9 things no one tells you about losing weight

(Health.com)Losing weight does more than give you an excuse to buy new clothes.

Dropping just 5% to 10% of your body weight can improve your overall health and reduce your risk for heart disease and diabetes.

But shedding unwanted pounds can also have less-obvious effects, and not always for the better, says Dr. Adam Tsai, a physician at Kaiser Permanente Colorado and a spokesperson for the Obesity Society.

1. Your energy levels will skyrocket

A big energy boost is often the first thing people notice when they start dropping weight. Why?

When you're carrying around fewer pounds, you use less energy to simply go about your day, says Tsai.

Weight loss also improves oxygen efficiency, so you won't find yourself out of breath so easily when climbing stairs or hustling to catch the bus.

2. Your memory may improve

In a 2013 Swedish study, older women scored better on memory tests after six months of following a weight-loss plan.

Brain scans showed more activity during the encoding process, when memories are formed, and less activity during memory retrieval, suggesting greater recall efficiency.

"The altered brain activity after weight loss suggests that the brain becomes more active while storing new memories and therefore needs fewer brain resources to recollect stored information," said study author Dr. Andreas Pettersson in a news release.

Previous research has also linked obesity to poor memory, especially in pear-shaped women who carry extra pounds around their hips.

3. Your relationship will be tested

Losing weight can make you feel sexier, but your slimmed-down body -- and that newfound confidence -- won't necessarily strengthen your bond with your spouse.

In a 2013 study from North Carolina State University, researchers found that although dropping 60 pounds or more in two years or less usually improved couples' relationships, occasionally a dieter's partner felt jealous or threatened.

Why? Your body transformation may force your significant other to consider his or her own health choices, says Dr. Gail Saltz, Health.com's contributing psychology editor.

Another problem: Your partner may worry about how your personality might change.

"You feeling great, sexy, or confident could shift the balance of the relationship," Saltz says. "They fear losing the identity of the more confident one or losing the upper hand."

Many of these challenges could apply to friendships, too.

4. Your risk of cancer will be lower

You know that smoking, sun exposure and radiation can cause cancer, but obesity has been linked to several types of cancers as well, says Tsai.

Being overweight causes inflammation that triggers cell changes within the body.

Dangerous levels of inflammation can be lowered, however, by losing just 5% of your body weight, according to a 2012 study on postmenopausal women published in the journal Cancer Research. And a 2014 study published in Obesity Research found that morbidly obese men who underwent bariatric surgery reduced their cancer risk over the following years to roughly that of normal-weight people.

5. If you were depressed before, that may not change

Does being overweight make you depressed or does being depressed lead to weight gain?

It's not always possible to tell what comes first, says Tsai.

And while most people feel happier after they've lost weight, it's not a cure-all. "For a smaller percentage of people, mood will not improve even after they lose 100 pounds," he says.

That may be because weight loss doesn't address any underlying problems you may have, says Saltz.

6. Foods might taste differently

Losing a lot of weight in a small amount of time might alter your taste buds.

A recent Stanford University study revealed that after bariatric surgery, 87% of patients reported a change in their sense of taste.

About half said food tasted sharper, while the other half said food tasted duller.

The upshot: Those who tasted food less intensely after surgery lost 20% more weight over three months than those who said foods tasted stronger.

The study authors say more research is needed to determine why the change in taste occurs, but another recent study did have similar findings.

The study, from Leicester Royal Infirmary in the United Kingdom, found that three quarters of weight loss surgery patients developed a dislike for certain foods after their operations, most often meat and dairy products.

7. Working out will be more fun

When you're carrying around extra pounds, exercising can make your joints hurt and lungs burn more than someone who's at normal weight, says Tsai.

Once you start to slim down, exercise will start to feel less like a chore and more like the fun, energizing experience that it should be. Plus, being lighter can also make you faster and stronger.

Take running, for example: It's generally believed that for every pound lost, an athlete can shave two seconds off the time it takes to run a mile.

8. Your bones may change

Ever heard that losing weight weakens your bones?

While it's true that weight loss is associated with bone loss, it's only a big concern if you become underweight or follow an unhealthy diet, and the National Osteoporosis Foundation says that the benefits of weight loss usually outweigh the risks.

Extra weight can make your bones stronger (they have to be, to carry the extra pounds) but it also damages joints. And new research suggests that visceral fat around the belly is particularly bad for bones, for both men and women.

