Why Do I Weigh More at Night?

By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness

Martica Heaner, MSN Fitness and Weight Loss Expert

Q: I weigh myself both in the morning and again at night. In the morning I'm around 193 pounds, but in the evening, my weight sometimes hikes up to 204 pounds. I use the same scale and weigh in the nude, so I feel like my readings are accurate. My friend says that I have a water-retention problem. What can I do to treat this?

A: It's normal for body weight to fluctuate widely throughout the day. It's likely that your weight in the morning, and especially after you've used the bathroom, is at its lowest since you have probably not consumed any food or water for the past 12 or so hours.

How much and what kind of food and fluids you've consumed, as well as how much and how often you've evacuated, and even how much you have sweated all play a role in the pounds that register on the scale at any given point during the day.

Be careful not to mistake the increased scale weight as a conclusive sign that you are gaining or losing weight because going by pounds alone can often be misleading. While most people cite one number as their current body weight, it may be more realistic to cite a range, since the number does fluctuate daily. Most weight-loss programs advise to weigh at the same time of the day to try to minimize this variation. But still, if you were to weigh yourself every two or three hours you are likely get a whole range of weights, and here's why:

You can even sit in a sauna and sweat off five pounds, but that doesn't mean that you've lost five pounds of body fat. In fact, you'll gain that 'weight' right back after you replenish the fluids you sweated out. Water is retained and lost throughout the day and while it may be contributing to your varying readings, these fluctuations are most likely normal, and not necessarily the problem that your friend suggests. (If you have signs of bloating, check with your physician, however.)

If you eat a meal that consists of lots of plant foods like beans, grains, veggies and fruit, the food might weigh quite a lot because of all the fiber and water in it. On the other hand, you could eat the exact same amount of calories in the form of processed high-carb or high-fat foods and since this food is very condensed (much of the fiber and water is processed out of it), it's very light. If you ate the more healthful food you might take in a couple of pounds of actual food that would actually make you seem heavier if you weighed yourself after eating it. The processed item such as a fluffy, light croissant may not register as much extra scale weight at all even though it's very high in calories.

So does the heavier-weighing food make you fatter? Not at all. Here's why: The body gains weight from accumulating more stored body fat by eating more calories than are expended over time. (You can also gain more weight for other reasons such as increased muscle, but you would need to be doing progressive, heavy resistance training and eating more calories over time.)

When you eat a large meal, and if it's an unprocessed, plant-based meal, it's likely to be lower in calories, even if it has greater volume. Check out this comparison from the book Picture Perfect Weight Loss (Grand Central Publishing, 2003) by chiropractor Howard Shapiro. One small muffin is around 720 calories, and a huge platter consisting of an entire pineapple (that weighs several pounds), half a melon, half a papaya, plus two pears, some grapes, kiwi and two small whole-wheat rolls are also 720 calories. Not only would it would be nearly impossible to eat the healthful meal at once (who can eat an entire pineapple without feeling stuffed?), if you managed to even eat half of this, you would have ingested a pound or two of food, compared to a few ounces by eating the muffin.

So after eating this plant-based meal, you would temporarily weigh more while the food is going through your digestive system. That doesn't mean you are heavier, though, because it's the caloric load that ultimately leads to excess body fat. In reality you might only be able to eat about 400 or 500 calories worth of this healthful meal, even though you ate much more in terms of volume of food. Most of the fiber and water in the plant-based meal is calorie-free and would be excreted out, NOT turned into extra body fat.

Another example in the book compares two 400-calorie options: a high-fat choice such as three small ribs or one egg roll, or a large meal consisting of brown rice, vegetable soup, a fortune cookie and Chinese-style broccoli and shrimp.

Chances are that you'd not feel full eating only one egg roll or a few ribs. One could easily eat double, triple (or more!) than the 400-calorie serving shown to make a meal. So you could easily take in 800 to 1,600 calories at one sitting choosing the high-fat options. In comparison, it might be difficult to eat the entire healthful meal shown. But even if you did, it would consist of only 400 calories. So you'd feel satiated, but you still be dieting because you are controlling your caloric intake with these plant-based foods that are high in both fiber and water.

