Buying From Wellness Products Websites: Wellness Products Websites Vs In-Store Shopping

Online shopping is popular. The online retail market was worth $19.1 billion in the 12 months to December 2015 in Australia. But what are we buying online? This comparison of online versus in-store shopping for natural health and wellbeing products highlights some of the benefits of purchasing from wellness products websites.

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Drinking Coffee Has Benefits, But It Should Come With These Disclaimers

This Surprise Cycling Proposal Will Make You Feel Warm and Fuzzy

We know, another viral wedding proposal. We tend to be a Scrooge when it comes to these public displays of affection. (Whatever happened to intimate moments?!) But for some reason, we couldn’t help but crack a smile when watching this video, in which one indoor cycling instructor proposes to another instructor mid-class. This one pulls out all the stops: choreography, matching shirts, and adorable posters (“It was love at first playlist”). Why are we sniffling? Must be our allergies. We need a box of tissues, stat.

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Think You Know What Someone With an Eating Disorder Looks Like? Think Again

When you think of someone with an eating disorder, you probably imagine a woman who's shockingly skinny and frail. As this powerful video proves, that stereotype is not only false, it's harmful. Hearing "you don't like look you have an eating disorder" could send the message that you don't need treatment or should try harder to really look the part. Plus, as the two guys in the video point out, many people overlook the fact that millions of men struggle with eating disorders too.

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This Is the Only Workout You'll Want to Do on a Friday

It's tough to muster up the energy to work out when happy hour is calling your name, but what if you could kill two birds with one stone here? Say hello to Reebok's amazing new Wine Wednesday Workout (ignore the day), inspired by trainer April Storey's viral wine workout video. Although this video doesn't actually involve drinking wine, we won't judge if you improvise.

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How to Succeed at Weight Loss

Losing weight can be extremely challenging. For those that have difficulty with this, here are 7 things you can do to help you succeed at weight loss.

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Revenue Cycle Management

Revenue Cycle Management is the process of managing your claims processing, payment and revenue generation. This includes everything from determining the patient's eligibility, collecting their co-pay, coding the claims, tracking the claims, collecting payments and following up on denied claims. A critical part of your office function, it is important that the entire revenue cycle process is managed efficiently.

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Achieve Your Dream Body in 8 Weeks

Losing weight should be easy and not a massive difficult struggle! Following the 3 pillars to great fat loss success anyone can attain their dream body in only a short period of time.

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Faces Do Rejuvenate Just Like Everything Else And How!

Common sense and the wonders of technology can certainly bring sweeping changes to the figure, face and the personality such as neck, breasts, eye lift, brow lift and even the private parts. Besides the million dollar business point of view, the aesthetical element plays a crucial part too. If such transformations can bring happiness to the millions especially through the magic of celebrities to their fans, so be it. Are there any dangers involved or the chances of treatments going amiss?

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28 Healthier Doughnut Recipes

To Bant Or Not To Bant?

To bant or not to bant, that is the question! Learn all about the newest and most popular diet right here.

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A 30-Minute Workout to Improve Strength and Balance

There's more to fitness than bending into a complicated yoga pose or even running really fast. In fact, balance and strength go hand in hand, and this week's Grokker workout proves it.

In the 30-minute routine, you'll build strength by practicing basic movements—rows, curls, and lunges—but add a balance element for each. Whether it's reversing your lunge or taking an uneven stance while performing a row, the small changes will keep your core engaged and help you focus on proper spinal alignment.

The warm-up and cool-down are included, and dumbbells are optional. Clear some space in your living room and get started by pressing play below.

To recap, here's the workout:

• Warm-Up

Perform each exercise below in order back-to-back for 60 seconds. Complete the entire circuit three times, resting as little as possible.

• Front and Reverse Lunge
• Dumbbell Swing
• One-Arm Row
• Lateral Lunge
• Reverse Lunge
• Curl to Press
• Jump Rope
  
• Cool-Down

Looking for more short and effective at-home workouts? Grokker has thousands of routines, so you’ll never get bored. Bonus: For a limited time, Greatist readers get 40 percent off Grokker Premium (just $9 per month) and their first 14 days free. Sign up now!

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What I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Almost Committed Suicide at 24

When I was 24, I very nearly killed myself. I was living in Ibiza at the time, in a very nice villa, on the quiet east coast of the island. The villa was right next to a cliff. In the midst of depression, I walked out to the edge of the cliff and looked at the sea and at the rugged limestone coastline, dotted with deserted beaches.

It was the most beautiful view I had ever known, but I didn't care. I was too busy trying to summon the courage needed to throw myself over the edge. I didn't. Instead, I walked back inside and threw up from the stress of it.

Three more years of depression followed. Panic, despair—a daily battle to walk to the corner shop without collapsing to the ground.

But I survived. I am days away from being 38. Back then, I almost knew I wasn't going to make it to 30. Death or total madness seemed more realistic. But I'm here. Surrounded by people I love. And I am doing a job I never thought I'd be doing. And I spend my days writing stories that are really guide books, the way all books are guide books.

I am so glad I didn't kill myself, but I continue to wonder if there is anything to say to people at those darkest times. Here's an attempt.

Here are things I wish someone had told me at the time:

1. You are on another planet. No one understands what you are going through. But actually, they do. You don't think they do because the only reference point is yourself. You have never felt this way before, and the shock of the descent is traumatizing you, but others have been here. You are in a dark, dark land with a population of millions.

2. Things aren't going to get worse. You want to kill yourself. That is as low as it gets. There is only upward from here.

3. You hate yourself. That is because you are sensitive. Pretty much every human could find a reason to hate themselves if they thought about it as much as you did. We're all total bastards, us humans, but also totally wonderful.

Photo: Clive Doyle 4. So what, you have a label? 'Depressive.' Everyone would have a label if they asked the right professional.

5. That feeling you have, that everything is going to get worse, is just a symptom.

6. Minds have their own weather systems. You are in a hurricane. Hurricanes run out of energy eventually. Hold on.

7. Ignore stigma. Every illness had stigma once. Stigma is what happens when ignorance meets realities that need an open mind.

8. Nothing lasts forever. This pain won't last. The pain tells you it will last. Pain lies. Ignore it.

9. Or, to plagiarize myself: "Your mind is a galaxy. More dark than light. But the light makes it worthwhile. Which is to say, don't kill yourself. Even when the darkness is total. Always know that life is not still. Time is space. You are moving through that galaxy. Wait for the stars." (The Humans)

10. You will one day experience joy that matches this pain. You will cry euphoric tears at the Beach Boys; you will stare down at your baby daughter's face as she lies contentedly asleep in your lap; you will make great friends; you will eat delicious foods you haven't tried yet; you will be able to look at a view like this one and feel the beauty.

There are books you haven't read yet that will enrich you and films you will watch while eating extra large buckets of popcorn. You will dance and laugh and have sex and go for runs by the river and have late night conversations and laugh until it hurts.

Life is waiting for you. You might be stuck here for a while, but the world isn't going anywhere. Hang on in there if you can. Life is always worth it.

Matt Haig is a writer living in London. This post originally appeared on MattHaig.com and was republished with the author's permission. It was the inspiration behind Haig's newest book, Reasons to Stay Alive, which documents his struggle with depression and anxiety. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Is There Any Link Between Wrinkles And Lower Bone Density?

According to Dr. Lubna Pal, a Yale School of Medicine researcher, there might be a direct link between common facial wrinkles and bone density. As Dr. Pal analyzed the firmness of facial skin along with depth and quantity of the wrinkles, she observed how those with worse skin conditions also has a low density in the lower hip, lumber and spine among the middle-aged subjects who were all women.

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How to Spot a Narcissist (It’s Not as Easy as You Think)

Narcissism is way more than refreshing your Newsfeed to see how many likes your most recent post got. This video starts off talking about "grandiose narcissists," the in-your-face-look-how-great-I-am types that usually come to mind. But not all narcissists are loud and proud. "Vulnerable narcissists" are much more introverted. They're still entitled, but instead of craving the spotlight, they're easily threatened and feel like victims when someone challenges their superior self-image.

