FitSugar

The Skinny on Zinc

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:00:00 PDT

Zinc is one of those essential minerals that often flies under the radar, mostly because deficiencies of zinc are rare here in the U.S. It is, however, present in almost every cell of your body. It stimulates almost 100 enzymes, which are responsible for many biomechanical reactions in the body. This busy mineral supports a healthy immune system, is needed for wound healing and helps maintain your sense of taste and smell.

The recommended daily intake of zinc is 9 milligrams for an adult woman, and it is always better to get your RDI in the form of whole foods. That being the case, here are some foods high in zinc include: oysters (6 oz = 75 mg), crab (3 oz = 7), beef (3 oz = 6), and beans (1/2 cup = 1.8 mg).

Zinc has been getting a lot attention lately for its ability to fight colds. Some studies indicate that it can decrease the length of a common cold, while others show no real benefits to using zinc lozenges. The debate continues, and it seems like the form of zinc you take matters. Look for zinc supplements that use zinc gluconate, since it seems to be the most effective form of the mineral. If you are fighting a cold with zinc, do be aware that the upper tolerance is 40 mg for adults and high doses of zinc can interfere with iron and copper absorption.

Source

5 Exercises to Ditch Arm Flab Forever

Shape — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:07:15 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to celebrity trainer Jay Cardiello for some help!

Ah, that infamous area along the back of your arms, the nemesis of so many women. How do you tackle the jiggle? First, I want to tell you what not to do, as people are often tempted to take the wrong course of action. And that is the concept of spot reducing, or lowering fat stores in one specific area of the body. It is essentially impossible to accomplish and should not be a part of your fitness regimen. Fighting arm flab requires more than just spot treatment!

In order to tone the backs of your arms, which is where your tricep muscles are, you have to remember this: specific exercises to increase your lean muscle mass will get you results, but you must also decrease your fat intake without risking too much muscle loss. (Sound familiar? Have you managed to lose fat, but still carry some extra bulk around the tricep?) So, to lose the wiggle and jiggle, be sure to eat a healthy balanced diet with proper nutrients; get at least six to eight hours of sleep so that your body can repair, recover, and build muscle; and consistently maintain your exercise program. And be sure to incorporate these five flab-fighting exercises into your workout routine.

The Ultimate Abs and Arms Workout

See Jay's arm workout after the break!

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Mystery Date"

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:18:20 PDT

Sex and violence play a huge part in this week's Mad Men, and this episode has one of the most shocking scenes I've ever seen on this show (even though it turns out not to be real). Don is suffering from a cold that gives him disturbing dreams, and Joan's happiness about welcoming Greg home from Vietnam turns sour fast. Peggy gets an assignment from Roger, which leads to her spending quality time with Dawn, the new receptionist. Michael Ginsberg is quickly making his presence known at SCDP, though his tactics very nearly get him fired immediately.

Even though the maddest moment of this week's episode doesn't really happen, I'm still having a hard time getting the image out of my head (I guess I know exactly how Sally feels). Let's chat about those scenes and more after the jump.

Do You Dread the Ice Cream Truck?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:32:52 PDT

The sound of the ice cream truck playing its song is synonymous with Summer - as is the sound of kids crying when their parents say, "No. No ice cream before dinner." It's an age-old problem, and one that most mamas simply consider par for the course with parenting. But in the progressive neighborhood of Park Slope, Brooklyn, the moms are waging a war against ice cream peddling. On a popular message board, one frustrated mom wrote:

Along with the first truly beautiful day of the year, my son and I had our first ruined day at the playground. Two different people came into the actual playground with ice cream/Italian ice push carts. I was able to avoid it for a little while but eventually I left with a crying 4-year-old.

A chorus of moms quickly chimed in with their own accounts of fending off tots who screamed for ice cream. The angry mothers ultimately called for a ban on the sale of the ice-cold treats in their popular park, with one saying, "I should not have to fight with my children every warm day on the playground just so someone can make a living!"

Others argue that it is the parents' responsibility to simply say "no" to their kids every now and then, and the ice cream vendors shouldn't be penalized. What do you think?

Source: Flickr User Kazz.0

Is There a Perfect Place to Raise a Family?

BabyCenter — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:58:30 PDT

Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Dr. Gwen Dewar about ideal places to live.

Where should I live? I've known this question was coming for a long time, but couldn't do anything about it. I spent the last 18 months fighting my mother's cancer. Now she's gone, our family is irrevocably changed, and I want to find a new place to live.

Part of me wants adventure. I am finally free. But I'm still a mother. My children's well-being comes before anything else.

In an ideal world, I'd live next door to a parenting ally: A like-minded friend or relative who also has young children. The kids would play together. We would help each other in a crisis. We would watch out for each other's kids.

It sounds like utopia to some people. But it should be the norm. For most of human history, families lived in precisely this way.

People lived in small bands or villages. It wasn't perfect. There were personal conflicts and soap operas. But parents weren't isolated, and kids had more autonomy to play and explore.