The major point to keep in mind is that, while scale weight is important, it is not a total reflection of your body composition such as the amount of body fat and/or muscle that you have. When losing large amounts of weight, the scale is a useful tool to gauge the change. But avoid getting too nit-picky with daily readings, and look for trends over time. If you have access, try getting your body composition measured, either through a DEXA scan at your doctor's office, or by using body fat calipers by an experienced trainer at your gym. An underwater weighing tank in the exercise physiology department at a local university is another option (some gyms occasionally offer measurements taken in portable tanks). It's also important if you are losing weight to make sure to include some resistance training in your routine so that you can minimize the amount of muscle loss that inevitably accompanies weight loss.

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Posted in: Weight loss

Strip Away Stress

By Steve Calechman, Best Life

Best Life

The biggest health threat for men isn't heart disease or cancer. It's the out-of-control stress reactions that cause or worsen those conditions in the first place. We talked to America's coolest characters to learn how they cope. Steal their secrets and you'll thrive in life's pressure points—like they do.

The Stressor: All eyes are on you at a critical moment in the game (or the presentation, or the ceremony).

Beat that stress: When you establish a routine, the difficult becomes routine. Chauncey Billups, a Detroit Pistons point guard, describes his formula for nailing two free throws to tie a game in the fourth quarter: "I know it's a big shot, but I don't even think about the moment. If I put more pressure on it, then it becomes a mental thing. I treat it the same as a free throw in the first quarter by doing the same routine every single time. I focus on the rim. I take four dribbles, spin the ball, and get up under it. My routine puts me into a calm state. It's just me and the rim."

The Stressor: You've seen your friends' marriages, and worry that you'll end up with the wrong person.

Beat that stress: Ask yourself a few essential questions. Are you attracted to her? Do you play well together? Is she unselfish? Does she treat people well and talk positively about past relationships? Does she recognize her family's shortcomings and take corrective steps? Is she respectful of you? Does she share the soap in the shower? If you have a string of positive answers, you have a fun, responsible, thoughtful person at your side, says John Van Epp, Ph.D., a clinical counselor based in Medina, Ohio, and the author of How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk. That probably qualifies her as a keeper.

The Stressor: Your boss is hassling you, and you're about to explode.

Beat that stress: Call a time out. If you're in the thick of battle, go wash your hands. Removing yourself provides the chance to think and not say the wrong thing. While you're gone, let yourself be upset. "Anger and agitation tend to be short-lived when you let them play out internally," says Melissa Blacker, a director of professional training at the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts medical school. When you're calm, go to your boss and say, "What can I do to help work this out?" He's probably braced for a fight, so he's bound to welcome the collaborative tone. At the very least, you've expressed yourself. Letting your anger fester increases the chance you'll overreact.

The Stressor: Your dad died and you don't know what to do.

Beat that stress: For two days every week, schedule 10 minutes to grieve. Unless you plan, it's too easy to dodge the sadness—especially in the first couple of months after the funeral. And taking control of the process prevents unresolved issues from lingering. Shoot for early evening, when anything kicked up won't affect your sleep. Take a five-minute walk to unwind, then pull out photos to bring the departed front and center. Now ask two questions: What have you lost? What's the effect? You see what's missing from your life, so you can shift to problem solving, says Michael McKee, Ph.D., a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Now hit the gym. It'll end the grieving session, and the endorphins will lift your mood. Overall, doing the two activities will model what you're striving for—the knowledge that sad and happy can coexist.

The Stressor: Your to-do list at work reads like a phone book, except it's less interesting.

Beat that stress: Add 10 more entries. Here's how actor Craig Bierko, most recently of "Boston Legal" fame, keeps his lid from flipping. "First, I keep in mind that on-the-job stress is an indication that I'm doing well. I could certainly experience far less stress lying around all day watching "Ellen" reruns. Then I practice something called 'the grateful flow.' It's far cheaper than Prozac. I list ten things for which I'm grateful. Remind yourself of the friend who's always been there, the fact that you can afford your next meal. And include your job. Sure, it's the reason you're making the list in the first place. But where would you be without it?"

