7 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight

When your boss says, "We're not here to assign blame," duck. When we say you're not entirely to blame for your paunch, you're not off the hook. Nobody is the innocent victim of a drive-thru feeding. But there are sneaky factors--your friends, your family, your mindset--that can sabotage the best weight-loss plan. Your strategy: Identify the saboteurs, then adjust.

We do not suggest blaming her for your belly. This would be (a) wrong and (b) a reasonable defense at her trial. But know this: Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that men and women usually gain 6 to 8 pounds in the first 2 years of marriage. "Once you're married, that need to impress is gone," says Edward Abramson, Ph.D., author of Marriage Made Me Fat. "You may go to the gym less often, go out for meals or to parties more frequently, and develop new rituals, such as sitting on the couch with your wife and snacking."

Fix your head: Regain that need to impress. Imagine what that girl at the gym thinks of your gut--or what she'd think if you had abs. (Just don't hit on her.) As for that bowl of popcorn with your wife, Abramson says, ask yourself, "Why am I eating? Boredom? Habit?" Better yet, ask her to stop bringing those binge foods into the house.

Fix your routine: Establish healthful rituals. Instead of Access Hollywood after dinner, take regular walks, or play H-O-R-S-E in the driveway. (P-I-G might work better.) Exercise suppresses appetite. Cool down with Italian ice (120 calories per cup) instead of ice cream (290 calories per cup).

Her Belly

Dads-to-be gain almost 5 pounds from the end of their partner's pregnancy to the baby's first birthday, Australian researchers report. It's especially common in young, stressed-out fathers, says Lawrence Schwartz, author of Fat Daddy/Fit Daddy. And the cycle repeats with each kid.

Fix your head: Be a heroic provider, not a sympathetic eater. Prepare as if fatherhood were a sport--because it will be.

Fix your routine: Read her pregnancy books--they're full of excellent nutritional advice. As for her binge snacking and ice-cream jags, adopt a simple policy, says Schwartz: "She can have it, but you shouldn't." Maintain your exercise routine, especially weight lifting (or a workout like the Fat-Burning Firestorm). "It's only going to be that much harder to get back into an exercise routine once the baby's here," says Schwartz.

The presence of children in a household sharply increases the likelihood of tempting junk food in the cupboard. Some of it ends up in adult mouths. Same goes for stray nuggets and fries left over by finicky kids. "I call this 'trolling,' " Schwartz says. "If you're prone to troll, the easiest thing to do is to avoid the Happy Meal altogether."

Fix your head: Grow up. Think: The sugary snack that a child will burn off with an hour of fidgeting will haunt you as a fat deposit. Read the nutrition label on any snack before unwrapping it. Realize the importance of setting a good food-and-exercise example.

Fix your routine: Make junk food a once-a-week thing. Designate Friday as Twinkie day. And instead of standing on the sidelines to watch your son's game, volunteer to coach, ump, or ref. Make fitness a family thing.

Not getting enough deep, non-REM sleep inhibits production of growth hormone, which might lead to premature middle-age symptoms--abdominal obesity, reduced muscle mass and strength, and diminished exercise capacity. You become Homer.

Fix your head: "Mentally disengage yourself before you hit the sack," says Jim Karas, author of The Business Plan for Your Body. Don't plot a staffing reorg before bed.

Fix your routine: Exercise in the morning or afternoon, says Eric Nofzinger, M.D., director of sleep neuroimaging research at the Western Psychiatric Institute. Evening workouts may leave you too stimulated to sleep. Establish a ritual that signals your body that the day is over 30 minutes before bedtime--turn off the computer, read, stretch, or set the TV volume low, says Karas.

Workers gain 7 pounds on average when they switch from a day to a night shift, according to the New York Obesity Research Center. Men working the graveyard shift tend to eat a big evening meal and go to work, says Jim Waterhouse, Ph.D., author of Keeping in Time with Your Body Clock. "Then they come home to another 'supper' in the morning."

Fix your head: Adjust your concept of mealtime, says Waterhouse.

Fix your routine: Eat your biggest meal when you get home from your shift, Waterhouse says, then relax or exercise in the morning. Get 8 hours of sleep in the afternoon, then wake up and have breakfast. Kicking off your workday (even if it starts in the evening) with a light meal that's high in protein or fiber is crucial for weight loss.

Stress will spike levels of the hormone cortisol, which tells your body to store fat. "Unfortunately, some people appease their anxiety by reaching for fatty foods," says Elissa Epel, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Francisco. Eating boosts insulin levels; combining that with cortisol leads to greater fat deposits. More stress, bigger belly.

Fix your head: First, identify the type of stress you're under, Karas says. "Is it temporary, like a bar exam, or more permanent, like your job?" Short-term stress will pass. Long-term stress may require a permanent solution, like a new job.

