An Expert Says to Turn the Heat Down For Better Sleep and Your Frugal Parent Is Rejoicing12/13/2018
An Expert Says to Turn the Heat Down For Better Sleep, and Your Frugal Parent Is Rejoicing
https://ift.tt/2rzpZCB There are lots of experts tips and tricks to improve your sleep, but if you aren't down to stop scrolling through Instagram before going to sleep or giving up that glass of wine - two things that can interfere with your sleep - try this simple fix. Alon Avidan, MD, MPH, director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center explained that "hotter temperatures tend to fragment the sleep." Instead of sleeping with the heat on full blast during the Winter months, and without the AC on the Summer, Dr. Avidan said, "We recommend that people keep the temperature in the room a little bit cooler; 68, 69 degrees." Not only will lowering the temperature of your room improve your sleep, it can lower the cost of your utility bills. If "always cold," is how you describe yourself, and you're concerned about freezing at night, consider gifting yourself with a set of flannel sheets, a down comforter, or some warm pajamas. According to Dr. Avidan, your toasty room isn't the only thing messing with your sleep. Environments that have abnormal light (that would be your tablet or iPhone) can also fragment your sleep. His advice: "Make sure the room is dark, cool, comfortable, and free of any abnormal light - particularly the television." If you're looking for more ways to improve your sleep, Dr. Avidan said to avoid consuming caffeine after 10 a.m. and foods high in fat before your bedtime. Here's a full list of foods you should avoid before bed. Instead, swap simple carbs and fatty foods with one of these foods Dr. Avidan recommends eating for enhanced sleep. Sweet dreams. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI December 13, 2018 at 01:00PM
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Del Monte Corn Recalled for Possible Contamination
https://ift.tt/2QOTwXj The FDA says the under-processing “could result in contamination by spoilage organisms or pathogens,” which could lead to life-threatening illness. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ December 13, 2018 at 12:03PM
This 1 Clever Water App Is My Secret to Avoiding Hangovers During the Holidays
https://ift.tt/2rBPfYS During busy social periods like the holidays, it's easy to find yourself overdoing it when it comes to alcohol. With happy hours, holiday parties, and social gatherings, that one cocktail can quickly become three or four. Even if you're good at moderating your intake, the older you get, the harder those hangovers can be to manage. Over the past couple of years, I've found that even a couple of glasses of wine can leave me waking up the following morning with a raging anxiety hangover. Headaches I can take, but the sinking feeling that I've done something terrible (even though I remember every minute of the night before) is not something I enjoy. Experts agree there is a strong link between alcohol and anxiety, and that's definitely something I've experienced since hitting my 30s. So I decided to look into ways of reducing those anxious feelings (without having to give up alcohol entirely), and one thing that came up again and again as a possible cause was dehydration. Could it really be as simple as drinking more water? I had my doubts, as I've always been pretty good at drinking water or juice throughout the day anyway, but I decided to try properly tracking my water intake for a while anyway. A few apps I already had (like my Fitbit app and the WW app) allowed me to log my drinks, but I decided to download My Water Balance, which goes one step further. It allows you to log specific drinks, including alcoholic ones, and when you do so, the app will automatically adjust your plain water intake to compensate for the diuretic or dehydrating properties of other drinks (coffee, tea, and soft drinks are all included, too). Let's just say this was a huge eye-opener. No wonder I was waking up with a dry mouth and feelings of dread. If you thought having a couple of glasses of water at the end of the night was enough to offset three glasses of wine, you're way off. For three months, I made an effort to only go to bed when I'd hit my lofty target of 2.5 liters (about 85 ounces) of water per day. On days when I drank alcohol, the recommended intake would quickly go up, and I must confess I felt like a camel at times, storing away gallons of water. I also needed to visit the bathroom in the night, often twice. But it was worth it, because those anxiety hangovers all but disappeared. I was genuinely amazed by how much of a difference it made. Though we're all different (and my anxiety is very mild), I definitely recommend installing this app and upping your water intake if you know that alcoholic drinks can have adverse effects on your body or mood. Obviously the best way to avoid these symptoms is to avoid drinking entirely, but not all of us are ready to go completely cold turkey, particularly at such a busy time of year. Practice moderation, have a glass of water by your side at all times, and perhaps you'll wake up on New Year's Day with a clear head for once? Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI December 13, 2018 at 11:59AM
Kotex Recalled These Tampons Amid Alarming Reports of Pieces Remaining in the Body