Losing weight can help, as well as reduce arthritis symptoms, according to a 2013 review published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

9. You'll probably spend less on health care

Normal-weight people spend less money on medical bills and expenses than their overweight peers, according to a 2009 study published in the journal Health Affairs.

Specifically, researchers found obese people spent $1,429 more -- that's 42% higher -- than their normal-weight peers, most of which went toward prescription medications needed to manage chronic conditions. And a 2014 report on Michigan residents found that annual health care costs for people who were extremely obese were a whopping 90% higher than those of normal-weight individuals.

In related sad-but-true news, you might notice something else when you lose weight, as well: Doctors (whose bias against obese patients has been well-documented) might treat you better, too.

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7 things you're doing wrong to prevent skin cancer

By TODAY Health

Here's a scary fact as you plan another sun-soaked vacation this summer: Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is on the rise. So much so that a worried U.S. Surgeon General on Tuesday released a new Call to Action to help Americans take steps to prevent the disease.

The government wants you to wear protective gear, seek shade and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to protect yourself. There's more you can do, but are you doing it right?

Dr. Darrell Rigel, a board-certified dermatologist in New York and and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, helped TODAY assemble a list of some of the top mistakes people make as they try to prevent skin cancer:

Tanning in the first place

There is no such thing as a safe tan, Rigel wanted to remind sun worshippers.

“In order to get tan, your body has to sense it’s being injured by ultraviolet radiation -- that produces the pigment in the tan, the melanin, in an attempt to stop that from happening,” he said.

Going to a tanning salon

Rigel sees many more women than men using tanning beds, but no matter who is lured by indoor tanning, he calls it “crazy.”

“The ironic part is, most of them go to tanning beds because they want to look better but the reality is it’s making them look older, faster and it’s increasing their risk of skin cancer later on,” he said.

More than 400,000 cases of skin cancer, about 6,000 of which are melanomas, are related to indoor tanning in the U.S. each year, according to the Surgeon General's Call to Action.

Getting a base tan to ‘protect’ you when you go out in the sun

Many people try to get a little tan before they go on vacation, thinking it will act as a “base” so that the skin won’t burn as easily. Rigel says he frequently sees patients who hold that belief in his practice, but it's not true.

“You’re better off protecting your skin with sunscreen or avoiding the sun when you can,” he said.

Not reapplying sunscreen

Wearing a sunscreen is a good idea, but you’ve got to use it correctly, Rigel said.

“People put it on in the morning and think they’re protected all day, and they’re not,” he noted.

Sunscreens are divided into daily products -- like moisturizers containing SPF, which are designed to keep the chronic damage away -- and beach products, geared more toward intense sun protection.

The daily products likely won’t last as long, Rigel said.

Not being thorough enough with spray-on sunscreen

Sprays are now the No. 1 selling formulation of sunscreen, Rigel said. They’re great but to really make them work, you should spray on two coats. That’s because when you use a cream sunscreen, you generally know which spots you’ve missed, but with sprays, it’s harder to tell.

“With one coat, you might be missing (some spots) and therefore not protecting yourself as well as you might want to,” Rigel said.

Thinking that sunscreen is waterproof

“There’s no such thing as a waterproof sunscreen,” Rigel noted.

Manufacturers aren’t allowed use the word “waterproof” anymore, but must instead use the term “water resistant.” (Keep in mind that if you come across an older bottle of sunscreen, you may still find it being advertised as “waterproof.”)

The label should tell you how long the product is water resistant, so make sure to reapply when you hit that time. One of the problems with sunscreen is that when you rub it on wet skin, it doesn’t absorb as well but there are new products available to combat that problem and they work quite well, Rigel said. Others have a “sport formulation,” which is helps when you’re sweaty and is designed to be applied during more active situations, he added.

Not getting a suspicious mole checked out

People sometimes see a spot that’s changing or causes concern, but they end up not going to see a dermatologist because they hope things get better and put off a visit to the doctor. 

“I’d much rather have you come in and I can tell you it’s nothing,” Rigel said. “I see people let stuff go and then it becomes a big problem.”

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Top 10 Tips for a Healthy Vagina

A healthy vagina is equivalent to a healthy woman. So, it is very important that all women should be concerned about their vaginal health. If you want to protect yourself from common yeast infections and vaginal odour, then follow these simple Ten Commandments to keep your vagina healthy.

1. Never use soap

At times, the odour of your vagina can be very overpowering embarrassing, but at these times, avoid cleaning your pubic area with soap or liquid cleanser. The vagina can stay clean by itself, as our body has a system for it. Also, during menstruation, just wash it with water to maintain good hygiene.

