Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
vendredi 7 avril 2017
Some Background on Syria's Tyrannical President, Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad, the despotic dictator grasping for power in Syria, was never supposed to lead his country. The embattled president's father, Hafez al-Assad - one whose rule can only be characterized as a dictatorship - had a clear favorite for ascension of power after he died: Basil al-Assad, the eldest male in the Syrian family. Basil al-Assad, who was already being groomed to control Syria, died in a car crash in 1994, paving the way for his younger brother Bashar to assume power when their father died. In 2000, Hafez al-Assad died following a 29-year reign, and Bashar al-Assad was elected president. He ran on an unopposed ballot.
What did Bashar al-Assad do before he became president?
Ever the second son, Bashar al-Assad was apparently disinterested in the family business of ruling Syria during his early years. After studying ophthalmology at Damascus University, al-Assad moved to London in the late 1980s for his residency. When his brother died, al-Assad was summoned back to Damascus by his father, presumably so the then-president could begin preparing him to take over after he died. He entered a military training school and eventually became a colonel in the army. In the late 1990s, al-Assad led a campaign against corruption in the government. This provided a seemingly legal opportunity for him to dispose of political rivals also vying for power when his father died.
What kind of president was he before the civil war began?
When Bashar al-Assad became president following his father's death, he attempted to reform some of the Syrian government's restrictive policies toward political rivals. According to a New Republic profile of the leader in 2013, Bashar al-Assad was most concerned with being liked rather than feared, like his father had been. As president, he released political prisoners who his father had detained, lifted a law that prohibited discussion of politics instituted by his father, allowed private ownership of banks, and granted a permit for an independent newspaper.
Around the same time the Arab Spring precipitated a series of political shake-ups across the Middle East in 2010, Syria encountered a similar revolution. Protests against the Assad family's regime sprung up across the country, and al-Assad reacted much like his father likely would have in response. Thousands of activists and civilians were imprisoned or killed; in the sixth month of protests, 2,000 people were already killed in al-Assad's attempt to maintain power. By 2011, as unrest enveloped Syria and it descended into a civil war ignited by al-Assad's brutal reaction to protesters, 27 European Union world leaders and the United States urged him to step down as president.
What has his role been in perpetuating civil war in his country?
By 2011, the situation in Syria had shifted from protests to full-scale civil war with al-Assad refusing to relinquish power. He also attempted to distance himself from his own army's action - despite being its commander in chief - during a December 2011 interview with ABC's Barbara Walters. In 2013, the president was accused of approving a chemical attack on a rebel-held territory that killed 1,400 civilians, 426 of whom were children. Former President Barack Obama proposed launching an airstrike on the Syrian-held territory in response to the brutal assault, but the plan was rejected by Congress. At the imploring of world leaders, al-Assad agreed to eliminate chemical weapon use through a deal brokered by the United States and Russia. However, as recently as this April, reports of a chemical weapons attack led by the Syrian military emerged.
Amid ongoing bloodshed in the country, al-Assad was reelected president in 2014, though the election was clearly rigged; voting only took place in areas of the country that he controlled. By the time of his "reelection," the conflict in Syria had already claimed the lives of more than 160,000 people.
The Syrian civil war grew more complex as ISIS entered the fight, endeavoring to capitalize on the unrest in the neighboring region. Since the terrorist organization has entered the conflict, American and Russian forces have been pulled into the fight, with the Russians backing al-Assad and the United States tentatively supplying arms to Syrian rebels. By December of 2016, the United Nations declared Aleppo, one of Syria's most populated cities, to be a humanitarian disaster as al-Assad's troops attempted to retake the city from rebels. The Syrian army successfully recaptured the city but with a massive civilian death toll and reports of war crimes.
As of February 2017, the Syrian Center for Policy Research, which is based in Damascus, estimated that at least 470,000 people have died in Syria since the beginning of the conflict. Bashar al-Assad remains unwilling to step down and continues to assert his power. In an April 6 interview with a Croation newspaper, Vecernji List, al-Assad said there is "no option except victory" to resolve the conflict and his government could not reach "results" through peace talks.
At the center of Bashar al-Assad's rule hangs a persistence to both honor his father's legacy and continue his family's reign. While he has long been accused of being weak by allies and foes within Syria, al-Assad ultimately appears obsessed with proving his leadership and strength, no matter the cost.
The Surprising Bath Product That Could Alleviate Your Migraines
Besides the pain of a throbbing headache, the most frustrating part of being a migraine sufferer is how difficult it is to find an effective treatment. I personally have given up on preventative or emergency medications, as many of them have only made me feel worse. But thanks to a viral Facebook post, those dealing with these awful headaches may finally be able to get some relief.
The Daily Mail discovered Facebook user Jill Hamilton's tip from a friend, which declares Johnson's Baby Soothing Vapor Bath ($5) as "life-changing."
"I get unbearable migraine headaches," read the post. "I started using this in the shower every night, I lather up really good and breathe in the smell for about five minutes then rinse off. And no more migraine!"
The relief may be due to the aromatherapeutic blend of rosemary, eucalyptus, and menthol. Cathy Glaser, the president of the Migraine Research Foundation, told Allure that researchers have been focusing on the benefits of menthol in particular.
"Menthol has been used as a 'non-drug' therapy for headaches for centuries. Although there are anecdotal reports that it's helpful, there is no scientific research supporting its use," says Glaser. "That's why we funded a study on cornmint oil (which is what menthol comes from) last year."
While there are no results yet from that study, it's worth testing out the Johnson's Baby Soothing Vapor Bath in the meantime. It could seriously improve your life if it works, but worst case scenario, you're out $5 - with a squeaky-clean body.
Jimmy Fallon's Daughters Steal the Show at the Opening of His Universal Studios Ride
Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show are taking over Universal Studios Orlando Resort this week for the grand opening of his new thrill ride, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon. In addition to enjoying the parks and photobombing fans with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the late-night host also took time to give a speech about how much his new ride means to him. While attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony with his wife, Nancy Juvonen, their two adorable daughters, Winnie and Frances, ended up stealing the entire show. Not only were they too cute for words in their matching yellow dresses, but they also waved and clapped as their dad spoke to the crowd outside the park's fake New York City backdrop.
"I can't believe this is really happening," Jimmy said. "The Tonight Show is all about fun and positivity and laughter and putting a smile on your face, and that is what this ride is all about. I'm so proud of it. As a kid from upstate New York, I never imagined I would be a talk-show host let alone have my own ride. It goes to show that if you keep dreaming big anything is possible." The sweet family moment is even cuter than their recent ski trip in March (but still doesn't top the girls' Halloween costumes from 2015).
13 Reasons Why: The Cast Is Talking Like Season 2 Is Coming
We're on the edge of our seats waiting for Netflix to tell us if season two of 13 Reasons Why is in the works, but nothing official has been announced. It usually takes the streaming service a few weeks after a premiere to renew a series, but 13 Reasons Why is somewhat of a special case. The show is based on a book by Jay Asher and was conceived as a miniseries. If Netflix opts for a second season, they would be going far beyond what was in the book. Of course, the writers already expanded on a number of characters (Hannah's parents aren't even in the book) and the season ends with several cliffhangers, so it kind of feels like they're already setting up season two. Until we know for sure, let's take our cues from what the cast and production team have said about the possibility of continuing the story.
- Producer Selena Gomez is being coy, but her comments sound hopeful. "I would get in trouble for saying something, but I hope so," she told Entertainment Tonight at the premiere. "I hope people enjoy the first season." After the show became available on Netflix, Gomez spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the possibility of more episodes: "We don't know what is going to go beyond it, but we know there are so many stories that lie beneath each character. That's why it became a series in the first place. So we'll see."
- Katherine Langford (aka Hannah) thinks "there's more stories to tell." She also spoke to ET at the premiere, saying, "We definitely have a lot more dialogue that we continue from the story we've already told. I'd love to do it, but we'll see." Langford also spoke to THR about what may come next: "It would be cool to continue the dialogue of this story. There are so many cliffhangers at the end of the season. At the end of the season, I had to sit back. I didn't think about what happens next. It's more of this feeling like, 'Oh my God, that's the story that needed to be told.'"
