Check Out This 6-Year-Old’s Insane Dribbling Skills

We could barely tie our shoes in first grade, but 6-year-old Jaliyah Manuel isn't your average kid: She's a fitness sensation. This video of her performing insane dribbling skills while doing a one-hand plank or a split between two chairs is giving us some serious motivation. And we love her dedication! This girl means business, especially in our favorite part of the video where she says, "No days off, baby." Too cute.



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Should You Treat Bronchitis At Home Or Should You Go To A Doctor?

Bronchitis is an infection that affects the main airways present in the lungs. This makes the airways inflamed and irritated. The infection usually starts with a cough which brings up a lot of yellow colored mucus and it could be coupled with a sore throat or wheezing.

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Are You Looking For That Dramatic Weight Loss?

The article is about what I did to have dramatic weight loss. I know with information in this article you will have no problem shedding a few pounds.

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This Is How People With Down Syndrome See Themselves

What do you think when you see someone with Down syndrome? In this moving video celebrating World Down Syndrome Day, a teen with the disorder describes how she sees herself: She's a daughter, a sister, someone who laughs until she can't breathe, and someone who cries sometimes too. Olivia Wilde beautifully portrays the teen's story, but the most powerful moment is when the narrator, AnnaRose Rubright, appears on camera and asks, "How do you see me?"



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Why You Shouldn't Shave Your Pubic Hair

Fun fact: Humans are the only mammals with thick, coarse pubic hair. Most of us don't like keeping our bush au naturel, so we resort to shaving or waxing. But there's a reason pubic hair stuck around as we evolved: Scientists believe it traps pheromones and attract mates. Plus, it prevents friction when we get it on. Shaving or waxing can make skin itchy, red, and irritated—or, even worse, result in ingrown hairs or tiny tears where bacteria and STDs can enter. So if you're cool with it, there are some serious upsides to letting your pubic hair grow freely.



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What Your Period Might Reveal About Your Health

When it comes to the human body, hormones affect everything. From sleep cycles, moods, and sex drive, to appetite and even mental health, hormones are involved in virtually all of our physical and mental activities.

Yet hormones are hardly a primary component of the national conversation about health. Alisa Vitti, a women's health specialist, founder of FloLiving, and author of WomanCode, seeks to change that. We connected with Vitti to talk about hormones, health, and how you can change your health with food.

Paying Attention to Periods

How Monitoring Monthly Cycle Can Help Your Health "For so long women have brushed aside and failed to take seriously the symptoms that we attribute to our hormones, such as PMS, cramps, and acne,” Vitti says. Yet strong evidence points to the fact that hormones are important—for both men and women—at every stage of our lives.

Some of the most convincing evidence comes from a 2009 study that was funded by the NIH. The study yielded two primary findings: One, that women who experienced untreated hormonal issues—such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and infertility—prior to menopause were more likely to develop diseases of inflammation (such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer) later in life. And two, that women can improve their hormonal balance with diet and lifestyle changes.

Armed with this knowledge, Vitti is on a mission to “turn women on to how powerful their bodies are.” Instead of joking about crankiness and chocolate cravings at a certain time of the month, Vitti wants women to get in touch with their menstrual cycles—to figure out what's out of balance and how to make changes to improve overall health.

Getting Into the Flow

To that end, Vitti created the WomanCode System—an online platform designed to help women permanently balance their hormones via education, eating plans, personal counseling, and symptom tracking. (She also published a book by the same name.) The idea is to use the program to enhance standard medical care. “Every meal, every day, you need a system that’s going to help you succeed [in your health goals]," Vitti says.

The easiest way to learn about what’s going on with your body, according to Vitti, is simply to look before you flush. The color, consistency, flow, and timing of menstruation can all yield insight into your current state of health. Other markers of hormonal imbalances—many of which are considered par for the course for menstruating women—include breast tenderness, moodiness, acne, dandruff, constipation, eczema or rosacea, and changing energy levels.

Blocking Optimal Health

What Your Period Reveals About Your Health No surprise here, these issues are remarkably common. An estimated 85 percent of menstruating women experience at least one symptom of PMS each month, while approximately 10 percent of women in the U.S. struggle with infertility issues, and as many as one in 10 suffer from PCOS.

All told, Vitti says, more than 20 million women in the U.S. alone struggle with menstrual and other hormonal health issues. As Vitti sees it, these hormonal imbalances are caused by what she refers to as “flow blockers"—pesticides and chemicals in our foods, cosmetics, and home and work environments, which, according to some studies, have been linked to hormonal disruption.

Hormones are also affected by what we eat. “The primary function of the endocrine system [which relies on hormones for proper function] is to safeguard the transport of sugar throughout the body,” Vitti says. Thus she asserts it’s vital to maintain blood sugar stability. In some ways, the idea is nothing new: Experts have long advocated that people avoid blood sugar spikes and crashes, primarily by avoiding refined carbs. What's unique about Vitti’s approach is the special emphasis she places on the connection between blood sugar and hormonal balance.

Of course, stress also plays a role in hormonal activity. And while we can't always control external stressors, such as a job loss or family tragedy, Vitti is confident we can control internal stressors, such as blood sugar, exposure to pesticides, and lack of micronutrients, simply by refining our food choices. These choices can, in turn, promote a healthier hormonal cycle—which Vitti sees as essential to overall wellness.