Fix your routine: Make healthy eating effortless, Karas says. Buy snacks that won't send insulin levels soaring: high-fiber energy bars or single-serving bags of almonds or cashews. Fifteen minutes of explosive activity--hitting a speed bag or jumping rope--can alleviate anxieties after work. "It's about getting the tension out," Karas says.

Buddies can make or break a diet or workout plan, whether it's unconscious scarfing of nachos during the game or the lure of pumping beers instead of iron. Worse, some guys will deliberately try to sabotage your diet, just for sport. Want a cookie?

Fix your head: Admit you need support. "Let people know how to help you, and many will," says Beth Kitchin, an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Fix your routine: Eat a protein bar before meeting friends, so you'll feel fuller (or have one of these smart snacks). Drink a glass of water for every glass of beer. A time-tested strategy: Recruit a friend to diet or work out with you. Having someone to answer to is the best enforcement plan.

By Allison Winn Scotch

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Prevent Kids' Food Allergies, Start Peanuts, Eggs Sooner

Amid rising rates of children’s food allergies, surprising new guidelines call for introducing babies at ages 4 to 6 months to the most allergenic foods—as a strategy to prevent food allergies.

New scientific data suggests that early introduction of highly allergenic foods—such as milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, and shellfish—may reduce children’s risk for developing food allergies, according to new recommendations from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.

The recommendations are a dramatic reversal of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines issued in 2000, which advise delaying milk until high-risk kids reach age 1; eggs until age 2; and peanuts, shellfish, tree nuts, and fish to age 3.

The AAP defined high-risk kids as those with one or more close relatives (a parent or sibling) who had an allergic condition—an extremely broad definition, given that about one in five Americans suffer from some form of allergy, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

In 2008, the AAP released revised guidelines, stating that there was little evidence that delaying allergenic foods prevents food allergies. However, the AAP didn’t offer any specific guidance on when to introduce these foods, leaving parents confused about the best way to protect kids.

Up to 6 million American kids have food allergies—and the rate has jumped by nearly 20 percent since 1997, for as yet unknown reasons. About 90 percent of food allergies are triggered by just eight foods: milk, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, eggs, and fish.

New Tactics to Prevent Food Allergies

To identify evidence-based prevention tactics, the AAAAI combed through medical literature and issued the following recommendations:

   ·        Exclusive breastfeeding for at least 4 and up to 6 months is advised. For bottle-fed babies, hydrolyzed formula—which contains protein that has been broken down (hydrolyzed) to be more easily digestible—may have benefits over those that contain cow’s milk during the first 4-to-6 months. Brands of hydrolyzed formula include Alimentum, Nutramigen, and Pregestimil. The researchers found no evidence that soy formula reduces food allergy risk.

    ·         Pregnant and breastfeeding women don’t need to eat a special diet to protect babies from food allergies. In fact, “avoidance diets,” in which pregnant or breastfeeding women shun highly allergenic foods, are notrecommended by the AAAAI. However, the group says that more research is needed to tell if avoiding peanuts during pregnancy or breastfeeding plays any role in reducing peanut allergy in kids, since studies done to date had contradictory results.

   ·      Parents can introduce foods—including highly allergenic ones—once babies are 4 to 6 months old. The AAAAI advises trying a few typical baby foods, such as cereal, fruit, or vegetables, and once those are well tolerated, introduce potentially allergenic foods.

How Solid is the Science Supporting the New Guidelines?

“There's been more studies that find that if you introduce [highly allergenic foods] early it may actually prevent food allergy," David Fleischer, MD, coauthor of the medical journal article and a pediatric allergist at National Jewish Health in Denver, told the Wall Street Journal.

"We need to get the message out now to pediatricians, primary-care physicians and specialists that these allergenic foods can be introduced early,” added Dr. Fleischer.

Among the research cited in the report are these studies:

A small study found that delaying introduction of wheat until a baby reaches 6 months did not protect against wheat allergy. Another study found a significantly higher rate of wheat allergy in 5-year-old kids whose parents had delayed giving them wheat until after age 6 months. Therefore, no data supports holding off on giving babies wheat.

·         Small amounts of cow’s milk, such as that in baked goods, and dairy products like yogurt and cheese are safe to introduce before age one. One study found that early exposure (before a baby reached 14 days of age) as a supplement to breastfeeding may protect against milk allergy.

·         Several studies show that if kids start eating cooked eggs when they are 4 to 6 months old, they are less likely to develop egg allergy, while babies who aren’t introduced to egg until they are more than 10 months old have a higher rate of egg allergy at age 5.

