FitSugar

Watered Down: Benefits of Eight Glasses a Day?

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:00:00 PDT

I drink lots of water daily and the new report on the health benefits of water being oversold will probably not sway me to stop sipping it hourly. The study found that there really are no health benefits to drinking the often recommended eight glasses of water a day; there is no evidence to the lack of benefits either. Interestingly enough, the researchers could not pin point the origin of the recommendation to drinking 64 ounces of water a day. It seems to be a benign urban health myth.

Here is a short list of things drinking eight glasses of water will not do for you:

It does not help remove toxins from the kidneys.
It doesn't help improve skin tone.
It doesn't ward of headaches.
It will no improve organ function.
Lastly, water doesn't necessarily lead to weight loss. Since water contains no calories, it is more of a weight loss strategy for keeping your mouth busy than for filling you up. Sometimes the body mistakes hunger and thirst cues, so drinking adequate water can help stave off this bodily confusion.

The take home message – drink when you are thirsty. Everyone's need for water differs. If you exercise and sweat you will need to replenish your lost fluids and if you live in a dry, hot climate you will need more water as well. Listen to your body!

Source

Overdid It on the Chili, Wings, and Beer? How to Get Heartburn Relief

Jenny Sugar — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:12:08 PST

In terms of calories consumed in one day, the Super Bowl Sunday spread is only bested by the Thanksgiving feast. Being that the game comes but once a year, many sports fans go all out, consuming a variety of spicy snacks - chili, buffalo wings, salsa - along with beer, pizza, and dips. All that food can lead to digestive disaster. If you're suffering from heartburn, here's how to get relief.

Let loose: Loosen up your clothing if it's fitted. The compression around your chest and stomach can make heartburn symptoms worse.
Put down the bottle: Stop drinking alcohol, carbonated beverages, and drinks containing caffeine like coffee and Coca-Cola ASAP. Don't reach for a cooling glass of milk either. It's a myth that milk relieves heartburn. It may feel good at first, but can actually worsen symptoms. Sip water instead.
Chuck the wings: Avoid eating any more spicy or greasy foods, foods that contain pepper, and acidic foods such as oranges, tomatoes, and vinegar. Chocolate, mint, ketchup, and mustard are also common heartburn triggers, so avoid eating these as well.
Grab a stick: Of gum, that is. Chew gum to increase saliva production, helping to neutralize stomach acid.

Keep reading for more ways to get immediate heartburn relief.

Do Popular Weight-Loss Diets Work?

Shape — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:15:48 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

There's a mountain of evidence that suggests that fad diets don't function as permanent weight-loss solutions. So why do we continue to flock toward them when we know they're not very effective? After rounding up the top 10 searched diet plans on Yahoo! and noticing that almost every single one was a fad diet (such as the Atkins Diet, or HCG Diet), we wanted to know more about why we're drawn to these popular diet plans. So we went to Holly Herrington, a Registered Dietitian at the Center for Lifestyle Medicine at the Northwestern University Medical Faculty Foundation to get her take on these plans and whether they really work for weight loss.

Find out what - if any - fad diets work after the break.

Ring In the New Year With These Helpful Hangover Tips and Cures

Michele Foley — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:03:18 PST

New Year's Eve is days away, and while a Champagne toast at midnight is customary, many of you will be having more than just one glass - maybe even four or five before the night is out. Come morning and you have quite the hangover on your hands. You wake up with a pounding headache, parched mouth, and a room that seems to be spinning. What - if anything - can you do to make it stop? Read up on our helpful hangover tips to see what works, what doesn't, and if it's possible to plan a hangover remedy the night before.

How to prevent a hangover altogether: If you're going to go all out this NYE, you're probably going to pay the price: our bodies aren't designed to binge on bad stuff and feel great the next day. There are a few things that you can do that may prevent a hangover from happening - or, at least make it less painful. Check out these tips for preventing a hangover.
Too late, the hangover hit: If you aren't able to take our advice on preventing a hangover this New Year's holiday, there are ways to make it more bearable. Remember: lots of water, but mostly just time. Here are five fixes to help you better cope with a hangover. And from a sour stomach to a pounding headache, here are specific fixes for common hangover ailments.
Common hangover myths busted: From hair of the dog to raw eggs, there's a lot of commonly held hangover cures. But do they really work? Here's everything you need to know on the truth about hangovers and which hangover myths are just that - myths.