The Stressor: Your team's success (or failure) is hanging on your performance in the ultimate contest.

Beat that stress: Focus on the now as well as the later. Martin Brodeur, star goalie for the New Jersey Devils, uses these techniques when he faces Game 7 in the playoffs: "When it becomes stressful, I overbreathe. That opens up everything and makes me aware of the situation I'm in. I also make sure my feet are together as much as possible and that they're really under me. With my feet together, I'm compact. It's less tiring, and I'm lighter on my skates. As for when I'm not on the ice? Before Game 7 of the 2003 Stanley Cup finals I booked a vacation online. It took me out of the anxiety of facing a Game 7." (The Devils won that game, 3-0.)

The Stressor: You're due at Grandma's, the storm is roaring, and you need to pilot the clan safely.

Beat that stress: Be meticulous in your preflight prep. That's what Rob Kinkade, a bush pilot, does before taking off for what he calls a "rodeo day" in the bucking bronco of Alaska's airspace. "If I know it'll be rough out there, I'll meticulously check everything two or three times—the flight plans, my fuel, the wings. It gives me peace of mind. If I take care of the downside first, the upside will take care of itself. If it's rough and I see people worrying, I'll sing or make a joke or grab the stick with one hand and drink a soda with the other, to show that it's not affecting me, even if it is. I'm lightening my mood, and it's kind of contagious."

The Stressor: You're an hour into the first date and it's going nowhere.

Beat that stress: Ask her what she likes about her best friend. Relationships are sources of pride and endless fascination for women. By delving into her life, you're trying to understand her, and everyone loves being understood. "It defuses a lot of the tension," says Ann Demarais, Ph.D., a psychologist and coauthor of First Impressions: What You Don't Know about How Others See You.

The Stressor: Your kid's stressing but won't tell you what it's about.

Beat that stress: Take him on a long car ride. It's private, and there's little else to do but talk. Start out casually, and eventually bring up the struggles you faced at his age. He'll either identify or tell you that it's completely different now. Either way, the opening is there to gently find out which of three areas—school, friends, or family—isn't working. "You're getting new information and can take it to where the problem belongs," says Irene Goldenberg, Ed.D., a family psychologist based in Los Angeles.

The Stressor: You have to make your case or lose the day.

Beat that stress: Before the straining, go into training. Steven D. Benjamin, a criminal-defense attorney in Richmond, Va., believes that discipline always carries the day. "Before the trial starts, everything in my life becomes more regimented. I don't drink or go out, and I become more obsessive than usual about my workout. A trial is an endurance event, and training for it makes me much more alert. I also take care of my team members. I can't see everything at trial. They're my auxiliary hard drive, and they give me peace of mind."

The Stressor: Your kid is really into playing a violent video game.

Beat that stress: Observe, or play it with him. Encroaching on his territory removes some of the rebellious fun, but you'll also learn his perspective, says Jeff Bostic, M.D., a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Make no comments during the game, and at the end, say, "What did you enjoy most about it? That was a little weird for me to be gunning down all those cops." You might find out that he clearly distinguishes fantasy from reality and that his bloody game is just a bloody game.

The Stressor: Your name is all over a mistake and you have to tell the boss.

Beat that stress: As soon as possible, go to the boss and own up, but immediately follow that with what you've learned and (the most important factor) how things will be different. It won't guarantee a full pardon, but you won't have to stew over the unknown. "You will have made a problem less bad, and that's the goal of damage control," says Eric Dezenhall, the author of Damage Control: Why Everything You Know about Crisis Management Is Wrong.

The Stressor: You have to give some tough criticism to an employee.

