The Best Ways to Prevent Cancer

Cancer is a disease that affects many people. Many cancer-causing agents have been
identified by researchers. Most forms of cancer can be prevented by making some basic lifestyle changes, such as exercising and eating healthy, avoiding sun exposure and refraining from tobacco use. Smoking is a bad habit.

Avoid Tobacco
1. Tobacco, in the forms of cigarettes, chewing tobacco and snuff, is the most common cause of cancer deaths in developing countries (30 percent), according to the Mayo Clinic's website (see References below). Second-hand smoke also can increase your risk of lung cancer, so avoid exposure.




Stay Active
2. Being overweight or obese may increase your risk of certain types of cancer, experts at the Mayo Clinic warn (see References below). Physical activity helps you maintain a healthy weight and lowers your risk of certain cancers.

Eating Healthy
3. Although the foods you eat won't prevent you from getting cancer, eating healthy has been proven to drastically decrease the risk. Limit your fat intake since high-fat, high-calorie diets tend to lead to obesity, which can increase the risk of cancer. Instead, fill your diet with fruits and vegetables (at least five servings a day). These will help you lose and maintain your weight. If you do decide to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.

Beware of the Sun
4. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, and exposure to the sun is the primary cause. However, it's also one of the most preventable types of cancer. The Mayo Clinic (see References) suggests that you avoid going outside between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., peak hours for radiation exposure. When you do go outside, stay in the shade, wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen (at least SPF 15), and wear clothing and hats to protect your arms, legs, face and ears. Don't use indoor tanning beds or sun lamps.

Immunize and Avoid High-Risk Behaviors
5. There are some viral infections linked with cancers that can be easily prevented by immunizing. The World Health Organization (see References) warns that certain infections are passed on through risky behavior (mainly sexually or through sharing contaminated needles), which will increase chances of cancer. This includes Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B and C, and Human Papillomavirus (or HPV).

Regular Screening and Self-Examination

6. Experts at the Mayo Clinic (see References) say that, while doing this won't prevent cancer, it will increase the likelihood of cancer being detected early on, which will increase the chances of successful treatment. Be aware of changes to your body, and see your doctor if you notice any.

By Sarah Jackson
eHow Contributing Writer
More information please visit: ehow.com

Credit Card Declined? That and Amex Thinks I’m Dead

What a shock THAT was at the Starbucks this morning! Well, it turns out someone was having a ball at Walmart and Food Lion somewhere in South Carolina with my card. Sheesh! Good thing the folks at Chase caught that early and are taking care of the fraudulent charges.

It’s just annoying at this point. Cute Man (an authorized user) and I will have to wait until they send us a new cards in order to use them again. It’s just a minor crimp in my strategy of using the card for all purchases, building up reward points, and paying the balance each month. Then there are all the automatic withdrawals linked to that card that I’ll need to update when I get a new card number. Oh, well. A few minutes of my time to make those changes isn’t exactly a big deal.

But how did they get my card? Neither of our physical credit cards is missing so I’m thinking that the number was somehow hijacked and then a fake card was made. I mean, they used it at Walmart, so they probably needed an actual card, right? In any case, I’m hoping this is the end of it. We’ll get new cards next week, I’ll fill out the fraud paperwork, and that will be it (cross your fingers!)

In other news, I finally dealt with the mistake on one of my credit reports. One of my old credit cards was listing me as “deceased”. Yep, as in no longer among the living. I put in my request for an “investigation” which I find kind of funny in this case – how much investigating is necessary to prove I’m still breathing… I mean, I could be a pretty good eye-witness…

So I’m in pretty much in a “deal with stuff” kind of mood, which is actually quite contrary to my normal state. It’s crazy to see how dealing with this stuff really isn’t all that bad once I just go ahead and just do it already. It’s the dread that keeps me from dealing… This is of course all in the quest towards home ownership. Hopefully, with this credit snafu cleared up, we’ll be able to move forward with the home-buying process with NACA in January!

How to Prevent a Stroke

Information from Your Family Doctor

How to Prevent a Stroke

What is a stroke?

A stroke happens when there is a problem with the blood supply to a part of the brain. The area of the brain that does not get enough blood becomes damaged.
A stroke can happen when a blood clot blocks an artery in the brain. A stroke also can happen when the wall of an artery bursts.


Depending on which part of the brain has poor blood supply, a stroke can be mild to severe. Here are some problems strokes can cause:

• Problems with moving (including paralysis)
• Problems with feeling
• Loss of vision
• Problems with thinking, understanding, or communicating (that is, problems with speaking, reading, or writing)
• Changes in emotion or behavior


What increases my risk of having a stroke?

Strokes can happen in anyone, but they tend to be more common in older men, black people, and Asian people. Although we cannot change our age, gender, or race, we can control the following risk factors for stroke:

• Tobacco use
• High cholesterol levels
• Inactive lifestyle
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Heavy alcohol use
• Atrial fibrillation, which is an unsteady heart rhythm (say: ay-tree-all fib-rill-ay-shun)

What can I do to lower my risk of having a stroke?

Here are some things everyone can do to lower their chances of having a stroke—these things will also lower your risk of having a heart attack:
• Get your blood pressure checked regularly and get treatment if it is high. High blood pressure is a “silent” illness with no warning signs.
• If you smoke—stop! Ask your family doctor for ways to help you quit.
• Eat low-fat foods, and have your cholesterol levels checked by your family doctor.
• Exercise regularly—for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
• Keep your weight under control. If you are overweight, lose weight.
• If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar levels. Controlling your diabetes will help your heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain.

Can medicine help lower my risk of stroke?

Medicines can help prevent strokes in some people. If you need one of these medicines, your family doctor will prescribe it for you.