- Dylan Minnette (Clay) definitely wants to do another season. "I think that everyone would love to do another one, if we're given the opportunity," he told ET. "I think when people see where it leaves off, people are going to want to know more about these characters and what's next for them. There is a possibility."
- Creator Brian Yorkey is open to the idea. "I think we'd very much like to have that opportunity," he told ET. "We're not done with these characters. We love them and I want to know what happens next. . . . We absolutely talked about what could happen next . . . I would love to learn more about who these kids are, why they did what they did and also, Hannah made 13 tapes and told us 13 very specific stories, but there's a lot she didn't and I want to know more about that. I want to know what her secrets are."
The Story You Probably Haven't Heard of a Whistle-Blower's Historic Settlement
Pharmacist Victoria Starr was simply following her moral convictions when she approached a lawyer about her employer's marketing strategies. "I figured I was just going to make a phone call, talk to some lawyer, maybe have him look into it," she says.
She had no idea that 10 years later she would receive one of the largest settlements from a pharmaceutical company in American history - or that her story would eventually be made into an upcoming documentary.
Starr's phone call would set off a chain of events that culminated in 2013, when the Justice Department ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $485 million to the plaintiffs of a class action lawsuit and $1.72 billion in federal fees. Prosecuted by then-Attorney General Eric Holder, the lawsuit was the third-largest pharmaceutical case ever settled.
In 2004, Starr was working for the J&J subsidiary Janssen and asked a lawyer if the way the pharmaceutical giant was marketing Risperdal, an antipsychotic drug, was legal. Until the lawsuit was filed that same year, Starr says J&J was systemically instructing its sales representatives - including Starr - to market off-label uses for Risperdal and paint it as a catch-all drug that could help elderly patients with anxiety and treat ADD and OCD in children.
Marketing it this way was not only against the law - at the time, those off-label uses had not been FDA-approved - but also ethically wrong and dangerous. Soon, Risperdal would cause harmful side effects among the most vulnerable members of the population: children and the elderly.
"I didn't meet a single pharmacist that was a sales rep when I worked for Johnson & Johnson."
The Side Effects and the Cover-Up
Risperdal is most often prescribed to treat schizophrenia: the antipsychotic drug balances dopamine and serotonin levels to assuage symptoms like hallucinations and delusions. It's also used to treat manic episodes in patients with bipolar disorder.
J&J's Risperdal was not approved by the FDA for use with children until 2006, although the drug was initially approved in 1993. Even when J&J was approved to sell Risperdal to children, it was only for bipolar I disorder and specifically not for treating ADHD, depression, or conduct disorders.
In some children, particularly adolescent boys, Risperdal increased hormone production that caused some boys to develop breasts in trials (a condition called gynecomastia). As of 2013, J&J has settled 1,000 claims and 80 lawsuits alleging Risperdal caused such side effects.
As recently as 2016, a man with autism who took Risperdal from 2002 to 2006 - beginning when he was 7 years old - won a lawsuit against J&J after the drug caused him to grow size-46DD breasts. Austin Pledger, now 22, won $2.5 million in damages. Pledger's lawyer described J&J's actions as a "grave mistreatment of children." According to The Wall Street Journal, at least a thousand similar lawsuits were being litigated at the time Pledger's case was settled.
Suing J&J for promoting Risperdal use for children, especially adolescent boys, was so rampant that in 2015, lawyers spent $5 million advertising to Risperdal clients.
Evidence from Pledger's case explicitly demonstrates that J&J knowingly targeted children because attention deficit disorder treatment was a lucrative market. The company believed Risperdal could reap the benefits. David Kessler, who was the FDA commissioner under George H.W. Bush, testified for the prosecution and detailed the extent of J&J's pursuit of profits. He said the company illegally influenced the perception of Risperdal as a positive treatment for children with conduct disorders in several ways.
In his deposition, Kessler wrote that the company "planned to use medical education and sales representatives" in 2001 to influence doctors to prescribe Risperdal for nonapproved uses to children. Despite comprehensive tests that detailed Risperdal's harmful side effects, J&J also continued to push the drug on doctors by paying them "kickbacks" to write more prescriptions of the drug.
When scientific reviews revealed that adolescent boys who used Risperdal developed breasts, J&J covered it up, according to internal documents. Kessler, in his testimony, said, "In my opinion, Jannsen developed a corporate strategy to illegally promote Risperdal" based solely on the fact that the drug was already on the market.
Pledger's lawyer, Tom Kline, wrote to POPSUGAR via email about the case. "Austin's case was the historic first jury trial, the first of five in which jurors determined in each trial that J&J failed to warn physicians of the true risks of gynecomastia caused by the powerful antipsychotic drug, marketed off label to children," Kline wrote.
"Austin's breast growth, to my recollection - like with many victims of Risperdal-induced gynecomastia - was not immediately discovered due to his weight gain," Kline added. He says it wasn't until doctors did blood testing - "specifically checking for elevated levels of the hormone prolactin" - that they discovered Pledger's gynecomastia.
According to Kline, Pledger presently "lives his life daily under the care, supervision, love, and affection of his mother, Benita."
Risperdal caused harmful physical changes in the elderly, too, and increased the risk of stroke substantially. Johnson & Johnson knew this but downplayed it through its sales team. According to the Justice Department's release on the ruling, the strategy included an "ElderCare sales force" whose role was to target nursing home doctors and a business plan that stated its goal as "[to] grow Risperdal's market leadership in geriatrics and long term care."
The report also details how J&J paid doctors to speak about the benefits of Risperdal for the elderly. Sales representatives acted as a conduit for this scheme, informing doctors who wanted to speak that they needed to "increase their Risperdal prescriptions" first.
Despite warnings from the FDA, J&J also outlined that "Key Base Business Goals" from 1999 to 2005 were to "grow and protect the drug's market share with child/adolescent patients," according to the Justice Department's findings.
And if patients complained, J&J had a plan: a training manual called "Handling the Most Common Objections Voiced by Prescribers." Worse still, a 2001 presentation demonstrates that even when it became aware of ethical concerns involving pushing Risperdal on older patients, it decided it was actually unethical to end the push since so many patients who already took Risperdal would be disrupted.
J&J's nefarious marketing scheme paid off, quite literally. In 2004, the year the lawsuit was filed, Risperdal earned $3.1 billion for the company - five percent of its total revenue that year.
"I didn't know there was a legal issue with it," Starr told POPSUGAR. "I was talking to other colleagues about it, and that's when it really resonated with me: not only [did] I need to leave, but that somebody needed to know what was going on."
Starr's Involvement in the Case
When Starr started working at J&J as a pharmacist in 2001, she was immediately uncomfortable with the Risperdal sales strategy; when she spoke up, her concerns were either ignored or rebuffed by her superiors. It grew increasingly clear to her that J&J was cognizant of its marketing malpractice since it manipulated studies to present a favorable argument for the drug. She saw firsthand how Risperdal's exorbitant earnings superseded patients' health.
Starr, now in her 40s and living in Portland, OR, spoke to POPSUGAR about her involvement in the case and what she plans to do with the settlement.
Her story will be part of a scripted series about the lawsuit based on Steven Brill's 2015 exposé for The Huffington Post titled America's Most Admired Lawbreaker. The directors of Netflix's widely acclaimed docuseries Making a Murderer, Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, will adapt Brill's serialized story. A release date has yet to be specified, but the project was announced in June 2016. One of the production companies involved in the film, Sonar Entertainment, confirmed the scripted series to POPSUGAR but did not offer any details beyond the project's existence.
"It was very aggressive moves that they were doing to a very vulnerable population of people."
From a young age, Starr wanted to be a pharmacist to follow in her father's footsteps. After graduating from the University of Oregon's pre-pharmaceutical school in her home state and Washington State's pharmacy school, Starr went to work at the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly in Portland, OR
Accepting a promotion at J&J in Portland, Starr moved from Eli Lilly, where she predominately sold mental health medications like Prozac. In her new position, Starr was focused on selling mental health medications, Risperdal in particular.
