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 5 mai 2017
How I Married the Best Man at My First Wedding - and Learned to Live With a Bachelor
When people ask how I met my husband Shaun, I always feel slightly embarrassed. Because the truth is that I was introduced to him four weeks before my first wedding when I was only 22. Shaun was to be our best man. He and my first husband had been at law school together - although I'd never seen Shaun before because he'd been living abroad with a Scandinavian girlfriend.
When we first said hello to each other, I felt this odd shiver down my spine. It wasn't just that he was tall, blond, and extremely handsome. Or that he was warm and friendly. Or that we were able to immediately talk as though we'd known each other for years. It was all these things.
I'm often asked if I felt attracted to Shaun at the beginning. It's true that I did feel a "wow!" moment. But the truth is that because I was getting married, I would never have considered looking at anyone else. If I hadn't been engaged, I would have been very flattered if he'd asked me out. But he was surely out of my league! I never considered myself to be good-looking; my best feature was my blond hair but, that was about it. I was also desperately shy and hadn't had many boyfriends. Shaun on the other hand, had left a trail of broken hearts behind him - and continued to do so.
During my 27-year marriage, Shaun brought lots of girlfriends over to visit us. I became good friends with one. She was actually a centerfold model with a very kind heart (she looked after her grandmother). Meanwhile, Shaun was a fantastic godfather to our three children and always arrived laden with presents. He also looked after them when my first husband and I went away once.
Because we were friends for so long, we talk about everything.
However, I used to worry about him. He'd make such a good father! Surely it was time he got married? So my best friend and I decided to match-make. We introduced him to her sister and for a whole year, it seemed serious. But then Shaun did what he usually did and broke it off. He was in his early 40s then and enjoying life. He says he was scared of commitment.
After my first marriage ended (for reasons which are too personal to discuss but which were not prompted by Shaun), I moved into a house with my youngest son who was then 14. The older two were at university. It was a very tough time for us all and had come after a great deal of soul-searching and pain.
I found this three-year stage very difficult to manage. Once, when the lights fused, I had to pay a lot of money to an electrician - only to find that I could have done the job myself for free by simply knowing how to press the trip switch.
Shaun and a male cousin of mine were very kind about coming around to help after that. And slowly, one thing led to another. At first, I was really worried, as I didn't want to lose Shaun as a friend. His track record was not good and my first husband (understandably perhaps) warned me against him. But Shaun promised that he was now ready to commit and that he would never let me down. Something told me that I had to take this leap of faith. It wasn't easy for the children because they suddenly had to make this jump from seeing Shaun as a godfather to a step-father.
At first when we first got married, we only lived together for three days a week. This was partly because Shaun's home was in the north and we were still working out where to live. I have to say that I did find this hard but in hindsight, it gave us both time to adjust. I was used to living with the man whom I'd been with since I was a young girl and Shaun was used to his own space.
Then we moved several miles to a pretty seaside town where neither of us had lived before. It helped us set our own traditions as a new couple. Gradually, we both learned to make compromises. As a bachelor, Shaun was (and still is!) very set in his ways. He likes to load the dishwasher in a certain way and I get quite offended when he tells me how to do things in the kitchen. After all, I'd been a working-from-home mom for years!
It wasn't easy for him either - marrying a divorced mother of three brings its own challenges. Shaun had to accept that my children come first and that I sometimes did things he didn't approve of - like helping my youngest when he runs out of money.
But the good thing is that because we were friends for so long, we talk about everything. We're not afraid to voice our thoughts, which is much healthier than tiptoeing around eggshells. He's also always making me laugh. He's taught me, too, to take time out. This might be a long walk with the dog along the beach, a great holiday, or simply watching a film.
At the same time, Shaun is completely understanding when it comes to my work. As a writer, I need long periods of peace and quiet. I will often go up to my study for "a few minutes" and come down some hours later. He never minds.
In turn, I've learned to shut the door on his study when he's playing his loud music instead of asking him to turn it down. I've also learned not to tidy his clothes: he can't bear me to touch any of his things as he likes to do it himself. This took some getting used to, but actually it's rather nice not to iron shirts any more!
Shaun and I have been married for eight years now. Every day is different - never boring! But the best thing that has happened is that we are now grandparents. My daughter and her husband gave birth to a beautiful little girl a year ago, and this has helped to bring us all together. They live around the corner from us and I look after my granddaughter two days a week (sometimes I am mistaken for her mom by strangers!). Even though Shaun has never had children of his own, he is very good with her. His favorite trick is to raise one eyebrow which makes her roar with laughter.
The other wonderful event is that our new arrival has brought the whole family together. Shaun and I now meet up every now and then with my first husband and his wife. Ironically, I used to know her when we were much younger, and I genuinely like her.
Another brilliant thing about Shaun is that he is genuinely proud about my work. He was very supportive when I worked as a writer in a high-security male prison before we got married - even though lots of other friends thought I was mad to put myself in a potentially dangerous situation. He was also really thrilled when my book, My Husband's Wife (which drew inspiration from my jail experience) reached the bestseller list in the UK. And now he is telling everyone that the book is about to come out in the US and that it's already had some great reviews.
Is My Husband's Wife based on any of the characters in my real life? No. But I couldn't have written it without having gone inside a prison and being married twice. I never expected my life to be so eventful. It's taught me a lot. And I am very grateful.
Jane Corry is a writer and journalist and has spent time as the writer in residence of a high-security prison for men, an experience that helped inspire My Husband's Wife, her debut thriller. Corry runs regular writing workshops and speaks at literary festivals worldwide, including The Women's Fiction Festival in Matera, Italy. Until recently, she was a tutor in creative writing at Oxford University.
You Can Never Have Enough Highlighters – So Here are 11 Pastel Hues
Pastel-hued highlighters are taking over your Instagram feeds due to the modern and playful vibe the beauty trend exudes. Whether you opt for a purple-toned iridescent hue, or experiment for upcoming music festivals with green or blue variations, there are a plethora of shimmery, colorful products to choose from. The soft-hued treasures are reminiscent of unicorn horns and mermaid tails and will give you the ethereal glow you crave during warmer weather. Discover the magical picks ahead, and don't be afraid to try out all the rainbow tones.
What You Need to Know About Donald Trump's Disturbing Views on Climate Change
President Donald Trump is nowhere near an environmentalist. As soon as he hired climate change denier and former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruit as the Environmental Protection Agency's director, it became quite clear that Trump's administration would not promote policies seriously aimed at preventing global warming. As he nears his 100th day in office, Trump's energy policies seem to be adhering to his infamous tweet claiming that global warming was a hoax orchestrated by the Chinese.
The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012
Let's take a gander at just how many anti-environmental policies he's managed to push.
- With one executive order, Trump lifted former President Obama's effort to limit the coal industry. Hoping to revitalize the struggling industry, Trump signed the order which would keep plants open which would have been shutdown by Obama's Clean Power Plan. The trouble is, the coal industry is already doomed; natural gas and alternative energies have eclipsed the once booming business.
- According to the New York Times, Trump is expected to sign an executive order that would expand offshore oil drilling, and release formerly protected federal land to be explored for private interest. Obama had attempted to ban offshore drilling permanently by citing a 1953 law, however Trump will likely try to reverse this despite the fact that the Obama administration believed the moratorium would withstand legal challenges.
- In his budget proposal Trump slashed the EPA's budget by a third from $8.1 billion to $5.7 billion. He's also reportedly refused to hire anyone at the EPA whose research or title includes the word "climate."
- On the campaign trail Trump promised to "cancel" the monumental Paris Climate agreement reached in 2015 and agreed upon by more than 195 countries. It's unclear whether he will proceed with this pledge; however three of his cabinet members, including former Exxon CEO and now Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, have encouraged the president to remain in the pact.
- Although a minute detail, Trump failed to mention climate change in his April 23 Earth Day statement. Instead, Trump has evidently prioritized expanding the economy over protecting the environment as he reiterated on Twitter.
