Blog Posts by Vitamin G, Glamour Magazine

By Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Pets are good for you--well, pets you can walk!

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Researchers from Michigan State University say that your dog may be a big boost to your health. They found that people who owned a dog and regularly took their pooch on walks were 34 percent more likely to be physically fit than those who either didn't have a dog or had one and didn't walk it.

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I wish my dog could go on jogs with me. Believe me, I've tried to get her excited about this, but she stops 654 times to sniff things and hates it when I start jogging, pulling on the leash in protest or just sitting down.

Do you have a dog? Do you walk her regularly or do you tend to get lazy about it?

P.S. Why dogs may be better listeners than guys (giggle). And, has your pooch ever accidentally injured you? (If so, you're not alone.)
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By Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Yesterday, I woke up with a sore throat. Great. Whenever I get sick int he summer, I think WHY?! Shouldn't I be getting a cold in the wintertime? Yes, sadly, colds circulate year-round, and the ones we get in the summer may be much worse, say experts.

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Ugh! If getting a cold during the summer months isn't bad enough, wait till you hear this: Summer colds may be nastier and last longer than winter colds. And, they're more likely to reoccur, say experts.

This is all according to Dr. Bruce Hirsch, attending physician for infectious diseases at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY, who spoke to MSNBC recently about how awful summer colds can be. Some can even come with horrid sore throats and rashes. Extra reason to wash your hands frequently, drink lots of water and get plenty of rest to keep your immune system strong this summer!

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Have you

By Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

I hear often from readers complaining that they can't make healthy choices because they can't afford to. I am so passionate about the idea that living healthy doesn't have to be pricey. At the very basic foundation of healthy living is choosing wisely and simply. You don't need to be Miss Moneybags to do that!

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1. Sea salt: Forget pricey mouth rinses, if you have sore, inflamed gums, brush and floss of course, then rinse with a solution of warm water and sea salt (about a teaspoon per cup of warm water). Swish and rinse, repeat. Do this for a few days and I'll be amazed at its healing properties. Bacteria hate salt, so it's great for oral health.

2. Vinaigrette: Salad dressing is pricey, often loaded with calories and additives. I say skip it and make your own. You'll save a lot of money and you will love the way it tastes. I keep a mason jar of vinaigrette in my fridge that I just shake up and drizzle on

By Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Is there anything more worrisome for a pregnant woman than the thought of losing her baby? Stillbirth (when a baby dies at birth or just before birth) is tragic, but researchers whose study was just published in the British Medical Journal say that women can significantly reduce their chances of delivering a stillborn baby by doing one thing: sleeping on their left side.

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New Zealand researchers found that women who sleep on their right side on the night prior to giving birth double their risk of late-term stillbirth compared with ladies who snooze on their left sides.

Experts say this may have something to do with restriction of blood flow to the fetus when mothers sleep on their right side. So fascinating, and scary!

When I was pregnant, my favorite sleep position was my left side, but I always felt that I should switch to my right now and then to switch up the blood flow. I guess I should have just

By Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Cashew milk, rice milk, almond milk, hemp milk--it's hard to keep up with all the new alternative milks these days. So when I heard about flax milk recently, I had to give it a try...

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I recently checked out some samples of flax milk from Flax USA. I like flax and was fascinated with the concept of flax milk. Could it be any good?

My take: It's thinner, sort of has the consistency of rice milk. With fewer calories than you're typical glass of soy milk (60 per cup vs. 100 and upward), I liked that this was a lighter beverage. And, it has a nice, nutty, creamy flavor. Bonus: there are 1,100 mg of omega-3's per serving.

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Currently, you can only buy this product at Wal-Mart, but the manufacturers hope to be in more stores soon. Whole Foods, I hope!

Sound like something you'd go for?

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By Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Sorry to have to break this gross news in the a.m., but federal health regulators are warning of a pretty gross bacteria problem at a processing plant of one of the largest cereal makers.

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Your cereal? Um, it could be "contaminated with filth." This is what federal regulators wrote in a warning issued to the Augusta, Georgia, processing plant for Kellogg's, the makers of some of the most popular cereal brands.

At this point, no products have been recalled, but federal regulators have noted that the dangerous bacteria listeria has been found on work surfaces and warns that the company needs to take appropriate action to get their act together.

Gross!

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It's unclear what breakfast cereals are produced at the plant, but Eggo Waffles have been noted as coming from the plant, according to reports. If this is all sounding familiar, you may recall that in June

By Meredith Turits, Glamour magazine

Our special projects editor on the West Coast, Jen Weinberg, gets to go to tons of fun events out in Southern California. Her most recent stop was the Muscle Milk Fitness Retreat in Los Angeles, currently happening through June 17 in Beverly Hills and Venice Beach. Jen came back from the retreat with a killer tan (hello, outdoor workout perks)-and an even better set of get-fit-like-a-supermodel tips for you lovely ladies from celeb trainer Andrea Orbeck!

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First, if you need a good reason to follow Andrea's tips, we've got one: Heidi Klum. Yep, Andrea is Heidi's personal trainer, and I don't think I need to mention how ridiculously amazing Heidi looks, especially after four kids (but just in case you need a reminder):

So, on to Andrea's tips!

1. Increase your workout's intensity, especially if you don't have time for a long sesh.

"On the days that you don't have time, you replace the duration

By Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

She frequently appears on "most-fit" celeb lists each year and you can see why--Jessica Biel is gorgeous, in amazing shape, and seems to have good life-balance, too (even after her recent big breakup with JT). How does she do it? I've got the scoop:

The actress recently chatted with That's Fit about some of the things that keep her gorgeous, happy and fit (look at those arms!):

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1. Lots of sleep, lots of water: repeat! "For me, getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water, having a healthy diet ..."

2. Mocktails: When her pals are drinking, she passes, or just orders the virgin equivalent. "It's so boring, I know, but doing those things really helps." (Not only can alcohol add extra calories to your day, it can also wreak havoc on your skin!)

3. Lots of veggies! She's reportedly a fan of places like Real Food Daily and M Café, which specializes in vegan, raw food.

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