Wacky Beauty Tips That Work

Toothpaste on a zit? Vinegar in your hair? Some of that ridiculous-sounding advice you've heard in passing is really right on.

By Eleanor Langston

You've been told this line before: "Okay, I know it's weird, but...." What follows is a surprising piece of advice — about anything from clearing up a zit to taming a flyaway — that totally does the trick. Call it word-of-mouth beauty. Sure, these tips might sound strange at first ("You put diaper cream where?!"), but there's a logic to them. We rounded up tons of such pointers (from pros as well as real girls) and tested them at Cosmo. Though a few clunkers had to be kicked to the curb, all the rest, presented here, are real gems.

1) Powder Your Roots
If your hairline starts to look greasy, dig up a big, fluffy makeup brush, and dip it into a pot of loose powder. Tap it once on the back of your hand to remove the excess, then dust it over your roots. It mops up oil and blends into your strands, so no one will know you didn't shower.

2) Scent Strands with Perfume
Spray a light shot of fragrance into your brush's bristles. Run it through strands from roots to ends and your hair will smell amazing throughout the day.

3) Cure Calluses with Vaseline
Slather on the petroleum jelly, and put on socks before bed to dissolve tough calluses overnight.

4) Spot-Treat Smudges
Dip a cotton swab in eye-makeup remover, and trace it along your lids to erase any slipups or goofs when there's no time to redo your whole look.

5) Fix a Flushed Face
If you turn red and stay that way after exercising (like seriously red for hours, even though you're healthy and hydrated), take an antihistamine like Benadryl when you leave the gym to reduce redness.

6) Soften Your Bod with Avocado
Take a ripe avocado, remove the pit and skin, and mash it up in a bowl. Slather it all over your body, let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse off. Your skin will be sooo soft — avocado is a natural moisturizer.

7) Super-Glue a Nail
Instead of tearing off your nail when it breaks, put a tiny dab of Super Glue over the split, and paint a generous layer of your favorite nail polish shade over it. Go for an opaque option (like red, purple, or coral) to camouflage and seal the crack.

8) Use Makeup Remover on Stubborn Lipstick
Don't try to rub off red lipstick (which makes it smear across your mouth — not so sexy). Instead, take a cotton ball or tissue, dip it in makeup remover, and just dab to erase the dark stain fast.

9) Tame Brows with Eye Cream
Pat any kind of rich eye cream over brows to help keep them hydrated and banish those icky white specks that look like dandruff.

10) Buff with Baking Soda
If you find yourself streaking (not glowing) after applying self-tanner, put some baking soda on a loofah, and scrub away the stripes.

11) Brush on Hair Spray
For the final step of your blow-dry, spray hair spray onto your brush, and run it through strands from roots to tips. This way, your 'do isn't plastered and stiff but still holds volume and shine.

12) Boost Body Lotion with Baby Oil
If you're craving shiny legs that aren't greasy, blend a drop of baby oil into your normal body lotion for extra luster.

13) Dab Essential Oil on a Hangnail
Put on apricot oil, the kind found in health-food stores, to protect cuticles from turning rough and raggedy.

14) Quell a Cold Sore with Cream
When a cold sore is coming on, dab a bit of thick moisturizer, like Aquaphor, over it to prevent it from getting worse.

15) Freeze Your Eyeliner
If the tip of your eyeliner pencil crumbles and smears on your lids, store the liner in the freezer for 15 minutes before use so the tip is firm and goes across your skin smoothly.

16) Use Toothpaste on a Zit
Use just a pea-size amount. Let sit for 15 minutes to absorb the oil so the pimple won't get more clogged, then wash off.

17) Heat Up Your Curler
If you have stick-straight lashes, try blasting your metal eyelash curler with a hair dryer for a couple of seconds to heat it up so your lashes bend more easily. And use a waterproof mascara. The formula dries faster than other mascaras, so it sets the curl more effectively.

18) Use Soap Without Water
You know those fancy bars that are actually too pretty to use? Toss them in your underwear or tee-shirt drawers to make your skin smell delicious.

