Blog Posts by Vitamin G, Glamour Magazine

Do superwomen exist? Absolutely. But let's get one thing clear: no one is without faults and weaknesses and secret personal challenges. Some days I feel like superwoman, other days? Not so much. But in our quest to try to do it all, and do it all perfectly, experts have some new health warnings ...

According to new data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, American women are using prescription drugs in greater numbers than ever before. Almost 6 percent of us, in fact--or 7.5 million adult women--say they use prescription medicines to boost energy, to calm them down, or for other recreational reasons.

Related: What Eating Disorders Can Do to Your Body

Experts interviewed for a report by NBC News call this the "superwoman syndrome." "Overworked, overwhelmed and overscheduled women juggling families, friends and careers are turning to stimulants, painkillers and anti-anxiety meds to help launch them through endless to-do lists," the article goes on to say. "Women load

Do you ever wish you could send an email to your younger self with a few words of advice or warnings (like, "don't go out with you-know-who--you'll totally regret it!)? I celebrated my 32nd birthday last week, and I've been thinking about all the little things I've learned about health and happiness in a decade--some big, some little, but all important. Here's my list--what's on yours?

I looooved Erin's post over on Single-ish about the 31 things she wished she knew about dating when she was 21 (brilliant!), and I got to thinking about some of the bits of health and happiness wisdom I really wish I got years ago:

1. Don't be stingy--ever. Generosity--in all forms--is one of the quickest paths to happiness.

2. You are your best health advocate. It's funny, I spent my early years expecting that other people would take care of my health (my mom, my doctor, etc.). It sounds silly, but I really didn't wake up to the fact that this gig was mine, and I had to fight for my health

Gwyneth Paltrow has said that she credits her fitness trainer Tracy Anderson for getting her "sagging ass into shape." Harsh words for her tush, yes, but if you want to tone your rear, this video, courtesy of Tracy, shows you exactly how ...

Gwyneth Paltrow loves her fitness trainer's tough love (but maybe Madonna doesn't--apparently she dropped Tracy Anderson recently, noting that she was a "distraction"--hmm): "Every once in a while she sends me a little movie to change something up," Gwyneth wrote. "She sent me this one for the New Year's butt. It's really hard. But do it like she says to do it, and I swear that in ten days you will see your butt change shape. I do it with 1 lb. ankle weights and then I do her Dance Aerobics DVD. Some days I hate it, some days I love it, but above all, I stick with it. The sticktoitivness is what it is all about."

(Love "sticktoitivness," which is my current motto for getting out there for a daily jog--even if it's just a brief one.)

Got

I caught a Today Show segment recently with an interesting comparison between two popular cereals in the "healthy" genre. You might be surprised to hear that one isn't so healthy, at least according to one expert ...

Which is healthier?

David Zinczenko, the editor in chief of Men's Health magazine and the author of Eat This, Not That recently spoke to Al Roker on Today about two popular cereals: Smart Start and Shredded Wheat. Can you guess which is healthier?

He gives the so-called "smart" choice, Smart Start, a thumbs down, saying it isn't so healthy, or smart, after all. "It has more sugar than Fruit Loops."

I've been trying to reduce my sugar intake, and I've been amazed at how much added sugar I can cut out by taking a closer look at cereal--gals, it tends to be loaded!

Yeah, Shredded Wheat isn't so sexy, but slice a banana on top, or add some blueberries and cinnamon and it goes a long way.

Happy Monday! xo

P.S. This big cereal maker is reducing

People are buzzing about a controversial new diet plan referred to as "the five bite diet." That's right, you're only permitted to have five bites at every meal. Good Lord. This one fires me up, and I'm not the only one ...

It's almost comical, the various diet plans spewing out of the Internet and bookstores. The banana diet. The lemonade diet. The chocolate croissant diet (OK, I made that one up, but wait, maybe it exists? I wouldn't be surprised). Argghhh. But, as long as there are people who want to lose weight, there will be newfangled diet plans. And the latest craze to hit diet land? The so-called "five bite diet," touted in the book Why Weight Around.

According to reports, founder Dr. Alwin Lewis says his plan works like this:

*Drink as much of anything as you want as long as it doesn't contain calories (read: water)
*Take 5 bites of any food at lunch.
*Take 5 bites of anything at dinner.
*Take one multi-vitamin every day.
*Get a bit of protein a

Glamour is up in Vancouver this week (well, one of us is) to watch some of our favorite U.S. women snowboarders grab their medals (go Gretchen, Hannah, Kelly and Lindsey!). The weather is mild and rainy in the city of Vancouver--but it's a chilly 32 degrees, wet and snowy in Whistler, the mountain where we're watching one of the downhill men's events today. The prospect of being really wet and cold made me think of a question we've heard from a lot of readers in the past: Can simply being out in the cold actually give you one?

Related: 50 Little Health Tips Every Woman Should Know

The answer is no, not really. But, according to women's health expert Pamela Peeke, M.D., whom I've interviewed on this subject before, suddenly switching from hot to cold then back again could stress your immune system, making you eventually more likely to succumb to a virus that wiggles into your nose, mouth or eyes. (Yep, your eyes--viruses can get in via any mucus membrane-y area.) One more little

I'm laughing, cringing and shaking my head all at the same time. Gals, you won't believe this, but one spa is offering the most bizarre treatment ever: A facial for your most private parts ...

San Fransisco's Stript Wax Bar, is now offering the most unusual service (as reported by BellaSugar):

"Meant to be performed a week after waxing, the 50-minute treatment ($60) involves four steps. First, skin is cleansed with an antibacterial body wash and witch hazel. Then, a papaya-based exfoliating gel goes on before the esthetician extracts ingrown hairs. After that, an anti-freckle, anti-acne, or calming mask is applied. It finishes off with an application of lightening cream."

Related: Bikini waxing: bad for your health?

Am I the only one who thinks this sounds a.) violating, b.) painful, c.) completely unnecessary?

And, another thing, which the BellaSugar gals point out:

"Unless the esthetician plans to put a mask on a client's vaginal walls, shouldn't this treatment

Last week at Whole Foods, a poster caught my eye. It listed the top 50 or so most "nutrient dense" foods, according to a compilation of past scientific research. Could you guess the top 10?

Joel Fuhrman, M.D., author of Eat for Health, created rankings of foods according the nutrients they pack--vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc. According to Fuhrman, here are the top "superfoods", along with their Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) scores:

Important to note: Researchers are learning more about specific antioxidants and nutrients every day, so just because your favorite fruit or veggies isn't on this list, doesn't mean it's not a good choice. Instead, let this list guide you to eat more of a variety of fruits and veggies, but don't let it steer you away. For instance, I love kiwi fruit, and I don't see it here. Oddly, studies have shown that kiwi--ounce for ounce--is a highly nutrient dense fruit. So, go figure. This list, like most research, is an opinion. But I