Oh, Your Face Will Glow! (Think: Oh, The Places You'll Go!)

Editor's Note: The dailySpark is happy to announce that ~INDYGIRL is now a weekly blogger on dailySpark.com. Read her motivational blogs about her own journey to a healthier self each Friday.

By Beth Donovan (~INDYGIRL)

A parody of "Oh, The Places You'll Go," by Dr. Seuss.

Today go be happy!

Whatever you weigh,

You're trying Spark life!

Where the difference is made.

You change things in your head.

You put feet in your shoes.

You get yourself up,

and walk ‘cause you choose.

You're not on your own. You’ll learn more than you know.

And YOU step by step will decide where this goes.

Look over your body. Look it over with care.

Someday you will say, "I like that curve there."

Your heart filling with courage and SparkFriends you meet,

you find yourself stronger than a not-so-good treat.

And you may now find that your

Clothes start slipping down,

In that case, my friend,

Get to shopping in town!

More things to wear,

With a Spark in the air.

Spark’s where things can happen

and often they do

to people who try it

and use it like you.

And when things start to happen,

be happy. Go share.

You see what it is.

You're getting others to care.

Energy Drainers--and Fixes!

By Lynda Liu, Fitness Magazine

Ask any woman the one thing she wants more of, and energy will most likely top her list. While getting more sleep would seem to be the obvious solution (Americans average seven hours of sleep a night), daytime exhaustion has a host of other, often surprising, causes -- all of which are easily treated. "In many cases, low energy can be traced to a certain behavior and fixed in a few weeks," says Martin Lipsky, MD, a professor and chair of the department of family medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Evanston Northwestern Healthcare. (If fatigue persists without explanation, however, talk to your doctor. It could be a sign of a more serious illness.)

Want to get your energy back? Here are 14 reasons why there's less pep in your step, plus the easy fixes that will get you up and running. Your vitality makeover starts right now!

You Don't Exercise
At least 30 minutes of a sweat-inducing workout during the day may help you sleep deeply, says Thomas E. Scammell, MD, an assistant professor of neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. His research suggests the increase in body temperature during exercise activates sleep-producing cells in the brain.

Fit in half an hour of cardiovascular exercise four days a week, says Wil Maxton, a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist in Philadelphia. Even a daily 30-minute walk in the morning or after dinner can raise your body temperature enough to improve your energy level and help you fall asleep. To give your heart a good workout, walk briskly while still being able to maintain a conversation. Keep in mind, though, that exercise also raises your metabolism, which can heighten alertness and interfere with sleep, says Dr. Scammell. Work out early in the day when possible, and if you have to exercise in the evening, wait at least three hours before going to bed.

You're an Irregular Sleeper
If you're getting up at the crack of dawn during the workweek, then sleeping in on weekends, you're disrupting your body's natural sleep schedule (or circadian rhythm). The more your patterns vary from day to day, the more tired you'll become. Stay reasonably consistent in terms of when you go to bed and wake up to avoid throwing off your internal clock, says Dr. Scammell. Otherwise, you're at risk for sleep deprivation. Research shows that an irregular wake-up time impacts daytime sleepiness more than an erratic bedtime does.

How to Prioritize Yourself AND Be More Effective in Your Life

By Melissa McCreery, PhD, ACC

Learning to prioritize yourself and to claim time for your goals is critical for long term success with health and weight loss. Staying on track, finding the time, and maintaining motivation can be major challenges when you are trying to develop new habits. It’s all-too-easy for healthy eating, exercise, and self-care activities to slide off the to-do list. You’ve probably been there—you get worn out and lose your motivation or you just can’t figure out how to fit it all in your already busy schedule.

When life gets busy, personal priorities, self-care, or “me-time” may start to feel expendable and to drift off your radar. Many smart, busy people get stuck in the mindset trap of believing that self-care is selfish or a luxury—something you can get to later.

Not true.

Are you putting yourself at the bottom of your priority list?

The way you care for yourself counts and it counts big. The way you prioritize yourself affects your health and fitness goals as well as the time that you can devote to them. It affects your eating. Emotional eating, including stress eating, sky rockets when you aren’t getting what you need in other areas of your life. When you are at the bottom of your priority list, it affects how you show up in your relationships. If you struggle with the (incorrect) belief that making yourself a priority is “selfish,” know that prioritizing your wellbeing sets a powerful example for others in your life.