19) Groom Brows with a Toothbrush
Mist an (unused!) toothbrush or eyebrow comb with hair spray to help flatten and tame unruly brows.

20) Put Diaper-Rash Cream on Dry Spots
Slather on a thick layer of diaper-rash cream to heal cracked elbows and feet.

21) Lubricate Your Lashes
An easy way to draw attention to your eyes without putting on a pile of makeup is to comb petroleum jelly lightly through the tips of eyelashes to get a sexy, subtle sparkle.

22) Steamroll Flyaways
Spray on hair spray, then roll the can over your strands. The round bottle fits the curved shape of your head, locks in the spray, and flattens out frizz.

23) Spike Lotion with Bronzer
If you don't have time to book a self-tanning session, mix a few pumps of body bronzer with regular hand lotion and pat it on your legs for a gradual dose of sexy, beachy color.

24) Air-Dry Your Curls
Let your hair dry indoors before going out in the cold. The curls will be really bouncy and piecey-perfect.

25) Press a Tea Bag on Splotches
If your skin is sensitive or just looking irritated and puffy for some reason, steep a bag of green tea for a minute or two, let it cool down, and dab it over your face. The antioxidants in the tea take down inflammation.

26) Shave with Conditioner
Ran out of shaving cream? Do double duty by coating your stems with a thick hair conditioner. It softens the hair so it's easier to shave off and makes legs feel amazingly silky.

27) Amp Shine with Vinegar
Mix one part vinegar with four parts carbonated water, and soak dry hair. Leave on for 15 minutes before you shampoo to lock in shine and combat dullness.

28) Exfoliate Your Pits
If your underarms start to look dry and flaky, an easy trick is to exfoliate them with a gentle face scrub to keep that skin pretty when going sleeveless.

29) Customize Your Body Lotion
Instead of shelling out for an expensive perfumed body product, you can make your own by pouring a few drops of fragrance into any scent-free lotion. Rub it on — the scent will last for hours.

30) "Brush" with Mouthwash
If you're too wiped out after a late night of partying to clean your teeth, rinse with water and mouthwash, then use a dry toothbrush on the area where your teeth hit your gums.

31) Make an Egg-White Mask
To revive tired, dull skin without hitting the spa table, try this: Crack open an egg in a bowl, separate the yolk, and use the egg whites to make a face mask. The proteins help to heal and restore skin's moisture. Leave it on for five minutes, then rinse off.

32) Dry Sensitive Skin with T.P.
Instead of drying your face with a scratchy towel, pat with toilet paper — it's ultrasoft on delicate skin (and bums!).

Read more »

Posted in: Beauty,Skin Care

Shrink Your Belly in 14 Days

The research is in! Our fastest-ever routine will firm and flatten you from all angles in just 2 weeks

By Marianne McGinnis, Prevention

We have some great news for your abs: The ultimate piece of belly-flab-busting equipment is a $30 stability ball. When researchers at California State University, Sacramento, hooked up electrodes to the midsections of 18 people, they found that ball moves recruited twice the number of muscle fibers as traditional crunches or yoga/Pilates-inspired workouts. Scientists credit the ball's instability with doubling the toning power of these moves. To amp up results, we combined ball exercises from the study with high-energy cardio and simple calorie-cutting tips. In 2 weeks, you could lose up to an inch from your waist; in 4 weeks, shed up to 8 pounds or more.

The Experts: Rafael Escamilla, PhD, PT, study author and professor of physical therapy at California State University, Sacramento, and Wayne Westcott, PhD, research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, MA, designed these workouts.

