Want to prevent pregnancy for the next three years? There’s a new contraceptive to consider: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new intrauterine device (IUD) that’s more than 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, according to statement released last week by the parent company Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The new hormonal IUD, called Skyla, is the first to hit the U.S. market in over a decade. Compared to Mirena, the other hormonal IUD on the market, this updated option delivers a lower dose of hormones, is slightly smaller, and lasts for up to three years, instead of five. Skyla’s size makes it a better option for women who haven’t had babies and don’t want one now–like college students or newlyweds–according to Laura Corio, M.D., a Manhattan-based gynecologist.

Intrigued? Here’s what you need to know:

HOW SKYLA WORKS
First, your gynecologist inserts a T-shaped IUD through the cervix and into your uterus. (The device itself is no longer or wider than a standard tampon, but yes, insertion can hurt a bit.) While non-hormonal IUDs are made from copper, which acts as a natural spermicide, hormonal IUDs such as Skyla gradually release small doses of the synthetic hormone levonorgestrel—the same stuff in emergency contraceptive pills. Both options thicken your cervical mucus, which creates a hostile environment for embryo implantation and prevents pregnancy, explains Corio. Based on a clinical trial of over 1,400 women, Skyla works well: fewer than 1 in 100 women got pregnant. Still, there’s no IUD that will protect you from sexually transmitted infections or HIV, so it’s smart for women who have one to use a condom during sex with a new partner.

SIDE EFFECTS
The good news: Skyla is over 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. And in some cases, the hormones from Skyla (and Mirena) can reduce cramps, lighten your flow, and even sometimes stop bleeding altogether. Now for the bad news: security comes with some strings attached. According to Bayer, the most common side effects include vulvovaginitis (vaginal inflammation or infection), pelvic pain, acne or seborrhea (itchy, flaky skin), ovarian cysts, headaches, menstrual cramps, breast pain, increased bleeding, and nausea.

COST
In many cases, an IUD is the most affordable method of long-term birth control, although it does cost the most upfront. Between a medical exam, the actual IUD, insertion, and follow-up visits with your doctor, getting an IUD can set you back between $ 500 to $ 1000, according to PlannedParenthood.org. The good news: It won’t cost you a penny more until you have it removed. (Unlike a tampon, you can’t do this yourself.) And if you leave your IUD in for its full lifespan–that’s three years for Skyla, five for Mirena, and 10 for a non-hormonal IUD–it will totally pay for itself.

HOW TO GET IT
According to Bayer, Skyla will be available by prescription the week of February 11—which leaves you plenty of time to do your research and talk to your doc about whether it’s right for you. And if you get an IUD, then decide to have a baby? You can go to your OBGYN to get it removed any time, and get pregnant as soon as it’s out.

Get more information about Skyla.

More from WH:
What Every Woman Needs to Know About the IUD
When Is It OK to Go Without A Condom?
Which Birth Control is Right for You?

Discover surprising walking tips, tricks, and techniques to melt fat fast and get a tighter, firmer butt with Walk Your Butt Off! Buy it now!

javahut healthy feed

Want to prevent pregnancy for the next three years? There’s a new contraceptive to consider: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new intrauterine device (IUD) that’s more than 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, according to statement released last week by the parent company Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The new hormonal IUD, called Skyla, is the first to hit the U.S. market in over a decade. Compared to Mirena, the other hormonal IUD on the market, this updated option delivers a lower dose of hormones, is slightly smaller, and lasts for up to three years, instead of five. Skyla’s size makes it a better option for women who haven’t had babies and don’t want one now–like college students or newlyweds–according to Laura Corio, M.D., a Manhattan-based gynecologist.

Intrigued? Here’s what you need to know:

HOW SKYLA WORKS
First, your gynecologist inserts a T-shaped IUD through the cervix and into your uterus. (The device itself is no longer or wider than a standard tampon, but yes, insertion can hurt a bit.) While non-hormonal IUDs are made from copper, which acts as a natural spermicide, hormonal IUDs such as Skyla gradually release small doses of the synthetic hormone levonorgestrel—the same stuff in emergency contraceptive pills. Both options thicken your cervical mucus, which creates a hostile environment for embryo implantation and prevents pregnancy, explains Corio. Based on a clinical trial of over 1,400 women, Skyla works well: fewer than 1 in 100 women got pregnant. Still, there’s no IUD that will protect you from sexually transmitted infections or HIV, so it’s smart for women who have one to use a condom during sex with a new partner.

SIDE EFFECTS
The good news: Skyla is over 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. And in some cases, the hormones from Skyla (and Mirena) can reduce cramps, lighten your flow, and even sometimes stop bleeding altogether. Now for the bad news: security comes with some strings attached. According to Bayer, the most common side effects include vulvovaginitis (vaginal inflammation or infection), pelvic pain, acne or seborrhea (itchy, flaky skin), ovarian cysts, headaches, menstrual cramps, breast pain, increased bleeding, and nausea.

COST
In many cases, an IUD is the most affordable method of long-term birth control, although it does cost the most upfront. Between a medical exam, the actual IUD, insertion, and follow-up visits with your doctor, getting an IUD can set you back between $ 500 to $ 1000, according to PlannedParenthood.org. The good news: It won’t cost you a penny more until you have it removed. (Unlike a tampon, you can’t do this yourself.) And if you leave your IUD in for its full lifespan–that’s three years for Skyla, five for Mirena, and 12 for a non-hormonal IUD–it will totally pay for itself.

HOW TO GET IT
According to Bayer, Skyla will be available by prescription the week of February 11—which leaves you plenty of time to do your research and talk to your doc about whether it’s right for you. And if you get an IUD, then decide to have a baby? You can go to your OBGYN to get it removed any time, and get pregnant as soon as it’s out.

Get more information about Skyla.