If you have high blood pressure, and diet, exercise, and weight loss do not control it, you may need to take medicine to lower your blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure in people who have hypertension is the most important way to prevent stroke.
If your cholesterol level is high and exercise and diet do not lower it, you may need to take a cholesterol-lowering medicine.

If you have atrial fibrillation, you may need to take a blood thinner such as warfarin (brand name: Coumadin).

Aspirin can lower the risk of stroke in some people. However, aspirin is not for everyone. There are risks associated with taking aspirin every day.

Please visit: http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/1215/p2389.html for more information about how to prevent stroke and health information.

PS: Please consult with your doctor for more information.

Why is it important to eat fruit?

Do you like fruit?


Eating fruit provides health benefits — people who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Fruits provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body.

Health benefits

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases.

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for type 2 diabetes.

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer.Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.


Eating fruits and vegetables rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and may help to decrease bone loss.

Eating foods such as fruits that are low in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.

Nutrients
Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories. None have cholesterol.Fruits are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folate (folic acid).Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure.

Fruit sources of potassium include bananas, prunes and prune juice, dried peaches and apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and orange juice.Dietary fiber from fruits, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease.

Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as fruits help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. Whole or cut-up fruits are sources of dietary fiber; fruit juices contain little or no fiber.

Vitamin C is important for growth and repair of all body tissues, helps heal cuts and wounds, and keeps teeth and gums healthy.Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells.

Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy should consume adequate folate, including folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.

.....The Best Get-Happy Foods : Leafy greens - Mood-Boosting Ingredient: Folic Acid
Research has shown that the folic acid in leafy greens such as kale and spinach can reduce depression and even improve blood flow to the brain. If you're not eating at least one serving per day you're more than likely low in folic acid, so try getting more or consider taking a multivitamin that contains it. - Abigail L. Cuffey/Woman's Day

From : THE SPIRITS OF HEALTHY LIVING

16 Reasons NOT to Diet

Check out this list of 16 Reasons NOT to Diet. I’m reposting the whole list here because it’s THAT good. I came across it on the awesome Through Thick and Thin Forum and it really resonated. The original author of the list, Golda from Body Love Wellness, has a great reason for picking 16 reasons:

To support you in this journey, I am reprinting my 16 Reasons Not To Diet. Why 16? Because that’s the average dress size of American women!

And here's the list!

1) Many diets support the use of non-nutritional, highly chemicalized foods like fake fats and fake sugars. These chemicalized foods negatively affect body chemistry, cause low-level undernourishment, and often encourage overeating when the dieter gets the signal that s/he is not getting nourishment.
2) Diets have such a high failure rate that they are really a gamble with a low chance of success. If you look at the fine print of most studies on diets, they will tell you that diets have a 90-99% long-term failure rate. People lose some weight, only to find it creep back up, often surpassing their initial, pre-diet weight. Even the “successful” dieters often don’t keep all of their weight off.
3) Dieting gives dieters the message that they cannot trust their internal sense of what nourishes them. This distrust of internal signals affects other aspects of a dieter’s life, where they seek external approval and control of their non-food
related actions.
4) The diet industry has a deep interest in the failure of dieters—if everyone got skinny, they’d go out of business.
5) Dieters’ self esteem is often tied to their weight—they feel good about themselves when they’re losing weight and bad about themselves when they’re gaining weight.
6) The diet system reinforces low self esteem in dieters by making them feel like they have no “willpower” when they have diet lapses. In actuality, diets encourage people to ignore their internal will in exchange for the perceived will of the diet industry.
7) Rather than being about nourishment, food often becomes about reward and punishment for dieters.
8) Diets cause dieters (who are often women) to revolve their lives around food
rather than other things that may really matter to them (relationships, careers,
social issues).
9) Diets cause a lot of body hatred, particularly when the dieter isn’t losing weight. Dieters tend to see their bodies as wrong and problematic when they’re not seeing the “results” they want.
10) Diets often categorize foods as good/okay vs. bad/forbidden. Just like our culture’s genesis story revolves around a woman eating a forbidden food (the apple), it’s human nature to want what’s forbidden. Thus, it’s no wonder that dieters often crave forbidden foods even more once they are forbidden, and then hate themselves for eating those foods (maybe because they’re made to feel as though they’ve caused all of humanity to become sinners).
11) Diets encourage what I like to call “lottery thinking”—most dieters know that diets haven’t really worked for them nor most of the people they know, yet they think that this new diet is going to make them thin, and they’ll finally be in that tiny successful group.
12) Most diet programs are expensive. I cringe when I think about the money that I and my friends and family have spent over the years on Weight Watchers, special
shakes and diet pills!
13) For some people, diets are like Band-aids on deep scars. For people who really overeat and eat unconsciously, they often eat to numb their feelings and consciousness. Their issue is not really “portion control.” In fact, they often are too controlling of themselves and their emotions.
14) Diets assume that all fat people eat too much. They don’t account for the fact that people come in all shapes and sizes, and that a person’s weight is not an indicator of overall health.
15) The weight loss/gain cycle created by dieting is more stressful on the body than just being plain, old fat.
16) Diets work on a scarcity principle. Diets make dieters focus on lack, tell them they can only have “this much and no more” and that to want more is a bad thing. Because dieting is so all-encompassing, this scarcity principle often filters into other aspects of dieters’ lives. They begin to see lack and scarcity in their relationships, in their jobs, in the world.

Big thanks to Gina at Through Thick and Thin for posting this there. This list really gets at the heart of the futility of dieting and the body hatred it inspired in me. Fighting that uphill dieting battle was causing me nothing but pain. Learning to accept myself as I am is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever tried to do, even harder than the dieting, I think. But the reward is so much greater. It takes a lot to completely turn my worldview upside down and to start swimming in the other direction. It feels strange and sometimes lonely. But I know in my heart that I’m doing the right thing for me. For all the effort I put into dieting, what did I get? A lot of feelings of failure and the opposite of what I thought I wanted (I became bigger in the long run, instead of smaller).