I am committed to keeping our air and water clean but always remember that economic growth enhances environmental protection. Jobs matter!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2017
- After months of protests, Trump cleared a path for the controversial North Dakota Access Pipeline to be completed. It's already started pumping.
- Targeting water restrictions, Trump also ordered the EPA to disassemble another Obama administration policy protecting waterways and wetlands. The Waters of the United States rule attempted to stipulate anti-pollution regulations; with the dismantling of the law, millions of Americans' safe drinking water is at risk.
13 Exciting Milestones Princess Charlotte Hit Before Her Second Birthday
Princess Charlotte been a very busy little girl - but then again, she is no ordinary 2-year-old. When her father is king, she will be second in line to the throne, so there are more to her milestones than first word, first steps, and first tooth. Take a look at all the different things the little princess has done in her jam-packed first two years.
What You Need to Know About Donald Trump's Disturbing Views on Climate Change
President Donald Trump is nowhere near an environmentalist. As soon as he hired climate change denier and former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruit as the Environmental Protection Agency's director, it became quite clear that Trump's administration would not promote policies seriously aimed at preventing global warming. As he nears his 100th day in office, Trump's energy policies seem to be adhering to his infamous tweet claiming that global warming was a hoax orchestrated by the Chinese.
The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012
Let's take a gander at just how many anti-environmental policies he's managed to push.
- With one executive order, Trump lifted former President Obama's effort to limit the coal industry. Hoping to revitalize the struggling industry, Trump signed the order which would keep plants open which would have been shutdown by Obama's Clean Power Plan. The trouble is, the coal industry is already doomed; natural gas and alternative energies have eclipsed the once booming business.
- According to the New York Times, Trump is expected to sign an executive order that would expand offshore oil drilling, and release formerly protected federal land to be explored for private interest. Obama had attempted to ban offshore drilling permanently by citing a 1953 law, however Trump will likely try to reverse this despite the fact that the Obama administration believed the moratorium would withstand legal challenges.
- In his budget proposal Trump slashed the EPA's budget by a third from $8.1 billion to $5.7 billion. He's also reportedly refused to hire anyone at the EPA whose research or title includes the word "climate."
- On the campaign trail Trump promised to "cancel" the monumental Paris Climate agreement reached in 2015 and agreed upon by more than 195 countries. It's unclear whether he will proceed with this pledge; however three of his cabinet members, including former Exxon CEO and now Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, have encouraged the president to remain in the pact.
- Although a minute detail, Trump failed to mention climate change in his April 23 Earth Day statement. Instead, Trump has evidently prioritized expanding the economy over protecting the environment as he reiterated on Twitter.
I am committed to keeping our air and water clean but always remember that economic growth enhances environmental protection. Jobs matter!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2017
- After months of protests, Trump cleared a path for the controversial North Dakota Access Pipeline to be completed. It's already started pumping.
- Targeting water restrictions, Trump also ordered the EPA to disassemble another Obama administration policy protecting waterways and wetlands. The Waters of the United States rule attempted to stipulate anti-pollution regulations; with the dismantling of the law, millions of Americans' safe drinking water is at risk.
8 Up-and-Coming Brazilian Fashion Designers You Need to Know and Shop
Come Fashion Month every year, Instagram feeds are dominated by the looks in New York, London, Paris, and Milan, but it's São Paulo, Brazil's fashion scene that we should be following closely. The large South American country is home to some of the most innovative designers, marrying traditional and clean designs with postmodern cuts and patterns. This cohort of up-and-coming designers have already landed huge collaborations and impressed both Instagram style stars and fashion editors around the globe.
8 Up-and-Coming Brazilian Fashion Designers You Need to Know and Shop
Come Fashion Month every year, Instagram feeds are dominated by the looks in New York, London, Paris, and Milan, but it's São Paulo, Brazil's fashion scene that we should be following closely. The large South American country is home to some of the most innovative designers, marrying traditional and clean designs with postmodern cuts and patterns. This cohort of up-and-coming designers have already landed huge collaborations and impressed both Instagram style stars and fashion editors around the globe.
The Best Merch From Guardians 2: These Baby Groot Mugs
Baby Groot's cuteness may be the top reason to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Well, that and to hear the awesome classic rock soundtrack. And, um, Chris Pratt's muscles. But back to Groot! While there's a ton of merch on the market for the new movie, I have to say . . . the baby Groot mugs will make you squeal with glee. Those big dewy eyes! You'll lose yourself (and some of your paycheck) when you take a look at what mugs are still on the market.
Tricks to Get Baby to Drink From a Bottle
"I have to get my baby to take a bottle but he won't," says Sarah C. in a panic. She's worried about her upcoming six-hour work shift next week. "I've tried expressing my milk, tried formula and different bottles, but he just hates it," she says of her 15-week-old son. Shakira too, would like to give herself an occasional break from breastfeeding, but her daughter won't take a bottle, whether it's filled with breast milk or formula. "I breastfeed my daughter every day, all day, but I would like and really need for her to take a bottle." If you, too, like Sarah and Shakira, feel like a prisoner because your baby refuses a bottle, the following six tips from other moms may help your situation.
1. Make a Bottle That Feels and Tastes Like Mom
Readers say some babies only like milk from a bottle if it's similar - in touch, taste, and temperature - to drinking from mom's breast. Joyce W., for example, says her son is very particular, only wanting mommy. She notes he took breastflow bottles and nipples better and would only drink if the milk was at the right temperature. "When my sister was helping me, she would have to reheat it after he only ate a few ounces," she says.
To find out if your baby is picky about temperature, Sarah M. suggests moms pump and feed the baby the milk in a bottle immediately. If temperature isn't an issue, then perhaps your baby wants to drink from a bottle and nipple that more closely resembles a breast, Nicole N. suggests. "My little girl is breastfed as well and I had a hard time trying to give her a bottle. She refused the bottle every time and would cry and cry." Then Nicole switched to a bottle called Adiri that is shaped like a breast and soft like a breast. "It's the only bottle she will drink out of. It costs about $15 for one bottle, but it is so worth it," she adds.
Maria O. says she had a similar experience, and had to find the "right" bottle for her daughter. "I went from buying the cheapest to the most expensive bottles, then she finally took the Soothie bottles. The bottle's nipple looks exactly like the pacifiers that the hospital gives you." Meanwhile, Sarah G. says she went through about five different types of nipples and finally her daughter took the Adiri bottle. "My son was the same, and would only take Medela nipples. So I think just finding the right nipple is the key," she shares.
2. Move Away From Mom
On the other hand, some readers suggest it helps if moms not bottle feed their babies, but instead put some distance from their children. "My pediatrician told me that I need to leave the house and not be anywhere near my daughter when someone tries to give her a bottle," Adisalem C. says. Previously, she had always been in the house but in another room, and her 22-month-old wouldn't bottle feed. Once she left the house, her husband was successful in getting their daughter to drink from the bottle.
Shelley H.'s breastfeeding coach made a similar recommendation, advising that the bottle not resemble a breast, and to have daddy or someone else give the bottle instead of mom. She also suggested not to repeat your breastfeeding routine (i.e., if you breastfeed in the dark, don't bottle feed that way), Shelley reports. Alley C. says the person trying to give the bottle should have baby face away from them and sit up so that it doesn't remind the baby of breastfeeding.
3. Add a Sweetener
As long as your pediatrician approves, then some moms recommend adding something to the bottle to make it more palatable. For instance, Mallory H. says her 8-month-old refused the bottle until she mixed formula and a baby jar of applesauce in the bottle. Marcy C. admits she thinks sugar is a terrible thing, but the only method that helped her son start taking a bottle was to wet the nipple and put a little sugar on it. "We tried everything with our son. I spent a small fortune on bottles and nearly lost my mind running back and forth to day care while I was working to nurse him," she says. "The small amount [of sugar] he received was worth my sanity."