Taking care of YOU is not a luxury. Like getting regular oil changes for your car, prioritizing your self-care is what allows you to run smoothly and to bring your best to your other priorities and challenges.

The cost of not making and taking time for yourself:

The truth is, when your wellbeing isn’t a priority, just about everything goes downhill. When you don’t devote time and energy to your needs and your health:

Alternative Treatments for Hot Flashes

Editor's Note: Cathy Cram, M.S., is the resident maternal fitness expert on our sister site, BabyFit.com.

By Cathy Cram, M.S.

This second blog in a three-part series on treatments for menopausal hot flashes focuses on alternative options. This blog topic has been a challenging one to write, as alternative treatments don’t provide a traditional model for applying clinical research results in order to determine how effective a treatment or drug is on a condition. As I’ll discuss later, there are several confounding issues that make it difficult to be able to present clear pros and cons for alternative treatments based on past studies.

How to Make Time for Fun and Health When You're Busy

Hello, dailySpark readers! Anne here from the food and fitness blog fANNEtastic food. After 6 years of working, I changed careers and headed back to school last fall to become a Registered Dietitian. Between being in graduate school full time and blogging as my part time job, I keep myself very busy. Here's how I manage to squeeze in fun and stay healthy amidst all the chaos.

1. Multitask! I love combining fun and health by planning social workouts with friends. That way I kill two birds with one stone-- I get in my workout for the day AND I get some social time, too! I love to meet friends for runs, walks, yoga classes, tennis, bike rides-- anything active.
   
   
2. If you feel guilty working out when you need to be studying or working, then combine the two! Bring flash cards, work-related reading or notes, or books with you to the gym. Especially right before exams, I'll study on the elliptical or bike.
   
   

   Posted 4/12/2011  6:06:22 PM By:   : 18 comments   26,937 views

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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Headaches

By Sarah Jio via Woman's Day

Oh, the dreaded headache. The pounding. The tension. The pain. Whether you’re plagued with regular headaches or only get one every once in a while (let’s hope for the latter), we’ve rounded up the most interesting—and surprising—facts about headaches in general, along with smart tips on treating and preventing them.

1. A trip to the dentist, not the doctor, could solve your headache issues. If you get frequent, unexplained headaches, you may want to talk to your dentist about it at your next cleaning. “I suffered from awful headaches for many, many years,” says Gretchen Anderson, 48, a reader in Eagle, Idaho. “After medical tests and a battery of drugs I learned the cause: jaw clenching in the middle of the night. I had cracked a molar in the back of my mouth and my dentist asked if I was having headaches. Duh!” After her dentist fitted her with a mouth guard, and she began practicing jaw relaxation exercises before bed, Anderson says she was finally free of her headaches.

2. You may be able to ward off a morning headache by eating a bedtime snack. Do you have a snack before bed? If you tend to get headaches in the morning hours, you might consider eating a light snack shortly before you snooze. “A possible cause of headaches, especially first morning headaches, can be low blood sugar that occurs overnight,” explains Donna Hedgepeth, DC, DACCP, a chiropractor practicing in Raleigh, North Carolina. “Simply having a snack closer to bedtime that includes some protein can be of relief.” Some suggestions: cottage cheese with diced fruit, a small bowl of cereal with milk, a slice of lowfat cheese and a cracker.

3. Acupuncture may zap your headache once and for all. A brand-new study from researchers at the University of Rochester found that acupuncture may elicit a neurotransmitter called adenosine that can numb nerve cells and bring natural pain relief. “Acupuncture is extremely effective in both short-term and long-term treatments for headaches and migraines,” says Kristen Burris, an Idaho-based acupuncturist. “Acupuncture, when compared with flunarizine, a commonly used migraine medication, proved to be more effective in reducing the frequency of migraine occurrences in the first four months of therapy. Acupuncture also significantly lowered the intensity of pain.”

Get the rest of the story at Woman's Day

Dealing with the Blues

Editor's note: If you or someone you know is suffering from a mental-health issue, please contact your health-care provider immediately. The information listed here is meant to inspire and offer hope but should not be interpreted as advice or recommendations.