Beat that stress: Deliver the bad with an ample dose of the good. Saying nothing when things are acceptable does not count, says Albert Bernstein, Ph.D., a psychologist and the author of Emotional Vampires. Keep track in your head. Your kind-to-unkind ratio has to be 4:1 to ensure that respect is built up and communication lines stay open. After that, structure the bad news like, "When you're late, I feel like you're not fully committed. Was that your intention?" You're making your point, but by giving him the benefit of the doubt, you're avoiding arguments that go quickly and resentfully to nowhere.

The Stressor: Your kid's soccer team is down 8-0 and your kid is the goalie.

Beat that stress: Focus on the success inherent in failure. Release tension by yelling encouraging stuff; you're concentrating positive energy on other people and helping the little version of yourself dying in front of the net. In the car after the game, tell him how proud you were of his bravery/composure/intensity and that you weren't disappointed in him. Share a quick story about how you once ate it. You want him to see that coming up short isn't the ultimate indignity. "Those who don't know how to fail are those who don't take chances," Dr. Bostic says.

The Stressor: It's review time and you know that you deserve more money.

Beat that stress: Repeat yourself. You think your value is obvious. Your boss has other distractions, so go in armed with bullet points of your achievements. But don't just say them once. "One plus one equals two, but so does four minus two," says Gregg Clifton, the chief operating officer of Gaylord Sports Management. Find different ways to support the same point. Lead with, "I increased sales 12 percent." Later, say, "About that 12 percent, it was 43 percent over the industry average ... it was the best the department has ever seen... expenses didn't rise at all." Hammering it from different angles will register with the man signing your soon-to-be-larger check.

The Stressor: You want to start dating again, but you still can't forget the ex.

Beat that stress: Confine her to paper. Make a list of all the things you're going to miss. Making a hard copy creates new connections in your brain, and, with that, new ways to consider your situation, says Peter Pearson, Ph.D., codirector of the Couples Institute in Menlo Park, Calif. Look at the list and ask yourself if she has a monopoly on those qualities. If your answer is no, you can conceive of a future with someone else. You'll have a kind of emotional replacement to-do list, and there's nothing like a to-do list to turbocharge your psyche.

The Stressor: You need to handle all the details of a complex operation just so or disaster will ensue.

Beat that stress: In the moment before you begin, take a mental inventory of the critical steps to success. Here's how Ali Rezai, M.D., a neurosurgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, preps for the first cut. "While I'm scrubbing my hands, I'm reviewing all the aspects of the case. That puts me into a highly focused state and cleans my mind of distractions. During surgery, I'm constantly reviewing the steps with the operating-room staff. It takes everyone onto the next page and into a rhythm. When I'm faced with an emergency, the calmer I am, the calmer everyone else becomes."

The Stressor: You're meeting her family or friends for the first time.

Beat that stress: Channel Matt Lauer and be your charming, head-nodding, inquisitive best. Asking them questions takes the focus off you, and their judgment will be that you're concerned with and interested in others. Drop in a well-placed, "I love how she always wants to learn something new," to show that you understand and admire your new girlfriend — and to nail opening night, says the psychologist Ann Demarais. Bonus tip: When they ask you a question, focus on how it's asked—bluntly or anecdotally—and respond the same way. Rick Brinkman, author of Dealing with People You Can't Stand, says that matching question style and answer style gives you the best chance of being heard.

The Stressor: Success is at hand, if you can just close the deal.

Beat that stress: Don't try to be perfect. Just play your role and rely on others who are focused on the same goal. Joe Nathan, a Minnesota Twins reliever, has one of the most high-stress jobs in sports: closer. Here's his mental process, leading up to the last three outs: "Around the seventh inning, I go through some visualization—seeing myself on the mound, making certain pitches. It puts me in a relaxed state and allows me to focus on something I need to do rather than watching somebody else. When I'm on the mound, I try not to overthink the situation. It's about being aggressive, pounding the strike zone, and trusting my defense. It takes the heat off. I don't have to be perfect, so I can relax and throw a better pitch."

Provided by Best Life

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Posted in: Stress Management

Gestational Diabetes

What is gestational diabetes?