Meanwhile, Danielle suggests trying to sweeten drinking from a bottle by using breastmilk. "Try putting [baby] on your breast first, then slip the bottle in," she suggest. "He might chew on it for a bit, but then he should start sucking. It may take three or four [tries], but he can then realize what the bottle is for."
4. Be Patient
Getting a baby to drink from a bottle will take a little persistence, moms generally agree. "It took me two months and about 10 different bottles to get my baby girl to feed out of a bottle," Victoria W. reports. "I found the flat nipples worked in the end, but it was just perseverance. Just keep trying, you will get there!" Ali B. says it took her a year to get one of her children to bottle feed. "All I can say is keep trying, be patient."
5. Skip Ahead to a Cup
If you're not having any luck with a bottle, then by all means offer a cup. Sarah M. shares that a friend's daughter would never take a bottle, even when she was little; she would only take a Nuk sippy cup. Christina P. also chose that route, noting that her daughter won't take a bottle but will drink out of a sippy cup, or even a regular cup. Francesca S. says she tried every make and model of bottles, but her 10-month-old daughter drinks best out of a cup with a straw. "She loves the novelty of it. She has been doing that since 4 months old," she says.
6. Ask For Help
When nothing seems to be working, then moms suggest asking an expert for assistance. Doreen P. says she learned her daughter wouldn't take a bottle around 5 months old, but then started taking it around 7 months old because she was teething. Meanwhile Vanessa S. says a speech pathologist helped to assess her son's sucking behavior and provide exercises for his tongue, and then he was able to take a bottle all day.
Of course, as long as mom doesn't mind breastfeeding, then there's no reason your baby needs to drink from a bottle. Kathy B. says her third son refused a bottle - and didn't starve. "I would nurse him before I left and he would refuse to eat until I got home eight hours later. Then he nursed like it was going out of style," she says. "The sitter said he was never fussy though; just wanted to wait for mommy."
3 Weight-Loss Rules For Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for so many reasons. But you need to make sure that you're doing it right. If you're trying to maintain or lose weight, here are some things to consider when enjoying your first meal of the day.
Eat It Soon
Studies have found that eating breakfast jump-starts your metabolism, and not only that, it can help ensure that you don't feel so starved later that you make bad eating choices for lunch or dinner. To take advantage of your body's fat-burning potential, try to eat breakfast soon after waking up.
Go For Filling
Stay away from foods that can lead to a midmorning crash. Instead, opt for meals that are full of slow-digesting nutrients to help keep you satisfied throughout the morning; high-fiber, high-protein breakfast options are a good choice for feeling full and energized. And make sure your breakfast doesn't have too much sugar in it - here are seven low-sugar, high-protein, and fiber-filled breakfast ideas that fit the bill.
Watch Out For Portions
A big breakfast can help fill you up, but you don't want to overdo it. Check out our handy chart of what servings sizes should look like, and keep calories in check with this list of the amount of calories in typical breakfasts.
Gwyneth Relocated Goop's Office to a Santa Monica Chicken Coop – and It's Gorgeous
A year and a half ago, the Goop team moved their headquarters from a barn on the property of founder Gwyneth Paltrow's LA home to an unlikely location: a former chicken coop in Santa Monica. "We wanted to preserve the spirit of our first office-raw and energetic, filled with natural light, very California," Gwyneth told Architectural Digest. With design spearheaded by RH, the space is as gorgeous and gooptastic as you're expecting. Think industrial meets the 1970s meets the well-bred sophistication Gwyneth has honed into a lucrative art form. The star confessed to the magazine, "I don't have a very broad aesthetic . . . I like beautiful materials and nice textures, simple gestures that elevate your experience of a room." Take a look inside Goop's creative workspace ahead, and then visit Architectural Digest for all the design details.
This Unexpected Nail Look Is the Manicure Trend Everyone Will Be Wearing Next Fall
Just when you thought nail art might be waning, New York Fashion Week Fall 2017 has brought it back with a vengeance. We're only halfway through Fashion Week, and already we've seen nails featuring geometric shapes, negative space, and layered colors.
Perhaps one of our favorite looks so far is the pointer finger accent nail designed by Jin Soon for Tibi. At the show, models rocked a bright color on just the pointer finger nail. To recap: the ring finger has traditionally been the accent finger of choice.
"Tibi's collection was inspired by menswear – very clean and simple with unexpected details," says Jin Soon Choi of Jin Soon. "She used a lot of 1980s pop colors in the clothing, so we used that pop color on the models' nails. We didn't want to put those pop colors on every single nail because that's too predictable, so we decided to do only one finger."
Fortunately, you don't have to be a Picasso to pull this look chic look off. To re-create, apply a clear base on all your nails. Then, on the pointer finger, choose a bright hue a la the '80s.
Models at Tibi wore one of the following shades from the Jin Soon line: Heirloom, Pop Orange, Charme, Hope, or Cool Blue ($18, jinsoon.com).
Tricks to Get Baby to Drink From a Bottle
"I have to get my baby to take a bottle but he won't," says Sarah C. in a panic. She's worried about her upcoming six-hour work shift next week. "I've tried expressing my milk, tried formula and different bottles, but he just hates it," she says of her 15-week-old son. Shakira too, would like to give herself an occasional break from breastfeeding, but her daughter won't take a bottle, whether it's filled with breast milk or formula. "I breastfeed my daughter every day, all day, but I would like and really need for her to take a bottle." If you, too, like Sarah and Shakira, feel like a prisoner because your baby refuses a bottle, the following six tips from other moms may help your situation.
1. Make a Bottle That Feels and Tastes Like Mom
Readers say some babies only like milk from a bottle if it's similar - in touch, taste, and temperature - to drinking from mom's breast. Joyce W., for example, says her son is very particular, only wanting mommy. She notes he took breastflow bottles and nipples better and would only drink if the milk was at the right temperature. "When my sister was helping me, she would have to reheat it after he only ate a few ounces," she says.
To find out if your baby is picky about temperature, Sarah M. suggests moms pump and feed the baby the milk in a bottle immediately. If temperature isn't an issue, then perhaps your baby wants to drink from a bottle and nipple that more closely resembles a breast, Nicole N. suggests. "My little girl is breastfed as well and I had a hard time trying to give her a bottle. She refused the bottle every time and would cry and cry." Then Nicole switched to a bottle called Adiri that is shaped like a breast and soft like a breast. "It's the only bottle she will drink out of. It costs about $15 for one bottle, but it is so worth it," she adds.
Maria O. says she had a similar experience, and had to find the "right" bottle for her daughter. "I went from buying the cheapest to the most expensive bottles, then she finally took the Soothie bottles. The bottle's nipple looks exactly like the pacifiers that the hospital gives you." Meanwhile, Sarah G. says she went through about five different types of nipples and finally her daughter took the Adiri bottle. "My son was the same, and would only take Medela nipples. So I think just finding the right nipple is the key," she shares.
2. Move Away From Mom
On the other hand, some readers suggest it helps if moms not bottle feed their babies, but instead put some distance from their children. "My pediatrician told me that I need to leave the house and not be anywhere near my daughter when someone tries to give her a bottle," Adisalem C. says. Previously, she had always been in the house but in another room, and her 22-month-old wouldn't bottle feed. Once she left the house, her husband was successful in getting their daughter to drink from the bottle.
Shelley H.'s breastfeeding coach made a similar recommendation, advising that the bottle not resemble a breast, and to have daddy or someone else give the bottle instead of mom. She also suggested not to repeat your breastfeeding routine (i.e., if you breastfeed in the dark, don't bottle feed that way), Shelley reports. Alley C. says the person trying to give the bottle should have baby face away from them and sit up so that it doesn't remind the baby of breastfeeding.
