Stay Fit and Healthy: October 2015

Thursday, October 29, 2015

50 Healthy Gifts Under $50

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9 Smart Ways to Keep Your Marriage Healthy at Any Age

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes decades of time together strewn with a minefield of potential relationship wreckers. It’s a wonder that anyone ends up walking off into the sunset, hand-in-wrinkled-hand, with a silver-haired mate. What do those geriatric lovebirds know that you don’t?

Well, the truth is that even in so-called happy marriages, both partners probably fantasize some of the time—or even much of the time—about throwing in the towel. A Woman’s Day and AOL Living poll found that a shocking 72% of women surveyed have considered leaving their husbands at some point. But despite the occasional rocky patch, 71% expected to be with their husbands for the rest of their lives. So how do you make it to the finish line with your relationship intact?

Each decade will have its own drama, be it child-rearing, layoffs, second careers, and middle-aged angst, along with a big helping of the in-sickness-and-in-health stuff. Here’s how to have a healthy relationship every step of the way.

1. Watch your waistline
Now that you’re married, you can finally relax and skip the gym, right? Wrong. Wedded couples tend to have fatter waistlines, which can spell trouble in terms of sexual attraction and general health. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that your chances of becoming obese increase by 37% if your spouse becomes obese. So unless you want “till death do us part” to include chronic health issues like heart disease and diabetes, it’s important to establish healthy eating habits early on. But warding off weight gain isn’t as simple as whipping up a healthy meal together. Eating with anyone—from your spouse to coworker—can cause you to consume 33% more than you would solo.

Being aware of the potential fatty pitfalls of marital bliss may be enough to keep your portion sizes in check. Spend couple time checking out local farmers’ markets on the weekends in an effort to consumer fresher, low-calorie fare. Or schedule an exercise date to work off some of your hearty, homemade dinners.

2. Have a financial plan
Nearly 40% of married people admit to lying to their spouse about a purchase, and money woes can quickly send your marriage south. In fact, money is the number-one reason couples fight, and relationships tend to suffer during poor economies. You should discuss and agree upon some hard financial ground rules, preferably before you tie the knot.

Don’t fret if you’re a spendthrift and your partner pinches pennies. “It’s probably not a good thing to have the exact same philosophy about money, ” says Ken Robbins, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “But financial issues are best to resolve early on. You want to decide who is going to pay the bills, how much discretionary spending is reasonable, and how you’re going to keep track of it all.”

3. Figure out your family rules
Couples spend the first 5 to 10 years of their marriage butting heads over how their family should work, says Dr. Robbins. “People often don’t realize that they come into a marriage with an idea of how a family works based on their own family—whether they liked them or not,” he adds. You can end up fighting over something as trivial as how you should hang your toilet paper, but those little issues can add up to big problems, particularly if children enter the picture. A 2004 study found that how a couple manages parenting responsibilities when the child is an infant is associated with the quality of their marriage two-and-a-half years later.

You and your partner may have vastly different ideas about how a child should be cared for and what constitutes family together time. If one of you is working, should the other partner get up with the baby at night, or should you take turns? Is it important for you to sit down to dinner as a family every night? “You need to figure out how you can live together happily while each maintaining your own sense of self,” says Dr. Robbins.

4. Make sex a priority—but not a chore
While you should make sex a priority, you shouldn’t pencil it in on your planner. If you schedule sex, it becomes a responsibility—just like taking out the trash, says Andrew Goldstein, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, in Baltimore, and the coauthor of Reclaiming Desire ($16; amazon.com). The average married couple has sex 58 times per year, or slightly more than once a week. And a recent eight-year study found that 90% of couples experienced a decrease in marital satisfaction after the birth of their first child. Yikes!

But it doesn’t matter whether you’re having sex five times a week or five times a year—as long as both of you are happy, says Dr. Goldstein. In fact, a 2008 study found that couples who reported any kind of marital intimacy—everything from holding hands to sex—exhibited lower levels of a hormone produced by stress.

5. Be flexible
Whatever financial and household arrangements you agreed to in your 20s or 30s, chances are they’re going to change at some point in your marriage. Men account for 82% of recent job losses during this recession, meaning couples are making some hard choices when it comes to both their careers and their checking accounts.

If the traditional breadwinner is laid off, the stay-at-home parent may need to head back into the workforce. Conversely, if you become a stay-at-home partner—due to choice or circumstance—expect to do more of the shopping, cleaning, and other chores that make a household run smoothly. A recent analysis of government data found that employed women spend significantly more time on child care and housework than employed men—and unemployed men.

Having an open discussion of how household duties need to change can help couples weather some tough transitions. “Everyone has a role within the relationship and as long as there’s a greater good, it’s not a question about whether it’s his money or her money,” says Dr. Goldstein. “It’s their money. Your paycheck and your career are not the value of your worth.”

6. Stay active as you age
If you’re like most American couples, you don’t exercise or you stopped regularly exercising when you had children. Try to find new ways to stay active as a couple, whether it’s hitting the tennis courts or hiking trails. One study found that couples who work out together are more likely to stick with an exercise program. And some experts suggest that couples who exercise more frequently tend to have better sex lives.

