7 things you're doing wrong to prevent skin cancer

Posted on 2:04 PMby
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.”

Top 10 Tips for a Healthy Vagina

Posted on 7:47 PMby
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.

5 Cooking Mistakes You Should Avoid That Cause Weight Gain

Posted on 7:39 PMby


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.

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

Posted on 3:21 PMby
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!'"






The 7 Best Foods for Stronger Bones

Posted on 10:03 AMby

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.

15 Foods That Keep You Full Longer

Posted on 9:21 AMby



Fill up (and not out) with these good-for-you, high-fiber foods.

We’re about to totally bust through the notion that healthy foods can’t be filling. You see, naturally high-fiber foods are key when it comes to getting your nutrients and not hearing your stomach grumble an hour later. You should aim to include a fiber source in every meal and snack, says Brooke Alpert, R.D., founder of B Nutritious. So we gathered 15 great options. “These are really, really healthy foods that are going to keep you full for a long time,” she says. Sold!

1. Hummus
Beans are an awesome source of fiber, says Alpert, and chickpeas are no exception. Store-bought hummus has about 2.7 grams of fiber in a three-tablespoon serving. Just be careful about what you’re dipping into your hummus: Pitas made with white flour won’t be as filling as whole grain ones—or better yet, crudité.

2. Oatmeal
Avoid 10 a.m. cravings by giving your breakfast a fiber boost—Quaker Organic Instant Oatmeal (the unflavored type) has four grams of fiber per packet. As an added bonus, oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which contributes to keeping cholesterol levels in check, and insoluble fiber, which helps you feel satisfied.

3. Avocado
You know avocados have a big dose of monounsaturated fats, but they also have a significant amount of fiber, says Alpert—in fact, one avocado has about 13.5 grams of the filling nutrient.

4. Lentils
Lentils are doubly filling because they’re packed with protein and fiber, says Alpert: Each ¼ cup has 3.9 grams of fiber and almost 4.5 grams of protein.

5. Broccoli
Broccoli is part of the cruciferous family of veggies, all of which are packed with nutrients. It has tons of antioxidants, which have cancer-fighting benefits, and it’ll seriously boost your fiber intake, says Alpert—in fact, one cup of boiled broccoli has 5.1 grams of it.

6. Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are another member of the cruciferous family, and each cup of cooked ones has 4.1 grams of fiber. These babies are delicious, and even though they may look a little daunting, they’re actually simple to prepare (which is probably why they’re totally having a moment).

7. Kale
We don’t have to tell you how in vogue this high-fiber superfood is—and there’s a reason kale’s so trendy: “Anything with these deep, dark green colors is super, super healthy and loaded with antioxidants,” says Alpert. And as for the fiber count, two cups of raw kale packs 4.8 grams of fiber.

8. Raspberries
“The colors in raspberries are really dark, which means, again, they’re loaded with antioxidants on top of the fiber,” says Alpert. They’ve also got a hefty dose of vitamin C. “I do think it’s possible to over-fruit—too much fruit does mean too much sugar,” says Alpert. “But a cup of raspberries is great”—and has eight grams of fiber.

9. Pears
With 5.5 grams of fiber in just one medium-sized pear, this fruit’s always a solid choice.

10. Apples
These are another delicious and nutrient-rich option when you’re in the mood for something sweeter than, say, Brussels sprouts. Each medium-sized apple has 4.4 grams of fiber.

11. Barley
Barley has the highest fiber content of all the whole grains—cooked pearled barley packs six grams of fiber per cup. Serve it as a side dish or as an ingredient in a salad or soup, suggests Alpert.

12. Chia Seeds
Superfood chia seeds are crazy-versatile. Seriously—you can throw some in everything from yogurt to cauliflower to peanut butter cookies! And get this: Just one ounce (about two tablespoons) of them has 9.8 grams of fiber.

13. Carrots
In addition to filling you up, this vegetable is an excellent source of beta-carotene, says Alpert. Plus, baby carrots might be the easiest snack ever. About seven that are on the larger side have three grams of fiber.

14. Artichokes
“A lot of people don’t realize how good these are for you,” says Alpert. “They’re super low in calories, and you have to work to eat an artichoke, which helps slow down the whole eating process.” Plus, one medium-sized cooked artichoke has a whopping 10.3 grams of fiber. You can eat a whole artichoke or even toss some hearts on a pizza or in pasta to add a dose of fiber to a meal.

15. Almonds
“Nuts are a great source of protein, fat, and fiber all in one,” says Alpert. Just 1/4 cup of them has 4.5 grams of fiber. So toss some in a baggie or stock up on KIND bars to roll with an excellent fiber source when you’re on the go.
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