In-hospital nocturnal dialysis may be good for the heart
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1YmtEO5
The War Between Makeup And Sensitive Skin
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Makeup Range For Sensitive Skin
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Is Primary Obesity Surgery Endolumenal the Best Weight Reduction Surgery?
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Genomic differences between breast cancers of African American, white women identified
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1P8YrHW
Molecular imaging study reveals improved detection of early recurrent prostate cancer
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1F6ZqZe
Imaging method has potential to stratify head and neck cancer patients
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1Kr2ACW
How Hypnotherapy Can Help With Weight Loss
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Relieving Brain Chatter With Audio-Visual Stimulation Glasses
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Life Changing Experiences With Audio Visual Stimulation
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Turmeric: Healthy, Yummy and Easy!
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Global burden of leptospirosis is greater than thought, and growing
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1JeW4hO
Research offers clues about why people end therapy
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More aggressive blood pressure treatment found to reduce heart disease, save lives
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Caveat Emptor - Finding the Right Cosmetic Surgeon
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Wait! Don't Cancel That Hair Appointment
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Finding and Using Acrylic Nails the Right Way
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Beauty Salons - Why Pay a Visit?
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Lower bed occupancy linked to lower hospital death rate
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1KwDJ52
Homeopathic Doctor: To Naturally Heal Various Ailments
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When does an image become a health claim?
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1MgNQtW
Data-driven approach could help improve allocation of biomedical research resources
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1FRNWUk
Surgeons, athletic, musical pros join forces to devise new surgical training program
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High dietary sodium, potassium may worsen chronic kidney disease
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9 Fitness and Diet Tips For Men
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Importance of Fighting With Extra Weight
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Relationship Problems With Your Diet! Adultery Could Be The Answer To Lose Weight
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Eating Healthy (and on Budget) While Traveling for Business
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This Video Is Exactly Like Being in an Indoor Cycling Class
Indoor cycling can be a fantastic way to sweat: You get to zone out in a dark room and move to the beat of (hopefully awesome) music. Plus, studies show cycling can burn a ton of calories, increase cardio endurance, and decrease body fat—while strengthening your entire lower body and core.1
But sometimes we just can't find the time (or money) to go to a group class. Fortunately, all you need is a stationary bike and this video from Grokker to fit in a seriously tough 30-minute cycling workout for free. The certified instructor will push you through an uphill climb with varying resistance, speed intervals, and jumps that make it extra challenging (and actually fun!). And whether you're an experienced cyclist or total newbie, her specific directions will help you get the most out of your ride.
Just remember to focus on your tempo (or rhythm) to make sure you're moving to the beat—and don't be afraid to go all out. Warm up with 10 to 15 minutes of light cycling before pressing play, and when you're ready, ride!
Interested in more short and effective at-home workouts? We have thousands waiting for you on Grokker, the one-stop shop online resource for wellness. Join Grokker today and get 14 days of FREE unlimited at-home workout classes.
Works Cited
- The effects of indoor cycling training in sedentary overweight women. Bianco A, Bellafiore M, Battaglia G. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 2010, Dec.;50(2):0022-4707. Physiologic responses during indoor cycling. Battista RA, Foster C, Andrew J. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research / National Strength & Conditioning Association, 2008, Sep.;22(4):1533-4287.
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Greatist Workout of the Day: Friday, September 18th
This series of GWODs was designed exclusively for Greatist by Bodeefit. For more information about the exercises in this workout, or to see video demos of each movement, follow the links below the graphic. Be sure to note the results of your workout so you can track your progress as you go.
Before you tackle this workout, try this quick and effective full-body warm-up. It's just five simple moves but hits every major muscle group and gets your heart pumping.
The 7s Workout
Complete 7 rounds of the following as fast as safely possible.
7 Explosive Push-Ups
7 Lateral Burpees
7 V-Ups
Want to kick up the intensity? Just move faster. And don't forget to check back tomorrow for a totally new (but equally awesome) GWOD!
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Retirement Strategy - Are You Focusing on the Right Thing?
from Health-and-Fitness Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/1gvhMXV
Research discovery leads to potential diagnostic for assessing breast cancer recurrence
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1QkVwwa
Adolescent painkiller abuse a big problem for small towns, rural areas
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1UYO0xG
Digital 'Rosetta Stone' decrypts how mutations rewire cancer cells
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1FQ1Rdn
New imaging technique detects early brain damage from hypertension
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1Mthj74
How To Choose Between Children's Physicians and Family Practitioners
from Health-and-Fitness Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/1FjrfgK
Parkinson's disease: Everyday activity more beneficial than occasional strenuous exercise
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1guPuNb
Personalized heart models for surgical planning
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1ijXlhO
Hyper Weight Loss
from Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss Articles from EzineArticles.com http://ift.tt/1iSpvAZ
Carb Cycling for Weight Loss: Does It Work?
