FitSugar

Another Reason to Stop After One Glass: Increased Stroke Risk

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:00:00 PST

'Tis the season for drinking. You're bound to enjoy champagne toasts with family, wining and dining with friends, and sipping back an eggnog at your office holiday party. One drink is fine, but a recent study shows that for women, consuming more than two alcoholic drinks a day can lead to heart problems. The condition is known as atrial fibrillation, and it's a type of rhythm disorder that causes a rapid heart rate. This can lead to difficulty breathing, fainting, fatigue, dizziness, and could even lead to a deadly stroke. Drinking more than two drinks a day increases a woman's risk for atrial fibrillation by 60 percent.

So enjoy the holidays with a mulled wine or hot toddy, but don't go overboard, for your heart's sake. And if that is not reason enough to stop after one glass, check out these five reasons to drink in serious moderation.

Source

Impotence Could Be a Sign of Heart Problems

DearSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:00:00 PDT

You may not have known that performance problems in bed are a frustrating side effect for about 80 percent of men with type 2 diabetes, and as if that wasn't bad enough, new research shows that these men also face double the risk of potentially fatal heart problems. Both erectile dysfunction and heart problems occur when specific arteries fail to fully expand in response to stimulus. Since arteries in the penis are smaller than those in the heart, issues below the waist may show up sooner. That means this sexual side effect can act as an indicator of such heart problems as chest pain, heart attack, and stroke. For this reason, as embarrassing as it is to talk about or admit, impotence shouldn't be ignored.

Dear's Advice: If a man with diabetes is having a difficult time achieving or maintaining an erection, then he should see his doctor immediately to get his cardiovascular system checked. If caught early enough, lifestyle changes through diet, exercise, and medication can help reduce the risk of heart problems in the future.

Source

Moonrise Kingdom: A Retro Delight

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:00:00 PDT

Everything about Moonrise Kingdom is unmistakably Wes Anderson: the hazy cinematography, the clever dialogue, and even the use of the director's favorite actors. Indeed, Anderson isn't leaving his comfort zone as a filmmaker, but Moonrise Kingdom is still a pleasure to watch. Set in 1965, the movie tells the story of Sam and Suzy (newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward), preteen pen pals who conspire to run away together. As they set up camp all over an island off the coast of New England, they're being pursued by Sam's scout troop (led by camp counselor Edward Norton), Suzy's parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), and different authorities (Bruce Willis and Tilda Swinton). Sam and Suzy's experience with young love is sweet and complicated, and made all the more dreamy through Anderson's lens.

The elements might be familiar, but Anderson proves why he's such an admired director with a film like this. It's surprisingly romantic, but there's also a real threat to Sam and Suzy in the wild. Their compelling journey paired with the optical treat of Anderson's style makes Moonrise Kingdom a must-watch for fans of the distinctive director. To find out what else I liked about the film, just keep reading.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer on Modern Dating and the '90s

Annie Scudder — Wed, 23 May 2012 02:00:50 PDT

Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer are gearing up for the June 5 season-two premiere of Franklin & Bash on TNT. The guys hold a special place in our '90s girl hearts, so when we got a chance to chat with them, we had to get their straightforward dating advice. And, of course, we brought up the '90s. How could we resist while talking to Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris and Clueless's Travis Birkenstock? Read more to find out what we learned.

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Christmas Waltz"

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:38:08 PDT

This week's Mad Men brings back a character we haven't seen in a while, Paul Kinsey, and gives us a look at a relationship between two characters - Joan and Don - who we don't often see interact (but wow, when they do, is it entertaining). Financial problems also start to make Lane Pryce sweat in a subplot that's obviously leading to something far more serious.

The Paul story line kind of feels like a filler-y diversion, but I still liked seeing the old character and getting to see a side of Harry Crane, who's been relegated to being made fun of by Don lately. There are big moments this week I want to discuss, though, so to get to it, just read more.

Common Treadmill Woe: How to Avoid a Stiff Neck While Running

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:13:23 PDT

Many people prefer hitting the treadmill to running outdoors, but if you're not careful, along with that toned tush you might end up with a stiff neck, resulting in a nagging headache. Follow these tips the next time you hop on the treadmill to prevent this common running woe.

Keep Your Gaze Forward
One gym perk is its televisions, which allow you to catch up on the news or your favorite TV show. It becomes a problem, however, if your gym mounts its TVs on the wall instead of using individual screens on each machine - if you're looking up and to the right for 30 minutes straight, it's no secret why your neck hurts! Avoid cranking your head upward or all the way to one side by choosing a treadmill directly in front of the TV you're watching. Or better yet, bring in your iPad and place it on the magazine rack of your machine to keep your head directly over your spine. The same goes for chatting with your running buddy on the treadmill next to you - keep the conversation going while looking straight ahead.

Keep reading for more tips on preventing neck pain on the treadmill.

Why Running Isn't Helping You Lose Weight

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:30:56 PDT

You started running months ago, yet every time you hop on the scale, you're let down by the results. What gives? While running does burn mega calories, here are some reasons you may not be seeing the weight-loss results you're after.