Thanks to our materialistic culture (and maybe our genes), these personality traits are on the rise in the U.S.—and social media is not helping. The good news: Narcissists can work on being less self-centered. It’ll just take some serious self-reflection and perhaps some therapy to get there.

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This Ad Reminds Us That Female Athletes Are Strong as Hell

In case we needed another reminder that female athletes are total badasses, Under Armour's new "Rule Yourself" campaign showcases the incredible U.S. women's gymnastics team. Some people roll their eyes at a sport that involves glitter and pretty leotards, but this ad proves exactly how tough these Olympics-bound women are. Yes, they get their nails done, but they also get their ankles wrapped, climb ropes like ninjas, and work out tirelessly after dark. Set to M.I.A's heart-pounding "Matangi," the hypnotic acrobatic feats are truly next-level. We can't stop watching.

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Finding Skills Training For A Wide Range Of Occasions

Just learning how to cut hair and give makeovers may not always be sufficient. Professionals who have a background that will allow them to work with clients to prepare for more formal occasions can enjoy a greater range of lucrative and rewarding opportunities. Aspiring professionals and established beauticians alike can benefit from enrolling in a course that focuses on formal events and black-tie occasions.

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Opt For Heart Health Everyday

We've turned the page on the calendar - the chocolate roses, truffles, heart-shaped foods and all that jazz are behind us. I'm not trying to dismiss February 14 as insignificant, but I do want to remind you that the heart is bigger than one day. I want you to give equal attention to keeping your heart healthy and adopting a lifestyle that will help keep it that way.

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Here's How Much Sugar You're Really Eating in a Day

We like to think we know what's good for us. Sure, beer, burgers, and ice cream make occasional appearances in our diet, but for the most part, we make smart food choices throughout the day.

As for sugar? We don't have dessert every day—and when we do, we try to make it healthy—so we can't be eating too much of it, right?

Wrong. When we tallied up the amount of sugar in a day's worth of relatively healthy meals and snacks (yogurt with fruit and granola, a whole-wheat turkey wrap, trail mix, and a homemade stir-fry), we were shocked. We even skipped dessert!

There's a lot of sugar hiding in everyday food (both added and natural sugars are included in the counts below). Check out the stats, get more info on the type of sugar you should try to avoid, and find ideas for healthy swaps.

The Stats

Yogurt With Berries and Granola:*

6 ounces low-fat vanilla yogurt: 29 grams of sugar
1 cup mixed berries: 8.5 grams
1/2 cup granola: 12 grams

*see notes below on added vs. natural sugars

Coffee Cake and Coffee With Almond Milk:

1/2 slice coffee cake: 17 grams
1 cup coffee: 0 grams
1/2 cup almond milk: 3.5 grams

Turkey Wrap:

4 ounces honey-roasted turkey: 4 grams
1 whole-wheat tortilla wrap: 2 grams
2 teaspoons honey mustard: 4 grams
Handful of lettuce: 0.5 grams
1/2 avocado: 4 grams

Trail Mix:

6 tablespoons (about 1/3 cup) nuts, raisins, chocolate chips: 22 grams

Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken:

3 ounces skinless chicken breast: 0 grams
3 tablespoons bottled sweet and sour sauce: 18 grams
1/2 cup egg noodles: 0 grams
1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks: 15 grams
1/3 tablespoon vegetable oil: 0 grams
1 tablespoon soy sauce: 0 grams
1/3 cup red bell pepper: 2 grams

Grand Total: 141.5 grams of sugar

Whoa. The other surprise? All of this food adds up to just under 2,000 calories, which is completely fine for men and women—maybe even on the low end, depending on activity levels, says Elisa Zied, R.D.N., nutritionist and author of Younger Next Week.

So How Much Sugar Is Too Much?

Less than you may think. The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests limiting added sugar to less than 10 percent of calorie intake. If you eat 2,000 calories per day, your goal is to eat less than 200 calories (50 grams) of added sugar.

The American Heart Association is even stricter: It recommends women consume no more than 100 calories (24 grams) of added sugar per day; men, no more than 150 calories (36 grams). Yep, the breakfast and mid-morning snack above already surpass these recommendations.

Added Vs. Natural Sugars

Notice how we keep talking about added sugar. That's the kind you really want to cut down, Zied says—not the naturally occurring sugar in fruit or dairy. The yogurt, for example, has about 12 grams of natural sugar and 17 grams of added sugar in a six-ounce container. (Since labels don't discriminate between the two kinds, you'll have to do some digging online to find this info.)

So let's revisit breakfast. Leaving out the 8.5 grams of natural sugar from the fruit and the 12 grams from the yogurt brings down the total amount of added sugar in the breakfast to 29 grams. Still a lot.

And some more surprising news: There's not a big difference in the way your body treats sugar found naturally in fruit and sugar added to candy and cookies, at least from a chemical standpoint, says Rania Batayneh, M.P.H, nutritionist and author of The One One One Diet. "Both of these sugars are ultimately broken down into fructose and glucose, which are metabolized the same once they reach your gut," she says.

What does differ: how fast they’re broken down. "Because the sugar in fruits is paired with fiber and water, it’s released much more slowly into your body, providing you with a consistent stream of energy," Batayneh says. "Added sugar, without fiber and water, is broken down immediately, leading to a surge in insulin and blood sugar levels. As a result, you don’t feel full at all—you just crave more sugar."

What Else Is So Bad About Sugar?

Maybe a better question would be what isn't. Sugar has been shown to increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.¹Cutting back on sugar can lead to tons of benefits for your body, including lower blood pressure, reduced risk of cancer, a sharper brain, clearer skin, and fewer cravings.

Another downside of eating too much added sugar? It takes the place of calories in foods that provide lots of nutrients, Zied says. Plus, many sugary foods and beverages are easy to overdo (think of cookies, candy, soda, or even condiments like ketchup).

Smarter Swaps

Breakfast:

When it comes to yogurt, go Greek, Batayneh says. She likes Chobani's Simply 100 Vanilla Greek Yogurt, which contains 100 calories, 7 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of protein. She also suggests limiting granola to a quarter cup to cut back on sugar. Or swap it completely for chopped nuts like almonds or walnuts, Zied says.

Mid-Morning Snack:

Why do pastries and cookies always seem to appear at work just when we get hangry before lunch? Indulging in one of these high-sugar foods can lead to additional cravings, Batayneh says. "Without protein, you set yourself up for a blood sugar roller coaster," she says.

If you really want a bite, go ahead and #treatyoself once per day, keeping the portion small. "Choose the treats that you really enjoy and skip the ones that you’re eating simply because they’re there," Batayneh adds.

Zied also suggests keeping nutrient-rich foods on hand for snacking at the office. (Need inspiration? Here are 42 healthy and portable snacks.)

Lunch:

A turkey wrap for lunch looks pretty good, according to the experts. One tweak for even more nutrition: "Adding a side salad or raw veggies like carrots and snap peas can bump up the antioxidant, vitamin, and fiber count, without adding sugar or fat," Batayneh says. "Plus, their bulk will make you feel more satisfied."

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

It's easy to go way past the recommended quarter-cup portion of trail mix, Batayneh says. A better choice: a KIND Dark Chocolate Nuts and Sea Salt Bar. "At 200 calories and five grams of sugar, this snack will satisfy your sweet tooth without going overboard—it's really like portion-controlled trail mix," she says.

Dinner:

As long as you're not relying on delivery, a homemade dish like stir-fry isn't too bad. Still, something like chicken with steamed broccoli and sweet and sour sauce on the side will give you all the flavor, while keeping sugar to a minimum, Zied says. (Or try one of these quick and easy stir-fry recipes that are even better than takeout.)

The Takeaway

Yes, most of us eat way too much sugar—no matter how virtuous we think we are. And science has made it clear that added sugar is doing some serious damage to our bodies. Being aware of our choices throughout the day (try keeping a food diary) is a good place to start.

While it can be tough to cut sugar in the beginning (it's addictive, after all), Zied reminds us that the less sugary food you eat, the less sugary food you want. The bottom line? "Choose only the sugary foods you love most," Zied says. "And enjoy them in small portions."

Works Cited

1. Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis. Malik VS, Popkin BM, Bray GA. Diabetes care, 2010, Aug.;33(11):1935-5548.