2. Stay away from vaginal sprays

You might think that using a floral spray on your vagina, will give it a sweet-smelling scent, but this could actually ruin the pH level of your vagina and cause irritation and other problems.

3. Maintain good hygiene during your periods

For a healthy vagina, it is very important to follow proper hygiene during menstruation. Never use your sanitary napkins for too long. It absorbs blood and if used for a longer duration it can cause bacteria build-up and lead to rashes and irritation.

4. Wear cotton panties

Choose cotton panties over other material as they dry quickly and also allows passage of air, which further helps in preventing yeast infections due to damp conditions. So, avoid fancy underwear made from fabrics like lace, silk or synthetic material.

5. Wear loose clothes

Wearing tight clothes like skinny pants usually traps moisture and can lead to yeast infection and rashes. So, it is very important to wear loose-fitting clothes.

6. Trim pubic hair

Maintain good vaginal health by regularly trimming your pubic hair. Excess hair around your vagina can create a moist environment, which can cause bacteria to grow leading to infection.

7. Do kegel exercises

Kegel exercise will help to strengthen your pelvic muscles and also help you enjoy sex. While you urinate, try stopping your urine midstream, by tightening your muscles for few seconds and then release them.

8. Drink plenty of water

The best way to keep your vagina healthy is by drinking water at regular intervals. Water helps to throw out bacteria present in the body in the form of urine, and helps in boosting your vaginal health.

9. Check strange vaginal behaviour

If you notice a strange, smelly vaginal discharge, excess itching or unusual colour then it is important that you treat these symptoms by consulting your doctor, in order to prevent it from getting worse.

10. Go for a Pap Smear

Since cancer is on the rise, it is best to prevent it rather than treat it. The best way to prevent cancer of the cervix is to take a pap smear test at least once a year or as advised by your doctor. This will save your life and keep your vagina healthy.

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5 Cooking Mistakes You Should Avoid That Cause Weight Gain

How many are you making?

Taking your meals into your own kitchen is one of the easiest (not to mention, cheapest!) ways to lose weight. Problem is, unless you’ve been schooled in the dos and don’ts of healthy chef-ing, it’s easy for your cooking habit to pack on the pounds, says nutritionist Rania Batayneh, M.P.H., author of The One One One Diet. So before you whip up another “healthy” meal, make sure you aren’t making these far-too common cooking mistakes:

1. Using the Wrong Oils

Pouring the wrong oil into your pan can do worse than make your eggs taste like olives. “When an oil heats past its smoke point, the fatty acid profile has degraded, producing toxins, free radicals, and even trans fats,” says Batayneh. She recommends using walnut or olive oil for salad dressings since they both can burn at high temperatures. Coconut, grapeseed, and sunflower oils, however, all have high smoke points, making them perfect for sautéing and grilling. Stock up on these four alternative cooking oils.

2. Thinking One Serving Size Fits All

You might be able to put away as much food as your partner, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. So how big should your servings be? Check out these 19 ways to measure perfect and healthy portion sizes.

3. Baking Without a Roasting Pan

Baking is a great way to keep your dishes low-cal. But unless you set your meat on a rack, it’s just going to sit in and soak up its own grease, thwarting your weight-loss efforts, says Batayneh. Next time you pop some steak, pork, poultry, or even fish in the oven, make sure it’s on a roasting pan—or at least a wire rack in the bottom of your baking dish.

4. Skipping the Spice Rack

“We usually rely on sugar, salt, and fat for flavor, which can up the calorie count of a dish dramatically,” says Batayneh. “Using spices instead allows a cook to cut out those added sugars, oil, butter, or salt—and over time, you’ll also retrain your taste buds to not crave those salty, sugary, fatty additions.” Plus, herbs and spices pack a powerful punch of health-boosting, fat-fighting nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Learn how to add spices to your favorite foods.

5. Using Too Much Oil

Healthy fats can help you lose weight, but not if you act like their calories—all 120 per tablespoon of them—don’t count. And when you’re using oil to cook and add flavor to your dishes, those calories can add up fast, says Batayneh. “When you’re cooking, use only enough oil to prevent sticking,” she says Not sure how much that is? Try investing in a spray bottle for your oil so you don’t overdo it by mistake. Find out how much fat is healthy.

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Little girls battling cancer in viral photo share good news: They're in remission!

By Today Health

Three little girls who won the Internet's heart when their photo went viral in early April have good news to share: They're all in remission.

