Blog Posts by Healthy SELF, SELF Magazine

April Daniels Hussar, SELF magazine

Sure, everyone rolls their eyes and groans when they talk about that time of the month ... but did you ever wonder if you're suffering because of your period a lot more than your friends seem to be?

A recent survey of 1,200 women found that 1 in 10 American women experience debilitating heavy monthly periods -- but that half of those sufferers haven't discussed their situation with their doctors. Why? A whopping 32% says it's too embarrassing.

Related: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

Are you missing out on life?
The online survey, conducted by the research agency TNS on behalf of Bayer, found that these women go to extreme lengths to cope with heavy periods -- like doubling up on tampons, YIKES! -- and that they miss out on a lot of life. Many of those who revealed having heavy periods also reported having cancelled on dates (16%), missed days of work (20%), skipped outdoor activities (33%), not worn a bathing suit (50%) or

Charles MaraiaApril Daniels Hussar, SELF magazine

We know chicken soup is good for the soul, but on a crisp fall day, a bowl of decadently creamy soup can be the perfect dish. So is it possible to indulge without sacrificing your skinny jeans? Totally.

If you already have a favorite creamy soup recipe, Jennifer Iserloh, aka "The Skinny Chef," author of the newly released recipe collection, 50 Shades of Kale, offers these tips for cutting back on the fat and calories -- without sacrificing the flavor:

Swap full-fat for low-fat or skim. Use lower-fat dairy, like low-fat cream cheese, sour cream or yogurt, she says. "If you're dying for real cream, half-and-half is actually fairly low in calories and fat compared to heavy cream!"

Use mashed veggies instead of dairy. Starchy veggies like sweet potato, white potato and squash work the best, she says. Another fantastic option? White beans!

Related: Yoga Moves for Flat Abs

Cut back on your sauteing oil. Even if the recipe calls for

April Daniels Hussar, SELF magazine

Think the natural order of things is for the guy to lead and the woman to follow when it comes to getting freaky in the bedroom? Think again! A new study shows how assumptions like that--situations in which the woman assumes the man should take control--can make you less comfortable, less confident and less safe in the bedroom. How NOT sexy is that?

Yale University's Lisa Rosenthal, Ph.D., surveyed heterosexual, sexually active students from a Northeastern university about their levels of sexual confidence, their beliefs about who should dominate sexually (men or women) and their general attitudes about societal roles of both genders.

Related: Yoga Moves for Flat Abs

The study subjects, who were alone in a room while answering the written questions, were also seated next to a bowl of female condoms, along with a note that read: "Protect yourself and your partner. Please take some! FREE FEMALE CONDOMS."

"Our findings suggest that

You've surely seen the label, and you probably have at least a vague idea that it's something good -- but do you know exactly what "Fair Trade" means and is all about? Or what it has to do with that cup of coffee you just drank? We got the scoop so you know before you buy.

Related: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

Mary Jo Cook, Chief Impact Officer at Fair Trade USA, explains to SELF that when you buy a product with the Fair Trade Certified label, "You know that the farmers and workers producing the labeled goods were paid fair prices and wages, work in safe conditions, protect the environment and earn community development funds to empower and improve their communities." Cook continued, "Consumers want to know where their products came from--that their morning cup of coffee was grown in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner."

If you're unsure if what you are purchasing is Fair Trade Certified, just check for the

Paula Derrow, SELF magazine

You can't stop thinking about ice cream. You go into your room and try to read, file your nails, text a friend--anything to distract yourself. Your brain is insistent: Ice cream. Ice cream. Soon, you're telling yourself that you deserve ice cream--after all, you've had a crappy day. And before you know it, you're heading to the freezer, pulling out the pint, and going at it straight from the carton. Mmmmmm. Until you hit cardboard. The pint is gone and you're totally full--of regret. "Why did I do that?!" you moan. "I'm starting a diet tomorrow." Then you head to bed, making sure to avoid the full-length mirror when you pull off your now snug skinny jeans.

Related: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

Sound like addiction? According to a 2011 report in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, your behavior qualifies as worthy of an addict's if (and I'm paraphrasing here):

1. You engage in an activity to satisfy an appetite.

Jennifer D'Angelo Friedman, SELF magazine

Ever feel like you have NO idea what your bra size is? Do you find that you are a 34B with one brand and a 36C when testing another? The reason, says New York-based bra retailer Linda Becker (better known as "the bra lady"), is "vanity sizing." In other words, many bra-makers want you to feel like you're slimmer than you really are -- and slightly more blessed in the chest area, she says.

Related: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

"They want you to think your back is smaller and your breasts are bigger," Becker, who has been selling bras for 25 years, tells SELF.

Our dilemma: If bra sizes are all over the map, how are we supposed to measure our mammaries? Becker offered us a few pieces of advice:

1. Get yourself professionally measured. "Go to a store that specializes in bra fitting and have somebody measure you," says Becker, who went to school to learn how to fit women for prosthesis. "In all my years, I rarely see women come in who have

CN Digital StudioSELF magazine

Overdo it this weekend? No worries--here's how to get back on track.

Step one: Toss out the remnants of last night's greasefest.

Today, fill your plate with good stuff--produce, lean protein, whole grains. And the next time you find yourself fork-deep in mac 'n' cheese, use these stay-slim tips:

Related: Foods That Fight Belly Bloat

Get spicy. Cinnamon, turmeric and other spices may inhibit enzymes that help you digest fat--so the fat gets expelled, not stored on your butt.

Drink decaf. Sat fat may interfere with your body's ability to respond to insulin; some research suggests adding caffeine could dampen that ability even more. Do decaf to keep blood sugar in line.

Related: Yoga Moves for Flat Abs

Take a stroll. Light activity helps put your body in fat-burning mode.

April Daniels Hussar, SELF magazine

You may have heard about 18-year-old Alexandra Kogut, the State University of New York Brockport freshman found brutally beaten to death in her dorm room last weekend; her boyfriend, 21-year-old Clayton Whittemore, has been charged with her murder.

And while this story is exceptionally tragic, far too many young women (and men for that matter) are putting themselves at risk of winding up like Kogut. According to new study out of Ohio State University (OSU), two-thirds of college-aged men and women reported some type of abuse during their teenage years.

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Plus, one-third of young adults who reported being victims of dating violence as teenagers had two or more abusive partners, Amy Bonomi, Ph.D., M.P.H., an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Science at OSU, tells HealthySELF.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so we asked Bonomi how YOU can tell if your relationship is