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Lady Gaga Does Drugs Occasionally - Do You?

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:00:04 PDT

Drugs like cocaine, heroin, and marijuana are not only harmful to our bodies, but they're also illegal. Of course, that doesn't stop people from doing them. In a recent Vanity Fair interview for the September issue, Lady Gaga said she's "terrified of heroin," but was honest about her cocaine use.

"I won't lie; it's occasional. And when I say occasional, I mean maybe a couple of times a year."

The 24-year-old singer definitely doesn't condone drug use and says,

"I do not want my fans to ever emulate that or be that way. I don't want my fans to think they have to be that way to be great. It's in the past. It was a low point, and it led to disaster."

Gaga has had scary experiences with drug use, but I suppose in the celeb and rock star world, it's tough to break away from drugs completely. But using drugs isn't strictly for the rich and famous. Although it's not something people like to talk about openly, through this anonymous poll, I'm wondering . . .

Do you consider caffeine a drug?

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 04:00:00 PST

Cannes Minireview: Killing Them Softly

Molly Goodson — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:21:14 PDT

Brad Pitt's gritty new project, Killing Them Softly (formerly titled Cogan's Trade, and based on a book of the same name), made its debut to the press at the Cannes Film Festival this morning. Considering the early hour of the screening and just how violent and drug-fueled it is as a film, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it overall. Pitt is at his best playing the ruthless assassin, and James Gandolfini can, of course, carry a mob movie.

Who's behind it? Like Sapphires and Lawless, it's another The Weinstein Company film here at the festival. Writer-director Andrew Dominik brings together an excellent cast of men to tell his story, including Ray Liotta in addition to Pitt and Gandolfini. With that much testosterone on screen, there's not much room for the ladies. In fact, there's barely a female to be seen in the film at all. At the center, there are two bumbling thieves, played by Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn, who shine in their own deeply messed-up ways - often seen sweating and using drugs. Pitt, who we have seen playing a ruthless assassin before, does it again, this time with slicked-back hair and a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he explains his preferred method of murder - "killing them softly," rather than listening to them plead.
What's it about? On paper, it's about a heist at a mob poker game gone wrong, but as both the director and Pitt spoke at the film's press conference after the screening, it's a much larger commentary on America's capitalist society. It's set in New Orleans against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis and election, with actual speeches from Barack Obama and Sarah Palin sprinkled throughout. As for the actual heist at stake, Frankie and Russell (McNairy and Mendelsohn) rob a poker game that was previously hit up as part of a scam put on by its own owner, Andrew (Liotta). Pitt's character, Jackie Cogan, is brought in by the larger mob bosses to assassinate the men. Wires are quickly crossed and it can be hard to tell who is working for whom, but with the crazy visuals and hilarious, sometimes unsettling, one-liners, it is a riveting watch. I, for one, was particularly amused by the scenes about Russell running a racket by stealing purebred dogs.
More important even than the story, however, is the feel of the film. It takes place and was shot in New Orleans, a city which Pitt is clearly comfortable in. It's not quite a love letter to the city - or to anything for that matter - like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but it still has that uniquely gritty and stylized New Orleans feel.

To read what I thought of the film at Cannes, just

What did I think? The performances, especially by Gandolfini, could start award-season buzz, depending on how and when Killing Them Softly is released stateside. While the film is not for the faint of heart, it's a thought-provoking watch. The humor and political commentary keep it from being a straightforward mob movie, therefore setting it apart from being the same story we've seen 100 times before. Plus, Pitt's swagger, Gandolfini's monologue expertise, and a pack of dogs are welcome at any movie for me. Watch out for the last line, though, it will stick with you.

Photo courtesy of The Weinstein Company

"I'm Afraid of Turning Into My Mom"

Tres Community — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:05:17 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

Someone please help me. I have some family issues. Let me start off with my mom. I love my mom, but I can't stand the way she is. Her thoughts are very old fashioned. Let me give some examples. She said I can't move out until I'm married (which is totally not going to happen, I plan to move out when I'm 25 married or not). She doesn't let me or my brother go to clubs because according to her people put drugs in your drinks and start fights with you (I know both of these two things happen but I mean come on I know better) so once my brother went and she practically disowned him for like a week.

She shows me off everywhere saying that I could do this and that and that. She is very judgmental of other people, and when I don't agree with her she gets mad. She could find any excuse to fight with us, if a fly passes by she could pick a fight about it. Her facial expression is always tired, sad, angry. I'm tired of it, I love her but I can't stand her ways. I'm scared that I'm going to end up being like her. I know I could choose the way I live my life, but monkey see monkey do. I'm already starting to notice some things that I do that she does. But then again she's practically all I have in the country we live in.

