affect your entire body.

Common Symptoms

Liver disease can be caused by a genetic trait, lifestyle choices, or both. Fortunately there are a handful of common, easily spotted symptoms that are often dead giveaways that your liver isn’t doing too well.
1. A very important symptom—and perhaps the most alarming—is the color of your urine and feces.
Anytime your body’s waste is dark, tar colored, or bloody, it’s time to go see a doctor ASAP.
2. Constant feelings of fatigue might indicate a liver that’s having a hard time.
3. Lots of things cause nausea. Liver disease could be one of them.
4. People with struggling livers often suffer from diminished appetite.

5. Most obvious of all, pain or inflammation in your liver tells you something’s not right.
6. The yellowing of skin and eyes (known as jaundice) and severe fluid retention are other well-known symptoms of liver failure.

When your liver starts to shut down, it’s unable to properly filter out waste products, and your body begins to retain toxins.

Some Not-So-Common Symptoms and Causes

In addition to the obvious body signs associated with liver failure, there’s a whole list of uncommon symptoms as well. These include bad breath and body odor, extremely itchy skin, bruising easily, developing new allergies, and the development of spider angiomas (swollen capillaries close to the surface of the skin).
Although you can’t control genetic factors that cause liver disease, there are lifestyle factors that can affect liver health and function. If you contract a virus that specifically attacks the liver, such as hepatitis A, B, or C, you will now be dealing with a compromised organ. Being overweight or drinking excessively can also lead to liver scarring or cirrhosis.

The earlier liver disease is diagnosed, the better. With enough time, there are changes you can make to your life and diet to reroute the course of the disease.
The liver has an impressive ability to regenerate and heal itself when given a chance to do so. It’s important to eat well, exercise regularly, and go in for annual checkups to stay on top of your liver health.

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Sweat

New Whooping Cough Study Has A Tempting Offer For Participants

Post author By curtis.strite
Post date June 19, 2017

How much would it take for you to let yourself be intentionally infected with dangerous bacteria? We know some researchers who might pay that much.

A team of scientists at the University of Southampton in southern England are working on a brand new study aimed at understanding B. pertussis, the bacterium that causes whooping cough.

“This study is part of a landmark European project that aims to develop a better vaccine against whooping cough, as we know protection by the current vaccine seems to be much less effective than it was 15 years ago,” said Robert Read, director of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, in a

or giving them a call at 023 8120 3853. Learn more about this important study here.

Tags 50027041, body, hemingway

Sweat

This Is What Really Happens To The Human Body During A Flight

Post author By Lisa Douglas
Post date June 16, 2017

Ever since the first commercial flight a little over 100 years ago, airplane passengers have felt the effects that this type of travel has on the human body. We’ve all heard tales of heart attacks, strokes, and things like hyperventilation, but those are extreme cases.

We’ve always been curious about what being that high up in the air does to our bodies. Flight attendants and pilots do it for a living and they seem to be okay. But what is happening to their bodies that we can’t see?

Dehydration is a well-known issue on flights, but I never realized just how bad it was until my then-2-year-old son and I took a trip to Georgia. I was upset because he dumped an entire 16 ounce bottle of water on his jeans.

They were so wet that I could wring them out. Out of desperation, I removed them from his body and hung them on the seat to dry. I checked his pants two hours later when we landed in Atlanta, and to my astonishment, they were bone dry! Not a drop of water remained.

Wondering what else happens to your body when you fly? It turns out that jet lag is the least of our worries. Here are some crazy things that happen to your body when you’re up in the air.

1. You get deprived of oxygen.

Do you ever feel light headed when you fly? Do you have trouble concentrating or find it hard to take a deep breath? Do you get tired easily?

It may be only a small difference, but oxygen levels in the plane’s pressurized air can be lower, which can lead to minor oxygen deprivation in some people. The cabins are pressurized to simulate a 6,000- to 8,000-foot elevation on the ground, and at those altitudes, your blood absorbs less oxygen.

Additionally, more issues surrounding low oxygen levels can occur during longer flights, when you’re seated for an extended period. Your blood doesn’t get the opportunity to move around as much, and this reduces its oxygen levels.

How do you get more oxygen? Try to get up and walk around every two hours or so to keep everything moving.

2. You get dehydrated.

Flight attendants constantly remind you to drink water while in flight, but do you know the reason why? Humidity levels are considered healthy at around 50 to 60 percent, but a plane’s cabin can dip as low as a 10 percent. That’s drier than a desert!