Program at a Glance

Your Workout:

WEEK 1

Monday — Cardio Routine 1 (45-60 minutes)

Tuesday — Belly Workout, on page 2, (once, 25-30 minutes)

Wednesday — Cardio Routine 2 (35-45 minutes)

Thursday — Belly Workout (once, 25-30 minutes)

Friday — Cardio Routine 1 (45-60 minutes)

Saturday — Belly Workout (once, 25-30 minutes)

Sunday — Cardio Routine 2 (35-45 minutes)

WEEK 2

Monday — Belly Workout (twice, 45-50 minutes)

Tuesday — Cardio Routine 1 (45-60 minutes)

Wednesday — Belly Workout (twice, 45-50 minutes)

Thursday — Cardio Routine 2 (35-45 minutes)

Friday — Belly Workout (45-50 minutes)

Saturday — Cardio Routine 1 (45-60 minutes)

Sunday — Belly Workout (twice, 45-50 minutes)

Your Eating Plan:

How it works: Our Eat for a Slim Belly plan relies on simple food swaps to cut about 500 calories from your diet daily. Our recommendations also boost your intake of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and whole grains — studies show both shrink belly fat faster.

Do 12 to 15 reps of each. Between each exercise, do a cardio burst — 2 minutes of jumping rope, marching or jogging in place, stair climbing or stepping, or doing jumping jacks. Remember to warm up and cool down by marching or stepping side to side in place for 3 to 5 minutes at the beginning and end of your workout.

Cardio Burst: These 2-minute high-energy bouts will double your calorie burn to speed up fat loss and reveal a slimmer belly in less time.

How to Buy a Ball

Most people need a 22-inch (or 55 cm) stability ball. If you're under 5-foot-1, choose an 18-inch (or 45 cm) one, or a 26-inch (or 65 cm) ball if 5-foot-8 or taller. They're available in sporting goods stores (about $30) or online. We like the Gymnic Plus (performbetter.com) because it's made with burst-resistant, latex-free vinyl, and if punctured, it will deflate slowly.

Belly Workout

1. Reverse Crunch

Lie faceup with calves resting on ball, arms at sides. Press legs into ball, squeezing it between calves and thighs. Contract abs and lift hips 3 to 6 inches off floor and pull knees toward chest. Hold for 1 second, then lower.

(Cardio burst: 2 minutes)

Make it easier

Contract abs and just lift ball off floor, keeping hips down.

Make it harder [1A]

Keeping neck in line with spine, lift head and shoulders off floor as you raise hips. Hold, then lower both upper body and hips.

2. Rock and Roll

Start on knees, with legs about hip-width apart. Place fists on ball in front of you. Keeping body in line from head to knees and abs tight, lean forward and roll onto forearms. Hold for 1 second, then roll back to start.

(Cardio burst: 2 minutes)

Make it easier

Bend hips instead of keeping body in a straight line as you roll onto forearms, or keep body in line and roll only partway onto forearms.

Make it harder [2B]

Once you're balancing on forearms, straighten legs and press balls of feet into floor to form a straight line from head to heels. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat.




3. Ball Curl

Sit on ball, walk feet forward, and roll torso down until bottom of butt is just off ball and middle and lower back are on ball, feet together. Place hands behind head. Lean back, pressing upper back into ball, then exhale, contract abs, and curl forward until upper back lifts off ball.

(Cardio burst: 2 minutes)

Make it easier

Place feet wider than hip-width apart for more stability, and cross arms over chest.

Make it harder [3C]

Straighten one leg so it's parallel to floor and you're balancing on one foot. Do half the repetitions, then switch legs to finish.

4. Skier

Lie over ball on all fours. Walk hands forward so ball rolls under thighs, legs together, abs tight, and body in line from head to toes [4]. Bend knees and pull them and ball (it will roll to shins) toward right shoulder [4D]. Hold for 1 second, then roll back out and repeat to left side.

(Cardio burst: 2 minutes)

Make it easier

Hold start position — body in line from head to toes, abs contracted — for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat one more time.

Make it harder [4D]

Start with ball under shins and let it roll to tops of feet as you draw knees in.


5. Pike

Start in the same position as the Skier, legs together, ball under thighs, balancing on hands, and body in line from head to toes. Keeping legs straight, contract abs and lift hips up toward ceiling, rolling ball to shins. Hold for 1 second, then lower.(Cardio burst: 2 minutes)

Make it easier

Lift hips just a few inches and roll ball to about knees.

Make it harder [5E]

Start with ball under shins and roll to tops of feet and lift hips so torso is as vertical as possible, like you're doing a handstand.