Starr's education as a pharmacist was unique at J&J: while Eli Lilly employed pharmacists to sell drugs, J&J's reps did not have medical backgrounds. "They were marketing majors, business majors," she said. "I didn't meet a single pharmacist who was a sales rep when I worked for J&J."
J&J's move to hire people without pharmaceutical backgrounds in favor of people with sales backgrounds had consequences. With Risperdal, the strategy was quite simple: instead of encouraging sales representatives to sell the drug as a treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (as it was approved for), "the whole sales message shifted" to promoting its use among children and the elderly, said Starr.
The sales message was far from accurate. "That really disturbed me," Starr said. "[They were] very aggressive moves that they were doing to a very vulnerable population of people."
Starr was not the only person to approach superiors about the transparently calculated policy. She said other people complained, but her bosses simply said it was how the company wanted to sell. "They weren't concerned about anything," she told us. Since Starr's qualms were repeatedly ignored, she resolved to approach a lawyer about the policy. "I had absolutely no idea it would be as big as it was."
After sending a firm all of the relevant sales strategy information she had, Starr again assumed her role in the investigation had ended. She couldn't have been more wrong.
"There were days where I was being questioned for 10 hours at a time."
After a back and forth with lawyers where Starr shared emails and promotional materials she used in her day-to-day work, a Philadelphia-based law firm called the Sheller Law Firm agreed to take on the case. In February 2004, Starr resigned from J&J; three months later, the case was filed, making her the first whistle-blower of many in this case to come forward.
The ensuing investigation, lawsuit, and settlement proceedings lasted nearly a decade. Starr's testimony was paramount to the FDA's inquiry. "There were days where I was being questioned for 10 hours at a time," Starr recounted.
Starr also recalled how a majority of the investigation was either unknown or not disclosed to her. "Every day held surprises for me. Weeks or months would go by and I would hear nothing about the case. Then, in a single instant, I'd be needed to fly to Pennsylvania for long meetings with my lawyers," Starr said. "For 10 years, I rode the spectrum of a simple life, followed by the jolt of undercover duties. The hardest thing was keeping these activities from the people I loved."
Starr was one of six whistle-blowers to file lawsuits against J&J. At least one other whistle-blower, Judy Doetterl, experienced the same level of thorough investigation as Starr, even having to wear a wire to a national company sales meeting. "I was concerned that I would be found out accidentally and someone would see me go into a room to meet the agent," Doetterl told Bloomberg. "I had to change battery packs every four hours. I knew in the end I was doing the right thing. They needed to know what was going on." Ultimately, Doetterl was awarded more than $20 million in damages.
The former-employees-turned-whistle-blowers were awarded damages because they were the first to file in this particular case. Since the initial filing that blew the lid off of the entire scheme, patients have filed additional suits against J&J, and many have received payouts like Pledger's. A teenager in Tennessee was awarded $70 million in damages after he won his lawsuit in July 2016.
Despite settling with six whistle-blowers, J&J maintains it did nothing wrong. In a statement following the closing of Doetterl's case, J&J said the settlement "is not an admission of any liability or wrongdoing, and the company expressly denies the government's civil allegations."
Janssen, the J&J subsidiary at the helm of Risperdal's distribution, accepted a plea deal in the class action lawsuit. While the pharmaceutical giant failed to accept full culpability, J&J admitted that it "promoted Risperdal to health care providers for treatment of psychotic symptoms and associated behavioral disturbances exhibited by elderly, non-schizophrenic dementia patients," which it was not authorized to do.
The Outcome
When the Justice Department finally closed the case in January 2013, Starr was still working in pharmaceuticals but had pursued positions where she could interact with patients. First, she worked in a nursing home advising doctors about medications, and then she opened pharmacies for five years before accepting a role as a county mental health pharmacist.
Since the beginning of her career, Starr has been fascinated by mental health issues and consistently advocated for those patients. She still keeps in touch with many of her former patients, and she has been involved with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for years. Starr has hosted lectures and worked directly with caregivers through NAMI to champion the destigmatization of mental health.
"I feel very strongly about people getting the care that they need and in this country," she said. "People are not getting that care."
While federal law typically favors the first plaintiff to file, Starr's $112 million settlement was split between other whistle-blowers who filed around the same time she did. For Starr, her decision to sue was motivated by the safety of her patients.
"I imagine there's always going to be someone who's not going to understand the rationale," Starr confessed, "or think that it had to do with money. It never did."
"It's so important to keep that fire burning in you that pushes you towards the right."
In fact, Starr was terrified of the lawsuit's potential consequences. "I was really scared. But at the same time, I think I was somewhat naive," Starr explained. "I had to live my life day by day and not think about it. I think I did a good job about not doing that. But there were some times where I was really nervous." Ultimately, though, her moral instincts about J&J prevailed and provided an invaluable lesson for the rest of her life.
"It's so important to keep that fire burning in you that pushes you towards the right," Starr said. "Even if it makes you a little bit queasy."
Starr's lawsuit was one of many brought against several pharmaceutical companies in the early 2000s; the Justice Department has ruled against Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and AbbVie in similar cases. The FDA's rules on advertising are now considerably more stringent (although the United States and New Zealand remain the only developed countries that permit direct consumer medical ads).
Pharmaceutical sales representatives are also a nearly extinct breed. The Wall Street Journal reports that the industry cut roughly 40,000 of those positions between 2006 and 2013.
Although pervasive stigmas around mental health remain, society has certainly made strides in the last decade. Celebrities are speaking up about their struggles, politicians are advocating for more accessible care, and admitting to mental health issues is less often seen as a sign of weakness.
Starr has not indicated whether she will launch her own mental health foundation or advocacy group with her portion of the settlement money, but she told us NAMI will continue to receive donations from her.
In the future, Starr hopes ending the mental health stigma will prevent mass shootings that are endemic in the United States and stop people from hurting children. "I'm trying to make miracles happen, one person at a time," she said.
"I don't know if I could even come close to taking care of the problem that this country faces," Starr added. "So I just start here and I start with what I can do to make my mark."
Starr's experience also proved to be an exercise in trusting one's intuition, a message she hopes people will remember from her story. "I think that we all have that instinct in us that knows what is right and what is wrong," Starr concluded. "We need to go with our gut and our instinct to do the right thing, and sometimes it means taking a risk. Sometimes that means getting our of your comfort zone. As long as it is for the good of people or some good, you're always going to be in a good position."
The Photos of This Dad Delivering His Own Twins Will Absolutely Blow You Away
One couple not only had a peaceful home water birth experience, but they were also lucky enough to have a talented birth photographer on hand to capture each breathtaking moment.
While it's estimated that 75 percent of twin births in the United States are delivered via C-section, this couple decided to welcome their babies at home - and the process moved so quickly that their ob-gyn wasn't able to arrive in time. In the stunning series of photos taken by Birth Blessings Photography & Childbirth Services, Robin Baker managed not only to photograph this twin birth but also to assist in it.
Baker told POPSUGAR that she arrived only 20 minutes after initially receiving the couple's call but could immediately tell that it wasn't going to be a long labor. "In between contractions and taking photographs, I was focused on helping them prepare a space to birth," said Baker. "I'm also an experienced home birther, so I knew what needed to be done."
As soon as Baker warmed the water and the laboring mom got into the bathtub, she immediately had the urge to push. Since everything was happening so quickly, Baker and the daddy-to-be spoke with their doctor over the phone to update him on their progress. The unnamed father joined his wife in the bathtub and helped to deliver their twins, a baby boy and girl.
They joyful couple had 30 minutes of bonding time with baby A before baby B made his way into his father's hands while still en caul. "The mom reached down and removed the [amniotic] sac and dad turned the baby to release the Nuchal cord and then handed him to mom," described Baker. "The parents were calm, peaceful, and brought their babies into the world effortlessly!"
Even though Baker has witnessed more than 70 births, she said that this was one of the most incredible moments of her career. "Since so many twins are born in the operating room, this birth was very special," added Baker. "Women are incredible when they follow their body's natural instincts!"
This post was originally published on March 15, 2016.