This can lead you to get pretty dehydrated. This happens because water likes to go from places of high concentration (your body and mouth) to low concentration (the plane’s cabin). If you don’t replace those lost liquids you can end up feeling dizzy and tired, with a headache and dry lips, eyes, and mouth.

Make sure that you drink lots of water while you’re in the air, and stay away from beverages that will further dehydrate you, such as tea, caffeinated soda, or coffee.

3. Your taste buds go numb.

Ever notice that everything tastes bland (or the same) when you’re in flight? You’re right! A study in 2010 commissioned by Lufthansa found that our taste buds go numb during a flight.

Dry air not only affects your internal hydration levels, but it can also evaporate nasal mucus. Complicating matters even further is the effect of cabin pressure on your membranes. It can cause them to swell, which, combined with low levels of nasal mucus, can prevent you from smelling foods.

Your sense of smell is necessary for you to be able to taste; without it, your taste buds are compromised. It’s no wonder that airlines create their meals on the ground and then test them in the air!

4. Your ears and belly hurt.

You’re about to take off, and the kind old lady next to you asks, “Want a piece of gum, honey? It’ll help your ears.” Why do your ears hurt when you take off and land?

Air pressure is to blame. As air expands in your ear canals it causes increased pressure to build within your ear and cause pain. You can alleviate a lot of the pressure by chewing gum, swallowing, yawning, or holding your nose and blowing gently.

Does your stomach feel a little queasy? You might be surprised to know that this motion sickness actually started in your ear as well. Your sense of balance is determined mostly by the communication of your inner ears and your eyes. Your inner ears detect motion such as turning, flipping, and going forward and backward.

Problems can occur in flight when your central nervous system receives conflicting messages from these two organs. For example, say you hit turbulence and you’re bumping all over the place. Your inner ears detect it and send a message to your brain.

Your brain, however, has received a conflicting message from your eyes, which are sending the message that they’re looking at a peaceful, non-turbulent cabin. This confusion could cause you to feel air sick.

Do you find that you’re super sensitive to motion and get nauseated at the slightest bump? Experts suggest that you choose seats that are situated over the wings; this is the steadiest part of the plane.

5. Your skin gets damaged.

It may never have occurred to you that you can get a sunburn while you’re inside an airplane, but at high altitude, more than 50 percent of UVA rays can come through the unprotected glass and damage your skin.

In fact, studies show that pilots are twice as likely to develop melanoma, which is the most serious form of skin cancer. Spending 56 minutes in the air is equivalent to 20 minutes in a tanning bed. The next time you fly, slather on that sunscreen!

6. Air pressure wreaks havoc.

As a plane rises in the air, the pressure in the cabin drops. This causes the gas in your body to go a little crazy. As the plane goes higher, the gas in your stomach and intestines expands, making your stomach feel yucky and cramped. Experts recommend that you don’t try to hold your gas in.

This could lead to further pain, bloating, or even worse. It’s a good idea before a flight to avoid eating anything that normally gives you gas (common culprits are beans, dairy, and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts). And skip the carbonated beverages on the flight.

Your belly isn’t the only thing that’s affected by gas when you’re in the air. Just like air pressure causes trouble for our ears, it can also affect your teeth and sinuses (ouch!)

7. You can catch a cold.

Ever notice that you often get sick a couple of days after you fly? A study in the Journal of Environmental Health Research found that your risk of catching a cold is more than 100 times hi
gher when you’re on a plane than when you’re grounded.

It’s a common belief that the recirculated air is what gets people sick, but a study showed that there was really no difference in the health, post flight, of people who were breathing recirculated air versus fresh air. Instead, the studies found that it’s the small confined space that causes people to catch viruses.

Germs are forever present, and in a small space like an airplane cabin, there is a greater likelihood of coming in contact with them. We all know that when someone sneezes in tight quarters, your chances of getting sick are increased.

To combat this, experts suggest that you wash your hands in flight (or as soon as you get off the flight), avoid touching your face during a flight, and use antibacterial sanitizer whenever necessary.

Tags 50026936, body, hemingway

Lifestyle

This Fitness Blogger Hasn't Shaved Her Legs In A Year, Here's Why

Post author By Staff Writer
Post date June 16, 2017

There’s nothing easy about being a teenage girl in today’s United States.
Morgan Mikenas knew this all too well. When her leg hair began to grow and darken, the other girls at school made fun of her. She learned from her peers that body hair was shameful, and she spent her teenage years struggling to conform to society’s expectations of her body. In other words, she started shaving.