·         One study found a ten times higher rate of peanut allergy in Jewish kids in the United Kingdom, where parents usually avoid feeding babies peanut butter, than in Jewish kids in Israel, where peanut butter is eaten in higher amounts at a younger age. However, parents should consult an allergist before feeding a baby peanut butter if other family members are allergic. Whole peanuts are a choking hazard and shouldn’t be given to kids under age 5.

What’s the Theory Behind Exposing Babies to Allergens?

One theory holds that if kids aren’t exposed to substances in highly allergenic foods early enough, their body is more likely to view them as foreign invaders and attack, leading to an allergy.

"The body has to be trained in the first year of life," says Katie Allen, a professor and allergist at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at Royal Children's Hospital in Australia, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“We think there's a critical window, probably around 4 to 6 months, when the child first starts to eat solids," she says.

Another explanation for the rise in allergies and autoimmune disorders is the “hygiene hypothesis,” the theory that we’ve become so clean that the immune system isn’t adequately challenged by germs during childhood, making it more prone to overreacting to harmless substances, such as proteins in certain foods.

By Lisa Collier

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Eat Less By Eating These Foods

Everyone is searching for that magic bullet when it comes to weight loss, but adding an exotic ingredient to your pasta carbonara won't miraculously melt away the fat. That said, there are certain foods and eating strategies that, when used together, can naturally help dial down your appetite. Take a look at what works-and why.

Eat an Apple a Day
If you do one thing to regulate your appetite, eat a high-fiber diet, notes Judy Caplan, R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Fiber-rich foods break down slowly and turn off your brain's response to food," she explains. Plus, fiber stabilizes blood sugar levels, which determines how hungry you get. Adding 14 extra grams of fiber to your daily menu can reduce calorie intake by 10 percent. The fiber in apples and citrus are especially effective in helping the stomach feel full. For a snack that will tide you over until dinnertime, Keri Glassman, R.D., nutrition expert and author of "The New You and Improved Diet: 8 Rules to Lose Weight and Change Your Life Forever," recommends apple slices with all-natural peanut butter.

Choose the Right Carbs  What do beans, lentils, green bananas and cold potatoes have in common? They're rich in resistant starch, a carbohydrate that skips through the stomach undigested and gets fermented in the large intestine. This process releases an acid that makes the body use stored fat (i.e., love handles) for fuel. What's more, resistant starch deals a debilitating, temporary blow to the appetite, keeping you full for about an hour afterwards. By the way, if you're curious as to why cold potatoes are the way to go, that's because when they're chilled, potatoes form tight crystals of resistant starch, but if you heat them up, those crystals get broken up. Other good sources of resistant starch include yams, peas, chickpeas and barley. 

Add a Splash of Vinegar  To thwart between-meal hunger pangs, add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar to a carbohydrate-rich meal. Acetic acid lowers the glycemic index of carbs, which will keep them from spiking your blood sugar levels. "This will reduce the urge to snack in between meals and prevent cravings," says Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of "The Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories and Fat Disappear-With Fiber!" One study found that dieters who drank one and a half tablespoons of apple cider vinegar at their morning meal ate about 250 fewer calories.

Indulge in Dark Chocolate 
Seeking solace in comfort food? Choose dark chocolate. According to Zuckerbrot, dark chocolate tones down emotional food cravings because it floods the brain with endorphins, a chemical that elicits feelings of happiness and calm. In one study, women who ate or even smelled the confection reported less hunger. Eating chocolate also lowered levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, which boosts the mouthwatering appeal of high-calorie foods. Just don't use this as an excuse to go to town on dark chocolate. A one-ounce square has 170 calories and 12 grams of fat, so popping a piece every time you feel a craving can turn into hundreds of extra calories, warns Zuckerbrot.

Pick Red Hot Chili Peppers  Spicing up your daily diet with chili pepper can help you eat less, but it's no panacea, notes Glassman. Research shows that red pepper dampens the appetite in relation to how uncomfortably hot you think your food is. If you regularly eat spicy food and are immune to its fiery properties, it won't help. It's the burn on your tongue that makes it effective, so forget popping pills. As for the claim that dousing your food with cayenne will magically melt away fat? Don't count on it, says Glassman. The active ingredient, capsaicin, may boost the metabolism slightly, but only to the tune of 20 extra calories a day
.

Bulk Up (Your Plate, That Is) 
The secret to feeling full while eating less: tricking your brain into thinking you ate a big meal. According to Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., one of the preeminent experts on satiety and author of "The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet: Smart, Simple, Science-Based Strategies for Losing Weight and Keeping It Off," size matters. Instead of shrinking your portion sizes, eat foods that take up a lot of room on your plate but have fewer calories per bite. These are foods with a high water content, such as broth-based soups, salads, fruit and vegetables. Eat these foods first, before your main meal, notes Rolls. Because they take a long time to eat and occupy up a lot of space in your belly, your brain will register that it's full before you've eaten many calories. Sound too easy? Rolls's research shows that people who follow these principles end up eating 800 fewer calories per day-without missing them.  

