Blog Posts by Vitamin G, Glamour Magazine

Photo: Courtesy of drugstore.comSarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Guess who is less hygienic at the office: men or women? The answer might surprise you!

We've talked about the subject here before--offices are germy (especially this spot!). But, who seems to be more germy, in general--your female or male co-workers?

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According to researchers from San Diego State University and the University of Arizona, men's offices may have as many as 20 percent more live bacteria crawling around than women's offices (in case you're wondering, the germiest spots are the phone and chair). What's going on? "Men are ... somewhat less hygienic than women so that could factor in as well," one of the researchers said to TIME. (In other words, dudes tend to wash their hands less often.)

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Previous studies have indicated the opposite--that women's offices were germier, but this new study is believed to be more definitive, because of the precise

Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Avocados are a healthy staple in my house, and probably yours too. But you know what's really annoying? Yep, slicing into one that you just bought only to find that it's rotten inside. Boo! Here's the brilliant, sneaky way to determine if avocados are still fresh BEFORE you buy them...

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Erica from Northwest Edible Life shared a smart tip that just might change the way you shop for avocados for the rest of your life! Here's what you do:

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"Before you commit to a specific avocado, look for all the external signs of ripe-but-not-rotten," she writes. "With a Haas avocado (the variety we tend to get on the West coast), the skin should be very dark green-to-black and bumpy. The fruit should feel heavy and firm, with no obvious smooshy parts or flat areas. Now here's the trick. Once you've got a good candidate, take a sneak-peak at what's inside. Discreetly flick

Photo: ChobaniSarah Jio, Glamour magazine

If you love cheesecake, you are going to be ga-ga for this healthy cheesecake recipe made with ... yogurt!

Chobani, the makers of fabulous Greek yogurt, shared this recipe for Individual Protein Cheesecake:

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Ingredients:

For filling:
6oz 0% Plain Chobani Greek Yogurt
1/2 Tbsp Jell-O sugar-free instant pudding mix - cheesecake

For crust:
1/2 cup fiber bran cereal
4 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp unsalted almond butter
1/4 tsp stevia
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

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Preparation:
Add the cheesecake flavored pudding mix into the yogurt and stir until well combined. Set yogurt mixture aside. In a food processor or blender, grind the bran to a fine texture. In a small mixing bowl, add the ground bran with all dry ingredients, (stevia, cinnamon, and nutmeg) and mix evenly. Then add the almond butter and water and stir until it

Photo: koyalwholesale.comSarah Jio, Glamour magazine

The coolest way to stay hydrated these days? It also happens to be healthy and cheap!

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Mason jars are en vogue right now. People are decorating with them, using them to make cool, newfangled meals, even wedding invitations (I also love using them as vases for flowers). But you know what may be the best new use for mason jars ever? Portable, cheap, and healthy water glasses on the go!

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A few years ago, my dad started taking a large mason jar filled with water with him whenever he drove somewhere. He and my mom were trying to avoid the chemicals in plastic water bottles, so my dad's cute solution was using mason jars! I think this is a wonderful idea for staying hydrated at work. Just keep a mason jar on your desk, and when you head to a meeting or to your car at the end of the day, screw on the lid and you have hydration on the go. (Apparently, my

Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Dealing with the occasional bloat issues seems to go along with being female. So, if you've been annoyed with bloating lately, consider drinking my favorite bloat-zapping tonic that you can easily make at home...

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My favorite way to beat bloat? Take a small handful of mint leaves (mint tea bags work too), a few slices of fresh ginger root, and some lemon or orange slices and steep in hot water for at least 5 minutes, then sip.

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Ginger and mint are wonderful, natural bloat-fighters (citrus just adds to the yumminess of the brew and gives you a boost of C and antioxidants, always great for glowing, bikini-ready skin). Both can soothe gassy intestines and improve digestion (which really is the cause of bloating--you need to clear out what's in there!). Drink this two or three times in the 24 hours prior to bikini time, and you'll notice the difference.

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Photo: Courtesy of clorox.comSarah Jio, Glamour magazine

If you share an office with a bunch of people, germs may be lurking in mega proportions here...

The germ hot spot in your office? University of Arizona researchers say it's the break room or the office kitchen! In fact, the sink and microwave handles could be the dirtiest surfaces in the entire office, so keep that in mind when you're microwaving your lunch today and wash your hands after touching the microwave!

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The researchers even said that in almost all cases, workplace kitchens were places of "high germ contamination," and yes, they're the type of germs that can make you sick.

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I think this is the case, most likely, because kitchens aren't cleaned regularly, or they're cleaned only once in awhile by a well-meaning staffer who quickly wipes down the counters, but fails to sanitize surfaces.

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Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing. These common symptoms of spring allergies could be just as dangerous on the road as driving under the influence of alcohol, say some experts. The news...

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Drunk-driving isn't the only hazard on the road. Experts are now warning about driving under the influence of allergies. According to a recent British survey, as many as 25 percent of people may be driving with extreme hay fever symptoms that could impair their driving. And, more than a third of those surveyed said their allergies have actually presented safety risks in the car.

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Steve Rounds, from the UK's Central Motorway Police Group had this to say: "Hay fever can cause frequent sneezing, forcing the sufferer to briefly shut their eyes and vision can also be affected by irritated, streaming eyes. So although I have a lot of sympathy, driving while affected in such a way

Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Let's set our feelings about looking great in a bikini aside for a sec, and simply talk about health. Have you ever measured the circumference of your waist? Interestingly, it may tell you some fascinating things about your health...

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Experts have long cautioned that body mass index (BMI) measurements may not be the best way to gauge health, especially given the fact that we're all built differently. What's more important, though, according to a team of researchers from Tufts University, is what's going on with our waists!

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In a review of 31 studies and articles on the subject of BMI, experts now report that a much better measure of health is to measure your waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio, to predict risk for conditions like high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, high body fat levels and metabolic syndrome. In case you're wondering,