Saturday, January 14, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
What About a PMS Diet?
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is such a regular occurrence for many women that they consider it a normal part of getting their period. About 8% to 20% of women get moderate to severe symptoms a week or two before their monthly cycle begins.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
The Effect of Stress On Your Skin
We spend a lot of time focusing on the effect that the sun and environment have on our skin, but few of us stop to think about the detrimental effects that our modern lifestyle—and its stress and lack of sleep—has on our appearance. Most of us are familiar with dark circles after a late night out, but more and more research is showing that lack of sleep and stress have far-reaching skin implications. READ MORE…
Measure Your Fitness Level
You probably have some idea of how fit you are. But knowing the specifics can help you set realistic fitness goals, monitor your progress and maintain your motivation. Once you know where you’re starting from, you can plan where you want to go. And it’s easier than you might think. Get started with the simple four-step assessment below — based on guidelines provided by the President’s Challenge, a program designed by the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.
Tall Women Linked to Greater Cancer Risk
Taller women are at greater risk for many types of cancers compared with shorter women, a new study suggests.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
LGBT Kids
In an era when gay celebrities marry and popular TV shows commonly feature gay characters, it might seem as if Americans are now quite comfortable with the idea of gay rights. But while pop culture might be accepting, many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youths are finding that the going is still rough. READ MORE…
How To Talk About Condoms
It’s much smarter to talk about condoms before having sex, but that doesn’t make it easy. Some people — even those who are already having sex — are embarrassed by the topic of condoms. But not talking about condoms affects a person’s safety. Using condoms properly every time is the best protection against sexually transmitted disease (STDs) — even if you’re using another form of birth control like the Pill.
Tips For Raising Teens
Adolescence can be a confusing time of change for teens and parents alike. But while these years can be difficult, there’s plenty you can do to nurture your teen and encourage responsible behavior. Use these parenting skills to deal with the challenges of raising a teen.
Cutting and Hurting Yourself
Hurting yourself, sometimes called self-injury, is when a person deliberately hurts his or her own body. Some self-injuries can leave scars that won’t go away, while others leave marks or bruises that eventually will go away. These are some forms of self-injury:
Is Your Teen Hooking Up?
Hooking up isn’t a new phenomenon — it’s been around for at least 50 years. “It used to mean getting together at a party and would include some form of petting and sexual activity,” says Lynn Ponton, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, and author of The Sex Lives of Teenagers: Revealing the Secret World of Adolescent Boys and Girls. READ MORE…
Dating and Sexual Feelings
Starting to date, thinking about romance, and feeling attraction all can be incredibly cool — and a little overwhelming. As you start thinking about love and sex, don’t forget to focus on feeling good about yourself. Take good care of your body. If you have questions, talk to your parent or guardian, doctor, or another trusted adult. And don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable. You’ll probably remember these exciting days for many years to come, and you want to remember them happily!
Teen Boys and Body Image
Many people think of guys as being carefree when it comes to their appearance. But the reality is that a lot of guys spend plenty of time in front of the mirror. It’s a fact — some guys care just as much as girls do about their appearance.
Are You an Anxious or Worried Teen?
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It can help you cope with a hard situation. For example, anxiety helps push you to study for a test or can give you a boost when you’re on stage in front of the whole school. But when anxiety becomes a strong dread of everyday situations, it can be harmful.
Is Your Teen on Drugs?
Is your teen on drugs? For years, many parents, doctors, and researchers have thought one reason teens sleep poorly is because they’re dabbling in illegal substances. But a new study shows that just the opposite might be true: Many teens start using drugs because they’re not getting enough sleep. And this all has a social dimension, too: Teens might not be getting enough shut-eye because their friends don’t catch enough zzzs either
Performance-Enhancing Drugs Can Be Tempting For Teen Athletes
Carpools. Practices. Games. If you’re the parent of a teen athlete, your life is probably as hectic as your child’s. It’s important, however, to make time to talk to your teen about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs. By setting rules and consequences and explaining the possible health effects of drug use, you can help your teen steer clear of performance-enhancing drugs.
Bully-Proof Your Kid
Did you know that 25% of public schools report that bullying among kids occurs on a daily or weekly basis? And that 1 in 5 high school students report being bullied in the past year?
Eating Disorders and Teens
Eating disorders in teens are not uncommon. Take “Kerri” (not her real name) for example. Upset with a sudden weight gain, the 15-year-old forced herself to throw up after eating her school lunch. It seemed harmless. After all, most of the kids at her lunch table had done it before, and they seemed OK.