Read more »

Posted in: Exercise,Fitness

Carve a Beach-Ready BodyGo hard for 30 seconds — and don't count reps

Go hard for 30 seconds — and don't count reps

By the Editors of Men's Health

This routine tests your willpower, says C.J. Murphy, M.F.S., a strength coach in Everett, Massachusetts. Start with 3 sets of the clean and press. Then do the next three moves in succession, with one twist: Don't count reps. Instead, do as many reps of each as you can in 30 seconds. Rest 30 seconds between exercises, and repeat the three-move sequence once or twice.

1. Dumbbell clean and press

Holding dumbbells in front of your thighs, bend your knees. Jump up in one explosive movement as you shrug your shoulders and pull the weights up. Catch the weights at your shoulders and then press them overhead. Lower to the starting position. Do 6 reps total.

2. Cable squat with row

Attach an EZ-curl bar to the low pulley at a cable station. Grab the handles with your arms extended. Bend to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Stand up and draw the handles to your rib cage, and then straighten your arms back out in front of your chest.

3. Dumbbell burpee

Stand holding light dumbbells at your sides. Bend down until the weights touch the floor, then kick your feet behind you into a pushup position, resting your hands on the weights. Do a pushup, then bring your feet back underneath you and jump up. Land softly and move into your next repetition.

4. Dumbbell floor sweeper

Lie faceup holding dumbbells above your chest. Lift your legs up and out to the left, keeping them straight. Then return to center and repeat to the right. Return to center, lower your legs, and do a situp, keeping your arms straight above you.

Read more »

Posted in: Exercise,Fitness

Exercises For Abdominals

June 30, 2008 ·

Here’s a few simple abdominal exercises from my online personal training library that you can try. Try 3 sets of 30 seconds for the planks and 3 sets of 12-15 reps for the others. Let me know what you think.

I’ve been digging through older (but still great =) workout programs that I’ve put together for some of my personal training clients in the past. Many of them are written on paper and I’m in the process of transferring them over to my incredible new software that shows you a .gif animation of the exercise plus written instructions, as seen below.

You will soon be able to purchase a select few of these exact resistance training programs that my clients have used in the past to completely change their bodies.

I’ll keep you updated.

Plank
1. Start by placing your forearms on the ground and forming a plank with your forearms and feet.
2. Hold this position keeping your body parallel to the ground for the required time.

Side Plank
1. Lay on the ground on one side. Raise your body using one forearm and support it in this raised position for the required time.
2. Lower your body and repeat on the other side.
3. Remember to keep your head, neck and body in a straight line.

Alternating Toe Touch
1. Start position: Lie back onto floor or bench with feet up into the air. Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.
2. Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise shoulders off floor or bench. Extend one arm and reach for the opposite foot. Return to start position and repeat with other hand.
Remember to keep head and back in a neutral position. Hyperextension or flexion may cause injury. To increase resistance, hold medicine ball in hands. To decrease resistance, position hand closer towards body

Ankle Wiggles
1) Start position: Lie back onto floor or bench with knees bent and hands at your side. Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.
2) Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise shoulders off floor or bench. Reach for you ankle with one hand and repeat with the other side.
3) Return to start position.
4) Remember to keep head and back in a neutral position. Hyperextension or flexion of either may cause injury.

Air Bike Crunches
1. Start by lying on your back with your hands behind your back and thighs bent 90 degrees at your hip.
2. Simultaneously curl your right shoulder and left knee up towards the center of your body until your elbow and knee touch. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other side.
3. Continuously repeat this pattern for the prescribed repetitions.

Flutter Kicks
1) Lie back onto floor or bench with both knees bent and feet flat. Place hands at sides.
2) Contract abdominal muscles continuously to stabilize trunk (or tuck stomach in by drawing naval in towards spine). Lower back should be in a neutral position.
3) Start position: Straighten both legs so that they are perpendicular to floor.
4) Slowly lower one leg to approximately 45-90°.
5) Return to start position and repeat with other leg.

Read more »

Posted in: Exercise,Fitness

Cutting-Edge Weight Loss Tips For Men

Weight gain and therefore, weight loss strategies, are different for men. How to keep it off — for good.