3. Add a Sweetener
As long as your pediatrician approves, then some moms recommend adding something to the bottle to make it more palatable. For instance, Mallory H. says her 8-month-old refused the bottle until she mixed formula and a baby jar of applesauce in the bottle. Marcy C. admits she thinks sugar is a terrible thing, but the only method that helped her son start taking a bottle was to wet the nipple and put a little sugar on it. "We tried everything with our son. I spent a small fortune on bottles and nearly lost my mind running back and forth to day care while I was working to nurse him," she says. "The small amount [of sugar] he received was worth my sanity."
Meanwhile, Danielle suggests trying to sweeten drinking from a bottle by using breastmilk. "Try putting [baby] on your breast first, then slip the bottle in," she suggest. "He might chew on it for a bit, but then he should start sucking. It may take three or four [tries], but he can then realize what the bottle is for."
4. Be Patient
Getting a baby to drink from a bottle will take a little persistence, moms generally agree. "It took me two months and about 10 different bottles to get my baby girl to feed out of a bottle," Victoria W. reports. "I found the flat nipples worked in the end, but it was just perseverance. Just keep trying, you will get there!" Ali B. says it took her a year to get one of her children to bottle feed. "All I can say is keep trying, be patient."
5. Skip Ahead to a Cup
If you're not having any luck with a bottle, then by all means offer a cup. Sarah M. shares that a friend's daughter would never take a bottle, even when she was little; she would only take a Nuk sippy cup. Christina P. also chose that route, noting that her daughter won't take a bottle but will drink out of a sippy cup, or even a regular cup. Francesca S. says she tried every make and model of bottles, but her 10-month-old daughter drinks best out of a cup with a straw. "She loves the novelty of it. She has been doing that since 4 months old," she says.
6. Ask For Help
When nothing seems to be working, then moms suggest asking an expert for assistance. Doreen P. says she learned her daughter wouldn't take a bottle around 5 months old, but then started taking it around 7 months old because she was teething. Meanwhile Vanessa S. says a speech pathologist helped to assess her son's sucking behavior and provide exercises for his tongue, and then he was able to take a bottle all day.
Of course, as long as mom doesn't mind breastfeeding, then there's no reason your baby needs to drink from a bottle. Kathy B. says her third son refused a bottle - and didn't starve. "I would nurse him before I left and he would refuse to eat until I got home eight hours later. Then he nursed like it was going out of style," she says. "The sitter said he was never fussy though; just wanted to wait for mommy."
3 Weight-Loss Rules For Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for so many reasons. But you need to make sure that you're doing it right. If you're trying to maintain or lose weight, here are some things to consider when enjoying your first meal of the day.
Eat It Soon
Studies have found that eating breakfast jump-starts your metabolism, and not only that, it can help ensure that you don't feel so starved later that you make bad eating choices for lunch or dinner. To take advantage of your body's fat-burning potential, try to eat breakfast soon after waking up.
Go For Filling
Stay away from foods that can lead to a midmorning crash. Instead, opt for meals that are full of slow-digesting nutrients to help keep you satisfied throughout the morning; high-fiber, high-protein breakfast options are a good choice for feeling full and energized. And make sure your breakfast doesn't have too much sugar in it - here are seven low-sugar, high-protein, and fiber-filled breakfast ideas that fit the bill.
Watch Out For Portions
A big breakfast can help fill you up, but you don't want to overdo it. Check out our handy chart of what servings sizes should look like, and keep calories in check with this list of the amount of calories in typical breakfasts.
This Unexpected Nail Look Is the Manicure Trend Everyone Will Be Wearing Next Fall
Just when you thought nail art might be waning, New York Fashion Week Fall 2017 has brought it back with a vengeance. We're only halfway through Fashion Week, and already we've seen nails featuring geometric shapes, negative space, and layered colors.
Perhaps one of our favorite looks so far is the pointer finger accent nail designed by Jin Soon for Tibi. At the show, models rocked a bright color on just the pointer finger nail. To recap: the ring finger has traditionally been the accent finger of choice.
"Tibi's collection was inspired by menswear – very clean and simple with unexpected details," says Jin Soon Choi of Jin Soon. "She used a lot of 1980s pop colors in the clothing, so we used that pop color on the models' nails. We didn't want to put those pop colors on every single nail because that's too predictable, so we decided to do only one finger."
Fortunately, you don't have to be a Picasso to pull this look chic look off. To re-create, apply a clear base on all your nails. Then, on the pointer finger, choose a bright hue a la the '80s.
Models at Tibi wore one of the following shades from the Jin Soon line: Heirloom, Pop Orange, Charme, Hope, or Cool Blue ($18, jinsoon.com).
I Can't Stop Laughing at Memes of Ryan Gosling's Blade Runner Poster
Blade Runner 2049 has been one of our most anticipated films of 2017 since we got the first look at stars Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford. The reboot is a sci-fi thriller, but the posters are unexpectedly comedic. Harrison Ford's poster is normal enough, but something about Ryan Gosling's poster is hilarious. I'll give you a hint: it's his collar. Why the hell is it so high? Is that how men dress in 2049? Is that how men dress now and I just never noticed? Should I be paying more attention to men's outerwear? Anyway, Twitter has, of course, run with the poster, and there's a particular thread that I can't stop laughing at. Please enjoy.
Why You Should Always Wiggle the Machine Before Swiping Your Credit Card
In case you needed another reason to be extra careful when swiping your credit cards at random ATMs, this scary example should definitely do the trick.
Gas Station Skimmer from gifs
As you can see, credit card scammers are getting savvier when it comes to stealing your credit card information by using a small device known as a credit card skimmer. According to PC magazine, "skimmers are essentially malicious card readers that grab the data off the card's magnetic stripe" when you unknowingly insert your credit card into one of them.
The devices are often inconspicuously attached to real ATMs, gas pumps, and payment devices, so it's frighteningly easy to get tricked. The magazine also notes that most scammers will place hidden cameras next to the machines (or even inside of them!) in order to record your credit card's PIN number for later use.
Along with your PIN number and the information cloned from the magnetic strip of your card after you've swiped, scammers can easily access the money in your bank account, which is clearly something we all want to avoid. So the next time you find yourself in front of an ATM or a gas pump, make sure you wiggle the credit card reader, just in case. If anything seems suspicious, don't swipe! Better safe than sorry, right?
Watching Prince Royce Teach Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest Bachata Will Make You Melt
Prince Royce is the king of bachata. The singer went on Live With Kelly and Ryan to perform his new single "Deja Vu" (sans Shakira, though), and he took the chance to sneak in a little bachata lesson.
Royce showed Kelly Ripa and new cohost Ryan Seacrest how to do the famous dance from the Dominican Republic. He even got one lucky lady from the audience to dance with him. The hip action he gives will replay in your dreams every single night for weeks. Watch it all go down in the video above.
These Are 23 of the Hottest Beauty Launches For May 2017
As you shop for Mother's Day gifts this month, make sure to pick up some beauty swag for yourself. May is bringing us tons of fantastic hair care, skin care, and makeup launches - from a sunscreen mousse to an edgy perfume (that comes in a skull-embossed case) and an ice-cream-inspired lip gloss. Keep reading to see which items POPSUGAR editors are loving and using right now.
These Will Be the Hottest Wedding Trends of 2017
Wedding trends have a way of creeping up on you, usually scattered a little bit here and there, until BAM something you thought you'd never see at a wedding is the norm. (Like, remember when every wedding had spray-painted little plastic toy animals?) The trends on the horizon for 2017 include some of these subtle changes, often influenced by social media themes in other nonwedding areas, but some are distinctly unconventional in a way that feels more like a substantial shift than a swiftly passing fad. Quite frankly, couples are doing weddings the way they want to do them, whether it's weirdly outlandish or pared-down and personal.