Only 12% of High School Students Get Enough Exercise
Two new reports provide a snapshot of the physical activity and beverage habits of U.S. high school students. About one in 10 high school students gets the recommended amount of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise, and nearly a quarter of students drink at least one sugary soda every day.
Aerobic Exercise for Teenagers
You need aerobic exercise to keep your heart and lungs working their best. But what happens when you ignore aerobic exercise and spend most of the summer playing computer games with your friends?
I've Got Period Problems
Sometimes having your period can be a pain — literally. Most girls have to deal with PMS, cramps, or headaches around the time of their periods. These problems are usually normal and nothing to worry about.
Why See a Gynecologist?
Going to see a gynecologist — a doctor who focuses on women’s reproductive health — means you’re taking responsibility for your body in new ways. It can be very exciting to know you’re making sure all is going well with puberty, your reproductive system, and more. Keep in mind that other doctors also can help with gynecological issues. For example, an adolescent medicine specialist, family doctor, or pediatrician can answer questions and may be able to examine your vagina too.
Can My Bra Affect The Growth of My Breasts?
Bras don’t make breasts grow or stop growing, but wearing the right-size bra may help you feel more comfortable. Bras that are too small may cause breast pain because of how sensitive some girls’ breasts can be as they grow. And bras that are too big won’t offer enough support, which could also lead to discomfort if your breasts move or bounce around too much. Find a bra that’s the right size for you and comfortable to wear.
Is Your Antiperspirant Safe?
The 4 million sweat glands in our bodies pump out several liters of perspiration every day, which probably explains why close to 100 million of us report that sweating is “sometimes” or” often” a problem. A 2006 Harris Interactive Poll found that excessive sweating negatively affects confidence, careers, and social lives — not to mention doing a number on clothes. READ MORE…
Should You Be Worried About School Violence?
After hearing news of school shootings or other violence, it’s natural for students — no matter how old they are or where they go to school — to worry about whether this type of incident may someday happen to them
Teen Relationships
As a teen, you will have relationships with a lot of people. These relationships will probably include friendships and dating relationships. Most of the time, these relationships are fun and healthy, and they make us feel good about ourselves. Sometimes, though, these relationships can be unhealthy. Unhealthy relationships can cause someone to get hurt physically or emotionally. The questions and answers below will help you understand how to spot an unhealthy relationship and how to change a bad situation.
Are You a Single Parent?
If you’re raising a child on your own, you’re in good company. Single-parent families are more common than ever. Know how to manage some of the special challenges single parents experience and what you can do to raise a happy, healthy child.
How Do You Discipline Your Child?
How do you keep a 1-year-old from heading toward the DVD player? What should you do when your preschooler throws a fit? How can you get a teenager to respect your authority?
Friday, January 6, 2012
Limiting Your Child's Screen Time
Are you concerned about how much time your child spends watching TV or playing video games? Although some screen time can be educational, it’s easy to go overboard. Consider this guide to children and TV, including what you can do to keep your child’s screen time in check.
Are You a Child That is Afraid?
Have you ever been afraid? Everyone gets scared sometimes. Maybe thunder and lightning make your heart beat faster. Or maybe your mouth goes dry when your teacher announces a pop quiz, or your palms sweat when it’s your turn to give your report in front of the class. Perhaps you get butterflies in your stomach when you see the bully who picks on you.
Nature Deficit Disorder
With options for indoor recreation multiplying and becoming ever more sophisticated, parents are all too aware of how much time their kids spend parked on the couch watching TV or glued to a computer/cell phone/gaming system.
Fruit Juice For Kids?
Recent studies have confirmed that drinking moderate amounts of 100 percent fruit juice doesn’t affect a child’s weight. However, fruit juice contains calories. Just like any other food or calorie-containing drink, too much fruit juice can contribute to weight gain.
Carbohydrates
You’ve probably seen ads for low-carb foods and diets, but kids and adults need carbohydrates. Most foods contain carbohydrates, which the body breaks down into simple sugars — the major source of energy for the body.
Why Breakfast Is the Most Important Meal of the Day
Kids Need Their Morning Meal
While adults need to eat breakfast each day to perform their best, kids need it even more. Their growing bodies and developing brains rely heavily on the regular intake of food. When kids skip breakfast, they can end up going for as long as eighteen hours without food, and this period of semistarvation can create a lot of physical, intellectual, and behavioral problems for them.
While adults need to eat breakfast each day to perform their best, kids need it even more. Their growing bodies and developing brains rely heavily on the regular intake of food. When kids skip breakfast, they can end up going for as long as eighteen hours without food, and this period of semistarvation can create a lot of physical, intellectual, and behavioral problems for them.
Is There Such a Thing as Brain Food?