https://ift.tt/2S3lxYE Attention shoppers! Kotex is voluntarily recalling Sleek Regular Absorbency Tampons under its U by Kotex label after numerous alarming complaints. According to the press release, the affected tampons were coming apart upon removal, and, in more extreme cases, tampon pieces would remain in the body. The defect also caused vaginal infections, irritation, and other symptoms for some consumers. The tampons included in the recall are ones manufactured between Oct. 7, 2016 and Oct. 16, 2018 and distributed between Oct. 17, 2016 and Oct. 23, 2018. All retailers throughout the United States and Canada have been notified, and the affected tampons should no longer be available in stores. To see if a box of U by Kotex Sleek Tampons you purchased is included in the recall, input the lot number - located on the bottom of the box - in Kotex's recall page. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI December 13, 2018 at 11:39AM An Expert Explains Why a Calorie Deficit Isn't Helping You Lose Weight -Here's How to Fix It12/13/2018
An Expert Explains Why a Calorie Deficit Isn't Helping You Lose Weight - Here's How to Fix It
https://ift.tt/2RW6MXf Whether you're trying to manage your weight or adopt a healthier lifestyle, it's important to look at how you're fueling your body day in and day out. As a general rule of thumb, most experts in health and wellness advise following a diet that primarily consists of whole, minimally processed foods. Obesity medicine physician and scientist Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, explained that when it comes to weight loss and weight management, her strategy for people is to "look at the quality of their diet, as opposed to focusing in on or honing in on some core value," like going low-carb or solely counting calories.
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If You Want to Lose Weight and Keep It Off, a Doctor Says to Skip Keto and Intermittent Fasting
When Dr. Stanford explains why people shouldn't solely focus on counting calories, she'll compare an image of a slice of pepperoni pizza (350 calories) to a meal consisting of tabbouleh, quinoa, chickpeas, and roasted peppers (approximately 700 calories). She explained that oftentimes, people will say they'd rather have the slice of pizza - not because it's good, but because it contains fewer calories. To navigate this mindset, Dr. Stanford said to focus on the quality of the foods you're consuming instead of the number of calories. Why? "Because I think it's shortsighted . . . It doesn't give you much information," she said. Instead, Dr. Stanford recommends focusing on eating foods that will fill you up, such as lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. This is because these foods tend to have more volume as opposed to a single slice of pizza that "doesn't hit those signals in the brain that tell you, 'You know what? I'm full. I don't want anything else.'"
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If You're Trying to Lose Weight, This Is the Workout You Should Be Doing, According to an Expert
Although Dr. Stanford doesn't advise stressing over every calorie you consume, it's important to ensure you're eating enough food each day to power your daily activities. The USDA dietary guidelines recommend adult women eat 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day and adult men eat 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day. This number will vary depending on a variety of factors like sex, age, and level of physical activity; this formula can help you determine your caloric needs, but remember to focus on quality foods. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI December 13, 2018 at 11:39AM
Weight Loss Surgery Carries 'Easy Way Out' Stigma
https://ift.tt/2UECc6b WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- For many obese people, weight loss surgery can be a new lease on life, but too few who qualify for the procedure opt for it. One big reason: The widespread notion that surgery is an "easy way out," signifying a weakness of willpower to slim down using diet and exercise. Almost 40 percent of nearly a thousand surveyed in a new study thought weight loss surgery (or "bariatric surgery") was this kind of lazy, quick fix for weight loss. And a "large percentage of the population -- nearly 50 percent -- think that weight loss surgery is performed for mostly cosmetic reasons," added lead researcher Dr. Heather Yeo. She's an assistant professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. That's "unfortunate, as there are clear health implications to obesity, and strong data which support the effectiveness and safety of weight loss surgery," she said. Yeo believes people need to become aware of the health dangers linked with obesity. "Obesity is a public health epidemic that contributes to mortality and many other health conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes," Yeo said. "Weight loss surgery has a low rate of complications and also has excellent success." The patients who want weight loss surgery are not doing it to look better, agreed Dr. Eric DeMaria, president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Mostly, "they want better health," he said. "The effective treatment for this disease of obesity is bariatric surgery, and 99 percent of the people who could benefit by this treatment aren't getting it." But given the stigma around obesity, many patients don't consider weight loss surgery, DeMaria noted. "You're almost admitting to being a personal failure as a human being, because you can't lose weight by yourself," he said. But that's a false perception, DeMaria said. Obesity is a complex disease of metabolism. "It's extremely difficult to treat without assistance of medications or surgery in addition to all the behavioral stuff," he explained. DeMaria said the surgery is safe and effective. In addition, he noted, "It also treats all the serious medical conditions that accompany obesity and even reverses the risk of premature death." Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ December 12, 2018 at 02:55PM
Just How Clean Is That Stethoscope?
