FitSugar

Words From My Yogini: "Take a Cold Shower"

FitSugar — Mon, 24 May 2010 15:10:54 PDT

I've been having a really hard time waking up lately. Regardless of what I eat, how many hours I sleep, or my activity level, I can't seem to wake up. After noticing how sluggish I was in class, my yoga instructor suggested that I start taking cold showers to wake up. "Well duh," I thought. I mean sure, spraying cold water on my face is bound to shock my system, but is it really gonna help me stay awake all day?

My yogini said to take a shower like I normally do except that I should use only cold water for the last five minutes. The sudden change in temperature helps to "shock" your body awake while also increasing blood flow. It's the unexpected jolt of temperature and your body's reaction to it that help relieve fatigue, she says. Disclaimer: my yoga instructor is NOT a doctor. But she does know a thing or two about the body, and since I trust her, I thought I'd give it a try. And guess what? It totally worked.

Admittedly, it did not feel good. In fact, it kind of sucked to end my shower in the freezing cold. The payoff was that it definitely woke me up and I stayed that way throughout the day. It also looks like my yogini's theory may have some science behind it: researchers found that cold water therapy has some success in treating chronic fatigue syndrome.

Seven Habits of Women Who Don't Get Sick

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:30:00 PDT

Nothing is worse than getting a cold or the flu. Sometimes it seems unavoidable, but CNN recently reported on seven habits of women who rarely get sick. I've highlighted some key points in this slideshow, so see for yourself what you may want to do, or pat yourself on the back for those things that you already do.

Source

Down? Take a Cold Shower

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:45:00 PST

I know that when I'm feeling down and out, the idea of taking a two to three minute cold shower sounds like the worst idea in the world, but new research disagrees. Researchers recommend taking a cold shower - around 68 degrees - for two to three minutes once or twice daily as a treatment for depression, preceded by a five-minute gradual adaptation to the temperature.

Sounds wacky but the cold-shower idea is linked to the phenomenon of homeopathy, where small doses of something harmful may actually promote healing by stimulating the body's repair and recovery systems.

Fit's Tip: This is new research, so those suffering from depression and interested, especially heart patients and other already at-risk patients, should talk to your with their doctor.

Source

Molly Sims on the Most Surprising Thing About Pregnancy, Her Glam Maternity Style, and More

Lisa Horten — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:12:58 PDT

She may be 34 weeks pregnant, but that didn't stop mom-to-be Molly Sims from squeezing time into her hectic schedule to chat with us. In addition to her acting and modeling work, Molly was recently named the Global Ambassador for Population Service International (PSI)'s child survival program, Five & Alive, and she's counting down the weeks until the birth of her baby boy.

LilSugar: Congratulations! How are you feeling?
Molly Sims: I'm coming into the end of my third trimester, and there's been a lot of swelling. I've been putting my feet up and soaking them in freezing cold water. That seems to work. We just went on the hospital tour and that made me a little nervous. I kept asking, "What's that?" and Scott [Stuber, Sims's husband] was taking notes on his BlackBerry. I said, "Can you tell we're first-time parents?!"

LS: Any other pregnancy tips and tricks that have worked for you?
MS: My back has been bothering me the whole time and the best investment I made was the Sleep Number bed. You can sleep with your feet up! It's great for my husband and I, and it means that he can rest without my waking him all throughout the night.

LS: You just had your baby shower - how was that?
MS: It was so great, just so much fun. We didn't really have a theme, but afterwards, we had a Cinco de Mayo party with everyone.

LS: Any favorite gifts?
MS: I love [online retailer] Layla Grace, and they sent me this supersoft rocking horse. I also got three great strollers - a Bugaboo that I'll use in New York, the Orbit System, which is supposed to be really easy to take apart, and then Baby Trend sent me a custom one - it's the coolest thing! I walk and hike a lot, so it was important to me to have a really good jogger. What's been great is that all of my friends have been giving me the products that they found really worked. There's so much out there, so that's been really helpful. I've also been working with Margot Stuart at Ready Me Baby. She helped me narrow down my Amazon Wish List to the 15 or so things that I really need.

Keep reading to see what's been the biggest surprise in Molly's pregnancy and her cravings.

Things You Should Never Do With Your Yoga Mat

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:55:14 PDT

No matter how much moola you dropped on your yoga mat, you want it to last and offer you a smooth and injury-free yoga practice. There's not a whole lot that goes into caring for your mat, but here are three things you should never do.

Lather up: New mats often come with a rubbery or plastic-y odor, so of course your first instinct is to give it a thorough cleaning. Using too much soap can leave a slippery film, so the next time you hop on your mat, it might be dangerously slick, putting you at risk for ~~falling on your asana~~ injury. Use this technique instead: dip a washcloth in a solution of two cups of warm water and four drops of dish soap, and lightly rub the mat. Don't scrub it with a rough sponge as this can cause nicks in the smooth surface and lead to holes. Then hang the wet mat over your shower rod to air dry.
Leave it rolled up: After a sweaty yoga class, you wouldn't ball up your wet outfit, store it in your yoga bag, and then slip it on for your next class, so why is it any different with your yoga mat? It's never a good idea to keep your mat rolled up after a sweat session. The moist, dark environment is bacteria and mold's favorite hangout spot and I doubt you want to practice on a mat covered in that kind of unhealthy growth. It's OK to roll it up right after class, but as soon as you get home, hang it over a door or banister and allow it to fully dry out before rolling it up again.
Lend it out: You're such a kind and thoughtful yogi, you're even willing to let someone borrow your mat. Stop right there. While it's good karma to share with others, I'm sure sharing germs isn't what you had in mind. Even your dearest friend can give you a cold, so it's best to encourage others to buy their own mat to ensure everyone keeps their germs to themselves.