Pick up a life sport that you can enjoy together for decades to come, like golf, tennis, or hiking. You don’t need to be seriously sweating to reap the benefits of regular exercise. Experts say that moderate exercise is enough to help stave off heart disease and other ailments.

7. Gab (a little) to your friend
In the last decade, researchers have noted a rise in “gray divorce,” or couples over 50 who are calling it quits. While it’s tempting—and often prudent—to keep couple conversations behind closed doors, you may actually benefit from blabbing to a close friend.

“It’s often helpful to talk to couple friends when these big issues come up,” says Dr. Robbins. “Many couples live very privately and discuss these issues with the shades down, but relationship issues like this can often benefit from hearing how people that you trust dealt with a similar situation.” Whether it’s hearing how a friend dealt with her husband’s infidelity or other big hurdles, a little empathy can put things in perspective. But keep your gabbing under control. “Clearly it’s never a good idea to say anything—even to a close friend—that you wouldn’t want repeated back to your spouse in five years,” warns Dr. Goldstein.

8. Rediscover each other as a couple, sans kids
Forget empty nest syndrome—a 2008 study found that marital satisfaction actually improves once children leave home. Female participants reported spending equal amounts of time with their partners both while their children lived at home and after, but they noted that the quality of that together time was better once the kids were out of the picture. “Suddenly the tyranny of the children controlling the household is relieved,” says Dr. Robbins. “You don’t have to have dinner at 6, you don’t have to spend Saturdays at the soccer field, and you don’t have to be so responsible all the time.” Use this newfound freedom to bend the rules a bit and rediscover what you love about each other.

But if marital problems have already been bubbling, an empty nest can reveal serious tension. “All of a sudden the noise is gone,” says Dr. Robbins. “If you didn’t have much to talk about, it suddenly becomes more apparent once the kids are gone.”

9. Be a conscious caregiver
In the event of a serious illness, spouses who assume the role of caregiver often develop a sense of “caregiver burden” and may become ill themselves. So it’s vital that both spouses ask for help when they need it. Getting out to see friends and socialize is particularly important for caregivers. And realize that you both have limitations.

“The spouse who needs help typically feels guilty and frustrated. The spouse who has to help feels controlled by it,” says Dr. Robbins. “While you can’t fix those issues, you at least need to be open about them.”

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10 Ways to Shake Up Date Night

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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

24 Fast Food Breakfasts That Aren’t Terrible for You

Whether you’re on the road or in a rush, these fast-food breakfast items won’t wreck your diet (or your health).

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Tuesday, October 27, 2015

4 Delicious Recipes That Cook In No Time

Wholesome meals that won’t take you hours.

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6 Superfood Sides for Thanksgiving

Add a nutritious kick to your Thanksgiving feast.

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Who’s Taking Care Of You?

I do so much for my family that I have almost no time and energy left for me. How can I add myself to the list?
Everyone knows that old saying about putting on your own oxygen mask before you help others, but guilt and worry can hold you back. Yet chances are you’re shouldering responsibilities you don’t need to, so you’re more in control of having a break than you think.

Your first order is to off-load a bit. Go through your day, considering your typical to-dos. Perhaps your oldest child can help the younger one get ready for bed, say, or your husband can handle laundry duty once a week. If it’s hard to let go, reality-check yourself: So what if someone doesn’t do it exactly like I do? Will that really matter? You’ll likely realize the answer is no. Being a do-it-all martyr does nobody in your family any favors—the stress inevitably seeps out.

Once you’ve delegated, at the beginning of the week (when you’re strong), slate in the yoga class and meet-up with friends to make sure you get “me” time.

My sister and I both look after our mother, who has Alzheimer’s. But I handle most of it, and I’m becoming resentful. When I bring this up with my sister, she gets defensive. Ideas?
Caring for a gravely ill parent is exhausting and painful—sometimes so much so that family members go into denial and turn away. If your sister doesn’t live nearby, you could say, “I know it’s not easy for you to be here. Could you contribute money toward care?”

Otherwise, have a face-to-face and make the conversation more about you. Let her know that regularly tending to your mother is a strain. Ask her to brainstorm solutions; perhaps she could bring meals on weekends. Discussing ideas may have the added benefit of getting her to open up. She might say that she finds it hard to visit your mother because Mom doesn’t always recognize her and it’s upsetting—leading to a discussion that can be cathartic for both of you.

RELATED: Tips for Caregivers

Is there anything I can say to a 40-something man to get him to start picking up after himself?
It’s hard to change old habits, but not impossible—even the socks-on-the-floor one. The key is to avoid confronting your partner on the spot; it’s tricky to not sound frustrated or mad, and if you do, he won’t hear you because he’ll be busy defending himself. Instead, choose a calm moment and explain how you feel: “When you leave clothes/crumbs/whatever lying around and figure that I’ll pick up after you, it makes me feel taken advantage of.” Be specific about what you’d like him to do. You might say, “Can you just toss your clothes into the laundry basket?” When he does it, give him a big “Thanks, I appreciate that!” or a gratitude kiss for reinforcement. If he needs reminders, humor always helps. You: “That’s some obstacle course on the floor—could you grab that stuff?” Him (hopefully): “Sure, no problem!”

