Blog Posts by Tips on Healthy Living

This advice will help you get to sleep easier and stay asleep through the night. Your body and state of mind will be healthier for it, says Eva Scrivo, author of Eva Scrivo on Beauty: The Tools, the Techniques, and Insider Knowledge Every Woman Needs to Be Her Most Beautiful, Confident Self.

1. REDUCE MENTAL STIMULATION.
Too much mental activity and technological stimulation close to bedtime can make it difficult to fall asleep. Watching television (especially something scary or violent) or working on the computer can make you agitated and alert. Move the TV and the computer out of the bedroom, and turn them both off at least thirty minutes before going to bed. This will give your mind a chance to slow down and relax. Consider moving the telephone to another room as well, and if you have a digital alarm clock, put it on the floor (or cover it) so that its glow is not at eye level.

2. PREPARE TO RELAX.
Getting into a mode of relaxation before bed means switching

Our circadian rhythm means we're hardwired to have an energy dip between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. - taking a nap is ideal, but difficult if you want to keep your job. Instead, try these strategies from YOU: Losing Weight: The Owner's Manual to Simple and Healthy Weight Loss, by Michael F. Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D.

Make every meal count. You can't just blame lunch for heavy afternoon eyelids - the postlunch dip can even hit people who skip that meal. Your energy level is affected by what you do or don't eat the whole day long - to eat no foods with added sugars or syrups and no grain that is less than 100 percent whole - keeps your blood sugar more constant and you more alert.

Try a little caffeine. We said a little. It helps you sustain afternoon attention, but beware - it also might keep you from going to bed on time, creating an even worse dip tomorrow (morning).

Take a hike. Or just walk to lunch the long way. People in one study felt less afternoon fatigue on

To become stronger, fitter, more toned-and a better runner-add one or more of these activities to your weekly regimen, says Olympic distance runner Kara Goucher, author of Kara Goucher's Running for Women: From First Steps to Marathons.

Cycling
How: Extrapolate workouts from running workouts. That is, do intervals, long rides, sprints, and hills, just like you would train for running, only longer on the bike.
Why: Improves endurance and leg strength (emphasize the "up" stroke for hamstring activation, which is often neglected and deficient in runners). The cyclical nature of the stroke mimics running biomechanics in a non-weight-bearing environment. Studies show that cycling can improve 10K race times by 9%, 5K by 3%, 2 mile by 1%, and boost VO2 max by 3%.

Elliptical Training
How: This is so much like running but without any pounding, as your feet never leave the pedals. So you can do pretty much all your running workouts on the elliptical.
Why: Improves endurance and

It is a combination of a positive attitude and self-image, along with a fresh new look, that makes a woman truly beautiful. Get tips from Eva Scrivo, author of Eva Scrivo on Beauty: The Tools, the Techniques, and Insider Knowledge Every Woman Needs to Be Her Most Beautiful, Confident Self.

1. Have a few highlights placed around your hairline to help camouflage emerging gray hair and brighten your complexion.

2. Do not apply heavy powder under your eyes (if necessary, use a puff with just a trace of powder on it). Powder collects in the creases around the eyes and can look crepey.

3. Apply a dual-finish makeup (a powder foundation) that is one shade lighter than your skin tone, around the corners of your nose and your laugh lines. This will help to bring light and give more coverage to the areas that naturally recede.

4. Create more height to your hair at the crown of your head. This lengthens your silhouette by an inch or two and makes for a more feminine look.

You're doing everything right, yet your waist keeps expanding. The trouble might be your hormones, say Michael F. Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., authors of YOU: Losing Weight: The Owner's Manual to Simple and Healthy Weight Loss.

1. Thyroid levels. Hypothyroidism slows down your metabolism like a tricycle slows down speed compared to Lance Armstrong on a racing bike. You can't burn calories like you used to.

2. PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome. This accounts for unexplained weight gain in 20 percent of women. It's insulin resistance caused by abnormal secretion of a hormone by your darned ovaries.

3. Testosterone drops. These can occur in older men and postmenopausal women if you gain belly fat, because belly fat converts testosterone to estrogen. Some say that's why fat single men hang out with guys and drink beer in bars - no libido and no aggressiveness even to try a line on a woman. But women with belly fat develop the problem too, as testosterone from

By Amy E. Goodman
Author of Wear This, Toss That!

For those of us clocking in at the office during the warm-weather months, the fashion rules of the workplace still apply (even though our minds may wander to a resort far, far away). Here's a cheat sheet on off-limits office attire based on seasonal summer trends.

WEAR: Dressy platforms and snakeskin heels. So this season is all about wedges and sandal platforms. Platforms-defined by a thick heel and a thick sole as well-are perfectly workplace appropriate as long as they aren't overly sky-high and casual. In most cases this would exclude a super-strappy sandal platform, which is more relaxed in feel. And how classic is a pair of faux snakeskin heels?

TOSS: Transparent clothing. Gossamer and flowy fabrics are what hot, summer days are made for, but this trend is difficult to pull off at the office without revealing too much.

WEAR: Trouser pants. Gotta love that we get to give our skinny jeans a rest and wear a

For glowing, soft, healthy skin, try this simple Eastern medicine technique. From Eva Scrivo on Beauty: The Tools, Techniques, and Insider Knowledge Every Woman Needs to Be Her Most Beautiful, Confident Self, by acclaimed hair and makeup artist Eva Scrivo.

Dry brushing of the skin has been practiced in Eastern medicine for centuries as a form of exfoliation and to increase circulation and lymph drainage as well as to assist in the elimination of toxins through the skin. On a purely aesthetic level, dry brushing once a week will also give you glowing, soft, healthier skin.

To do this quickly and efficiently, you will need two natural-bristle body brushes that can comfortably fit in the palm of each hand. Before getting into the shower, vigorously brush your skin using sweeping strokes over your entire body. Since dry brushing helps to improve circulation, your strokes should be in the direction of the heart -- upward on the legs and arms and downward from the neck and chest.

Dining out can be a dangerous game for dieters. Choose from this list of healthy entrees by Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN, author of The Small Change Diet: 10 Steps to a Thinner, Healthier You.

Chinese: Pass up egg rolls, spareribs, fried dumplings, pork lo mein, fried rice, moo shu, General Tso's chicken, sweet-and-sour pork, wonton soup. Opt for steamed or stir-fried seafood, chicken, bean curd or vegetable dishes, egg drop soup; rice (1/2 cup; request brown rice, if available).

French: Pass up quiche, pommes frites (French fries), cordon bleu, croissant, pate, foie gras, sausage, escargot, any dish (including soups) made with cream or cheese. Opt for salad with vinaigrette dressing, bouillabaisse, roasted poultry, braised meat, mussels, oysters, ratatouille, steamed or grilled vegetables.

Indian: Pass up any dish with paneer (Indian cheese), korma sauce (made with cream) or coconut, any dish with malai (cream) or makhani (with butter). Opt for chicken or shrimp Tandoori,