We all know that being healthy doesn’t mean having a two-inch waist or eating only chocolate (although I wish that second statement were true!) Being healthy means knowing what your body needs and responding to its needs. Your body is like a machine. Give it “fuel”—food and water—and it works great! Give it the wrong type of food or not much water, and it won’t work as well.
Yoga For Kids?
Is your child about to start practicing yoga at school? Does he or she seem interested in taking a yoga class? If so, you may have questions about the possible benefits of yoga for kids and what a typical program entails. Before your child does his or her first pose, get the facts on yoga for kids.
Is Strength Training Safe For Kids?
Strength training for kids? You bet! Done properly, strength training offers many bonuses to young athletes. Strength training is even a good idea for kids who simply want to look and feel better. In fact, strength training can put your child on a lifetime path to better health and fitness.
Are You a Fit Kid?
There’s a lot of discussion these days about fit kids. People who care (parents, doctors, teachers, and others) want to know how to help kids be more fit.
Youth Sports and Dehydration
Anytime children or adolescents play sports or exercise in hot weather, they’re at risk of heat-related illnesses. You don’t need to worry from the sidelines, though. Understand how heat-related problems happen and what steps you can take to prevent them.
Cold Weather Sports For You and Your Family
Looking forward to the snowy season and all it has to offer? Winter can be a great time to get outside and keep fit — for you and your family. READ MORE…
Avoiding Childhood Obesity
A Prevention survey found that children whose parents keep in shape are much more likely to have healthy body weights themselves. “There’s nothing worse than telling a child what he needs to do and not doing it yourself,” says Elizabeth Ward, R.D., a Boston nutritional consultant and author of Healthy Foods, Healthy Kids(Adams Media, 2002). “Set a good example and get your nutritional house in order first.”
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Night Terrors
Most parents have comforted their child after the occasional nightmare. But if your child has ever experienced what’s known as a night terror (or sleep terror), his or her fear was likely inconsolable, no matter what you tried.
Can Diabetes Be Prevented?
Parents want to protect their kids from everything, which is virtually impossible, of course. But can you prevent your child from getting diabetes?
What's an Adam's Apple?
You’re at the high school baseball game with your friends, and you see your big brother’s friend Justin in the dugout drinking from a water bottle. With every sip he takes, a big bump moves up and down on the front of his neck.
Baby Food Basics
You’ll find quite an array of baby food on the supermarket shelf — from simple veggies and fruits to fancy mixed dinners — so it’s no surprise that you’re wondering which to choose. Many baby food jars are labeled according to a baby’s stage of development, with stage 1 for babies who are just starting solids and stages 2 and 3 for babies and toddlers with more experience (and solids!) under their belts. If your baby’s a beginner, stick with stage 1, which is pureed to a thick liquid. Stage 2 has a thicker consistency, and stage 3 has chunks in it. READ MORE…
Exercise After Pregnancy
Exercise might be the last thing on your mind after you give birth, but it’s worthwhile. In fact, exercise after pregnancy might be one of the best things you can do for yourself. Follow these tips to keep exercise after pregnancy safe.
The Five Worst Foods For Babies
From 500-calorie desserts disguised as coffee drinks to greasy, salt-encrusted french fries, we adults usually know when we’re making unwise food choices. But often we don’t realize that many of the foods we routinely give babies are essentially junk food – high in calories, sugar, or salt, and low in nutrients.
Why Do Infants Need So Many Vaccines So Quickly?
Newborns need multiple vaccines because infectious diseases can cause more-serious problems in infants than in older children.
Boys With Autism May Grow Faster as Babies
Boys with autism tend to grow fasteras babies, with differences from typically developing infants seen in their head size, height and weight, a new study says.
Maximum Nutrition During Pregnancy
Before you became pregnant, that breakfast ritual of gulping down a latte and pastry was fast, easy, and, well, not terribly healthy.
Calcium in Your Pregnancy Diet
When you’re pregnant, your developing baby needs calcium to build strong bones and teeth; to grow a healthy heart, nerves, and muscles; and to develop a normal heart rhythm and blood-clotting abilities. If you don’t get enough calcium in your diet when you’re pregnant, your baby will draw it from your bones, which may impair your own health later on.
The Benefits of Low-Impact Aerobics During Pregnancy
Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and lungs and helps maintain muscle tone. As long as you choose exercises that are low-impact — meaning no jumping, high kicks, leaps, fast running, and so forth — and keep one foot on the ground at all times to minimize stress on your joints, you should be able to continue your routine throughout most of your pregnancy.
What's The Most Effective Natural Acne Treatment?