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19 Healthy Foods That Can Make You Feel Gross

Healthy foods should energize you, so why can these nutritious eats leave you gassy and tired?

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20 Little-Known Facts About Being Left-Handed

The secret perks and pitfalls of being a southpaw.

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7 White Noise Machines That Could Help You (Finally) Get a Good Night’s Sleep

These soothing, noise-masking gadgets are designed to help you drift off to the land of nod, and stay there all night long.

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Monday, October 26, 2015

The 20 Best Foods to Eat for Breakfast

These staples and mix-ins will give you all the energy and nutrients you need in the morning.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Is Your Pet Wrecking Your Sleep?

We hate to break it to you, but Spot may be depriving you of shut-eye, big-time. According to a recent Mayo Clinic study, 18 percent of pet owners felt that their animal disturbed their slumber. But the actual numbers are likely higher.

“I think many people don’t want to admit that their cat or dog interrupts their sleep, because they’re intensely loyal to their animals,” says study co-author Lois Krahn, MD, professor of psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorder Center. “But putting up with poor sleep just because you love your pet can negatively affect things like your mood, memory and, in extreme cases, even your heart.”

Fidgety, noisy pets—who toss, turn, lick and scratch in bed—can keep you from falling or staying asleep, the same way a snoring husband can. Even if you’re not consciously waking up, your dog or cat could be causing “microarousals,” or mini wake-ups, throughout the night, which also disrupt your sleep cycle, notes Dr. Krahn. And that can leave you constantly tired (and confused as to why).

Sound familiar? Then it’s time for tough love. “People ask me what to do about a cat or dog who hurts their sleep, but when I tell them to kick him out of their bedroom, they’ll say, ‘Oh, I can’t do that—it will traumatize my pet,'” says Meir Kryger, MD, professor of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine.

Good news: “If you go about it the right way, your pet probably won’t mind,” says Ellen Lindell, VMD, a veterinary behaviorist in New York City. Use these pointers to relocate your pet and get a doggone good night’s sleep.

Retrain your pet
Keep your dog from curling up by buying him his own plush bed and rewarding him with treats and scratches when he rests there at any time of the day, says Dr. Lindell. Then, at night, move his bed next to yours, and reach down and pet him so he knows he’s being a good pup. If your dog is too loud to be so nearby, get a gate you can put in your door that allows him to see in but blocks him from entering the room.

As for cats, they love having lots of warm, soft sleeping options, so you may simply need to provide yours with more.

Teach a new family member good habits
“It’s easier to create and enforce rules early on than after bad habits develop,” says Dr. Lindell. For dogs, consider crate training from the start—many pups see their crate as a safe den for sleep. Place the crate outside your room so his scratching and licking won’t wake you.

New cat owners should create lots of comfortable sleeping spaces—and get your kitty to use them by keeping the bedroom door closed at night.

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5 Myths Even Doctors Believe

When you ask a doctor a question, you expect an answer backed by the latest science. But the reality is, the field of medicine is always advancing, and “there’s too much knowledge for any one physician to master,” says Renée Fox, PhD, professor emerita at the University of Pennsylvania, who studies the sociology of medical research, education and ethics. As a result, certain popular beliefs that seem to make sense persist long after they’ve been challenged by studies. So we asked a range of experts, “What health myths drive you nuts?” Here, they bust five vexing misconceptions.

MYTH: “Rest is best for back pain.”

THE ORIGINS
In years past, doctors tended to assume the worst—that back pain was a sign of a serious injury—and thought the way to heal was to stay off your feet. Today we know that most soreness stems from the muscles, ligaments and joints. Yet “many ER and primary care doctors still default to ‘rest’ out of uncertainty or a fear of liability,” says Robert Eastlack, MD, codirector of the San Diego Spine Fellowship at the Scripps Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery.

SCIENCE SAYS
The vast majority of back problems— from lumbar sprains to slipped disks—benefit from activity, according to 2007 guidelines from the American College of Physicians. Studies have shown that bed rest actually makes pain worse and last longer. “The key is to keep moving,” says Dr. Eastlack—to stretch out tight muscle fibers and prevent your joints from stiffening. He suggests starting with gentle daily exercise, like walking or swimming. Then gradually work your way up to more vigorous activities, like running, yoga or spin, as you become able to tolerate them. If the pain worsens or hasn’t improved significantly in four to six weeks, get it checked out by your doctor.

RELATED: 15 Natural Back Pain Remedies

MYTH: “Hormone replacement therapy causes cancer.”

THE ORIGINS
Docs can be skittish about prescribing estrogen to ease symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats. But they’re probably clinging to outdated findings from a 2002 NIH Womens Health Initiative study that linked hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to a slightly elevated risk of breast cancer—even though more recent research has demonstrated that that risk is not associated with how HRT is formulated and prescribed today.