Though painful at first, letting go of the goal of weight loss is freeing me up to engage with myself and others in ways I haven’t before. Instead of joining in to body-shaming conversations, I try to be the voice of reason and love. The world is a hard enough place sometimes, without piling on abuse our very selves. I loved the End Fat Talk movement from last month – it was a great way to get this discussion going and to bring awareness to this problem. Now, we have to take it one step further and bravely step away from the scales that arbitrarily determine our moods and often, even our self worth. It’s time to ditch the outside voice of some random authority that makes money on perpetuating our struggle. Who gave them the right to decide what we need to eat? Are we that out of touch with ourselves that we don’t even get to decide that? I think we can do better for ourselves and I will start by reminding myself of the truth contained in this list everyday.

I know there will be some differing opinions out there – please share your perspective below. Do you think that diets work? When they don’t, do you assume it’s all your fault and that you messed up? Do you think the diet industry truly wants you to find lasting success (and quit getting your cash)? Are you willing to devote yourself to food restriction for the rest of your life? Is that really a reasonable expectation? And if not, what’s the alternative? How can we all lead happy and content lives at home in our skin without becoming obsessive? Please share your experience and any insights you’ve found that help ease the body shaming that is so rampant and excepted in society.

To Lose Weight, Feed Your Brains

As you may know, as soon as you put yourself on a diet, you only have one thought left: to eat. Sooner or later, it will overcome you...except if you hit first.

When was the last time you focused so much on a task that you forgot to eat? You did not really forget, but you were too much interested in what you were working on to stop doing it and go to the fridge. Years ago, when your body was slim and your head swollen with projects, did you ever think that to be a grown up would not mean to be responsible and free?

Stop looking for somebody to sue: nobody shovelled food in your mouth. Stop whining about commercials that influence you: nobody tied you up in front of the telly. Stop opening your mouth and closing your mind.

You know, everybody know, that the higher the education, the lower the weight. If you point at a person you know who has a PhD and 30 extra pounds, you act exactly as those people who say that there is no correlation between smoking and lung cancer since their grand father died of old age after having smoked thousands of cigarettes. I don't write for you. Bye bye!

Now that we are between us, let's move on to the main point. How much does this portrait look like you:
- You often feel incredibly bored,
- You think that you are more worth than what you show,
- If you were given a new start, you would lead your life differently,
- You cannot help wishing something else than getting up to go to work each morning,
- In fact, it looks sometimes so vain that you'd rather stay in bed.

Do you recognize yourself? If yes, the choice is limited: either you fall in a depression, or you feed your brains. Since in order to get out of a depression, you would have to feed your brains, jump directly to the second solution!

First, recognize your qualities and make them shine in others' eyes. Modesty? You are not asked to show haughtiness but to get a sense of pride from your abilities. Would the world be better if Mozart's father had shyly hidden his son's gift? Don't let anyone mislead you: those who advocate modesty have nothing to show. Most time, they do not want you to succeed because it would be the evidence of their own failure. They brandish their righteousness against you because it is, by far, easier to damage your chances than to improve themselves. So, be honest and recognize your qualities.

Some people might advise you to devote your life to a charity cause. It is another way to prevent you from going ahead of them. Do you think that it would have been a great idea if Pasteur had chosen, out of charity, to visit the poor instead of inventing "pasteurization"?

Then, choose the domain in which you will be able to scintillate. Again, do not be humble. The satisfaction of reaching a goal is proportional to the difficulty you encounter to reach it. If you aim to learn arranging flowers, sure, you will succeed, but you will feel as bored as today and your thirst for something to fulfill your life will remain as burning as it is right now. You need to be confronted with a task exciting enough to prevent you from dropping it to go out to eat, or to take time to order a pizza. If the excitement is not rewarding enough, you are going to turn towards "the fridge consolation".

Your goal must also be rather difficult because you are going to need time to change your way of life; so, decide to master the violin, to write an anthology about Roman Poetry, to learn a foreign language or to obtain a degree in chemistry; anything requiring your intellectual faculties to fully work and that you will not be able to complete in a couple of weeks is an activity that deserves to be chosen. Of course, the better you like your goal, the greater your chance to reach it, but do not worry: usually, we are attracted by what we guess we are good at.

Not only "decide" to change, make your decision official: proudness will help you to go on the day you are tired or disheartened.

Multiply your chances to succeed by eliminating the childish desire for "telling them". If you suffer from not being estimated at your true value, make yourself known to your own eyes. The rest will come. Within three years you are going to gain higher education that will lead you to higher income while losing extra weight.

Sure, people will notice.


By: Gabrielle Guichard


About the author:
Gabrielle Guichard, a French teacher who can be reached on http://GabrielleGuichard.comand listened to on http://FrenchPodcasting.com

Do You “Struggle with Your Weight”?

It’s a common phrase – one I’ve used myself many a time. I used it as a way to express that I was somehow a work-in-progress, that I knew and understood that I was flawed and that I was expending effort to fix the problem. It was a badge to hold up and say, “See, at least I know there’s a problem!” I could participate in the larger culture with my fat-exemption card. I have to admit that it was a big part of my identity, to the point where I created a whole social life around myself built on the very premise. Struggling together was easier than struggling alone because we all know, struggling sucks. It’s hard. It’s energy draining. It took over my life. I decided to revisit this idea after reading this post over at Living 400 lbs.

