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The Workout That Improves Your Sex Life
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“The Affordable Care Act Saved My Son’s Life”
Robyn Martin speaks out to support the ACA in Washington, D.C.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) isn’t exactly fun to read. It’s long and complicated, and it can be difficult to look through information on it without your eyes glazing over. But it has already changed peoples’ lives—oftentimes in huge ways. Take Robyn Martin, a 38-year-old from Waldorf, MD, for example.
Back in March 2012, while the Supreme Court was debating the fate of the Affordable Care Act, Martin went to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the reform. She had great health insurance, thanks to her job working for a labor union. But she also had a seven-month-old son named Jax with a congenital heart defect and a rare genetic disorder commonly referred to as cat eye syndrome. Jax, now 19 months old, suffers from heart problems, ocular problems, and neurological problems. “His heart was on the wrong side of his chest, and his intestines were turned backward,” says Martin. “He just has a lot of issues.”
Jax spent three weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after he was born. The bill for his first day in the NICU came to more than $ 150,000, and the life-saving open-heart surgery Jax had three months later cost an additional $ 192,000.
“He’s doing wonderfully, but there will be more hurdles to cross,” says Martin. Although Jax has gone on more than 50 doctors’ visits, he’ll have to undergo at at least one more heart surgery and at least two more eye surgeries. ”If we were to have to balance our checkbook and say, ‘Should we pay for his eye surgery because we want him to have a great quality of life and be able to see? Or should we pay for his heart surgery because he needs that to live?’ That’s not really a choice a parent should have to make.”
Jax at 16 months with his brother, Martin, and his sister, Emma
Now that the ACA has prohibited lifetime coverage limits, Martin’s health insurance can continue to help cover his medical expenses—even though Martin suspects they have already exceeded the limits that used to be in place.
“I’m not really sure what we would do if we had the lifetime limit,” says Martin. “Having to make choices like paying our mortgage or paying for our kid’s next heart surgery…”
Since the ACA also prevents health insurance companies from denying people coverage due to pre-existing health conditions, Jax can stay on his parents’ plan until he turns 26—even if they change jobs. And when he’s an adult, he won’t have to worry about being turned down when he applies for a health insurance policy of his own.
“We were very blessed to have great health insurance,” says Martin. “I’ve met quite a few other moms whose kids have the same problems, and they’ve have had to have fundraisers to pay for their kids’ surgeries. That’s not really something I want to have to do in my life.”
photos: courtesy of Robyn Martin
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How to Have a Life Outside of Work
Your schedule may not revolve around school-age kids, but that doesn’t mean your social life is booming. In fact, single and childless adults are reporting the same struggles with work-life balance as their colleagues with families, according to a new study in the Journal of Vocational Behavior.
Researchers from Michigan State University conducted two surveys reaching over 5,000 alumni, and they found that work-life struggles were largely the same—regardless of whether or not the individuals had families at home.
“Organizations often talk about work-family balance,” says study co-author Ann Marie Ryan, PhD, professor of psychology at MSU. “But we really don’t measure the other aspects of how work interferes with life and how individuals who don’t have families deal with this.”
Across the board, respondents reported feeling that their heavy workloads interfered with their ability to take care of everyday things—like going to doctor’s appointments, working out, volunteering, making or maintaining relationships, and of course, any leisure activities.
So how can you have it all, so to speak? For starters, check out these tips to get a better handle on your work-life balance:
Set realistic limits for yourself
Whether it’s abstaining from work email on the weekends or only staying late at the office one night a week, implementing small, doable goals is a great place to start when you’re having trouble cutting yourself off. Not sure the goals will help? Or that you’ll actually be able to stick with them? Try to think of them as an experiment to see what works for you and what doesn’t. “People are more willing to commit to trying something out in the short term,” Ryan says. If it works for you—and your boss—stick with it. If it doesn’t, no biggie—just try something a little different next time.