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Extreme makeover of the heart: Matrix therapy is first FDA-approved procedure of its kind
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1FPVuqs
The Most Refreshing Video About Body Image We've Seen in a Long Time
Sometimes the Internet can feel like an arena of endless mudslinging. And that’s why this video from our friends at BuzzFeed stands out. It talks about body image in an honest, straightforward way. Five people get in front of the camera and say the phrase, “I’m fat, but…” The way they fill in the blank blasts stereotypes (“...I actually like going to the gym”) and provides a positive message about worth (“...I’m not a skinny shamer. I just feel like everyone is allowed to love their body”). The video is a solid reminder that in a world where so many things—from advertisements to beauty pageants—are designed to make us feel bad about our bodies, we could all stand to take a little more time for self-love and acceptance.
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Multiple myeloma patients more vulnerable to 'financial toxicity' due to expensive, longer courses of treatments
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1OzyNxX
Women who give birth in rural hospitals are more likely to need to be later readmitted
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1LAxSIl
Cure for sickle cell in adults validated
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1NGamzI
Do It Or Don't Dieting Tips To Help You Lose Weight Fast
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Patients with type 2 diabetes should be prioritized for obesity surgery
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1UXpTdp
'AIDS on steroids': Comparing the spread of Ebola, AIDS in Africa
from Today's Healthcare News -- ScienceDaily http://ift.tt/1YgcDFo
Surgical probe seeks out where cancer ends and healthy tissue begins
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Study identifies why more people die after hip fracture surgery than hip replacement surgery
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COPD sufferers prescribed most sedatives
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Widely used software doesn't note differences in care quality among hospital readmissions
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Smart emergency scheme for people with dementia
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Dieters Fight The Urge In A Bid To Lose Weight
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Slimming It Up! Without The Exercise Classes
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What Is A Perfumista?
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This Water Bottle Will Change the Way You Hydrate
Hydro Flask
At Greatist, we’re big fans of hydration. The benefits of H2O—from fighting fatigue to boosting brainpower—are almost too many to count, so you can bet we have a reusable bottle on hand at all times. But taking a swig of what used to be cool, crisp water mid-workout only to find it's now lukewarm is enough to turn us off from sipping completely.
Thanks to Hydro Flask, that's no longer an issue. This vacuum-insulated container keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot liquids warm for up to six hours. And it really works: Whether we were powering through an indoor cycling or hot yoga class, the water was still icy cold at the end! The 32-ounce size is also perfect for outdoorsy types—you can enjoy piping hot coffee on chilly winter hikes or ski runs. Plus, the wide mouth fits most backcountry water filters, making it easy to refill on overnight adventures.
The Hydro Flask may be pricier than other reusable bottles, but it seriously changed how much water we drank (bye-bye dehydration). We'd consider that money well spent.
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Keep Diseases Away Through Preventive Care for Children
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Live Your Life To The Full
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Instant Hairstyles With Extensions and Weaves
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Top Salons - What Are Their Secrets?
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The 10 Most Important Don'ts Of Great Hair Care
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The Latest 2015 Hairstyles - Straight and Curly
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Get Fit And Healthy The Easy Way
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Ditch The Diet! Lose Weight?
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Turn Your Life Around And Lose Weight Fast
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Easy Weight Loss The Bespoke Way
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An Open Letter of Apology to My Thighs
Dear Thighs,
I’m just going to come out and say it: I’ve been a d*ck to you, and I am sorry about it. I want to try to make amends, because you’ve been so good to me despite all of the mean things I’ve thought about you. And you don’t deserve that.
I remember I started thinking terrible things when I was a teenager, and I’d envision a magic knife that would let me carve off these bumps on your outer areas. I hated those bumps. They were right below my hips, and when I heard the phrase “saddlebags” for the first time, I thought, yes, that’s what I have: saddlebags. No matter how many leg lifts I did or how long I spent on that abductor/adductor machine that makes me feel like I’m inviting the rest of the gym to ogle my birth canal, they never got any smaller. (Just like all those crunches never made a dent in my belly pooch.)
