Blog Posts by Self Magazine

For me this falls into the it's about time category: Yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration acknowledged that triclosan--the ingredient in everything from your cutest skivvies to cosmetics to toothpaste and antibacterial soaps--may pose a health risk. Specifically it may mess with your hormones, contributing to endocrine disorders (which imacts everything from fertility to metabolism) and may be the cause of increased resistance to lifesaving antibiotics. Disturbing fact of the day: Triclosan is so ubiquitous, in fact, that it's found in the urine of 75 percent of the population.

Of course, the FDA is not telling us to ditch our triclosan-laced products just yet. They emphasize that they are reviewing the existing science--mainly animal studies--and will report back in spring 2011. That's a year away!

While I'm not going to be a freak about it (I really love my current lip gloss and the FDA will have to pry it from my hands), I consider myself officially done with

Read More »from Are antibacterial soaps messing with your hormones?

All sorts of supplements, special eating plans and complexion drinks promise glowing skin from the inside out. But not everything that is being dished out is based on science. SELF digested the research and polled experts to determine which foods to add to your diet to truly benefit skin, which may be worth an occasional munch and which to pass up. Get ready to eat, drink and be beautiful!


Proven Complexion Perfecters

Pile these on your plate. All pack nutrients essential for healthy skin.

• Strawberries, citrus fruits, red peppers, broccoli

Beauty benefit: a smooth texture

Eat-right evidence: Vitamin C, plentiful in this produce, is vital for the production and formation of collagen, skin's support structure, says Toby Amidor, R.D., director of nutrition for DietTV.com in New York City. And a strong support layer helps smooth what's on top and prevent wrinkles, she says. Aim for: two 1-cup servings of fruit and 1 cup of red peppers and/or broccoli a day

Read More »from The Great Skin Diet: What to eat for the perfect complexion!

Want to solve nagging health problems in a hurry? We have tricks that work almost instantly and tips to avoid future troubles. Try 'em today and feel your best fast!

1. Health gripe: Fatigue
Fix it now: Close your eyes and place your hands on your belly so you can feel it rise and fall as you inhale and exhale through the nose for five seconds each; keep it up for five minutes. "Slow breathing breaks the cycle of stress and tension that leads to fatigue," says Sat Bir Khalsa, Ph.D., a neuroscientist in the division of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Fix it forever: Another common cause of lingering fatigue in women is anemia, usually a result of iron deficiency due to blood loss during heavy periods. Get 18 milligrams daily from lean meats and green veggies, and ask your doc if you need supplements.

Moving in slow-mo? 10 ways to pick up your pace!

2. Health gripe: Motion sickness
Fix it now: Travel-related queasies occur when your eyes and inner ear send

Read More »from 10 Ways to Solve Nagging Health Problems

Grey's Anatomy star and SELF cover girl Ellen Pompeo credits healthful eating with keeping her revved. These staples of her kitchen are worth adding to your own.

More from SELF:

• Lose 8 pounds in one-month with the SELF Challenge!
• 8 foods that combat fat!
  
• 30 healthy snacks under 200 calories!
  
• 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
  

Read More »from Ellen Pompeo's "energy diet" tips

Sure, staycations are swell. But sometimes an old-fashioned trip is the only way you can really recharge.

1. You'll be fitter and slimmer

The more often you engage in leisure activities, including going on vacation, the more likely you are to have a small waist circumference and a low body-mass index, a study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine reports. Getting away helps reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone linked to excess belly fat. Do something active (snorkeling!) while you're there to chill out even more.

Related: Top destinations for solo getaways!

2. You'll sleep better

People who regularly engage in pleasurable pursuits, such as taking a trip, catch higher-quality zzz's, the study in Psychosomatic Medicine indicates. You don't have to go far to reap the restorative rewards: Even a jaunt to a neighboring town can deliver better beauty rest.

3. You'll live longer

Women who go on two or more excursions a year are nearly eight times less likely

Read More »from Five healthy excuses to skip town

For the most part, you're safe with bubbly water. Fizzy H2O has been popular for hundreds of years and remains a great no-calorie refresher. The effervescent sips are simply plain water infused with carbon dioxide, which is bad for the atmosphere but safe for us to ingest. Many dieters enjoy these drinks as an alternative to regular water, and they are just as hydrating. Another plus: Seltzer doesn't cause bone-density loss (colas may), and although some people experience bloating and gas due to the carbonation, they're not a health concern. The only downside to soda water is that it's slightly acidic, and scientists speculate that it might erode tooth enamel. So to protect your pearly whites, choose regular water, which has no acid but can be fortified with good-for-your-teeth fluoride. Finally, skip club soda. It contains sodium and might not quench your thirst.

By Joy Bauer, R.D.

More from SELF:

• Lose 8 pounds in one-month with the SELF Challenge!
• 8 foods that

Read More »from Is there a health-related downside to drinking lots of sparkling water or seltzer?

Anyone who has to look at her teeth in a cup on the nightstand will tell you this: If you don't take good care of your choppers now, you may not have them later. But decent brushing technique isn't all you need. Chew on these strategies to keep your whole mouth in the pink.

Do a self exam
Every couple of months, check your mouth for red or red-and-white patches, flaking on the tongue and pigmented lesions, as well as sores with uneven borders. Although oral cancer is relatively rare, especially among nonsmokers, you can still get it. Detecting the disease early is your best shot at beating it, says Ken Fieldston, D.M.D., owner of Celebrity Smile, a cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry practice in Cresskill, New Jersey. Start with the outer and inner lips, then the top, sides and bottom of your tongue. Next, pull out your cheeks and examine both sides. If you detect something and it's not gone in 14 days, inform your dentist. And consider Gardasil, a vaccine that protects

Read More »from Five Ways to Save Your Smile

Developing some muscle tone and smooth, dimple-free skin-without punishing my body by doing endless workouts-would float my laid-back boat. These tools are designed to make any exercise aim easily attainable.

By Susan Lehman

The promise: Tone up while you stroll.

Why wear shoes that make you feel as if you're walking barefoot on the sand, even when you're on the sidewalk? Because they'll get you into string-bikini shape without ever setting foot in a gym. MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology) trainers were among the first sneakers created to sculpt and lift your leg and abdominal muscles as you stride, working your butt, calves and hamstrings more than ordinary kicks. Several companies make similar (and cheaper!) versions, including Reebok EasyTones and Skechers Shape-ups.

Lazy grade: A After the initial fatigue wore off (the shoes made my legs ache!), I was thrilled to find that my thighs and butt looked and felt firmer in only a couple of days.

Check out the rest of our

Read More »from The Lazy Girl's Guide to Fitness Shortcuts