Blog Posts by SHAPE magazine

by Alanna Nuñez for SHAPE.com

Will California require BPA-containing products to have warning labels?The state of California recently admitted what many consumers and health and nutrition experts have been speculating for years: Canned food chemical bisphenol A (BPA) is toxic and may cause health problems. After officially adding the chemical to its Prop 65 list-a list of substances that are known carcinogens or endocrine-disruptors-the state will now require warning labels to be posted on products that contain high levels of BPA sold in California.

"This decision is a step in the right direction," says SHAPE Diet Doctor Mike Roussell, Ph.D., author of The Six Pillars of Nutrition. "I think this is good validation that these endocrine-disrupting chemicals have real effects on our bodies. I hope this will be the first of several similar decisions."

What is bisphenol A?
BPA is what's known as an "everywhere chemical" because it shows up in seemingly innocent items you use every day, such as canned foods, plastic water bottles, pacifiers, and teethers. BPA

by Alanna Nuñez for SHAPE.com

Olympic swimmer Ryan LochteYou guys. YOU GUYS. The much-hyped premiere of 28-year-old Olympic swimmer extraordinaire and lovable labradoodle Ryan Lochte (a.k.a. Reezy)'s reality TV show, What Would Ryan Lochte Do?, was on Sunday, and it was basically everything you thought it'd be and more.

In case you were dying to know what Lochte does (WHAT DOES HE DO, YOU GUYS?), I can tell you because I watched the show: essentially, nothing. You probably think I'm joking. I am not. I watched the show for 30 minutes, and then I watched a recap online, and then for good measure I read two reviews, and I'm still not entirely sure what I saw or what it is that makes Lochte tick. Most importantly, I'm not entirely sure Lochte knows what it is that makes Lochte tick.

I'm serious: When asked by one of the crew members what makes up the "Lochte edge" that he's always blathering on about, Ryan stared at him in wide-eyed stunned silence for 10 seconds and then said, "You know...I honestly have no

by Valerie Berkowitz R.D., for SHAPE.com

Could this be causing all your health problems?Many women are unfortunately familiar with fatigue, recurring sinus infections, irritability, and a stuck scale. You may blame it on anxiety, allergies, stress, or bad genes-but it could be something else.

Candida albicans-tiny yeast organisms like fungi and mold-may seem harmless, but yeast overgrowth (YO) packs a powerful punch and is responsible for issues that affect almost every body system. While vaginal infections are readily ID'ed, when yeast is prevalent on the skin or in gut and mouth flora and the symptoms are more general, it is not as easily diagnosed. After all, how often do you feel moody or depressed, lack focus, or suffer from headaches, post-nasal drip, rashes, or eczema that won't seem to go away?

It's not totally your fault: The environment we live in creates a breeding ground for yeast overgrowth. A weakened immune system due to the overuse or misuse of antibiotics, steroids, and antibacterial soap; use of birth control

by Cristina Goyanes for SHAPE.com

Are you eating too much plastic?You already know that microwaving your leftover chicken stir-fry in its plastic container is a major no-no, but that's not the only way to end up with a mouthful of chemicals.

An alarming new report from the University of Texas Health Science Center and the U.S. government suggests that most popular supermarket foods-including dairy, meats, condiments, drinks, and pizza-may be contaminated with a variety of plastic chemicals called phthalates. These chemicals are commonly used as plasticizers (what makes plastics soft, rubbery, and less breakable) in items such as fragranced shampoos, detergents, cleaners, lotions, and shower curtains. But now researchers are saying that some small amounts of the stuff may be traceable in your favorite packaged foods too.

"When phthalates get added to plastics, they don't fuse into a new atom, so they stay separated, which means they can leak out and get picked up through the air, skin, water; they're everywhere and

by Jay Cardiello for SHAPE.com

This simple, effective workout will give your metabolism a boostIf you've been dreaming of a past body--you know, the one you had before you gained that college weight, got married, had a few kids, or discovered chili-spiked chocolate--wake up and face reality: You can reunite with your former physique. All you need is this simple, effective workout that will give your metabolism a kick in the butt and help firm up yours.

How It Works: For each exercise, perform as many repetitions as possible in 60 seconds. Do not rest between moves.

You'll Need: A 3- to 5-pound dumbbell (or you can alternate between using a towel or heavy shoe or boot).

1. Row Kickbacks: Holding the dumbbell in your right hand, come into a pushup position. Keeping abs and gluteus region tight, in one explosive movement, simultaneously row right arm up toward chest, driving elbow past your back, while raising left leg to parallel with the floor. Pause for 1 second, retract, and repeat. Perform for 30 seconds before repeating with left hand and right

by SHAPE editors

Cure any exercise-related ill with these natural remediesHas an exercise-related affliction halted your sweat sessions? These remedies will have you on the mend...without meds!

The problem: Back pain
The Fix: Yoga

Activities like running, cycling, and golf put pressure on the spine, which can exacerbate backaches. For relief, hit the mat: In a recent study published in Archives of Internal Medicine, 60 percent of people who practiced yoga for 75 minutes weekly reported less lower-back pain after three months. Get the benefits at home with a DVD like Yoga Tune Up Quickfix Rx: Upper & Lower Body ($30; yogatuneup.com).

The problem: Muscle cramps
The Fix: A New Breakfast

Dehydration often causes charley horses and side stitches, but poor circulation and a slow digestive system are culprits too. To prevent spasms, top cereal with a teaspoon of cinnamon, a tablespoon of ground flaxseed, and half a cup of lowfat milk, advises Susan Kleiner, a SHAPE advisory board member.
"Cinnamon opens blood vessels, flaxseed moves food through

by Alanna Nuñez for SHAPE.com

Is PMS a bad sign?Cramping, cravings, and exhaustion tend to be expected by women before Aunt Flo's visit, but more and more experts agree that these symptoms aren't normal. In fact, some think that what passes for PMS may be a hint that something's off in your body.

"We often joke about it," says women's health specialist Alisa Vitti, author of WomanCode: Perfect Your Cycle, Amplify Your Fertility, Supercharge Your Sex Life, and Become a Power Source. "We chalk it up as part of 'being a woman,' but the reality is that PMS is really a sign of an imbalance between your levels of progesterone and estrogen."

Your Monthly Cycle, Explained

Your menstrual cycle is divided into phases: The first is your actual menstruation. On the first day of your period, your estrogen and progesterone start at rock-bottom levels and rise steadily, which can boost your brain's production of serotonin. Surprisingly, you may find yourself feeling more upbeat, productive, and social than you do

by Aviva Patz for SHAPE.com

These seemingly simple fibs could be harming your health!According to a Columbia University survey, more than half of women ages 25 to 49 routinely withhold information from their physicians. And really, who hasn't stretched the truth just a little when pressed about personal details, whether it's how often you floss or when you last hooked up with a new guy?

"People don't want to be scolded or judged," says Barbara M. Korsch, M.D., a professor at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and author of The Intelligent Patient's Guide to the Doctor-Patient Relationship. "And often, they're simply embarrassed to talk about subjects they see as taboo." But honesty is the best policy at the doctor's office: If you've made one of the following misleading statements, you could be seriously sabotaging your health care.


1. Half-truth: "I don't smoke"

Truth: You bum a cigarette from a colleague now and then.

Consequences: More than one in 10 people who take at least an occasional drag hide the