FitSugar

When a Stomachache Needs Medical Attention

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 02:30:00 PST

Have you ever had a stomachache that makes you wonder, is this more than just a stomachache? You're not alone perhaps every time I have gas pains I wonder if I something more serious is going on down there.

Sometimes it is just hard to tell with our bodies, so I was thrilled to see this list of symptoms that would indicate that tummy ache is something more (and may even warrant a trip to the hospital):

Very sharp, severe and sudden pain
Fever along with your stomach or abdominal pain
Vomiting blood, or having bloody diarrhea
Soreness or tenderness in the abdomen
An abdomen that is hard and rigid
Inability to have a bowel movement, particularly if you are also vomiting
Pain in the chest, neck or shoulder
Dizziness or lightheadedness

Source

From the Fit Community: The Best Cardio Machine For Your Body

Fit Community — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:53:42 PDT

Which cardio machine is right for you? FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV asks an expert for the answers. She shared what she found in our 10 Pounds Down! community group.

The stair master, the stationary bike, and the elliptical - we all have our favorite cardio machine at the gym, but which one is the best one for your body? We asked Dr. Yoav Suprun, DPT, a McKenzie physical therapist at Canyon Ranch in Miami Beach to weigh in on the pros and cons of some of your favorite gym staples.

The Stationary Bike
Pros: Low impact, easy on the joints, offers a wide range of intensity options
Cons: The riding position can bring on back pain, or aggravate sciatica for some. “We flex our spine all day and sit for hours - why sit for a cardio session?” asks Dr. Suprun.

The Elliptical
Pros: Low impact, upright position of the body, also easy on the joints and offers a wide range of intensity options
Cons: If you have a small structure or small frame, using an elliptical with handles would be pulling your body out of alignment. “People suffer from holding the handles as it pulls on the lower back and neck once the handle is moved forward,” explains Dr. Suprun.

Keep reading for more pros and cons of your favorite cardio machines.

How to Establish Financial Independence

Kiplinger — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:15:54 PDT

Becoming completely financially independent can be scary, but it's also very liberating. Kiplinger gives advice on how to establish your financial independence.

Not only is it difficult for us twentysomethings to wholeheartedly embrace adulthood, it's often also a challenge for our parents to let us go. Baby-boomer parents are generally known for mollycoddling their children, even after we move out of the house and into our own adult lives. Some parents have shown up for their kids' job interviews, and others have called up human resource departments at their adult kids' workplaces to complain about bad performance reviews or to negotiate salaries on behalf of their children.

They may mean well, but such extreme helicopter parents are actually hindering their children from growing into independent adults. "If a child is receiving too much help, then they have no incentive to succeed or become independent," says Erin Baehr, of the financial planning firm Baehr Family Financial, in Stroudsburg, Pa. "They may also be setting themselves up for some possible financial trouble down the road."

We certainly don't want that. At the same time, as young adults, we shouldn't be so dead set on finding our independence that we end up punishing ourselves by turning down valuable financial guidance and support from Mom and Dad.

So how about meeting in the middle? You can stay open to your parents' assistance but also set limits on how involved in your life you want them to be. For example, when it comes to parental career advice, Marty Martin, a financial psychologist at Aequus Wealth Management Resources, in Chicago, suggests you say, "Mom and Dad, I would really appreciate any advice you may have before I go to my job interview, and I will contact you after it happens. But I really need to do this on my own."

Read on for more.

Race-Day Tips From 2012 Boston Marathon Winner Sharon Cherop

Michele Foley — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:27:27 PDT

This year's Boston Marathon was brutal. The unusually hot weather caused dehydration, heat exhaustion, and in some cases, heat stroke for some of the 2,000 runners. Amid those grueling temps, Kenya's Sharon Cherop emerged as the women's elite champion, who during a press conference shared what led to her victory on such a challenging day. While almost all of us will never finish a marathon with a time like Sharon's 2:31:50, we can benefit from her race-day tips.

Know the Course

Don't let race day be the first time you see the marathon course. When asked what led to her finish-line success, Sharon said knowing the course made all the difference. This was her second time running Boston, so she knew key places where she could afford to slow down or needed to speed up, and there were no surprises waiting for her around any corner, which allowed her to make that dash around the corner at the 600-meter mark before the finish. The specifics of the course also played out in her training. "Last year I realized there's more downhill than uphill. This time I was training more in downhill." Before heading to your destination, research the course online and make note of any elevation changes, winding paths, or road obstacles. Check forums to see what advice other runners offer about their own experiences there. Once you reach your destination, rent a car or sign up for a marathon tour to see the course up front. Driving the length of those 26.2 miles will provide you with a comfortable edge of knowing what to expect on race day.

See what other factors attributed to Sharon's winning success after the break!

5 Steps to Take When You're Filing For Bankruptcy

Emily Co — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:00:03 PDT

Bankruptcy may sound scary and it should be. Filing for it should always be looked at as the last resort. It's a difficult and emotionally exhausting process, which requires the aid and expertise of an attorney. The legal costs can run up to thousands of dollars, and the effect on your credit score is quite damaging. Read on to see if bankruptcy is right for you.