She shaved her legs. She shaved her armpits. When people told her that body hair was “ugly,” she believed them. None of it made her happy. No amount of shaving could convince her of her own beauty.

Then, when she was around 19, Mikenas made a decision.

She was done shaving her body. She was tired of the nicks and the dry skin. She was tired of taking time out of her day. Most of all, she was tired of doing something that felt wrong just to conform to someone else’s definition of beauty.

“I stopped shaving because it was an inconvenience,” Mikenas told Vice after a year without razors. “It’s pointless. I feel like it’s an act of submission to the male-dominated culture we live in… Shaving my legs makes me feel powerless.”

As a 20-year-old fitness blogger, Mikenas is at home communicating with wide audiences on the internet.

Maybe that’s why she used YouTube as a venue to share her decision not to shave her body with the world. In March 2017, Mikenas posted a 13-minute video explaining why she no longer shaves.

“I haven’t shaved my legs for over a year, and I will never go back,” she wrote in the introduction to that video. “The purpose of this video is not to shame people who do shave, I just want to speak on how its helped me become more comfortable with myself, and maybe inspire others to do something that makes them feel confident.”

Mikenas figured that the video would clear things up for curious friends and family members. Within a few months, though, her video had more than 1.3 million views. She had gone viral.
“That was a surprise to me,” Mikenas said of her video’s popularity. “I wanted to share my views in order to change the way people think, encourage them to think more about their behavior and to experience self-love.”

Those are lessons that Mikenas had to figure out for herself.

Since she made the decision to let her body hair go natural, she’s been a much more confident person. She’s proud of herself for taking a stand against someone else’s definition of beauty. From now on, no one defines Mikenas’ beauty but herself. That’s empowerment she hopes to share with women everywhere.

“For someone who’s thinking of not shaving, but is concerned about being teased, I just want you to know that self-confidence is your superpower,” she said. “You can be immune to criticism by being fearless. Practice acceptance, for others and yourself.”
Watch Mikenas’ touching YouTube video here. No matter what you think about body hair, this young woman has some lessons in self-acceptance that we could all use.

Tags 50026896, body, hemingway

Wellbeing

Scarlet Fever Is Back, Here's What You Need To Look Out For

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date June 13, 2017

Scarlet fever is a bacterial illness that is most commonly found in children between the ages of 5 and 15. This illness gets its name because of the bright red rash that develops all over the body.
In addition to the rash, scarlet fever typically comes with a fever and sore throat, which makes sense, as this illness is triggered by the same bacteria that cause strep throat.

Although this disease used to be a very dangerous problem for small children, if you take swift action to care for your child—including them taking a full course of antibiotics—scarlet fever is not as threatening as it once was.
But, as the Mayo Clinic warns, “if left untreated, scarlet fever can result in more-serious conditions that affect the heart, kidneys and other parts of the body.”

Signs and Symptoms of Scarlet Fever

As mentioned above, this ailment gets its name from its trademark red rash, which looks and feels like a sandpapery sunburn. “It typically begins on the face or neck and spreads to the trunk, arms and legs,” explains the Mayo Clinic. “If pressure is applied to the reddened skin, it will turn pale.”

Those suffering from scarlet fever may have a flushed face, and you will also likely notice, “a pale ring around the mouth.”
Early on in the outbreak, a child may have what’s described as a “strawberry tongue,“ which is red and bumpy and potentially “covered with a white coating.”

Also be on the lookout for red lines that are darker than the rest of the rash in the folds of the skin around elbows, armpits, knees, and neck.
“The rash and the redness in the face and tongue usually last about a week,” explains the Mayo Clinic. “After these signs and symptoms have subsided, the skin affected by the rash often peels.”

Speaking of peeling, keep your eyes peeled for a fever above 101 degrees, a very sore throat (potentially with white or yellowish patches), difficulty swallowing, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, and even nausea and vomiting.
If you see these symptoms, especially a fever above 102 degrees and swollen glands in the neck, go see a doctor.

Seeing a doctor is vital.

A doctor will go through a series of simple tests—including taking a throat swab—to evaluate whether your child has scarlet fever. Once the disease is officially diagnosed, your pediatrician will prescribe an antibiotic.

“Make sure your child completes the full course of medication,” cautions the Mayo Clinic. “Failure to follow the treatment guidelines may not completely eliminate the infection and will increase your child’s risk of developing complications.”
If you follow the doctor’s orders, there’s a good chance your kiddo can head back to school a day after starting antibiotics, assuming the fever has subsided.

Ease the pain.