15 Foods to Help You Sleep
If you rely on sleeping pills for a good night's sleep, take note: a recent study found that those who took sleeping aids like Ambien and Lunesta had a higher risk of dying sooner or developing cancer. While the jury's still out on whether the study found merely a correlation between being sick and taking sleeping pills (rather than the medication being the cause of the early deaths), why not play it safe with a natural fix? If you're a restless sleeper, try eating any of these foods a few hours before bedtime and be ready for a personal visit from Mr. Sandman.
15 Foods to Help You Sleep
If you rely on sleeping pills for a good night's sleep, take note: a recent study found that those who took sleeping aids like Ambien and Lunesta had a higher risk of dying sooner or developing cancer. While the jury's still out on whether the study found merely a correlation between being sick and taking sleeping pills (rather than the medication being the cause of the early deaths), why not play it safe with a natural fix? If you're a restless sleeper, try eating any of these foods a few hours before bedtime and be ready for a personal visit from Mr. Sandman.
15 Foods to Help You Sleep
If you rely on sleeping pills for a good night's sleep, take note: a recent study found that those who took sleeping aids like Ambien and Lunesta had a higher risk of dying sooner or developing cancer. While the jury's still out on whether the study found merely a correlation between being sick and taking sleeping pills (rather than the medication being the cause of the early deaths), why not play it safe with a natural fix? If you're a restless sleeper, try eating any of these foods a few hours before bedtime and be ready for a personal visit from Mr. Sandman.
29 Chic Geode Decor Products to Heal Your Home
Though the effectiveness of crystals is up for debate, the multidimensional shapes and vibrant colors make them simultaneously chic and calming as home decor accents. Brands have taken note, too: geode-inspired products are now available for every different corner of your home and at various price points. Ahead, we've rounded up some of our favorite items to come out of this persistent trend.
Mom's Reaction to Delivering an 11-Pound Baby Boy at Home Is Perfect
Natalie had a feeling her third child was going to be on the bigger side, but after delivering the 11-pound, 2-ounce baby naturally and at home, she understandably responded with a shocked reaction. Luckily for us, her birth photographer, Laura Fifield, caught that reaction - and so many more stunning moments from this beautiful, family-centered home birth - on camera.
With her two older children awake and present for the birth and her husband by her side, Natalie spent most of her labor in the birth pool, pushing just a few times before giving birth to her gorgeous baby boy, Simon. The gender was a surprise, and Laura told POPSUGAR Moms that the reaction of Natalie's she caught in the photo above was a mixture of "Wow, I did it" and the baby's gender being revealed.
After some skin-to-skin time and Simon's first nursing session, Natalie's midwives took the little guy to be weighed. "Imagine the surprise when her midwife announced, 'He's 11 pounds, two ounces, Natalie!' Oh my goodness, we were all shocked!" Laura wrote on her blog.
Look through to see more photos from Natalie's home birth.
As Sports Illustrated's Curviest Model, Hunter McGrady Knows Sexy Suits All Sizes
You've seen Hunter McGrady everywhere - the 23-year-old model has been named the "curviest" model to grace Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue. (Those body paint photos aren't easy to forget. Hubba hubba!) Hunter started modeling at 16, coming from a long lineage of models in her family - her mother, grandmother, and aunt were models; her father is an actor. But after being told she was too big at a size two, she took a hiatus from the industry for a few years. She's now a part of Wilhelmina International's Curve division and has appeared in campaigns for Lane Bryant.
Being a plus-size model has its challenges, first being the term "plus-size," according to Hunter.
"A size six, in New York, on a modeling board, would be considered plus-size. Fourteen is what really works in the plus-size industry, but it starts at six; I mean, that's insane," Hunter said. It's problematic that "regular sizes" are limited to zero, two, and four, especially when research shows that 67 percent of women in America are size 16-18. "That's 17 percent more than half the population," Hunter reiterated. "So why is it just now becoming such a big thing?"
The term "plus-size" also has a connotation that Hunter feels separates her from other models, when the reality is the only difference is her size. "I would love to just be called a model. I think that labeling plus-size, curve, full-figure, whatever it is . . . I understand that some people need that clarification," Hunter said. "For me, I'm just a model. I show up, I do the same job as everyone else, I get paid the same, everything is the same. You wouldn't say, 'size zero model so-and-so.'"
Further, people tend to think being a curve model means having fewer restrictions or, according to some of the comments on a version of this video that appeared on Facebook, that curve models are "unhealthy."
"I think people think that we can get away with looking however we want. They're like, 'Whatever, she's a curve model. She doesn't have to work out, she doesn't have to eat well.' Which isn't true. I have a personal trainer, I eat clean. But on the other spectrum, there is a pressure to have the Coke bottle body, to be really tight. Someone's always going to want you to be thicker," Hunter said.
Watch Hunter's full interview on Pretty Unfiltered, which has new episodes every Wednesday on POPSUGAR Girls' Guide, and let us know your favorite moment in the comments below.
Turmeric Is the Hottest Ingredient to Add Into Your DIY Skin Care Routine
If rubbing a bright orange substance on your face makes you feel like Donald Trump, don't worry - what we're about to tell you has nothing to do with politics. The formula we're referring to is the turmeric spice, and it's a buzzy term in the holistic health community right now. The spice hails from India and has traditionally been used in cooking (it's part of the ginger root family). But these days, people are adding it to everything from their smoothies to face masks. We're going to explore the latter since turmeric has many amazing beauty uses.
"Turmeric is an age-old ingredient used for its internal as well as external health-and-beauty-promoting properties," explained Sheetal Rawal, a scientist and founder of brand Apsara. "It has been used in the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years for its natural antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and color-balancing properties. Currently, it is also gaining quite some fame in the West for its significant antioxidant properties."
This ability to bring down inflammation translates to skin care by minimizing acne or bringing down a rosacea flare-up. You can also rely on it for antiaging benefits. "It is loaded with key vitamins that facilitate important skin renewal processes, such as the creation of collagen," added Adina Grigore, the founder of S.W. Basics.
Barbara Close, founder and CEO of Naturopathica, explained the science behind this: "Extracts from turmeric, known as tetrahydrocurcuminoids, efficiently quench free radicals on the surface of the skin due to their antioxidant properties. This protects against damage from ultraviolet radiation and environmental irritants."
In fact, it is even incorporated into prebridal Indian rituals, during which the bride and groom are massaged with a turmeric-infused, homemade herbal concoction. "Turmeric in this age-old concoction is supposed to bring out the 'hidden glow' of the skin," Rawal shared.
Those with sensitive skin should not fear turmeric just because it's spicy. "It's wonderful for anyone who has supersensitive skin, but even for normal skin types, it really makes the skin look flawless," said Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and owner of her eponymous brand. "Make sure you are using pure organic turmeric. Some generic store-bought options contain dyes that can stain your skin after application. This is one ingredient where you must go organic."
If you're still hung up on having an Oompa Loompa face, Grigore has more to add on the matter. "And no, to answer your burning question, it won't dye your skin yellow," she mused. "If you're using it in powder form, just be sure to rinse it off thoroughly!"
Keep reading to hear more from these pros and others about how to incorporate turmeric into your beauty routine - DIY recipes included!
Photo of a Heartbroken Dad Holding His Dead Twins Epitomizes the Horror in Syria
On April 4, at least 72 people were killed when suspected chemical attacks struck a northern town in Syria. But the story behind one viral photo following the airstrike is giving the rest of the world a glimpse into the true horror and loss incurred by the attack. In the photo seen around the world, Abdel Hameed Alyousef holds onto his deceased 9-month-old twins, Aya and Ahmed, heartbroken, in his final moments with them.
"I was right beside them and I carried them outside the house with their mother," Alyousef told the Associated Press. "They were conscious at first, but 10 minutes later we could smell the odor."
The chemical gas that killed his two children also took many of his family members' lives. When looking for the rest of his family, Alyousef found the lifeless bodies of his two bothers, two nephews, and his niece, in addition to many friends. "I couldn't save anyone, they're all dead now," he said.
He reportedly lost 20 loved ones from this heinous crime and he is not alone in suffering. Alyousef asked his cousin to record his last moment with his children so the world could understand the atrocious events that are going on in Syria. Our thoughts are with Alyousef and others who lost loved ones during this scary time.