Rheann, 6, Ainsley, 4, and Rylie, 3, were all battling different types of cancer when they were brought together by Lora Scantling, a photographer based in Bethany, Oklahoma, along with fellow photographer Christy Goodger. Ainsley and Rylie were mostly in the clear at the time of the photoshoot at Scantling and Goodger’s studio, but Rheann’s fate still hung in the balance.

Rylie, Rheann and Ainsley are now all in remission

But Scantling was recently thrilled to find out that Rheann, too, was in remission, which she learned from a Facebook post from Rheann’s mother Valerie. “It’s amazing, I was pretty excited," Scantling. "When I found out she was cancer-free, I teared up! I knew she had a check-up, but when she posted that, I didn’t expect it. It was a big surprise!”

“I was hoping for good news, but I wasn’t expecting the good news this quick,” Rheann’s mother Valerie told TODAY.com of the check-up. “The doctor and I got up and danced together. We danced down the hallway.”

Rheann was first diagnosed in October 2012, and while her initial response to the chemotherapy treatments made doctors hopeful, a relapse in April of 2013 took the prognosis from cautious optimism to her family planning her services.

But the brave 6-year-old managed to pull through, and touched many others along the way. Valerie said that after the photo went viral, she received responses from patients who met Rheann during her treatment. “They said, 'She came up to me and told me, "You're gonna be fine," and it looks like she was telling herself the same thing.'"

Scantling originally came up with the idea for the photographs when her own family was affected by cancer.

“My step dad was fighting cancer at the time, he had lung cancer,” Scantling told TODAY.com. “And I always wanted to create pictures that mean something.” She was moved by an Anne Geddes photo series of children with missing limbs, and was inspired to do similar work: “I thought, I need to do something that gives my viewers the same feeling.”

She posted to Facebook asking friends if they knew any little girls fighting cancer, which led her to connect with lots of families enthusiastic about participating. The three little girls in the now-iconic photo had not met before the day of the sweet photo shoot, which spread the message that those suffering in the same way were not alone.

After the photo was taken, Andrea Peters, Ainsley’s mother, told TODAY.com that they were overwhelmed by the response. “I thought, what a wonderful way to bring more awareness for childhood cancer," she said. "The fact that the girls looked so beautiful and were also going through this horrendous treatment, it was touching for me as a mother that other people could see the beauty in my child.”

The overwhelming response also led Ally's House, a cancer foundation in Oklahoma, to approach Scantling and Goodger to take more photos of kids battling disease.

She recently photographed a young boy named Garrett who was battling cancer, and he subsequently passed away a few weeks later. “When I found out, I just started bawling. You get attached to these kids,” Scantling said. But she’s happy his family is able to have the photos to keep his memory alive.

Scantling is the mother to two little girls, ages eight and five, and though they don’t quite understand her work, she’s already passed on her passion to them: “They were playing pictures, as they call it, and they love baby dolls. They had the dolls sitting on a little chair and said 'Look! We’re taking pictures of cancer babies just like you!'"

Just a few weeks after the initial photos were taken, Scantling's stepfather passed away, but not before he'd been able to appreciate the work his stepdaughter had done. “He was real proud and told me to keep on,” she said.

Her original plan was to take a new photo of the three girls one year after the original, but once she found out all three were in remission, she began to plan for an update. She says it will likely happen within the next month, and will be shot in the same style — and with the same outifts — as the original.

As for the concept, Scantling wants the new photo to convey a joyful message: “I’ve been talking to the parents about getting a new picture together of them jumping and saying 'We’re free!'"

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The 7 Best Foods for Stronger Bones

Let me make very clear what the best foods are for the bones — in this order:

1. Vegetables, especially leafy greens, and also roots and stalks (for the iron and calcium, and for vitamins K and C, which, together with protein, help deposit the collagen matrix)

2. Protein, such as animal foods, beans, and soy foods (for the collagen matrix)

3. Stock (for the minerals)

4. Whole grains (for the magnesium)

5. Foods rich in trace minerals, such as seaweeds, nuts, and seeds

6. Edible bones (for the calcium and other minerals)

7. Healthy fats (for the fat-soluble vitamins needed for the bones, such as vitamins K and D)

Let’s take a closer look at these categories and review how each relates to bone health.

Vegetables

Calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and other minerals are found abundantly in the vegetable kingdom, especially in produce that’s organically grown. Of particular value for bone health are all the leafy green vegetables, such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens, arugula, bok choy, parsley, watercress, and mesclun. The only exceptions are spinach and Swiss chard, as explained below.