Here's what we're predicting will be all over your Instagram in the coming months! #GetReadyForWeddingSeasonHashtags
For Stronger Abs, Add This 2-Minute Ab Workout to Any Routine
This group of classic Pilates moves, collectively known as the Series of Five, is the perfect addition to any workout. Take it from Lisa Corsello, founder of Burn Pilates and wholehearted Series of Five fan. "It is my favorite set of exercises," she explains. "Whenever I work out, I do a Series of Five. It's really focused on the core, but your arms and legs are moving in all these different directions, which makes it much more challenging to hold your position." Lisa recommends it as part of any workout (or even just to start your day off right), but she especially likes it after a run to stretch out tired legs and open up your chest. "It feels fantastic," she says. Even better? Incorporating these ab-burning moves into your normal routine will only add about two minutes to your workout!
The trick is to move through each exercise without a break. Once you've mastered this part, take Lisa's challenge: add a 10-second plank, 10 burpees, or 10 push-ups between each move to really amp up your workout. If that sounds too hard, not to worry: just switching up the order in which you complete these moves will still challenge your body after you've gotten the hang of this sequence. Get the quick ab-toning workout, demonstrated by Lisa herself, here.
For Stronger Abs, Add This 2-Minute Ab Workout to Any Routine
This group of classic Pilates moves, collectively known as the Series of Five, is the perfect addition to any workout. Take it from Lisa Corsello, founder of Burn Pilates and wholehearted Series of Five fan. "It is my favorite set of exercises," she explains. "Whenever I work out, I do a Series of Five. It's really focused on the core, but your arms and legs are moving in all these different directions, which makes it much more challenging to hold your position." Lisa recommends it as part of any workout (or even just to start your day off right), but she especially likes it after a run to stretch out tired legs and open up your chest. "It feels fantastic," she says. Even better? Incorporating these ab-burning moves into your normal routine will only add about two minutes to your workout!
The trick is to move through each exercise without a break. Once you've mastered this part, take Lisa's challenge: add a 10-second plank, 10 burpees, or 10 push-ups between each move to really amp up your workout. If that sounds too hard, not to worry: just switching up the order in which you complete these moves will still challenge your body after you've gotten the hang of this sequence. Get the quick ab-toning workout, demonstrated by Lisa herself, here.
Who Will Take the Throne After Queen Elizabeth II?
Queen Elizabeth II is the United Kingdom's longest-reigning British monarch, but we can't help but wonder who will take on the crown after her. If she were to abdicate (give up the royal throne), retire, or pass away, her eldest son Prince Charles would become king - making him the oldest heir to accede to the British throne. Of course, he also has the option to immediately pass the crown on to his oldest son, Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, followed by William's two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Even though Elizabeth II recently celebrated her 90th birthday, it appears she isn't ready to give up her royal title quite yet. Sarah Bradford, the author of Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Our Times, revealed that she's never even contemplated abdication, adding, "The queen simply feels she must do her duty."
This Is What It's Like to Live With Birth Marks Covering Your Face and Body
"Ugh, what happened to you?" "You're not pretty like the other girls." "No one likes you. You look like you're covered in dirt." "No one is ever going to like you."
These remarks were the norm for me when I was growing up. Every comment hurt a little bit more than the last. I subconsciously hoarded them until they started to become the very things I was telling myself. I have a rare epidermal nevus condition called Phacomatosis pigmentokeratotica, which affects about 1 in 2,000 people. A nevus is the scientific term for birthmark or mole. My case is caused by a genetic mutation, although the specific gene remains unknown. It isn't something you'd see everyday, which was why I garnered this kind of attention.
I might've only been 7 or 8 years old, but I could still understand the magnitude of disgust behind every mean comment. I was constantly bullied in school by my peers. They would make fun of me for looking different. During sixth grade lunch hour, a boy threw food at me and crumpled notes with mean things written on them such as, "You're ugly." The harassment didn't stop with my classmates.
Parents of these kids would tell my mom and dad that I should have surgery to remove them, because I wasn't attractive. Adults walking past me would sneer at the sight of me and take pictures to laugh at. My sixth grade Spanish teacher even publically bullied me in front of class and said, "Why don't you go and connect the dots on your face?" You could imagine the amount of emotional trauma this caused to my self-esteem. I received positive comments here and there, but it was always the negative ones that held more weight to me.
My mom would take many measures to cover me up as best as she could to protect me from the world. I was always outfitted in turtlenecks and long pants. When it got hot, my mom would slather on foundation that was five times too light and too sheer for my skin. I was always running around so the makeup melted off anyway. It was not ideal.
I was taught was to hide and to cover my skin so people wouldn't say anything. But no matter how hard I tried, every negative comment and experience felt like the weight of the world. I hated what I looked like and soon I embodied everything that hurt. I believed that I wasn't beautiful and that I never could be. I briefly contemplated suicide around the end of middle school. If I just stopped everything, I wouldn't have to hurt anymore. I could stop my parents from tirelessly trying to find the best medical care for me, since at the time, most dermatologists didn't know what to do with my case. "Maybe I could stop my parents from having to take the emotional abuse. It would be so easy to end my emotional suffering," I thought to myself. [Editor's note: if you or a loved one feels suicidal, find help here.]
I am now 24 years old, and all I can say is that I am grateful I chose otherwise. It was a painfully slow but steady journey to attain self-acceptance. To this day, I feel like I still have a lot to work on. There are days when I'll cry, but I'm only human, and I need to allow myself to feel emotion. Regardless of those bad days, I know that I will always pick myself up and continue on with my life.
Today, I can't help but tell you how much I love my life and how much I am appreciative for my birthmarks. Not only have they given me confidence in my appearance, but they have also given me the strength and drive to pursue my dreams. I grew up with a lot of negativity, but slowly, I learned to stand up against it. I kept telling myself that they were wrong and that what they said meant nothing to me. I began to apply the mindset of "never taking no for an answer" to all aspects of my life.
Being bullied when I was young made me sensitive. I used to hate that I didn't have tough skin but now, I feel fortunate that I don't. My sensitivity allows me to be compassionate towards people who are hurting and it allows me to pick up on subtle hints that they are in pain. My birthmarks also taught me to be positive for myself and for other people around me. There is enough hate in this world and enough people telling us that we can't do something.
I didn't want to add to that, and instead, I chose to have a positive outlook on my life and to lift up the people around me. When I see the people around me reach success, it's a chain reaction for more great things to come. So I can't help but continue to be positive. I can't express the amount of emotional suffering I went through to get to the confidence level I am at now. I came up with things to remind myself when things were especially difficult, and I hope these tips empower you to believe in your worth and your beauty. You have so much to offer in this world! Without further ado:
1. You have to love you.
This was the most difficult, but most important idea to grasp in my journey to accepting myself. My family and friends were always encouraging about my appearance and say that it's what they love about me. It is what makes me different. What I came to realize was that although the support was strong, I could not accept it until I came to accept myself. Strength at its paramount comes from within. People can be strong for you, but it is meaningless until you truly believe you are beautiful. Once you are confident that you are strong, no one can take that away from you.
What is even more important is that once you love yourself, the negative comments you receive become so irrelevant to you that you barely even notice they exist. You can create your reality. If you bottle up those negative comments and make them a part of you, then they will overcome you. But, if you believe that you are strong and beautiful, then that will in and of itself become your reality.
Something I do to feel strong inside and out is that I go to the gym! I love lifting weights and circuit training. I make sure to work out each muscle group throughout the week. I also rarely eat out, because I love to cook healthy. The combinations of both working out and eating clean make me feel great both physically and mentally.
2. When times get tough, get tougher.
There were many situations in which I found myself behind closed doors by myself, crying because I didn't know what I did to garner such negative attention. I would just sit there and feel so bad for myself. It came to a point when I would be sitting in an ocean of used tissues, dizzy from hyperventilating and unable to squeeze any more tears out of my eyes. I realized that life goes on. It's not going to sit and wait for you to feel bad for yourself. There are things out there to be done. Goals to be reached. Empowerment to be gained. Success to be earned. I bit my bottom lip and redirected my energy into the things I felt made my life worth living.