Hangover Cures That Work (and Ones That Don't)

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:17:53 PST

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

You know you shouldn't, but sometimes a girl just can't help herself. You plan to meet up with friends for a drink after work, and one drink turns into many more, which then turns into a rough next morning. We hope you don't have a hangover reading this, because we bring you some not-so-good news. "There are a lot of myths about hangover cures," says Ruth C. Engs, RN, EdD, a professor at Indiana University who has done extensive research on the effects of drinking. "Essentially there is no cure other than consuming water and liquids like juice (i.e., not spiked) in the morning." The reason? Hangover symptoms are a product of dehydration, hypoglycemia, and the poisonous side effects from toxins in our drinks (sounds great, right?). Water will not only help hydrate your muscles and organs, but will also aid in flushing out the toxins. Juices such as orange juice accomplish both while replenishing your body with missing sugars.

That said, if you swear by a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel or a five-mile run after a night out on the town, you're not alone. We got the scoop on which remedies seem to prove real, and which ones are just part of the rumor mill.

Find out which hangover cures work after the break!

Nutrition Myths That Can Cause Weight Gain

Shape — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:04:23 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Myth: Going Vegan Will Make You Lose Weight
"While various research shows that vegetarians and vegans, on average, consume fewer calories and less fat than omnivores (a 2009 Oxford study found that vegetarians weigh 3 to 20 percent less than their meat-eating counterparts, and a National Cancer Institute study found that subjects who consumed four ounces or more of red meat weekly were 30 percent more likely to die of any cause than those who ate less), these numbers may be misleading," says Rania Batayneh, MPH, a certified nutritionist and owner of Essential Nutrition for You.

Going vegan solely for weight loss can backfire, big time. If you aren’t vigilant with a vegan diet, it’s easy to lack in vital nutrients, vitamins, and proteins, which give you energy and help keep your metabolism stoked. Many first-time vegans may also find themselves reaching for more processed foods like vegan cookies, chips, or even ‘ice cream’ more often with such a restricted diet, and many end up packing on the pounds instead.

If you do decide to adopt a vegan diet, be sure to keep the ‘treats’ to a minimum and plan balanced meals (we love ‘Domestic Vegan’ Diva Jessica Olson’s tips for "going veg"). "Aim to get about 10 to 20 percent of your calories from protein (or about 1 gram per kilogram of body weight), replacing animal protein with healthy plant proteins, like those found in beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products," Batayneh says. "And, whether you are vegan or not, eating more green, leafy vegetables is great for your health and your waistline."

See which other diet habits may also being causing weight gain after the break!

Quick Tip: Up Your Water Intake This Winter

Leta Shy — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:44:59 PST

As Winter nears, the cold weather may be annoying for many reasons, not the least of which is its dehydrating effect. When temps drop and winds increase, the air becomes drier, meaning our bodies aren't getting as much moisture as in warmer months. If you're feeling the effects of the drier air, here's a reminder to increase your water consumption.

We've long been told that the eight glasses of water a day that we need to drink is a myth (the actual number you need depends on a lot of different factors - read more on calculating your recommended daily water intake here), but what is true is that drinking more than that amount - within reason - isn't a bad thing. In fact, if you do drink eight glasses a day, your kidneys will thank you. Studies have found that drinking 64 ounces of water reduces the risk of developing kidney disease.

Two good reasons to up your water intake, so drink up! If a tall glass of icy water doesn't sound appealing during those cold days, warm up with these recipes for herbal tea.

Can You Drink Alcohol and Still Lose Weight?

Shape — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:17:35 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to nutritional consultant Mike Roussell, PhD, for some help!

Q: Can you drink alcohol and still lose weight? What if you work out on a regular basis?

A: Yes, you can drink alcohol and lose weight - as long as you're smart about it. When looking at the weight-loss impact of having a drink, there are two things you need to consider: calories and alcohol content.