#Syrian_Rporter #Syria Father who lost his twins his wife Dalal &20+ family members from yesterday's Assad's chemical attack #Khan_shikhun http://pic.twitter.com/0RTEX074sp
- شبكة مراسل سوري (@Sy_Reporter) April 5, 2017
Everything on Our Editors' April Shopping Lists
In our world, April brings more than showers. We're gearing up for Coachella, Spring getaways, and swapping out the remains of our Winter wardrobes with unmistakably seasonal finds. If ever you needed an excuse to shop, now is the time to pick up fresh trends, new kicks, and a carryall - or two - for toting your essentials to the festival grounds (or to the office). Read on for the 22 finds our editors currently have waiting in their virtual carts.
Candace Cameron Bure Gets Tons of Love From Fuller House Cast on 41st Birthday
Candace Cameron Bure received an abundance of love from her TV family on Thursday. The Fuller House star rang in her 41st birthday with the help of plenty of the Tanners, who reached out to wish her well on Instagram. "To the best TV sister anyone could ask for!" Jodie Sweetin captioned a selfie of the pair. "I love you and hope you have an amazing birthday!! Here's to many more years of celebrating together! Love you @candacecbure !! Xoxo." Lori Loughlin also shared a photo of her and the mother of three, and kept her message short and sweet, writing, "Happy Birthday my beautiful friend. I love you. 😘😕🎉."
The cast has remained famously close ever since starring in the original sitcom together. In Jan. they attended the People's Choice Awards as a big group, and their joint talk show appearances always serve as an adorable reminder that they're just like a real family. In Dec. Jodie gushed about their unbreakable bond to POPSUGAR. "We spend a lot of time together as a cast, and I don't think that that's as common as it is with ours, especially after a 20-year hiatus," she said. "We've never lost touch." We'll just have to wait and see if season two guest star New Kids on the Block sends Candace a birthday tribute . . .
20 Recipes That Will Make You Want to Get an Instant Pot ASAP
Chances are you've been seeing Instant Pot recipes all over the internet lately. If you're scratching your head wondering what exactly that means or if an instant pot is the same thing as a slow cooker, allow this beginner breakdown to help. The Instant Pot is a countertop cooking tool that's like a cross between a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, and a sauté pan. According to its description, it's a "multi-cooker, capable of replacing a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker/porridge maker, sauté/browning pan, steamer, yogurt maker, and stockpot warmer."
Plenty of bloggers and cooks are fans of the Instant Pot and have figured out how to make chicken, soups, rice, and even cheesecake in the appliance. If you're curious about experimenting with an Instant Pot - and potentially replacing your slow cooker - read ahead for 13 recipes to start with.
Candace Cameron Bure Gets Tons of Love From Fuller House Cast on 41st Birthday
Candace Cameron Bure received an abundance of love from her TV family on Thursday. The Fuller House star rang in her 41st birthday with the help of plenty of the Tanners, who reached out to wish her well on Instagram. "To the best TV sister anyone could ask for!" Jodie Sweetin captioned a selfie of the pair. "I love you and hope you have an amazing birthday!! Here's to many more years of celebrating together! Love you @candacecbure !! Xoxo." Lori Loughlin also shared a photo of her and the mother of three, and kept her message short and sweet, writing, "Happy Birthday my beautiful friend. I love you. 😘😕🎉."
The cast has remained famously close ever since starring in the original sitcom together. In Jan. they attended the People's Choice Awards as a big group, and their joint talk show appearances always serve as an adorable reminder that they're just like a real family. In Dec. Jodie gushed about their unbreakable bond to POPSUGAR. "We spend a lot of time together as a cast, and I don't think that that's as common as it is with ours, especially after a 20-year hiatus," she said. "We've never lost touch." We'll just have to wait and see if season two guest star New Kids on the Block sends Candace a birthday tribute . . .
20 Recipes That Will Make You Want to Get an Instant Pot ASAP
Chances are you've been seeing Instant Pot recipes all over the internet lately. If you're scratching your head wondering what exactly that means or if an instant pot is the same thing as a slow cooker, allow this beginner breakdown to help. The Instant Pot is a countertop cooking tool that's like a cross between a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, and a sauté pan. According to its description, it's a "multi-cooker, capable of replacing a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker/porridge maker, sauté/browning pan, steamer, yogurt maker, and stockpot warmer."
Plenty of bloggers and cooks are fans of the Instant Pot and have figured out how to make chicken, soups, rice, and even cheesecake in the appliance. If you're curious about experimenting with an Instant Pot - and potentially replacing your slow cooker - read ahead for 13 recipes to start with.
This LBD Is Both a Nod to Jennifer Aniston's Signature Style, and a Daring Departure
Jennifer Aniston stepped out in LA Tuesday night to support her husband Justin Theroux. The gorgeous couple struck a pose in matching black ensembles at the season three premiere of HBO's The Leftovers, which Justin stars in.
While the night was all about Justin, we couldn't look away from Jennifer in her daring leather ensemble. Sure, she stuck to a classic black palette, but she stunned in a look that differs from her typical fashion choices: a one-shouldered minidress from designer Brandon Maxwell's FW 17 collection. The number features a modern ruffle accent on the side. Jennifer finished her look off with gold Jennifer Meyer open circle earrings and black satin strappy sandals by Gianvito Rossi. Have a look at her full look and shop similar versions of her leather dress below.
25 No-Equipment Moves That Transform Your Body
Whether you've let go of your gym membership or you're spending more time shaping up from home, these effective no-equipment moves need to be part of your strength-training routine. You might be all about cardio for that big calorie burn, but a recent study found that strength training burns roughly twice as many calories per minute as previously thought - score! If there's a specific part of your body you want to try working with a new move, then click below to jump to the right place.
The 1 Genius Decorating Tip Everyone Should Steal from RHOC's Heather Dubrow
Real Housewives of Orange County star Heather Dubrow's palatial mansion is filled with many over-the-top design elements that are far from feasible for the ordinary gal; her floating onyx bar, massive closet complete with it's own champagne door bell (we kid you not), and movie theater come to mind. And while we can only gape at those pricey features, Heather does have one elegant design ritual dwellers on any budget can get behind: she fills her entryway with a new display of fresh flowers each week. The fragrant seasonal blossoms set a welcoming tone, while the constantly rotating displays help prevent her home design from becoming stale.
In typical Heather fashion, her the flowers are from a swanky delivery service and are opulent enough to decorate the head table at a black-tie wedding - but you need only swap in a new simple grocery store bouquet every week to achieve the same results. You can even create depth to the look by breaking up the bouquet into multiple vessels arranged at different heights, like Heather does.
Check out the Bravo! star's stunning floral displays ahead. And remember, no matter how much you pay for your blooms or how you arrange them, the key is to make bringing them into your home a habit that you do consistently.
25 No-Equipment Moves That Transform Your Body
Whether you've let go of your gym membership or you're spending more time shaping up from home, these effective no-equipment moves need to be part of your strength-training routine. You might be all about cardio for that big calorie burn, but a recent study found that strength training burns roughly twice as many calories per minute as previously thought - score! If there's a specific part of your body you want to try working with a new move, then click below to jump to the right place.
12 Products Most Moms-to-Be Didn't Know Existed Before Getting Pregnant
Throughout pregnancy, expectant moms are bombarded with advertisements and advice for products that will make them comfortable and provide their lil ones with the best possible start. While some are outlandish and others are practical, a few make an impression that lasts throughout the nine months. Here are 12 that most moms-to-be probably didn't even know existed before becoming pregnant themselves.
Millennials, Prepare to Flip Out Over This Real-Life Barbie Dream House Airbnb
From our iPhone cases to our workout clothes and even our kitchen utensils, millennial pink has taken over our lives in more ways than we could've possibly imagined, but this home just took the obsession to a whole new level. Welcome to Eaton House Studio, the all-pink Airbnb mansion that can only be described as a Barbie Dream House, but with a steeper price tag.