I channeled this energy into becoming a doctor. I had been exposed to dermatology my entire life and have been fortunate to meet some incredible and inspirational physicians who changed me forever. I also have had over 60 major and minor surgeries, so I have also been exposed to the field of plastic surgery. It's something I want to dedicate my life to because I want to help people through what I am currently going through. Because of my birthmarks and the arduous journey with having them, I feel I am able to relate to my patients and lead them to a physically and mentally healthy life.
So, my lesson for you is that you need to take life by the balls and own it. Find something worth being tough about and run with it. The world is yours. You have to choose to take it.
3. Stop trying to hide it - own it!
My mom insisted that I use makeup to cover my skin when I was younger, but now, all I want to do is show the world that I am proud to be me. I tried to use foundation once, but I looked so silly. The coverage was too sheer and the amount I had to use was ridiculous. I honestly didn't feel authentic. If people look, I say let them look! Let them admire your beauty. In a world where people are dying to stand out, we are lucky to already have that trait.
Though I decided to forgo cosmetics for coverage, I still have products to protect my skin from damaging UV rays. My beauty secret is to use a broad-spectrum SPF moisturizer and body lotion. It'll also prevent premature aging, an added bonus. My favorites include: Jergens Natural Glow SPF 20 ($11) for the face and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock ($7 each), SPF 45 and SPF 100 for my body. I encourage everyone, even to those who do not have birthmarks, to use SPF. I love Jergens Natural Glow for its smell and its self-tanning product. Since I can't go out and tan, this my way of getting some color. Neutrogena's Dry Touch line is amazing because it doesn't feel heavy. I've gone through too many greasy sunblocks and am glad to say that this product line definitely does not disappoint.
4. Be compassionate.
The comments that people make must never define you. Sometimes, people will say mean things that will hurt you to the very core. It's an uncomfortable situation, especially if the topic of your appearance is an extremely sensitive subject. It's important to keep in mind that people are curious. Sometimes they are ignorant. If they are mean to you, it is because they still have more to learn about life. They just don't understand how to process your beauty. Continue to be kind, for they are simply naive.
As I get older, less mean things are said to me, but I still get asked about them. I realize that the questions come from curiosity. It's harder to understand this when it's a sensitive topic, but it's important to be compassionate and to not be defensive to those who question. I get asked all the time if I wanted to get them removed and my answer was, is, and will continue to be: no. My birthmarks made me the person I am today. They gave me the confidence to pursue my dreams in more ways than one. They have given me the confidence and grit to continue my goals of being a doctor. They made me compassionate and optimistic.
I want people out there who are going through what I went through to understand that it's OK to be a little insecure sometimes. I want you to know that you are beautiful and that you are loved, even if you can't see it. You don't have to prove your worth to anyone but yourself. You are already great. You have the potential to be even greater and you have it within you to never stop until you reach success. Believe that your differences make you unique. Be confident that they can change your life once you accept them and love them for what they are and who you can be.
Jenna Lee is currently workong on completing a Masters Degree in biomedical sciences; follow her on Instagram here!
Another Day, Another Photo of a Bunch of Men Celebrating an Assault on Women's Health
The House passed the American Health Care Act on May 4, producing yet another totally unsurprising and objectively clueless gallery of photographs. You don't have to be a Where's Waldo? aficionado to see what is missing from the GOP's Rose Garden celebration after the vote on May 4.
Surprise! Where are the women who pushed for the passing of a bill that deems sexual assault, depression, and C-sections preexisting conditions? According to a wide shot of the press conference, there were about five women (who seem to have been pushed to the front for visibility) present at President Donald Trump's press conference announcing the bill's passage through the House. Men, in fact, made up about 92 percent of the 217 "yes" votes to approve the GOP bill. It's also worth noting that everyone in the photo appears to not have a disability, a particularly cruel reminder that people with disabilities would no longer be covered by Medicaid expansions permitted by Obamacare.
Despite never actually experiencing foreign phenomena like pregnancy, periods, and breast exams, the men of the GOP seem to consider themselves experts in deciding which women's health issues constitute necessary coverage. In fact, it's quite apparent that the House Republicans' only priority is repealing Obamacare, no matter if they have actually read the proposed bill, if they know how many people will lose coverage with its passing, or how much the Congressional Budget Office predicts it will cost. Nope, that doesn't matter.
Needless to say, if the American Health Care Act does make it through the upper chamber (thankfully, it's likely to encounter some pushback from Republican Senators), the House Republicans have one thing to look forward to: getting unseated. Just 24 hours after the bill officially went to vote, Democratic activist group Swing Left raised $400,000 for whoever elects to run against vulnerable Republican representatives who voted in favor of the proposal.
World Class Hypocrite Jason Chaffetz Wants to Rescind Obama's Pension Over Speaking Fees
When a president leaves office, it's pretty standard practice that they get paid to give speeches. Whether they donate the money or keep it depends on the president: while President Jimmy Carter rarely accepted compensation for speaking engagements, President Barack Obama recently made headlines for accepting a $400,000 fee to address Cantor Fitzgerald, a Wall Street institution he once criticized.
Ex-presidents also get paid a pension by the federal government, which varies depending on the president's postoffice income. Now, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee Jason Chaffetz has decided to use Obama's Cantor Fitzgerald gig as a reason to go after his presidential pension. Chaffetz decided to chime in on a USA Today editorial, which argued that Obama's speaking fees might incite Congress to target his pension. "Yes, it will," Chaffetz wrote in a tweet sharing the article on May 3.
Obama's $400,000 speech could prompt Congress to go after his pension https://t.co/h17muKPMmE via @USATODAY Yes, it will
- Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) May 4, 2017
Here's the problem with Chaffetz's moral outrage: presidents from both sides of the aisle have long amassed mini fortunes from private speaking gigs. Politico reported that George W. Bush has been paid between $100,000 and $175,000 per speech for the roughly 200 speeches he's given since leaving office in 2009. Former president Ronald Reagan was famously paid $2 million to visit Japan and open a trade dialogue with the country less than a year after leaving office.
Hillary Clinton's speaking fees, which were of much debate during the primaries, exceed W.'s: from 2001 until May 2016, Clinton gave 729 speeches and made roughly $210,795 for each. Collectively, former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton raked in a whopping $153 million in speeches between 2001 and when Clinton announced her candidacy for president.
This is not the first time Chaffetz has attempted to limit former presidents' pensions to $200,000. A bill that would restrict presidential pensions to $200,000 if their income exceeded $400,000 reached President Obama's office in July of 2016, but he vetoed the proposed law. With this in mind, it's hard not to see Chaffetz's commitment to going after Obama's pension as a ploy to bash a political foe.
15 Ways to Get More Out of Your Gym Time
Whether you're a first-time gym-goer or a dedicated gym rat, chances are there are a few ways you can make your gym time even more effective and efficient. Ready to take your workouts to the next level? Here are 15 tips to help you make the most of your time at the gym.
15 Ways to Get More Out of Your Gym Time
Whether you're a first-time gym-goer or a dedicated gym rat, chances are there are a few ways you can make your gym time even more effective and efficient. Ready to take your workouts to the next level? Here are 15 tips to help you make the most of your time at the gym.
8 Basic Moves Any Gym Rat Should Know
Some of the most effective moves are the simplest or the ones that build on the basics. Here are eight beginner strength-training moves you should master, along with tips and variations to make your workout even better!
8 Basic Moves Any Gym Rat Should Know
Some of the most effective moves are the simplest or the ones that build on the basics. Here are eight beginner strength-training moves you should master, along with tips and variations to make your workout even better!