Now, I’d like to say that the struggle is over – that I’ve learned my lesson and all is healed. If it were only that easy. Life is never black and white and I am swimming my way through the gray. Some days I fully embody Margaret Cho’s Fuck it Diet, and feel really great, really in tune with what my body needs to function well and wants just for the joy of it. Other days, the anxiety creeps in and the struggle resurfaces as an effort to silence the food police in my head and the nasty thoughts about my current (and frightening-to-think-about future weight).

The one real tool I have to combat these negative feelings is exercise. The thing I sometimes forgot about when “working out” to try to lose weight, is that moving my body feels fantastic. Getting going is the hard part but usually I feel good while doing it and really good afterwards. It’s hard to feel bad about myself when I’ve just done an hour plus of walking, yoga, pilates, or other strength training. It just doesn’t compute. What I try to avoid, however, are the thoughts about how doing these things will somehow prevent the apocalypse of The Ever-Expanding-Amelia outcome that I so fear. I cannot claim to have overcome that one yet, but practice makes perfect. I try to reframe my desires for movement as something that is showing myself care, that I’m doing it to feel better in my own skin. The goal cannot be weight loss. It just doesn’t work for me. It makes the whole thing into a chore, something that must be checked off the good-fatty checklist. There is no faster way to churn up Please-Just-Let-Me-Sit-On-The-Couch thoughts than that.

I’ve started to notice that the more I talk to myself in this way, the closer I come to believing it. It’s the whole fake-it-till-you-make-it strategy in action. So, I’m calling it – I’m done with the “struggling” metaphor. My body and I are on the same team. Even when my brain sometimes rebels and I have to talk her down, we’re still on the same side. It’s all me and it’s all good. I’m all good. I don’t need or want fixing. I can take excellent care of myself with wholesome, yummy food and fun, joyful activity. I can do all that without the goal of changing my body or losing weight. I can be healthy and not at war with my body. I’m calling a permanent cease fire.

Does anyone else use this metaphor? Do you think it's helping or hurting your efforts to be happy and healthy?

Oh, to be a Red Shoe Blogger

I love my little piece of the internet – it’s right here and it’s all mine. AND, I love The Wizard of Oz – so much so that I went to see it in the theater for its 70th anniversary a couple weeks ago. What do these two things have in common? Blogging is like The Wizard of Oz and there’s no place like home.

This has to be my #1 favorite blog post, like EVER. And it has nothing to do with health or finances (well, a bit, actually…) It boils down to talking about what really makes a blog successful. You see, many people have gotten into the biz of blogging to *gasp* try to make money. They learn and employ all the tricks to drive traffic and boost revenue. But if the content isn’t there, if there’s nothing behind all the bells and whistles, you’re left holding a bag of useless trinkets. Eventually, the whole thing will pop like an overinflated hot air balloon.

Well, no one could accuse me of THAT. I write what I want when I darn well feel like it. I must confess that it tickles me to know that you all (both of you!) are reading, but I don’t do anything specific to try to get more eyeballs. I don’t go around commenting on other blogs just to get people to track back to me. If I’m moved to share my thoughts, I do, if not, I cruise on by… I’ve also abandoned all hope or effort to make any money at this. I used to have some ads but they were awful weightloss or payday loans, most of the time. And who has the time or energy to police that stuff? All for a few pennies (and by this, I mean that literally). So, the ads went by-by and I like how uncluttered this space is. As I said, it’s mine and I love it.

So I’ll keep doing my thing, sporting my Beautifeel Size 9-wide sensible red heels (they may not be sparkly, but they FIT), strutting in and out as I please, talking about what’s important to me, on my schedule. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

The iPhone and My Healthy Life

It’s been a week since the Cute Man and I gleefully made our way to the Apple Store and bought our iPhones. I must say that it has more than compensated for the sadness of having to give back the Mini (HP Netbook). It really is everything I thought it would be and I have absolutely no regrets about the purchase (financial or otherwise). Good financial management is about making choices based on what’s important to you. And after 2 years of waiting for our contract to be up (we regretted not doing this almost right away when we chose Verizon over going with AT&T and the iPhone), we wanted these puppies and we wanted them something fierce. So, we planned for this expense and are thrilled with the result. It doesn’t even look like we’ll be paying THAT much more, especially considering how much more we’re getting for the money.

It’s a whole new world, especially for me. CM had his iPod Touch so it was basically just an upgrade/consolidation thing for him. But for me, the “just give me the free phone” girl, it was a revelation. It is the most fantastic thing I’ve ever owned. I’ve downloaded applications for everything from free music to stream based on my preferences (Pandora), to ones that help me practice my German with fun little games, to full-on yoga classes. It’s incredible. Not to mention the old standbys of weather, online banking, and maps. And I can read my Kindle books on it! I even downloaded the entire Firefly television season (plus the movie Serenity among others), which I have been watching every free moment.

To complement my new toy, I’ve gotten some accessories as well: a Sony iPhone alarm clock with great sound from the speakers, a charger for my car, and my new favorite FREE DIY iPhone stand that I made out of an old card.

At this point, it’s time to put on the breaks and just enjoy what I’ve got. There are so many free things to do/get with it (podcasts, free apps, Pandora and music I already have, Kindle books I already have, and free audio books that I found in an app) that I can stop the bleeding (spending) now and be quite content for some time.

I also plan to save some cash by using the low cost strength training and yoga apps that I downloaded. I will keep up with my paid yoga classes (2 times per week), but I’m going to forgo at least one of the two weekly paid Pilates classes and work out with my apps in the free work gym instead. We’ll see how that goes. I like the classes because they are an appointment to keep so it lends some structure. However, I think I can capitalize on my love-affair with my new gadget to lend some added motivation to hit the gym on my own.