Creating Cyclical Lifestyles

How Monitoring Monthly Cycle Can Help Your Health In addition to dietary changes, Vitti advocates establishing a lifestyle that meshes with the hormonal cycle. “The four-week menstrual cycle is a creation cycle,” Vitti says. Indeed, some research supports the idea that hormonal cycles are tied to creativity. Vitti views the follicular phase as a highly creative, idea-generating phase; during ovulation, women may excel at communication skills; during the luteal (or, loosely, the premenstrual) phase, focus may improve, providing energy for administrative tasks (e.g., organizing a shoe closet or finishing a project); and menstruation is a time for “evaluation and course correction.”

Rather than fighting against or powering through these phases, Vitti says people should (quite literally) surrender to the flow. She points out that no person (of any gender) can act exactly the same way every single day but rather experiences cyclical shifts in energy and focus. By observing these patterns, people can create optimized schedules that sync up with our energy and needs.

“Let’s figure out how our body is communicating data to us in real time every day so that we can kick ass in every area of our lives,” Vitti says. “That, for me, is what it is for a woman to get in the flow.”

The views expressed here belong exclusively to Alisa Vitti and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or thoughts of Greatist.

Originally published April 2013. Updated March 2016.



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How to Block Carbs and Burn Fat

Unhealthy eating habits are probably the most important cause of obesity or excess weight and related health problems. The modern lifestyle virtually revolves around fad-laden fast foods and sugary beverages. Those who respond to the wake-up call, try to lose weight by reducing their calorie intake and burning fat. Reducing calorie intake can be a bit tricky as your body may cling to slow metabolism or adjust to the changes in your diet. And most of all, controlling your diet requires lots of will power.

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How Mobile Apps Have Revolutionized Telemedicine

As telemedicine has evolved from a reality into a necessity, the role of mobile phone applications in connecting doctors to their patients in far flung areas has become inevitable. It does not come as a surprise either for smartphones have become an inescapable part of every person's life.

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Overview of Endoscopic Spine Surgery

Endoscopic spine surgery is a minimally invasive surgery that is done to your spine when you have pain that cannot be relieved using other types of treatments. A doctor will recommend this type of operation so that a patient can be rid of chronic pain that otherwise will not stop after medication, therapy, and other executed actions.

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Here's Why You Should Look at Health and Fitness As a Lifestyle Change

Wondering why fitness is really a lifestyle change? Well let's take a look at a recent exercise study that was conducted. The study concluded that exercise can assist people who would traditionally fail at quitting their smoking habit, find a way to eventually quit smoking. Yes, that is correct, exercise can be used as a vehicle to help an individual stop smoking. And here is the reason behind it.

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Incorporating Hydrosols in Aiding the Recovering of Post Microdermabrasion and Chemical Peeling

A client of mine, who was an impatient person, came to me one day to show her face redness and dryness, after the treatment of microdermabrasion and chemical peeling. In fact, it takes about a few days or so to return to the normal condition after that kind of treatment. Since she was requesting a quicker solution to the problem, I was tempted to use my professional knowledge to take this challenge.

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This Woman Makes Insanely Hard Strength Moves Look Effortless

Weight Loss - What Personal Trainers Won't Tell You About Fat Loss

Ever wonder what personal trainers know about fat loss that you don't? Are there a few hidden industry secrets they just aren't letting you in on, but you really need to know if you hope to see results from your workout plan? How can you take the next step and see faster results? There are a few secrets personal trainers often do keep to themselves - if they revealed them, maybe they would be out of business.

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An After-Work Yoga Flow to Relieve Stress

Even if you follow the best morning workout tips, sometimes an a.m. sweat session just isn't in the cards. Luckily, if you need to sleep in rather than work out, you've got other options.

This week's yoga routine is designed to be done after a long, stressful day. You'll start with a short meditation to help focus your mind, then move into soothing downward dogs, twists, and hip openers. After you've released the tension from head to toe, you'll finish with calming savasana. There are modifications for every level, so grab a yoga mat and press play to get started.

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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The Real Reason Airplane Food Tastes So Bad

Airplane food gets a bad rap (whatever you do, don't order the fish!), but it's partly your fault the meals are less than five star. As this video from SciShow explains, humidity, air pressure, smell, and even sound can all impact the way food tastes to you.

The double whammy of dry air and low pressure gives most people dry mouth and makes it harder to taste and smell flavors. But all hope isn't lost: While sweet and salty foods taste blander when you're flying, scientists have found that some flavors, like tomato, actually get bolder in the air. So now you have an excuse to order a Bloody Mary on your next flight.



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Why Taking a Coffee Break Makes You More Productive

Our morning cup of joe is usually just another rushed part of the day, but in many European countries, coffee breaks are a moment to hit the pause button and de-stress. Swedes, in particular, take a twice-daily respite (usually around 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) for coffee and snacks. It's such an ingrained ritual that they even have a name for it: fika. And it's likely a reason Sweden is one of the least-stressed countries.

Viveka Adelswärd, a professor at Linköping University, tells Quartz these breaks may actually make workers more productive by allowing them to socialize with one another and return to work more focused and relaxed. Unlike grabbing Starbucks while you scroll through emails on your phone, fika is a way to actually talk to your colleagues and leave everything work related behind, no multitasking allowed.

So take a few minutes to hang out with your coworkers—you'll probably get more work done anyway.