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This Is the Last Yoga Mat You'll Ever Buy

Manduka PROlite Mat

Yoga brings us to our happy place. But nothing robs us of our bliss like our knees grinding into the mat (is it foam or sandpaper?) or our sweat-covered hands and feet starting to slide (a no-slip betrayal, we call it).

There’s got to be a better mat out there, right? If you own a $20 one from a big-box store, the answer is almost certainly yes. Yoga mats, like cars, come in different models, and the Manduka PROlite is basically the Rolls-Royce. It’s perfectly padded without being too cushy (say good-bye to sore joints) and has just the right amount of grip.

The PROlite does come with a hefty price tag (the standard version will set you back $80). But we think it’s worth every penny. Yoga on the Manduka mat is completely pain free, making us want to practice even more. And with ample padding, it’s equally great for Pilates or general stretching. The best news? PROlite comes with a lifetime warranty, so if it wears out, you can easily get a replacement (no questions asked). Anonymity—that’s one way to keep us feeling zen.

I Want This! $80.00

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These "Bad" Changes to Your Body (and Weight) Are Perfectly Normal

Your body is in a never-ending state of burning, stoking, fueling, respirating, healing, aging, detoxing, eliminating, growing, cycling, and consuming. It will never be stagnant. There is no end point, ever, until you die. (And actually not even then, because you'll start to decompose!)

These daily fluctuations might be subtle, but that doesn't mean they're not happening. By denying or resisting your own transitory nature, you will make yourself utterly miserable.

Most of us do pick up on these changes, whether we're tuned into them every second or every few days. (How many times have you been guilty of muttering, "I feel so fat today" to your best friend?)

Acknowledging them is not only okay, it's normal. Society likes to make women out as "crazy" for having feelings, intuition, and sensitivity. We're judged by standards that were never meant for us, thanks to the patriarchy and our sexually repressed Anglo-Saxon foundation.

Guess what? "Sensitivity" just means we have the gift of being able to pick up on subtle sh*t. If someone calls you "too sensitive," what they really mean "you're making me feel crazy because I can't see the subtle things you see, and I don't like that."

Immediately let go of any narrative you've been clinging to that your emotions or ability to perceive things make you crazy. They don't.

If you desperately crave arrival at an end point, where you can finally rest from the exhausting pursuit of your body's perfection, it's time to let that go.

A problem arises, however, when you become deeply attached to only one part of your body's total experience. When your body isn't in the one exact state you are attached to, you might feel shame, anger, or sadness. Maybe you feel like you should look and feel a certain way all the time.

If you desperately crave arrival at an end point, where you can finally rest from the exhausting pursuit of your body's perfection, then it's time to let that go. There is no such end point. The only way you can rest is by letting go of the attachment.

How to do that? By realizing that these fluctuations are a very normal—healthy even—part of existing in a human body. Let's take a look at a handful of changes your body might go through on a daily basis that could trigger attachment anxiety.

Water Rentention

On a Thursday you look in the mirror. You've been eating well since Sunday, crushing your workouts, and getting lots of sleep all week. You look at your naked body and think, God, yes! I look awesome. Then you put on something hot and go out to happy hour for margaritas and Mexican food.

You wake up on Friday morning to find a bloated hippopotamus looking back at you in the mirror. If you weighed yourself, you might even be up three to five pounds from the night before.

Now, let's look at the facts here. Did you gain a bunch of fat since yesterday? No, that's impossible. Is it all in your head? No, because as we've established already, you're not a crazy person. (You have a female superpower. You pick up on subtle changes.)

So what caused this overnight change? Water retention. Due to some awesome chemistry between salt, water, carbs, and even alcohol, your body can either be holding a little water or a lot.

Bodybuilders and fitness models manipulate the way their bodies hold water in order to "peak," which just means they get as dehydrated and "dry" as possible for a very temporary appearance of maximum leanness.

The "water pills" and diuretics that are sold over the counter create a similar effect. The results of a dedicated peaking protocol, which have nothing to do with fat, are dramatic. You can go from pretty lean to "holy sh*t, I'm shredded" just by playing with water retention. However, it's extremely temporary, and in many cases, it's also wildly unhealthy.

At some point in your life, you may have accidentally "peaked." In my example above, you might have felt de-puffed on Thursday night thanks to a week of drinking lots of water, sweaty workouts, and eating low-sodium and low-carb home-cooked dinners. By attaching your happiness to this one small part of the experience, of having a body in which you retain very little water, you set yourself up to feel awful the next day when it shifted again.

It's also worth mentioning here that the stress hormone cortisol causes you to hold water in a major way. So if you've been restful, sleeping a lot, and happy all week, your cortisol will be low, and therefore, so will your water-retention levels. This is one of the main reasons for that mysterious "vacation abs" phenomenon, when (despite eating whatever you want and not working out) your body looks inexplicably lean and sexy on vacation. If you hold a lot of water normally due to stress, suddenly being restful and joyful will bring about some fluctuations. Elevation, like traveling by plane, can also cause changes in water retention.

So what to do?

Stop worshipping one half of this cycle and condemning the other. There are certainly some habitual lifestyle factors worth considering and improving here, such as getting more sleep, lowering stress, drinking more water, and eating less processed foods. But water fluctuations are normal. Even someone who is super healthy will notice them from time to time. So find love for the puff.

Menstruation

Throughout each month, many women experience dramatic changes to their bodies, including water retention, breast size, density changes, digestive shifts, fatigue, cramping, bloating, and increased emotional sensitivity.

We've been taught to dread, hate, and medicate a huge chunk of these fluctuations, as though they were "getting in the way" of normal, natural life.

I believe this attitude stems from living in a world that does not accept or encourage women to be women. We used to be revered for our sensitivity during menstruation. Now we're told to take some Advil, discreetly use a tampon, and try not to cry at work.

I'm not saying you have to go all red tent society or anything, but when it comes to embracing and accepting your body's fluctuations, your body's monthly cycling is a damn good place to start.

How can you reframe those fluctuations as a gift? What if you consciously planned ahead for some quiet, restful, and emotionally honest time with yourself each month, instead of denying and condemning that part of the cycle?

Find love for the cycle. Find love for how it forces you to slow down or for the gift of heightened sensitivity. Loving yourself for three out of every four weeks is not love.

The Pump

Women who are new to strength training often tell me with great concern that they feel "big" right after a workout. They're afraid that means they're getting bulky, but really what they're experiencing is affectionately called "the pump" by gym rats.

When you train certain muscles a certain way, those muscles get super full of blood. The effect lasts a few hours to a few days, but it has nothing to do with fat or even muscle building. This is why guys do push-ups before they take their shirts off at the beach or whatever, and why bodybuilders do curls before stepping out onto the stage. It's not to add any muscle—that would be impossible. It's to pump the muscles they have full of blood, so they look bigger and fuller and tighter!

Remember that "big" and "small" are not measures of your worth, and that the pump comes from doing something healthy and empowering.

Just to reiterate here: You're not crazy. If your legs look swole after leg day or you can barely fit your shoulders into your jean jacket after a tough upper body workout, that's "the pump." Some muscles respond to it more than others, and some workouts cause it more than others. Arms and shoulders tend to be easy to pump up, and my friend Brett coined the term "party pump" for women who want to pump up just the glutes before going out. It's normal, temporary, and if you work out consistently, it's a big part of your body's day-to-day cycle.

My suggestion, of course, is to find love for the pump. Remember that "big" and "small" are not measures of your worth, and that the pump comes from doing something healthy and empowering.

Debunking the Myth of Flat Abs

Digestion fluctuates minute-to-minute, as well as day-to-day and week-to-week. Many women use their bellies to "check their progress" when it comes to getting in shape, which I vehemently oppose, because the belly fluctuates so much with non-fitness-related factors.

These photos were taken 30 seconds apart. The outside ones I'm breathing normal and relaxed, the inside one I'm flexing tight.