Go Nuts for Pine Nuts  Dial down your appetite with a sprinkle of pine nuts. According to Zuckerbrot, their heart-healthy oil, pinolenic acid, packs a one-two punch for weight loss: It stimulates the release of a hormone that suppresses the appetite and slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach, keeping you full for longer. One study found that pine nut oil decreased hunger by 36 percent over a four hour period. Pine nuts are high in fat and calories, so eat no more than a handful a day. 

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How To Keep Your Skin Healthy

Cleanse

A facial cleanser is free of detergents, soaps and fragrances and uses foams to wash away dirt without leaching skin of its natural oils. Use twice a day - before shaving and before sleeping at night. Cleansing your face before going to bed is essential as the skin goes into restoration mode in the night.

Foaming Cleansers and Cream Cleansers 

Foaming cleansers are great for removing excess oils, while cream cleansers get rid of only dirt and are good for dry skin.

Exfoliate

Exfoliation gently removes a superficial layer of dead skin cells, which enables your skin to absorb external nutrients for a healthier skin. For sensitive skin, use non-abrasive formulas. Do not use your body scrub on your face and never exfoliate the immediate area surrounding your eye.  

Rejuvenate Free Radicals

Free radicals will cause a host of damaging effects, such as creating the visible signs of aging. Antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E. Eating well, a vitamin supplement and a moisturizer containing antioxidants and an SPF of 15 will do the trick. 

While a lotion is good for normal skin, dry skin would need more of oils that are contained in creams. One of the best advantages of moisturizing your face is preventing the signs of aging. If you have particularly sensitive skin, then choose a moisturizer that is free of fragrance and hypoallergenic.

Awareness

Be aware of exactly of your skin type, and it's requirement before starting any regimen.

Normal: If you don’t have any particular skin issues, then this is the skin type you have. You might have slightly dry skin in places and slightly oily elsewhere. All you need is a good cleanser (a foaming one), a toner and a moisturizer with antioxidant protection.

Oily: Oily skin has big, open pores and the characteristic greasy T-zone. This causes lots of blackheads, whiteheads and general pore congestion. You need to use a foaming cleanser, toner and an oil-free moisturizer.

Dry: There is excessive tightness and dryness which can get physically uncomfortable. There are signs of aging such as line and wrinkles. You need to use a cream cleanser and a rich cream moisturizer. Cleanse your face only in the night and rinse with water in the morning.

Combination:  Use a gentle foaming cleanser. Then treat the dry areas with a cream moisturizer if skin is very dry or a lotion if mildly dry.

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Benefits of Testosterone

From keeping your mind sharp and protecting you from injury to appearing more attractive to the opposite sex, testosterone works behind the scenes to keep you at the top of your game—and live longer to enjoy all its perks. 

It Turns Her On

A recent study at Wayne State University pitted pairs of men against each other to win the attention of an attractive female using a simple, seven-minute videotaped competition. Researchers discovered that those men in the study with the highest T-levels were more assertive, took more control of the conversation and generally clicked better with females. 

May Help You Live Longer

Researchers at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System’s Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center investigated mortality risk factors in male veterans over 40 years of age by measuring testosterone levels periodically for four years. They found that as subjects’ testosterone levels went down, their risk of death went up. 

Toughens Up Your Ticker

According to a new 2010 study in the United Kingdom , having high testosterone isn’t what makes men susceptible to heart health issues—it’s having too little T that could be the culprit. The researchers say that low testosterone may be contribute to obesity, elevated harmful blood fats, and insulin resistance—each of which is a risk factor for heart disease.

Keeps Your Brain Sharp

In a study, Dutch scientists evaluated the cognitive performance of 400 men between the ages of 40 and 80 and noticed a direct linear relationship between T-levels and cognitive function among men ages 70 to 80. The higher their testosterone levels, the better they performed certain cognitive functions and tasks.

Fights Depression

Maybe it’s just a side effect of knowing you’re all man, but banking more testosterone may impact your odds of feeling depressed. When Australian researchers  performed a cross-sectional study that compared the total and free testosterone—as well as the psychological and physical health—of nearly 4,000 men, they found that older men with lower free T-levels (below 6 ng/dL) had three times the risk of developing depression of men with high free T-levels (10 ng/dL or above).

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Black Cumin Seeds Provide Wonderful Benefits

The prophet Mohammad reportedly said that seeds of the black cumin plant could cure anything but death itself. While that may seem to be quite the tall order, black cumin (Nigella sativa) does in fact have remarkable healing and health properties that make it one of the most powerful medicinal plants known to man.