The six-bedroom, six-bathroom castle accommodates 30 people comfortably and for $2,310 a night, it promises a lifetime supply of Instagram content. You might be rolling your eyes at the thought of traveling for millennial pink, but this castle is really something special. Located in Essex in the UK, the Eaton House Studio is filled with all the glitter and floral arrangements you could imagine. Some bedrooms feature "simple" light-pink walls, while others light up with neon signs.
The neon-pink exterior paint job is honestly the most subtle aspect of the entire home. And yes, there are pink-free rooms, like the monochromatic tiled bathroom and a saloon-themed guesthouse, but they are equally as extravagant. Keep reading to see photos of the insane all-pink Airbnb home, and get ready to fall in love.
25 No-Equipment Moves That Transform Your Body
Whether you've let go of your gym membership or you're spending more time shaping up from home, these effective no-equipment moves need to be part of your strength-training routine. You might be all about cardio for that big calorie burn, but a recent study found that strength training burns roughly twice as many calories per minute as previously thought - score! If there's a specific part of your body you want to try working with a new move, then click below to jump to the right place.
How to Get the Look of the Big Little Lies Mansions When You're on a Budget
Aside from the Oscar-winning actresses, the real stars of HBO's Big Little Lies are the houses. Not since the eclectic '90s style of Monica and Rachel's apartment on Friends have we so coveted a TV set design. Admittedly, our taste has matured.
Each mansion belonging to the characters on the show has its own unique style, but one thing they all have in common: you could never afford any of them. But don't worry, you can fake it with help from us. We've re-created a room from each multimillion-dollar house with a regular budget in mind. Read through to find out how to get the look from Big Little Lies, even if you're not a millionaire.
The Best Movie Kisses of All Time
Get ready to swoon: we're highlighting the best, most memorable movie kisses of all time. Young love, royal love, forbidden love - these onscreen kisses cover all the sweet and sexy bases. Feeling sentimental? Take a look at these iconic movie kisses through the years.
- Additional reporting by Shannon Vestal and Quinn Keaney
14 Fascinating Facts About HGTV's Hot New Show, Home Town
As if magically responding to our insatiable desire for more Fixer Upper-like shows (think: an irresistible couple using their ingenious creative skills to fix up homes), HGTV has created a new series: Home Town. The show focuses on Ben and Erin Napier, a woodworker and artist living in Laurel, MS, who are passionate about restoring local homes and restoring their charming small town back to its heyday. During each episode, Ben and Erin help newcomers to town find and renovate their historic turn-of-the-century dream home. The 10-episode first season hasn't even started yet, and we're already hooked. Learn more about the show and its stars in the slideshow ahead, and tune in to HGTV on Tuesday, March 21, at 10 p.m. EDT/PDT to check out the premiere.
The Best Movie Kisses of All Time
Get ready to swoon: we're highlighting the best, most memorable movie kisses of all time. Young love, royal love, forbidden love - these onscreen kisses cover all the sweet and sexy bases. Feeling sentimental? Take a look at these iconic movie kisses through the years.
- Additional reporting by Shannon Vestal and Quinn Keaney
Your Festival Season Starts and Ends With These Essentials
Festival season's here, and you want to make sure your outfit feels unique. You're not just another boho babe in a '70s maxi dress, you're stylish and cool. You pair your flouncy striped set with sporty sandals or slides, and you strap a fanny pack around your waist in the most updated style. Here we've gathered a wide range of essentials for you that you can keep in rotation all season long, from Coachella to Bonnaroo and beyond. You won't regret investing in a single one of them.
Every Disney Fan Should Complete This Incredible, Edible Bucket List
If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, the abundance of food options across all four parks can be overwhelming, but rest assured that these 28 foods have been well-researched and reviewed in person so you know everything here is 100 percent worth your money (and the calories). While a few iconic treats have made the list (like the Mickey pretzel and Dole Whip), some are a little more obscure (pork nacho fries). Expect this list to be a little sweet, partially covered in gooey cheese, and just a tad bit spiked, for those partaking.
Mel B Files For Divorce From Stephen Belafonte After Nearly 10 Years of Marriage
This post has been updated with new information.
Two weeks after Mel B filed for divorce from husband Stephen Belafonte after nearly 10 years of marriage, the producer has finally responded with a petition of his own. According to court documents obtained by E! News, Stephen has asked the court to terminate spousal support to Mel and is also asking for joint legal and physical custody of their 5-year-old daughter, Madison Brown Belafonte. He cites "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their divorce.
People first broke the news of their split back in March. The former Spice Girls singer initially asked for joint legal and physical custody of Madison, and listed the date of their separation as Dec. 28 in the court documents. Mel also requested to terminate the court's ability to award spousal support. It hasn't been the easiest month for Mel; her father, Martin Brown, recently passed away after a five-year battle with cancer. She announced the tragic news in an emotional Instagram post, writing, "It is with great sadness after a 5yr battle to multiple myeloma cancer our loving father Martin Brown passed away age 63 peacefully."
Mel and Stephen wed in a secret ceremony back in 2007 after five months of dating. Mel is also mother to daughters Angel, 9, and Phoenix, 18, from previous relationships, and Stephen shares daughter Giselle, 12, with ex-girlfriend Nicole Contreras.
McDonald's Has 3 New Slushy Drinks in Flavors You'll Thirst For
Feelin' the Texas heat?☀️ Take a break by sampling our new Minute Maid slushies at the @HOUChildrenFest today & tomorrow! #EatPlayShare http://pic.twitter.com/LBzR4QqE4Y
- McDonald's Houston (@McD_Houston) April 1, 2017
Just in time for sunny beach days, McDonald's is serving up three fruity slushies from Minute Made that will make you thirsty. The fun flavors include cherry limeade, fruit punch, and orangeade. There is a catch, though. The Minute Made slushies will only be available in Houston for a trial run starting April 10. We're keeping our fingers crossed that these icy drinks are a success so that they'll be available nationwide sooner rather than later. If so, prepare to see these slushies take over your Instagram and Snapchat feeds all Summer long.
Someone Finally Lined Up the New Beauty and the Beast With the Original
The new Beauty and the Beast is a completely different, er, beast than the 1991 original. There are darker twists in the story, the live action makes the Beast into kind of a hottie, and the soundtrack is all redone. That said, it's still the same tale as old as time, and there are a lot of shot-for-shot re-creations in the film. Oh My Disney has taken footage from the new and old films and placed it side by side, giving you a good idea of exactly how similar both movies are. Take a look!
Dirty Dancing Remake: Yep, Abigail Breslin Is Still Getting Put in a Corner
Come May 24, one of your favorite '80s movies is getting the reboot treatment. ABC is remaking Dirty Dancing, and the new cast has some very big dancing shoes to fill: Abigail Breslin and Colt Prattes are taking over for Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, who played the leads in 1987. There are a ton of pictures from the upcoming TV movie, and they will no doubt give you flashbacks to the original Summer romance. Take a look, starting with the cast's gallery photos!
The Rock Brings 1 of His Biggest Fans to Tears After Epic Photobomb Surprise
Jimmy Fallon and Dwayne Johnson took a nod from Bryan Cranston's undercover appearance at Comic-Con and dressed up as giant mascot versions of themselves to walk around Universal Studios undetected this week. After competing to get more selfies and hugs from people in the park, they snuck into Jimmy's new ride, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon. While unsuspecting families had their pictures taken at the end of the ride, the pair pulled off some Jon Hamm-worthy photobombs in the background and later took off the big masks to surprise the hell out of their fans. The last guy they meet might be the world's biggest fan of The Rock (he even has his face tattooed on his leg!) and was brought to very happy tears.
13 Reasons Your Kid Is a Brat That Are Completely Your Fault
Parenting can feel like an uphill battle, no matter your child's age. Not only is there a lot of pressure, but it also feels like whatever you're doing is constantly being scrutinized by strangers, friends, and family.
If you're involved in your kids' lives, then you hear that you're a helicopter parent and you're raising a fragile child. If you leave your children alone and try to let them work things out on their own, then you're neglectful. It seems as though no matter what there's someone there to tell you that you're doing it wrong.
However, a lot of issues with brattiness are the parents' fault - or at least become the parents' responsibility to fix. Although children might pick up bad behavior by modeling what they see on TV or at school, parents are still to blame if they don't put an end to it or just attribute it to age.