https://ift.tt/2SGYuTa By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- For doctors and nurses in hospitals, hand-washing between patients is a must. But what about their stethoscopes? A new hospital study finds that stethoscopes are laden with a wide range of bacteria. Some, such as Staphylococcus aureus, can cause serious infections such as pneumonia. The findings were published Dec. 12 in the journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. "This study underscores the importance of adhering to rigorous infection control procedures," said study senior author Dr. Ronald Collman, a professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. This means following decontamination recommendations set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between patients, or using single-patient-use stethoscopes kept in each patient's room, Collman said in a journal news release. For the study, researchers analyzed 40 stethoscopes in a hospital intensive care unit: 20 traditional reusable stethoscopes carried by doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists, and 20 single-use disposable stethoscopes used in patient rooms. All 40 stethoscopes were significantly contaminated with a large number and extensive variety of bacteria, including some that can cause health care-associated infections, the study found. All had an abundance of Staphylococcus bacteria, and more than half were contaminated with S. aureus, which causes the most dangerous staph infections. Other bacteria that can cause health care-associated infections, such as Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter, were found in small amounts. However, it wasn't known if any patients became ill because of contact with the stethoscopes. Collman said the DNA test used to identify bacteria could not distinguish live from dead bacteria, so it is not clear if the stethoscopes would actually spread disease-causing agents. Additional research is needed to address that question, he said. The researchers also assessed cleaning of stethoscopes with hydrogen peroxide wipes, alcohol swaps and bleach wipes. Each method reduced the amount of bacteria, but did not consistently lower contamination to the level of clean, new stethoscopes. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ December 12, 2018 at 02:55PM
These Elves on the Shelf Aren't Into Mischief - They're Into FITNESS!
https://ift.tt/2UETct6 While some elves are busy eating chocolate advent calendars, baking batches of sugar cookies, and spelling out words with candy, even elves need to take a break from all the sugar to get their fitness on. For the fit-minded like you, here are some adorable and creative ways to show how your Elf on the Shelf stays fit and strong! Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI December 12, 2018 at 02:39PM
This Trainer's Lower-Body Workout Is So Good, It Only Takes 11 Minutes to Do
https://ift.tt/2BhvTN1 Don't let a time crunch stop you from getting in a great workout. If you're short on time and are in need of something that will have you feeling like a badass, you've got to try this quick TRX workout. There are only three moves, but I promise you, walking up the stairs and putting on your pants will be challenging. And that's a good thing; it means you were working. Continue reading for the 11-minute strength workout. The Lower-Body TRX WorkoutBefore getting started, be sure to warm up your muscles - here's a great dynamic warmup. Once you're warm, set up your TRX suspension trainer. This workout should be performed with little to no rest in between each exercise. Once you've completed one round, take one minute of rest and then repeat for a total of four rounds. Don't forget to cool down and stretch once you're done.
Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI December 12, 2018 at 02:39PM
9 Low-Impact Cardio Classes That Will Still Make You Feel the Burn
https://ift.tt/2UyzJdL If you've ever suffered an injury or have chronic joint pain, you know how hard it is to find a workout that won't exacerbate the issue or hurt you all over again, especially if you'd like to get your heart rate up. We searched high and low, and talked to a few experts to find a few low-impact classes that don't put an immense amount of stress on your joints, but will still make you sweat and allow you to rip all the weight-losing and strengthening benefits of cardio without leaving you limping to the nearest pharmacy for a bottle of ibuprofen. But don't be fooled - low-impact doesn't mean low-intensity. When we say these classes will make you sweat, we mean it. See for yourself! Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI December 12, 2018 at 02:39PM |
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