While you’re following the course of action explained by your doctor, you can still help your little one pass the time with scarlet fever a little more comfortably.
Use ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help keep the fever down and reduce pain in the throat. Make sure that your child is staying hydrated—even if it hurts to swallow. Gargling saltwater and sucking on lozenges can also be helpful in soothing the throat.

Of course, a bowl of warm chicken soup can go a long way, too.
Finally, if you haven’t already, this yet another reason to quit smoking—especially indoors and around your kids.

Practice prevention.

There are a number of simple preventive measures you can take to reduce the risk of catching or spreading scarlet fever.

Remind your family that regular hand washing; not sharing food, drinks, or utensils; and practicing covering your mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing can go a long way when it comes to keeping this and other illnesses at bay.
“If your child has scarlet fever,” writes the Mayo Clinic, “wash his or her drinking glasses, utensils and, if possible, toys in hot soapy water or in a dishwasher.”
Staying vigilant, practicing good hygiene, and having your doctor’s phone number on file are all helpful steps to keeping your kids healthy.

Tags 50026511, body, hemingway

Conscious Beauty Lifestyle

Female Armpit Hair Is Making A Serious Comeback

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date June 13, 2017

If you think about it for a minute, it makes sense that shaving armpit hair is a practice that’s only about 100 years old. Before that time, garments that revealed a woman’s shoulders—and thus her ‘pits—were generally thought of as being too risqué for wearing among the general public.

As society lightened up about what parts of the body women could show in public, new norms came to be—essentially saying that if we were going to see a lady’s skin, we shouldn’t see any of her body hair.
So as skirts got shorter, it was expected that legs become less hairy. As shoulders got to see sunlight, more and more armpits were introduced to razors. You win some, you lose some.

In the echoes of history, 100 years is just a blink of an eye. In fashion trends, however, it’s a pretty clear precedence. But it appears that this societal norm is becoming somewhat less normal.

Celebs take the lead.

You may have seen images of Miley Cyrus rocking her dyed armpit hair a few years back—to the concern and confusion of many.

Actress, comedian, and feminist Sarah Silverman came to Cyrus’ defense when the haters began to lay it on thick.

Guess what, @mileycyrus , I like ur armpit hair & ur boobz & ur you-ness let that freak flag fly lil ma because you are doing JUST FINE

— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) June 11, 2015

For her part, actress Jemima Kirke of Girls wasn’t even particularly trying to be an activist when she stepped on the red carpet with unshaved armpits for a 2015 awards show, but when she got an earful from overly judgmental people online she asked everyone to take it easy, saying it was just her “personal preference.”

It’s just my own personal preference. That being said please can we stop talking about pits? #bored #sophialoren pic.twitter.com/BVaqr80B8H

— Jemima Kirke (@jemimakirke) June 3, 2015

Of course, social media is reshaping societal expectations, too.

In 2015, Chinese activists supported this changing trend with the hashtag. #WomensArmpitHairCompetition, noting that shaving wasn’t common practice in China until the 1990s. This endeavor was organized on the Chinese social media site Weibo.
“The contest was started by 26-year-old feminist activist Xiao Yue in order to bring attention to the idea that women do not need to be hairless to feel beautiful,” explains the Shanghaiist.

“Prizes [were] given out for the most ‘characteristic, beautiful and confident’ displays of online underarm hair. The first place winner receives 100 condoms, second place gets a vibrator and the lucky third place winner gets 10 female urination devices.”
“Women’s underarm hair can be adorable, interesting, humorous, sexy, serious, connotative and ever-changing,” explained the contest’s creator, Xiao.
Beyond the Chinese competition, other international hashtag activism has included phrases like #hairypits and #pithairdontcare.

Stats Behind the Changing Trend

This isn’t just a one-off fad on social media, it’s really changing the way women behave—and there are numbers to prove it.

Teen Vogue picked up on a study reported on by The Telegraph: “A survey conducted in 2013 reflected that 95% of all women between the ages of 16 and 24 said that they removed hair from their underarms. Meanwhile, that same survey conducted in 2016 revealed that the number had dropped by nearly 20 points—to 77%.”
Beauty is a subjective matter, whereas comfort is a very personal matter. Perhaps the most exciting part about this news is that women are feeling empowered to treat their bodies in ways that make them feel comfortable and beautiful—not in ways that society tells them to look and feel.

Tags 50026501, body, hemingway

PERISCOPE’s goal is to develop vaccines that will help prevent the 16 million annual cases of whooping cough around the world.

These researchers are pitting a whopping sum against the whooping cough.