Black cumin is a part of the buttercup family and the seeds are dark, thin, and crescent-shaped when whole. The seeds have been used for many centuries in the Middle East, the Mediterranean and India. Today, black cumin seeds are used as a seasoning spice in different cuisines across the world due to their nutty flavor. Besides their culinary uses, black cumin seeds also have a wealth of important health benefits and are one of the most cherished medicinal seeds in history.

The seeds of the black cumin plant contain over 100 chemical compounds, including some yet to be identified. In addition to what is believed to be the primary active ingredient, crystalline nigellone, black cumin seeds contain: thymoquinone, beta sitosterol, myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, protein, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, folic acid, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and phosphorous.

Black cumin seeds have a particularly long and strong history use in Egypt. When archaeologists found and examined the tomb of Egyptian boy-king Tutankhamen (King Tut), they found a bottle of black cumin oil, which suggested that it was believed to be needed in the afterlife.

Physicians to the Egyptian pharaohs frequently used the seeds after extravagant feasts to calm upset stomachs. They also used the seeds to treat headaches, toothaches, colds, and infections. Queen Nefertiti, renowned for her stunning beauty, used black seed oil, likely due to its abilities to strengthen and bring luster to hair and nails.

Hundreds of studies have been conducted on black cumin which have shown that compounds from the seeds help fight diseases by boosting the production of bone marrow, natural interferon, and immune cells.

Several of the studies have shown that black cumin seed extract could assist individuals with autoimmune disorders and could possibly help to fight cancer. One recent study on black cumin seed oil demonstrated that it was effective against pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest and most difficult to treat cancers.

Black cumin is one of the very few botanicals that have shown such effectiveness (the other most notable one is oleander extract).

One of black cumin's most popular and effective uses is the treatment of diseases related to the respiratory system: including asthma, bronchitis, rheumatism and cold symptoms. The seeds help increase body tone, stimulate menstrual period, and increase the flow of breast milk in nursing mothers.

Black cumin seed oil helps calm the nervous system, quells colic pain, stimulates urine production, helps treat pertussis, improves digestion and helps prevent and lower high blood pressure.

The seeds are very effective in curing abscesses and tumors of the eye, abdomen and liver, probably due in great part to the anti-tumor compound beta-sitosterol found in the seeds.

Black cumin also:

*stimulates energy and helps in recovery from fatigue and low spirits.

*is an effective cure for skin conditions such as allergies, eczema, acne, psoriasis and boils.

*is anti-parasitic.

*treats flatulence, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, constipation and dysentery.

NOTE: Those who decide to use black cumin seed oil should check labels and product information carefully. Black cumin is commonly referred to as black seed oil, black onion seed, black caraway, black sesame seed, and other names, but only Nigella sativa is true black cumin.

By Tony Lsaacs

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Healthy Benefits Of Eating Fish

Heart disease

No wonder the Government wants us all to eat more, with the Food Standards Agency recommending at least two portions a week of fresh, frozen, or tinned seafood (one of them of oily fish). The British Heart Foundation says eating oily fish can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and improve your chances of survival following a heart attack. Fish does this by lowering levels of fats called triglycerides in the blood - raised levels are associated with heart disease. Fish oils also appear to help reduce blood clotting and abnormal heart rhythms after a heart attack.

Alzheimer's

Polyunsaturated fatty acids found in many fish may prevent damage to brain cells. Eating fish can also reduce the risk of high blood pressure, which is linked with dementia. A French study of 2000 people showed that those who ate seafood at least once a week had a significantly lower risk of dementia over a seven-year period than those who didn't.

Cancer

A Swedish study of 6000 men over a 30-year period showed that those who didn't eat any fish had between double and treble the risk of developing prostate cancer, compared to those who ate moderate or large amounts. Shellfish, such as crab and lobster, also contains selenium, thought to have cancer-fighting properties.

Depression

It's been reported that fish can help to ease depression. Again, it's down to omega-3 fatty acids, which are believed to raise levels of the brain chemical serotonin.

Arthritis

Population groups that eat a lot of fish - Inuits in Greenland, for example - have low rates of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Studies have also shown fish oils to be useful in relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Social benefits

According to research carried out in Mauritius, children given lots of fish from the age of three are less likely to have criminal records by the time they reach 23.

Skin

According to dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, author of The Perricone Prescription, a salmon-packed diet can help smooth out age lines.

Which fish to eat

White fish like cod are a good source of low-fat protein and minerals.

Oily fish such as sardines, pilchards, salmon and mackerel have the highest concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids.

Crab, lobster and mussels come into the shellfish group and contain selenium, thought to have cancer-fighting properties.

