Blog Posts by Vitamin G, Glamour Magazine

I asked you about your pets recently, and whether they make you happy. My golden retriever definitely makes this home happier--but healthier? When she tracks in dirt and who knows what else--and pukes on the rug--I kind of wonder. Now the octo-mom is talking about getting a pet pig. Let's talk about animals in the home...

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Do you let your pets in the house? On your couch? In your bed?

I'm a softie. I can't imagine ever keeping my dog, Paisley, outside (then again, since the kiddos arrived on the scene, we put an end to the dog on the corner-of-the-bed business--plus I started to think it was kind of gross). But there's a fine line between keeping pets in the home, and letting pets take over the home--you know? I am constantly cleaning and vacuuming this house so it doesn't become a pig sty. Speaking of pigs, the octo-mom reportedly wants one.

I found this paragraph in a story from US Magazine hilarious and sad at the same time:

"Octo-mom Nadya Suleman thinks her

Read More »from Animals in the Home: A Health Do or Don't? (Octo-mom Wants a Pet Pig)

I wrote about my bad day yesterday, but it really pales in comparison to the stuff some people deal with--every day ... like this woman who has a rare health condition that leaves her "allergic" to water...

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The Daily Mail reported recently on a very strange and very frightening health condition that leaves people "allergic" to water. (P.S. How many glasses of water do you drink each day? What's your number?)

A young mother in England, Michaela Dutton, has a very rare health condition that makes her unable to come in contact with water. If her son drools on her or a drop of sweat touches her skin, she breaks out into a very painful blistery and burning rash.

According to the article: "Miss Dutton said the condition, known as aquagenic urticaria, has left her scared to leave the house for fear of it raining. When she does, she always carries an umbrella with her, whatever the weather."

Check out the 5 most mysterious illnesses!

Questions:

How did she get

Read More »from Health Confession: "I'm Allergic to Water"

What's it like to have Jillian Michaels kick your butt when you're not a contestant on The Biggest Loser? A quasi-religious experience, as Glamour's health department (Wendy Naugle, Sunny Sea Gold, and me) found out. We met Jillian at a Crunch gym in NYC yesterday for a workout.

But even when you're almost in tears (like I was by the end), you can't help but want to come back to do it all over again. I was so inspired that I even asked if I could be a contestant on the next season of the show. (She told me no-and I think it might've been the first/last/only time in my life I actually wished I were bigger, because I know I'd be in the best shape of my life after a few weeks of her plan for me.)

Jillian tells us how to break a bad diet habit, forever!

This wasn't a sit-down interview-trust me, sitting down and Jillian Michaels don't mix. But I did manage to pick up a few Dos & Don'ts from the woman who wrote the bible of fitness, as well as her new book, Master Your Metabolism

Read More »from 3 Fitness Dos & Don’ts I Learned From My Workout With Jillian Michaels

I'm a sucker for natural approaches to diet and weight loss. I'll take a diet plan that advocates fresh fruits and vegetables vs. pills and potions any day. That's why I've been a little intrigued by the natural health gurus who say that ancient practices of Ayurveda could make you healthier--and slimmer. Here's more...

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Ayurveda, the science of living a balanced and healthy life (or something like that), originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. But what does this ancient practice have to say about weight loss? A lot says John Douillard, D.C., Ph.D., host of the "Ayurveda for Weight Loss" DVD from Gaiam. Here are three tips I gleaned from this DVD for shedding pounds Ayurveda-style:

*Make sure your meals are in rhythm: This one's a little controversial, but Douillard says if you want to lose weight, try ditching the snacks. He says it's best to eat three meals a day, with no snacks in between. By eliminating snacks, the theory goes, you won't disrupt your body's

Read More »from Weight Loss Secrets: Could This Ayurvedic Weight Loss Plan Really Work?

We've all probably freaked out about a mysterious health problem that we thought we had at one point or another (case in point, the spider bite that I thought was MRSA a few years ago--nope, it was just a regular old spider bite). Wait until you hear about these bizarre--yet real--health conditions that some people deal with...

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This article explored some "mysterious" health conditions that baffle health experts. Here are the most unusual:

1. Foreign-accent syndrome. You know the friend who lived in London for a year and came home with a full-on British accent (this really bugs me, you?), well, experts say that this condition is rare, but real, causing people who suffer a brain injury or stroke to wake up with a new accent.

Check out these 5 cheap health solutions!

2. Persistent genital arousal disorder. Yes, it's real, and although experts aren't sure how many women suffer from it because of the stigma. Dr. Sandra Leiblum author of Principles and Practices of Sexual Read More »from The 5 Most Mysterious Illnesses

Brown fat? I know, it sounds kind of, well, gross (why does grisly turkey meat come to mind?) But in all seriousness, researchers are now saying that the brown-tinged fat that many of us have in our bodies could be the key to weight loss...

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Have you heard all the buzz about brown fat lately? A collection of recent studies, though preliminary, seem to point to some exciting news for people trying to lose weight. Brown fat, which was thought to be only found in infants (it helps keep them warm), is now thought to be found in adult bodies, too.

Why is this good (don't we have enough fat to worry about?)? Researchers now believe that this special fat, if stimulated, could help you lose more weight--maybe even an extra 9 or more pounds of "white" fat per year, without having to eat less or exercise more. Um, sign me up! (Check out this "muffin-top" workout.)

Only problem--scientists aren't quite sure how to "stimulate" the brown fat. Yep, more research is needed to

Read More »from Weird Health News: "Brown Fat" Could Help Make You Thin

When I'm having a bad day, a trip to Starbucks can usually help turn things around. Are you with me here? Now it turns out that a shot of espresso, a tall latte--or whatever your caffeine of choice is--just might be your BFF when it comes to fitness. Details...

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According to researchers at the University of Illinois, caffeine's biggest benefit to exercisers isn't the boost of energy. It's something more surprising: pain reduction. The research, which appears in the April issue of the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, points to caffeine's pain-reducing properties.

Celebrity Trainers' All-time Best Workout Advice!

Here's the deal: According to the researchers, caffeine effects the "adenosine neuromodulatory system" in the brain and spinal cord, which is a part of how our bodies process pain. The researchers believe that caffeine may block adenosine from working, reducing pain in the process.

And with less pain, you're able to work

Read More »from Surprise! A Double-Espresso Before Exercise May Help You Burn More Fat

Does your partner snore? Toss and turn? Get, gulp, violent in his sleep, (a subject we talked about here recently) here recently? If so, have you ever secretly thought of how nice it might be to be a 1950s TV couple and go the twin-bed route? I know, it is kind of funny, and prudish, but some people--even celebs--say they do this in the name of healthy sleep...

Psst: What Guys Wish Girls Knew In Bed...

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My husband snores, so waking up several times a night to ask him to change positions (it helps the snoring) is kind of my norm. Add to that a baby who wakes up several times too, and you get the idea of how my nights are: sometimes not so fun.

I've often threatened to him that we should sleep in separate beds--joking of course--so I had to laugh a little when I read this article about couples who do just that.

8 Steps to Creating a Sexy Bed (That Men Will Want to Climb Into)

Who's doing it? The Queen of England and Diane von Furstenberg are said to be fans of

Read More »from Healthy Sleep: More Couples Are Sleeping in Separate Beds