Other vegetables especially helpful to the bones include broccoli, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, and acorn or butternut squash. In fact, the food that provides the most calcium per calorie is bok choy, at 790 mg per 100 calories when cooked.

Other vegetables with a high calcium content include cooked mustard greens, with 495 mg calcium per 100 calories; raw celery, with 250 mg calcium per 100 calories; and steamed broccoli, with 164 mg calcium per 100 calories.

For comparison, skim milk provides 351 mg of calcium per 100 calories, so the veggies are quite within the ballpark.

Some vegetables, most notably spinach and Swiss chard, contain a relative abundance of calcium but also contain oxalates, substances that may interfere with calcium absorption in some cases. However, people on low calcium diets (300 to 400 mg per day) are more efficient at overriding the effect of oxalates and absorbing calcium than people on diets high in calcium-rich dairy products.

Protein Foods

As explained earlier, protein is essential for giving bones the flexibility that helps prevent fractures. There is controversy as to whether protein from animal or vegetable sources is better. For quite some time, the popular assumption was that a diet high in animal protein could contribute to osteoporosis. This assumption has been shown to be incorrect.

Some people object to the consumption of animal foods for a variety of reasons. My viewpoint has always been that the choice to be vegetarian or not is a very personal one, and that either can be very healthful as long as the diet is balanced and the foods consumed are fresh, natural, and unrefined — and hopefully organic.

Cooking with Stock

Cooking with stock is a very traditional way of increasing the nutritional value of dishes made with added liquid, such as soups, stews, grains, beans, and sauces.

By cooking bones and vegetables for a long time over low heat, many of the minerals are leached out into the cooking water, making the stock highly nutritious and also alkalizing, especially if something sour has been added such as vinegar or wine.

Whole Grains

In modern times, the primary grains that most cultures rely on for sustenance — rice and wheat — are usually stripped of their bran and germ and thereby made deficient in nutrients.

Whole grains, such as brown rice, whole wheat, barley, oats, rye, millet, cornmeal, amaranth, quinoa, teff, and buckwheat, are excellent sources of complex carbohydrates, fiber, and B vitamins, and they’re very satisfying to boot. Consuming sufficient amounts of whole grains (about a handful of cooked whole grain per meal) also means you need to consume less animal protein due to a concept known as protein sparing.

When grains (or fats) provide more calories, this diminishes the body’s need to metabolize proteins for energy. This conserves muscle tissue, and whatever is good for the muscles is good for the bones.

In addition, whole grains are a good source of magnesium, which helps increase absorption of calcium from the blood into the bones.

Foods Rich in Trace Minerals

Seaweeds, nuts, and seeds are some of the foods richest in trace minerals. Trace minerals play an important role in bone health. Remember, less important than how much calcium you eat is the balance of minerals (and other nutrients). Eating food rich in trace minerals will go a long way toward providing mineral balance.

Seaweeds, which are most commonly used in Japanese cuisine are rich in minerals, making them an excellent addition to healthful cooking. In fact, a study of osteoporosis in Taiwan found that those who include seaweed in their diet two or more times per week showed a slightly higher protection against osteoporosis (Shaw 1993).

Seaweeds are also valuable for being especially high in iodine, which is necessary for good thyroid function. As discussed in chapter 3, the thyroid and parathyroid glands play an important role in bone health.

Nuts and seeds have the advantage of also being a great source of bone-healthy essential fatty acids, as well as plant protein. A handful of nuts or seeds a day is a good source of trace minerals, such as iron, boron, selenium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

Edible Bones

Perhaps your initial response to the idea of eating bones is… WHAT?! But bones can be eaten when prepared in certain ways, and if you think about it, what better source of natural minerals for our bones than bones themselves?

Healthy Fats

Good-quality fats are essential for bone health. As we apply the “three-bears rule,” too much is no good, but too little is no good, as well. You need to eat enough of these important nutrients, even if that means unlearning a fat phobia.

The average postmenopausal woman needs about 65 grams of fat daily. That means you need approximately 2 or 3 tablespoons of good quality fat per day in an eating regime based on vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds, or about 1 or 2 tablespoons if your diet also includes animal products.

Nutritionist Udo Erasmus cautions against using any one type of fat exclusively because it won’t contain a full profile of fatty acids and therefore might create an imbalance (Erasmus 1993). We need both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. However, a diet high in polyunsaturated vegetable oils is skewed too much in favor of the latter.

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