Take those vacation days
Friends, family members, and social obligations aren’t the only things you sacrifice when you have a crazy work schedule: Tons of people in the study also reported missing out on leisure time. “The research on recovery really says that you need it,” Ryan says. “You feel so much more productive and focused afterward.” Even if you feel like you can’t afford to miss an entire week at the office, just take a Wednesday here or a long weekend there to give yourself some time to hit refresh.
Call for backup
Now that you’re ready to take a day off, stop beating yourself up about it. “People tend to think of themselves as being indispensable,” Ryan says. Most likely, things won’t fall apart without you. But even if they would, that’s not your fault. All companies should have systems in place to keep that from happening. “Have that conversation with your boss about someone being able to back you up,” Ryan says. “It’s hard, especially in workplaces where people are short-staffed and under stress, but there has to be a way to make that work.” If all else fails, establish a system with one of your coworkers so that you two can cover for each other whenever one of you needs a day off.
Talk flexibility
A killer commute can make long hours even worse. If telecommuting is something you dream about, you’re not alone: 53 percent of working adults felt they would get more work done if they could work from home occasionally, according to a 2012 survey by Mom Corps, a flexible staffing firm. So if you work for a company that hasn’t explicitly ruled it out, try bringing it up to your team—cautiously. “The most important thing is to do it in a way that shows it has a benefit for both you and your employer,” says Allison O’Kelly, Founder and CEO of Mom Corps. Her advice: Go to your boss with a solution (you’ll work from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays, getting more work done), be open to other options (starting out with just one day a week, for example), and ask for a trial period to test it out. Finally, check in often when you’re working remotely. “Make sure you’re present, whether you’re physically there or not,” O’Kelly says.
Prioritize the things you love
Sure, your swamped schedule might mean that Thursday happy hours are out of the question—but that doesn’t mean you should sulk about your dwindling social life. Make adjustments so that the important people in your life know that you still have time for them, Ryan says. You may not have time to reconnect with your college roommate over dinner, but you can schedule sex with your guy or swap girls’ night out for a Sunday brunch. Look for creative ways to max out the free time that you do have—and don’t stress about bailing on the things that don’t matter as much.
photo: Goodshoot/Thinkstock
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The Word That Can Save Your Life
You know that heart disease is deadly, but are you sure you know the warning signs of a heart attack? Turns out women don’t always experience the same heart attack symptoms that men do. And that’s a big deal, considering that heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, and more women than men die from it each year, according to recent statistics from the American Heart Association.
So what signs should you be looking out for? More than just chest pain, says Tracey Stevens, M.D., spokesperson for the American Heart Association and cardiologist with Saint Luke’s Cardiovascular Consultants. “Anything from the waist up can possibly be a symptom,” says Stevens. That includes shortness of breath, indigestion, pain between the shoulder blades or jaw, dizziness, and nausea—just to name a few.
So it’s crucial to identify the signs and symptoms when you see them. Use this simple pneumonic—PULSE—as your cheat sheet:
Persistent chest pain
Upset stomach, nausea, vomiting
Lightheadedness, dizziness
Shortness of breath
Excessive sweating
If you have these symptoms, don’t ignore them—get to an ER, STAT. And in the meantime, check out more ways to protect your ticker, here.
Via Fox News
photo: iStockPhoto/Thinkstock
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6 Crazy Ways Music Improves Your Life
’Tis the season of endless holiday music. (Go count how many times you hear “Jingle Bell Rock” on your morning commute.) But don’t shut off those festive tunes—belt ‘em out. Singing could be good for your health, according to a new study from Norway.
Researchers found that hospital employees who took part in a choir program reported both improved health and greater engagement at work. Why? Social bonds formed during cultural activities (like singing) have a positive effect on your perceived well being and general health, says study author Jonas Vaag, a clinical psychologist at Nord-Trøndelag Health Trust in Norway. Singing also triggers the release of endorphins, which boost your feelings of happiness and pleasure, finds a recent UK study.
Here are five more cool ways music can improve your life.