If you base your mood or worth on your progress, and you use your belly to check it, you tend to become an obsessively hyper-monitoring emotional disaster. You wake up with flat abs (because you're a little dehydrated and your bowels are empty.) You drink a huge glass of water, and now they're not as flat. You freak out and avoid eating breakfast until it's flat again. You give in when you're really hungry, and after breakfast, your belly is kinda round and sticking out, and you feel like you messed up. You get busy with your day and wait a long time for a late lunch. Your abs are flat again, and you're happy! You eat a salad. Now your belly sticks out again. You're miserable and start googling to find out if your salad had any gluten in it. This is madness.

There is a misconception that bellies are always supposed to be flat. They're not. Very empty, very dehydrated bellies are flat. Bellies following a colonic or bowel movement might be flat. Flexed bellies are flatter than relaxed bellies. But it's meant to fluctuate! We're meant to relax and breathe deeply and let our bellies round and expand as we inhale. We're meant to make space for food and water by letting our bellies stick out a bit. Abs are awesome, and flexing is fun, and food intolerances totally exist, but bellies are not all supposed to be flat and tight. Let go of your attachment to that idea, please.

There is a misconception that bellies are always supposed to be flat.

Consider also that a soft and round belly is sexy and feminine! A woman who is truly comfortable in her body, relaxed and breathing deeply, is also going to be extremely present and "in her body." For this reason, she'll be radiant, receptive, feminine, sexy, and her belly will be soft and expansive.

Holding your muscles tightly, breathing shallowly, and thinking about how you look to others takes you out of the moment and away from your own experience. The gorgeous lounging maidens in classic paintings knew what was up: Our bellies are supposed to be soft with us.

How to Embrace Fluctuations

1. Acknowledge and validate your experience to yourself. Accept the moment as it is, by acknowledging it's truth. You're sensitive to subtle changes, and that includes the subtle changes happening in your body. You're not crazy, and what you're going through is totally normal.

2. Next, identify the lesson, growth opportunity, gift, or higher purpose to each part of a fluctuation you struggle to embrace. Assign meaning to whatever bothers you, and then give thanks for that meaning. This might require some conscious reframing. For example, you might reframe your puffy days as opportunities to grow more confident in who you are on the inside and let go of perfectionism and control on the outside.

3. Finally, see if you can find gratitude for the lesson, gift, or meaning you've just found for this experience.

Any time you find yourself rejecting, denying, or resisting part of any cycle or fluctuation, return to these steps and repeat them: Acknowledge and validate your experience, search for the gift, and find gratitude.

This article originally appeared on Remodel Fitness and was republished with the author's permission. Jessi Kneeland is a New York City-based certified personal trainer, strength coach, fitness writer, and founder of Remodel Fitness. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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7 Healthier Scone Recipes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Painless Ways Of Losing Weight

It might be hard for you to lose those excess pounds. But with proper guidance from experts, you can certainly get the body you want.

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These 8 Types of Foods Make You Fat and Gain Weight

Discover what is causing you to gain weight. They may be marketed as healthy, but in reality they are not. Avoid them to get healthy and slim body.

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7 Ridiculously Easy Steps to Permanent Weight Loss

7 step process to lose weight, look good and feel great. Simple and effective approach to live a healthy life.

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Top 4 Myths of Coconut Oil: What Is the Truth?

Coconut oil's popularity is increasing day by day. Whilst there are many articles and statements in the web claiming this product to be one of the miraculous foods available today, there are still those who beg the different. In this midst of arguments and discussions, myths are born, some true and some false. These myths have become so popular that, people believe each and every one of them, even if it is a false one. Therefore, to prepare ourselves better, we need to search for the truth and this article aims to achieve just that.

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This Video Shows How Exercise Can Change Your Entire Outlook

There's no shortage of motivating weight-loss videos, but this one is seriously awesome. For Adonis Hill (the same guy who just gained 70 pounds to lose weight alongside his client), strength training did much more than help him get in shape. In this incredible short film called The Lift, Hill narrates his journey from depressed, overweight 25-year-old to inspirational trainer, reminding us that lifting is about building mental strength too. The video features everyday men and women killing it in their workouts and some kick-ass quotes from Hill.

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Encouragement to Go From Fat to Fit

Many people write about how to lose weight and what you need to eat and how you should exercise. I am going to focus more on the issue of getting yourself to become motivated to lose that weight. This is an article that focuses on encouraging people who are overweight to have the motivation to keep going to reach their goals in losing weight.

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This Video Shows the Best Ways to Prevent Pimples

Ah, pimples. The ultimate unwelcome guests. As this video from asapSCIENCE explains, whiteheads pop up when our pores—which are really just hair follicles—get clogged with dead skin cells and oils (nature's moisturizer!). The healthy oil gets trapped under all this gunk, our immune system responds by sending blood to the area, and ta-da, a shiny bump is formed.

Washing your face helps prevent typical breakouts, but it doesn't stop serious acne. There may be a cure in our future, though. Researchers realized that people with healthy skin still have acne-causing bacteria on their face—it's just a slightly different strain. If scientists can figure out how to alter the bacteria on our skin to be the healthy strain, we may be looking at a legit cure for pimples. Go science!

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Is It Normal to Shed This Much?

Shedding is a natural process that happens to everyone, but losing hair can be quite scary. And let’s be honest, not everyone who loses hair will end up looking like a movie star (take Vin Diesel—have you seen the man’s muscles?). So how much shedding is considered "normal," and when should we start worrying?

The Need-to-Know

Most people have about 100,000 hairs on their heads and lose around 100 to 125 hairs per day (imagine trying to count each one). Alopecia, the medical term for normal hair loss, occurs because scalp hair grows in cycles. Each hair follicle undergoes a growth stage that lasts two to eight years, followed by a two-month resting stage where no growth occurs. Then, the hair strand falls out and a new one begins to grow in its place.

For a healthy person, this means between 80 and 90 percent of hair follicles are growing hair at one time, while the rest of the follicles are resting or shedding. Losing more than that? Something could be wrong. When the loss exceeds 125 hairs per day, it’s no longer just considered "shedding." It could be a condition called "telogen effluvium," when something pushes more hairs into the resting phase, says Adriana Schmidt, M.D., a dermatologist at Santa Monica Dermatology Medical Group. There are plenty of reasons for it, though—and the good news is they’re usually reversible (hooray!).

Ever been stressed enough to pull hair out? Well, there may be some truth to that—physical and emotional stress can contribute to excessive hair loss.¹ Other reasons include lifestyle upsets and changes in diet. Antidepressants, anti-acne prescriptions, and some forms of birth control can also temporarily disrupt hair’s growth cycle.

Your Action Plan

First off, try to stay calm—stressing over hair loss can frustratingly lead to more of it (haha! Bodies.) Schmidt reccomends taking "the hair-pull test" to figure out if it's worth heading in to see your derm: Grab about 40 hairs an inch from your scalp with your thumb and forefinger, and tug the hair hard enough to pull up your scalp and slide your fingers all along the shaft to the end. Count the number of hairs that fall out, and if there's more than six in your hand, something could be up. You could also try collecting the hairs you lose in a day, Schmidt says, but you might feel significantly more crazy.

Otherwise, try these DIY tricks to nix the hairfall. Since stress is a major cause of hair loss, it’s important to find time to relax and take a deep breath. To help manage it, try getting a massage (fine, alright, you've forced our hand), taking a nap, or getting some good ol’ exercise—never underestimate the power of endorphins! Some studies show a deficiency in iron may lead to excessive hair loss, particularly in women, so eating a balanced diet and boosting iron intake can also help ensure healthy hair.²

Basically, be good to hair, and it will be good back. Too much shampooing, heat-fueled styling, and chemical products can weaken hair and cause it to break off. And beware of the hairbrush too—excessive use can also result in increased shedding.³

On the other hand, shampooing hair less frequently can make shedding seem worse because it allows loose hair to build up and then all come out in the shower.⁴ Unfortunately, human hairs naturally thin with age (referred to as pattern baldness), and this loss is permanent (womp, womp). One half of all men begin to bald by the time they’re 30, and for females, pattern baldness can begin after menopause. But have no fear—we’re hearing the Trump look is coming back in style these days.

The Takeaway

Environmental factors, such as stress, surgery, medicine, and illnesses, can make it seem like your hair is departing en masse, but usually things will right themselves with time. If you're convinced something is terribly wrong, take the hair-pull test and head into your derm: It's better than living with anxiety that could keep the shedding at full strength.