By Beth Donovan (~INDYGIRL)

Among my health issues is a diagnosis of clinical major depression. It can be rather difficult to deal with depression and other mental health issues, especially on your own, so I wanted to share how I’ve dealt with my depression and anxiety, along with the help of my doctor and other health-care professionals. (If you think you're suffering from a mental health issue, talk to your health-care provider immediately.)

First, I want to talk about my anxiety. I have experienced full-on panic attacks that have stopped me in the middle of a store and made me abandon my cart and leave. I felt dizzy, like the world was crashing in on me. I couldn’t breathe, and most of all I just had to escape. I was nauseated, sweaty, disoriented, and needed to lie down after such an experience.

A therapist once told me the best advice I’ve ever heard that helped me with my panic attacks, and I find that it applies to binge eating, too: First there is an event that triggers the panic or the desire to binge, and then there is an emotion. We can either deal with that emotion or stuff it down with food or brute strength. Left undealt with, the emotion becomes another, even stronger event. Eventually one will give in and run or eat.

The answer to the problem is to deal with the emotion as it comes. Ask yourself what you are feeling and why you are feeling that way. Then discern what could resolve those feelings: In other words, what action can you take? So the ideal model would be event-emotion-action. Without the action, you risk heading into complete downward spiral of emotion, panic, and bad choices (such as binging).

I’m a strong believer in getting help when help is needed.

Maria Menounos Shares Her Living Well Secrets

By Amy Capetta, That's Fit

Maria Menounos interviews Hollywood's biggest celebrities as a reporter for "Access Hollywood," "NBC Nightly News," "Dateline" and the "Today" show. While making a career out of talking to A-listers, Menounos has learned how to look like one on a limited budget.

Menounos has just penned the new book "The Every Girl's Guide to Life," in which she offers her advice on how to live a healthier, happier and more balanced life. Menounos shared a few of her diet and fitness strategies exclusively with That's Fit -- and believe it or not, she stays fit without a trainer.

That's Fit: What are your favorite healthy snack tips?

Maria Menounos: My days can be really busy, so when I grab a snack, I want it to work as hard as I am. I want it to give me energy, fill me up [and] fuel my body. I like to grab veggies, like baby carrots or a handful of almonds. I also look for snacks that are high in protein and fat free, like Greek yogurt, which has two times the protein of regular yogurt to help satisfy hunger. Blueberries and apples are amazing, too. I often take apple slices to work with me.

Get the rest of Maria's tips at That's Fit!

After 'Ravenous,' What Comes Next? The Author's Q & A

Editor's Note: Be sure to read an excerpt from Dayna's book here.

By Dayna Macy

Since Ravenous: A Food Lover’s Journey from Obsession to Freedom has been published, I’ve been gratified to hear from readers how my journey to lose weight and make peace with my body has helped them.

Some readers had questions about my book, and about my relationship to weight and my body since the book has been published. I am grateful to SparkPeople for letting me answer some of their most frequently asked questions here:

Q. How much weight have you actually lost?

A. About 30 pounds.

Shrink Your Food Container Pile

By Arianne Cohen of Woman's Day

Don’t let your collection of kitchenware turn into an overhead hazard. Avoid the monstrous pile of empty plastics by heeding a few simple strategies. From choosing the right space to embracing strategic stacking, read on for WD’s must-know organizing secrets.

1. Purge: Recycle anything you haven’t used in the last 3 months and anything without matching lids, says Helene Segura, a professional organizer at LivingOrder San Antonio. Also toss scratched, damaged or warped plastic; it can leach chemicals into your food.
2. Abandon cabinets: Food containers are for deep drawers, says Barry Izsak, past president of the National Association of Professional Organizers. He’s right: Those piles and nests are much less prone to chaos in a drawer, and you can easily see what you’re grabbing. If you don’t have drawer space, use shallow shelves.

   Posted 4/4/2011  2:00:00 PM By:   : 38 comments   17,186 views

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Stay Injury Free After 40

by Holly St. Lifer from That's Fit

Anti-aging articles abound touting the benefits of lifting weights to boost metabolism and fat loss, and increase bone density. But strength training is also your first defense against injuries.

Weakness is the number one factor for putting you at injury risk. "The older we get, the less elastin -- a protein that keeps our tendons and ligaments flexible -- we make . As a result, these connective tissues become more stiff, placing added responsibility on our muscles to bear the burden of movement and impact when we run, swing a golf club or take a Zumba class. If your muscles aren't strong enough, you'll get injured," explained Henry Lodge, M.D., and coauthor of Younger Next Year.