"It's not really fair; it's just kind of the way it is," Elaine Rose Glickman, author of Your Kid's a Brat and It's All Your Fault, told POPSUGAR. "If we don't teach our kids a better way, nobody else is stepping up to do so."
The first step to breaking that bratty behavior is realizing what you're doing to contribute to it. Here, the 13 problematic things that parents of spoiled kids do.
2-Week Weight-Loss Plan: Vegetarian Dinners Under 300 Calories
While eating at night won't cause weight gain, eating a large meal that makes you exceed your daily calorie intake will. If you want to drop pounds, try this tactic: make lunch and breakfast your largest meals of the day, and make dinner a smaller meal (about 25 percent of your daily calories). Consuming more before a light dinner ensures you have enough time to burn all those calories.
If you're used to eating big meals at night and are at a loss for what to make, here's a two-week (14-day) dinner plan - all recipes are vegetarian and around 300 calories. And since meat-free meals are chock-full of fiber, you'll feel full longer, which is one way to prevent weight gain from late-night snacking. Take a peek at these 14 recipes, and make a list so you can hit the grocery store on Sunday, prep your ingredients, and be ready to lose weight!
McDonald's Has 3 New Slushy Drinks in Flavors You'll Thirst For
Feelin' the Texas heat?☀️ Take a break by sampling our new Minute Maid slushies at the @HOUChildrenFest today & tomorrow! #EatPlayShare http://pic.twitter.com/LBzR4QqE4Y
- McDonald's Houston (@McD_Houston) April 1, 2017
Just in time for sunny beach days, McDonald's is serving up three fruity slushies from Minute Made that will make you thirsty. The fun flavors include cherry limeade, fruit punch, and orangeade. There is a catch, though. The Minute Made slushies will only be available in Houston for a trial run starting April 10. We're keeping our fingers crossed that these icy drinks are a success so that they'll be available nationwide sooner rather than later. If so, prepare to see these slushies take over your Instagram and Snapchat feeds all Summer long.
This Is Exactly What Happens If You Miss a Workout . . . or 2 or 3 or 12
Did you miss a workout? It's OK. Taking a rest day is actually highly recommended and essential for your recovery and muscle building!
It's important to know that missing a workout here and there isn't going to derail you, unless you let it. In fact, we got a great pep talk from Tone It Up trainers Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott. Karena told POPSUGAR to dive back in as quickly as possible.
"It's all about how you recover [from missing a workout], too," Katrina added. "If we have a bad week where we really couldn't get anything in . . . it's almost like we keep going because we think we already screwed up." How do you keep yourself from that? "If you miss a workout, you can't beat yourself up. Just get back out there and get your workout in the next day."
So now that we've got that out of the way, what happens physically when we miss these workouts? The short answer: it depends on what your workout schedule is usually like. We got the scoop on the physiology - and the timeline breakdown - from Liz Letchford, MS, ATC, PhD candidate, and personal trainer at DIAKADI. She calls a period of missed workouts "detraining."
"You can't beat yourself up. Just get back out there and get your workout in the next day."
It turns out that weight trainers have the greatest risk of losing strength over time. "With isometric training not including high-intensity exercise (classic weightlifting), strength loss can occur at a rate of 0.3-percent to 0.8-percent per week," she told POPSUGAR through email. But those who have more of a cardio schedule typically keep their strength even when they take time off. Also of note, the more advanced you are, the more you have to lose. "Those who are highly trained show a greater magnitude of strength loss when compared to untrained or moderately trained individuals."
She told POPSUGAR the "performance decrease" is because the connection between your brain and your muscles isn't firing, and that connection becomes weaker; it happens during the first two to three weeks of missed exercise. After that happens, "the muscles undergo a process that causes their fibers to get progressively smaller."
Detraining Timeline
- 3 days: You probably won't notice any outward effects, but your body will start to make changes internally. "The body recognizes that it needs to mediate the loss of muscle fibers and begins to make changes to preserve the muscle. You won't notice much, and you won't gain fat as long as your diet doesn't drastically change."
- 10 days: "The muscle physiology changes and the physiological pathways that lead to muscle atrophy begin." Translation: you start to lose tone.
- 2 weeks: This is the point where you start to lose muscle mass, but don't worry - you won't lose strength. If you're used to using eight- to 10-pound weights at the gym, you should be able to get back in there and resume as if you'd never been gone. "Power athletes [think HIIT, cardio, running] will retain their strength, while strength athletes [think bodybuilders] will see losses at this time." You shouldn't see a major shift in weight, though, as she told us "there are no changes in body mass or body-fat percentage."
- 3 weeks: Liz described a "significant reduction in anaerobic power performance during activities like sprinting or HIIT."
- 4 weeks: At this point, you're going to notice that you might be a little out of breath when you get back to the gym. Technically speaking, this includes "up to a 10-percent decrease in max force production of muscle (1RM)" and the beginnings of "a decrease in VO2max (aerobic capacity)."
- 6 weeks: "Strength can still be maintained depending on activity," Liz said, but you'll keep losing power, meaning you'll definitely feel more tired when you hit the studio or gym again. "Anaerobic power performance during activities like sprinting or HIIT continues to be negatively affected."
- 6 to 8 months: After a while, you'll lose a good amount of strength - weights are going to feel heavier, and moves that were once easy for you will feel extra challenging - but the good news is you can definitely bounce back and quickly. "One study found that during 32 weeks of rest, a group of women lost a considerable amount of extra strength they gained during a 20-week training program," Liz said, "but they gained the strength after only six weeks of retraining."
- 2 years: "Even after two or more years of detraining, muscle has the ability to retain up to 15-percent higher force than before the training program started," she said. What this means is even if you take two years off from exercising, you won't ever go back to square one where you started. Your muscle memory is really your saving grace here. "And if after a period of detraining, one wants to start it back up again, those who have experience with training will build strength quickly. This is because muscle memory stays long after muscles have atrophied."
Like we said earlier, taking a rest day is not only OK - it's encouraged. We can't emphasize that enough. Don't be too hard on your body! Listen to it, and be sure to keep up with the TLC (recovery, foam rolling, stretching, and nutrition) just as much as you keep up with your badass workout schedule. OK? OK.
2-Week Weight-Loss Plan: Vegetarian Dinners Under 300 Calories
While eating at night won't cause weight gain, eating a large meal that makes you exceed your daily calorie intake will. If you want to drop pounds, try this tactic: make lunch and breakfast your largest meals of the day, and make dinner a smaller meal (about 25 percent of your daily calories). Consuming more before a light dinner ensures you have enough time to burn all those calories.
If you're used to eating big meals at night and are at a loss for what to make, here's a two-week (14-day) dinner plan - all recipes are vegetarian and around 300 calories. And since meat-free meals are chock-full of fiber, you'll feel full longer, which is one way to prevent weight gain from late-night snacking. Take a peek at these 14 recipes, and make a list so you can hit the grocery store on Sunday, prep your ingredients, and be ready to lose weight!
This Is Exactly What Happens If You Miss a Workout . . . or 2 or 3 or 12
Did you miss a workout? It's OK. Taking a rest day is actually highly recommended and essential for your recovery and muscle building!
It's important to know that missing a workout here and there isn't going to derail you, unless you let it. In fact, we got a great pep talk from Tone It Up trainers Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott. Karena told POPSUGAR to dive back in as quickly as possible.
"It's all about how you recover [from missing a workout], too," Katrina added. "If we have a bad week where we really couldn't get anything in . . . it's almost like we keep going because we think we already screwed up." How do you keep yourself from that? "If you miss a workout, you can't beat yourself up. Just get back out there and get your workout in the next day."
So now that we've got that out of the way, what happens physically when we miss these workouts? The short answer: it depends on what your workout schedule is usually like. We got the scoop on the physiology - and the timeline breakdown - from Liz Letchford, MS, ATC, PhD candidate, and personal trainer at DIAKADI. She calls a period of missed workouts "detraining."
"You can't beat yourself up. Just get back out there and get your workout in the next day."