(h/t Quartz)



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We Wish Everyone Thought Eating Veggies Was This Hilarious!

YouTube is full of giggling baby videos, but we've had this one on repeat all day and just had to share. Plus, it features vegetables! Little Brooklyn can't get enough of the asparagus slipping out of her dad's mouth, and her hysterical cackle makes us laugh right along with her. If only everyone got this pumped about healthy eating.



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3 Things You Must Do To Take The Fear Out Of Your Dreams

Dream goals too scary! 3 Must Know facts to change that NOW! A new phase of your life starts tomorrow. It really does. Yet that can be extremely difficult to buy into when often it's more than tough to let of what happened in the past or even worked before in terms of reaching goals.

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How "Busy" Men and Women Stay in Shape

Perhaps you have a regular gym routine and good fitness habits during a normal workweek, but you completely fall off track when your career or family life gets hectic, time is crunched, and you're forced to work out somewhere other than the gym. At home, in the office, in a limited hotel gym, or even in a cramped hotel room, you feel like you can't work out.

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This Outdoor Blanket Fits Inside Your Back Pocket

Matador Pocket Blanket Matador Pocket Blanket

As the temperature creeps high enough that we only need a light jacket outside, we finally emerge from hibernation ready to explore the great outdoors. We’re game to be one with nature (meditating in the park, practicing yoga on the beach, or just reading a good book on the nearest patch of grass), so long as we don’t have bugs crawling all over us, and we leave without sand or mud on our backside.

We’re really low maintenance, we promise. We just need to remember to bring along the Matador Pocket Blanket. As the name suggests, this blanket is so compact you can fit it in your back pocket. It unfurls to about the dimensions of a twin bed, so it’s perfect for one and cozy for two.

The designers really thought of everything: It’s super light (just 3.5 ounces) but comes with weighted corners—so no need to worry about it flying away. And it's made from a durable, waterproof material that won’t puncture, no matter how many pebbles you accidentally lay on top of. When you’re done, remove any dirt with just a few shakes, then fold it up into a carrying case that’s the size of most wallets.



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7 Rich and Creamy Vegan Pasta Recipes

29 Habits You Need to Break Before Turning 30

Watching Elderly Runners Crush the 100-Meter Dash Will Make Your Day

It's pretty hard not to smile at videos of delightful seniors, but this clip of older athletes killing it at the Penn Relays, the longest running track meet in the U.S., has to be one of our favorites. The video is a bit long, but it had us grinning the whole time and ready to lace up our sneakers by the end of it.

If you don't have the full 10 minutes to watch, here are the best parts to fast-forward to:

  • 1:20: See Champ Goldy, a 98-year-old (!) runner, practice on the 100-meter strip of road he's marked out in front of his house.
  • 3:40: Watch Betty Leander train with her granddaughter. At 85, Leander is the first woman to compete in the over-75 category at the Penn Relays.
  • 7:06: Check out 87-year-old Ed Cox's race. His killer time makes him the second fastest in the world for his age group!


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This Is Why You Can’t Remember Being a Baby

Being a baby rocks. People coddle and fawn over you, and your day revolves around sleeping and eating. Too bad most of us don't remember those times because of a little thing called childhood amnesia. As this video from SciShow explains, we don't forget everything from our diaper days (that's when we learn to walk and talk after all). But we do forget specific events—what scientists call episodic memories—because it's a time when our brains produce new neurons at lightning speed, and our hippocampus (the area of our brain where these memories are stored) gets crowded, making it harder to store and recall things later.



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See How One Woman Is Removing the Stigma Around Scars

We're taught to hide our scars—both the physical and emotional kind—because they make others uncomfortable. Michelle Elman, a body confidence coach, knows this all too well. She felt ashamed of her body, especially her scars from 15 surgeries. Then one day last year, she got fed up and posted a photo of herself in a bikini on Instagram. Her post quickly went viral, and now she's back with a video in which she talks to others who have joined the #ScarredNotScared movement. Their struggles with scars and hopeful thoughts for the future give us all the feels.



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Telemedicine Services - Empowering Patients and Improving Lives

Want to know how telemedicine solutions work? They already have made it big in the healthcare industry. Read this content piece to know more.

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How to Lose Fat in 2016

Recognized as one of the greatest modern mysteries, how to lost fat is a question that plagues individuals across the world. Companies have recognized this desperation and have built a billion dollar business on it through the sale of diets that don't work and special exercises that do nothing more than cause muscle aches.

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Quickest Way to Lose Weight

If you are looking to lose weight, there is no escaping exercise. And, as important as it is to exercise, it is equally important to exercise at the right time. What has the time of the day got to do with exercise? Does it influence the number of calories you can burn?

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3 Hard-Working Men's Weight Loss Supplements That You Can Depend on

Do you still look bulky and shapeless despite your best efforts to shake off the fat? Perhaps, you're not taking the right supplements that can do wonders for you. For obese men who need to drop several kilos as fast as possible and sensibly too, here are some weight loss pills that can make you look slim and fit.

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This Is Why Food Makes Your Mouth Water

Ever walk into a restaurant or see food that's been left out at work and instantly start licking your lips? The mouthwatering sensation some people experience when they see or think about something delicious is actually a reflex—you can't control it. All it takes is a whiff or just the thought of food, and bam, you start to salivate. The only caveat is that you have to believe there's a chance you'll get to eat the food. So scrolling through your favorite food blogger's Instagram feed may make you hungry, but it won't be (literally) mouthwatering.