Works Cited

1. Hair growth inhibition by psychoemotional stress: a mouse model for neural mechanisms in hair growth control. Peters EM, Arck PC, Paus R. Experimental dermatology, 2006, Mar.;15(1):0906-6705.
2. Low iron stores: a risk factor for excessive hair loss in non-menopausal women. Deloche C, Bastien P, Chadoutaud S. European journal of dermatology : EJD, 2007, Oct.;17(6):1167-1122.
3. The effect of brushing on hair loss in women. Kiderman A, Gur I, Ever-Hadani P. The Journal of dermatological treatment, 2009, Aug.;20(3):1471-1753.
4. Nutritional factors and hair loss. Rushton DH. Clinical and experimental dermatology, 2002, Oct.;27(5):0307-6938.

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Here's How Likely You Are to Get Pregnant Using the Pull-Out Method

We all know the basic concept of birth control. The purpose: Lower your risk of pregnancy by as much as humanly possible.

Of course, no form of contraception is foolproof. But if you put the condom on properly (and choose the right one), take your pill regularly, and generally use birth control correctly, your chances of getting knocked up are indeed significantly lower.

But not using any barrier (literal or hormonal) and just trusting he'll pull out before any of his swimmers have made their way out and upstream? Well, there’s a reason they call it “pull and pray.”

Yet a shocking number of women are relying on what is the contraceptive equivilant of keeping your fingers crossed. A new survey from Glow, a menstrual cycle tracking app, found that 18 percent of women use the withdrawal method as their primary form of birth control.

Other research suggests the number may be even higher: A 2013 study from Duke found that 31 percent of women have used pulling out as their primary form of contraception at least once, while the CDC estimates that 60 percent of women have done so. And that same Glow survey found that pulling out was the third most popular form of birth control—more than an IUD!

Is It Legit?

“People do think of this as being contraception—but it’s not,” says Lauren F. Streicher, M.D., clinical associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University and author of Sex Rx: Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever. Contraception, by definition, is a method used to prevent pregnancy, but pulling out has such a high failure rate, you can’t even really consider it a viable option, she argues.

But there are some perks: The pull-out method is free of hormones (strike one against the pill for many) and always available, no drugstore run required. Participants of the Glow survey said their top reasons for relying on it is that it feels the best and is the easiest contraception to use. And spermine, the compound found in sperm, is actually pretty good for your skin: It's believed to smooth out wrinkles and prevent acne.

But would you rather pay the price of a condom and a nice face cream or that of an unwanted pregnancy or a lifelong STD?

What the Stats Say

“Certainly in this country there are a huge number of unplanned pregnancies. In fact, almost 50 percent of pregnancies that occur are not planned,” Streicher explains. “But that’s because of failed contraception, not no contracepiton.”

According to Planned Parenthood, among couples who pull out perfectly every time (read: before any semen comes out), 4 percent of those women will become pregnant. Not too bad, right?

That’s in a perfect world, though. There’s another kind of failure rate, called the “actual” rate, that takes into account user error (in other words: not pulling out in time). Among couples who don’t time it perfectly, the actual failure rate for withdrawal is estimated to be around 25 percent.

That’s right: One in four times you have sex, relying solely on pulling out is likely to land you with a little one.

Condoms, meanwhile, have an actual failure rate of 18 percent, according to the CDC. Compare those numbers side by side and pulling out doesn’t seem that far off from rubbers. In fact, a 2014 study found that withdrawal is "about as effective as condoms" at preventing pregnancy.

But consider this: Typically a condom fails because guys don’t put it on until after intercourse starts or don’t put it on correctly, Streicher says. While you and your guy can’t control things like the condom breaking, most responsible adults can eliminate those two other reasons right away, making your personal actual failure rate much lower by using a condom than pulling out.

The Real Problem With Pulling Out

When you compare pulling out to the pill (only a 9 percent failure rate) or an IUD (less than a 1 percent failure rate), it seems crazy to take such a chance just to have the pleasure of sex without a condom. “Withdrawal is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to methods of not getting pregnant,” Streicher adds.

The failure rate is so high for two reasons: One, most people just don’t pull out fast enough, she explains. (It takes only one little swimmer, after all.) But even before a guy finishes, he typically releases pre-ejaculate—that clear fluid at the tip of the penis during an erection. When British researchers tested this stuff, one third of pre-ejaculate contained live sperm.¹ “The idea that anyone can pull out fast enough to prevent a pregancy is just not true, making withdrawal not an appropriate form of contraception,” Streicher emphasizes.

And pregnancy isn’t the only problem: “Withdrawal is in no way going to protect you from STDs—period,” Streicher explains. You’re exposing yourself both to those transferred from skin-to-skin contact, like herpes, as well as those spread through the semen, like gonorrhea and chlamydia.

The other risk? Having a general shitty sexual experience, Streicher says. “When you’re constantly worried about pulling out in time—or if the guy will pull out in time—that doesn’t make for satisfying sex,” she offers. And to top it all off, you have the post-coitus stress of not being 100 percent sure no sperm escaped or that you’ve exposed yourself to an STD.

So if it’s so risky, why the hell are there so many people relying on pull-and-pray to keep them baby free? In addition to theoretical ease of use and feeling good, “it’s a combination of someone not planning well—a lot of people pull out as a last resort if they weren’t planning on having sex but have no other contraception available—and wishful thinking that they’re going to be able to get away with it,” Streicher says.

And then there’s the old got-away-with-it-before reasoning. “But that’s playing with fire,” she adds. “If someone is doing pull-and-pray, they have to be fine with the consequences of getting pregnant. If an unplanned pregnancy would be catastrophic, then you have to get a more reliable method of birth control—plain and simple.”

Works Cited

1. Sperm content of pre-ejaculatory fluid. Killick, S., et al. Hum Fertil (Camb). 2011 Mar; 14(1): 48–52.

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Let's Talk About Our Moms and Our Body Issues

I have a history of binge eating disorder and have become an advocate for issues around disordered eating and body image, so I talk about this stuff a lot with my friends and colleagues. And every single time I talk to a friend, fellow body activist, or eating disorder advocate about our own stories of weight and food issues, the conversation always gets around to the topic of our moms. "Well, when I was 14, my mom told me I was getting big thighs..." or “My mom never let us have seconds because she said she didn’t want us to get fat…” or “My mom was constantly on a diet. I learned that that was the normal way to live.”

While our parents are not to blame for directly causing body image difficulties and eating disorders—there are a ton of factors, from societal norms and genetics to traumatic experiences and neurochemistry—research does show that what parents do and say can increase or decrease the risk that someone will end up eating disordered.

In one recent example, psychology researcher Jerica Berge, Ph.D., from the University of Minnesota, followed thousands of parents and their teenage kids and found that teens whose parents talked to them about food with a focus on their weight or size (e.g., “Don’t eat that—you’ll get fat!” or “Yikes, that’s super fattening”) were more likely to fall into body hate, extreme dieting, and eating disorders. People whose parents didn’t talk about size or weight, but just focused on healthfulness of foods, were less likely to have any body-image or eating problems.

Other studies have found that genes and epigenetics also play a role in setting a person up to develop anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or even the newly emerging diagnosis known as purging disorder, in which someone vomits, uses laxatives, or over-exercises to control weight, but doesn’t do the “binge” part like those with bulimia.

Hillary, a woman I interviewed for my book, Food: The Good Girl’s Drug, told me that her mom had always made little comments and observations about her weight that got stronger and more hurtful as Hillary got older and heavier. “She could never feel happy when she was fat, so I think she can’t understand how anyone else would," Hillary said. "I wish she could’ve told me that she’d love me no matter what weight I was and just wanted me to be happy and healthy.”

Recently, an email I got from a young reader broke my heart. The subject line: “Hi, I’m 16 years old and my mom is obsessed with my weight.” Ouch. As a mom of two little girls myself, and someone who's dealt with body image issues and an eating disorder, reading that teenager’s words made me want to cry—and then call her mom and be like, “Noooooooo! Hey, can we talk? I’ve got some great materials to share with you!” Of course, I didn’t. We all have to find our own ways.

