Within hours of when her letter to the editor went live on the website of The Daily Princetonian, Princeton University’s student newspaper, Susan A. Patton knew she had hit a nerve.
blockquote
“TKquote,” says Patton, who spoke with Women’s Health yesterday. Soon afterward, the site crashed altogether, presumably from the influx of traffic generated by Patton’s letter.
For what it’s worth, Patton stands by the message expressed in her letter—in spite of the intense public ire it’s received.
Relationships are complicated enough without adding an STD to the equation. It’s not exactly the type of thing you can just include in your online dating profile—that is, unless you’re part of a growing number of people joining niche dating sites specifically geared toward people with STDs.
Case in point: Last year, more than 100,000 people signed up for the worldwide STD dating site Positive Singles, according to company data. And it’s no wonder the site is so popular: There are 20 million new incidences of STDs in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—and that’s on top of the 110 million Americans who are already infected.
“STDs are so common that it’s hard to find a partner who hasn’t dealt with it before,” says Shari Brasner, MD, a gynecologist and assistant clinical professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
Here’s the thing, though: Just because you and your partner have the same STD doesn’t mean it’s safe to have unprotected sex.
While direct re-exposure to an STD won’t always worsen your case, it could trigger flare-ups from a dormant infection like herpes, says Brasner. Plus, if your partner has been exposed to one STD, he’s more likely to have been exposed to others. And since many super-common STDs such as herpes, HPV, and Chlamydia can be asymptomatic, but still contagious, he may not even know if he’s a carrier, says Brasner.
The bottom line: You two love bugs may share the same love bugs—but you still have to use a condom. To further reduce your chance of transmitting STDs, avoid all sexual contact—kissing included—if either of you are experiencing symptoms or feel an outbreak coming on.
One final note: Condoms help minimize your risk, but they aren’t foolproof. “Because it doesn’t cover all skin surfaces, it’s an imperfect barrier,” says Brasner, “but it’s the best protection we have.”
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The Biggest Myths About Sex and Pregnancy
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This morning, President Obama announced a new research initiative aimed at creating new technologies to record brain activity in more detail. Bonus: The plan will also help create tons of new jobs if it’s approved by Congress. [USA Today]
Today is World Autism Awareness Day! [United Nations News Centre]
It’s official: Ellen Degeneres is signed on to star in the upcoming Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory. [Washington Post]
Seeing the word “organic” can make you think a product’s tastier, better for you, and worth more of your cash, according to a new study. And while we’re all in favor of going organic when it makes sense, organic sugar is still sugar—and will still hurt your body if you eat too much of it. Find out other ways that food packaging fools you. [Science Daily]
Check the bag of cat treats sitting at home: A big natural pet food manufacturer has recalled several of its products due to salmonella concerns. [Medical Daily]
Chances are, you’re in for at least 16 minutes and 28 seconds of waiting when you set foot in a doctor’s office—and if you live in Mississippi, the average wait time increases to 24 minutes and 25 seconds. Better bring the latest issue of Women’s Health to your next appointment. [Huffington Post]
An airline called Samoa Air, which flies between Pacific islands, now charges customers by the pound (well, technically by the kilogram). Flyers have to self-report their weight when booking tickets. Because no one’s going to lie about that. [Australian Broadcasting Corporation]
Authorities in Berlin have given Justin Bieber four weeks to pick up his pet monkey, or else they’ll put it in the permanent care of someone else (several zoos have reportedly volunteered to take it). Hold up—the Biebs has a pet monkey? [AP]
The NRA has suggested a training program for teachers and any other school staff interested in being armed. How exactly does adding guns in schools help solve the problem? [USA Today]
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
The next time you’re struggling to think coherently, skip your usual caffeine fix and take a quick walk instead: Being in a green space may help combat brain fatigue, according to new findings published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
For the study, researchers hooked 12 people up to portable electroencephalography (EEG) devices to record their brainwave patterns, which can be used to help gauge levels of excitement, frustration, engagement, arousal, meditation, and more. The participants then walked through Edinburgh, Scotland, on a specific route that took them through both busy city streets and a park. During the walk, researchers tracked participants’ brainwave activity, as well as their GPS location.