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A Healthy and Balanced Diet for a Fitter and Fabulous YOU!

Women are often heard complaining about hectic routines and the constant struggle to manage work and family life. The work pressures have increased alarmingly and the responsibility of running a house and taking care of a family is...

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See the Perfect Response to This Ridiculous Body-Shaming Ad

Wish Plus Size Shorts Ad

This listing (which has since been removed) for a pair of plus-size shorts from Wish has the Internet up in arms. As commenters have pointed out, the photo of a thin model wearing one leg of the shorts as a skirt is not only offensive, it's also not helpful to people who actually want to buy them.

Many people have called out Wish for its outrageous ad, but British fashion designer Christina Ashman's reply is our favorite:

Christina Ashman Skirt On One Leg

Ashman posted this photo next to the original listing on her Facebook page with the caption: "I don't have any formal qualifications in marketing, but if plus-size ladies buy shorts based on how one leg looks on a whole petite woman, then maybe smaller ladies will buy skirts based on how the whole thing looks on one pretty thunderous thigh."

Her in-your-face response to this upsetting ad made us laugh, but it's also an important reminder that we still have some serious work to do as a society.



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How To Lose 5 Pounds In a Week - The Simple and Healthy Way

How to lose 5 pounds in a week you ask? The rumor says that it's hard to lose weight. In actuality, you can learn how to lose 5 pounds in a week easily. Just follow a few simple rules, and you will see how possible it is to lose weight in a week.

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How to Determine Whether the Loss Is in Your Fat or Your Weight?

When you mount the dreaded scale and witness a wide difference between the previous and current weight, the emotional euphoria is indescribable. While some feel motivated to strive for more, others just drop off the regime, finding the weight loss 'enough for now'. But what you forget is that the weight you lost might not be from fat at all; instead you might have lost your body weight. Reducing weight via decrease in bone density and loss in muscular tissues instead of fat is unhealthy especially in the long term. For obese or overweight patients, any new workout regime or a different lifestyle might culminate in tremendous weight loss, predominantly from water loss in the body or initial fat loss. But the nearer you get to the ideal weight limit, the more concerning it gets to keep a check on whether your weight is being lost the right way.

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The Problem With Healthcare Records

In the U.S., the government is investing a great deal of money into transforming the country's medical system. A key part of this transformation is the conversion of medical records from paper to electronic records. On paper, this sounds like a great idea. Once CIOs have overseen the digitization of medical records, they can be easily exchanged between care providers. However, the reality of this transformation is turning out to be a bit harder than anyone thought it would be...

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34 Healthy Energy Bars You Can Make at Home

Top Fat Burning Foods That You Must Include in Your Diet!

Losing weight seems to top the list for nearly every one living under the sun. There is always a part of the body that is deemed the problem area and therefore, efforts are directed towards to resolving this problem area.

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3 Ways to Feel Better About Your Body Right Now

The other day, as I glanced in a floor-to-ceiling workout studio mirror while doing pelvic tilts on a yoga ball, a thought skittered across my mind: “Ugh—you’re disgusting.”

Let’s just say there was mucho jiggle going on, both in the belly and the bum. I’ve been a body image and eating disorders advocate for years now, and I was surprised and kind of horrified by that negative self-talk. I mean, how dare I? There I was, strengthening my transverse abdominis and creating healthy space in my lower spine, and all my brain wanted to do was bag on my looks? Not OK, inner mean girl, not OK.

The crazy thing was, the thought was so fleeting that I doubt that I would’ve even noticed it if I hadn’t just attended a lecture about body image given by Anne Poirier, the program director at Green Mountain at Fox Run, a non-diet mind/body wellness center in Ludlow, Vermont. In her talk, Anne had shared a metaphor about how negative reactions to our bodies become like well-worn pathways through a meadow of really tall grass. It’s easy and automatic to travel the same ground over and over—but to go in a different, kinder, and ultimately healthier direction, we have to make a conscious decision to wade out into the weeds and create a new path.

That can take awhile, of course, but in the meantime, here are three ways all of us can feel a little bit better about our bodies right frickin’ now.

Happy Woman Stretching in Field

1. Go work out.

A single exercise session makes women and men feel more attractive, despite the fact that their bodies haven’t changed at all, a meta-analysis of research done by the University of Florida, Gainesville found.1 The more often people exercised, the better they felt about their looks, no matter how long or how intensely they sweat it out. "You would think that if you become more fit that you would experience greater improvements in terms of body image, but that's not what we found," Heather Hausenblas, the study’s author, said in a press release. "It may be that the requirements to receive the psychological benefits of exercise, including those relating to body image, differ substantially from the physical benefits."

2. Listen to your heart(beat).

An interesting study done in 2013 showed that mindfulness of one’s own body—the kind that happens during a heartbeat meditation—can help people stop thinking of their bodies as objects, and therefore improve their body image.2 The researchers, from the University of London, asked young women to try to detect their own heartbeats simply by "listening" to their bodies, and found that the more accurate the women were, the less they reported caring about attractiveness and body measurements. Instead, they cared more about things such as health and energy levels. "There is a danger that some women can develop an excessive tendency to regard their bodies as 'objects,' while neglecting to value them from within, for their physical competence and health,” Manos Tsakiris, Ph.D., one of the study’s lead authors, said in a press release. “Women who 'self-objectify' in this way are vulnerable to eating disorders and a range of other clinical conditions such as depression and sexual dysfunction."

