Ways to ease a headache
MikeA February 28th, 2010
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Knowledge: Ways to ease a headache
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Archive for February, 2010
Afternoon naps boost brain power, study finds
MikeA February 23rd, 2010
An hour’s nap in the afternoon can boost a person’s brain power and improve their memory, according to a study showing that short periods of sleep during the day can make it easier to function mentally.Scientists found that a…
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Low-fat Cookie is slimmer of the year
MikeA February 23rd, 2010
Cookie the dog looked more like the Cookie Monster when his owners first laid eyes on him.Weighing in at an impressive 63kg, the huge, fluffy Labrador had started to become a spectacle at the SPCA when Auckland couple Arthur and…
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How to forget your flaws and find self confidence
MikeA February 23rd, 2010
Knowledge: How to forget your flaws and find self confidence
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Your Secret to Happiness at Every Age
MikeA February 23rd, 2010
Me therapy: Alone time in the
tub is a great way to wash
away the day’s troubles and
boost your spirits.
tub is a great way to wash
away the day’s troubles and
boost your spirits.
Istockphoto
By Susannah Felts
From Health magazine
From Health magazine
When life’s curve balls leave you stressed and depressed, how do you get back on your game? Easy: try these age-specific mood lifters.
Your 30s
Eat to beat PMS
Nearly 9 in 10 women suffer at least one PMS symptom each month, and those in their 30s are often hit the hardest. You can avoid irritability by eating more foods containing tryptophan, an amino acid that helps your body make the “happy” hormone serotonin, says Beth Hamilton, MD, an OB-GYN in Newport Beach, California, and co-author of So Stressed: The Ultimate Stress-Relief Plan for Women. Turkey, chicken, salmon, and nuts all contain meaningful amounts of tryptophan.
Just say no
Many women are neck-deep in career-building during this decade. The unhappy side effect? Killer work stress. Get off the hamster wheel by avoiding automatic “yes” responses to requests that catch you off guard, says Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, a book chronicling the year that Rubin spent test-driving scientific research and popular wisdom about how to be happy. If saying “yes” makes sense, fine, but being choosy helps you avoid the powerless feeling that leads to burnout.
Get babied
The 30s are prime time for bringing a little bundle of joy into the world—but pregnant women and new moms often feel depressed and overwhelmed. The good news: massage seems to help by decreasing stress hormones. A recent study from the University of Miami showed that pregnant women at risk for postpartum depression had a lower incidence if their partners gave them massages twice a week during the pregnancy. Earlier research found that massage can also prevent the milder mood troubles suffered by most new moms. So don’t be afraid to ask for it—often.
Next: Your 40s
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How to Cure 3 Top Running Aches
MikeA February 23rd, 2010
Augustus Butera
By Jenny Hadfield
From Health magazine
From Health magazine
Running can be a pain if you’re battling nagging injuries. Don’t get sidelined: keep your training on track with these simple moves (but if the pain persists, call your doctor).
Where it hurts: The outside of your knee or hip
Either having weak hip abductor muscles or increasing your mileage too quickly can lead to pain in your iliotibial band, the tissue that runs down the side of your leg from butt to knee.
What to do: If you’ve recently amped up your mileage, decrease your total weekly distance by 30 to 40% for two weeks. For hip strength, do 12 to 15 side leg lifts. Still hurting? Roll the side of your affected hip up and down on a foam roller (available at sporting-goods stores).
Where it hurts: The sides of your rib cage
Sharp, stabbing side stitches make it difficult to breathe—and run. The culprits: running too soon after eating and/or taking shallow breaths at irregular intervals.
What to do: Feel a stitch? Slow down and take deep breaths, exhaling as the foot opposite the stitch hits the ground. Also, wait three hours after eating to run.
Where it hurts: the bottom of your foot
Plantar fasciitis—sharp heel pain or numbness caused by irritation of the tissue that runs the length of your sole—can result from drastic increases in mileage or lack of flexibility in the muscles in your calves, hamstrings, and hips.
What to do: If the pain wanes post-warm-up, cut your mileage by 25% and alternate runs with a low-impact activity like cycling or swimming. If it persists or affects your gait, take a week or two off. Massages, like rolling a tennis ball under each foot (from heel to toes), can help nix tightness and increase flexibility.
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The New Rules for Curing and Preventing Hangovers
MikeA February 23rd, 2010
Istockphoto
By Tiffany Sun
From Health magazine
From Health magazine
The pometini pitchers were flowing, and you danced like a star. But today, you’re feeling a wee bit fried. These feel-better tricks will help, no matter what you did last night.
1. Those cocktails were really good
What to do today: after too much hooch, drink a lot of water and at least one serving of fruit juice (any kind, even if it’s not 100% juice)—that will replenish the sugar that’s lost when your body metabolizes alcohol.
And treat yourself to extra carbs, such as wheat toast, which help your body process the alcohol by delivering extra sugar and absorbing the alcohol’s toxins, experts say. If your head hurts, it’s partly because alcohol has an inflammatory effect that makes your blood vessels swell, a common headache trigger. Christine Lay, MD, a headache specialist at The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, recommends ibuprofen, which not only relieves the pain, but has anti-inflammatory powers that acetaminophen doesn’t.
2. You danced all night in stilettos
You pulled out your best moves, but now your feet are achy. That happens because high heels strain the balls of your feet and the metatarsals, the long bones in the forefoot, explains Marc A. Brenner, DPM, a podiatrist based in Glendale, New York. “Depending on how pointy the shoe, you may also have pain in your toes,” he says. After you get up, soak your feet in cool water for 10 minutes. Then dry off and massage them with a foot balm containing menthol, which offers short-term pain relief. We love Dr. Scholl’s for Her Cooling Peppermint Lotion ($5.49).
When you must put on shoes again, drag out the most comfortable pair in your closet (read well-cushioned with thick soles and good arch-support); they’ll help ease the ache. Soak again at night, wear sane shoes for the next day or two, and you’re good for another round of dancing. However, if the ache doesn’t go away, call your doc.
3. You had the richest meal of your life
You adored the steak frites and chocolate soufflé. The bloat and full feeling 12 hours later? Not so much. As soon as you feel hungry, return to your normal eating habits—maybe a breakfast that includes low-fat dairy (like low-fat cottage cheese), high-fiber whole grains like oatmeal, some fruit, and a little protein like a hard-boiled egg.
Then hit the gym ASAP. Experts say that exercise may help gas escape your body, which can ease the bloat. Follow your normal diet the rest of the day; try not to blame yourself or drastically cut back on calories to make up for last night. “One night of indulgence won’t wreck a healthy diet,” says Elisa Zied, MS, RD, a New York City–based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Next: You took the red-eye
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Age-Defying Running Duo
MikeA February 23rd, 2010
Lyons and Davis
By Jenny Hadfield
From Health magazine
From Health magazine
“Cyndi [Lyons, 46] and I run together every Sunday,” says Valerie Davis, 27, of Birmingham, Ala. “Our age difference is so valuable to our relationship. I help her understand some of the things her daughter is going through, and she’s able to give me great marriage advice. Running has really connected us and changed our lives for the better.”
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Getting a Grip on Emotional Eating
MikeA February 23rd, 2010
Are you an emotional eater? Learn how to gain control of your emotions and not let food be your guide to destructive eating behaviors.
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