1. Rap Makes You More Creative
Make like Eminem in 8 Mile and start a freestyle rap battle. Spontaneous lyrical improvisation engages your brain’s prefrontal cortex region, which is responsible for creative thought, finds a new National Institutes of Health study. With those parts of your brain fired up, you’re more likely to experience new insights or bursts of creativity, the study suggests. Why does it work? Letting yourself “spitball”—or throw up ideas without pausing to make judgments—can fuel your creative mind.
2. Classical Music Helps You Focus
Rock out with your Bach out. Brain scans conducted by Stanford University researchers show classical music— especially complex, continually changing symphonies like those from Baroque composers like Bach and Handel—actually helps your mind focus and sort out information. Cognitive stumble—when your mind expects to hear something, but is surprised by an unanticipated chord or harmony—helps engage and sharpen brain regions responsible for attention and anticipation, the study authors say.
3. Fast Tunes Boost Your Speed
Music helped cyclists bike faster for longer periods and reduced game-day jitters among basketball players, according to two recent studies from Brunel University in the U.K. How? Music appears to rev up your central nervous system for activity while simultaneously helping to distract your mind from discomfort or difficulty, the research suggests. Expert tip: The research showed fast-paced, energetic music was best for physical activity, and inspirational music that builds to a climax is best for game-time prep. (Click here to find the perfect tracks to pump you up.)
4. Your Favorite Song Really Does Make It All Better
Listening to music that moves you triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in your brain that also heightens the pleasure you get from sensual experiences like food and sex, finds a study from McGill University. The key to the dopamine release is that the music must give you chills, the study authors explain. So whether it’s the theme to Shawshank Redemption or fun.’s rousing “We Are Young”, throw on your favorite inspirational tune to heighten the mood with your boyfriend—or the taste of a good ol’ cheeseburger. (Need to spice up your sexy playlist? Click here for the 10 best get-it-on songs.)
5. Certain Chords Can Heal You
The dentist office is on to something. Patients who listened to mellow music before, during, and after surgery reported reduced pain and anxiety and required less sedative medication, according to a University of Kentucky study. Here’s why: Music masks harsh sounds and irritating background noise while also engaging the listener emotionally. The result? Distraction from your pain, says study author Lori Gooding, Ph.D., director of music therapy at Kentucky. Chill out with artists like Enya, Jim Brickman, or Burt and Joe Wolff—they’re proven pain reducers, says Gooding. Need some more ideas? Check out music sites newworldmusic.com and serenitymusic.com.
photo: Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock
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Add 4 Years to Your Life
Wish there was an easy way to extend your life? Don’t waste your downtime.
According to a study from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a part of the National Institutes of Health, staying active and getting a workout in your leisure time is associated with a longer life expectancy.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that adults ages 18 to 64 perform 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic physical activity per week and 1.25 hours of vigorous intensity activity per week. Of the more than 650,000 adults that took part in a series of studies, those who reported twice the recommended levels of leisure-time physical activity lived an average of 4.2 years longer.
Researchers even saw an advantage to relatively low levels of activity as well. For example, participants who reported half of the recommended amount of physical activity still added 1.8 years to their life.
Generally speaking, physical activity stimulates muscles, improves aerobic capacity, boosts your metabolism, burns fat, and preserves a healthy cardiovascular system, says Jade Teta, CSCS, co-author of The Metabolic Effect Diet. All of these factors can help you ward off disease and keep your systems working stronger for longer.
And incorporating more activity into your existing schedule might be easier than you think. “As little as a minute of exercise can create significantly advantage to daily living,” Teta says. The important factor to remember is the intensity of your exercise—a long jog isn’t always better than a few burpees scattered throughout the day, he says.
And yes, the small action of parking your car further away from the store is a nice healthy habit to practice, but the best metabolic effect comes from short, intense bouts of cardiovascular exercise, says Teta. For example, doing pushups for one minute every one to two hours can boost your heart rate and stimulate your muscles without getting you hot and sweaty, says Teta. And even just that few minutes of resistance training during your day can have a significant impact. “It’s like dropping a stone in a pond and watching the ripples,” he says. “You’ll get a disturbance in your metabolism for several hours long after the activity—like a little mini after-burn for your body,” he says.