Speaking of which, let me end on a bit of a hopeful note for the type of understanding that can grow between us and our moms, or us and our own kids (hopefully!). My mom had a part in my body and eating disorder journey too. But the fact is, most of our parents do the best they can with the information and experience they have at their disposal. My mom was taught that a woman’s value was all in her looks, so above all else, you had to be pretty to be loved and happy. She also believed that you had to be thin to be pretty. So, of course she wanted me to be thin! If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be happy—and what worse fate can a parent imagine for his or her child? (Not true, BTW.)

Anyhow, as I’ve recovered from binge eating disorder, and my body image and health have stabilized, my mother has learned with me. She now tries her absolute best not to focus on looks with my girls or her other grandkids, and (hardly ever) comments on people’s bodies or shapes in front of the kids. She also accepts me as I am, inside and out, and has become at least a little more accepting of herself. So, even if food and weight issues have poisoned parts of your own relationship with your parents, there’s hope. It takes open discussion, putting ourselves in each other’s shoes, and forgiveness.

And if you’re a parent who’s worried about passing your own food and body crap to your own kids, I feel you. As a mom of two little girls who, unfortunately, may have inherited my tweaked genes for body image and eating disorder risk, I’m passionate about reducing risk for the next generation, and building weight-neutral (read: health matters more than size), body-positive families. So during Eating Disorders Awareness Week this week (February 21-27) , feel free to tweet or email me to talk more, ask Qs, or just vent and share your own story. I’m around!

Sunny Sea Gold is Greatist’s body image columnist and the author of Food: The Good Girl’s Drug—How to Stop Using Food to Control Your Feelings (Berkley Books, 2011). A health journalist by trade and a mom of two little girls, she’s also an advocate and educator focused on reducing the rates of childhood obesity and eating disorders by building Body-Positive Families. Reach out to her at @SunnySeaGold.

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Why We’re So Bad at Communicating (and How to Fix It)

Have you ever left a conversation feeling like the person you're chatting with is living on another planet? This video from TED-Ed explains what the heck is going on when two people walk away with completely different interpretations of what happened (and if you fast-forward to the three-minute mark, you'll get some tips on how to avoid this mess).

Thinkof conversations like playing catch, except you've got a lump of clay, not a ball. Each time you say something— or toss the clay— the other person catches it and molds it based upon their own experiences and way of seeing the world.

Luckily, the video outlines a few easy steps you can take to avoid miscommunication:

1. Be an active listener: It sounds silly, but really pay attention so you can get a good read of what's going on.
2. Listen with your eyes, not just your ears: Pay attention to gestures, facial expressions, and emotions.
3. Try to understand: Put yourself in the other person's shoes, and take some time to really think about what they say before jumping to any conclusions.
4. Be aware of your own filters: Your background affects how you see the world. Don't assume that your beliefs are the only way to think.

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Do You Make These Mistakes With Your Weight Loss Program?

Today, I am going to point out a few common mistakes we make in our weight loss efforts. We put hard efforts, but do not understand where we are going wrong. Most of us have faced these challenges at some point of time.

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Does Taking Vitamin C Actually Help Prevent a Cold?

At the first signs of a cold, many of us pour a big glass of OJ on the assumption that loading up on vitamin C is a surefire way to kick just about any bug. Modern-age nose-blowers may also reach for “immunity boosters” like Airborne and Emergen-C to cure the sniffles. But does vitamin C—and the supplements that tout its benefits—really work to prevent (or cure) the common cold?

Out in the Cold—Why It Matters

Researchers have studied the role vitamin C plays in preventing and treating the common cold for more than 60 years. Most experts say there is still little proof that increasing vitamin C intake will help cut down on sick days.¹ Still, the research isn't conclusive. One study found that taking a daily vitamin C supplement reduced the frequency of catching a cold, while another discovered that it has an antihistamine effect that could reduce cold symptoms.²Another study found that vitamin C made a big difference in preventing colds in those exposed to brief periods of intense cold or extreme physical exercise (like skiers, military personnel, and marathon runners) but not the general population.¹ And a different study suggests that upping vitamin C intake could reduce the severity and duration of a cold—and hopefully erase the need for that economy-size tissue box.³

So it looks like some vitamin C, which is found naturally in superfoods like oranges, bell peppers, and strawberries, certainly won't do us any harm. But what about the massive doses found in products like Airborne and Emergen-C? Created by a schoolteacher in 1997, each tablet of Airborne contains 1,000 mg of vitamin C (equivalent to 11 glasses of OJ) along with zinc, vitamins A and E, selenium, and a blend of herbs including ginger and echinacea. Emergen-C also contains 1,000 mg of vitamin C (1,667 percent of the daily recommended value) and recommends users take it up to two times daily. Each serving also includes B vitamins, zinc, and electrolytes, which is why it claims to enhance energy (without the caffeine crash). While neither of them outright say they can prevent or cure colds (anymore!), the mega doses of vitamin C are generally the reason many cold-sufferers sniffle their way to the supplement aisle.

Too Much of a Good Thing?—The Answer/Debate

While there are no product-specific studies testing Airborne and Emergen-C’s effectiveness in preventing and treating the common cold, research that looks at ingredients like vitamin C and zinc can give us some insight into how well the products work. As we've shown, the research on vitamin C is mixed, though many professionals maintain that it's not an effective treatment.³ Research on zinc also remains pretty inconclusive: Multiple studies suggest that it is not effective at treating colds, though one study did conclude that it may be at high doses.⁴ Obviously more research is needed before anyone goes around touting zinc as the latest miracle cure.

So it looks like taking these immunity boosters is likely neither seriously beneficial nor harmful. But there are still a few things to consider before overdoing it on the fizzy drinks. Too much vitamin C, for example, can cause diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, and kidney stones (the National Institutes of Health suggest that adults consume no more than 2,000 mg of the vitamin each day).⁵

Similarly, too much vitamin A (which is often included in these immune boosters) might do more harm than good. In excess doses (defined by the NIH as more than 10,000 IU per day) can cause dizziness, nausea, headaches, coma, and (in rare cases) death. In other words, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. So when it comes to catching a bug, it’s probably best to save money on the hype and listen to the classic recommendations: get lots of sleep, keep your hands clean, and cook some chicken soup.

The Takeaway

While regularly consuming adequate amounts of vitamin C may help reduce the frequency of catching colds, there's little evidence that it can actually help prevent or treat sickness once it's already set in.

Originally published December 2011. Updated February 2016.

Works Cited

1. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Douglas RM, Hemilä H, Chalker E. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2007, Jul.;(3):1469-493X.
2. Antihistamine effect of supplemental ascorbic acid and neutrophil chemotaxis. Johnston CS, Martin LJ, Cai X. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 1992, Jun.;11(2):0731-5724. Effect of vitamin C on common cold: randomized controlled trial. Sasazuki S, Sasaki S, Tsubono Y. European journal of clinical nutrition, 2006, Apr.;60(1):0954-3007.
3. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Hemilä H, Chalker E. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2013, Jan.;1():1469-493X.
4. Intake of vitamin C and zinc and risk of common cold: a cohort study. Takkouche B, Regueira-Méndez C, García-Closas R. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.), 2002, Mar.;13(1):1044-3983. Zinc lozenges as cure for the common cold--a review and hypothesis. Eby GA. Medical hypotheses, 2009, Nov.;74(3):1532-2777. Zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of colds: a systematic review. Hemilä H. The open respiratory medicine journal, 2011, Jun.;5():1874-3064.
5. Ascorbic acid supplements and kidney stone incidence among men: a prospective study. Thomas LD, Elinder CG, Tiselius HG. JAMA internal medicine, 2013, Apr.;173(5):2168-6114.

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How to Write an Email That’s (Almost) Guaranteed a Reply

This Campaign Is How Everyone Should Be Talking About Beauty

What makes you beautiful? One Direction had a few answers. But that's beside the point—and so 2011. Now there's an awesome new campaign using the hashtag #WhatMakesMeBeautiful. The cool thing? The focus isn't on anything physical.