Let's say you're a tennis player for example. If you don't have strong upper back and core muscles, then tendons and ligaments in your shoulder and elbow take on too much and you're at greater risk for a rotator cuff tear or tennis elbow.

Get the rest of the story at That's Fit!

10 Morning Mood Boosters

By Tori Rodriguez, Woman's Day

Have you ever noticed that what happens during the morning hours often sets the tone for the rest of the day? When things go smoothly, you tend to feel more relaxed and ready to face whatever the day may bring. However, when things get bumpy before you’ve even managed to get dressed, you’re more likely to remain grumpy until bedtime. While some hassles can’t be avoided, you can make mood-enhancing decisions during the a.m. hours that will set the stage for the next 16 or so. We spoke with the experts and combed the latest research for 10 pick-me-ups that will have your mood rising like the morning sun. Try one (or all!) of them for a happier and healthier you.

1. Pick one “spoil-me” task to do. When you wake up, give yourself 30 seconds to think of at least one nice thing you can do for yourself that day…and then do it. When Alice Domar, PhD, psychologist and coauthor of Live a Little! Breaking the Rules Won’t Break Your Health, was in Los Angeles for a book tour one winter, she woke up much earlier than usual. But instead of fretting about lost zzz’s, she realized with excitement that she could score some fresh fruit at the nearby farmer’s market, which would’ve been impossible if she were back home in Boston. That impromptu side trip kept her mood lifted throughout the day.

Stay-Fit Secrets from a 'Dancing with the Stars' Pro

By Patty Adams Martinez, Fitness Magazine

Chelsie Hightower is always on her toes. As one of the principal dancers on Dancing with the Stars, she spends 10 hours a day perfecting her moves. "When you're watching us on TV, you don't realize how technically and physically difficult dancing is," says Chelsie, 21, who has been paired with rodeo star Ty Murray and former Bachelor Jake Pavelka in previous seasons of the show. "You're doing extremely fast movements. It's difficult mentally, too, because you'll be thinking about 10 different steps at once."

As she twirled and leaped around the set at the FITNESS photo shoot, Chelsie shared with us her energy-boosting, stay-fit secrets.

So many celebrities have lost weight on DWTS. Why is dance such great exercise?

Because it works every part of your body. And even though it's hard, it's fun, so that keeps you going. Dancing has a lot of other benefits. It also lifts your spirits in that it loosens you up, makes you more outgoing, raises your confidence level, and relieves stress.

Dealing with the Diet Police

By Beth Donovan (~INDYGIRL)

Have you ever been given the third degree about whether you should be eating a certain food or be adding it to your shopping basket? “Do you really need that?”

“Should you be eating that on your diet?”

Was it like a scene from a movie where the person was just short of a bright light and a table to bang their fist on, or more slick like the subtle questioning of James Bond? Needless to say, those are typical "diet police" interrogation questions, designed to keep law and order and take control of your world.

Who are the diet police and why do they pay so much attention to what is on our plates and in our shopping carts? Why do they question us in a friendly, yet conniving manner about our well being and progress? Why do they make comments at family dinners and in public that belittle us about our weight or what we are eating or not eating? Why do they blame all of our problems on our weight, as if we couldn’t have any “normal” problems or issues?

How I Started to LIVE Again

By Beth Donovan (~INDYGIRL)

This is my story of how I learned to live while I was just waiting to die.

I don't have an abundance of will power, nor am I a mega strong person. I am definitely willful and strong-headed, but those aren't the same things. I gained 100 pounds each decade of my life and that is one problem I have never been able to solve, until SparkPeople. Now I’ve lost 144+ pounds and have another 75-100 to go.

I have low thyroid (slowed metabolism), fibromyalgia, a degenerating spine, herniated discs, pinched nerve bundles, arthritis, knee problems, and clinical major depression--and the list goes on. For several years, the pain and depression were too much for me. I resigned myself to life in my bedroom, where lying down hurt less. My bedroom became, for all purposes, the family room. It was where we spent time, entertained company and did most things.

Diets did nothing more than torture me long enough to lose some weight and then regain even more. A person seeing me regain weight was even worse than being fat in the first place. Why would I torture myself starving, when it would do no good and I would regain the weight anyway? So, I kept eating and resigned myself to my situation.