A Restaurant Offered Liam Neeson Free Food . . . and He Actually Showed Up
Liam Neeson may be a huge Hollywood star, but even he can't resist a little free food once in a while. After Big Star Sandwich Co. in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, got wind that the actor was in town filming his new movie Hard Powder, they decided to try to entice him to stop by with the promise of free food. Employees Kyle Gus and Serge Patoka put two signs outside of their shop on Tuesday morning, one that read "Liam Neeson eats here for free" and the other that read "Come in and get Taken by our sandwiches." After hearing about their hilarious promise, the father of two decided to casually drop in that afternoon. Big Star's director of operations, Alex Johrden, said the employees couldn't believe it when they saw the actor walk through the door. And even though he didn't end up getting a sandwich, he did pose for an epic photo with Kyle and Serge with one of the signs. "Holy f**k, it worked! #LiamNeeson," Big Star captioned it on its Facebook page. "As you can see in the photo, they're about as stoked as they've ever been in their lives," Alex continued. Um, we would be too.
Awaken the Force With These 40 Epic Star Wars Nails
As true Star Wars and beauty fans, we've taken to Instagram to bring you (and our nails) the best out-of-this-world nail art. From intergalactic talons to Boba Fett claws and BB-8 droids popping up on pinkies, these nails are undeniably cool. We can imagine space babe Daisy "Rey" Ridley rocking some of this nail art.
If You Just Want to Spoil Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 For Yourself, Read This
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is loaded with a ton of stuff that you loved about the first film (laughing Drax, dancing Baby Groot, etc.), but there's a whole new plot to unfold. The spoiler-free synopsis is that Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is trying to uncover his true identity. When his father (Kurt Russell) unexpectedly comes flying into his life, he reluctantly seizes the opportunity to get to the bottom of his heritage. This just isn't a movie about a beautiful family reunion, so Peter and co. face some challenges along the way. If you're wondering exactly what goes down, read on.
Ego (Russell) tracks down Peter and his crew, telling them that he is overjoyed to have finally found his son. Peter is initially skeptical about Ego's intentions, but, at Gamora's (Zoe Saldana) urging, he agrees to go to Ego's home planet. Peter, Gamora, and Drax take off with Ego and his alien associate, Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and land on the most beautiful, lush planet you've ever seen. It turns out that Ego isn't a person at all - he is a planet. He has the power to create whatever he desires and appear in whatever form he dreams up. He explains to Peter than he's been searching everywhere for him, but something doesn't add up; Ego can't give a straight answer about why he never returned to Earth to visit Peter and his mother.
Meanwhile, Rocket and Baby Groot are captured by Yondu's (Michael Rooker) crew. Yondu had been commissioned by an alien race to take out Peter and his pals, but when Yondu refuses to hurt Peter, his crew (headed by Taserface, LOL) turns on him. They imprison Yondu, Rocket, and Baby Groot aboard their ship. Anarchy reigns, until Kraglin (Sean Gunn) double-crosses Taserface and the good guys are able to destroy Yondu's old crew and depart from the fiery spacecraft in a smaller ship.
Back on Ego's planet, the real story is slowly revealed. Ego doesn't just want to be a father to Peter - he wants to use Peter's inherited powers to help him take over the universe. Ego has been slowly attempting to conquer millions of planets by burying tiny versions of himself into the ground on each planet. Once he gets enough energy (which he can only do with an heir), he can fuel the plants to grow and rapidly turn each planet into his own ecosystem. Because he is the planet, he will technically be everywhere. Does that make sense? It's confusing.
The worst part is that Peter isn't Ego's only son, not by a long shot. Gamora and Nebula (Karen Gillan) discover an entire cave full of bones, the bones of Ego's slain children. He's impregnated species all over the universe, and he had been employing Yondu to collect his kids and bring them back to his planet in hopes that they'll have inherited his power. They all failed him, so he just murdered them and kept looking. When Yondu realized that Ego was killing the kids, he stopped working for him and raised Peter as his own.
Poor Peter had finally allowed himself to feel happy about his biological planet of a father, and Ego is just one big fraud. Baby Groot, Rocket, and Yondu find Peter and his crew in the nick of time, and they're able to save the day. There's some mild interference from the secondary villains (a race of genetically perfect aliens), but Peter destroys Ego. Yondu dies saving Peter, and he gets the Ravager funeral he's always desired. In the end, Peter loses two fathers. Are you crying?
That's the meat of it - unless, of course, you want to know about the five end-credits scenes!
Just How Much Coffee Is Too Much?
There are many benefits to drinking coffee every day - from disease-fighting antioxidants to improved memory and longevity - but when it comes to your caffeine habit, there really can be too much of a good thing.
Just how much caffeine is too much? For the average person, up to 300 mg of coffee a day, or two to four cups of the average brewed coffee, is a moderate amount that isn't harmful. But once you hit more than four cups, you may experience less-than-desirable side effects. Drinking more than 500 mg every day, in fact, can induce anxiety, insomnia, and muscle tremors and can even lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure, headaches, or digestion issues.
If you want to stay away from the caffeine jitters, then limiting yourself to under four cups of coffee per day is a perfectly reasonable plan. However, you may be surprised by how much caffeine is in your favorite caffeinated beverage; it can be much more than you think!
See how much caffeine is in your favorite drink.
| Drink | Amount of caffeine |
|---|---|
| Average 8-ounce cup of coffee | 95 mg |
| 8-ounce Short Starbucks coffee | 180 mg |
| 12-ounce Tall Starbucks coffee | 260 mg |
| 16-ounce Grande Starbucks coffee | 330 mg |
| 20-ounce Venti Starbucks coffee | 415 mg |
| 10-ounce small Dunkin' Donuts coffee | 105 mg |
| 14-ounce medium Dunkin' Donuts coffee | 178 mg |
| 20-ounce large Dunkin' Donuts coffee with Turbo Shot | 436 mg |
| 16-ounce large McDonald's coffee | 133 mg |
| Average 1-ounce espresso shot | 64 mg |
| 1-ounce Starbucks espresso shot | 75 mg |
| Average teaspoon of instant coffee | 31 mg |
| Average 8-ounce cup of black tea | 26 mg |
| Average 6-ounce cup of green tea | 20-30 mg |
Use this chart as a guide to see how much caffeine you're really consuming every day. Even if you enjoy two eight-ounce cups at Starbucks, for example, that's 360 mg of caffeine - 60 mg over the recommended limit. Also, remember that even though espresso-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos contain less caffeine than brewed coffee, many drinks are made with at least two espresso shots, not one.
If You Just Want to Spoil Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 For Yourself, Read This
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is loaded with a ton of stuff that you loved about the first film (laughing Drax, dancing Baby Groot, etc.), but there's a whole new plot to unfold. The spoiler-free synopsis is that Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is trying to uncover his true identity. When his father (Kurt Russell) unexpectedly comes flying into his life, he reluctantly seizes the opportunity to get to the bottom of his heritage. This just isn't a movie about a beautiful family reunion, so Peter and co. face some challenges along the way. If you're wondering exactly what goes down, read on.
Ego (Russell) tracks down Peter and his crew, telling them that he is overjoyed to have finally found his son. Peter is initially skeptical about Ego's intentions, but, at Gamora's (Zoe Saldana) urging, he agrees to go to Ego's home planet. Peter, Gamora, and Drax take off with Ego and his alien associate, Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and land on the most beautiful, lush planet you've ever seen. It turns out that Ego isn't a person at all - he is a planet. He has the power to create whatever he desires and appear in whatever form he dreams up. He explains to Peter than he's been searching everywhere for him, but something doesn't add up; Ego can't give a straight answer about why he never returned to Earth to visit Peter and his mother.
Meanwhile, Rocket and Baby Groot are captured by Yondu's (Michael Rooker) crew. Yondu had been commissioned by an alien race to take out Peter and his pals, but when Yondu refuses to hurt Peter, his crew (headed by Taserface, LOL) turns on him. They imprison Yondu, Rocket, and Baby Groot aboard their ship. Anarchy reigns, until Kraglin (Sean Gunn) double-crosses Taserface and the good guys are able to destroy Yondu's old crew and depart from the fiery spacecraft in a smaller ship.