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10 Ways Can Cause Ruining Your Eyes

Sure, mom used to scold you about sitting too close to the TV, but that's not the only thing that could be hurting your eyes.

1. Not wearing sunglasses 

Remember when Anderson Cooper wore that eye patch? He sunburned his eyes while jet skiing in Portugal on a "60 Minutes" assignment, and while he didn't technically lose his sight, he wore it to protect his eye while it healed. If you don't want that to happen to you, always wear a broad-brimmed hat and shades, making sure they protect against ultraviolet rays (look for a special sticker that says, "100 percent UV blocking"). Exposure to UV rays damages the retina and increases your risk of cloudiness on your eye, also known as cataracts. It also makes you more likely to get skin cancer on your eyelids, says Vinay Aakalu, M.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology and ocular facial plastic surgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Overexposure to the sun's rays can also lead to ultraviolet keratitis -- sunburn on the epithelium of the cornea (the clear outer part of the eye) -- which you can get when skiing or even in a tanning booth, if you skip the protective goggles. Like sunburn, it can sneak up on you: Pain, blurry vision, and tearing can start hours later.

2. Overusing eye drops 

Drops that take the red out make your eyes look better because they temporarily constrict blood vessels, but the inflammation can come back. "After a few hours, they stop working, and the blood vessels dilate, making the eyes often appear redder than they were to start," says Stephanie Marioneaux, M.D., an ophthalmologist and clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

3. Improperly treating dry eyes 

About 3.5 million women and 1.5 million men in the U.S. suffer from moderate to severe ocular dryness (a.k.a. "dry eyes"). Lubricating drops usually come in bottles with preservatives and using them too many times can actually irritate your eyes. It's more costly, but better, to get individual blister packs of artificial tears if you're going to use them more than four times a day. If you're treating itchy eyes, keep your drops in the refrigerator. "The coolness helps to take away that itchy sensation," says Artis Montague, M.D., an ophthalmologist who is clinic director of Stanford's Byers Eye Institute. Also, avoid rubbing your dry eyes, and use a humidifier to increase moisture in your home.

4. Staring too long at a screen 

Blinking helps distribute fluid throughout your eyes. But when you focus on a computer, you blink less often than usual. "You should be blinking 12 to 15 times per minute, so staring at the computer generally means you are not blinking enough," says Marioneaux. "Your tears evaporate, your vision becomes smeary, and your eyes may burn and water. Blink!" Reading very small print for prolonged periods of time causes your eyes to work too hard, so be sure to look up from your screen and look at something far away every so often. One more reason to decrease screen time: New data suggests that looking at small print on mobile devices may stimulate the gene for nearsightedness.

5. Being careless with your contact lenses 

Use fresh cleaning solution daily and never put them in your mouth or rinse them in water, says Marioneaux. Many ophthalmologists recommend daily disposables. And never wear contact lenses in the shower, hot tubs, swimming pools, or the ocean. To ensure your eyes get enough oxygen, don't sleep in your contacts. Also, don't just order lenses without seeing an eye doctor to get them fit properly. Otherwise, you increase your risk of getting infections. "If the contact lens fits like a suction cup, then removing it may cause a small scratch on the cornea, which becomes an entry for bad bacteria that may cause serious eye infections," says Marioneaux.

6. Using old makeup -- and sleeping in it 

To avoid exposure to infection-causing bacteria, toss cosmetics after three months, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. And always, always remove your makeup before bed.

7. Not wearing goggles 

Don't just save your goggles for swimming. If you're mowing the lawn, using a weed whacker, or doing home repairs, put some on to protect yourself from any flying debris, which can cause abrasions in the cornea. Make sure anyone nearby, especially children, also have protective eyewear on.

8. Smoking 

You shouldn't be smoking for a lot of reasons, but here's another one: It increases the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration (the progressive deterioration of part of the retina). "It impairs the ability of your body to provide adequate nutrition and oxygenation to tissues, and that includes the tissues in your eye," says Ian Conner, M.D., an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

9. Skipping regular eye exams 

Visit the ophthalmologist -- especially if you have eye-affecting conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to blindness, warns Montague.

10. Ignoring symptoms 

Don't assume that flashing lights, pain, fuzzy vision, redness, or light sensitivity will vanish automatically, says Anne Sumers, M.D., an ophthalmologist who is a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. "To me, the five most dangerous words in the English language are, 'Maybe it will go away.'" If you see things floating around and then turning fuzzy, it could mean your retina is coming off, she says. Get to the ophthalmologist quickly: "A delay in diagnosis can mean much more complex surgery and a more guarded prognosis for recovery of vision."