SCIENCE SAYS
Several large studies have shown that taking estrogen is safe, says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine: “It really makes me crazy when doctors tell patients they’ll suffer terrible consequences from hormone therapy.” Typically it’s needed for only two to three years to treat menopausal symptoms, she adds. There are women who cant take estrogen (say, because of a history of breast cancer or blood clots). For them there’s another option to ease hot flashes: Brisdelle, a very low-dose antidepressant.

Next Page: Myth: Painful Sex is In Your Head

MYTH: “If medical tests come back negative, painful sex is probably in your head.”

THE ORIGINS
When a patient says she has discomfort during intercourse, doctors typically consider a host of diagnoses—from dryness and infections to endometriosis, polyps and fibroids. But when they get to the end of their list, they’re often stumped, says Libby Edwards, MD, a dermatologist in Charlotte, N.C., who specializes in genital skin conditions: “Our residency programs generally aren’t teaching about other causes of painful sex.”

SCIENCE SAYS
There’s a little-known syndrome called vestibulodynia, which cant be tested for and is far more common than previously thought— affecting an estimated 12 percent of women at some point in their lives. The elusive disorder causes tenderness in the vaginal opening upon penetration, even by a tampon. Symptoms may come on slowly or suddenly; they can last for a few months or go on for years. Gynecology journals and textbooks include hardly anything about it, says Dr. Minkin. And the majority of women have to see at least three practitioners before they get a diagnosis, according to a Harvard Medical School study. But once you know you have it, there are a variety of ways to treat the pain, says Dr. Minkin, including medication and cognitive behavioral therapy.

MYTH: “A history of breast cancer only matters if it’s on your mother’s side.”

THE ORIGINS
Doctors who finished their training before the discovery of the BRCA genes in the mid- 1990s were taught to assess a woman’s inherited risk by asking about her female first-degree relatives (mother and sisters). Faulty logic has helped that outdated approach persist, says Louise Morrell, MD, a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer and genetics in Boca Raton, Fla. “We intuitively associate a female disease with the female side of the family,” she explains. Indeed, a recent study by researchers at Emory University School of Medicine found that women with a paternal history of the disease were less likely to get a referral for genetic counseling than women with a maternal history.

SCIENCE SAYS
“For every single gene you have, you get one copy from your mom and one copy from your dad,” explains Dr. Morrell. That means the mutations associated with breast cancer are just as likely to come from Dad’s DNA. “Knowing you are at a higher risk for the disease could save your life,” she adds. Make sure your provider takes a thorough family history. If you’re still concerned, consider making an appointment with a genetic counselor (find one at nsgc.org). You might be a candidate for earlier mammograms or more frequent screenings, additional screening tests such as MRIs or other preventive strategies, like taking the drug tamoxifen.

MYTH: “Younger women aren’t at risk of stroke.”

THE ORIGINS
The prominent signs of stroke in a woman under 45—dizziness or a headache—are not the same symptoms doctors look for in older patients (including weakness on one side and trouble talking), explains David Newman-Toker, MD, associate professor in the department of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In a recent study, he found that stroke victims under 45 are nearly seven times as likely to be diagnosed incorrectly (with, for example, an inner ear infection or a migraine). And female stroke victims in general are 30 percent more likely to be mistakenly sent home from the hospital. “If you’re a young woman, its a double whammy,” says Dr. Newman-Toker.

SCIENCE SAYS
Strokes are on the rise in younger women, according to the American Heart Association, largely due to health factors like obesity. But another common cause is injury to blood vessels in the neck. It could happen from a major trauma like a car accident, or even from a more minor incident, such as tweaking your neck on a roller coaster. Hormonal birth control can also increase the risk of stroke in women who get migraines or who have an undiagnosed bloodclotting disorder. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia are in danger as well. To make up for what physicians miss, know the signs, urges Dr. Newman- Toker. If you ever get a sudden onset of dizziness or a severe headache— and possibly hiccups or nausea—that sends you to the ER, ask the doc this question: “Why do you think it’s not a stroke?” Says Dr. Newman-Toker, “If he can’t answer in a way that sounds halfway intelligible, speak to another doctor.”

Next Page: More Myths

WOULD YOU BELIEVE?!
Docs dispel these common myths they keep hearing from patients.

“Wiping back to front leads to a UTI.”
The warnings you heard growing up? Flush ’em. “Clearly, if you take stool and put it on your urethra, you’re going to get an infection,” says Lauren Streicher, MD, associate clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine. But that’s not the same as wiping back to front. (Just wipe your behind separately!)

“Drinking more water can clear up my skin.”
If only. “One of the main causes of acne is an accumulation of dead skin cells and oil—which has nothing to do with how hydrated you are,” says Amy Ross, MD, a dermatologist in Palm Harbor, Fla.

“My fillings will give me mercury poisoning.”
The amount of mercury in silver fillings is nowhere near enough to cause problems. “As long as a filling is intact, I recommend leaving it alone,” says Matthew Nejad, DDS, a dentist in Beverly Hills. “Removing it could lead to complications.”

