FitSugar

Seriously? An Exercise Pill?

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:00:00 PDT

The fitness world just got a new prescription. Scientists have developed a pill that helps you burn calories without exercising one bit. So far only mice have benefited from this new exercise pill. It's tricked the rodents' muscles into thinking they've been working out, and their little bodies ended up burning calories without lifting a paw. It's also improved their fitness performance, helping mice run 68 percent longer and 70 percent farther than mice who exercised but didn't receive the drug. That's great news for those mousy couch potatoes who decide to get off their furry tushes and do a few laps around the cage.

Scientists aren't sure how this exercise pill called AICAR would work on the human population, but they're hoping a drug like this could help treat people suffering from obesity, diabetes, or other injuries and conditions that make it difficult to exercise regularly. While that is all well and good, it seems like the majority of people who'll want this magic pill will be able-bodied individuals looking for a way to skip out on their morning jog. Or it may be sought after by fitness fanatics and athletes who want to improve their endurance, or get an edge over their competition.

This pill, as amazing as it sounds, can only help to mimic aerobic activity, but a person will still need to strength train in order to tone their muscles. Also, besides burning calories, I can think of so many other reasons that exercise is necessary. It keeps your heart healthy, boosts your confidence, prevents depression and osteoporosis, and gives you time to yourself - you can't fulfill all that in a pill. So what do you think about this exercise drug? Would you take it?

Source

6 Unique Ways to Fend Off Illnesses and Avoid Medical Bills

Emily Co — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:57:16 PST

There are very few things that are worse than getting sick. Not only will you have pricey medical bills to pay, but you may also have to skip out on work. Fortunately, you can employ plenty of preventative methods to avoid falling ill. We've heard the usual "eat right and exercise" advice, so here are a couple of tactics that you may not have heard of:

Immune boosters in a pill: Although you've heard of the usual immune boosters like vegetables and fruits, there are a couple of holistic cures you might want to try. There's New Chapter's LifeShield Immunity ($20), which is a supplement made out of a combination of mycelium, fruiting bodies, spores, and extracellular compounds from tonic mushrooms.
Take ginseng with your vaccine: When you get a flu vaccine, try taking some ginseng with it so you'll bounce back from the effects of the vaccine. There was a study done in which only 13 percent of the group of participants who took ginseng with flu vaccinations caught colds vs. 37 percent of the placebo group.
Trick yourself psychologically: Don't discount old wives' remedies! Even if you don't have any scientific proof, perhaps the cures have some sort of psychological effect that results in physical effects. For example, a cure for cough that works for me is rubbing vapor rub over my feet and wearing socks at night. Another scientifically disproved treatment is Airborne, which somehow always fends off a cold when I feel one coming on.

Read on for more tips.

Luxe Beauty Gifts, Homemade Peppermint Patties, and a Holiday-Ready Top: The Best of PopSugarTV This Week!

Lindsay Miller — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 05:45:00 PST

This week in PopSugarTV, gift giving was on the brain! Bella shared ideas on the most luxurious beauty gifts as well as great presents under $25, and Yum gave us two homemade gift ideas with a recipe for peppermint patties and a recipe for homemade fudge. Meanwhile, Fab showed us how to make a festive, DIY sequin-collar top, revealed some tips on the best way to wear sequins and sparkles, and gave some great advice on removing sweater pillings. Fit brought us a great pre-run warmup and gave us three full-body exercises. Check out all the videos at the links above and visit PopSugarTV for even more!

Reader Holiday Gift Guide: For the Fitness Fan on Your List (or You!)

Fit Community — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 04:19:31 PST

Need a fitness-related gift for fit-minded friends or relative? FitFabCities has you covered. She's rounded up her favorite gifts from foam rollers to iPads.

Okay, I’m willing to admit I might be a little weird. Every year for Christmas I ask for some sort of fitness thing. One year it was a BOSU ball, then next it was boxing gloves and last year it was kettlebells, and every December 26th I bring my new haul to the gym where I can’t wait to try it out. (Needless to say last year the 35 lb. kettlebell proved a little tricky. I think the holidays are a great time to ask for a few fitness things you’ve been eying but your practical side won’t let you buy for yourself. I’ve compiled a few of my holiday must haves that are sure to make your workouts more fun and give you an edge when it comes time for those New Year’s resolutions.

Valslides $30: Jennifer Garner and Jessica Biel’s trainer Valerie Waters uses these to whip her clients into shape for big movie roles. I am obsessed with using Valsides for killer core exercises and sliding lunges that totally tighten up your butt and thighs. Plus you can use them in your living room or pack them and take them anywhere!

GymBoss Trainer $19.95: This is totally on my list this year. The Gymboss lets you set a repeating interval timer perfect for circuit training, intervals or running workouts (think 30 seconds on, one minute off). You don’t have to struggle to set your watch or look at it throughout your workout since Gymboss is small and clips onto your shirt.