If your blood sugar level first becomes too high when you are pregnant, you have gestational diabetes. It usually goes away after the baby is born.

High blood sugar can cause problems for you and your baby. Your baby may grow too large, which can cause problems during delivery. Your baby may also be born with low blood sugar. But with treatment, most women with gestational diabetes are able to control their blood sugar and give birth to healthy babies.

Women who have had gestational diabetes are more likely than other women to develop type 2 diabetes later on. You may be able to prevent or reduce the severity of type 2 diabetes by staying at a healthy weight, eating healthy foods, and increasing your physical activity.

What causes gestational diabetes?

The pancreas makes a hormone called insulin. Insulin helps your body properly use and store the sugar from the food you eat. This keeps your blood sugar level in a safe range. When you are pregnant, the placenta makes hormones that can make it harder for insulin to work. This is called insulin resistance.

A pregnant woman can get diabetes when her pancreas cannot make enough insulin to keep her blood sugar levels within a safe range.

What are the symptoms?

Because gestational diabetes does not cause symptoms, you need to be tested for the condition. This is usually done between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy. You may be surprised if your test shows a high blood sugar. It is important for you to be tested for gestational diabetes, because high blood sugar can cause problems for both you and your baby.

Sometimes, a pregnant woman who has symptoms has been living with another type of diabetes without knowing it. If you have symptoms from another type of diabetes, they may include:

• Increased thirst.
• Increased urination.
• Increased hunger.
• Blurred vision.

Pregnancy causes most women to urinate more often and to feel more hungry, so having these symptoms does not always mean that a woman has diabetes. Talk with your doctor if you have these symptoms, so that you can be tested for diabetes at any time during pregnancy.

How is gestational diabetes diagnosed?

Almost all women are tested for gestational diabetes between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy. If your doctor thinks you are more likely to get gestational diabetes, you may be tested earlier.

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed with two blood tests. In the first test, your blood sugar level is tested 1 hour after you drink a small cup of a sweet liquid. If your blood sugar is too high, you will need to do a longer, 3-hour glucose test. If your blood sugar is still above a certain level, you have gestational diabetes.

How is it treated?

Many women with gestational diabetes can control their blood sugar level by changing the way they eat and by exercising regularly. These healthy choices can also help prevent gestational diabetes in future pregnancies and type 2 diabetes later in life.

Treatment for gestational diabetes also includes checking your blood sugar level at home and seeing your doctor regularly.

You may need to give yourself insulin shots to help control your blood sugar. This man-made insulin adds to the insulin that your body makes.

from: yahoo health

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Posted in: Diabetes,Pregnancy

Food Cures That Add Up

Make easy meals that heal with these simple additions.
By Winnie Yu, Prevention

Healthy eating is all about math: subtracting fat, counting calories, dividing portions. But let's not forget adding: It's the little things we toss in the pot that often yield the biggest benefits. "Adding just one food to another can make a tremendous difference in your total nutrient intake and offer significant health gains," says Tara Gidus, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

With benefits ranging from stronger bones and better eyesight to a healthier heart and improved immunity, here are 15 of our favorite quick pairings for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks—even beverages—that taste great, take seconds to make, and add up to amazing health.

Whole grain cereal (any kind) + sunflower seeds for better immunity

Sprinkling 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds into your morning cereal provides more than 100 percent of your day's requirements for alpha-tocopherol, the most active form of vitamin E. As an antioxidant, vitamin E protects cells from damage caused by destructive free radicals that can lead to cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Scrambled eggs + red peppers for smoother skin

Tossing in 1/2 cup of chopped red peppers delivers more than 100 percent of your daily vitamin C need—which spells good news for your skin. Researchers in the United Kingdom looked at vitamin C intake in 4,025 women and found that those who ate more vitamin C had less wrinkling and dryness.

Smoothie (any kind) + wheat germ for faster healing of cuts and bruises

One-quarter cup of wheat germ packs nearly half of your day's requirements for zinc, an essential mineral that helps repair cells and strengthens the immune system. Even a slight deficiency can reduce your immunity, making it harder to heal.