Can’t do pushups in your office attire? Leave them for the weekend and look for other ways to incorporate short intense movements throughout the week, says Teta. Even running up the escalator, carrying your heavy groceries through the store, or raking your leaves can count—as long as you are pushing yourself hard enough. Teta says an activity counts as “intense” if it incorporates his “Bs and Hs,” meaning your activity should leave you breathless, cause muscles to burn, make the body feel heavy, or provide heat.
Perform a wall sit during the commercials the next time you watch your favorite sitcom and you’ll know exactly what he means.
Image: Comstock/Thinkstock
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Need some extra motivation to kick your cigarette habit? This should do the trick: New research found that women who stop smoking before 40 live a decade longer than those who keep puffing into later life.
Recent findings from a study of over a million women found that smokers more than triple their risk of dying early compared to nonsmokers. Between 1996 and 2001 scientists from the University of Oxford in the U.K. recruited 1.3 million women aged 50–69 and questioned them about their smoking habits, medical history and social status. Twenty percent were smokers, 52 percent had never smoked, and 28 percent were ex-smokers. Women were questioned every few years throughout the twelve-year study, during which 66,000 participants died. Those who smoked throughout the duration of the study were three times as likely to die in the following nine years compared to those who didn’t smoke.
But it’s not all bad news—quitting today can help you down the line. The sooner you take your last drag the longer you’ll likely live, says Rachel Huxley, PhD, a professor of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota who wrote an accompanying editorial to the study. Kicking the habit before middle age nearly eliminates the risk of premature death, and women who ditch the cigs in their 30s have even better odds of a long life. The reason: Fewer years of overall exposure to cigarette toxins that are linked to lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke, Huxley says.
But say you don’t smoke, or you already quit—there are other steps you can take right now to help prolong your life. Here, 5 other ways to lengthen your lifeline:
Drink wine
Wine lovers rejoice! Research confirms that moderate drinkers (one glass per day for women) slash their risk of heart disease up to 40 percent. Love vino? Try red wine from Madiran, France, which has up to five times as many procyanidins (antioxidants that improve blood vessel function) as wines from other areas, thanks to the region’s traditional production techniques, which allow grapes to ferment longer.
Say Yes To Soy
Studies show that healthy women who eat soy at least once a week cut their risk of breast cancer by 50 percent. But some research suggests that processed soy may actually rev up cancer cells, so chowing down on Veggie Dogs won’t cut it. Instead, stick to natural staples such as edamame, tofu, soy milk, and miso.
Slash Stress
Over time, stress can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity – all things that take years off your life. Stress is easy to squash, so don’t fret. Most people rank personal finances as their number one stressor, typically because they feel powerless. Try this: Keep some money in a special bank account, safe from your urge to splurge on a new designer bag. This will help you feel more secure with your finances and help reduce stress. Not sure the current economy will allow for additional savings? Learn the right way to negotiate a raise, or haggle for a discount.
Get Your Sweat On
Want to live longer? Hit the gym. Studies show that working out may lower a woman’s risk of breast cancer by 37 percent, osteoporosis by 45 percent, and heart disease by 14 percent. A combination of cardio and weight training boosts metabolism and burns fat, keeping heart disease at bay. Check out The Keep-Your-Heart-Pumping Workout to keep your ticker in tip-top shape. If peeling your butt of the couch is the challenge, try these simple ways to get motivated.
Lose the Muffin Top
Maintaining a healthy weight not only keeps you looking hot in your hip-huggers, it wards off heart attacks and diabetes, too. To see if you’re a healthy size, check the circumference of your waist around your belly button. That number should be less than half your height. So if you’re 5’2″ your waist should be less than 31 inches. Looking to whittle your middle? Avoiding processed foods laden with trans fats will help. Studies show that this type of fat packs on the most belly blubber, so limit yourself to 2 grams daily.