I am glad that thigh gaps were not a big thing when I was younger, because that would have been another way in which you failed me and even more reason to hate you.
I was about to go into the issues I had with you when I hit my late 20s and realized all of the muscle tone I had taken for granted as a teenager was no longer readily visible, but you know, I really don’t feel like rehashing this. We both know our fraught history. We both know the things I’ve done, the feelings I’ve had, the thoughts I’ve entertained. I’m really sorry for all of that, and I want us to move on and to develop a better relationship.
I actually think we are well on our way to developing that better relationship.
I’m doing more to take care of you by cultivating your strengths, both inside the weight room and outside of it, and by making sure you have plenty of nourishment to rebuild yourself after I work you extra hard. I’ve started using a foam roller on you, and it seems like you like it, even though you sometimes bitch about it too. I try to stretch you out regularly and soak in warm baths at least once a week, because I know I ask a lot of you and I want you to know that I appreciate it.
I see that you are paying me back for the care I’m giving you.
Sure, those saddlebags are still there—and probably always will be—and no one will mistake me for an elite athlete. But even so, I see you proudly displaying those muscles—those quads, those hamstrings—and I feel a little proud for you too. My husband has caught me admiring you in the mirror, pointing my toe and flexing and checking you out from all different angles. But what can I say? I think it’s pretty rad to see you looking so strong and capable. Damn girls, ya look good.
The truth is I am so very grateful for you.
The truth is I am so very grateful for you. You got me down the mountains when I ran my very first half-marathon in Ogden more than five years ago. You do the majority of the work when I run the three-bridge loop on the beaches. When I run as fast as I can, that’s all you.
And remember when we first pulled off a superman in pole class? Or when I first did a pole sit? That was all you too. You are strong enough that I can squeeze you together around a metal pole, and you will hold me in the air. I can wrap you around the pole and climb up it like a freaking monkey. And that’s all you.
I am maybe proudest of what we accomplished when I set off for my first ever 40-mile bike ride. We’ve been working hard on the bike, riding consistently on routes that take us on overpasses and bridges (which is about all we get when it comes to hills in this part of the country). We've gotten to the point where I can get out of my saddle and climb up hills, and even though it was really hard on us at first, you’ve adapted to the workload and so it’s slowly getting easier. At least I’ve noticed that you don’t burn quite as fiercely when we are done.
Anyway, I noticed that you felt strong and solid until mile 30 or so, and then the burn started to set in. It was hot outside, and our water bottles had gotten lukewarm and gross, and you were so, so tired. But you didn’t give up. We kept going for another ten miles, on a route that had us going over at least six overpasses during that time, and even though we were barely crawling up the last one (I think my Garmin registered something like 6 or 7 mph?) you kept turning those pedals, right until we pulled into our driveway.
That was all you, ladies. You did that. Do you know how awesome that is? I was so proud I even posted about it on Facebook, and I haven’t posted about a workout on Facebook in months.
That’s the kind of relationship I want to cultivate with you. Not one where I sit and stare at you in the mirror and hate you for not looking like the thighs I’ve seen in a magazine. (By the way, I’ve since tossed all those magazines, and I am pretty sure that made a difference in our relationship as well.)
No, I want us to have the kind of relationship where we look at each other in the mirror and tell each other how awesome we are, and then we go set off on amazing adventures together. I want us to be friends is what I am saying.
So I hope you will forgive all of the terrible things I’ve said and done to you in the past. You are worth so much more than that, and I’m sorry it took me this long to realize it. I promise I will never be sh*tty to you again.
Sincerely,
Me
This post was was written by Caitlin Constantine and originally published on her blog, Fit and Feminist. Caitlin is a triathlete, runner, and swimmer who funds her endurance habit by working as a digital media producer for a TV news station in Florida.
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Greatist Workout of the Day: Thursday, September 17th
This series of GWODs was designed exclusively for Greatist by Bodeefit. For more information about the exercises in this workout, or to see video demos of each movement, follow the links below the graphic. Be sure to note the results of your workout so you can track your progress as you go.
Before you tackle this workout, try this quick and effective full-body warm-up. It's just five simple moves but hits every major muscle group and gets your heart pumping.
Highlands Hustle
Complete 25 reps of the following movements, then 20 reps, then 15 reps as fast as safely possible.