“You’ll get a yeast infection from sitting in a wet bathing suit.”
“It’s true that yeast like to grow in warm, moist places. But a vagina is a warm, moist place all the time—whether you have a bathing suit on or not,” says Dr. Streicher.

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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

22 Strange Ways the Sun May Affect Your Body

Skin cancer isn’t the only health consequence of sun exposure—and in fact, in some ways, soaking up some rays may actually improve your wellbeing.

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Monday, October 19, 2015

20 Weird Ways Breathing Right Can Improve Your Life

Focusing on your breath can reduce stress, spice up your sex life, help you burn more calories, and more.

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Friday, October 16, 2015

4 Exercises for Flat Abs and Trim Hips

It’s hip bolting: moves that stabilize the hips and flatten the belly. Ready to see results?

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Thursday, October 15, 2015

20 Tricks to Stay Slim Without Thinking About it

Forget counting calories. Instead, follow these totally doable waist-whittling tips that happen to require zero deprivation.

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Why Thousands of Women Are Having Their Breast Implants Removed

A few months ago, Christie, 42, walked into a plastic surgeon’s office in Seattle with overflowing E-cup implants. After getting general anesthesia, she left about three hours later with Bs.

The information technology specialist had started to feel like the boob job she’d gotten four years ago at the urging of her then boyfriend had become an obstacle, in her career and otherwise. “I’ve made a lot of transformations with my health in the last few years, eating well and exercising with a trainer, and the inflated boobs didn’t fit in—I could barely run because they were so damn heavy,” says Christie, who would rather not share her surname. Her last straw: “I was at the gym when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror in my tight workout clothes, and I saw how fake my breasts looked. Suddenly, I felt completely self-conscious.”

After decades of steady growth, the breast implant trend appears to be deflating. What experts refer to as “explant” procedures like Christie’s jumped by nearly 10 percent from 2010 to 2014 as augmentations fell by about 3 percent, per data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Last year, nearly 24,000 women—most between 30 and 54—kissed their fake breasts good-bye.

Over on the popular cosmetic-surgery forum realself.com, women happily share before and after photos of their diminished busts. As one commenter announced, “I am proud of me for doing something healthy for me instead of worrying about how sexy I’ll look.”

Plastic surgeons around the country are removing or shrinking implants for the very same women they once augmented. Celebs leading the less-is-more charge include Sharon Osbourne, Melissa Gilbert and Victoria Beckham, who’ve been open about having their implants taken out, along with Heidi Montag, who downsized her famously huge F-cup implants to Cs.

Fueling the trend: our culture’s focus on fitness. Many women are surprised by the maintenance implants require and are no longer willing to shoulder the resulting health issues, inconveniences and costs. Changing body ideals play a big part as well. “Surgeons are seeing a definite shift in the look many women are asking for, away from the very round, prominent ‘stripper boob’ toward something more in keeping with their natural shape,” says Daniel Mills, MD, president-elect of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). “It’s early in the trend, and not every woman is on board—I had a 50-year-old patient just yesterday who wanted to be a G-cup!—but we seem to be moving away from the ‘bigger is better’ attitude.”

The Boob Job Bubble Bursts
Between 2000 and 2006, a record number of women flocked to get implants; procedures rose by 55 percent. A good many were no doubt inspired by Baywatch’s Pamela Anderson and her XXL implants, as well as Carmen “32DD” Electra, ranked by multiple men’s magazines as one of the sexiest women in the world. Meanwhile, the proliferation of porn on cable television and the mainstreaming of surgically enhanced stars like Jenna Jameson heightened our national obsession with not-found-in-nature knockers. Once the FDA approved a new kind of silicone implant in 2006, juicing an already booming market, augmentation soon surpassed liposuction as the top cosmetic procedure in the country.

Fast-forward to 2015, with a whole lot of implants starting to degenerate, and more and more women in their 30s, 40s and 50s weary of the upkeep. “Implants are not lifetime devices—the longer a woman has them, the more likely it is that she will need additional surgery, which could include replacement or removal,” explains Janette Alexander, MD, a plastic surgery medical officer in the FDA’s division of surgical devices. That’s not exactly a fact you’ll find splashed on the plastic surgery billboards around the country. Adds Michele Manahan, MD, assistant professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins University, “I see a significant number of women who’ve gone through one or two surgeries and just get tired of having to deal with implants.”

Disproportionately large fake breasts can cause neck, shoulder and back problems (challenges that naturally large-breasted women often have to contend with, too). “The bigger the breast implants are and the more they protrude from the body, the more they change the center of gravity, and the more force they exert on the spine,” explains Theodore Shybut, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. That’s an issue facing many augmented women in cities like Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and Las Vegas, where epic implants still reign. Pendulous breasts can become even more problematic after menopause, as many women gain weight in their breasts (and elsewhere) on account of hormonal changes.

No matter what size a woman gets, rupture or deflation occurs in roughly 10 to 25 percent of silicone gel and saline implants over 10 years, manufacturer studies reveal. (Saline implants consist of a silicone shell filled with sterilized salt water; they’re less commonly used these days than those containing silicone gel.) Capsular contracture—stiffening of scar tissue that can lead to pain and rock-hard, misshapen breasts—happens in 18 to 19 percent of both types of implants over 10 years. “Placing implants beneath the chest muscle, as most surgeons do today, versus on top—more common in past years—greatly lowers the risk of contracture,” says Dr. Mills. That doesn’t help women who got their breasts done years ago, many of whom are now suffering the consequences.