Sandwich (any kind) + spinach leaves for decreased risk of night blindness

Stacking only three small leaves of spinach on your sandwich satisfies at least 20 percent of your day's vitamin A requirements. Vitamin A helps you see in the dark, but it also protects your eyes from age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to vision loss.

Garden salad + canned wild salmon for healthier brain and heart

Adding 3 ounces of canned wild salmon to your salad provides half of the weekly recommendation for healthy omega-3 fats. The fatty acids found in canned salmon are linked with improvements in heart and brain health. Choosing wild lowers your exposure to dioxin, which is a cancer-causing contaminant found in the feed given to the farm-raised variety, says Evelyn Tribole, R.D., author of The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet (McGraw-Hill, 2007).

Stir-fry (any kind) + kale for stronger eyes

One-half cup of kale delivers at least 12 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids found in dark leafy greens that help combat cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Results from the Eye Disease Case Control Study found that people who ate the most of these nutrients—as much as 5.8 mg a day—had a significantly lower risk of AMD than those who ate the least. Stir-fry is the perfect way to throw it into the mix; if you're not a kale fan, other leafy greens such as Swiss chard and spinach offer similar benefits.

Salsa + chickpeas for lower body weight

Adding chickpeas to a light dip like salsa adds bulk without lots of calories and boosts your intake of protein, so you fill up faster and feel fuller. Eating chickpeas regularly may also improve your overall food choices. An Australian study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that people who ate 1/2 cup of chickpeas a day weighed a pound less and ate less food overall.

Low-fat pudding + nonfat powdered milk for less PMS

Sprinkling 1/3 cup of nonfat powdered milk into pudding satisfies 40 percent of your day's calcium and 50 to 100 percent of your vitamin D requirements, depending on your age. Research shows that the combination of calcium and vitamin D reduces the risk of developing PMS.

Green tea + lemon for lower cancer risk

Green tea is already rich in antioxidants, but a study from Purdue University found that adding citrus juice led to a fourfold increase in disease-fighting catechins. Lemon juice in particular preserved the most catechins, while orange, lime and grapefruit juices were less potent but still effective.

Water + unsweetened cranberry juice for fewer cavities

Unsweetened cranberry juice prevents the buildup of Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria behind most cavities, by preventing them from sticking to the tooth's surface. The unsweetened juice also interferes with plaque formation. Mixing it with water helps dilute the juice's tartness.

Strawberries + nonfat Greek yogurt for more muscle

Greek yogurt packs twice the protein of ordinary yogurt, and protein is essential for building, repairing, and maintaining muscles, which burn more calories than fat. Strawberries add a burst of natural sweetness.

Pasta (any kind) + parsley for stronger bones

Topping a pasta dish with just six sprigs of parsley offers a fresh boost of flavor and delivers a full day's supply of vitamin K, says Marisa Moore, R.D., an Atlanta-based nutritionist and ADA spokesperson. Vitamin K is important for bone health—studies show that it helps prevent fractures and may guard against bone loss.

Burger + ketchup for decreased cancer risk

A tablespoon of this condiment supplies you a healthful dose of lycopene, an antioxidant that guards against various forms of cancer by blocking cell-damaging free radicals. Eating processed tomatoes (such as those in ketchup and tomato sauce) is best; cooking releases lycopene inside the plant cells, making it easier to digest and absorb, reports Steven J. Schwartz, Ph.D., professor of food science at Ohio State University.

Soup (any kind) + pinto beans for lower cholesterol

Adding 1/2 cup of beans to soup lowers both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol—the unhealthy kind that contributes to the buildup of arterial plaque—according to researchers at Arizona State University at the Polytechnic campus. They found that people who ate 1/2 cup of pinto beans a day lowered both their total and LDL cholesterol by about 8 percent. (Beans are high in fiber, which decreases levels of LDL by reducing its absorption.) One-half cup of black, kidney or pinto beans supplies about one-third of your day's fiber needs. (The heat from soup cooks canned beans through, and they add heft to a lighter broth).