By Heather Hurlock, Best Life

Binge Early, Weigh Less

Go ahead and order that hungry-man breakfast. Eating more of your daily calories at breakfast will keep you from gaining weight, according to a new report in the American Journal of Epidemiology. After following 6,764 healthy, fit people for almost four years, researchers found that those who ate 22 percent of their daily calories in the morning (about 550 calories for a 2,500-calorie diet) gained only 1.7 pounds in that time. Those who ate less than 11 percent of their calories at breakfast gained 2.7 pounds.

America's Obesity Explained

We now have someone to blame for our expanding waistlines: the USDA. According to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the national dietary guidelines advising Americans to eat a low-fat diet may have contributed to the current obesity epidemic. People have replaced fat with sugar and carbohydrates, which has increased Americans' total caloric intake and set them up for a host of metabolic disorders, say the study's authors, adding that low-fat foods are not diet foods. A healthy, balanced diet should emphasize vegetables, fruits, beans, unrefined whole grains, and mono- and polyunsaturated fats, with a lighter emphasis on yogurts, cheeses, poultry, fish, and lean beef.

Secret Fat Burners

Probiotics, friendly bacteria like those found in yogurt and pickles, may be the key to losing those last stubborn inches around your waist. They not only help the digestive system work properly, but also have a profound effect on the metabolism, according to a new study in Molecular Systems Biology. The bacteria Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus can change how much fat is available for the body to absorb by influencing stomach acids during digestion. The best sources of live bacteria are yogurt, acidophilus milk, miso soup, soft cheeses, pickles, and sauerkraut.

Slim Down With Sugar

New research conducted at Purdue University has linked artificial sweeteners such as saccharin and sucralose to weight gain. In an animal study, the researchers found that ingesting regular sugar, rather than zero-calorie substitutes, results in fewer overall calories consumed. The scientists believe that disrupting the connection between sweet taste and high caloric content makes people crave more food. This finding correlates with another recent study that linked diet soda to obesity.

Cut and Run

Eliminating just 100 excess calories a day is enough to prevent a five- to 10-pound weight gain (the former if you're active, the latter if you are a couch potato). The best way to cut calories is to eat a diet that's high in protein and low in carbohydrates, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The researchers found that diets high in protein (30 percent of total calories) and low in carbs (4 percent of total calories) are best for reducing calorie intake without increasing hunger. Three slices of bacon is approximately 100 calories.

Parody the French

Americans eat until external cues, such as an empty plate, tell them to stop, says a study in the journal Obesity. The French use internal cues, such as no longer feeling hungry, to determine when a meal should end. The lesson: Listen to your stomach and you'll stay slim.

from msn health

Read more »

Posted in: Diet

10 Ways To Be A Gentleman At The Gym

Perhaps it is the rush of testosterone and the feeling of primal power that accompanies working out, but many men seem to check their manners at the door to the gym. But just because you’re getting in touch with your inner man beast, doesn’t mean you should turn into an inconsiderate boob. Gyms should give new members a course on etiquette, but they don’t, leaving many men wholly ignorant of how to act civilly while pumping iron. Here are the rules of etiquette every man should know and keep. Feel free to tape them up in your gym’s locker room.

1. Rack your weights. Would you whip up a meal in the kitchen and then leave the dirty dishes from someone else to do? Well maybe you would, but then your roommates are currently plotting how to get you kicked out of the house. Show some respect to your fellow gym patrons and rack your weights. And rack them correctly. Nothing pisses me off more then when there’s a 25 lb plate racked behind three 45 lbs plates. Take those few extra steps to put the same weight with the same weight.

2. Don’t hog the machines. Get in, get your work done, and leave. A gym is a community, so sharing is required. And no, you can’t lay claim to a machine by simply laying your towel on it. Not being a hog on a machine can get difficult when you’re doing super circuits. Before you move to the next machine, tell the person who’s using the machine after you that you’ll be coming back shortly to finish up your circuit.

