Would You Know If You Had Lyme Disease?

Posted on May 9, 2013 by admin

Have a mysterious-looking bug bite or rash? Don’t write it off—especially if you’ve spent a lot of time outdoors recently. It could be Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that you get from tick bites. But here’s the thing: Lyme disease might not look like a typical tick bite, according to a new research letter published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Lyme disease is what you get when you’re bitten by a tick infected with a dangerous bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, which then makes its way into your bloodstream. Early signs of the disease include a rash and flu-like symptoms like fever, chills, body aches, and fatigue. If left unchecked, it can wreak havoc on your nervous system, heart, and joints, says Steven E. Schutzer, MD, professor of medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School.

The famous telltale sign of the disease is a skin rash that looks like a bull’s-eye—a reddish ring within a ring. But as it turns out, this may not occur or be recognized in about 30 percent of Lyme-disease cases, according to the new letter. Researchers looked at 14 patients with symptoms of early Lyme disease, but only four had the classic target-like rash. The other 10 participants’ rashes resembled insect or spider bites, dermatitis, or other skin conditions.

Mistaking Lyme disease for something else can lead to inappropriate or delayed treatment. That’s a serious problem since catching Lyme disease (and treating it) early ensures the best odds for a successful recovery, says Schutzer.

If you suspect that you’ve been bitten by a tick, hightail it to your doctor, who will help you determine the best treatment options for your specific case.

If you don’t have any issues with your central nervous system or your heart, your physician will likely give you oral antibiotics, says Schutzer. If, however, there’s evidence of neurological disease, then he or she might recommend IV therapy.

Schutzer stresses that treatment really depends on your individual case: “It needs to be a decision between the doctor and the patient,” he says, “but that means that the patient has to go to the doctor, as opposed to not doing anything.”

Photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Pregnant? Make Sure You’re Getting Enough of THIS Nutrient

Posted on May 8, 2013 by admin

It’s a no-brainer that you want to eat well when you’ve got a bun in the oven, but you may not realize how important certain nutrients are: A mild iodine deficiency during pregnancy could have a long-term effect on your child’s brain development, according to a new study published in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Researchers at the Menzies Research Institute at the University of Tasmania in Australia looked at the iodine content in the systems of women who attended prenatal clinics. Then, nine years later, the researchers compared this information against the participants’ children’s standardized test scores. Seventy-one percent of mothers were found to have insufficient iodine levels—less than 150 micrograms per liter. On standardized tests, their children scored 10 percent lower in spelling, 7.6 percent lower in grammar, and 5.7 percent lower in English literacy.

Iodine, which the thyroid uses to make thyroid hormone, is important for a baby’s neurodevelopment, says Elizabeth Pearce, MD, associate professor at Boston University School of Medicine, who is unrelated to the study. A severe deficiency in iodine (anything less than 20 micrograms per day) can lead to a number of different neurologic abnormalities, including—in severe cases—intellectual disability, she says. On the other hand, overdosing on iodine might result in hypothyroidism—for both you and your baby. That’s why it’s mission critical for pregnant women to get the recommended amount: 220 micrograms per day if you’re pregnant, and 290 micrograms per day if you’re breastfeeding.

Hitting this sweet spot while you’re pregnant can be tricky. Since iodine isn’t labeled on food packaging, it can be difficult to know exactly how much you’re getting in your diet.

The easiest, most foolproof way to boost your iodine intake? Taking a prenatal multivitamin. Look for one that contains 150 micrograms of iodine, suggests Pearce. You may also want to consider checking the salt you use while cooking to make sure you’re grabbing the iodized version (although you don’t need to actively up your salt intake, says Pearce). Another food source that contains the nutrient: cow’s milk. Some of the iodine that the cows consume in their feeds transfers to the milk, and the dairy industry also uses iodine-containing cleansers to wash off milk equipment, which increases milk’s iodine content.

Photo:
iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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The Simple Way to Boost Your Arousal

Posted on May 8, 2013 by admin

Who doesn’t love receiving just a little bit more than giving? But get this: Being generous in the bedroom can amp up your own desire, according to a new study in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.

Researchers studied “sexual communal strength”—or a willingness to meet your partner’s sexual needs—in 44 long-term couples. The couples completed individual surveys every day for 21 days, starting with a longer background survey that gauged how willing they were to meet their partner’s sexual needs, their relationship satisfaction, and their desire level. The result: People who were more willing to meet their partner’s needs in bed reported higher levels of daily arousal.

And being a giver doesn’t just have temporary lust-boosting effects—it was also associated with higher levels of desire four months later! While many couples saw a dip in their libido at the four-month follow-up, those who were more focused on their partner’s pleasure were able to maintain the spark, says lead study author Amy Muise, PhD, post-doctoral fellow at the University of Toronto.

So how does sexual generosity amp up your own arousal? “Knowing that you can satisfy your partner and turn your partner on—that’s a huge boost to your self-esteem” says Ian Kerner, PhD, founder of Good In Bed and author of She Comes First. And that sexy confidence, paired with an equally turned-on partner, tends to result in mind-blowing sex. “If you’re putting yourself in a situation where you’re attentive to your partner’s needs, it creates a virtuous cycle of sex and sexual desire,” says Kerner.

