- Herniated discs are often blamed, but most back pain is derived from weak or stiff muscles. So chances are, you might not need an MRI, surgery, or painkillers-just the right exercises and stretching, says Dr. Norman Marcus in End Back Pain Forever: A Groundbreaking Approach to Eliminate Your Suffering. Here's how to find the solution to your own aches.
I have seen many patients so wracked by pain that they wished they were dead, and some who actually attempted suicide before they saw me. So I am aware of the helplessness that you and millions like you feel when you first hobble into the doctor's office and exclaim, "Doctor, my back is killing me! I can't go on like this!"
Let me describe a common scenario: after some pokes and prods, the doctor says, "Go home, take an aspirin, lie down, and rest."
You do as the doctor says. But it does no good, and two days later, having missed work, you see the doctor again. "Well," says the doctor, "you have a case of nonspecific low back
...Read More » These women say breast cancer made them happier, braver, more inspired. But changing your life can happen without a health crisis. Use their lessons to live like a survivor, starting now. By Sunny Sea Gold, REDBOOK.
Say the love
"When I was going through chemotherapy, another survivor told me that breast cancer was the 'best thing she would never wish on anybody.' I now know what she means. Facing the possibility of dying freed me up from sweating the small stuff. Before breast cancer, I wasn't as forthcoming with my feelings toward my friends and family. Now I say what's in my heart. When a friend of mine was having a difficult time in her life, I told her how brave and courageous I thought she was. There's no reason why we shouldn't share these things with the people in our lives, even when no one is sick." --GRETA BESENDORFER, 42, diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer seven years ago
Tell people what you're going through
"Being a Southerner, I was taught that you don
...Read More »by Jené Luciani for SHAPE.com
Breastfeeding, fluctuating weight, hormonal changes, and simply aging are all purported to take a toll on the appearance of our breasts over time. In fact, I explore this in depth in The Bra Book. While I'll say it until the sun goes down that the proper-fitting bra will take years off of your appearance (the perkier the girls stand, the younger you will look), until now, there's been no evidence that any lotion or potion could make the skin on and around our breasts and décolletage look more youthful.
Keep the girls young with these easy tips.
But, according to a new study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, things like breast feeding and moisturizing may stall the signs of aging on breasts, while smoking, sun exposure, alcohol, having a higher BMI, having a larger cup size overall, and multiple pregnancies can age your boobs.
RELATED: What does your bra say about you? Find the "proper support" for your personality here.
The researchers followed 161 pairs of identical twins
...Read More »- Walking 10,000 steps a day, which is the equivalent to roughly five miles, is important to a healthy lifestyle according to The American Heart Association. Exercise is great to prevent and treat heart disease and risk factors for heart disease. Weight-bearing exercise is great for preventing osteoporosis and osteopenia. (And with walking, you're the weight!) It can even improve your mood: Depression and other mood disorders can be lessened with exercise.
Thinkstock
But with the kids back in school, there are lunches to pack and afterschool activities to carpool to, and it can feel like there's no time. Something's got to give. And that something is often your workout.
MORE: Find Your Flow Through Walking
It may be hard to imagine, but between everything you have to get done in a day, there's still time to squeeze in 10,000 health-supporting steps. Here are seven ways to get it done:
Get a pedometer. You can try to count your steps, but I bet you lose track before you hit 100. Put on a
...Read More » - By Alyssa Shaffer
woman thinking
Straining your brain to remember someone's name or where you left your wallet? Forgetting things can be a pesky problem, but it can get serious without the proper attention. Thankfully, a few simple tricks are all it takes to prevent those forgetful moments and get your memory in shape. Find out what you can start doing now. Photo by Fotolia.com
The neurologist says...Eat your vitamins B, C, D and ENew research shows that older people who have higher levels of vitamins B, C, D and E in their blood have stronger memory and thinking skills. Make sure you're getting enough vitamin B 12 in particular (found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs and milk)-low levels of this vitamin have been linked to memory problems. Whenever possible, try to get these nutrients from food instead of pills. But if you're a vegetarian, over 50 years old and/or taking certain medications for diabetes or heartburn, ask your doctor about B 12 supplements, since you may be at a higher risk for a
...Read More »
PICK OF THE DAY
Life lessons from breast cancer survivors Living Well