Additional Reporting By:
Women’s Health Editors
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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Hate Doing Math? 4 Awesome Apps to Make Your Life Easier
Does the idea of crunching numbers (or splitting a check amongst a group of friends) make you nervous? You may be scared for a good reason. According to new research from the University of Chicago, “mathematics anxiety” can elicit a response in the brain comparable to experiencing physical pain.
Researchers scanned the brains of participants as they solved problems, some involving math. Surprisingly, researchers discovered that the anticipation of having to do math, and not actually the act of doing math, activated the pain sensor regions of the brain.
Study author Ian Lyons, PhD graduate in psychology from the University of Chicago and a postdoctoral scholar at Western University in Ontario, Canada, compares the response to getting a shot from your doctor. “When you see the needle coming, you mentally shrink away,” explain Lyons. “It’s the gut reaction of ‘here’s a thing coming that will hurt me,’ even though rationally you know it’s not true,” he says.
Essentially, if you have high math anxiety (meaning you have a tendency to avoid math-related situations), you only consider the negative aspect of doing math, which can feel very threatening, says Lyons. “These individuals are simulating the worst-case scenarios—they can really only see math going badly—and that can fill them with a feeling of dread, which can be painful to a certain extent,” says Lyons.
So how can you lessen the blow? Lots of math homework probably isn’t the answer, says Lyons. The solution is to treat the anxiety itself, he explains, and reassess your approach to math entirely. Luckily, there’s an app for that.
For downloadable shortcuts to offset the math-related brain pain, we turned to our own smart phones, as well as Veronica Belmont, co-host of web show Tekzilla on Revision3.com, for recommendations. Here, 4 cool number-crunching apps to download today:
Bistromath
$ .99 (iOS)
Not only does this app keep track of who owes what, you can also split items (in case you shared that order of sweet potato fries) and wirelessly enable your dining partners to help figure out the math.
Expensify
Free (iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, Palm)
Need to track your expenses remotely? You can scan receipts, log mileage, and consolidate everything into a report once you’re back at your computer. Plus it can do all the calculations for you.
Convert
$ 2.99 (iOS)
Converting units, whether it’s inches to centimeters, ounces to cups, fehrenheit to celcius, etc, is a pain in the butt. Convert handles it all seamlessely, and has a built-in calculator so you don’t have to switch back and forth between apps.
CheckPlease
Free (iOS, Android)
Stumped at how much to leave your server? This free app isn’t fancy, but it easily allows you to divide up the bill and the tip for your meal separately, so nobody overpays (or accidentally leaves a tiny tip) again.
Top image: iStockphoto/Thinkstock, App images: Courtesy of Apple
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Is Facebook Ruining Your Sex Life?
You want it. You need it. You can only suppress the temptation for so long before you just give in and do it. And by it we mean checking your Facebook and Twitter accounts.
A recent study, conducted in Germany by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, found that it is more difficult to resist the temptation to check social network tweets, pictures, comments, and other posts than it is to resist sex.
Study participants used their smartphones to regularly update researchers about their cravings. They noted every time they felt an impulse to check their social sites, as well as every urge they felt for alcohol, cigarettes, food, sleep, sex, and other forms of gratification.
Social networking sites came out on top with 42% of participants citing Facebook, Twitter, or other media outlets as the hardest desires to resist, according to study author Wilhelm Hofmann, assistant professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
“Media usage appeals to our short-term reward centers,” Hofmann explains. Study participants turned to social networking sites to “fulfill a mixture of motives including social bonding and curiosity, which might not seem like a big deal—making it more difficult to resist” Wilhelm says.
In the meantime, if you’re finding yourself more tempted by Pinterest than heavy petting, maybe it’s time to make your sex life a bit more irresistible.
Here are six super-hot tips that trump boring status updates, any day:
Assume a New Position
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Have Great Morning Sex
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photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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A Simple Life Balance Exercise: Yoga Off the Mat
I’m excited to share an exercise I find very fulfilling. It’s a great way to take stock of what’s going …
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