Alternatives to bankruptcy. Are you really all out of options? You need to have given some serious effort to paying off your debt. Make sure that you've tried to lower the interest rate of your debt or negotiate better terms. You can also seek help from a credit counselor. Greatly downsize your living expenses with a smart budgeting plan and find ways to earn extra money.

Know the ramifications. Your life isn't going to be one clean slate after filing for bankruptcies. You'll still be responsible for some debt like student loans and tax debt. Although you filed for bankruptcy, anyone who you cosigned or guaranteed the loan with is still obligated to pay and may even have to pay off the debts you're off the hook for. Your credit score will be greatly damaged for years, which means that it'll be very hard for you to take out loans and the interest rates will be very high. You can also face problems when getting a new job since a lot of employers now request a credit report from potential hires.

Gather documents. You need to start gathering financial documents together for your lawyer. Get a hold of records of your debt, which includes credit card bills, unpaid medical bills, loan statements, and more. Find documentation of the assets you currently hold and monthly income statements. Your attorney will help you figure out what else you need.

Read on to find out more.

DrSugar Discusses Breast Asymmetry

DrSugar — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:30:24 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she tackles the topic of different sized breasts.

This week on DrSugar, we round out our series on women's health issues with a discussion on breast size asymmetry - this is a surprisingly common concern among female adolescents and even adult women! Breast size asymmetry is when a woman's breasts are different in size and is defined as a difference of form, position, or volume of the breast, and it affects more than half of all women. Typically, the asymmetry is more noticeable during puberty and eventually breast size evens out during development. However, according to the Massachusetts General Hospital website, up to 25 percent of women have a persistent visible breast asymmetry. To learn more, keep on reading.

DrSugar on UTI Prevention

DrSugar — Thu, 12 May 2011 00:13:44 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's schooling us in preventing dreaded UTIs.

This week we will continue our ongoing discussion of all things gynecologic and discuss the ever awful urinary tract infection (UTI). As someone who has gotten urinary tract infections in the past, I can truly say they are one of the most unpleasant infections I’ve ever had, and given how common they are, I figured it would be a good topic to write about this week. To learn more about urinary tract infections and how to prevent them, keep reading!

DrSugar: Could I Be Allergic to Exercise?

DrSugar — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:42:42 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's tackling a reader suffering from an allergic reaction to exercise.

Dear Dr. Sugar,
I work out regularly, but I have had a sort of reaction during my last two intense cardio workouts. My face turns bright red; I wheeze slightly, cough, and my eyes and nose itch. I have to stop and rest, but the symptoms go away after about 30 minutes. The symptoms seem to be similar to a food allergy, however I work out first thing in the morning and only have coffee before starting. What could be the cause of this reaction and how can I avoid it?
- Not Seeking a Workout Excuse, I Swear

Thank you for asking such an interesting question! Your symptoms that are brought on by exercise are actually quite concerning (especially the respiratory symptoms - cough and wheezing). I am glad that you stop and rest when these symptoms appear, as they could be a sign of possible allergic reaction to exercise. Yes, that's right, although rare, some people have an allergic response to exercise or physical exertion and their symptoms can range from a hives-like rash to a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction.

Allergic symptoms from physical exertion are called "exercise-induced anaphylaxis," according to Medscape. The most common symptoms present with this condition are itching, hives, angioedema (swelling of the eyes, lips, throat, hands, or feet), flushing, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, chest tightness, passing out (syncope), profuse sweating, headache, gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain), and choking, throat constriction, or hoarseness of the voice. Symptoms may occur at any stage of exercise, and stopping the exercise typically resolves the symptoms. However, Medscape does note that some people continue to have serious symptoms even after they stop exercising.

Learn more about an exercise-induced allergic reaction after the break!

DrSugar Answers: What to Do About Red Face After Exercise

DrSugar — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 03:47:31 PST

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear Dr. Sugar,
I still have to take PE in school this year and next, and I turn beet red. It's really embarrassing; no one else seems to get as red as I do. It makes me sad to be teased about it . . . Is there any way to get less red?
-FitSugar reader

We all worry about red faces (blushing, rashes, acne, etc.), but when it comes to exercise and a red face, there really shouldn’t be too much worry, as it typically represents your body’s normal reaction to the physical demands of exercise! I suffer from a seriously red face after vigorous exercise, and sometimes it lasts for hours after I’ve cooled down! Most of my fair-skinned family reacts the same way, and we’ve learned to just accept it. To learn more about exercise and a red face, keep reading!

DrSugar Answers: Can I Prevent Stretch Marks?

DrSugar — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 05:50:00 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! She's here to answer your health-related questions, and this week she's discussing stretch marks.

Dear DrSugar,
I have been dieting and losing weight, which is the good news. The bad news is I have stretch marks around my breasts, belly, and hips - not so attractive. Are they going to be permanent? Is there anything I can do to prevent them or make them go away? Thanks!
- Stressing on Stretch Marks

Thanks for asking this question because I’m sure that stretch marks are a common concern for other FitSugar readers. Medline Plus defines stretch marks, also known as striae, as irregular areas of skin that look like bands, stripes, or lines. Striae are typically seen when a person grows or gains weight rapidly or has certain conditions or diseases. To learn more about stretch marks, including prevention and treatment options, keep reading.