3. Use a spotter. If you’re throwing around heavy weight, make sure you have someone spotting you. First, it’s a safety concern. Second, you’ll look like an idiot struggling with a bar over your chest.

4. Don’t hover. While hogging machines at the gym is a faux pas, what irks me more is when people start hovering over a machine that you’re in the middle of using. These hoverers passive-aggressively lurk by the machine to give you the signal that they want you to leave. If you want to use the machine, wait until the person has finished their set to approach them. Then politely ask if you can get a set in.

5. Wipe down the equipment. I am convinced that many men feel that their gyms’ “please wipe down your equipment” sign applies to everyone but themselves. How else to explain why a man who has soaked his shirt through with sweat would walk away from a machine he’s coated with perspiration? Nobody wants to sit in a pool of a guy’s sweat, much less a layer of it composed of an afternoon of inconsiderate gym goers. If you moisten a piece of equipment, wipe it down with your towel. If you are sweating profusely, also use the disinfectant spray that the gym provides.

6. Don’t drop the weights. When you’re finished cranking out a set of dumbbell presses, lay them down like a normal person. Don’t just drop them off your shoulders. First, it’s dangerous to do so. You don’t know if there are any feet or hands that the weight can land on. Second, it’s bad for the weights and the floor. Even if your gym has those rubber floors, dropping the weights from great heights will eventually cause some wear and tear. Finally, it’s distracting. Dropping weights creates a bunch of ruckus that can distract other gym patrons.

7. Don’t hit on women. The gym is not a bar. You’re there to work, and so are the women. Don’t bother them. Most women feel sweaty and messy when they’re working out, and are not in the mood for love. If the woman is not sweaty and messy, and instead has perfectly coiffed hair and a full face of make-up, you should still steer clear; you don’t want to date the kind of woman who gets guzzied up for the gym.

8. Don’t give unsolicited advice. So what if you got your college degree in sports nutrition and exercise? No one cares what you have to say about how to get chiseled abs. Only if someone asks for some advice, or is in serious danger of hurting themselves, should you step in and let loose a river of all the workout knowledge that’s stored in that big cranium of yours.

9. Leave the cell phone in the car. One of the most obnoxious things to see at a gym is a person yapping away on their cell phone while walking on the treadmill. Usually the culprits of this gym crime are snooty soccer moms, but I’ve seen men do this as well. Nothing is unmanlier than a man whose focus is somewhere else and not on developing and strengthening his body.

10. Don’t use the girly machines. No man should ever be caught on that machine that works your inner and outer thighs.

from: www.artofmanliness.com

Read more »

Posted in: Muscle Building

What the Motherhood Mafia Never Told You

The miracle of giving birth has endured a lot of superstition over time. Its important to sift constructive advise from the fallacies. Learn what's true and what's not as some of the most common pregnancy myths are put under scrutiny.
Pregnancy Myth 1 - Eating for two

This erroneous belief has to top the list for its global prevalence! One of the first things a pregnant woman gets to hear is now she will have to start eating for two – which is of course not the truth. You do need extra intake of nutrients when you are expecting a child, but this does not translate into doubling your food intake! What is required is that you pay attention to what you eat.

In the normal course Indian women require 1800 calories daily. During pregnancy this increases by another 300 calories. The nutrient needs are increased in view of the development of maternal organs such as the uterus, placenta, and breast tissue and to build up body reserves that would be utilised at the time of delivery and later on also during lactation. The requirement for calcium, proteins and iron is much more. All vitamins and supplements are also needed in greater quantity. On the other hand carbohydrates and fats do not need to be increased.

The meals need not be large meals but their frequency should increase. Instead of having three large meals you can try having three light meals with 2-3 snacks in between. The last meal you eat at night should be light and be preferably eaten early. About two hours before you go to bed.