Seltzer + grape juice for a healthier heart

Grape juice contains a phytochemical called resveratrol found in the skin of red and purple grapes. Research links resveratrol to lower blood pressure, reduced LDL cholesterol, and fewer blood clots.

Provided by Prevention

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Posted in: Diet

The Best Time of Day to Exercise

I only have time to work out at night. Will this disrupt my sleep?
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness

Q: When is the best time of day to exercise? I am planning to start and can only fit in a walk on the treadmill in the evening. Will this make it hard for me to get to sleep?

A: It seems logical to assume that if you rev your body up at a time when it's naturally starting to wind down, you may find it hard to get to sleep. But there are many factors that can affect how your body reacts:

• How much sleep you've been getting over the past days and weeks (are you sleep deprived, or well rested?)
• How hard and how long your exercise session is
• How late in the evening your workout is

Your personal response may vary. People who consume caffeine report different individual responses, too. Some say that having a soda or coffee in the afternoon or evening will keep them up all night, while others down shots of espresso and claim no disrupted sleep whatsoever.

Sleep research is a relatively new science and there's still much to learn. The body operates on a 24-hour clock, and every cell in every physiological system is guided by what are known as circadian rhythms. As the sun goes down, certain systems in the body (such as digestion) tend to slow down, while those processes that occur during the resting hours (such as cell repair) tend to ramp up. Certain triggers can throw off the body's clock. Stimuli such as electric lights and TV can keep the body aroused and cause changes in circadian rhythms that may make it harder to get to sleep.

It appears that exercise can affect circadian rhythms, too. One study tracked changes in the levels of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the body's sleeping and waking cycles which normally peak at night. Published in the American Journal of Physiology–Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, the 2003 study found that young adults (ages 20 to 32 years old) and older adults (ages 55 to 73 years) both experienced delays in rising melatonin levels following late-night exercise. Researchers measured what's known as the "dim-light melatonin onset," a marker used to determine the cycles within a person's 24-hour body clock.

In this study, subjects performed three hours of light-to-moderate intensity cycling, and they didn't begin the exercise until quite late at night—around 10:30 p.m. Subjects were then allowed to sleep for only six hours the next day. Subjects were monitored for only a three-day period, and the researchers did not track their ability to go to sleep the night after the study ended (when they were feeling the effects from having had only six hours of rest).

This raises a question: If they exercised again the following evening, would they be so tired from being sleepy that the subsequent exercise wouldn't have much of an effect on their ability to fall asleep? As with many studies, there are still many unanswered questions, and it's unclear what the longer-term effects might be from following a late-night exercise schedule. And of course, if you're doing a 45-minute walk at 8 p.m., the effects may be much less noticeable (though everyone is different).

A considerable amount of research on jet lag and people who work night shifts has looked at the different triggers for disrupting and re-setting a person's body clock. A review of the research in a 2007 issue of the European Journal of Applied Physiology noted that exercise is associated with small phase delays in body rhythms. But the researchers noted that there was still much to learn about exactly how much exercise, or what intensity of exercise, might affect different people. There is some evidence that regular, moderate exercise may even help synchronize people, including those who travel between time zones or work night shifts. But this may also depend upon the time of day that the exercise is performed, and other variables may play a role, too. For example, if a person exercises outside in the morning or evening light, or indoors in a lab where the light is either dimmed or bright and fluorescent, is it the exercise or the light stimulus that affects circadian rhythms?

From a practical perspective, getting adequate exercise and sufficient sleep are both vitally important to your health. If the only time you have to exercise is in the evening, and if you also find that you toss and turn in bed after a workout, then experiment with different times, durations and intensities of your workouts to see if you can find a regimen that doesn't keep you up at night.

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Posted in: Exercise,Fitness

Are There Some Things I Shouldn't Eat While I'm Pregnant?