Jumping Lunges
Elevated Push-Ups
Sit-Ups
Want to kick up the intensity? Hold light dumbbells or kettlebells in both hands on the jumping lunges. And don't forget to check back tomorrow for a totally new (but equally awesome) GWOD!
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Factors for higher risk of death following hip fracture surgery than hip replacement
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Antidepressant was misrepresented as safe for adolescents
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Losing The Weight After Child Birth: A Myth or Not?
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Tips and Tricks for Your Eye Makeup
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Whole-body PET scan with new imaging agent can locate hidden blood clots
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Easy Weight Loss With Just Your Mind
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The Fast Food Diet That Helps You To Lose Weight Fast
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Can We Still Trust the FDA?
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Top Five Skills to Acquire in a Beauty Therapy Course
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Dominant strain of drug-resistant MRSA decreases in hospitals, but persists in community
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No long term effects of antidepressant use during pregnancy
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SURGERY - Lose Weight Fast
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Researchers studying whether gout drug prevents progression of kidney damage in diabetes patients
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Population health: Indiana study finds decreasing rates of osteoporosis treatment
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No evidence that anesthesiologists are 'upcoding' to increase reimbursements
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Antidepressants shown to worsen depression in patients with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder
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Simple Remedies And Tips On How To Lose Weight Naturally
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No 1 Fat Cutter Soup Recipe to Lose Weight
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Technological Advancements Are Helping To Make Fast Weight Loss a Reality
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Healthy Hair Growth - What Vitamins Do We Need?
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One Man’s Candid, Incredibly Powerful Reflection on Hiding an Eating Disorder
Note: This post contains details that might be triggering for people struggling with disordered eating.
I have an eating disorder.
I’ve known it for a long, long time, but I am only just now getting the ability to articulate it in words and confront the truth. It’s not courage, and I’m not brave. I’m just too exhausted to pretend any longer that everything is OK.
I’ve always heard people talk about “rock bottom” in an almost glorious way. It’s supposed to be this dramatic, almost picturesque turning point, where everything comes to a halt and all becomes clear. For me, that didn’t happen—it was slower, more subtle. A covert cloud of darkness suffocated me a little bit more every single day. For as long as I can remember, I’d been hanging off the edge of a cliff by my fingertips, scared to look down. Last week, I finally let go.
Something snapped, but it wasn’t climactic and it wasn’t extreme. Ambulances didn’t come, arrests weren’t made. I didn’t wake up after seeing the light, not a single tear was shed. Instead, I just sat alone on my couch on a typical Thursday night, looking at the floor, and said out loud in a sobering whisper: “I need to get help.”
I Googled “eating disorders” and started reading, horrified by what I saw. I hadn’t realized how bad things had gotten, and the various prognoses didn’t seem very hopeful. More importantly, I didn’t fit easily into any one category (like anorexia or bulimia), so finding information about what I was dealing with was incredibly hard.
I felt like an astronaut being shaken violently as his capsule reenters the atmosphere—as if, at any moment, everything was going to explode and crumble.
The next hour was a mess. I felt like an astronaut being shaken violently as his capsule reenters the atmosphere—as if, at any moment, everything was going to explode and crumble. The panic started building, the walls closed in. My life as I know it is done, I thought to myself. I broke into a cold sweat, put my head in my hands, and closed my eyes. Then, somehow I caught my breath. The room slowly stopped spinning.
How Did I Get Here?
I was heavy as a kid—not obese, but stocky. Some of my earliest childhood memories involve being pudgy and experiences of overindulgence followed by shame. I can remember countless times I was reprimanded or felt ostracized for eating too much. At family gatherings, people would tell stories about it. There was the time I fell down a flight of stairs holding a brownie and refused to let go, raising it triumphantly at the bottom. Another time, I was entrusted with a cookie to bring home for my little brother, but I couldn’t control the urge to eat it en route. “Give him fish,” I offered as a consolation. “He likes fish... ” They were funny stories that seemed harmless, but I was embarrassed by them.
I remember being shirtless at a doctor’s appointment (even today, I despise being shirtless) when a nurse came into the room and joked about my Buddha belly. I was so angry at myself for being that way. What was wrong with me?
It didn’t get better in my teens. My typical American diet of fast food and junk served in gloriously patriotic portions, coupled with my lack of self-control, was a recipe for trouble. In retrospect, it’s a miracle that I wasn’t much heavier. I do remember seeing stretch marks on my hips one day when I was around 16 years old and not really comprehending what was happening. But I had friends and girlfriends, so I just went on living what looked like a normal and happy life, quietly hating myself and the way that I looked.