Foam Roller $34: If you’ve ever had sore muscles you have to get one of these. It will open up your back and make those miles on your legs melt away. Simply a must for runners or, let’s be honest, anyone who uses a computer.

TRX Training System $199: Oh I LOVE this thing!!! BTW so do Jennifer Lopez, Gisele Bundchen and Superbowl MVP Drew Brees. This is a complete gym in a bag. You can do thousands of exercises, take it anywhere (all you need it a doorway or high place to anchor it), plus it’s only two pounds so you can totally pack it in your bag for business travel and vacations. This thing rocks. I can’t say enough good things about it so I think I’ll just have to devote a later post and video to my TRX devotion so you can get the full effect. Bottom line…if you’re OK spending a little more money you must get this thing. (Good news is you could probably give up your gym membership).

Lululemon Triumphant Tote $118: Not only is this bag waterproof but it’s also made of material that won’t cause your Lulu pants to pill when it rubs against them. Plus I think carrying a cute bag would totally be motivation to hit the gym, right? This bag even has a laptop pocket so it’s business and pleasure!

iPad 2 $499: All right, this is a big ticket item but if you’re thinking of one for Christmas I’ll tell you it is my workout secret. I load my favorite TV shows and movies onto the iPad and I actually look forward to my cardio sessions. Consider it a health care cost.

Happy shopping!!!

If you need some other gift ideas for those on your holiday list, check out these gift guides:

Women on the Run

Healthy Gifts That Won't Offend

Two-Wheelin' Friends

For the Active Man in Your Life

Gifts For the Outdoor Enthusiast

Sneezy, Stuffy, Runny: Natural Cold Remedies to Do Before Bed

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:27:03 PDT

If if you eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and wash your hands a bazillion times a day, you can still find yourself reaching for the tissues and cough drops. Luckily cold symptoms don't last too long, but here are some ways to get relief from your ails without popping pills or swallowing gross liquid.

Heat and Water
Before slipping into bed, take a hot shower. Make sure the bathroom door is closed and the fan switched off so you can breathe in as much steam as possible. Take a washcloth, run it under the hot water, place it on your face and gently massage your sinuses to loosen up mucus. If you have a neti pot, use that in the shower to drain your nasal passages. If you're weirded out by flushing warm salt water through your nose, use an over-the-counter saline spray.

Keep reading to learn three other natural ways to get cold relief before hitting the hay.

The Best and Worst Flu Season Remedies

Prevention — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:12:53 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Find out which immune-boosting supplements really help — and which are just hype
By the Editors at Prevention

Flu shots, hand washing, healthy eating, and regular exercise are the best ways to avoid cold and flu.

But sometimes even the most scrupulous germaphobes and healthy people get sick anyway. While certain natural remedies can help shorten symptoms — or prevent infection entirely — many people waste money on measures that are all hype. Here's how to know the difference so you can get well faster — without wasting a penny.

The Germiest Spots in Your Home

1. Omega-3 Pill
The Verdict: Help
Take it: All season long
If you don't like or eat a lot of fish, pop an omega-3 supplement daily to reap the fatty acid's impressive immune-fortifying properties. Omega-3s increase the activity of phagocytes — cells that fight flu by eating up bacteria — according to a study by Britain's Institute of Human Nutrition and School of Medicine. Other research shows that omega-3s increase airflow and protect lungs from colds and respiratory infections.

Look for purified fish oil capsules that contain at least 1 g combined of EPA and DHA.

Keep reading for the rest of the list.

Have You Ever Taken a Dietary Supplement to Lose Weight?

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:34:47 PDT

Losing weight is no easy task. It takes time to find the right combination of willpower, diet, and exercise to work for yourself, so it's no wonder that there's no end to products that promise to help you out. Anything from Snooki-endorsed Zantrex to tasteless, calorie-less fiber that fills your belly without adding calories are currently on the market touting fast results for dropping pounds.

Taking dietary supplements carries certain risks. For one, they aren't FDA-approved and can contain unsafe ingredients, and for another, you could just be wasting your money on buying expensive pills that aren't effective (one of the main ingredients in Zantrex, for example, is just lots of caffeine). Have you ever tried them?

DrSugar Answers: Caffeine, Coffee, and Diuretics

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:32:45 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! To celebrate National Coffee Day, she's answering an age-old question about how your cup of java affects your day.