3. Change the conversation.

After noticing the harsh thought I’d had about my body in the exercise studio, I immediately tried something Anne Poirier had suggested during her talk: I replaced the negative comment with something else that was true about that area of my body. I looked at myself in the mirror again and silently said, “This gut has amazing intuition.” Then, “those hips have been chairs for your two babies!” (For those of you who don’t hold babies very often: When you hold a kid with one arm, they sort of sit on your hip. My husband and I call that part of my body my “baby shelf.”) I actually chuckled happily as I continued to pelvic tilt, feeling my belly pooch and oh-so-generous baby shelf move back and forth.

Until that moment in the studio, I didn’t believe that such simple “affirmations” could work. But boy, was I wrong. And the next time I catch a body-bashing thought coming into my head—no matter how fleeting—I’m going to combat it again, with the same kind of healthier, positive truths.

Works Cited

  1. Effects of exercise interventions on body image: a meta-analysis. Campbell A, Hausenblas HA. Journal of health psychology, 2009, Nov.;14(6):1359-1053.
  2. Body conscious? Interoceptive awareness, measured by heartbeat perception, is negatively correlated with self-objectification. Ainley V, Tsakiris M. PloS one, 2013, Feb.;8(2):1932-6203.


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What Really Happens When You Swallow Gum?

Our parents invented some pretty wild stories to prevent us from swallowing things we weren't supposed to. Now that we're older (and wiser), we know watermelon seeds won’t actually sprout a tree in our stomach. But what about the tales of gum sticking around in our digestive tract for years?

The Sticky Situation

Is Swallowing Gum Bad For You?

Gum has been around for a long time. Thousands of years ago, during the neolithic period, people chewed on birch bark tar (yum!), which actually kept their gums healthy. Fast-forward to the 1860s, when gum—made from chicle, a form of tree sap—first arrived in the U.S. When manufacturers realized the number of trees they could tap was limited, they started making gum out of rubber. Yes, the gum we chew today is completely synthetic, so it's no wonder our bodies have trouble digesting it.

“Your gut can handle all kinds of things like carbs and proteins because it has special enzymes to break them down into molecules,” says Mark Larson, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic. “But your stomach’s digestive enzymes can’t break down the rubbery substance found in chewing gum.” So your body breaks down the sugar and other flavoring in gum, but the actual rubbery substance goes straight through your system. In other words, it kindly exits your body via your poop.

And that gum doesn't spend years just chilling in your digestive tract, says Anish Sheth, M.D., a gastroenterologist and author of What’s Your Poo Telling You? Everyone’s transit time is different, but gum should pass through your system in three days, just like any other insoluble fiber (like a corn kernel).

So go ahead and swallow it—Larson says he's been doing so his entire life. “I just hate the idea of taking it out and putting it somewhere,” he says. “And I know it’s safe, so it’s just something I’ve always done.”

But there must be some reason parents tell their kids not to swallow gum, right? “The concern with kids is that they may develop a bezoar, which is essentially a large wad of gum that would block the digestive tract,” Sheth says. This is especially important since kids’ digestive tracts are smaller than adults. Kids would have to swallow a lot of gum (likely packs) for this to happen, but both doctors we spoke with said it's best for parents to play it safe, especially since gum can be a choking hazard for younger children.

Kids aside, there is also a risk associated with swallowing gum for people who have preexisting stomach problems. “If someone’s stomach isn’t working properly to begin with, they have stomach emptying problems, or they’ve had intestinal blockage in the past, swallowing multiple pieces a day could cause a problem,” Sheth says.

The Takeaway

When it comes to swallowing gum, Sheth says there are two important things to consider: quantity and size. For most adults, downing a stick of gum per day shouldn't be an issue. You also need to think about the size of your digestive tract. If you have kids (or younger relatives), you should err on the side of caution and tell them swallowing gum is a no-no (at least for now).



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This Insane Trailer Is Like "Toy Story” but With Food (and Swearing)

The slightly NSFW trailer for Sausage Party, an animated movie with a star-studded cast (Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, and James Franco, to name a few), made us chuckle but also left us a little confused. The clip starts off like Toy Story, but instead of action figures coming to life, it's food. And these groceries are in for a rude awakening when they find out what happens in the kitchen.

We were somewhat horrified by the ridiculous scene in which fruits and veggies watch their potato friend (with an Irish accent, of course) get pared. But the trailer also made us think a little more about what we eat. (Watching anthropomorphized produce being peeled, boiled, and munched on isn't exactly appetizing.) We're not totally sure how groceries rising up against evil home chefs is a feature-length film, but we're excited to find out.



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These Helpful Graphics Show You How to Pick the Best Produce

These days you can get avocados and melons all year round (even when it's snowing outside!), but that doesn’t mean they taste great.

Vox published a set of super-helpful graphics (check 'em out below) that show what to look for to find the best fruits and veggies. The secret? Use all five senses. Yes, even sound. Artichokes, for example, squeak when they're fresh. And don't worry about finding perfectly shaped produce: A vibrant color, smaller size, and intact stem are better indicators of flavorful fruits and veggies.