From KidsHealth.org

I’ve heard that there are certain foods I should avoid during pregnancy. Is that true?
- Shantelle

Yes. Although most foods are safe to eat, some might be problematic during pregnancy. For example, you should avoid or limit your exposure to foods that are more likely to be contaminated with bacteria (such as raw meat and fish), since food-borne infections may cause birth defects or miscarriage. And foods that might contain high levels of mercury (such as certain types of fish) can cause damage to the developing brain of a fetus.

Foods to steer clear of altogether during pregnancy include:

• soft, unpasteurized cheeses (often advertised as "fresh") such as feta, goat, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, and Mexican queso fresco
• unpasteurized milk, juices, and apple cider
• raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs, including mousse, tiramisu, raw cookie dough, eggnog, homemade ice cream, and Caesar dressing
• raw or undercooked fish (sushi), shellfish, or meats
• p?té and meat spreads
• processed meats such as hot dogs and deli meats (these should be very well cooked before eating)
• fish that may contain high levels of mercury (shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and tuna steak). Limited amounts of canned, preferably light, tuna are OK.
  

You may have to forego a few things during pregnancy that you normally enjoy. But just think how delicious they’ll taste after waiting 9 months!

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Posted in: Pregnancy,Women's Issues

The 6 Biggest Skin-Care Mistakes

By Leslie Baumann, M.D. -

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If there's one thing I stress to my patients, it's that great skin doesn't require spending a fortune on some "miracle cream" made from rare seaweed from the Arctic Circle! It's all about simple good habits. But let's approach those habits from the opposite direction: What are the most damaging bad habits that I see time and time again?

1. Using a cleanser with harsh detergents: Many people assume that the suds of their vigorously foaming cleanser are a good sign -- surely they'll leave skin extra clean. Unfortunately, copious suds are generally a sign that your cleanser contains a harsh detergent, like lauryl sulfate, that strips skin of vital lipids. (And don't get me started on bar soap -- that is always a no-no.) Instead, look for cleansers that contain fatty acids and will actually fortify your skin, like Dove's ProAge products, or even simple cold cream. If you have particularly dry skin, I recommend cleansing oils, which remove dirt and makeup without disturbing your skin's natural protective barrier.

2. Not using a retinoid: Retinol, a form of vitamin A, is the only topical ingredient proven not only to prevent lines and wrinkles but to minimize the ones you already have. Past the age of 30, I recommend seeing a dermatologist for a higher-concentration prescription retinoid (like Retin-A, Differin, or Tazorac, for example), but there are also many great over-the-counter creams that contain lower concentrations of retinol. I like Roc Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Night Cream, and SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0.

3. Spending too much on skin care: Splurging on the beautiful packaging and luxurious scents of pricey boutique skin care lines can feel wonderfully pampering -- provided you know that it's absolutely not necessary for great skin. In fact, many of my favorite products are made by drugstore brands, because those companies have the large budgets for top-notch research and development. If you have to choose, put your money toward that prescription retinoid, and buy the rest of your regimen at the drugstore.

4. Getting facials: Yes, that's right -- you can strike facials from your skin-care budget and actually be doing your skin a favor! Studies show that as many as 80% of people break out after a facial. Aestheticians often don't know which products are right for the skin of each client, and may use ingredients that can worsen acne, or essential oils that tend to irritate sensitive skin. Even if you don't break out, there are really no long-term benefits to facials.

5. Washing your face at the wrong time: Always wash your face after you rinse out your hair products and conditioner in the shower, never before. Many conditioners contain pore-clogging isopropyl myristate and other hair products often contain coconut oil -- both are common acne-causing ingredients that you don't want to leave on your skin.

6. Not using sunscreen every day: Not just for your trip to the beach. Not just during the long summer days. Every day. Yes, it's important to be even more vigilant if you plan to spend lots of time in direct sunlight. But incidental sun exposure typically accounts for more of our lifetime exposure to ultraviolet rays than those days at the beach. Walking to and from your car, dashing out of the office for a sandwich, or sitting outside for a few minutes adds up -- make sure you're covered with at least SPF 15, every day.

Wishing you great skin!

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Posted in: Skin Care