Back on Ego's planet, the real story is slowly revealed. Ego doesn't just want to be a father to Peter - he wants to use Peter's inherited powers to help him take over the universe. Ego has been slowly attempting to conquer millions of planets by burying tiny versions of himself into the ground on each planet. Once he gets enough energy (which he can only do with an heir), he can fuel the plants to grow and rapidly turn each planet into his own ecosystem. Because he is the planet, he will technically be everywhere. Does that make sense? It's confusing.
The worst part is that Peter isn't Ego's only son, not by a long shot. Gamora and Nebula (Karen Gillan) discover an entire cave full of bones, the bones of Ego's slain children. He's impregnated species all over the universe, and he had been employing Yondu to collect his kids and bring them back to his planet in hopes that they'll have inherited his power. They all failed him, so he just murdered them and kept looking. When Yondu realized that Ego was killing the kids, he stopped working for him and raised Peter as his own.
Poor Peter had finally allowed himself to feel happy about his biological planet of a father, and Ego is just one big fraud. Baby Groot, Rocket, and Yondu find Peter and his crew in the nick of time, and they're able to save the day. There's some mild interference from the secondary villains (a race of genetically perfect aliens), but Peter destroys Ego. Yondu dies saving Peter, and he gets the Ravager funeral he's always desired. In the end, Peter loses two fathers. Are you crying?
That's the meat of it - unless, of course, you want to know about the five end-credits scenes!
Miley Cyrus Is Thankful For Her Breakup With Liam Hemsworth: "We Had to Refall in Love"
Miley Cyrus is going back to her roots. The singer, who has stayed relatively out of the spotlight in recent months aside from being a judge on The Voice, recently opened up to Billboard magazine about her ever-evolving music, her romance with Liam Hemsworth, and why she's glad she's no longer in her wild phase. And the star, who has also quit smoking weed, revealed that new music is coming very soon. Miley's song "Malibu," which will drop next week, is inspired by her life with the Independence Day: Resurgence actor (they share a home in the California town). See her best quotes from the interview ahead.
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 confirmed, 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 locks down 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." He also confirmed that "Hannah's story is still very much not finished. She's an integral part of whatever the next chapter of the story is, and she's very much still at the center of it."
- Devin Druid is ready to take Tyler over the edge. The final episode of season one shows Tyler adding to his arsenal of weapons, suggesting that he's planning a school shooting. Druid confirmed this when speaking with The Hollywood Reporter: "This is a really logical step for this character to go toward. I definitely think there's more of a story to tell. That helps dive into a bigger conversation of mental illness and bullying and harassment and how a person can react when they're pushed to the end of their rope."
- Miles Heizer basically confirmed that Alex survives. "It was interesting to see similarities between Alex and Hannah, because there are a lot of warning signs throughout the season," he told THR. He went on to talk about what will happen after Alex's suicide attempt. "That's another subject that's very rarely shown onscreen and is probably a lot more common than people think it is. People attempting to take their lives and it not happening, I'm sure that will bring a crazy set of issues. It would be interesting to go into that."
- Justin Prentice would like to see Bryce go to prison. "There's a f*cing rapist at this high school that hasn't been brought to any justice," he said, speaking with THR. "And one of the victims, that we know of, is still living and just beginning to confront the realities of being a rape survivor, which is another hugely important story to tell."
Just How Much Coffee Is Too Much?
There are many benefits to drinking coffee every day - from disease-fighting antioxidants to improved memory and longevity - but when it comes to your caffeine habit, there really can be too much of a good thing.
Just how much caffeine is too much? For the average person, up to 300 mg of coffee a day, or two to four cups of the average brewed coffee, is a moderate amount that isn't harmful. But once you hit more than four cups, you may experience less-than-desirable side effects. Drinking more than 500 mg every day, in fact, can induce anxiety, insomnia, and muscle tremors and can even lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure, headaches, or digestion issues.
If you want to stay away from the caffeine jitters, then limiting yourself to under four cups of coffee per day is a perfectly reasonable plan. However, you may be surprised by how much caffeine is in your favorite caffeinated beverage; it can be much more than you think!
See how much caffeine is in your favorite drink.
| Drink | Amount of caffeine |
|---|---|
| Average 8-ounce cup of coffee | 95 mg |
| 8-ounce Short Starbucks coffee | 180 mg |
| 12-ounce Tall Starbucks coffee | 260 mg |
| 16-ounce Grande Starbucks coffee | 330 mg |
| 20-ounce Venti Starbucks coffee | 415 mg |
| 10-ounce small Dunkin' Donuts coffee | 105 mg |
| 14-ounce medium Dunkin' Donuts coffee | 178 mg |
| 20-ounce large Dunkin' Donuts coffee with Turbo Shot | 436 mg |
| 16-ounce large McDonald's coffee | 133 mg |
| Average 1-ounce espresso shot | 64 mg |
| 1-ounce Starbucks espresso shot | 75 mg |
| Average teaspoon of instant coffee | 31 mg |
| Average 8-ounce cup of black tea | 26 mg |
| Average 6-ounce cup of green tea | 20-30 mg |
Use this chart as a guide to see how much caffeine you're really consuming every day. Even if you enjoy two eight-ounce cups at Starbucks, for example, that's 360 mg of caffeine - 60 mg over the recommended limit. Also, remember that even though espresso-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos contain less caffeine than brewed coffee, many drinks are made with at least two espresso shots, not one.
Pippa Middleton Might Be the Bride, but She Just Wore the Perfect Wedding Guest Dress
shpWhether you're attending a friend's wedding, Pippa Middleton's wedding (lucky you), or just a really fancy dinner, there's no denying Pippa's Erdem dress is appropriate. The sleeveless jacquard design, slightly muted in color but jazzed up thanks to embellishments at the waist and neckline, is really quite a dream.
The bride-to-be stepped out on her way to the ParaSnowBall fundraiser in London wearing the midi with a glittering clutch and suede caged heels. Her engagement ring and tiny drop earrings added some extra sparkle and ensured party guests would look her way (in case they forgot May is her special month). Scroll for another look, then shop the exact Erdem number along with similar options.
Riverdale: Jason Blossom's Murderer Is Revealed
Warning: This post contains major spoilers from Thursday night's episode of Riverdale.
After formulating countless theories about who killed Jason Blossom all season long, we finally got an answer on Thursday's episode of Riverdale, and we're still recuperating. While FP Jones is originally arrested for the murder, it is later revealed that Jason's own father, Clifford Blossom, is actually the killer.
Turns out, the Blossoms have a pretty complicated past with the Coopers. Earlier this season, Hal Cooper reveals to Betty that their feud stems from a Blossom murdering their great-grandfather, but that is only half of the truth. Their great-grandfather was actually a Blossom, too! Yes, that means Polly Cooper and Jason Blossom are blood relatives and their relationship - and unborn twins - are a form of incest. We definitely had our suspicions about the elite family, but this is pretty insane. After learning that the two are planning to run off together and get married, Clifford loses it and kills his own son in cold blood.
The shocking news breaks when Betty finds a USB hidden in Jason's letterman jacket containing an incriminating video of Clifford taking a gun, pointing it at his son, and shooting him in the head. Betty immediately calls Cheryl and warns her to get out of the house. After shedding a few tears, Cheryl heads downstairs and confronts her father for his wrongdoing, but that's just the beginning. Moments before his arrest, the police find him hanging from a noose in the barn, surrounded by barrels and barrels of drugs. Looks like the Blossoms weren't just known for their sweet syrup after all. While the end result is definitely shocking, we should have seen it coming. Mädchen Amick (who plays Alice Cooper) hinted that there were several breadcrumbs about the killer's identity placed throughout the season.
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