Project Heal, an organization that helps men and women who can't afford treatment for eating disorders, is asking people to complete the sentence "What makes me beautiful..." to raise awareness and support for National Eating Disorders Awareness Week on social media. The posts focus on attributes like happiness, kindness, a sense of humor, and even one woman's sweet dance moves. And they reminds us there are so many different ways to define beauty.

Check out some of the inspiring photos from the campaign below:

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This One Ritual Has Made Me So Much Happier

When my wife and I moved to New York City in 2001, recently graduated from college and newly married, we were eager to find friends. We knew nearly no one but were sure we'd soon find a fun-loving group like the 20- and 30-something New Yorkers who spontaneously dropped in on one another on TV shows like Seinfeld and Friends.

We hatched a plan. After moving into our Midtown Manhattan apartment, we invited all the neighbors over for drinks by placing Kinko's-printed quarter-sheets into everyone's mailboxes. Then, we waited for our versions of Chandler, Kramer, and Elaine to show up. But they didn't. In fact, no one did. As the ice in the cooler melted and the guacamole browned, not a single person among 100 apartments stopped by. Not. One. Person.

Recalling that episode now, we sound embarrassingly naïve. We didn't realize friendships in the real world worked nothing like the ones we had forged in our dormitories, let alone those we saw on television. Yet as it turns out, our desire to belong to a tight community was far from foolish.

Recent studies have shown a dearth of social interaction with people you care about and who care about you not only leads to loneliness, but is also linked to a range of harmful physical effects. In other words: A lack of close friendships may be hazardous to your health.

Dying for Friends

A 2010 meta-analysis reviewed 148 studies involving more than 300,000 participants and concluded that having weak social ties was as harmful to health as being an alcoholic and twice as harmful as obesity. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, co-author of the analysis, told Reuters, "A lack of social relationships was equivalent to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day."

A more recent study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found a biological response to loneliness that triggers disease. According to the researchers, social isolation sets off a cellular chain reaction that increases inflammation and suppresses the body's immune response.

Perhaps the most compelling evidence that friendships affect longevity comes from the ongoing Harvard Study of Adult Development. Since 1938, researchers have been following 724 men, tracking their physical health as well as social habits. Robert Waldinger, the study's current director, said in his recent TED Talk, "The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period." Socially disconnected people are, according to Waldinger, "less happy, their health declines earlier in midlife, their brain functioning declines sooner, and they live shorter lives than people who are not lonely."

Lest we think having 500 Facebook friends might offer some protection, Waldinger warns, "It's not just the number of friends you have… it's the quality of your close relationships that matters."

So what makes for a quality friendship? William Rawlins, a professor of interpersonal communications at Ohio University who studies the way people interact over the course of their lives, told The Atlantic that satisfying friendships need three things: somebody to talk to, someone to depend on, and someone to enjoy.

Finding someone to talk to, depend on, and enjoy comes naturally when we're young. In college, for example, we build strong bonds when nearly everyone around us is also searching for connection. But as we grow into adulthood, the model for how to maintain our friendships isn't clear. We graduate and go our separate ways, pursuing careers and starting lives miles apart from our best friends.

Suddenly, work obligations and ambitions trump buddies and brewskis. It becomes impossible to be spontaneous without planning for weeks, if not months, in advance. Once children enter the picture, exhilarating nights on the town become exhausted nights on the couch.

Friendships Starve to Death

Unfortunately, the less time we invest in people, the easier it is to make do without them, until one day it becomes too awkward to reconnect. Since we haven't spoken for so long, we think, where would we even begin? If we were still close friends, wouldn't we have spoken more by now?

This is how friendships die—they starve to death. But as the research reveals, by allowing those friendships to starve, we're also malnourishing our bodies.

Case in point: Several months ago, I found myself in a funk. I now live in San Francisco and whenever someone asked, "How are you?" my reply was the standard Silicon Valley yuppie salute, "Good! Super busy!" Yet this wasn't exactly true. I wasn't good.

To put things in perspective, I wasn't bad, either. Things were fine. By all measures, more than fine—I had a healthy family, a growing business, and interesting clients to work with. I'd recently published a book that became a Wall Street Journal best-seller, and if my social media stats were to be believed, I had plenty of friends and followers.

And yet, the funk. I soon identified the problem: The more professional opportunities that came my way, the more time I spent away from my real-life friends, the people I truly cared about. Maintaining friendships with people to talk to, depend on, and enjoy takes time.

As an undergraduate, I first heard the term "residual benefactor" in an economics class. A residual benefactor is the chump who gets whatever is left over when a company is liquidated—typically, not much. When we're not careful, the people we care about often become residual benefactors. We leave them for last, giving them whatever bits of time are left over after we've attended to everything else.

The Solution: The Kibbutz

If the food of friendship is time together, how do we make the time to ensure we're all fed? My friends and I have recently come across a way to keep each other close. It fits into our lifestyles despite busy schedules and a surfeit of children. We call it the "kibbutz."

In Hebrew, the word means "gathering," and for our gathering, four couples meet every two weeks to talk about one question—sort of like an interactive TED Talk over a picnic lunch. The question might range from a deep inquiry like, "What's one thing your parents taught you that you want to pass on to your children?" to a lighter, more practical question like, "How do you disconnect from your iPhone on weekends?"

Having a topic helps in two ways. First, it gets us past the small talk of sports and weather and helps us open up about stuff that actually matters. Second, it prevents the gender split that happens when couples convene in groups—men in one corner, women in another. The question of the day gets us all talking together.

Consistency and Stiff-Arming the Kids

Consistency is key. Every other week, rain or shine, the kibbutz is on our calendars. There's no back-and-forth emailing to find a time. We always meet at the same place, and each couple brings its own food so there's no prep or clean up. If one couple can't make it, no biggie; the others carry on the conversation.

What about the kids? In our group kids are welcome, but they don't run the show. Typically they play on their own, but if they interject, they're given a stern response that sounds something like, "I'm having a conversation with my friends because my friends are important to me. You're welcome to listen or join the conversation, but please don't interrupt unless it's an emergency."

We want our children to know that adult friendships matter. We don't want them to have to rely on TV to figure out how adults interact. By watching us, our children see that being a good friend means listening when others have something to share and not being distracted by anything else. That includes our cell phones, a football game, or even our own children (unless someone is bleeding).

The entire affair lasts about two hours, and I always leave the kibbutz with new ideas and insights. Most importantly, I feel closer to my friends. No, our group isn't as funny or spontaneous as the pseudo-New Yorkers I grew up watching on TV. But it turns out that fun wasn't what I was missing—it was authentic, caring friendships. Making time to invest in my most important relationships finally snapped me out of my funk and provided the psychological nourishment I didn't know I was missing.

Not only that, it turns out the time I spend with my friends is also an investment in my future health. Forget diets and the latest workout routines. The best medicine may be to gather your favorite people around a table and make a toast: "To friendship, and your health."

This article originally appeared on Nir and Far and was republished with the author's permission. Nir Eyal is the author of Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter and join his free newsletter.

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These Are the Most Annoying People at Every Gym

For many of us, the gym is a place for some alone time. Sure, we’re in a room full of sweaty strangers, but once we’ve got our headphones plugged in and our bumping beats turned up, we’re in our own little oasis. That is, if we didn’t pick the treadmill next to the karaoke singer, in front of the grunter, or within eyeshot of the couple that gets a little too touchy mid-workout. Then the bliss is ruined. At least we can all enjoy a good laugh seeing them on display in this over-the-top video.

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24 Awesome Cabbage Recipes You've Never Tried Before

5 Things You Need to Stop Apologizing For

The other afternoon I arrived a quiet bar in midtown New York. I sat alone and patiently waited for someone to take my order. One bartender was busy flirting with a customer. Another was laughing at his iPhone and watching what seemed to be the funniest (and longest) YouTube video in history.

As the minutes kept ticking by, I couldn't contain my desire for a glass of prosecco any longer. “Excuse me!” I exclaimed, causing the now-disgruntled bartender to look up from his phone and saunter my way.

“Yes?” he asked. (No “Sorry to keep you waiting.”) The next words out of my mouth: Instead of “May a see a menu?” or “A glass of prosecco, please,” I said, “So sorry, but can I please see your wine list?”

Sorry?! What was I sorry for? Asking for a drink? At a bar? I was mad with myself as soon as I said it. Why was I apologizing?