More from WH:
What Every Woman Needs to Know About the IUD
When Is It OK to Go Without A Condom?
Which Birth Control is Right for You?

Discover surprising walking tips, tricks, and techniques to melt fat fast and get a tighter, firmer butt with Walk Your Butt Off! Buy it now!

javahut healthy feed

Flu season: It’s officially scary. Yesterday, Boston declared a public health emergency after the virus killed more than a dozen people, according to CNN.

And Boston isn’t the only place affected by the virus. Twenty-nine states and New York City are reporting high levels of influenza-like-illness (ILI) and 41 states are reporting widespread geographic flu activity, according to the latest FluView update (which contains data from the last week of December) from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here, everything you need to protect yourself—and your loved ones—from the flu.

Flu Update from the CDC

Could This Be the Worst Flu Season EVER?

Should You Get the New Flu Shot?

5 Times You Should Call in Sick to Work

The Anti-Flu Drug That Might Not Work

Germ-Proof Your Office

6 Ways to Fight the Flu

What Causes the Flu?

Your Body On… The Flu

Send your Metabolism Sky-High and Drop 15 Pounds in Six Weeks!

javahut healthy feed

If you bypass tofu at salad bars, skip the meatless dishes at Chinese restaurants, and avoid edamame when you’re out for sushi, well, it’s time to give soy-based foods a second look. “Whole soy foods are a great substitute for meat,”says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Their healthy protein content makes them a good option even if you’re not one of the growing number of people going “flexitarian,”or opting to eat less meat. Here’s your guide to making this legume a regular and great-tasting part of your diet.

Soy 101
All soy products are made from soybeans, mostly grown here in the United States. You can buy whole soybeans dried or canned, or in the produce section or freezer aisle as edamame, the common name for soybeans picked before they’re fully mature. (Edamame can be purchased either in pods or shelled.)

Beyond whole beans, soy takes on a number of different guises. Roasted soybeans are sold as soy nuts or ground into soy nut butter. Soybeans can be
soaked in water, cooked, and filtered to
make soy milk and soy yogurt. Adding a coagulant to soy milk curdles it, producing tofu, which ranges in texture from “silken”(very soft) to “extra firm,”depending on how
much liquid is removed. Soybeans can also be
fermented into a paste called miso (the base for miso soup) or a cake
or patty called tempeh, which is often used in place of meat in sandwiches or grilled
and eaten on its own. Finally, soy can be found in many packaged foods—such as frozen meatless burgers, cereals, and energy bars—often in the form of “soy protein isolate,”meaning it’s mostly the protein from soybeans you’re getting.

The power of soy
Soy’s biggest nutritional claim to fame is its complete protein, one of the only plant proteins that contains all nine essential amino acids our bodies need from our diets to function properly. This makes it an ideal substitute for meat, poultry, and eggs. In fact, a half cup of cooked soybeans supplies about one-third of your necessary daily protein, for a mere 149 calories (versus about 230 for one serving of cooked ground beef). That protein and the fiber it contains make it incredibly filling. Plus, soybeans are cholesterol-free and lower in heart-unhealthy saturated fat than meat and dairy.

Soy also packs a number of phytochemicals, including isoflavones, which may work together to help fight conditions like cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and breast cancer. (Though you might have heard that women with a history of breast cancer should avoid soy, recent research suggests that’s probably not necessary, says Karen Collins, RD, nutrition adviser to the American Institute for Cancer Research.) To score soy’s benefits, get up to three servings a day, mostly from less processed forms like soybeans, soy milk, soy nuts, and tofu. “When soybeans are eaten close to their original state, you get more of their good-for-you attributes,”says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, author of The Flexitarian Diet.

You may get slightly more nutrients from fermented soy foods like miso and tempeh, since the fermentation process can make those nutrients more absorbable by the body, says Blatner, but all forms of the legume deserve a place on your plate. Two exceptions: First, avoid soy isoflavone supplement pills and powders. Research hasn’t yet determined how much of it’s safe to take, says Collins. Plus, unlike whole soy foods, they don’t give you the full range of phytochemicals and other nutrients,
such as B vitamins, which help with bodily processes like metabolism and keep your DNA healthy. And though foods made with soy protein isolate (like soy burgers and soy dogs) do usually pack less saturated fat than their meat counterparts, they also tend to be loaded with sodium and additives, so don’t make them a staple.

Easy ways to eat soy
Look for simple places to swap soy in for other foods and drinks. Snack on soy nuts instead of cheese; use soy nut butter instead of peanut butter for a change of pace (you may not be able to tell the difference!). Soy milk is a great alternative for the lactose intolerant (just avoid sweetened ones, which pack extra sugars). Soybeans and tofu take a bit more prep, but not much. Here’s how to make them taste great, fast:

• Steam or boil edamame for 3 to 5 minutes. You can puree them into hummus instead of chickpeas, or just sprinkle the pods with sea salt, chili powder, Chinese five-spice powder, or any other spice you like, and squeeze the beans into your mouth.

• Because it’s so soft, “silken”tofu works well as a thickener for sauces, dips, and smoothies (try our Blueberry-Tofu Smoothie recipe). The denser texture of “firm”or “extra firm”tofu works best for stir-frying, grilling, or baking. Just remove extra moisture first so it’s not mushy: Lay a clean kitchen towel on a cutting board and place tofu on top. Cover with another clean towel and cutting board, then place a heavy pot on top. Allow it to rest for about 1 hour. Cut into cubes or strips and cook. Tofu will soak up the flavor of any dish it’s in; you can also marinate it as you would meat and poultry.

• Prepare whole soybeans the same way you would other beans: Cooked into soups or chili, added to Mexican dishes, or tossed cold in salads, they bring new flavor to your favorite dishes.

Eating – Health.com