Another pro tip: Saturday is the best day for shopping. Stores know this is a popular day to buy groceries, so they make sure lots of fresh produce is available.

Here are a few of Vox's handy guides:

fresh strawberries Photo: Vox fresh carrots Photo: Vox fresh asparagus Photo: Vox


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Who Is A Family Doctor?

Family medicine is dedicated to providing care for all ages and the specialist is either a family doctor or physician. It is a holistic specialty that focuses on the family. It is also a division of primary care that continually provides inclusive health care for individuals and families in all ages, genders, ailments and for all body organs.

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This Is Why People Are Obsessed With Pimple-Popping Videos

The camera is zoomed in on the nose of a man identified as Mr. Wilson. From this angle it looks more like a sandy mound with peaks and valleys speckled with dark spots. Those spots are blackheads, and soon the hands of Sandra Lee., M.D.—better known as Dr. Pimple Popper—appear on screen. She’s holding a comedone extractor, and as she slowly presses it onto the blackheads, white puss oozes out.

The video has more than 7 million views, and the Dr. Pimple Popper channel has nearly a million subscribers. While some people shudder at the thought of watching explosive cysts and massive blackheads, it’s clear Lee and her zit-popping videos have struck a chord with a corner of the Internet. And the experts we talked to agreed: Some of us are hardwired to love this kind of stuff.

"There's some level of fascination with things we don't really experience," says Alex Skolnick, Ph.D., a psychology professor who specializes in the emotion of disgust. "A lot of people wouldn't actually pop their own pimples, but watching someone else do it is a way to accommodate this gross experience into your mindset."

Still cringing at the thought of the videos? Skolnick's research has found that people tend to be either low disgust (meaning you're not grossed out by that much) or high disgust. We don't know why people fall into one camp or another, but it's pretty unlikely you'll go from despising these types of videos to watching them on repeat.

There's also a reason we can't easily forget pimple-popping videos (besides the ick factor). "Visual memory in particular is very salient for humans," Skolnick says. "It's the same thing with odors. I bet if we could send each other nasty odors online, we would."

Dermatologists like A. Yasmine Kirkorian, M.D., see these videos as a good thing if they allow people to get their fix without popping their own pimples. "There is a misconception that popping a pimple makes it go away," she says. "What many people who have popped their pimples know is that you can often actually make the pimple worse and turn it into a cyst."

Lee is a certified dermatologist who uses sterilized instruments in her videos, but most people trying it at home aren't wearing gloves and may have dirt on their hands, which can infect the pimples.

Even though dermatologists tell you to steer clear from at-home pimple popping, they know patients still do. But the better route (if good old soap and water doesn't work) is to opt for over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide gels or overnight creams to dry your pimples out, says Nazanin Saedi, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist. You can also put a drop of Visine on your skin to ease redness (it works the same way it does on your eyes!).



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Accountability: Tips for Weight Loss Success

Accountability is key to fitness success. This article briefly discusses 4 tips for busy men and women to keep themselves accountable. Stay accountable and you are more likely to reach your health and fitness goals.

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These Funny Period Videos Will Make You Glad You Live in 2016

With period underwear ads plastered on New York subways and companies offering paid menstrual leave, periods aren't as taboo as they used to be. Period Piece is here to remind us that it's pretty great being an ovulating woman in 2016 (minus the tampon tax, of course). The humorous video series explores menstruation throughout history—from proper Victorian women cursing their cramps to 1920s Brooklynites shyly purchasing pads—showing the struggles and superstitions surrounding it.

Here are more of our favorite Period Piece videos:



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FAQs and Myths Solved on Eyelash Extensions

Eyelash extensions are something that is gaining its place in the hearts of the modern fashion-conscious women. They are false extensions that are glued to your natural eyelashes giving your eyes a fuller look and thus making you look prettier.

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Healthcare Technology: It's No More Just Appointment Management - Apps for Doctors Are Taking Over

Mobile apps for doctors have emerged as a major technological breakthrough and are the raging trend in the healthcare industry. The solid IT infrastructure in the country has contributed significantly towards this boom in the use of mobile apps for healthcare provision.

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How to Increase the Calories Burned While Sleeping?

With the world gearing towards a holistic approach to losing weight and keeping fat from creeping into their bodies, calories have become an essential tool to measure the amount of food that goes into one's body. Essentially, everyone is looking for ways in which they can burn maximum calories without having to lower their calorie intake and still burn fat. You may not realize it, but it is not just possible to burn calories during the day when you're active, but you can also do so in your sleep and consistently burn fat throughout the day and the night.

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25 Things About Life I Wish I Had Known 10 Years Ago

The Best Stability Ball Moves for a Strong Core

Here's Why You Don't Always Need to "Be Yourself"

"Be yourself." You hear it all the time. But are we really meant to be ourselves, all of the time? What about on a first date? A job interview? When you have a meeting with an intimidating manager or client, or lunch with your in-laws?

Being yourself can get confusing—and it's not always possible. As an energetic extrovert, I love new social encounters but have to tweak my style often. I have to gauge when I can truly “be myself” versus when I need to tone it down and show a more conservative side.

On the other hand, I coach a lot of introverts on how to dial their personality up and how to decide exactly when they need to. (If you're more of a quiet type, check out the introvert's guide to owning any social situation before your next big event.)