Are you like this too? You don’t have to (and shouldn't) be. Women in particular may be more likely to utter automatic apologies, it turns out. But while research shows women say sorry more often than men, it's not that men are more reluctant to apologize for mistakes: “It's just that they think they've done fewer things wrong,” the study author notes. Let's all take a page from their book.

Here are five situations when you should replace the unnecessary word with a much more empowering (and accurate) response.

Stop Apologizing For...

1. Getting in or out of a busy elevator/subway/restroom/changing room/fill-in-the-blank.

What are you sorry for, exactly? Having a physical body? Just get in or out with as little fuss as possible. Say "Excuse me" if need be, and if someone helps make it easier for you, smile and thank that person.

2. Making a request.

Do you need some advice, have some feedback, or have a question? Don’t say “So sorry to bother you, Jenny…” Just ask, “Hey Jenny, I have a question, do you have a few minutes this afternoon?”

3. Pausing.

Often when are in thought, we need to pause. That’s normal and acceptable. We do not need to fill a pause with an apology. Switch from, “This data shows us that… sorry… that we are on track for a solid Q2” to a simple, “This data shows us that [pause] we are on track for a solid Q2.” See how they feel different?

4. Not being available 24/7 (or not answering a text or call within 20 minutes).

The other day a friend chastised me for not responding to her texts. She texts me frequently, often with no call to action. Like most busy people, I don’t immediately reply to every text, email, call, or Instagram comment I get. My reflex was to say, “So sorry, my dear, I’ve been so jammed recently. How are things?” (And then unleash a long, probably fluffy text chain.)

Instead I said, “Hi my love, I have a few projects on the burner and really need to focus when working. Is there something you want to chat about? Xo.” My apology would have been insincere, so I neglected it on purpose.

Side note: It can be useful to “train” people in your life by not responding immediately to emails, calls, and texts. They'll get used to a wait period, putting less pressure on you to always be in immediate reactive mode. If you keep someone waiting for something important, you can also replace “Sorry for the delay!” with “Thanks so much for your patience!” This statement feels different.

5. Requesting what you deserve.

When asking for a raise, the biggest mistake people make is bringing a “Sorry I’m about to request this...” vibe to the meeting. What are you sorry for? Being a badass at work? I think not. It’s totally counterproductive and sets the opposite tone you need to create. Instead, approach the conversation with an “I love working here and am thrilled to contribute more great work in the future based on what we can work out in this room” type of attitude. You have nothing to be sorry about!

The Takeaway

Saying “sorry” is a reflex, but it doesn't need to be. In fact, its overuse dilutes its very powerful use when practiced in the right context. The need to be perceived as polite often unfairly usurps some of our basic rights—to simply be, to live, to receive. And yes—that includes being served an overpriced drink within 10 minutes at a hotel bar.

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Revenue Cycle Management Company

An ongoing challenge for all hospitals, revenue cycle management requires the use of technology to keep track of claims and address issues as and when they arise. It is fairly common for claims to be denied, denial management being an industry wide challenge. Efforts by healthcare facilities have not made much impact in the reduction of claim denials. Despite the recent announcements from CMS regarding the changes to the processing of ICD-10 coded claims for the first year, industry analysts feel that denials will further increase under ICD-10. However, according to a report by the Advisory Board Company, a research organization, the fact is that 90% of denials are preventable and nearly 60% of these are recoverable. In order to reduce their denials, healthcare facilities need to incorporate best practices that will drive down everyday denials, reduce back-office backlogs and change an unreliable revenue cycle. They also need to set systems in place that will ensure proper determining of patient insurance status, make sure that co-payments are collected and ensure that claims are coded correctly and meticulously. Here are some tips to help you reduce your claim denials.

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Targeting Rapid Fat Loss

Numerous weight loss products and diets promise rapid weight loss. The secret to rapid weight loss is in activating your metabolism, then fat just melts away. A slow metabolism is the last thing you want if you are going to burn fat quickly. You want to keep your metabolism burning hot all day everyday to get the optimum weight loss results.

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How To Lose Weight Fast By Focusing On Better Health

How to lose weight fast by focusing on being healthy. There are basically 2 ways to lose weight fast. To lose weight fast you will need to decrease your calorie intake or increase the rate at which your body is burning off the calories you consume. To lose weight fast you need to perform some type of activity that will burn more calories than your usual daily routine.

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6 Conversation Starters Better Than "What Do You Do?"

"Wow, it's cold out!" Yes, we know. We were outside too. But mention of the weather is almost unavoidable in small talk. "Medium talk" aims to get rid of those mostly meaningless conversations. There's no official definition, but the goal of medium talk is to walk away with something you'll actually remember about that person.

The art of conversation is complicated, especially at a time when a series of back and forth one-line texts can count as chatting, says Gail Saltz, M.D., a psychiatry professor at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Both Saltz and Michele Kerulis, Ph.D., a clinical psychology professor at Northwestern University, encourage people who struggle with social anxiety to have medium talk conversations. "Creating a sense of intimacy has to do with two things: sharing things that feel close to you and an exploration of value systems," Saltz says. When you upgrade to medium talk, you find out what's actually important to someone, rather than just a list of facts about their life.

Getting to medium talk can be as simple as putting a twist on a commonly asked question, as we saw on a recent "Ask Reddit" thread. (Instead of asking 'What's something you like?' opt for 'What's something you like that most people don't?')

"Young people ask 'What was your major?' but sometimes 'What do you wish your major had been?' can be more interesting conversation," says Christopher Willard, Psy.D., a practicing therapist. Similarly, 'What would you change about your job?' can be more interesting and revealing than 'What's your job?'

We've included some example questions below, but it's important to approach it with a bit of spontaneity too. Medium talk is about whatever conversation topic matters most to you, especially in a dating setting, Saltz says. "The best conversation topics are things that come from you, because they really matter to you," she says. "And that doesn't always have to be something concrete."

Your Medium Talk Starter Pack

1. What's something you could teach me about?
2. Would you encourage you own kids (or younger siblings/relatives) to go into your industry?
3. I need a good vacation. Have you been anywhere awesome lately?
4. What's something you want to try someday?
5. What was your first job?
6. What was your favorite moment last year?

(h/t The Science of Us)

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Top Tips for Preparing for Laser Spine Surgery

Laser spine surgery is a procedure that is now widely used to treat a number of back conditions, including sciatica, radiculopathy, annular tears, lumbar disc herniations and several more. It is particularly popular with patients as it is a minimally invasive procedure, and only local anaesthetic is required, differentiating it from other types of back surgery.

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Slim Fit Desired

Looking attractive is desired by both male and female alike. Happily, it is achievable by all if earnestly desired. With little effort on your part.

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6 Eye-Opening Ways To Learn To Eat Well For Life

Is it difficult to learn how to eat well for life? You can learn no matter how difficult it may be. The benefits of learning these skills will far out way the looming fear you may have of beginning this journey.

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29 Recipes That Prove Clean Eating Can Be Easy and Delicious

The Secret Of How To Lose Weight By Eating

Who can succeed with learning how to lose weight by eating? Learning how to eat properly will set anyone up for success and continued maintenance for a lifetime of healthy habits.

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Are Small Goals For Weight Loss The Next Big Thing?

Goals are important for weight loss, no matter how big or small. Without goals, you won't have a clear direction of what you want to accomplish.

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Services Provided By The Famous Makeup Artists

Makeup is an exceptionally critical element to get great looks. It is essentially a covering of the cosmetics that aides in hiding the flaws on the skin. These are applied on the skin with a specific end goal to get the stunning looks.

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Tips for Safely Storing Your Essential Oils

Many people enjoy creating their own natural health and beauty products, ranging from face creams and body butters right through to homemade treatments for various conditions. Some of the most vital products for these creation of these homemade items are extracts and essential oils, which often provide a number of benefits.

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5 Great Essential Oils to Keep at Home

Many people are familiar with the benefits that plant extracts and essential oils can have for both health and beauty. Whether it is concocting a beauty cream or instead formulating a remedy for a skin condition, these natural products have numerous benefits, and there are several worth having on hand; here are five of the best essential oils to invest in.

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