After only one week, I know I’ve just scratched the surface of what my iPhone is capable of but I’m thrilled with what I’ve discovered so far. Going forward, I will have to be mindful to take the most advantage of the capabilities without frivolously buying things with little thought (which is EASY to do, I know). But all in all, I couldn’t be happier!

The Mini is No More: A Lesson in Impulse Purchasing

Last week I had a minor break with reality and decided to buy an HP netbook (aka The Mini) on a whim. Nevermind that I am planning to buy an iPhone a couple weeks later. It was cute as a button and I just HAD to have it. It was shades of immediate gratification past and I just went for it. As the Cute Man pointed out, it’s not like I haven’t been talking about getting a laptop for awhile now. So why not? The CM certainly meant well and he was right in theory. However, the devil’s in the details. I don’t do so well when I don’t carefully research large purchases. Buyer’s remorse is a bitch.

I got that cutie home and fired it up. I even did some organizing/cleaning to make room for it on the bookshelf that serves as my catch-all space in the living room. The CM helped me connect it to our wireless network and my anticipation was building. And then…. nothing. The darned thing wouldn’t load a page! It would do so when connected with a hardline, albeit at an agonizingly slow pace, but it’s a freaking netbook, it needs to work wirelessly. Poor CM in his infinite patience trouble-shooted his little heart out, all to no avail.

Enter, heart-wrenching buyer’s remorse. I was glad to see that I could return it when I checked the receipt. I’d likely have to pay a 15% “restocking fee”, but it’s better than keeping a useless item, right? All the same, I hemmed and hawed, hating to lose what would amount to $50.00 in an idiot tax. But knowing I’d have my beloved iPhone next week helped me make the decision. And what would you know… the thing was actually truly defective. They couldn’t get it to connect to the internet in the store, either! So, no restocking fee. It’s like it never happened! Except that I learned another lesson in what not to do.

Sure, I’d like to have a small laptop to use here and there. It would be good for doing work if ever I need to do so away from the office (not a regular thing in my life so really not a good enough reason), but for 9/10 things I’d use it for, the iPhone will more than compensate. And that’s not even taking into account that the iPhone will be another major purchase, the planning for which should have stopped me from dropping that unexpected cash. But that’s all water under bridge and I will return to my gun-shy frugal ways, having paid my penance in some serious angst (but not in cash, thank goodness).

A healthy sex life: 10 reasons to make love

Evidence points to the many health benefits of an active sex life. Sex Made Easy, an article published in Men's Health Magazine, gives 10 healthy reasons to hop into bed -- a reminder that making love is good for both body and soul.

1.Exercise. "Sexual activity is a form of physical exercise," according to Dr. Michael Cirigliano of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Making love three times a week burns around 7,500 calories in a year -- the equivalent of jogging 75 miles.

2.Heavy Breathing. A night of love can raise the amount of oxygen in cells, helping to keep organs and tissues functioning at their peak.

3. Strong Bones and Muscles. "Any kind of physical exercise is going to increase testosterone," states Dr. Karen Donahey, director of the Sex and Marital Therapy Program at Chicago's Northwestern University Medical Center. Testosterone is believed to help keep men's bones and muscles strong.

4. Lowered Cholesterol. Making love regularly can lower levels of the body's total cholesterol slightly, while positively changing the ratio of good-to-bad cholesterol.

5. Pain Relief. Sex can lower levels of "arthritic pain, whiplash pain and headache pain," according to Dr. Beverly Whipple, president-elect of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists. Hormones that are released during sexual excitement and orgasm can elevate pain thresholds.

6. DHEA -- Without Supplements. DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a popular supplemental hormone, is released naturally during lovemaking. "Just before orgasm and ejaculation," Crenshaw says, "DHEA spikes to levels three to five times higher than usual."

7. Prostate Protection. Researchers say prostate trouble may arise or be worsened by fluid buildup within the gland. Regular ejaculation will help wash out those fluids. Be cautious when suddenly changing frequency -- sudden changes may also trigger prostate problems.

8. Stress Relief. "Sex can be a very effective way of reducing stress levels," Donahey told Men's Health.

9. Love Will Keep Us Together. Crenshaw says affectionate touch will increase levels of oxytocin -- the "bonding hormone." Oxytocin is a desire-enhancing chemical secreted by the pituitary. Regular oxytocin release may help encourage frequent lovemaking.

10. Hormones -- Naturally. "Regular lovemaking can increase a woman's estrogen level, protect her heart and keep her vaginal tissues more supple," states Donahey.

by Deb Donovan



SOURCE: Men's Health (November 1997, p. 104-108)

Ready to Take a Stand

I think I just became radicalized. Have you ever read something that makes such an impression that you *finally* feel the need to get personally involved? Reading this is my moment:

And when I recently attended an interview to be a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, I was asked if I had any objection to mentoring a dirty and/or obese child. The woman asking, with her rushed speech and stiff posture, betrayed that she was uneasy about the question’s existence on the official questionnaire. But it wasn’t her asking the question that made me uneasy. Rather, it was that a lonesome child’s obesity (paired “naturally” with dirtiness) made a difference to enough to compassionate volunteers that it had become necessary to ask.

However I feel about We Are the Real Deal in general and MamaV in particular, this guest post has made an impression. The situation described above is wrong on so many levels, I just don’t know where to start. The author of this piece, Kim Brittingham, went on to say:

The swelling trend of fat hatred in the United States makes me profoundly sad.

No kidding.

I’ve never been much of a political person. I’m pretty self-centered, generally. It’s usually enough for me to concentrate on my own life and making the most of it. And I don’t feel particularly oppressed by fat hatred on a daily basis. I have operated from a perspective of complicity for so long (I was an avid self-flagellating dieter for years and years, after all) that it’s hard to switch the script sometimes.