It turns out that weight trainers have the greatest risk of losing strength over time. "With isometric training not including high-intensity exercise (classic weightlifting), strength loss can occur at a rate of 0.3-percent to 0.8-percent per week," she told POPSUGAR through email. But those who have more of a cardio schedule typically keep their strength even when they take time off. Also of note, the more advanced you are, the more you have to lose. "Those who are highly trained show a greater magnitude of strength loss when compared to untrained or moderately trained individuals."
She told POPSUGAR the "performance decrease" is because the connection between your brain and your muscles isn't firing, and that connection becomes weaker; it happens during the first two to three weeks of missed exercise. After that happens, "the muscles undergo a process that causes their fibers to get progressively smaller."
Detraining Timeline
- 3 days: You probably won't notice any outward effects, but your body will start to make changes internally. "The body recognizes that it needs to mediate the loss of muscle fibers and begins to make changes to preserve the muscle. You won't notice much, and you won't gain fat as long as your diet doesn't drastically change."
- 10 days: "The muscle physiology changes and the physiological pathways that lead to muscle atrophy begin." Translation: you start to lose tone.
- 2 weeks: This is the point where you start to lose muscle mass, but don't worry - you won't lose strength. If you're used to using eight- to 10-pound weights at the gym, you should be able to get back in there and resume as if you'd never been gone. "Power athletes [think HIIT, cardio, running] will retain their strength, while strength athletes [think bodybuilders] will see losses at this time." You shouldn't see a major shift in weight, though, as she told us "there are no changes in body mass or body-fat percentage."
- 3 weeks: Liz described a "significant reduction in anaerobic power performance during activities like sprinting or HIIT."
- 4 weeks: At this point, you're going to notice that you might be a little out of breath when you get back to the gym. Technically speaking, this includes "up to a 10-percent decrease in max force production of muscle (1RM)" and the beginnings of "a decrease in VO2max (aerobic capacity)."
- 6 weeks: "Strength can still be maintained depending on activity," Liz said, but you'll keep losing power, meaning you'll definitely feel more tired when you hit the studio or gym again. "Anaerobic power performance during activities like sprinting or HIIT continues to be negatively affected."
- 6 to 8 months: After a while, you'll lose a good amount of strength - weights are going to feel heavier, and moves that were once easy for you will feel extra challenging - but the good news is you can definitely bounce back and quickly. "One study found that during 32 weeks of rest, a group of women lost a considerable amount of extra strength they gained during a 20-week training program," Liz said, "but they gained the strength after only six weeks of retraining."
- 2 years: "Even after two or more years of detraining, muscle has the ability to retain up to 15-percent higher force than before the training program started," she said. What this means is even if you take two years off from exercising, you won't ever go back to square one where you started. Your muscle memory is really your saving grace here. "And if after a period of detraining, one wants to start it back up again, those who have experience with training will build strength quickly. This is because muscle memory stays long after muscles have atrophied."
Like we said earlier, taking a rest day is not only OK - it's encouraged. We can't emphasize that enough. Don't be too hard on your body! Listen to it, and be sure to keep up with the TLC (recovery, foam rolling, stretching, and nutrition) just as much as you keep up with your badass workout schedule. OK? OK.
2-Week Weight-Loss Plan: Vegetarian Dinners Under 300 Calories
While eating at night won't cause weight gain, eating a large meal that makes you exceed your daily calorie intake will. If you want to drop pounds, try this tactic: make lunch and breakfast your largest meals of the day, and make dinner a smaller meal (about 25 percent of your daily calories). Consuming more before a light dinner ensures you have enough time to burn all those calories.
If you're used to eating big meals at night and are at a loss for what to make, here's a two-week (14-day) dinner plan - all recipes are vegetarian and around 300 calories. And since meat-free meals are chock-full of fiber, you'll feel full longer, which is one way to prevent weight gain from late-night snacking. Take a peek at these 14 recipes, and make a list so you can hit the grocery store on Sunday, prep your ingredients, and be ready to lose weight!
This Is Exactly What Happens If You Miss a Workout . . . or 2 or 3 or 12
Did you miss a workout? It's OK. Taking a rest day is actually highly recommended and essential for your recovery and muscle building!
It's important to know that missing a workout here and there isn't going to derail you, unless you let it. In fact, we got a great pep talk from Tone It Up trainers Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott. Karena told POPSUGAR to dive back in as quickly as possible.
"It's all about how you recover [from missing a workout], too," Katrina added. "If we have a bad week where we really couldn't get anything in . . . it's almost like we keep going because we think we already screwed up." How do you keep yourself from that? "If you miss a workout, you can't beat yourself up. Just get back out there and get your workout in the next day."
So now that we've got that out of the way, what happens physically when we miss these workouts? The short answer: it depends on what your workout schedule is usually like. We got the scoop on the physiology - and the timeline breakdown - from Liz Letchford, MS, ATC, PhD candidate, and personal trainer at DIAKADI. She calls a period of missed workouts "detraining."
"You can't beat yourself up. Just get back out there and get your workout in the next day."
It turns out that weight trainers have the greatest risk of losing strength over time. "With isometric training not including high-intensity exercise (classic weightlifting), strength loss can occur at a rate of 0.3-percent to 0.8-percent per week," she told POPSUGAR through email. But those who have more of a cardio schedule typically keep their strength even when they take time off. Also of note, the more advanced you are, the more you have to lose. "Those who are highly trained show a greater magnitude of strength loss when compared to untrained or moderately trained individuals."
She told POPSUGAR the "performance decrease" is because the connection between your brain and your muscles isn't firing, and that connection becomes weaker; it happens during the first two to three weeks of missed exercise. After that happens, "the muscles undergo a process that causes their fibers to get progressively smaller."
Detraining Timeline
- 3 days: You probably won't notice any outward effects, but your body will start to make changes internally. "The body recognizes that it needs to mediate the loss of muscle fibers and begins to make changes to preserve the muscle. You won't notice much, and you won't gain fat as long as your diet doesn't drastically change."
- 10 days: "The muscle physiology changes and the physiological pathways that lead to muscle atrophy begin." Translation: you start to lose tone.
- 2 weeks: This is the point where you start to lose muscle mass, but don't worry - you won't lose strength. If you're used to using eight- to 10-pound weights at the gym, you should be able to get back in there and resume as if you'd never been gone. "Power athletes [think HIIT, cardio, running] will retain their strength, while strength athletes [think bodybuilders] will see losses at this time." You shouldn't see a major shift in weight, though, as she told us "there are no changes in body mass or body-fat percentage."
- 3 weeks: Liz described a "significant reduction in anaerobic power performance during activities like sprinting or HIIT."
- 4 weeks: At this point, you're going to notice that you might be a little out of breath when you get back to the gym. Technically speaking, this includes "up to a 10-percent decrease in max force production of muscle (1RM)" and the beginnings of "a decrease in VO2max (aerobic capacity)."
- 6 weeks: "Strength can still be maintained depending on activity," Liz said, but you'll keep losing power, meaning you'll definitely feel more tired when you hit the studio or gym again. "Anaerobic power performance during activities like sprinting or HIIT continues to be negatively affected."
- 6 to 8 months: After a while, you'll lose a good amount of strength - weights are going to feel heavier, and moves that were once easy for you will feel extra challenging - but the good news is you can definitely bounce back and quickly. "One study found that during 32 weeks of rest, a group of women lost a considerable amount of extra strength they gained during a 20-week training program," Liz said, "but they gained the strength after only six weeks of retraining."
- 2 years: "Even after two or more years of detraining, muscle has the ability to retain up to 15-percent higher force than before the training program started," she said. What this means is even if you take two years off from exercising, you won't ever go back to square one where you started. Your muscle memory is really your saving grace here. "And if after a period of detraining, one wants to start it back up again, those who have experience with training will build strength quickly. This is because muscle memory stays long after muscles have atrophied."
Like we said earlier, taking a rest day is not only OK - it's encouraged. We can't emphasize that enough. Don't be too hard on your body! Listen to it, and be sure to keep up with the TLC (recovery, foam rolling, stretching, and nutrition) just as much as you keep up with your badass workout schedule. OK? OK.
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