1. Calories: For most people the calories in the mixers of their favorite cocktails pose a far greater barrier to weight loss than the actual alcohol. Just four ounces of some daiquiri or margarita mixes can contain upwards of 35 grams of sugar (that’s seven teaspoons of sugar)! Plus, they're more than double the amount of calories in the shot of rum or tequila included in the drink (that is, if you're only served ½ cup of mixer). What's worse, the calories from mixers are the worst kinds of calories, simple and refined sugars. When they're combined with the metabolic effects of alcohol, it gets even worse.

2. Alcohol content: One myth about alcohol is that it will make you fat. But the truth is, it's the combination of alcohol and sugars found in mixers (or the bar food often consumed with alcohol) that causes problems. Alcohol does contain calories, but it's safe to assume that no one gains a lot of weight by throwing back shots of straight vodka. Instead, it is the metabolic priority that your body places on alcohol (over carbohydrates and fats) that causes the problem. Your body wants to process alcohol before anything else, which has been shown to create a metabolic environment that is almost the opposite of the environment your body creates following exercise - one of high circulating levels of fat and inhibited fat burning.

While this may sound all doom and gloom, there are upsides to drinking alcohol. Moderate alcohol consumption (one drink per day for women) increases your HDL (‘good’) cholesterol, and studies show that people who have a couple drinks each week live longer. How can you get the best of both worlds?

Learn the benefits of drinking alcohol after the break!

Bizarre Home Cures That Work

Prevention — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:13:50 PDT

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

Ease pesky health issues with vodka, duct tape — more
From the Editors of Prevention

Of course there are some health staples you should never be without - bandages or OTC pain relievers come to mind. But you can treat or cure a surprising number of minor ailments with these unexpected household objects and foods.

Home cure: Vodka
Use it for: Foot odor
If your feet smell less than swell, wipe them down with a vodka-soaked washcloth to get rid of the stench. It's the same principle as rubbing alcohol (which works equally well if you'd rather drink your Grey Goose). Vodka contains alcohol, which is antiseptic and drying, so it destroys odor-causing fungus and bacteria and dries out the moisture that lets these organisms grow.

Surprising Reasons Why You Smell

Home cure: Licorice
Use it for: Calluses and corns
"Licorice contains estrogen-like substances that soften the hard skin of calluses and corns," says Georgianna Donadio, PhD, director of the National Institute of Whole Health. Make this homemade licorice paste: grind up a few licorice sticks, mix them with 1/2 teaspoon of petroleum jelly, and rub the mixture into the rough areas of your feet.

How to Get Soft and Sexy Feet

Home cure: Baking soda
Use it for: Urinary tract infections
At the first sign of symptoms, drink a solution made with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda mixed in eight ounces of water. Continue this once a day until you can get a culture done at a doctor's office and start antibiotics. Baking soda makes the bladder environment more alkaline, which reduces bacteria's ability to multiply, says Larrian Gillespie, MD, a retired assistant clinical professor of urology and urogynecology in Los Angeles.

Keep reading for more home cures.

Common Yoga Myths Busted

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:08:16 PDT

Yoga offers numerous health benefits, but there are some rumors about this ancient practice that need a little debunking. While it's obvious that regular Down Dogs won't cause instant enlightenment or help you live to 150, we'd like to dispel some persistent yoga myths before you step on your mat.

Hot Yoga Helps You Lose Weight
Certain types of yoga like Bikram and ashtanga are practiced in a heated room, and you end up sweating buckets. Weigh yourself after one of these intense classes, and after sweating so much you probably lost a couple pounds. This is only water weight and will quickly be "gained" back as soon as you rehydrate. While any type of exercise will help with weight loss, yoga is better for building muscle rather than burning calories. If it's pounds you're trying to drop, complement your yoga practice with cardio sessions.

It'll Give You Better Orgasms
Yoga improves sex right? Not exactly. I'm sorry to say hitting a few classes won't instantly turn you into a sex goddess and make your time under the sheets more satisfying. What practicing yoga can do is increase your flexibility, which increases your ability to try new and adventurous positions in the bedroom.

Continue reading to hear more yoga myths.