Is Fitspo Motivational or a Dangerous Obsession?
Women have suffered from self-esteem issues since the dawn of time. Now thanks to social media, self-loathing is just a few clicks away.
Thinspo–short for thinspiration–is a term used to describe images and ideas posted on social media sites that are supposed to inspire women to lose weight, but all too often fuel eating disordered-behavior and the pursuit of skeletal thinness. Read the rest of the story here>>
Heat Sensing Bra May Detect Cancer
The makers of the First Warning Systems bra claim it can detect cancer in its earliest stages by continually monitoring the breasts for temperature changes associated with growing tumors.
I’m usually satisfied when my bra gives me a little extra lift. Now there’s one that not only lifts, it separates — the healthy breast tissue from the unhealthy breast tissue, that is. Read the rest of the story here>>
Truckers Get Healthy for the Long Haul
Initiatives aimed at keeping truckers healthy while on the road.
John Drury is a rare breed. At 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds he is a trucker who is also a dance fitness instructor. He cares a great deal about his health, but admits it’s tough to keep in shape when you’re behind the wheel 11 hours a day, often for weeks at a time… Read the rest of the story here>>
When Did “Fat” Become A Four Letter Word?
Instead of picking on someone who struggles to shed their unwanted pounds, why not support them in their efforts?
This week, a viewer wrote to Jennifer Livingston, a local Wisconsin news anchor, to scold her about her weight. “Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain,” he told her. “I leave you this note hoping that you’ll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle.” Read the rest of the article here>>
Will Easing Bike Helmet Laws Up Ridership?
Cyclists who don’t protect their heads risk traumatic injuries that might otherwise be avoided with proper helmet use. Yet helmets also put people off riding their bike.
During a trip to Amsterdam last year, I was pleasantly surprised to see more bicycles on the road than cars. Most riders were dressed in suits and ties or skirts and stockings, their dress shoes pushing the pedals as they moved sedately along wide, clearly marked paths that paralleled the motorized traffic lanes. And, I noted, not a bike helmet in sight. Read the rest of the article here>>
Spa Cosmetic Procedures Can Be Risky
Cosmetic procedures are now so mainstream there’s a misperception that it’s like getting your hair done.
A Florida woman’s quest for more youthful skin turned deadly this past July when her face became dangerously swollen after she received vitamin injections at a day spa. Read the rest of the article here>>
FDA Says Generic Wellbutrin Not As Effective
In an unusual move, the FDA asks for voluntary recall of popular generic antidepressant.
The FDA’s reversal earlier this week of its approval of a generic equivalent of the popular antidepressant Wellbutrin XL 300 ends a five-year saga that began with consumer complaints and a crusade by Joe Graedon, the cofounder of the consumer advocacy group the People’s Pharmacy.
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Cancer Connection to 9/11 Dust Is No Surprise
When the doctor diagnosed me with kidney cancer this past spring, I wasn’t surprised, not one bit. I had known it was coming for nearly 11 years.
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, I watched from my living room window as terrorists drove the second plane into the south tower of the World Trade Center. I will never forget how the plane disintegrated into the side of the building … Read the rest of this article here »
AMA Supports Fat Taxes, Large Soda Bans
Taxing or limiting the serving sizes of high calorie junk food may sound like the perfect weapon in the war against obesity, but it seems to have backfired in at least one instance.
Last week, the Danish government announced plans to scrap the tax it instituted just last year on foods high in saturated fats. The reason for the decision: Businesses are bleeding jobs and profits because Danes are crossing the German border to buy their sinful snacks more cheaply.
Weight and Taste Are Linked, Study Says
The secret to avoiding weight gain may be residing on the top of your tongue. According to a new German study, obese children have less sensitive taste buds than kids of normal weight, and that may drive them to eat more.
This isn’t the first study to look at the connection between taste ability and weight. Previous research has suggested that people with a heightened sensitivity to the various taste sensations tend to eat less, possibly because they get more flavor in every bite, while people who overindulge simply may not taste food as keenly as others do….
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