Postrun Pig-Outs
Burning tons of calories can cause a famished feeling afterward, but it's important to fuel wisely. Choose junk food as your recovery food and not only are you overdoing it on the calorie front, you'll be hungry again in the next hour. Although a postrun snack is essential, make sure it's packed with protein and filling carbs, and do not exceed 150 calories. If you exercised before a meal, enjoy a sensibly portioned plate, and don't go overboard as a way to reward your efforts. If you still find you're utterly famished after a workout, it probably means you need to fuel up before you exercise, so enjoy one of these pre-workout snacks before heading out for a run.

You Don't Run Enough
If you're running and not seeing results, take a look at your calendar. Doing one 45-minute run once a week, or a couple 20-minute runs won't burn enough calories to lose weight. In order to lose a pound a week, you'll need to ditch 500 calories each day, through a combination of diet and exercise. If losing weight is your goal, run three to four times per week and incorporate other forms of calorie-burning cardio on the other days.

Keep reading to find out why running isn't helping you lose weight.

12 Items You Should Not Buy in Bulk

Emily Co — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:50:34 PDT

When grocery shopping, there are certain items you should buy in bulk to get that discounted price that will save you money. However, if you pick the wrong items, you may end up wasting cash if you don't use them up before their expiration date. Here are a couple of items you should refrain from buying in bulk:

Baking powder. If you don't bake all the time, you might want to skip out on buying baking powder in bulk, as it lasts up to six months to a year.
Beer. If you're buying beer in bulk for a party, know that the beverage lasts for just three to six months. You might want to limit yourself and make sure that you're not buying too much.
Bleach. Don't buy too much bleach at one time, as this cleaning agent has a relatively short shelf life of three to six months. It starts to degrade after the six-month mark and loses its effectiveness.
Brown rice. People assume that brown rice has a long shelf life and can be stored for as long as possible. In actuality, brown rice doesn't last too long - just six months - because of its oil content.
Candy and unhealthy snacks. Although you may save money buying candy and unhealthy snacks in bulk, having a lot of these items around may cause you to overeat, which will be a detriment to your health. Saving money is not worth the cost to your health.
Cooking oil. You'd be surprised to learn that cooking oil has a shelf life of about a year. Oils and fats tend to go bad really quickly, so that's a factor to keep in mind when shopping. If you buy too much cooking oil, some of the oil may go rancid, which is said to cause increased rates of heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. You definitely want to make sure the oil you have is fresh.

Read on for more items not to buy in bulk.

The Five-Year Engagement: Hold Off on the RSVP

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:30:25 PDT

I was looking forward to The Five-Year Engagement like a dear friend's wedding, but as promising as the movie is, it's not as funny or romantic as I was hoping. Jason Segel and Emily Blunt play Tom and Violet, a happy couple who gets engaged, but over the course of planning their wedding, they get sidetracked, and end up putting off the big day. As their wedding plans fall apart, so does their relationship. This is where The Five-Year Engagement differs most notably from other romantic comedies; instead of seeing a romance develop, we're watching one decline - and it's as depressing to watch as it sounds.

It's a shame that we don't get to see the prologue of Tom and Violet's relationship, because Segel and Blunt have fantastic chemistry, and they have each have such solid comedic timing. It's well suited for the humor of the script, which was penned by Segel and director Nicholas Stoller. The duo also wrote Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Muppets, two of my favorite comedies from the last few years, so my expectations were fairly high. Unfortunately, The Five-Year Engagement doesn't live up to those movies. The film's biggest laughs happen in the beginning of the movie, when the roadblocks to their wedding are far lighter than what the couple faces down the road. It's on that road that The Five-Year Engagement loses me - and its laughs. To find out what else I thought, just keep reading.

The Truth About 5 Confusing Foods

Prevention — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 04:26:43 PDT

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

Even the most nutrition-savvy women can get lost in the headlines. Here's what you really need to know.

By Sharon Liao, Prevention

You heard that eggs can be high in cholesterol, so you dutifully switched to whole grains for breakfast. Next, you swapped out red meat for fish - only to later learn that fish can contain dangerous levels of mercury . . . and eggs may not harm your heart after all. "With all of the different reports and headlines, it’s no wonder that many people get confused," says Angela Ginn, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of Real Talk Real Food in Baltimore, MD. To help you make sense of these and other health head-scratchers, we consulted our experts and sifted through the research. Here, the new bottom line on a few "health" foods.

1. Potatoes
This starchy veggie has a bad rap among dieters, but that’s because people tend to consume it in the form of greasy french fries, chips, and buttery mashed potatoes, says Melissa Joy Dobbins, RD, of NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, IL. "When prepared the right way, potatoes are a nutritious food," she says. One medium potato, for instance, delivers five grams of fiber and nearly 20 percent of your daily quota for heart-healthy potassium.

Bottom line: Skip the fried versions and opt for baked or boiled potatoes. For an even healthier option, choose vitamin A-rich sweet potatoes or purple potatoes, which can help lower blood pressure.

Ten Healthy Ways to Splurge

2. Cheese
Hold the cheese? There’s no need if you eat it in moderation. A one-ounce serving delivers 20 percent of all the bone-building calcium that you need in a day, as well as plenty of protein and phosphorus. "The problem is that many people eat much more than one serving in one sitting," explains Sharon Richter, RD, a dietitian in New York City. And at 100 to 125 calories per ounce, that can add up.

Learn how to keep cheese, eggs, and beer in your diet after the break.