Now I'm finding it difficult to recreate my own village. In the modern economy, my friends and family are dispersed all over the place. So I'm taking a step back, and thinking first about the locations themselves.

What are the most family-friendly places to live? Like everybody else, I want a place where the cost of living is low, the schools are good, the job market isn't terrible, good health care is available, and the neighborhoods are relatively safe.

I've also got these personal criteria:

I'd like a university town, or at least a place where research is happening and science-minded people can be found.
I want a little rugged natural beauty. If there are no hills or mountains of any kind, I may go bughouse. Ditto for trees. If the winters are cold, there had better be some evergreens, too.
I want some ethnic diversity. It doesn't have to be a dazzling Mecca of international culture, and what really matters most is that people be open-minded. But I'd like there to be more than one important cultural influence in town.
There should be wildlife. Of the non-human variety.
I need a good public library.
There must be places to walk, and I'd like to walk to school without getting hit by a car.
Please let the gods arrange things so that school doesn't start before 8am. At this point, my family would regard an 8:30 starting time as heaven on earth.
I want a natural science museum. A real natural science museum. With dinosaurs. Or at least some extinct mammals.

I know the last demand is iffy. There aren't many museums like that world-wide. But bizarre as it may seem, I pine for a museum. It doesn't have to be next door. I'd probably settle for two hours away. And if there were a really good zoo nearby – or wildlife park – or aquarium - I might be able to make do.

So help me out, please. Does any place fit the bill? Have you struggled with your own criteria? And have you succeeded in finding your own, family-friendly place to live?

More great posts from BabyCenter:
7 Popular Nursery Designs on Pinterest
Remember to Keep Some of Your Non-Mom Friends
10 DIY Spring Home Projects
Is Enjoying Childcare a Woman Thing?
10 Recipes For Cleaning Green

The Hunger Games: A Satisfying Adaptation and a Stunning Movie

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:20:28 PDT

If you've been holding your breath about The Hunger Games, it's time to let it out, because the movie fulfills any and all hopes you could have. Not only is the adaptation loyal to its cherished source material, as a film, it's simply incredible.

Based on Suzanne Collins's novel, The Hunger Games portrays a dystopian future in which what's presumed to be North America has been broken up into 12 districts surrounding an ultra-rich, powerful Capitol. To remind the districts of their subordination, the Capitol holds an annual event in which one teen girl and boy (known as tributes) from each district are forced to fight to the death (until only one remains) as a televised show. At the center of all this is Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a 16-year-old from one of the poorest districts, who volunteers to participate in the place of her younger sister, Prim. The movie follows Katniss from her hardscrabble life at home with her family and best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth) to the flamboyant excess of the Capitol and into the action-packed arena as she does everything she can to survive. The story is already well-known to legions of readers, and director Gary Ross brings Collins's novel to life as a visual treat, with an emotional punch as strong as the film's heroine.

To find out why I thought The Hunger Games is so fantastic, just keep reading.

Dr. Oz on How to Fight the Common Cold

Zelana Montminy — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:31:18 PST

Cold and flu season is upon, but you can fight back with tips from Dr. Oz. The leading health expert shared his top tips for staying healthy this Winter and we've certainly put his advice into practice. Watch this video to get the low down on vitamin D for cold prevention, how sleep boosts your immune system, and if handshakes spread major germs.

Get Smart About Soy

Health — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 04:48:14 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

There are so many ways to get this good-for-you protein into your daily diet. Here's how to do it - and why you absolutely should.

By Sally Kuzemchak, RD

If you bypass tofu at salad bars, skip the meatless dishes at Chinese restaurants, and avoid edamame when you're out for sushi, well, it's time to give soy-based foods a second look. "Whole soy foods are a great substitute for meat," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Their healthy protein content makes them a good option even if you're not one of the growing number of people going "flexitarian" or opting to eat less meat.

Here's your guide to making this legume a regular and great-tasting part of your diet.

Soy 101
All soy products are made from soybeans, mostly grown here in the United States. You can buy whole soybeans dried or canned, or in the produce section or freezer aisle as edamame, the common name for soybeans picked before they're fully mature. (Edamame can be purchased either in pods or shelled.)

Health.com: The 10 best foods for your heart

Beyond whole beans, soy takes on a number of different guises. Roasted soybeans are sold as soy nuts or ground into soy nut butter. Soybeans can be soaked in water, cooked, and filtered to make soy milk and soy yogurt. Adding a coagulant to soy milk curdles it, producing tofu, which ranges in texture from "silken" (very soft) to "extra firm," depending on how much liquid is removed.

Soybeans can also be fermented into a paste called miso (the base for miso soup) or a cake or patty called tempeh, which is often used in place of meat in sandwiches or grilled and eaten on its own. Finally, soy can be found in many packaged foods - such as frozen meatless burgers, cereals, and energy bars - often in the form of "soy protein isolate," meaning it's mostly the protein from soybeans you're getting.