“Moving from an urban shopping street to green space showed reductions in arousal and frustration, indicating a reduction in stress levels,” says Richard Coyne, PhD, one of the study authors and a professor of architectural computing at The University of Edinburgh. As such, Coyne says that taking a walk in the park appears to reduce cognitive overload and may help you overcome that brain dead feeling.
Why might green space have this kind of restorative effect? One theory, says Coyne: Nature provides the perfect balance of being interesting enough to hold your attention—but not so overstimulating that it prevents you from engaging in reflective and productive thought.
No park near your office? The next time you feel like you’re suffering from a bad case of brain burnout, try out these tactics to help you refresh mentally:
Think happy thoughts
When you’re stressed, your brain has trouble sending information from the amygdala (basically your brain’s gatekeeper) to the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher-level thinking, says Judy Willis, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Neurology. But focusing on something positive—like your upcoming vacation or a date that you’re looking forward to—can help lower stress levels and increase the flow of information to your prefrontal cortex, she says. Translation: You’ll actually be able to start thinking clearly again.
Hit YouTube
Research shows that humor has a similarly brain-calming effect, says Willis, so watching “Dave After Dentist” or the latest Jimmy Kimmel stunt can help. The videos won’t just get you laughing—brain imaging research indicates that they may also increase motivation and perseverance and decrease stress so you can regain control of your mental facilities. That’s two minutes well spent.
Get a hobby
Anything from learning how to crochet to running marathons works, so long as it satisfies two requirements: It has to be something you enjoy doing, and you have to be able to make clear, measurable progress while doing it. The kind of ongoing progress sends your brain a steady stream of the pleasure-inducing chemical dopamine, which will help make your mind more resistant to stress in general, says Willis. Plus, when you’re feeling brain dead, you can think about your latest accomplishment for a restorative effect, says Willis.
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Fatigue Facts: 5 Things That Make You Tired
Sleep Before You’re Dead
Stop Multitasking
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Spring is here, which means bikini season is just around the corner. But if your workout routine’s gotten a little stale—and you’re not seeing the results you want—it’s time to spice things up. Luckily, gyms across the country are rolling out some brand-new body sculptors that’ll challenge you and help you build a better, stronger body. Here, four must-try group fitness classes, represented in Venn diagrams (to give you a better sense of what you’re in for if you decide to take one):
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If your running shoes are collecting more dust bunnies than miles, you may want to change up your diet. Swapping out saturated fat for monounsaturated fat can increase your physical activity levels by up to 15 percent, according to new research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers from the University of Vermont and Duke University gave 32 young adults meals that contained an oil high in palmitic acid, a common type of saturated fat, for three weeks. After breaking for a week, the participants resumed eating the same meals for three more weeks—but this time the oil was high in oleic acid, a common type of monounsaturated fat.
Throughout the study, participants wore accelerometers around their waists to allow researchers to monitor their physical activity. When the participants followed a diet high in monounsaturated fats, they were between 12 and 15 percent more active than when they ate the saturated fat-rich meals. What’s more, participants’ resting metabolisms were faster when they replaced saturated fat with monounsaturated fat.
To see if participants’ moods were behind the revved-up sweat sessions, researchers asked some of them to answer a survey about their mental ups and downs. Researchers found that the test subjects were angrier and more hostile when they ate the meals filled with saturated fats.
“Nobody recommends the Western diet, which is full of saturated fat from meat and dairy,” says C. Lawrence Kien, MD, PhD, lead study researcher and professor at The University of Vermont College of Medicine’s division of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism—yet it’s still the predominant diet in the U.S., he points out. “This study would suggest that a Mediterranean diet rich in monounsaturated fats could create physical and behavioral changes that are associated with leanness.”