Remember eating for two will only make it tougher to lose all the weight that you will gain. During pregnancy your increasing metabolic rate will lead to your having a larger appetite than normal. However, there's no need to over-eat thinking that it will make your baby healthier or bigger. Remember, it is the quality of the food you eat that is important, not the quantity! While it is satisfactory to indulge in food cravings, bear in mind to eat as much as you want without overdoing it. Invest your appetite in healthy foods rather than the fattening ones, which is of course easier said than done!!
Pregnancy Myth 2 - It's dangerous to exert any effort, let alone exercise while pregnant

Doctors recommend and it has been proven that regular, moderate exercise during pregnancy improves your blood circulation, which increases the blood flow through the placenta. It is also known that exercise helps keep your mood elevated.

However, it is not advisable to start a sport routine that you have not tried before. Remember also to always exercise at a pace that is comfortable for you, decreasing the intensity as and when you feel the necessity.

If you decide to exercise, it's important to start a pregnancy exercise program carefully and seek the advice of your doctor. Pregnancy and labor represent some of the most difficult and rewarding work a woman will ever do. It makes sense to prepare oneself physically. If you haven't been participating in a regular program of exercise, walking is a good place to start. Start from day one! Begin with a five-minute warm up with slow gradual stretching of all muscles. Find a nice path and some walking buddies or some good music and walk at a brisk pace for 30 to 40 minutes every day. Finish with five minutes of a slower pace or stretching, which should help you "cool down."

Or, consider joining a prenatal exercise or yoga class and build it into a support group and even future playgroup for your child. Very few women should not exercise in pregnancy, what is important to remember is that it should be always under the guidance of your doctor.
Pregnancy Myth 3 - Swimming is Dangerous

Swimming, walking and prenatal yoga are rated as being on top of the list as far as pregnancy exercises are concerned. Swimming is a great overall body workout and is considered safe as the water makes you feel weightless and you are less likely to sustain an injury or a fall.

As long as the pool is disinfected using the recommended concentrations of chlorine, then swimming in a pool poses no threat to a pregnant woman or her fetus. Care should be taken to avoid swimming in a crowded pool. Congested areas increase the possibility of being accidentally hit in the abdomen by another swimmer. Being hit on the abdomen is not a big concern for the fetus because it is in a comfortable cushion of amniotic fluid. But it is painful for the mother and dangerous in instances of low-lying placentas, in which case there isn't enough uterine wall to protect it and there could be fatal/non-fatal bleeding. For those who are sea aficionados, avoid swimming in rough waters.
Pregnancy Myth 4 - Drinking too much water will cause increased water retention

Au contraire, drink plenty of water! Not only does drinking increased amount of water reduce the possibility of water retention in the body, it also lessens the occurrence of constipation and lowers the load on the kidney by regularly washing it out.

Many women do complain of water retention and swelling of feet, during pregnancy and the blame is ignorantly put on the water they drink. Truth be known that is totally incorrect, because our kidneys can flush out even a bucket of water if the need arises! The edema is actually due to:

* Progesterone - the hormone of pregnancy has water retaining properties
* Veins getting blocked by the pregnant uterus temporarily

So ladies don’t be frugal with the H2O, it’s a good idea to drink more and more of it. On the flip side, rushing to the loo every half hour is not exactly the prenatal exercise you had in mind, is it?
Pregnancy Myth 5 - You can tell your baby's gender by the way you are carrying, or by the fetal heartbeat.

Other than an ultrasound or an amniocentesis or by chorionic villi sampling (side effects of this procedure still not established enough, so not recommended), there is no way to determine the gender of the baby you are carrying.

Pregnant women carry babies differently based on the following features:

* Their presentation (breech, vertex, transverse)
* Their position (anterior, posterior)
* Their gestational age and weight
* The maternal weight and stature
* The mother’s parity (whether or not this is her first or eighth baby)

Judging fetal heartbeat is really no help either. Some say that a fast heart rate indicates a girl, based on the fact that women’s heart rates are faster than men’s. But we have to remember that until about 20 weeks, it is not unusual to have a fetal heartbeat in the 150 to 160 range. As the baby’s heart develops and the neurological system matures, the count may fall to between 130 to 140 (the normal range is 120 to 160). So if we try to guess the gender of the unborn baby, we would all start out as girls and turn into boys!
Pregnancy Myth 6 - Sleeping on your back can hurt the baby

During a normal pregnancy, a woman may assume any position to sleep, which she finds comfortable. It will not harm the baby in any way.

