FitSugar

11 Things You Need to Throw Away

Emily Co — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:05:07 PST

The first step to taking care of yourself and de-stressing is to make sure that your environment is in order. Seeing your house full of clutter can affect your mood negatively and make your personal space seem like a place you want to escape from, rather than something to look forward to coming home to. Organize a "throwing out" day every month to make sure that you don't have clutter building up. Here are some things you should consider purging from your home:

Old magazines. Get rid of old magazines you have lying around because chances are, you aren't going to read them again. Find places where you can donate your magazines to such as child care centers, doctor's offices, nail salons, nursing homes, and libraries. If there's an article that really speaks to you, scan a digital image of it and keep it in your computer. Or keep a folder of magazine clippings if you like saving magazine articles.
Receipts, bills, and documents. Throw away receipts for items that you aren't planning on returning, and ones that you won't need to use come tax time. If you're wary of throwing away receipts, you can make a digital copy of them with a basic scanner, a pricey specialized receipt scanner ($174), or a smartphone app ($2). See here for a full list of documents you should keep forever or temporarily.
Clothes. Use the two-year-rule for clothes - get rid of apparel that you haven't worn in two years. Sell them to a thrift store (find a thrift store at thethriftshopper.com) or donate them to the needy.
Books. Go through your bookshelf and gather together books you haven't touched in months and ones that you aren't planning on rereading. Be realistic and make sure you're ruthless. If you haven't touched it in a year, you're most likely not going to read it again. Sell the books on Amazon, Craigslist, or eBay. You can even trade them for something else on swap.com. You can always donate them as well!
Medicine and vitamins. Take a look at your medicine closet and clear out drugs that have expired, medicine that has sat on your shelf for too long, or ones that you no longer use. First, check to see what the proper disposal methods are for the medication, and if you can't find any, check to see if your community has a drug take-back program. If there isn't a program near you, then the FDA advises mixing medicine with "used coffee grounds or kitty litter" in a container or sealable bag before throwing it away to make the drugs less appealing.

For more things to throw away, read on.

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.

10 Nice Things to Do For People That Won't Cost Much

Emily Co — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:05:26 PST

Although it's good to focus on your own happiness, it's always beneficial to spread the joy around. In fact, studies have shown that people who perform kind acts see a boost in mood. You can start today by doing some nice things for people . . . just because.

Send a postcard. Send a postcard to a friend or family member who doesn't live in the same city, updating them on your life and telling them that you're thinking of them.
Give affirmation. Praise someone about a quality that they have that you really appreciate. Make sure it's true for you or it won't sound genuine!
Help someone with their belongings. If you see an elderly person struggling with their belongings or even groceries, offer to help carry them. Perhaps you can help them load the bags into their car, or if you live in the same neighborhood, you can drop them off at their door.
Aid someone with their job search. Take some time out of your day to help an unemployed friend or family member. Go through job listings and send her a list of suitable jobs, offer to edit her resume and to prep her for interviews.
Clean your home. If you live with roommates or a partner, clean the home and do all the chores without any prompting.

Read on for more kind acts.

9 Life-Changing Books to Read in the New Year

Emily Co — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 03:05:16 PST

Knowledge is king. The first step to creating change in your life is to know what you're doing wrong or why you need to change. I've picked out nine books that will better your life in 2012. Whether it's figuring out how to get out of debt, learning how to be happier, or trying to find ways to get a job, reading just one of these books is guaranteed to change your life for the better this year.

8 Steps to Being Happy Without Spending a Dime

Emily Co — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:10:54 PST

Happiness is something you can't put a price on, and it's something you shouldn't take for granted. Despite what you think, no fancy car, flashy bling, or other material possessions will make you happy. True happiness has to come from within and just like most things in life, it takes effort and hard work to achieve it. Here are eight simple steps to becoming a happier person:

Stop being materialistic: If you find joy in things, that happiness will be short lived. Because what you have will never be enough, and things can always be lost or broken. Wanting what you don't have will create unhappiness, so you should always be content with what you do currently have.
Not defining yourself with a title: Just like material possessions, titles can always be lost. If you define yourself by an occupation or a role you carry, such as a doctor or being a mother, you may feel lost if the title was taken away from you. You need to find happiness in your own self and just be happy about being you.
Getting rid of your clutter: Having too much clutter in your house can take a toll because a disorganized mess can cause inner turmoil and stress. Take steps to reduce the clutter in your home by throwing out, donating, or selling items you don't use or need.
Meditating: Meditation is an extremely powerful tool. In fact, scientists have found that people who have trained in meditation have different brain activity than those who haven't trained. They respond better to situations that would cause us to lose emotional control.

