3 Moves to Get Rid of Your Muffin Top

Side Bends

Stand with your feet hip distance apart, arms at your sides. As you reach down toward your toes with one arm, lift the other one up toward your waist, placing your hand on your hip (above). Alternate sides with one arm up, one arm down. Do 100 reps.

Standing Russian Twists

Place your hands behind your head, elbows out wide and knees slightly bent. Isolate your core, making sure your hips don’t move. Twist to one side then the other, alternating sides (above). Do 100 reps.

Jackknives

Lay on the floor or a bench with your legs straight out, arms stretched above your head, toes pointed toward the ceiling. Raise your arms toward your toes as you raise your legs  to a 45- to 90-degree angle, keeping your shoulders off the floor (above). You should bring your arms way up over your belly button so your body looks just like a jackknife. Then return back to the floor or bench with your legs and arms stretched out. Do 40 reps.

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Dietary Fat and Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women.Endogenous estrogen levels have now been established as a risk factor for breast cancer. Thus, the effects of fat and other dietary factors on estrogen levels are of potential interest. 

Consumption of animal fat, but not vegetable fat, is strongly correlated with prostate cancer mortality internationally.


evidence from many studies on obesity and low levels of physical activity increasing the risk of colon cancer suggests that at least part of the high rates in affluent countries previously attributed to fat intake is probably due to sedentary lifestyle.

Consumption of animal fat, but not vegetable fat, is strongly correlated with prostate cancer mortality internationally.

Rates of other cancers that are common in affluent countries, including those of the endometrium and ovary, are, of course, also correlated with fat intake internationally.

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5 Foods to Eat When You're Depressed

1. An omelet—just don't skip the yolk
Eat it for: The B vitamins and protein. Egg yolks are the vitamin-B-rich part of the egg.
Other examples: Lean beef, wheat germ, fish, poultry
 A 2010 study of 3,000 older adults followed over 12 years found that those with lower intake of these vitamins had a higher risk of depression, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
2. Nuts and seed:Eat it for: The magnesium
Examples: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds, peanuts. (Green leafy vegetables and whole grains are also high in magnesium.)
Magnesium, a mineral found naturally in nuts and seeds, influences production of serotonin, a "feel-good" brain chemical. 

3. Cold-water fish
Eat it for: The omega-3 fatty acids
Examples: Wild salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies, tuna (not more than once per week), rainbow trout, mackerel.
There's a reason fish is known as "brain food." Fatty fish such as wild salmon contain the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which has been shown to increase the membrane quality and nerve function of gray matter in the brain. 

4. Ancient grains
Eat it for: The complex carbohydrates
Examples: Quinoa, millet, teff, amaranth, spelt, barley

5. Green tea
Drink it for: The amino acid L-theanine
Examples: Hot green tea, brewed iced green tea—including flavored varieties like jasmine green tea or berry green tea
"Despite the caffeine, the L-theanine in green tea seems to be profoundly relaxing, with effects that last up to eight hours," Reardon says. L-theanine is easily absorbed and can cross the blood-brain barrier, adding to its effectiveness.

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Try these simple natural home remedies to get rid of that oh-so-exhausted look on your face

Try these simple natural home remedies to get rid of that oh-so-exhausted look on your face

1. Applying a mixture of a teaspoon of tomato and lime juice, twice a day will help in reducing the dark circles. 

2. Drink a glass of tomato juice with some mint leaves, lemon juice and salt. Drinking this twice a day is another remedy. 

3. Every night before sleeping, apply creams containing vitamin E and C around the eyes. 

4. Grate some raw potato and soak a cotton ball in the potato juice. Close your eyes and place these cotton balls on your eyes. Leave it on for 10 minutes and wash off with cold water. 

5.Prepare a paste of four to five almonds with some milk. Apply this paste over the affected area and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. This will lighten the skin around the eyes. 

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5 Simple Ways to Sleep Better

EXERCISE REGULARLY: Along with many other benefits, exercise leads to sound slumber. “Exercise is great for sleep. For the millions of people who want better sleep, exercise may help,” says David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation.

EAT FOODS THAT ARE RICH IN VITAMINS: The food you eat affects your body’s level of serotonin, a key hormone that — along with Vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid — helps promote healthy sleep. Apples, bananas, berries, citrus juice, dried fruit, grapefruit and kiwis are just a few fruits that stimulate serotonin production.

AVOID COMPUTER AT NIGHT: TVs, smartphones, tablets and other electronics stimulate your brain rather than helping it shut down for the night.

DON’T ABUSE SLEEPING PILLS: Sleeping pills, if taken on regular basis for long duration can make you dependent, one such drug is zolpidem tartrate. Drug dependency can turn an acute case of insomnia into a chronic one.

AVOID ALCOHOL AT BED TIME: Alcohol interferes with your body’s sleep cycle and hinders refreshing REM sleep. It may feel like it helps you get to sleep, but it has a negative effect on your sleep quality.

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Diagnostic Criteria for Major Depressive Disorder and Depressive Episodes

DSM-IV Criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

• Depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities for more than two weeks.
• Mood represents a change from the person's baseline.
• Impaired function: social, occupational, educational.