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ِِAnti-smoking campaign aimed at youth

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is using ads that depict yellow teeth and wrinkled skin to show the nation's at-risk youth the costs associated with cigarette smoking.

The federal agency said Tuesday it is launching a $115 million multimedia education campaign called "The Real Cost" that's aimed at stopping teenagers from smoking and encouraging them to quit.

Advertisements will run in more than 200 markets throughout the U.S. for at least one year beginning Feb. 11. The campaign will include ads on TV stations such as MTV and print spots in magazines like Teen Vogue. It also will use social media.

"Our kids are the replacement customers for the addicted adult smokers who die or quit each day," said Mitch Zeller, the director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products. "And that's why we think it's so important to reach out to them — not to lecture them, not to throw statistics at them — but to reach them in a way that will get them to rethink their relationship with tobacco use."

Zeller, who oversaw the anti-tobacco "Truth" campaign while working at the nonprofit American Legacy Foundation in the early 2000s, called the new campaign a "compelling, provocative and somewhat graphic way" of grabbing the attention of more than 10 million young people ages 12 to 17 that are open to, or are already experimenting with, cigarettes.

According to the FDA, nearly 90 percent of adult smokers started using cigarettes by age 18 and more than 700 kids under 18 become daily smokers each day. The agency aims to reduce the number of youth cigarette smokers by at least 300,000 within three years.

"While most teens understand the serious health risks associated with tobacco use, they often don't believe the long-term consequences will ever apply to them," said FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg. "We'll highlight some of the real costs and health consequences associated with tobacco use by focusing on some of the things that really matter to teens — their outward appearance and having control and independence over their lives."

Two of the TV ads show teens walking into a corner store to buy cigarettes. When the cashier tells them it's going to cost them more than they have, the teens proceed to tear off a piece of their skin and use pliers to pull out a tooth in order to pay for their cigarettes. Other ads portray cigarettes as a man dressed in a dirty white shirt and khaki pants bullying teens and another shows teeth being destroyed by a ray gun shooting cigarettes.

The FDA is evaluating the impact of the campaign by following 8,000 people between the ages of 11 and 16 for two years to assess changes in tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors.

The campaign announced Tuesday is the first in a series of campaigns to educate the public about the dangers of tobacco use.

In 2011, the FDA said it planned to spend about $600 million over five years on the campaigns aimed at reducing death and disease caused by tobacco, which is responsible for about 480,000 deaths a year in the U.S.

Tobacco companies are footing the bill for the campaigns through fees charged by the FDA under a 2009 law that gave the agency authority over the tobacco industry.

Future campaigns will target young adults ages 18-24 and people who influence teens, including parents, family members and peers. Other audiences of special interest include minorities, gays, people with disabilities, the military, pregnant women, people living in rural areas, and low-income people.

By MICHAEL FELBERBAUM

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10 Foods You Shouldn't Eat After A Workout

Had a great workout this morning? Felt like the extra kilos are finally shaking off? Good! But the rigorous exercise must have made you super-hungry!

So, what did you do? Feasted, huh? Well, you may just have chosen the wrong food to do so. Here is a list of foods you must definitely avoid after that workout:

1. Raw Veggies

Whilst raw vegetables are amongst the healthiest and most nutritious of foods for the human body, they aren’t exactly the right foods to consume post-workout. Shocked? Here’s why: they simply aren’t substantial enough to help the body recover energy and restore metabolism.

2. Fast Food

French fries, hamburgers and hot dogs may be the dreamy thoughts in your head after that hard routine in the gym. True, you may be starving after those hours straining the muscles of your body. But the oily, calorie-heavy junk only lowers the rate of digestion and adds more fat to be stored in your body.

3. Salty Snacks

Chips, pretzels or other salty snacks are quite harmful if consumed straight after the workout. They shake the salt-water balance of the body and reduce the potassium levels in the body.

4. Sweetened Beverages

Fruit juices that are tinned or canned, aerated drinks and other sweetened beverages are a complete no-no post-workout. In fact, all your exercise goes in vain if you consume a glass or can of such a drink. If you are thirsty, go for plain drinking water instead.

5. Sweets and Desserts

Just as harmful sweetened drinks are, so are desserts, right after your workout. The body releases energy from the fat reserves right after the strenuous exercise. If you supply it with sweets soon after, this advantage will be lost.

6. Pizzas

Considered part of junk food, pizzas must definitely be avoided post-exercise. These are greasy, fatty foods, and a single slice can cause more harm than you could ever imagine.

7. Chocolates

While a great source of energy otherwise, chocolates straight after a workout would be a terrible thing to indulge in.

8. Energy Bars High on Sugar

A great source of energy on other counts; these must certainly be avoided after you have sweated out in the gym.