DrSugar,
I am confused about coffee. I remember reading somewhere that coffee is only a mild diuretic and doesn't contribute to dehydration. But after I drink a cup of coffee or an espresso drink, my mouth feels dry and I need to pee more frequently. So I am hoping you can clarify this. Is coffee a diuretic? And how exactly do diuretics work? Is coffee dehydrating, or is it the caffeine?
- Confused Coffee Lover

Don't worry, you are not the only one out there confused about coffee! For years, medical experts had been saying that the caffeine in coffee acts as a potent diuretic, which leads to excessive urination resulting in dehydration. But, like you mentioned in your question, recent research has been published on this topic and the results appear to contradict the prior notion about coffee. Most studies have shown that in moderate amounts, the caffeine in coffee only has mild diuretic effects and does not lead to dehydration. To learn why, keep reading.

Would You Take Behavior-Altering Drugs?

Tara Sharp — Mon, 09 May 2011 13:00:00 PDT

Do pills that can help you kick cigarette or alcohol addiction, want to diet and exercise, or even be faithful to your partner sound too good to be true? They may become a reality, says neuroscientist David J. Linden, who looks into behavior-altering drugs in his book The Compass of Pleasure. Drugs that trigger brain responses, dubbed psychopharmaceuticals, haven't been cleared by the FDA yet, although there is a legal product called "Liquid Trust," which may or may not be effective (and reminds me a little of the love potion in Harry Potter). And while the potential side effects of these pills may not be as extreme as in Limitless, they could be dangerous.

If psychopharmaceuticals really worked and were available to buy, would you take them? Or does the idea of meds that affect your brain send up red flags?

The Best Supplements For Your Skin

Prevention — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:27:00 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Skin Health
By the Editors of Prevention

Your birthday suit is pretty good at taking care of itself, but this process changes over time. Through natural exfoliation, your skin sheds dead cells as younger ones, generated deep in the epidermis (skin's top layer), migrate upward to replace them. In young, healthy skin, cells take about 28 days to reach the surface and flake off 12 days later, but as you age, renewal slows; new cells aren't produced as quickly, and old ones hang on longer.

Your skin also loses its luster over time as free radicals - generated from things like stress, cigarette smoke, and the skin's top enemy, the sun--cause cell damage that leads to discoloration and even cancer. Your body starts producing collagen, a protein that helps keep your skin plump and elastic, more slowly, causing the outer skin to become more prone to creasing and wrinkling. Cells also tend to lose moisture faster, due to hormonal changes, so skin becomes drier and less glowy.

Lifestyle factors, like avoiding excess sun exposure and wearing sunscreen when you head outdoors, getting plenty of sleep, washing and moisturizing your face at night, combating stress, and getting plenty of exercise, can all keep your skin healthy and youthful longer. And certain vitamins and supplements can help fight wrinkles, discoloration, and other signs of aging, too. But a key distinction here is that most of them work best when applied topically, not through pills or diet.

11 Foods That Give You Beautifully Radiant Skin

Best supplements

Omega-3s: These supplements aren't just making headlines for heart health - dermatologists also recommend them to help prevent dry skin and problems like psoriasis and eczema. These fats are a key component of the lubricating layer that keeps skin supple, and they aid in the production of hormones that improve skin texture and help combat the inflammatory damage wrought by free radicals--one of the causes of wrinkles and blotchiness. To get enough omega-3s in your diet, supplements are often recommended in addition to eating fish, walnuts, and other food sources.

Topical nutrients

You can get these from food or multivitamins, but for optimal skin health, use products that contain them too.

Vitamin A: Derivatives of this vitamin are known as retinoids, and you can find them in OTC or prescription products. They're proven--through more than 700 studies! - to reduce wrinkles, fade brown spots, and smooth roughness. The downside to their effectiveness is potential side effects. Retinoids can cause redness, scaling, and flaking that can last for weeks or more; OTC products tend to be milder than Rx ones.

More About Retinoids and Products That Contain Them

Vitamin B3: This B vitamin, commonly known as niacinamide, helps boost production of the compounds that comprise your skin's outer barrier, which helps it lock in moisture better. The ingredient is also shown to help reduce redness in rosacea patients and is especially helpful if you have dry or sensitive skin.

Vitamin C: Proven to mop up the free radicals that trigger wrinkling, sagging, and other aging changes, vitamin C also helps smooth and firm skin and fade brown spots. In one study, women who treated sun-damaged skin with a C cream for 6 months saw significant improvement in fine lines and discoloration. Though the benefits of retinoids and vitamin C sound similar, using both delivers more complexion perfection.

Vitamin E: This powerful vitamin eases dry skin (by helping skin retain its natural moisturizers) and bolsters UV defense. A slew of skin care studies document its superstar status. In one, E significantly reduced the number of skin-damaging free radicals created after exposure to cigarette smoke. Others show that when it's used before UV exposure, skin is less red, swollen, and dry, which is why the ingredient is often included in sunscreens.

See 7 More Doctor-Proven Beauty-Boosting Supplements

The Best Supplements For Your Skin