Some insurance policies pay for revision or reduction surgeries for women who develop serious complications that limit their ability to work or simply move around. But others deem cosmetic breast implants elective and won’t cover fixes—or screenings for ruptures. (Insurance companies and HMOs that cover mastectomies for breast cancer must, by law, also pay for reconstruction.) That out-of-pocket cost is motivating many women to ditch their implants. As Aimee, a 32-year-old mom and accounts payable clerk in New Orleans (who also asked that her last name not be used), says of her recent removal, “I just couldn’t see myself spending a few thousand dollars to update my implants each time. I didn’t want to deny my son and any future children summer vacation because Mommy had to get her boobs done.”

Size Really Does Matter
For many of us, fitness is everything. But excessively large implants can make jogging uncomfortable and upper body toning moves difficult, notes Dr. Manahan. Fed up with being weighed down by her falsies—and needing to replace them anyway—Dana McCoy, a 31-year-old fitness instructor in Newport Beach, Calif., went under the knife earlier this year to trade her D cups for As. “I was unable to do an unmodified push-up without feeling like my boobs were about to explode,” she says.

Women may also be responding to a new cultural norm. Being super fit is now considered the epitome of beauty, just as being waifish or having a pear shape once was, notes sociologist Victoria Pitts-Taylor, PhD, chair of the feminist, gender and sexuality studies program at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. “Cultural preferences for body shapes move in and out of vogue,” she says. “Renaissance painters showed women with the plump, round bodies and small breasts that were ‘in’ then. Pop art and fashion in the 1960s were all about thin, flat-chested Twiggy types.” Then came the porn-influenced emphasis on big boobs and a tiny waist in the 1990s and early 2000s, “a tough look to achieve without plastic surgery,” adds Pitts-Taylor.

Next Page: The cultural shift toward body acceptance

While nobody is ready to declare victory in the body-acceptance battle, there’s been a cultural shift toward celebrating a wider diversity of bodies, continues Pitts-Taylor, who is also the author of Surgery Junkies: “The idea of what ‘beautiful’ means has grown.” Earlier this year, Us Weekly magazine included the relatively flat-chested Keri Russell and ZoÃ« Kravitz in its “Hottest Bikini Bodies of 2015” list. Tellingly, Anderson and Jameson eventually had their implants removed.

Even more influential than pop culture trends are the forces within women themselves to redefine what’s attractive—and appropriate—as they age. Nearly every woman Health spoke with expressed, in various words, that the overtly sexy, oversize implants they once prized in their younger years “no longer felt like me.” Says Aimee, “When I went from a B to 30DD at 19, I actually wore padded push-up bras to make my boobs look even bigger. I was so wrapped up with physical beauty; I didn’t have much else to put my self-worth in. Life experience has shown me that being yourself and confident in what is yours naturally can be very sexy, too.”

The Health Issues with Implants
For the record: Neither silicone nor saline implants cause breast cancer, studies have shown. Women with both kinds appear to have a very small increased risk of developing a different, extremely rare kind of cancer—anaplastic large cell lymphoma—in scar tissue around the implant, according to the FDA. The FDA also says that studies to date do not show a link between silicone gel implants and connective tissue diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

However, there is a small but very real concern about implants and mammography: “Implants make it slightly more difficult to image 100 percent of a woman’s breast tissue, especially if the implants were placed on top of the chest muscle,” says Therese Bevers, MD, medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. As a result, women with implants will likely need additional films. If you have implants, Dr. Bevers recommends asking your ob-gyn for a referral to a high-volume breast center, with dedicated breast imaging specialists (rather than general radiologists) reading the films.

Some women find that the mere chance of a compromised mammogram is a health risk they’re not willing to take. Reports Stuart A. Linder, MD, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, “I’ve had patients with the breast cancer gene mutation tell me, ‘My mother had a bilateral mastectomy, my sister’s been diagnosed with breast cancer, I don’t want anything prohibiting a mammogram from finding even the tiniest change.’ They choose to explant because they want to do everything possible to catch breast changes early.”

Experts are now worried about the relatively new trend of women with implants skipping mammograms, and not because they fear the results. “It’s kind of lunatic—some women with implants don’t get mammograms because they’re worried about rupture,” says Lavinia Chong, MD, a plastic surgeon in Orange County, Calif., echoing what Health heard from surgeons around the country. Imaging machines rarely ever press hard enough on breasts to damage implants, experts say, but the fear is there, despite the proven benefits of mammography.

A New Normal
Women who get their implants removed don’t always look fabulous right away. Breasts can appear deflated and wrinkled for weeks—even if there’s an accompanying breast lift, which 50 to 70 percent of women may require for optimal results. (Some breasts will eventually rebound on their own.) Not all women are good candidates for explantation procedures, says Las Vegas plastic surgeon Michael Edwards, MD, immediate past president of the ASAPS: “A naturally small-breasted woman who’s had a big boob job for years may have such thinning of her tissue that her nipples could appear to collapse in on themselves without the implant to give them structure.”