Then I Started a Band
I grew up playing the drums, but as a teenager, I started playing the guitar and singing too. I had never been cut out for school, so when my friends left for college, I focused on launching my music career.
I wanted to make it so badly that I finally decided to lose weight at any cost. I told myself it’d be worth it.
It became obvious very quickly that being overweight as a lead singer wasn’t an option if I wanted to “make it.” This message was driven home by various managers and industry professionals, who told me to lose weight or find a new dream. I wanted to make it so badly that I finally decided to lose weight at any cost. I told myself it’d be worth it.
One of my flaws is that I can’t do anything in moderation—it’s just not how my brain is wired—so when I decided to get skinny, something in me just clicked. It was binary. Black and white. Zero in-between. I stopped eating anything I deemed “bad”. In retrospect, my diet was based on strange rules patched together with little knowledge and no real understanding, but the weight flew off me. I lost about 90 pounds in six months, and I felt incredible. When my friends came home from their first semesters at college, they barely recognized me. Girls noticed me more than ever, I felt more confident onstage, and most important, I no longer worried that my weight was holding back my dreams.
When I got hired to join Avril Lavigne’s band a few months later, it only proved that losing weight was paying off. As I saw it, after being heavy for years, getting skinny was now causing my success. In a business where looks can literally make or break a career, there was no way I’d ever let myself go back. The stakes were too high. In my head, I was always just a few pounds away from being back in my parents’ basement in Baltimore, alone, powerless, and sentenced to a life of failure. It only got worse when I got a solo deal with Warner Bros. and became the center of attention. The restrictive eating worsened, as my obsession with being skinny grew and grew. Until recently, I hadn’t had a hamburger, French fries, or any real dessert for 15 years.
Every meal out became a source of terror and anxiety. I’d Google menus ahead of time to make sure they were safe. When friends wanted to share an appetizer or dessert, which they usually did, I either caved to the pressure of taking a bite (only one) and then tortured myself for eating something bad, or refrained and dealt with the awkwardness of everyone wondering why I wouldn’t even try it.
One time I was in Japan and the record label took me to the “best pizza shop” in the whole country. Normally I would have found a salad or something random on the menu and made up an excuse about allergies or something, but the place only served pizza. I was starving and had no choice but to eat a slice. It ruined my entire week. Thinking about it still gives me anxiety.
Eating clean stopped being good enough. So I added exercise—three days a week, then four. Then five, six, and finally seven. I watched the weight go down and down and down with pride. I would smile when I saw numbers on the scale that I knew weren’t healthy. When people would act concerned and say, “You look skinny,” they didn’t realize that it was the best thing I could hear.
The mental math became exhausting; at one point, I was literally using a calculator to decide when and where to eat.
Exercise led to obsessively counting calories and tracking macronutrients and weighing portions. The mental math became exhausting; at one point, I was literally using a calculator to decide when and where to eat. I knew it was getting really bad when I started skipping social dinners to stay home and prepare something, so I could be absolutely certain that no extra oils, fats, or sugars made it into the meal.
Slowly but surely, I became a prisoner, a robot. The last year was the worst. I was constantly injured and exhausted, and I stopped going out unless it was absolutely necessary (which is a lot in the music business). I could feel myself racing toward the edge of something horrifying, but I kept ignoring it. Finally I broke. I just couldn’t hold it together anymore.
Even as I type this, I can’t believe it. I’m so embarrassed and ashamed. How pathetic. How weak. I can’t believe I’m so shallow, so vain. The questions keep racing through my head. How did this happen? How will my friends react? My coworkers? How will a girl ever be able to love me?
Sometimes I laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, but the reality is that I’m scared to death. I’m scared I’ll get fat, scared I’ll be average, scared I’ll be invisible, unloved, undesirable. I’m scared I’ll fade into the background and lose part of what makes me unique. I’m scared I’ll become less successful and less likeable. I’m scared I’ll lose control and feel powerless. I’m scared I’ll be the pudgy awkward kid who hated himself so much.
