PMS and PMDD: What's the Difference?


Updated 10/08/07 9:18 AM · Posted by FitSugar · 19 comments

PMS and PMDD:  What's the Difference?

The hormonal ride we take monthly sends many of us into an emotional tailspin, clinging to a box of chocolate as if it were a life raft. Did you know that about 75 percent of all women have PMS symptoms? We have to joke about it or we'll go crazy. Somehow between the physical symptoms and the emotional roller coaster, we all figure out a way to deal. Well, most of us do. Unfortunately, two to Read more

PMS - Why Do My Boobs Hurt?


Updated 01/27/10 8:00 PM · Posted by · 13 comments

PMS - Why Do My Boobs Hurt?

PMS is a party and a half, isn't it ladies? We break out, have crazy mood swings, crave sweet and salty treats, become exhausted, get major menstrual cramps, have headaches and backaches, and one of my personal favorites - get bloated. Some women experience sore breasts too, but why is that? Click here to read more Read more

How to Deal With PMS Symptoms and Still Work Out


Updated 04/10/12 3:00 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

Fitness Tips For PMS Symptoms

From pimples to bloating, cramps to spontaneously bursting into tears, PMS and period symptoms not only have the ability to ruin your day, but they can also put a damper on working out. Since exercise actually alleviates many of these uncomfortable feelings, here are some of the best ways to handle common PMS symptoms while working out. Bloating: Swelling in your lower abdomen doesn't always Read more

Adventures in Ingredients: Banana Flower


Updated 03/08/12 11:39 PM · Posted by · 5 comments

Banana Flower Taste and Recipe

After my last experience with Indian bitter melon, I was a little nervous to experiment with my next ingredient. Just like the last time, I scoured the shelves of Berkeley Bowl, looking for something intriguing but not too intimidating. I settled on a purple, prehistoric-looking ingredient known as a banana flower. The banana flower is also known as a banana blossom or heart, but frankly, I Read more

PMS — Why Do My Boobs Hurt?


Updated 02/19/12 4:02 PM · Posted by FitSugar · 36 comments

Why Breasts Hurt During PMS

PMS is a party and a half, isn't it ladies? We break out, have crazy mood swings, crave sweet and salty treats, become exhausted, get major menstrual cramps, have headaches and backaches, and one of my personal favorites — bloating. Some women experience sore breasts too, but why is that? A week or so before Aunt Flo arrives, your body begins producing oodles of estrogen and progesterone. Read more

Fast and Easy Dinner: Chicken Breast With Goat Cheese and Basil


Updated 02/08/12 10:50 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

Easy Recipe For Chicken With Goat Cheese and Basil

This recipe requires only a few ingredients, takes five minutes to put together, and cooks up in about about 40 minutes. It's the definition of a fast and easy meal. It's also incredibly satisfying and comforting without being heavy. Chicken breasts with the bone in and skin on are actually cheaper than boneless, skinless breasts at the grocery store (there was a two dollar difference at my Read more

Turkey Pot Pie


Updated 01/27/12 10:04 AM · Posted by · 3 comments

Turkey Pot Pie Recipe

Turkey pot pie is a necessary indulgence in the world of dieting and salads we all seem to be living in. Yoo Eatz gives us a straightforward, weeknight-friendly recipe for a comforting pot pie. This holiday season came and went like the whirlwind it always is, and I sit here in the aftermath realizing that I have plenty of recipes to catch up on. So let's take a mini jaunt down memory lane to Read more

Braised Moroccan Chicken With Saffron Rice


Updated 06/13/11 9:02 AM · Posted by · 5 comments

Braised Moroccan Chicken Recipe

What's better than roasting a whole chicken for busy weeknights? Ask Fresh Tart, and she'll tell you: braised Moroccan chicken. It is so ridiculously easy and delicious to braise a whole chicken that I do it almost every week, just to have on hand for last-minute meals. I've posted my recipe for chicken braised in coconut milk before, but not some of the other variations I play around with, so Read more

DrSugar Discusses Birth Control: IUDs


Updated 04/02/12 12:14 PM · Posted by DrSugar · 13 comments

The Pros and Cons of IUDs For Birth Control: Paragard vs. Mirena

DrSugar is in the house! This week she explains the pros and cons of using IUDs for birth control. To continue our ongoing series of gynecological topics, I have decided to write about intrauterine devices (IUDs) as a form of birth control. Even though I learned about IUDs through many outlets (sex ed in school, medical school), I decided to research them more thoroughly since the birth control Read more

Braised Chicken With Tomatoes: Perfect For Between Seasons


Updated 10/11/11 6:24 PM · Posted by · 2 comments

Slow Cooker Recipe For Braised Chicken With Summer Tomatoes

This month, I've shifted my focus from Summer cookout food to something a little more soothing, but amidst a San Francisco Indian Summer, I'm not quite ready to plunge into full-blown Fall fare just yet. So in addition to treasuring those timeless staples, I've also looked for recipes that fall (pardon the pun) right in between those two seasons. One such gem is this slow-cooked dish of chicken Read more