But you know what, it’s not OK . It’s not OK that every other news snippet is about the latest “new” weight loss technique, spouting all types of short term benefits without any disclaimer about the long term physical and emotional damage these diets – I mean “lifestyle changes” – leave in their wake. It’s not OK that my doctor automatically assumes I’m unhealthy because of my BMI and makes every visit about that, as opposed to things that can actually be diagnosed and dealt with. It’s not OK that I’m more familiar with actual clinical studies, most of which show no link between obesity and shorter life span, than the medical experts I interact with. In fact, these studies point to the aptly named Obesity Paradox). It’s a “paradox” because studies continually show that overweight and obese people live longer on average but people continue to cling to the “common knowledge” that obesity kills. How come I know all about this but get blank stares and condescending pats on the shoulder from people who should be in the know?

And it’s just not OK, not anymore. Kids involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program are in need. Those needs are no less for the obese child. It is not OK that they are made to feel diminished in any way whatsoever. The thought that our society is so messed up that a well meaning person would choose to specifically not work with a child because he is obese (or dirty, for that matter – that is ridiculous as well, just not the subject here) is unconscionable . Something has gone awry, folks. Obese people are not broken and in need of fixing. We are not contagious and something to avoid being around. We are not greedy and somehow unworthy of respect. Food and exercise are not a weapons or moral issues in any way nor are our bodies up for public discussion.

I’m hoping that my involvement in the Big Fat Lie Project, will help spread some new “common sense” about weight, health, and how the two are not necessarily conflated. How punishing ourselves through dieting or moving our bodies for the sole purpose of making ourselves somehow less instead of for the sheer JOY of it, is just plain wrong and counterproductive. We do not need to be starved and shamed into conformity and told that it's all for our own good. I hope to be a part of a shift that has to happen in our understanding and treatment of people like me, the obese, who are not headless fat people on the news, but real and complex individuals deserving of love, respect, and human kindness.

What Is Alcoholism?

By Robert Vaux
eHow Contributing Writer

Many people think of alcoholism as drinking to excess. In truth, it differs significantly. Drinking to excess constitutes alcohol abuse. Alcoholism, on the other hand, is a chronic disease constituting a physical and psychological compulsion to drink. Alcoholics have no control over their drinking, and quitting becomes more than a matter of simple willpower. The good news is that patients can recover from alcoholism, provided they understand its effects on their lives and resolve to confront it directly.


Symptoms

1. The pattern of drinking can help define an alcoholic. Many drink alone or in secret, hiding evidence of their drinking or making up lies to disguise it. Once they start drinking, they cannot stop and they often drink to excess just to feel "normal." They often expect drinks at set points in the day and become irritable when they can't get one. Many of them experience blackouts and have no memory of things they've done and said. All of this has a devastating impact on their personal and professional lives, which, ironically, may cause them to turn to alcohol even more readily.


Addiction
2. An addiction to alcohol doesn't come overnight. The patient's body gradually builds up a tolerance as more and more is imbibed, requiring greater amounts in order to feel intoxicated. At the same time, alcohol creates physiological changes in the brain: raising levels of dopamine and similar biochemicals. Over time, that essentially addicts the body to the alcohol, causing the patient to drink more and more to avoid feeling awful.


Causes
3. Causes of alcoholism vary by individual, but are generally broken down into three or four basic categories. The Mayo Clinc and other reputable organizations believe that biological factors make some people more vulnerable to alcoholism. Other people turn to alcohol because of prolonged stress, through psychological factors relating to childhood traumas and the like, or through cultural factors such as collegiate atmospheres that are tolerant of excessive drinking. In many cases, a combination of these factors will be present in a single individual.


Treatment
4. The treatment of alcoholism can begin only when the patient admits the extent of the problem and resolves to get help. Treatment options vary, but generally begin with getting the alcohol out of the patient's system and mitigating the withdrawal symptoms safely. The patient can then be medically assessed and a treatment program can begin to break the cravings which may cause the patient to relapse. This can involve a stay in a rehab center, sessions with a therapist, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and even the use of medical deterrents such as Antabuse.



A Process
5. Alcoholism remains with the patient in some form or another for the rest of his life. Most recovering alcoholics stress that it is an ongoing process--taken one day at a time--and that the urge to relapse is always present. But the more one builds upon the little steps, the easier it becomes and the stronger the patient feels as a result.

Inspiration from Margaret Cho

I read this blog post some time ago but came across it again today. And it rocks. If you don’t like the word “fuck”, this isn’t for you. Everyone else, please read it. Now. In it, Margaret Cho unveiled the secret to her weight loss success. It boils down to (emphasis mine):

“I never eat leftovers. I never take anything home. I never eat anything that doesn’t taste heavenly. I never eat when I am not hungry. I never let myself get too hungry. I never deny myself a fucking thing because I have denied myself enough for 1000 lifetimes and there is no more denial for me in the way that I live. I deserve all the mozzarella sticks, all the fucking chocolate, all the fucking pizza, all the chicken a’la king, and I deserve to leave what I don’t finish on the plate.

So there you go. Big secret diet. Love. Love and the audacity to actually waste food.”

I’m working on it, Margaret!

The Big Fat Lie Project

Since starting on the Intuitive Eating (IE) path, I have struggled to find a balance between honoring my health and resisting the diet mentality. One of the first stages of IE is to make peace with food, which I did with gusto. However, the resulting weight gain (felt, not measured – I do not use a scale anymore) and frequent heartburn have not been welcome. I am resisting any pull to just go on another diet to “fix” things, though. I have to find another way to come to terms with my body, my eating habits, and my activity level.