However, there's no rule book for figuring out how much of your true self to reveal on a day-to-day basis (if only!). We only have our common sense to judge which version to present in any scenario.

Below are five tips for putting this popular yet fuzzy advice into action.

Friends at a Bar

1. Get to know the many facets of your “self.”

Some days you will be more upbeat than others. Some days you will feel more confident than others. Some days more subdued, and others more excitable. This is a good thing: It gives us great flexibility to amp up certain elements of ourselves when appropriate—like letting our fun-loving side out at a bar with more exuberant colleagues, then dialing it down at a dinner party with the boss.

You are a beautifully unique, complex individual with many different aspects to your personality. Allowing your full spectrum to exist matters. This is what makes the world is so interesting and colorful.

2. Accept your personality traits.

Most people know if they are introverted, extroverted, or an ambivert (which is a blend of the two). Give yourself permission to own this and know when you either need alone time, or more time with other people, to fuel your soul. No one way of being is superior to another.

Knowing who you are simply puts you in a position to make choices that complement your preferences. While an extrovert may thrive by filling up their social calendar, an introvert might benefit from prioritizing some nights in to Netflix and chill. Both are awesome!

3. Being yourself also means being appropriate and respectful.

Don’t let your personality type be an excuse for not making an effort. Maturity means taking stock of the situation you are in and making others around you feel comfortable. For example, if an introvert is at an important networking event, speaking to the one person they know in the corner all evening may appear rude to the host or planner. An extrovert may piss people off by being the loudest or most outspoken person at a gathering where the focus is on someone else’s birthday or engagement. If you are unsure, ask yourself, “Which is the coolest and kindest version of myself to be right now?”

4. Never be who you're not.

As mentioned in point one, everyone's personality contains a variety of aspects. However, you should never have to try to be someone you're not or go against your personal values or authentic self.

So you don’t want to smoke, go skiing, or hit up a nightclub this weekend? Then don't. You don’t have to do something just because that’s what your friends are doing. People respect those who are authentic to who they are. And you should appreciate yourself for making your desires the priority that they deserve to be.

5. Give yourself a break!

Life is a journey of becoming the highest version of who you are, and no one gets it right every time. We all have bratty moments. We all have generous moments. We all go through ups and downs and experience scary new encounters.

But you can always come back to who you are, because your true essence never wavers. In moments of fear or uncertainty, give yourself a gentle nudge and say, “I’m enough no matter what. So which 'myself' is the most suitable and loving to be right now?”

And rock being that.

Susie Moore is Greatist’s life coach columnist and a confidence coach in New York City. Sign up for her free weekly wellness tips on her website and check back every Tuesday for her latest column!



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29 Delicious Grain Bowls That Make Dinner a No-Brainer

Why Dietary Supplements Are a Waste of Your Money

Dietary supplements can seem pretty attractive. (You mean all I have to do to stay healthy is pop a multivitamin?) But researchers say they're a waste of money. As this story from Vox shows, dietary supplements promise a slew of health benefits (weight loss, improved digestion, clearer skin), but study after study has found that these claims are exaggerated. Another problem? There's little government oversight, so you can't be sure exactly what's in each pill. Vox found that more than 850 supplement products contained illegal ingredients or ones not listed on the bottle.

The takeaway: If your doctor tells you to take a supplement for a specific deficiency, go right ahead. The rest of us should focus on eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet instead. To check out Vox's in-depth investigation, click the button below.



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6 Foods for Your Fat Loss Diet

There is no quick shortcut to the sort of fat loss that will last over the long haul. However, adding the foods on this list will also get you where you want to go in terms of a speedier metabolism. Take this with you when you go to the grocery store.

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Here’s How Much Processed Food You’re Eating (and Why It Matters)

Processed food is a bad-for-you buzzword we hear all the time, but ultraprocessed is what we really need to worry about. Especially since a new study found that ultraprocessed foods make up more than half our daily calories and account for 90 percent of the added sugar we consume.

The "ultra" distinction is important because some healthy foods, such as Greek yogurt, multigrain bread, and frozen peas, are considered processed. Ultraprocessed foods, on the other hand, have added flavors, colors, or sweeteners.

The new U.S. dietary guidelines recommend that fewer than 10 percent of the calories we consume come from added sugars, but the participants in this study averaged closer to 14 percent. Added sugar typically gets broken down faster than the kind that naturally occurs in foods like fruit, so it leaves you hungry and wanting even more of the sweet stuff—a vicious cycle.

Everyone's diet is different, but here's an easy way to lower the amount of ultraprocessed foods and added sugars in your diet: Limit (or totally cut out) the number of sodas and sugary drinks you consume. They're packing a lot more sugar than you think!

(h/t The Atlantic)



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3 Reasons Your Primary Physician Will Not Attend Your Car Crash Injuries

After you have sustained a car crash, your general physician might deny you medical help for many reasons. But, that should not make you feel helpless. Know how to deal with this situation.

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10 Benefits of Online Makeup Tutorials

When it comes to finding a new makeup look for school or work, more and more people are turning to online gurus in order to get the latest and most exciting tips on how to do their makeup. Indeed, there are so many advantages to going online for makeup tutorials that this is one trend that does not seem like it is going to slow down anytime soon.