I do have a brother and a stepfather but my stepfather prefers to be with his family and my brother prefers to be with his girlfriend's family. So I'm left alone with her, since I don't have a boyfriend or that many friends and I feel bad if I leave her alone.

Speaking of my brother I'm so disappointed in him because today we came back from a little gathering his girlfriend's family had. And oh my, he was so loving and social at the gathering and everybody loved him and knew him. Then I think of the times he's home and he's so different it's like he prefers to be with that other family. He doesn't like the way my mom is either. When he's home he is so distant from us and is out practically the whole day everyday with the girlfriend. He gets mad/irritated when we talk to him. But no when he's over with her family or just his girlfriend he's a completely different person and my stepdad does the same thing when his with his family.

So I'm left with my mom and her negative attitude, and I don't want to be like her I'm trying to see things I do the same as her and change them but ughhh it's all genetics and habitual behavior that it's practically now natural to act the way she does. I'm just so sad at this whole situation. I love spending time with my mom and love her to death and I'm thankful of everything she's done for us both, but her negative attitude, prohibitions and old fashioned thinking make me have resentment towards her. Then my brother, I have never seen him act so loving with us or any body of our family when they come to visit. Please help me on both situations. Thanks. Oh, by the way I'm 21 and he's 23.

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Is It Unhealthy to Wear Antiperspirant While Exercising?

Jenny Sugar — Sat, 12 May 2012 19:08:01 PDT

Exercising and sweating go hand-in-hand, and since no one wants to be known for their stinky BO, for many gym-goers, gliding on antiperspirant is just like slipping on a sports bra - it's something you just don't forget. Sweating is a natural process though, and when you're working out, it's your body's way of keeping you cool and preventing heat exhaustion. Some say sweating also releases harmful toxins from your body. So is it bad to wear sweat-stopping antiperspirant to prevent your body from doing what it naturally wants to do?

When you're hot, your body emits moisture from its sweat glands to cool you down. If you wear an antiperspirant, the aluminum used in them penetrates your sweat glands and squeezes them shut, which stops the flow of sweat to the skin's surface in that area. Remember that sweat's only purpose is to cool you off, and since your armpits aren't the only place you have sweat glands, your body can still find a way to lower your body temperature if you get too hot while exercising. So as long as you can wear antiperspirant while working out without overheating, you can feel good about slathering it on to prevent odor. And don't worry about preventing the release of toxins, since only trace amounts of toxins are released from your sweat glands.

Keep reading to find out if the aluminum found in antiperspirants leads to breast cancer.

Should Mothers Be Prosecuted For Exposing Their Unborn Babies to Drugs?

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:03:34 PDT

Could a glass of wine during pregnancy land you behind bars? It might if you live in Alabama. In this upcoming weekend's New York Times Magazine, Ada Calhoun delves into Alabama's controversial chemical-endangerment laws where mothers who give birth to babies with even a trace of drugs in their bloodstreams are not only ordered into rehab but are criminally prosecuted for putting their newborns in harm's way.

In one case, when a newborn died hours after his premature birth, and mother tested positive for methamphetamine, she was charged with a Class A felony for contributing to the death of her child, with a mandatory sentence of 10 years to life. The laws - which are the harshest in the country - were designed to protect kids from "explosive meth labs," but they are now being applied to expectant mothers, and that's where the controversy comes in. Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists all fear that such prosecutions may just be the tip of the iceberg. In the article, Emma Ketteringham, the director of the National Advocates For Pregnant Women, says:

"It starts with cocaine, and then it’s cigarettes and alcohol. How much alcohol? And when? It’s only a matter of time until it comes to refusing a bed-rest order because you need to work and take care of your other children and then you have a miscarriage. What if you stay at a job where you’re exposed to toxic chemicals, as at a dry cleaner? What if you keep taking your SSRIs during pregnancy? If a woman is told that sex during her pregnancy could be a risk to the fetus, and the woman has sex anyway and miscarries, are you going to prosecute the woman - and the man, too?"

What do you think? Should women be prosecuted for exposing their unborn babies to drugs?

Swimmer Dara Torres on the Quest For Her Sixth Olympic Games

espnW — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:12:32 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Luke Cyphers

Dara Torres once wrote a book called Age Is Just a Number. Nowadays, though, the feel-good story of the 2008 Olympics admits to, well, feeling her age. Torres won two silver medals as a 41-year-old mother and swimmer in Beijing, but she harbors no illusions about repeating the feat four years later. "You have to be realistic," Torres said. "I am 45 years old. I'm that much closer to being 50, and my body just can't recover the way it used to."

Her goal was gold in 2008. In 2012? "I don't feel like I have anything else to prove going into these Olympic Games," said the 12-time medalist. "It's not about medals. I have enough."