I want to incorporate more whole foods into my diet. I want to keep active. I want to do these things so that I feel better, not to lose weight. I am clear in this intention. As a result, I’ve decided to join a study that is working to highlight the benefits of IE coupled with eating whole foods and doing resistance training. The goals of the study and much more information about it is available at The Big Fat Lie, our group blog for the project.

I am excited to get started on this two year project. I hope that my participation will help support me on my road to a healthy relationship with food and my body. I’m also thrilled to be a part of something that will bring IE and its benefits to light. I hope that this study will show the world a long term, sustainable alternative to dieting.

How to Build Your Own Fat Loss Program

It's confusing to follow all of the experts out there when it comes to fat loss. Let the Fit Rebel show you the key elements in building a program that best suites your needs.

Instructions
Step 1

Look to cut back on calories you probably won't miss. Most of these calories come from liquids such as sodas and alcohol. Other sources for these calories are snack foods like chips and cookies. They key is to find the foods that don't contribute much to your body so you won't feel hungry cutting back on them.


Step 2
Start looking for ways to burn as many calories as possible. The fat on your body is just like fuel in your gas tank, you can alter what's coming in (your diet) as much as you want, but the bottom line is that you have fuel you want to burn. So think outside your workout. Drive as little as possible and sit as little as possible. It's much more effective and easier to burn more calories through the day rather than in just a workout at the end of the day.

Step 3
Ramp up that energy! Your energy is your metabolism. If you energy is up then so is your metabolism. Some common things that boost your energy is to 1) Get a good nights sleep. 2) Eat meals that have a good balance between fat protein and carbohydrates and 3) Keep your body moving.


Step 4
Enlist in a simple strength program. The experts are in debate over just how and why a strength program might aid weight loss, however it's a good bet that a simple program done 3-4 times a week will help bring about muscle tone, prevent injury and last I checked strong is better than week any day.

Tips & Warnings
• It's important to realize that you don't need any special program or formula to burn off fat. Your body is always burning fat and calories! The key is to simply burn off more than you currently are while cutting back on the intake that is keeping the fat stores on your body replenished.

• Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program.

• Don't make things more complex than they need to be. The most simple actions (going for an evening walk, cutting back on junk foods or taking the stairs at work) are often the most effective.

• Fat loss is not a fast process. Be sure that whatever steps you take are ones you are comfortable with for a long time. Anything you do that you couldn't keep doing a month or two from now is probably not going to work in the long term no matter how great the short term results are.

By Matt Schifferle
eHow Community Member

About Mastectomy

This is important information for women all over the world.

Definition: A mastectomy is a surgical procedure in which most or all of the breast tissue is removed, in order to treat breast cancer. There are several different degrees of mastectomy:

• a simple, or total mastectomy is the removal of all of the breast tissue, but none of the underlying muscle nor the lymph nodes are removed
• a modified radical mastectomy is the removal of all of the breast tissue, as well as the lymph nodes on the same side of the body as the breast
• a radical mastectomy, also called a Halsted mastectomy is the removal of all of the breast tissue, the underlying muscle, as well as the lymph nodes on the same side of the body as the breast (this is rarely done now)

• a skin-sparing mastectomy is one in which the breast tissue is removed, but the breast skin is kept, so that in the case of immediate breast reconstruction (plastic surgery) no skin grafts will be needed, to cover the breast implant.

Pronunciation: mas-TEK-tu-mee.
Also Known As: breast removal surgery.
Common Misspellings: masectomy, massectumy.

Examples: A mastectomy is used to treat any breast cancer that has spread, or invaded, breast tissues beyond the original tumor site. It is important that the surgeon be experienced in breast surgery, and that the surgical margins of the tissue that is removed are clear of cancer cells. A well-done mastectomy helps to prevent breast cancer recurrence.

A Return to Whole Foods (the concept, not the store!)

While catching up at Cheap Healthy Good, one of my favorite food sites, I came across a link to this post about Nourishing Traditions, a cookbook that focuses on getting back to cooking in well, more traditional time honored ways. I was pulled in right away.

Since starting on my path to Intuitive Eating (IE), I’ve been happily making peace with food. As a result, I’ve indulged in much more food of the processed persuasion, just because I *can*. Most of that has been the Trader Joe’s type of processed but not all of it. I definitely don’t like focusing on so much convenience food. There has to be a balance. I realize that it was necessary stage of my healing to swing the other way first, though, so I’m not judging my food choices or anything. I just am finding myself looking forward to cooking more whole foods and putting more effort into my cooking and general food prep.

I’ll actually be participating in an upcoming study that will examine how an IE lifestyle focused on mostly whole foods coupled with moderate strength training affects overall health. It will be a two year commitment and I’m super excited to participate. But that hasn’t started yet – I’ll post more about that when it begins next month and throughout the study.

My head is already starting to get back to craving “real” food that I prepare myself, though, so there’s no reason to wait. I’m coming at this from a place of excitement, not one of trying to “eat healthy”. I will not completely abandon all play foods, not by a long shot. I plan to continue incorporating them into my daily intake, focusing on making my own versions as well as treating myself to the occasional processed items from time to time. It’s not all or nothing. I’m focusing on ADDING more whole foods, not in trying to deny myself anything. I think that psychological distinction is key for me.

In any case, I came across the Nourishing Traditions book just when I was ready to embrace it. I hopped right over to Amazon and downloaded it to my Kindle. I’ve only just begun reading it (yes, I’m actually reading a cookbook!) and have discovered that it’s much more than just a book of recipes. It catalogues all the different ways we have been mislead when it comes to “nutrition” in the media. So many studies have been twisted to say what the researchers wanted them to say. Others were just ignored because they didn’t prove what they wanted them to. I’ve come across some of this before but it never ceases to amaze me. The author advocates a return to not only eating more whole foods but to draw on more traditional ways of food preparation as a way to combat some of the damage we’ve done to ourselves with all this fake food.