Monounsaturated fats can also help regulate inflammation in the body, which may influence brain chemistry and account for the boosts in mood and activity, says Kein. In addition, previous research has shown that monounsaturated fats promote weight loss, increase feel-good serotonin levels, and boost lean muscle mass.
About 20 percent of your total daily calories should come from monounsaturated fats, according to The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Saturated fats, however, should account for no more than 7 percent of your day’s caloric intake.
Here, four foods packed with monounsaturated fats that may help motivate you to slip on your running shoes:
Peanuts
Peanuts actually pack more monounsaturated fats than just about any other legume, says Nutritionist Laura Cipullo, RD, owner of Laura Cipullo Whole Nutrition Services in New York City.
Try This Peanut Recipe: Curried Peanuts
Olives
Chances are you’ve heard about the health wonder that is olive oil. But don’t forget where the yummy stuff comes from. Olives are teeming with oleic acid, says Cipullo.
Try This Olive Recipe: Tuna-Olive Salad
Avocados
Avocados’ super creamy texture comes from monounsaturated fats, says nutritionist Monica Reinagel, LN, CNS.
Try This Avocado Recipe: Vegetable Fajitas
Dark Chocolate
A health food your taste buds can seriously get behind, dark chocolate (we’re talking 60 percent cocoa and up) packs good-for-you monounsaturated fats. It’s still important to practice moderation with the sweet stuff, though, says Reinagel, so you don’t take in too many calories.
Try This Dark Chocolate Recipe: Dark Chocolate and Pistachio Bark
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Eating Well: The Best Fitness Foods for Women
9 Health Benefits of Chocolate
The FWB Diet: What to Eat and Why It Works
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Check out the list of links that should be on your radar today:
A compound in olive oil may help stave off Alzheimer’s. Bring on the bread basket! [The Daily Meal]
In news that makes you feel better about humanity, a New Jersey Powerball winner says he plans to use his lotto winnings to pay rent for everyone on his block. [Huffington Post]
A new website called Stitch Collective invites aspiring handbag designers to compete in a different challenge each month, and then you get to vote on which entry you want the company to make. The designer with the most votes is the winner of Project Runway, uh, Stitch Collective. [The Cut]
Unemployment rates increased 55 percent among 18- to 34-year-olds from 2006 to 2011, according to new analysis of Census data out of Bowling Green State University. Wah-wah. [USA Today]
Some stores are starting to charge customers a “just-looking fee” to prevent showrooming. Guess they want to go from having some customers who just browse to no customers at all. [Newser]
The vast majority of young women don’t even consider running for office. [The Atlantic]
Chris Brown went on the Today show this morning to explain why he’s really not that bad a guy. Is this a cruel April Fool’s Day joke? [USA Today]
Michael Jackson is being put on trial for his own death in a new lawsuit. Well, that sounds like a productive use of the court’s time and resources. [CNN]
Alanis Morissette is reportedly working on a new book she describes as “transpersonal psychology meets autobiography, with a little humor thrown in, I hope.” Who needs a PsyD when you know the words to “Ironic”? [WSJ]
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
Asthma sufferers, beware: If your symptoms tend to act up this time of year, it might not actually be your asthma that’s bothering you. Turns out, 75 percent of asthmatic adults between the ages of 20 to 40 have at least one allergy, according to a study published in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Adults aged 55 and older with asthma fare only slightly better; 65 percent have some type of allergy.
Researchers analyzed data from the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to see if respondents were allergic to anything on a list of 19 indoor and outdoor allergens. Though previous research has shown that approximately 60 to 80 percent of children and young adults with asthma are sensitive to at least one allergen, this new study demonstrates that, of the 18.7 million adults suffering from asthma, most are battling allergies, too—even though they may not realize it. “Allergies can affect you at any age,” says Clifford Bassett, MD, medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, who was not involved in the study. “Local allergists should evaluate these individuals for possible allergic triggers so that they can be properly treated.”