Read on for more.

Do You Get an Annual Physical?

Susi May — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 07:30:05 PST

Way back in the 1920s the American Medical Association began recommending annual physicals: a yearly check-in with your doctor for some basic medical screenings. In that same decade the US Public Health Association launched a nationwide campaign promoting the physical, which was part of the early stages of institutionalized preventative medicine. The slogan was simple: "Have a Health Examination on Your Birthday." But is what was common practice still the status quo? From my arm chair, it seems the physical exam has gone out of fashion as insurance and medical rates have sky rocketed and the modern woman's free time has shrunk. Many women see a gynecologist annually, so why bother with a primary care physician too?

In theory, I feel a physical is great idea - thinking it's a good time to build some rapport with your doc. Should something dire happen in the future it would be nice to feel like you had a relationship with him or her. In practice, I tend to skip them - I am not saying this a good thing or that it's recommended. This is simply another way of dealing with the ever-shrinking amount of free time. I just tend to go to see my physician when I am sick. What about you?

FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 05:50:02 PST

Loving the on-ice looks this Olympics? Check out my fave ice skating costumes from years gone by.
Learn how SI swimsuit cover model Brooklyn Decker shaped up for her photo shoot.
Feeling puffy? These foods may be causing that bloated feeling.
Maximize your gym time with these tips.
I want to know, have you ever gone to the gym and not worked out?
Make a fun snack: peanut butter banana dog.
Kelly Osbourne has a diet tip to spark your metabolism.
Every once in a while you happen on a bad fitness class. Tell me about the worst one you've ever taken.
Work out like Gwyneth Paltrow with this video of Tracy Anderson's arm workout.

Laughter: More Than the Best Medicine

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 03:00:00 PDT

We have all heard that laughter is the best medicine; well some Norwegian researchers think it might just be more than that. Folks that have a sense of humor, especially in the face of cancer, outlive those who don't find life funny. The study tracked 57,000 Norwegians for 7 years and the larger role humor played in participants' daily lives, the greater their chances for surviving. Check out this article at USA Today for more on this study.

Now another recent study, this one British, found laughter acts as a "social lubricant" and can thereby make folks more altruistic as a group. Participants were shown either serious or comic videos in groups and then asked to "invest" money. They could invest either "privately" with a guaranteed return or "communally" with all participants receiving an equal return, but with no guarantee that it would match the amount put into the investment. Yep, you guessed it - the participants that laughed with their investing partners, who they had never met before, were more likely to invest communally. Laughing together makes people feel like they are more connected. The researchers are postulating that laughter could have evolutionary significance in creating group bonding which increases the group's survival in stressful situations.

Well...laugh and the world laughs with you...and you might live longer...and you might invest your money more altruistically which would make you feel warm inside.

Now if you are looking for a laugh, a chuckle or a guffaw...check out my buddy GiggleSugar. I am sure she has something to help you live longer.

MyPath*TV

FitSugar — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 04:00:00 PST

Sometimes, I want to sign up for classes and be with people while I learn. Other times, I want to stay in my pj's and learn via computer.

For those pj times, try MyPath*TV. MyPath*TV is an online resource and community that provides hundreds of videos on virtually any topic you can think of relating to health and wellness. The videos tend to be a bit low budget and cheesy (nobody is looking to win an Oscar here), but they definitely contain good quality content. The site is motivational and soothing. The best part is there are videos from industry notables like Dr. Andrew Weil, a "guru" in the natural and preventative medicine world. There is one snag though: You have to subscribe. A daily subscription is $1.95, a monthly subscription is $9.95 and a 3-month subscription is $25.35.

Bar Refaeli, Anne V, Chrissy Teigen, and More Wear Bikinis For SI's Swimsuit Issue

Allie Merriam — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:18:05 PST

The annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue features some of the world's most famous models in their two-pieces. Bar Refaeli wore a bikini for a spread with some well-known athletes like Rafael Nadal, Michael Phelps, and Chris Paul. Chrissy Teigen, Anne V, and Irina Shayk also show skin in the magazine. Click through to see highlights from SI's latest, which features Kate Upton on the cover, and make sure to check out all the 2012 Sports Illustrated bikini pictures!