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Surely your gynecologist (and your mom or daughter or best friend) has repeated the mantra: Get a Pap smear every year. Whether or not you listened (and we hope you did!), it has been and is the standard of care. But recent research has brought new questions to light and led to a rewrite of the old standard.

The details have changed, but the test is still as important as ever. Here's what you need to know.

What is a Pap smear?

To perform the test, usually as part of your annual gynecology check-up, your doctor first inserts a speculum to hold your vagina open and uses a swab to collect cells from in and around your cervix, where your uterus opens into the vaginal canal. The cells are put on a slide and sent to a laboratory where they are examined for abnormal cells that might signal cancerous growth.

MORE: Can You Sleep In a Tampon?

Why get a Pap smear?
A Pap is typically done in order to look for cervical cancer. New studies show that a Pap smear may also

zoe moon astrology

Oh babies! The BIG news this week is Jupiter finally going Direct. The giant energy field of luck, happiness and prosperity has been slowed down since last October but on Wednesday this week will turn in the astrological sky and begin to pick up speed, helping each of us with our need to grow in certain areas of life. Note that until Wednesday Jupiter is acting somewhat like a Mercury Retrograde since he is at a standstill in Mercury's territory (Gemini). This means you may need to repeat yourself, check facts, take care out on the road, and not let the frustration of snailing information get to you, it passes soon enough.

So, back to his Direct motion! Jupiter will be helping you to make things happen in bigger ways through the talks and meetings you have, offers you get, news you hear, decisions you make, sales or agreements you move along, writing projects you engage in, proposals or pitches you make, local activities or short trips in the picture, and with any sibling,

It's that time again…the dreaded flu season-and this year it is striking extra hard. From the sniffles to high fever, masses of people are suffering from common cold symptoms and those of influenza. That being said, all of our immune systems are going to need a lot of TLC to fend off germs and viruses. YouBeauty.com wellness expert, Dr. Michael Roizen, gives some simple tricks and products to fight off the flu:

Wash your hands! This is probably the single most important thing you can do to avoid catching the flu. Be sure to constantly wash your hands to rid them of the germs that may cause you to get sick. We suggest using Bath & Body Works Antibacterial Deep Foaming Hand Soap, not only will it kill off powerful germs, the variety of fragrances all smell delish!

Carry an antibacterial sanitizer in your bag! Throughout the day, we tend to touch a lot of things that other people have. Play it smart and keep Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial PocketBac Sanitizing Hand Gel in

Lumley's Ladies, in case you've been in, like, a blackout or something, let us fill you in: Blaming the victim is alive and well.

"Don't behave badly," warned Brit actor Joanna Lumley, star of the classic comedy series "Absolutely Fabulous," as well as its upcoming movie version. "Don't be sick in the gutter at midnight in a silly dress with no money to get a taxi home, because somebody will take advantage of you, either they'll rape you, or they'll knock you on the head or they'll rob you."

Uh oh.

Lumley, whose role on the series as a messy lush named Patsy took the art of onscreen inebriation to new levels, issued her warnings in an interview with the Telegraph published Thursday. And angry Twitter followers reacted with angry criticism.

"I like Joanna Lumley but it saddens me that her advice for girls is HOW NOT TO GET RAPED rather than telling boys NOT TO RAPE IN FIRST PLACE," noted one disappointed fan. Tweeted another: "Women in mini skirts get raped. Women in pyjamas get raped. Naked

The quest for great skin often takes some unexpected turns. Whether it's trying the latest fad in moisturizers (caviar, bee pollen, and algae to name a few) or test-driving the newest diamond encrusted microdermabrasion, chemical fillers, and enzyme peels, there's not a lot women won't try for wrinkle-free skin.

Sometimes, the answer isn't always what you'd expect. Dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, MD, whose eponymous skin care line has been a go-to since it launched in 1997, urges that good skin begins at the grocery store. Considered 'The Godfather of the Inflammation Theory,' the quest to find better ways to fight aging and disease through diet, Perricone has been at the forefront of eating healthy foods for your skin.

More: Ways To Tell How Well You Will Age

ELLE.com sat down with the skin expert to hear his take on healthy eating for better skin.

ELLE: You're known for eating incredibly healthy. What are some of the foods you recommend for better skin?
Nicholas

Crunch Time: 5 Ways to Keep Fit when You're Too BusyThe feminist in me is ashamed to admit that I still feel guilty when I leave my family for a night or an afternoon for some 'me' time. For the longest time I didn't even consider getting back into a fitness regimen because there just weren't enough hours in the day, unless I were to actually leave my kids for a few hours.

Then I realized that I'm in this for the long-haul. I'm a mother FOR-EVAH. And, I'll have this body to live in forever. I want need to start feeling good in it again. Something tells me that in taking better care of myself; my family will be getting the best of me. Maybe I won't wake up at 40 and look in the mirror thinking, "Why did I let things go like this?" Because that sort of stuff MATTERS. Yes, I can still be a feminist and say that body weight and self-image matters.

At 35, I'm thinking about how I want to feel in my middle and old age. Not just what my body looks like. I want to lead by example to my kids and show them that exercise and healthy eating are a

Experience amazing coastline, wildlife, Aurora Borealis, Yosemite, and more.

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By Dean Anderson, for SparkPeople

There's no doubt about it: trying to lose weight can be a stressful thing! There's nothing like trying to stick to a "simple" weight loss plan for bringing you face-to-face with the frustrating complexities of human nature and the limits of our rationality and will power. And even when we do manage to do what we know we should, often our bodies seem to operate according to a different kind of math-where a 3,500-calorie deficit doesn't always equal one pound of weight lost.

The unfortunate part is that this constant stress can make losing weight more difficult than it needs to be. Research shows that chronic stress can affect your metabolism, promoting fat storage, and increasing cravings for sugary, high-fat "comfort foods.

There are lots of things you can do to manage this stress, ranging from yoga and meditation to a hot bath or a pleasant walk in the park. In this article, however, we'll focus on how certain (very common) expectations about