It doesn’t work the other way around, though: Having allergies doesn’t mean you’re likely to suffer from asthma. Allergy symptoms involve irritated eyes, a stuffy nose, and a scratchy throat. Asthma, on the other hand, attacks the lungs and constricts airways.
Whether you have asthma or not, taking any allergy-relief pill won’t necessarily ease itchiness and sniffles. Bassett suggests consulting a physician to pinpoint whether your symptoms are due to allergies, a cold, or sinus issues—so you can get the proper treatment and actually enjoy the spring weather.
More from Women’s Health:
Fight Seasonal Allergies
Your Body On…Allergies
Allergies: Lifestyle Tips
NEW breakthrough DVD program from America’s #1 Personal Trainer! See amazing before and after pictures! Click here to learn more.
Does your general practitioner know whether you’re a runner or a Zumba junkie? If your answer is no, your doc’s probably sedentary, according to a new study. Healthcare providers who are physically active are more likely to talk to their patients about exercising, finds recent research presented at a conference hosted by the American Heart Association a couple of weeks ago.
Researchers did a systematic review of 24 observational studies that involved multiple types of healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. In 23 out of 24 of the studies, there was a significant association between healthcare providers’ activity level and their counseling. In the six studies that allowed for direct comparison, active doctors were two to five times more likely than non-active ones to have the fitness talk with their patients.
If a healthcare provider values exercise and finds time for it, it’s easier for him or her to discuss all of those details with patients, says Felipe Lobelo, MD, PhD, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and co-author of the study. “So in this sense, practicing what your preach makes a difference,” he says.
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6 Traits to Look for in a Doctor
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NEW breakthrough DVD program from America’s #1 Personal Trainer! See amazing before and after pictures! Click here to learn more.
Dealing with migraines is enough of a headache. But if you’re on birth control, it gets even more complicated. Women who get migraines and use newer forms of combination birth control, which involve two or more hormones, are at greater risk of blood clots and stroke, finds new research out of Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The risk is higher if you have migraines with aura—those delightful visual hallucinations that accompany your headache.
Researchers analyzed the medical records of 145,304 women who were using combination birth control between 2001 and 2012. They found that women with migraines had an increased risk of blood clots or stroke compared to women without migraines. A smaller subset, women with migraines with aura, were at even greater risk. The highest-risk group of all? Women who had migraines with aura who were also taking newer forms of combination birth control, such as YAZ, the patch, and the NuvaRing. According to the research, 7.6 percent of women with migraines with aura who used drospirenone-ethinyl estradiol (aka YAZ) were diagnosed with blood clots, compared with 6.3 percent of women with aura-free migraines who were also on the birth control (stats about women who fell into other groups who were diagnosed with blood clots haven’t yet been released).
The researchers stress that the data is just preliminary. But the study builds on decades of research linking migraines with aura to increased cardiovascular risk, particularly for women on birth control. Having migraines already puts you at risk of having heart problems, says Tobias Kurth, MD, adjunct associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, who was not involved with the study. And it’s well-known that blood clots are a potential side effect of using birth control. Together, migraines and birth control may increase your risk levels, says Kurth. That said, it’s important to note that the research may have some confounding variables. For instance, it’s possible that more people with migraines are prescribed the newer forms of birth control because so much research links the older forms with cardiovascular risk. When those people get a stroke or blood clot, it’s not clear if it’s caused by the new birth control or their pre-existing condition.
Kurth says that if you’re on birth control and susceptible to migraines, it’s best to discuss your options with your doctor. One thing to keep in mind: Lighting up puts you in even greater danger. If you suffer from migraines with aura and are on birth control, you absolutely have to stop smoking—or give up the oral contraceptives, says Kurth.
More From Women’s Health:
5 Ways to Prevent and Treat Migraines
Sneaky Headache Triggers to Avoid
Side Effects of Birth Control
NEW breakthrough DVD program from America’s #1 Personal Trainer! See amazing before and after pictures! Click here to learn more.