• Specific symptoms, at least 5 of these 9, present nearly every day:
1. Depressed mood or irritable most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report
(e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful).
2. Decreased interest or pleasure in most activities, most of each day
3. Significant weight change (5%) or change in appetite
4. Change in sleep: Insomnia or hypersomnia
5. Change in activity: Psychomotor agitation or retardation
6. Fatigue or loss of energy
7. Guilt/worthlessness: Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt
8. Concentration: diminished ability to think or concentrate, or more indecisiveness
9. Suicidality: Thoughts of death or suicide, or has suicide plan 

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6 healthy reasons to keep loving coffee

I adore coffee, so I wasn’t surprised when I came a cross a recent study, which found that drinking java is linked to positive emotions, including pleasure, kindness, affection, satisfaction, friendship, calm, and happiness. I couldn’t agree more, but as a nutritionist, my love for morning mud sometimes raises eyebrows. Coffee has long been considered a vice, and while I do believe it can be healthful, there are some caveats. Here are six pros, two cons, and my bottom line advice:

Pro: Coffee contains antioxidants
Coffee beans are actually the seeds inside a bright red berry, sometimes called a coffee cherry. Like all plant foods, both the berries and the seeds are rich in antioxidants. In fact, according to recent research, coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet. This is probably because one out of every two Americans starts his or her day off with a cup of Joe, while 75 percent fall short of the minimum recommended five servings of fruits and veggies. Still, those antioxidants do pack a pretty powerful health protecting punch.

Pro: Coffee may slash the risk of diabetes
In one recent study, scientists followed a Native American population, where the prevalence of diabetes was between 40 and 70 percent. Over seven years, those with the highest coffee intakes had a 67 percent lower risk of developing diabetes compared to non-coffee drinkers, and this isn’t the only research to reach this conclusion. To date, several studies support a link between coffee intake and diabetes protection, including Harvard research, which found that a six cup a day habit slashed men’s diabetes risk by over 50 percent and women’s by 30 percent compared to java avoiders. While the study authors don’t recommend consuming that much (and I agree), they believe the effect may be related to coffee’s antioxidant content, which protects against insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.

Pro: Coffee is tied to lower rates of other diseases
Studies show that compared to non-coffee drinks, those who indulge are likely to experience a lower risk of colon cancer, liver cirrhosis, gallstones, breast and endometrial cancer. In addition, a handful of studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s, and there is strong evidence that caffeine plays a protective role. Based on this research, Parkinson’s drugs that contain a derivative of caffeine are currently being developed.

Pro: Coffee can give your workout a boost
Several studies have shown that in moderation, caffeine enhances athletic performance. And now preliminary new research shows that exposing muscle cells to caffeine essentially mimics the effects of training. While this doesn’t mean that drinking a cup of coffee is akin to a workout, scientists say the study may help to explain caffeine’s positive impact on boosting endurance. Another recent study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that muscle carbohydrate stores are replenished more rapidly when athletes consume both carbs and caffeine following exhaustive exercise. Compared to carbohydrates alone, the combo resulted in a 66 percent increase in muscle glycogen (the storage form of carbs) four hours after intense exercise. This increase in energy reserves ups your ability to exercise harder and/or longer the next time you’re ready to get your heart rate up.

Pro: Coffee may fend off aging
Animal studies show that caffeine may offset the loss of muscle strength that occurs with aging. The effects were seen in both the diaphragm, the core muscle used for respiration, as well as skeletal muscle. Other animal studies have found that caffeine may prevent brain inflammation, a precursor to cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

Pro: Coffee isn’t dehydrating – IF you’re consistent
Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it triggers fluid loss. However, newer research indicates that after about five days of consistent caffeine intake, your body adjusts, which negates the dehydrating effect. The trick is, you have to be consistent. In other words, if you sometimes have one cup of coffee in the morning, sometimes three, or if you occasionally reach for it in the afternoon, you may feel the effects (headaches, dry skin, constipation…).

Con: Coffee may up the risk of some conditions
Natural substances in coffee have been shown to raise cholesterol levels. And two or more cups a day can increase the risk of heart disease in people with a fairly common genetic mutation, which slows the breakdown of caffeine in the body. In addition, if you have high blood pressure, you should limit your caffeine intake, and that can be tricky – since hypertension has no symptoms, you may not know you have it.

Con: Caffeine tolerance varies widely
Some people can drink a strong cup of coffee and go to sleep 30 minutes later. For others, even a moderate amount can cause stomach upset, anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness, and headaches. In addition, combining coffee with other stimulants can have a synergistic effect, which may dangerously raise blood pressure, even in healthy young adults.

Bottom line: Moderate and modify
If you don’t love coffee, there’s no reason to start drinking it. And if you do, the pros above aren’t a green light for cranking up your intake to a pot a day. However, it is good to know that if you have no intention of giving it up, your morning cuppa cuppa may provide some disease protection. To best reap the rewards, I recommend consistently sticking with just one cup in the morning, then switching to water or green tea. And if you do drink coffee, doctor it up healthfully. Stick with organic skim or plant based “milk” (almond, hemp, coconut, etc.), and season it up with antioxidant rich, naturally calorie free spices like ground cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla bean, rather than sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Cynthia Sass is a registered dietitian with master’s degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she’s Health’s contributing nutrition editor, and privately counsels clients in New York, Los Angeles, and long distance. Cynthia is currently the sports nutrition consultant to the New York Rangers NHL team and the Tampa Bay Rays MLB team, and is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics. Her latest New York Times best seller is S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches.

 

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