Some natural acne treatments may be helpful in reducing inflammation and reducing acne breakouts:
How Long Can I Safely Take Birth Control Pills?
You can take birth control pills as long as you need birth control or until you reach menopause, as long as you’re generally healthy and don’t smoke. This applies to all types of birth control pills, including combination birth control pills and progestin-only birth control pills.
A simple blood test that measures long-term glucose levels — the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test — may not be the best way to diagnose diabetes in adolescents. READ MORE…
A simple blood test that measures long-term glucose levels — the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test — may not be the best way to diagnose diabetes in adolescents.
5 Ways to Spot a Fad Diet
Lots of today’s popular diets take advantage of our desire to drop weight quickly. Unfortunately, though, “quick-fix” diets don’t work.
Screen-Free Play Best for Toddlers' Brains
Unstructured play is much better than TV or videos for encouraging brain development in infants and toddlers, a new American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement says. READ MORE…
Do Probiotics and Prebiotics Matter?
You don’t necessarily need probiotics — a type of “good” bacteria — to be healthy. However, these microorganisms may help with digestion and offer protection from harmful bacteria, just as the existing “good” bacteria in your body already do.
Is Colon Cleansing Safe?
Although doctors prescribe colon cleansing as preparation for medical procedures such as colonoscopy, most don’t recommend colon cleansing for detoxification. Their reasoning is simple: Your digestive system and bowel naturally eliminate waste material and bacteria — your body doesn’t need colon cleansing to do this.
What areThe Benefits of Aromatherapy?
Research on the effectiveness of aromatherapy — the therapeutic use of essential oils extracted from plants — is limited. However, some studies have shown that aromatherapy might have health benefits, including:
Boot Camp
Just as the armed forces are experimenting with changes to boot camp, such as adding yoga and Pilates, fitness buffs are signing up for book camp workouts modeled on old-school military training. What’s the appeal of a boot camp workout? Building strength, endurance and agility to conquer your daily routine. But are you up to the challenge?
Pregnancy After 35
If you’re older than 35 and hoping to get pregnant, you’re in good company. Many women are delaying pregnancy well into their 30s and beyond — and delivering healthy babies. Taking special care can help give your baby the best start.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Yoga Is More Than Just Stretching
Life can be stressful. For starters, there’s your busy schedule — waking up super early for school, studying late at night for tests, juggling sports practice, homework, and meals. It’s a lot to balance!
Understanding Urinary Incontinence
By its very nature, urge incontinence, sometimes referred to as overactive bladder (OAB), can make you feel out of control. You may not be able to make it to the bathroom without peeing when you get an intense urge to go. And you may get this urge just from hearing water running. The result can be discomfort, embarrassment, and anxiety.
Healthy Food Shopping
As a parent, you know you’re supposed to present kids with an array of healthy foods. Going to the grocery store is an important step in this process. The items you put in the cart week after week can affect your child’s health and attitude toward nutritious food.
What to do After a Concussion
Have you ever hit your head in a game or after a fall — and felt anything like this afterward:
- Have trouble concentrating.
- Get distracted easily by noises and lights.
- Feel “zoned out.”
- Have trouble focusing on your homework.
- Forget to do assignments.
- Forget stuff you learned recently, including things your parents asked you to do.
- Feeling really tired and sleepy
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Have trouble keeping your balance
Romantic Relationships Increase Women's Risk of Being Overweight
We’re all familiar with studies showing that marital status is associated with improved health and lower mortality. However, two recent studies suggest that having a male partner is associated with being overweight for women.
How to Protect Yourself From A Stalker
Recently, a new show called Stalked: Someone’s Watching, premiered on the Investigation Discovery channel. Over the course of six episodes, the program recounts the stories of men who relentlessly pursued former partners, or neighbors, or relative strangers - and provides some insight into their twisted motives. The first episode details the relationship between Peggy Klinke and Patrick Kennedy, the man whom she once considered the love of her life - who would eventually kill her. Michelle Ward, a criminal psychologist and stalking victim herself, is featured in the series and talked to me about men like Kennedy … and what we can do to protect ourselves from them.
Embarrassing Male Body Problems
By the mid-20s, a man will know his back hair destiny: barely there, a few tufts, or full and bushy. Is yours a magnet for women? Or a throwback to the Stone Age? If you want to tame the shag, laser hair removal can thin back hair or remove it all, and the results are nearly permanent. Cheaper options include waxing, hair removal creams, and razors, with results that last up to a few weeks.
Boys With Autism May Grow Faster as Babies
Boys with autism tend to grow faster as babies, with differences from typically developing infants seen in their head size, height and weight, a new study says.
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