Then there are the emotional side effects of downsizing. Though there’s surprisingly little research on the psychological impact of implant removal, one study published in 1997 found that women had increased distress after the procedure. “I felt a little sad—even though implants are foreign objects, they were a piece of my body for 10 years,” recalls Dana. “I remember waking up the day after surgery, moving my arm and thinking, ‘Where did my body go?!’ It was bizarre. Not recognizing yourself in the mirror is an odd feeling.”

Women also report having awkward conversations about where their chests went, and experiencing challenges simply shopping for clothes. “For 12 years, I tried to find loose tops that wouldn’t bring attention to my huge boobs,” says Aimee. “Now I have to find clothes that accent that area because I’m flat again.”

Still, all women interviewed by Health noted a surge in self-confidence after the removal. “I feel more in shape without my implants and more confident in a bikini,” says Dana. “Before, I felt like all that people saw was the girl with the big, fake boobs. Now they see me.“

While many women get implants to please a partner, removal is something they’re likely to do for themselves. An added incentive: serving as a role model for the next generation. That’s in part what led Jennifer O’Callaghan, 41, a health care worker and mother of two in Port Jefferson, N.Y., to reverse her 36C boob job. “When my daughter hit 6 years old and was full of questions about her body, I started seriously thinking about getting rid of my implants,” she says. “I would never want her to feel that she had to change her body with surgery to live up to some ideal, as I did.”

Many women ultimately find comfort in their reduced chests; it’s like meeting up with an old friend. “The first time I showered post-surgery, my natural breasts felt so soft, wonderful and so familiar,” says Suzanne Magdalena Rolph-McFalls, 51, a writer and owner of a home renovation company in Hebron, Ky., who had her 38DDs removed a few months ago. “I took a picture of myself naked right afterward, and I’m smiling so big. I felt like myself for the first time in 20 years.”

Reversing a boob job turned out to be the right decision for these women, but it’s not for everyone. Plenty of women appreciate and adore their implants, and lots more continue to get them. It’s simply important, going in, to understand the upkeep and not delay mammograms.

Ultimately, it’s all about what makes you content. As Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh put it, “To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”

Next Page: What breast implants ACTUALLY cost in the long run

The True Cost of Augmentation
Health crunched numbers from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and patient surveys on realself.com. Here’s what you might end up shelling out, given that insurance typically covers only severe complications.

Silicone breast augmentation, age 22: $6,000

MRIs (at up to $2,000 a pop) to screen for rupture at ages 25, 27, 29 and 31, as recommended by the FDA: $8,000

Revision surgery to replace aging implants, age 32: $8,000

MRI screenings at ages 35, 37, 39, 41, 43 and 45: $12,000

Explant procedure at age 47: $4,000

Breast lift accompanying explant (optional): $8,000

GRAND TOTAL: $46,000

RELATED: The Perfect Breast Shape, According to Science 4 Steps to Finding a Top Plastic Surgeon
Whether you’re considering implants, an explant or anything in between, this is exactly what you need to know about selecting an excellent doctor.

1. See a doctor board-certified in plastic surgery
It’s the only way to make sure a surgeon has extensive training, meets stringent continuing education requirements and specializes in his field. “When a revision patient of mine had gone for [her original] consultation, she asked a staffer if the doctor was board-certified,” recounts Daniel Mills, MD. “The staffer said yes but didn’t bother to add that the doctor was board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, not plastic surgery. When she came to see me, her implants had dropped like they were in tube socks, down to her belly button.” If you had a good experience with your augmentation, though, consider that surgeon first if you want a removal, as she’ll already have your records and be familiar with your body. Otherwise check a doc’s credentials on the American Board of Plastic Surgery‘s site.

2. Don’t try to get a good deal
“I’m seeing a lot more botched surgeries lately in women who wanted to save money,” says Dr. Mills. “Do you really want to get the cheapest bid for your body?” Yes, price matters, but unusually low ones may be a sign of a desperate doctor. Be wary of billboard specials or Groupons offering steep discounts on augmentation surgery. To look up the average cost of procedures in your area as reported by users on realself.com, click on “treatments,” pick your procedure, then hit “cost.”

3. Watch out for the smooth talker
“If you’re not at least a little nervous about going through with a procedure after a plastic surgeon lays out the complications and considerations in your preoperative visits, either he wasn’t very thorough or you weren’t listening!” warns Michael Edwards, MD. “A consultation shouldn’t be a sales pitch—it’s a chance to educate.” It helps to come prepared with a list of questions, and to take notes you can refer to.

4. Perform a background check
Many plastic surgeons have patient-referral lists for various procedures, so you can ask other women about their experiences. Be sure to contact your state’s medical board to look for disciplinary actions against a physician you’re considering; you can also check into medical malpractice claims on healthgrades.com (and read doctor reviews).