Keep reading for more on soy.

Dating Bad Habits to Give Up For Lent (or Anytime)

Annie Scudder — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:20:18 PST

Yesterday kicked off Lent, and whether you're religious or not, you might be giving up vices like soda or sugar. Why not make your love life a little sweeter while you're at it. Here are some bad dating and relationship habits to swear off. We have ideas for single and taken women.

Tipsy texting. Give up those drunk dials that only make a hangover worse.
Waiting for guys to make the first move. If you want to meet guys, you have to put yourself out there. Something as simple as a smile or flirty eye contact will do.
Living in the past. For Lent, let yourself forget your failed relationships, disappointments, or mistakes. Releasing that baggage will make you more open to new experiences and people.
Wasting time on a guy you're not into. He may be good on paper, but if you don't have the spark or see a long-term future, don't date him.
Wasting time on a guy who's not into you. For Lent, ditch the guy who's sending you mixed messages. Next!
Hiding your true self. You want to be that "cool girl" who doesn't care if he hangs out with the boys every weekend. But if it bothers you when he doesn't give you enough time and affection, tell him. It's the only way you'll find a truly happy, sustainable relationship.
Focusing on his flaws. Is his hairline receding? Did he talk about his job a little too much when you first met him? Did he make an awkward joke in front of your friends? If you focus on these minor flaws, instead of your overall connection, you're never going to get past the first date. Don't settle, but also give a guy a chance to impress you.
Focusing on your flaws. Whether you get down about the fact that it's been ages since your last relationship, or that you're more shy than your other friends, don't let that dictate your dating life. Instead this Lent, think about what makes you and your personality attractive and promise that you'll accentuate those qualities.
Worrying constantly about what your friends think. Don't let your friends' opinion of your man's job, personality, looks, or background influence you too much or turn you off from a guy. Listen to their earnest advice, while trusting your own feelings for him.
Limiting yourself to a type. Don't let the words "he's not my type," leave your mouth, whether you're online dating or getting set up on a date.
Waiting for his text or call. Stop letting his text or lack thereof make or break your day.
Always going back to an ex. It didn't work out for a reason. Instead of wasting emotional resources on an ex, resist the temptation to text, Facebook stalk, or meet up for a hookup when you're feeling lonely.

Get more ideas, including those for people in long-term relationships below!

5 Ways To Leave Your Lover

YourTango — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:00:06 PST

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, YourTango.

An accomplished, smart and beautiful woman sits across from me in my office. She tells me about her relationship; the one she appears to be in but her boyfriend doesn't. She has tried to leave him, she assures me (and herself), but every time she manages to walk out that door, he gets to her. She turns around and walks right back in again. Once she's back, he acts like a jerk. Again. Leave. Get sucked back in. Repeat.

Who can't relate to this scenario? God knows, I've been there. Before meeting my husband-to-be, I was in a relationship with a guy who would only show interest in me after I decided to break up with him. To get me back into his orbit he would swear I was the love of his life. As soon as I returned, he would go cold as a dead snake on an iceberg.

What made me take him back more times than was healthy for anyone's tender self-esteem?

We give ourselves a lot of reasons, but the bottom line is that when we allow a guy to treat us as less important than we really are, our self-esteem is critically injured. Once our self-worth is low it is too easy for the ex to come over the wall of our good defenses and pillage what's left of our confidence.

4 Steps to Silence Your Self-Critic, Improve Self-Esteem, & Free Yourself From Guilt & Shame
What remains is fear. Fear that this jerky guy is as good as it gets. Fear of never finding love again. Fear of being alone with a dozen hungry cats for the rest of your life. This fear is so awful we make excuses (cognitive distortions) to stay in a bad or even a 'not good enough' relationship. After all, he's a known entity...right?

Result? The discomfort of sticking with him is not nearly as scary as what your distorted thinking is imagining life without him is like. So you stay put. What's a girl to do? Fight back those nasty, distorted, self-esteem abusing thoughts with empowering, righteous, healthy goddess thoughts, of course!

Here are some typical distorted thoughts with which we lie to ourselves and suggestions for strong self-esteem building self-talk to combat them:

Instead of, "I'm afraid of being alone." Tell yourself, "I am not alone. I'm with Me. I am good company. If I get lonely, I can check out meetup.com or connect with friends I haven't seen in ages. Most importantly, this time is an opportunity to dive into the world of Me and, for a change, listen to my heart first rather than someone else's!"
Instead of, "But the sex is so good!": Tell yourself, "Sweetie, it's time to grow up. The toxic effect he has on my self-esteem when we're not in bed is not worth the price. If I am that horny, I might just explore the exotic, erotic world of self-stimulation. A lot of people say their best orgasms are experienced alone!"

Get the other ideas when you finish reading the rest of the story on YourTango: 5 Ways To Leave Your Lover

Written by Dr. Elvira Aletta for YourTango.