Source: Flickr User mikecpeck

Some Like It Hot - Showers, That Is

Heather Dale — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:03:20 PDT

The other night I caught myself saying, "There's nothing quite like a hot shower." Yikes - what's happening to me? Have showers become the highlight of my existence, the pinnacle of pleasure? A typical shower for me consists of doing a usual routine under a blazing hot waterfall of water - certainly for more than the recommended 10-minute time limit (to prevent dry skin). So what's so wrong with my technique? If it makes me happy, it can't be that bad, right?

Well let's start with the pros about taking hot showers. A hot shower can warm you up on a cold morning, relax you after a workout, and calm you before bed. It also acts as a natural decongestant to relieve cold symptoms. The hot steam will moisturize your nasal passages and if you're running a slight fever, a hot shower can help break it. And if you have a powerful showerhead like mine, the hot water will soothe stiff muscles and relieve a stiff neck.

But what about cold showers? Here's why you may want to turn down the temps.

Everyday Activities That Make Your Allergies Worse

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:45:18 PDT

Most of us are psyched for warmer weather, but allergy sufferers are cursing runny noses, congestion, red eyes, and itchy throats. You may not realize it, but here are the everyday things that can aggravate your symptoms.

Exercising outside is a no-brainer when temps start going up, but not so for those allergic to pollen. If you can't bear to skip outdoor workouts, try to exercise early in the morning when pollen counts are lowest. If you decide to exercise outside, be sure to wash your clothes to get rid of pollen and take a shower to rinse allergens out of your hair. If your allergies are really bad, invest in a gym membership or equipment for your home gym - exercising in the AC will make you breathe much easier.
Opening the window to get some fresh air? Don't you dare. Pollen and other allergens blow in where they come in contact with your eyes and nose. Keep the windows in your home, office, and car closed, and definitely don't use a window fan. If you're hot, turn up the air-conditioning.

Keep reading to find out other common things you're doing that can worsen allergies.

5 Ways to Use Your Dishwasher More Efficiently

Business Insider — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:15:57 PDT

If you're not using your dishwasher efficiently, you're wasting money, energy, and water. Business Insider shares the right ways for you to use the dishwasher.

In leaner times, plenty of households boycotted energy-sucking appliances like dishwashers and went back to basics: manual scrubbers, a bottle of detergent, and a lot of elbow grease.

But is all that extra effort really helping us save in the long run?

In short, the answer is no.

That theory might have held water a few mini industrial revolutions ago, but technology has simply become so advanced that what was once considered a costly convenience has become vastly more affordable.

Cut Energy Costs This Summer by Taking a Cold Shower

In fact, research has shown hand-washing uses as much as 27 gallons of water and 2.5 kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy, compared with just four gallons of water and 1.5 kWh used by a hyperefficient dishwasher.

The key word, of course, is "hyperefficient." Upgrading your home appliances to any of today's energy-efficient models could be one of the wisest ways to cut back on utility bills, especially for larger households. According to the EPA, choosing an Energy Star-rated dishwasher could shave as much as $40 off your utility bills and save 5,000 gallons of water.

Here's how to use your dishwasher right:

Never run a partial load. Fill that sucker to the max and only use those "intense" cycle settings if you really need them. They'll use far more energy and water than the normal settings.

Shop for soap wisely. Dishwasher detergents can contain harmful phosphates - chemicals that seep into the water system and hurt aquatic life after they've made their rounds in wastewater treatment plants. Search for phosphate-free brands (they shouldn't be hard to find, as many states have banned them from detergents anyway).

Read on for more.

Unmotivated to Exercise? 4 Ways to Fake It

Leta Shy — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:59:00 PST

For some, exercise is just an everyday habit, like brushing your teeth or grabbing a cup of coffee. For others, though, minor disruptions in a gym routine - like going on vacation or coming down with a cold - can easily turn into an exercise-less rut that lasts for weeks. Before that happens, here are four easy ways to fake your way into working out.

Have a roster of workout buddies: When you're not motivated to do a workout, you need someone else to do the pushing for you. But what if your regular workout buddy is similarly unmotivated for the day? Having several fitness-minded friends to call on when you need that extra push can be all you need to (reluctantly) get on with your workout.

Just get dressed: Breaking up all those pre-workout tasks into smaller goals can make a dreaded exercise routine seem more manageable. Telling yourself to just put on your clothes to see how you feel can be all you need to realize that you've already put in the effort and would rather not waste it.

Read on for more tips.

Antibiotics Worthless Against Most Sinus Infections, Study Says

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:53:31 PST

When suffering from the pain and pressure of a sinus infection, getting a prescription for antibiotics becomes priority number one. New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association put this practice into question. Hold onto your tissues folks - scientists found antibiotics don't ease patients' symptoms any faster than placebo pills.

The small study included 166 adults with sinus infections; half were given a 10-day treatment of amoxicillin, a common antibiotic, while the other half were given a placebo. After 10 days, 78 percent of those on antibiotics and 80 percent of those taking the placebo said they felt better or no longer had symptoms. That's because less than two percent of sinus infections are bacterial and require antibiotics to clear up.

Since sinus infections make patients so miserable, doctors often prescribe antibiotics even when they aren't sure if the infection is viral or bacterial. If it's viral, the drugs won't help a lick, and the over-prescribing of antibiotics is contributing to the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria. Antibiotics should only be used when symptoms last over 10 days with no signs of improvement, or are accompanied by a fever.

What's a person to do about the sinus congestion and unbearable pain and pressure? Keep reading for natural ways to get sinus infection relief.