How to Get the Right Size for Your Body
Some plastic surgeons are more likely to go for larger implants. “It often depends on where you live and what the majority of patients there are asking for,” notes Michael Edwards, MD. You can assess a surgeon’s style by flipping through the look book in his office or browsing his online gallery. A good consult should include trying on “sizers” in a sports bra to find the best size for your body type. Some doctors offer 3-D imaging, so patients can envision a new shape and size from all angles.

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Wednesday, October 14, 2015

How to Tell If an Avocado is Ripe

Looking for tips on picking the freshest and ripest avocados? This Cooking Light video has the top 6 things you need to know about this delicious and nutritious fruit.

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Tuesday, October 13, 2015

8 Gym Bags for Every Type of Workout

Eight cool carriers for all your workout essentials.

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A Ski Adventure Freed the Old Me

For the past couple of years, I hadn’t gotten around to working out, despite my best intentions. I was consumed with keeping up with my 4-year-old and tending to a colicky baby as I fueled myself with coffee and soothed my nerves with an evening glass or two of wine. I was still carrying the 20 pounds I’d gained from pregnancy, along with another 10 I put on post baby. (Breast-feeding apparently doesn’t burn off daily doughnuts and dishes of ice cream.) I felt trapped and depressed, and I regularly fantasized about who I was before I became a mom: a fairly stylish and ambitious woman who never left the house without lip gloss on. Now I frequently snapped at my husband and felt oppressed by the endless household to-dos.

And then, salvation: an invitation to ski at two Wyndham resorts, in Beaver Creek and Aspen, for five days (on a press trip). I grew up skiing but hadn’t done it in forever. As much as I wanted to go, though, my motivation was at rock bottom. My husband—fully aware that I was a mom on the verge nudged me, and we moved heaven and earth (and paid a lot of babysitters) to make it happen.

RELATED: Best. Skiing. Ever!

During the week leading up to the trip, I was filled with trepidation: What if I fall and break my leg? What if Im too out of shape to ski? On my first day at Beaver Creek, as I queued up for the bunny slope with another woman on the trip, Sarah, embarrassment struck. I’d skiied since age 4 and yet here I was, surrounded by kids just starting out because I was so rusty. As we stood at the top of the mountain, I felt shaky: Even that small hill looked enormous.

RELATED: The 10 Most Slimming Vacations

I took a deep breath of mountain air and pushed off. My anxiety was quickly replaced by amazement that I was actually skiing. I felt a bit stiff, but I managed to keep my speed under control and avoid veering into anyone. At the bottom, I high-fived Sarah and we decided to do a green run. As we ascended the mountain, my nerves flared up once more: We’re going so high, and there’s only one way down.

Sarah led the way, and I followed her tracks, wobbly at first but warming up. We reached the bottom and did it again, then again. That afternoon, I got up my guts to tackle a few small moguls. As I zipped over the little bump-bump-bump, a guy behind me gave me a “Woo-hoo!” I knew I’d gotten my ski legs back.

By day three, I was flying down black diamonds and literally saying to myself, “Winning!” I started to cry as I came over a crest one morning, and it wasn’t just the view of the Rockies. I saw a glimmer of the girl I used to be: brave, athletic and full of life. I couldn’t wait for my kids to meet her.

Back home, I hummed as I washed the dinner dishes and laughed while my kids pummeled me with pillows at bedtime. I returned not only a more relaxed mom, but a healthier me. Soon after, I joined a boot-camp class at the gym and started tracking what I ate with an online log, replacing foods like my usual lunchtime grilled cheese with a salad and grilled chicken.

In 45 days, I lost 9 pounds, and I’ve kept the weight off. Cutting back on wine to just weekends has helped; because I’m exercising and eating right, I no longer need that crutch. And since I’m not dealing with blood sugar highs and lows from sweets, my mood is more stable and I don’t get crabby.

My biggest revelation of all: My family can survive just fine without me (at least for a few days). And, wow, is that freeing. Sure, I still have to chauffeur the kids around to activities and vacuum up their crumbs. But I now realize that these tasks don’t define who I am, and I’m less resentful. I’ve since taken several day trips to local ski mountains, and I’ve been inspired to get my daughter on skis, too.

I love the woman I am when I’m strong and healthy. And I’ll be damned if I lose her again.

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4 Top Exercises for Your Hips and Abs

Hips don’t lie; if they’re weak, you’ll have a saggy stomach and be at risk for injuries. In this video, contributing fitness editor Tracy Anderson shows you four moves that will firm them up and give you a stronger, flatter belly. Do these six days a week, paired with 30 to 60 minutes of cardio.

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Monday, October 12, 2015

7 Celebs Who’ve Said Goodbye to Breast Implants

These famous women went back under the knife to return to their natural shape.

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Friday, October 9, 2015

Healthy Snacks for Every Craving

Learn how to make the most of that power snack, whether you’re craving something salty, sweet, crunchy, or creamy.

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28 Healthy Chocolate Recipes

Chocolate, especially antioxidant-rich dark chocolate, can be good for you. These recipes maximize chocolate-y goodness, while minimizing sugar, fat, and calories.

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