9. Cheese

All that the workout helps you shed is capable of being restored in the body with high saturated fat that processed cheese is likely to offer. So, it is best avoided after workout.

10. Bread

Bread is not a healthy post-workout food, since it converts starch into sugar very rapidly. White bread, especially, must completely be avoided.

If you desire serious and positive results from your workout, be careful about what you do and do not eat straight afterwards. A lot of water and some fruits to snack on can be the best bet to help maintain the effects of a rigorous workout! Stay healthy!

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10 Foods That Are Healthier Than You Think

Knowing the right kind of food to eat for better health can be a confusing affair. This is especially so because the market is flooded with products and food items

That are being sold as calorie-free or super-foods. However, are you well-educated on what exactly is healthy and what’s not? Read on about 10 foods that are healthier than you thought, and be surprised!

1. Bananas

Bananas are popularly known as rich in sugar and carb content. However, what they actually provide is an excellent amount of Vitamin C and B6 to the body and they are also packed with potassium, which is great for the heart.

2. Pinenuts

Rich in protein, this nut has a benefit greater than what other nuts provide, that is, it helps curb the appetite. Added to your pesto sauce or mixed with other vegetables, pinenuts make for an excellent and healthy snack or dish.

3. Pickles

You have always heard of pickles being fattening, haven’t you? Well, contrary to that popular belief, if consumed in moderation, pickles can actually do more good than harm. This is because they contain vinegar, an excellent source of cutting down the digestion of starch in the body.

4. Peanut Butter

Never thought this would make it to this list, did you? However, peanut butter is rich in protein, vitamin E as well as fibre. Moreover, it is capable of providing the requisite amounts of calorie to the body. Therefore, shy not from the tasty spread!

5. Coffee

Whilst you would likely hear all about the negative impacts of drinking too much coffee, you should also know that coffee is brimming with antioxidants, which are essential to build immunity and strengthen the body against diseases. Moreover, it is known to reduce the risk of Type-II Diabetes.

6. Eggs

Eggs are packed with components that are highly beneficial to the human body - vitamins A and D, protein, as well as antioxidants. So, an egg a day must form part of your diet.

7. Potatoes

Another food that people shrug off due to its high levels of starch, potatoes are actually quite a healthy part of one’s diet. They are necessary for your daily dose of protein, fiber, iron as well as vitamins.

8. Chicken Thighs

Chicken breasts are known to be rich in unsaturated fats, but chicken wings are a healthier as well as more economical option for those who crave non-vegetarian items in their daily dinner menu. So, include the item in your meal at least a couple of times a week.

9. Red Meat

Red meat has always been known as harmful due to its saturated fat content. However, more recent studies reveal that red meat provides the body with proteins, and enhances the metabolism! The consumption, nevertheless, must be moderate.

10. Pasta

Now whosoever thought pasta could make it to a list of healthy foods! Not you! Now, you can indulge knowing that pasta has a low fat content and its healthier options can be consumed using less creamy sauces and recipes with tons of veggies!

When it comes to healthy eating, avoiding some of your favorite foods may not be necessary. Know the right foods to eat and stay fit!

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Olive Oil Protects from Depression

It is common knowledge that olive oil and the Mediterranean diet confer a multitude of health benefits. But what about emotional health benefits? According to Spanish researchers from the University of Navarra and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a diet rich in olive oil can protect from mental illness. The study included 12,059 volunteers who were part of the SUN Project, a prospective study among Spanish university alumni, aimed to identify the dietary determinants of stroke, coronary disease and other disorders. The researchers followed these volunteers for over 6 years and gathered data on lifestyle factors such as diet as well as medical history. At the beginning of the study none of the volunteers

suffered from depression, and by the end of the study, 657 new cases were

detected.

The data that was gathered, revealed that volunteers that had a high intake of trans fats, a hydrogenated fat found mainly in processed foods, had up to 48 percent increased risk of depression compared to volunteers who did not consume these fats according to Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, Associate Professor of Preventive  Medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and first author of the article. In addition, the researchers discovered that a higher intake of olive oil and polyunsaturated fats found in fatty fish and vegetable oils was associated with a lower risk of depression. According to the researchers these findings suggest that cardiovascular disease and depression may share some common mechanisms related to diet.

This is not the first time that olive oil and the Mediterranean diet are associated with lower rates of depression. In 2009, Spanish researchers once again discovered that individuals who followed a Mediterranean style diet rich in olive oil, vegetables, beans and fruit were 30 percent less likely to suffer from depression.

While the researchers point out certain limitations of the study, such as analyzing the diet only once (at the beginning of the study) they point out to several strengths such as a large sample size as well as multiple adjustments for potential confounders. They add that the findings need to be confirmed by further prospective studies and by trials.

By Elena Paravantes

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