So why does she put herself through grueling training five days a week in the hopes of making her sixth - and she swears last - U.S. Olympic team? Because, at her best, she's still one of the fastest sprinters in the world. She placed second in the 50-meter freestyle (25.24 seconds) at the winter nationals. Last month, she swam a solid 25.36 seconds in the prelims of the Indianapolis Grand Prix, but faded to 25.47 in the final to finish sixth. She'll need to place within the top two at the Olympic trials in Omaha in June to make it to London.

Kim Rhode is not your typical Olympian

Dara Torres says it is harder for her body to recover compared to when she competed in the 2008 Olympics. "If I had to just swim the race once, I don't think it would even be an issue making the team," she said. "But I have to swim it three times, and having my body recover for those three races is my issue."

Torres embraces the actuarial challenge of capping an Olympic career 28 years after it began in 1984, even as her world has changed and her body has creaked. Her longtime coach, Michael Lohberg, died of a rare blood disorder in 2011. One of Lohberg's assistants, Bruno Darzi, now coaches her. Her daughter Tessa is now 6. And her left knee required surgery and more than a year to rehab. Through it all, "I still have a passion for the sport of swimming," she said.

But there's also a sense of obligation to the public following she has built through her success and frequent television appearances. (The former telecommunications major and frequent morning-show guest announced her comeback on "Live with Regis & Kelly.") "I have so many people come up to me and say I'm inspiring them to do things that they thought they couldn't do because they were too old, or that they put off because they couldn't find a balance in their life to do it," Torres said.

Keep reading for more on Dara Torres' Olympic past and present.

Healthy Dose Link Time: Healthy Mother's Day Brunch Ideas

Michele Foley — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:36:41 PDT

Surprise mom with a healthy brunch this weekend - Daily Spark
Soothe sore muscles in these six unexpected ways - Shape
FDA close to approving a drug that may prevent HIV - Blisstree
Get your protein fix with these nutrient-rich vegan foods - Mind Body Green
A smoothie for every day of the year - Healthy Happy Life
Back to basics: how to do the perfect push-up - HuffPost Healthy Living
A cougar workout for Mother's Day - totally awesome or poor taste? - Fit Celeb

Fit Tip: Need to Remember Something? Go For a Run

Leta Shy — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:36:10 PDT

Have a pregraduation final or an upcoming important presentation to nail? It may help to take a step back from your notes and go for a run or a bike ride. A new lab study, reported in The New York Times has found that exercise can improve your memory and learning skills.

In the study, scientists fed a group of mice certain drugs that mimic muscle changes from exercise and compared them to sedentary mice. The mice who "exercised" ended up performing much better on memory and learning.

Previous studies have already found that exercise can make you smarter, but investigators in this lab test say that it could shed light on exactly how exercising affects your brain; they think that exercise releases an enzyme into your blood that travels to your brain, where it has an effect on learning and memory.

The researchers note that sustained aerobic exercise is most effective if you're trying to improve your smarts, since endurance cardio increases blood flow (although they also say that a good strength training session may be effective as well, but wasn't tested). Want more ideas to make you smarter in time for your big brain-testing event? Read our tips on what to eat to be smarter here.

"I'm in a Confusing Relationship"

Tres Community — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:05:00 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I'm really confused as to what to do. I am a very traditional girl, have not really been exposed to the party culture. Plus I could care less because I know many people regret what they do in that scene. Well, that being said, about three years ago I met a boy during senior year of high school. He was really great, he had values and we both liked each other since we met. But things happened and we remained as friends. Our friendship grew, and we still liked each other but did nothing. He is a very attractive boy and started to date. About September of last year he stopped talking to me out of the blue, having mutual friends it was rather awkward, and I didn't know what was going on.

February of this year he sent me a text and from there things went back to normal, only this time he revealed his feeling to me. He explained that he has always liked me and because of the fact that I told him we should be friends in the beginning he thought he had no chance. So he stopped talking to me, hoping he could move on, but it didn't help, he actually liked me even more (even had a sleepless month when I went out of town during Summer for a month).

I have always liked him just not to the extent that he has I think. But I knew he needed to go through that party phase and get it over with before he's in a relationship with me. Well since then we have been in the process of becoming closer, we haven't kissed or anything just held hands up to this day.

Well, in March he dropped the bombshell that he was not a virgin anymore, he lost it at a frat party with a girl he didn't know. That just blew my mind. My image of him was rather shattered, he kind of seemed like the rest of the guys in this world. I came to terms that it was a mistake for it was only once, and we moved on. Four days ago I find out he has been with a total of three people, two of which I know. It bothers me for the fact that he knew me all along and kept contact with me when he was screwing around. It aggravates me that I told him to be careful with one particular girl. I never thought he'd do anything like that. Well I was disgusted and didn't want to see him for a while.