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A Brief Discussion of Common Incontinence Aids

Urinary catheters are small, flexible tubes used for collecting urine from the body. The condom catheter is used for the same purpose, but unlike all other catheter types, they are not inserted into the user's urethra. Doctors usually recommend these external units to individuals who need to use a catheter only for a short span of time.

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We’re Super Disappointed This "Racy" Ad Was Banned From TV

We love Lane Bryant's #ThisBody campaign, which shows curvy women strutting their stuff and celebrating their bodies with empowering mantras like this body is made for breaking the mold. But the ad won't run on two major networks (NBC and ABC). When asked about its decision not to air the ad, NBC said the rough cut didn't comply with indecency guidelines.

After watching the 30-second spot, we couldn't help but think of similar lingerie ads (see below) that showed the same amount of skin, sultry voiceovers, and black and white photography—albeit with slimmer models. This double standard isn't new. Lane Bryant faced a similar issue with ABC and Fox Family in 2010.



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Pantone Colors of 2016 and Personalities

Colors of 2016 and What They Say About Your Personality - Colors this season transcend cultural and gender norms. Vivid bright colors give way to excitement and optimism, though quiet stability prevails in this season's palette. For 2016 there are truly no perceivable distinctions in color choices between the men's and women's collections, both of which focus on a desire to breathe and reflect.

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Is Turmeric Curcumin A Healthy Alternative?

Majority of the way a person live these days are quicker, while fast foods are perfect diets since it's a grab and go for individuals with very busy schedules. As a result of convenient diet, the overall health is compromise and the average lifespan becomes shorter. This is exactly why health advocates are now encouraging people to find healthy alternatives and turmeric curcumin is one of those.

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Create Sustainable Weight Loss By Using These 3 Techniques

The biggest challenge is not giving up when you do encounter problems or setbacks. Just pick up your chin, roll up your sleeves, dig in your heels and get back to work. When you do, you will then see results.

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Is Abdominal Fat Dangerous?

You may not be at too much risk, but there are also some little changes you can make to decrease the danger. It can be eye-opening to discover what problems may occur with too much around the middle.

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How To Be At Your Best Shape With These 4 Secrets

Once you decide what is really important, you can focus on it. When you focus on it, you are able to take the action necessary to get it done. Not knowing where you are headed or having a blurred view of the path you want to be on, can skew your goals.

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How To Eat Healthy And Lose Weight On A Budget

Learning how to eat healthy and lose weight on a budget takes great discipline, but it is not impossible. Choose today to have complete focus on this and you will be able to triumph and reach your weight loss goals on budget.

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Is Paranoia Total Awareness When It Comes to Health?

I have yet to meet many adults who weren't interested in staying healthy, but each of us being unique find are own paths. Perhaps it begins with our parents telling us to do certain things like eat a good breakfast, or bouts of illness we experiences during our lifetimes. I believe that keeping healthy is amazing when it comes to quality of life, not always in terms of longevity. As far as I know there are two things we can't choose, when we are born, and when we die. I also think many unhealthy choices are out of our control, the air we breathe, the chemicals in the food we ingest, our genes, and the viruses we acquire unknowingly from others. It would seem that what is considered good for us today, might be frowned upon in the future. Therefore becoming paranoid about a person's health could be an exercise in futility. Here is what I mean in these terms.

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How to Select the Best ENT Microscope

ENT microscopes help your practice with great intelligence. Powered by bright LED illumination and great design these microscopes help you with high quality images needed for diagnosis or surgery. These instruments are indispensable for your ENT practice; therefore, it is important that you buy the best equipment. An understanding of the functioning of different components of the microscope makes it easy to select the right equipment for your practice.

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Expert Low Carb Dieting

While fads come and go, the Low Carb, Low Fat Diet has remained tried and true. It seems most people can lose an initial 10-15 lbs. using whatever the latest craze is and then hit the wall, having trouble making the scale change any further. Low carb dieting has its pros and cons, with the main objections being hunger and low energy; but if done correctly, this weight loss plan will keep the pounds melting off. If set up right, a good low carb, low fat diet offers the most benefits for the greatest range of people; from simple weight loss to bodybuilders looking for body fat percentages below 3%. The fact is there are certain principles that must be included in your program for low carb diets to work and keep working past the initial plateau. Keep reading this article to learn some helpful tips about how to set up the most effective low carb, low fat diet possible.

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The Easier Way to Weight Loss

When patients are contemplating which weight loss procedure to go through with, one of the first concerns is looking for the best possible procedure that is compatible with their bodies. When discussed with a surgeon, a long and thorough analysis usually takes place, which includes the risks and benefits of certain procedures. There is also an evaluation done by the surgeon to determine what kind of surgery would suit the patient.

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Today Is a Rest Day!

Listen to your body! The old saying about no pain no gain is outdated and an invitation for injury which would sideline your fitness program. So enjoy your day of rest. Follow these suggestions and you're be ready to hit the gym refreshed and invigorated tomorrow.

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100+ Abs Moves Anyone Can Do

Sit-ups and crunches aren't the only options when it comes to building core strength. In fact, there are plenty of exercises that activate more of your abdominal muscles than crunches alone. Whether you have a medicine ball or just a mat, want to target your lower abs or perfect your plank, the moves below will help shake up your routine.



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This Impressive Avocado Art Will Make You Hungry for More

Advice for Dealing With an Injury (From People Who’ve Been There)

7 Ways to Get Through the Day on Little to No Sleep