They Say the Hardest Part Is Admitting You Have a Problem
But the burden that lifted when I finally did has been immeasurable. First I called my doctor and my therapist and told them. They were incredible. Then I told my brother, my parents, and my best friends. Every single one of them welcomed the news with total and complete acceptance. Most were happy that I’d finally admitted what they long suspected, and everyone offered any help I needed. There were no judgments, no rejection, and no consequences. I can’t explain the debt I feel, how incredible it is to be totally vulnerable and still loved. That is the beautiful thing about people: They can impress you in ways you never imagined.
I still have a long road ahead of me. I don’t know exactly where it will lead or how I will look when I get there. But I know, now more than ever, that it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that for the first time in nearly 15 years, I’m starting to feel alive.
This post originally appeared on Medium. Evan Taubenfeld is Avril Lavigne's former lead guitarist and longtime collaborator turned creative executive. He lives in Los Angeles, where he's currently Head of A&R for Crush Music. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook.
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How Bad Is It to Sleep in My Contacts, Really?
We know we shouldn't fall asleep in our contacts, but like “accidentally” eating some expired pesto or “accidentally” popping a zit, sometimes it just happens. Late nights happen. Naps happen.
But after hearing reports of people going blind as a result, we started to worry. And from researching and talking to experts, we realized we might actually have reason to.
The Nitty Gritty
Some science: As the body’s only form of transparent tissue, the cornea gets its oxygen solely from the air. That means that when you put in contact lenses, the oxygen supply lessens a bit, and when you close your eyes, the supply lessens more. When you combine the two, the oxygen can be critically reduced, says Kerry Assil, M.D., an eye surgeon at the Assil Eye Institute in Los Angeles.
Without oxygen, the cornea swells up—not a cartoonish, popping-out-of-your-head amount, but enough so that gaps appear between the eye’s surface cells, where bacteria can sneak in. This bacteria may increase your risk of eye infection by nearly sevenfold, says Thomas Steinemann, M.D., a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.1 And because the eye doesn’t have the body’s same immune system protection, things can turn bad fast.
If that weren't enough, the lenses can function like a Petri dish, says James Auran, M.D., a professor of ophthalmology at Columbia University. So if there's any bacteria on your lenses (common culprit: a lens case that's seen better days), you’re basically holding them right against your eye.
Gross and terrifying as this sounds, a 15-minute nap should be OK, right? Well, Assil likens it to playing Russian Roulette or walking through a steadily populating minefield. The swelling begins immediately and continues as long as your eyelids are closed, so the longer you sleep (say a full eight hours versus 15 minutes), the riskier the game.
When you wear contacts, every blink against them creates a tiny abrasion.
Sleeping in contacts also messes with your eyes in the long run. We blink about 3 million times a year, and when you wear contacts, every blink against them creates a tiny abrasion, Assil says. Over time, the eyelid’s inner lining becomes rougher from all the rubbing, keeping it from reaching the same levels of lubrication. Add in the inflammation from wearing your contacts to bed, and it only exacerbates the problem.
That means most everyone's basically destined for drier, more allergy- and infection-prone eyes, and those who sleep in their contacts boost their risk of one day not being able to wear lenses at all, Assil says. The "shocked" emoji pretty much nails it.
The Takeaway
Delaying your nap by 30 seconds to take out your contacts is worth it—as is doing your best to avoid sleeping in them, or asking your doctor about lenses that are FDA-approved for overnight wear. Otherwise, if you absolutely must sleep in your lenses (long flights on a plane, unexpected sleepovers, that kind of thing), remember to flood your eyes with drops upon awakening, Auran says. Hands off the contacts until then—prying a stubborn lens out can potentially scratch your cornea, leaving you with lasting damage on top of the kind already done by dozing.
Works Cited
- Risk factors for moderate and severe microbial keratitis in daily wear contact lens users. Stapleton F, Edwards K, Keay L. Ophthalmology, 2012, Apr.;119(8):1549-4713.
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Greatist Workout of the Day: Wednesday, September 16th
This series of GWODs was designed exclusively for Greatist by Bodeefit. For more information about the exercises in this workout, or to see video demos of each movement, follow the links below the graphic. Be sure to note the results of your workout so you can track your progress as you go.
Before you tackle this workout, try this quick and effective full-body warm-up. It's just five simple moves but hits every major muscle group and gets your heart pumping.
Furious 10
Complete as many rounds of the following as safely possible in 10 minutes.
10 Burpees
10 Lunges
10 Box Jumps
Want to kick up the intensity? Hold light kettlebells or dumbbells in both hands on the lunges. And don't forget to check back tomorrow for a totally new (but equally awesome) GWOD!
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