But it is beneficial for the mother to lie on a side and change from one side to the other frequently. How so? Lying on the side when you are pregnant and getting up sideways will prevent strain on the back. This will in turn prevent lower back-pains, which may be mistaken for false labour pains.

Remember if the pregnancy is high risk and there is hypertension, maternal kidney malfunction, severe water retention or fetal compromise is suspected, rest in the manner advised by the doctor.
Pregnancy Myth 7 - You can tangle the umbilical cord by raising your arms above your head

The common person is generally ignorant about the fact that about 20 to 25 percent of all babies are born with the cord around the neck, and many are born with cords around the legs. Some cords are even tied into knots! Therefore, very important to remember that - There is nothing that a mother can do to cause this.

Entanglements occur due to fetal activity during early gestation. Long umbilical cords, defined as longer than about 100 cm (most cords are 32 to 80 cm long), seem to contribute to entanglements. Excessively long cords are actually caused by excessive fetal movement.

This myth is one of the few, which benefit a pregnant mother. Going by this fallacy if pregnant women were advised not to lift their arms above their bodies, they may have been given less strenuous jobs. This in turn would have resulted in a more rested mom, and possibly a healthier baby!

So ladies, lift your arms, turn them around and do the boogie-woogie! Or balle balle as the case might be!
Pregnancy Myth 8 - Having sex during pregnancy can hurt the baby.

In a normal pregnancy, sex is not harmful to the baby. Sex is safe, because as mentioned already, the fetus is in a well-buffered medium. On a lighter vein, the man will have to be unnaturally well endowed for him to disturb the baby!

In fact the sexual experience will reach new heights for the woman in the enhanced ability to orgasm, due to an increase in blood flow to the pelvic floor. Its nirvana ten out ten!
Pregnancy Myth 9 - You lose a tooth for every baby.

Today, with the availability of supplements and fortified foods, no woman should lose a tooth for every baby!

Preconception nutrition is critical for preserving maternal health. It is during the critical pre-adolescent and adolescent years that women build stores of iron and calcium that prepare them for childbearing. If a woman’s diet is deficient in these key minerals, the demands of the growing baby often take precedence. Calcium may be lost from the maternal bones and teeth. Women should take in 1500 mg of calcium each day, either from food sources or supplement. Teeth can be lost if stores are deficient or depleted due to malnutrition or close inter-conceptional periods.

It’s a good idea therefore to prepare a year before you think of conceiving. You can make a start by taking the special nutrients and supplements under the guidelines of your personal doctor.
Pregnancy Myth 10 - Mother and the newborn should go through a 40 days confinement period

In the olden days the benefits of a medical team were still out of reach during birthing time. An age when antibiotics and other such cures were not available, the confinement period was the only way to combat possible infection. The mother also got a much needed rest period, instead of being back on her feet and working as usual.

Now most births take place in the hospital under hygienic conditions and the instances of the mother and child contracting an infection are very rare. There are enough facilities to take care of infections or deal with any medical emergency if need be.

The thought behind this myth might again have been to give some resuscitating period for the woman to recover from the rigors of giving birth. Traditionally, confinement did not mean complete bed rest. The woman would be active as during her pregnancy, and also get all sorts of traditional treatments like oil massages to get her body in shape.
Conclusion

In many cases, hearing predictions about the baby's sex or how much hair the baby will have is fun and harmless. In most cases however, caution is advised. Here's when you should beware:

* When the myth suggests that you contradict your doctor's advise
* Medical treatment (such as discontinuing prenatal vitamins)
* When you have to ingest or inhale something that isn't recommended by your doctor (such as herbs or drugs)
* When the myth makes you extremely fearful for your baby's health (stress on the mother can adversely affect the baby)

Pregnancy myths may vary from generation to generation and from region to region. Myths your grandmother in south claims are true might be different from what your uncle in north swears by. There is no surefire way of dealing with them, when in doubt check with the doctor!

from www.purpleparka.com

Read more »

Posted in: Pregnancy,Women's Issues