I will be working my way through the fantastic info in the book as well as trying out some recipes. I will periodically post about how they turn out and what I’m learning in the process. And lest you think that I’ve completely abandoned my focus on personal finance, I will be noting any savings that come from buying and cooking my own food on a more consistent basis.

Please chime in with any advice or experience you may have to share about cooking and eating whole foods. I’m not completely new to the concept (I’ve always loved to cook) but am coming at it from a whole new perspective. I welcome all input!

Newsflash: I Love My Life (no caveats)

For years I’ve thought that if I could just change this one thing about me (my weight) all would be well. In an otherwise charmed existence, this was my one cross to bear. Other people had “real” problems, what did I have to complain about? Just devote my energy to getting this one thing under control and I would be golden. After reading this amazing post at Shapely Prose, I came to the conclusion that this was a spectacular waste of time.

What exactly was I waiting for? What was magically going to change when I lost weight? Would I find a husband? (no, got that…) Would I get more friends and be super popular? (I have plenty, thank you…) Would I be adored by the masses on the street? (I actually HATE that, you know, to be noticed and accosted by strangers…) Was I going to travel and have tons of fun? (hmmm… already had that experience…)

So what was it? I guess my Fantasy of Being Thin just involved feeling GOOD about myself and within my own skin. It was about feeling powerful and healthy and confident. It meant looking good in clothes (and without them!) and just reveling in being me. I’ve come to the conclusion that all of those things have to do with my state of MIND, not the state of my body. It seems so basic that I could literally laugh at all the angst I’ve put myself through.

Over the past 6 months or so since I’ve added some strength training to the yoga I already adored doing, I’ve noticed a change not only in my body but how I feel about it. Although I haven’t lost any weight and have probably gained some (I no longer weigh myself), I’ve noticed subtle changes in my body composition. It’s nothing drastic or probably even noticeable to others. But *I* notice and feel different: stronger, more toned, less wobbly.

I’ve found myself getting a kick out of buying clothes again, something I haven’t been able to do for years. Between the financial concerns and the feeling that anything I bought would be temporary (because I’d be losing weight, of course), I didn’t invest too much in it. What a joy it is to find something that makes me feel good right now, as I am now. I got the best bathing suite ever and I can’t wait to sport it on vacation. Who knew that I was capable of feeling that way about a swim suite!

I AM powerful, healthy, and confident. I am that way RIGHT NOW. And none of those qualities come from my ability to semi-starve my body into submission. So instead of devoting my energy to getting this one (weight) thing under control, I have boundless energy to devote to living this wonderful, amazing life I am blessed to enjoy.

Fat Women LESS Likely to Have Premature Babies?

A study discussed by Sandy Szwarc at Junk Food Science totally blew my mind. For years, I have been fraught with fears of getting pregnant while still in the obese category. I thought, if only I could lose some weight before having children, everything would be better – I’d be healthier, my baby would be healthier. I also thought about how I could eat in healthy way so that I wouldn’t gain too much weight while pregnant. And it goes without saying that I’d do my best to shed those excess pounds after delivery. I just couldn’t fathom getting bigger than I am already.

First goal: lose weight before getting pregnant.

Second goal: don’t gain too much weight when I do.

Third goal: work to lose pregnancy weight after birth.

I am literally in tears thinking about how much time I wasted trying to lose weight for this reason only to learn (from the study discussed in the link above):

The CDC researchers also found that fat women with BMIs in the ‘obese’ category and high weight gain (>1.5 pounds/week) were associated with the lowest risks for preterm deliveries of all (2.4%): less than half the risks seen among those of average weights and weight gain. While some believe fat women should gain less weight during pregnancy, they found that low pregnancy weight gain for obese women raised their risks for preterm deliveries to 9.3%.

And of COURSE I’d want to lose weight after having my first child, right? More from the article linked above:

Another point noted in this new study that may have come as a revelation was that researchers had previously shown that weight loss after a pregnancy can increase a woman’s risk of having a preterm delivery with her next pregnancy.

This one article alone has challenged me to question all that I thought I knew about weight and pregnancy. I can’t say that I’ve completely let go of my fears of weight GAIN. It’s scary to think that it is not only inevitable but actually preferable that I would indeed gain weight when carrying my first child. Sitting here at my highest weight (I’ve reached it before but never exceeded it, that I know of), I can’t imagine it.

While following a path of intuitive eating, I recognize that I may release some weight as my body normalizes and lets go of any excess that is not needed. I know that paradoxically, if I focus on that as a goal, I’m least likely to see that happen. But I still hope… I genuinely still believe that it would be healthier for me to start having children at a lower weight. Whether this is true or not, I cannot say.

The important thing for me to take from this is that no matter what, I am following the path I need to take. If it leads to me to getting smaller in the long run, if that’s where my body will be healthiest, great. If not, this is encouraging news that I may not be putting myself and my future child in harm’s way.

I was comforted to be reminded:

For most of human history, fat has been life-sustaining and a sign of a woman’s ability to bear and nurture children. Obesity continues to be shown to have a protective relationship for carrying a baby to term in the soundest studies, as these researchers confirmed...

…the welfare of all babies and improving their chances for healthy futures should be the primary concern, not whether their mums are fat. All babies deserve a healthy start and all mothers-to-be deserve good prenatal care… and the very best information.

It is true that the Cute Man and I have delayed having children for many reasons (getting our finances together was a biggy), but I must admit that this is the one that really stopped me in my tracks. With so much information out there, it is indeed hard to know what to believe. However, the studies discussed in this article have really spurred a lot of thought. I am interested in any other perspectives you may want to share!