But before you bend over backwards—literally or figuratively—for your guy, there’s one big caveat: Focusing on your partner’s desires at the expense of your own does not have the same effect, says Muise. Instead, the idea is to foster a mutual focus on each other’s pleasure and to both make an effort to fulfill the other person’s needs between the sheets.

Feeling inspired? Here are three ways to make your sex life a little more gratuitous:

Find out what turns him on
“I always encourage couples to talk about their fantasies,” says Kerner. Just make it clear that this is purely a sexy conversation—not an immediate request or an area to judge. If you’re blanking on sexy fantasies to share, think back to your favorite x-rated movie scenes, your celebrity crushes, or what your porn preferences are. Even if something is totally out of your element, just acknowledging your partner’s turn-ons and talking about them can boost your intimacy and open up the floor to hotter sex.

Really make an effort
Sex—like every other part of your relationship—should come with a healthy dose of give and take. Whether your guy prefers a particular position or has been dying to try something new, it’s not a bad idea to take one for the team every once in a while (as long as you’re comfortable with it). “What this study shows is that giving pleasure is just as important as receiving pleasure,” says Kerner. So the next time you’re getting busy, take a minute to think about what your partner is craving at that moment and how to give it to him. “Knowing that you’re creating that pleasure, that you’re giving that to your partner, that’s incredibly sexy and it’s a huge turn on,” says Kerner.

Make sure they return the favor
So what about when it’s your turn to receive? When you’re craving something specific in bed—whether it’s more foreplay or trying a position that makes it easier for you to orgasm—there’s a way to ask for it without making your partner feel like a failure. Whatever you do, don’t start with something like “Why don’t we ever…” Framing it this way comes off as negative and will automatically put him on the defensive, says Kerner. “Rather than having a conversation that points to what you’re not doing, talk about the sex you want to be having,” says Kerner. Bring it up in a non-confrontational way, like telling him about a crazy-hot dream you had about him the other night, or the interesting article (like this one) that you read, or even texting him a scandalous link (like this one). It’s a simple and sexy way to bring up something you want to try—and we’re willing to bet he’ll be game.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from Women’s Health:
14 Sexy Tricks to Boost Your Libido
Love Bites
Get Your Libido Back

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Get This: There May be a Cure for Gray Hair

Posted on May 8, 2013 by admin

Check out the list of links that should be on your radar today:

Scientists think they may have discovered a way to prevent gray hair—sweet! [NBCNews.com]

Despite all of the high-profile shootings lately, gun crime in the U.S. is thankfully on the decline. [LA Times]

Gotta love a woman who has enough pregnancy confidence to wear a bikini with a bump. Go, Kim! [US Weekly]

If your guy isn’t getting enough Zzzs, it could put him at an increased risk for prostate cancer. [Medical Daily]

Women don’t take enough credit for their contributions when they’re working in a group with men, according to a new study. Learn how to start owning it. [ScienceDaily]

Pregnant? Then you shouldn’t be taking migraine meds. According to the FDA, it could affect your baby’s neurological development. [TIME]

Patricia Krentcil, aka Tan Mom, has released a single. Just like her parenting skills, it’s questionable at best. [BuzzFeed]

You might want to find a new nickname: The fewer letters your first name has, the more money you make, according to a new analysis by career site TheLadders. [TheLadders Blog]

Every square inch of your cell phone is covered in about 25,000 germs. Um, ew! [Mashable]

photo: Fuse/Thinkstock

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“Should I Worry About Wearing Lipstick?”

Posted on May 8, 2013 by admin

Every week, the Scoop examines alarming new claims to help you make sense of the latest health research.

Listen up before you pucker up: Your lipstick and lip gloss may contain a concerning amount of toxic metals, suggests new research from UC Berkeley.

While this isn’t entirely new news—past studies have examined the existence of metals in lipstick and lip gloss—this research compared the probable intakes of the metals in 32 common brands. Since there aren’t existing guidelines about how much of these metals are allowed in cosmetics, researchers compared the levels in lipsticks to the current guidelines for drinking water.

What they found: Using many of these products liberally or reapplying them multiple times could potentially result in overexposure to aluminum, cadmium, and manganese. Lead was also detected in some of the products, but its levels generally didn’t exceed the acceptable daily intake.

So while most products contain pretty small concentrations of these metals, excessive use could possibly lead to health issues like stomach tumors and nervous system damage. Eek.

Lead study researcher Sa Liu, PhD, says that these findings should raise a red flag for the FDA to conduct more extensive research. “We found most of metals in all 32 products tested, which indicates to us that this is a general problem for lipsticks and lip glosses,” she says. Liu also says they did not find a pattern indicating certain brands or products contain more of the metals than others, so she couldn’t advise which to avoid—especially since “there are hundreds of products out there, and they are constantly changing.”

Michelle L. Bell, PhD, a professor of environmental health at Yale University, agrees that this study shows cosmetics should likely be examined more closely. “The findings suggest that lipstick and lip gloss may pose health risks, but as the study was small, more research is needed with a larger sample,” she says.

The verdict: While this research definitely doesn’t prove that lipstick use leads to dangerous health consequences, it does suggest that you may be ingesting a small amount of toxic metals each time you apply your favorite shade. You don’t have to ditch your lipsticks and glosses completely, but you may want to aim for lighter use and avoid applying more than necessary. And if you have any kids at home, make sure they don’t play with your lip products, says Liu and Bell. No levels of some of these metals are safe for children, whose bodies and systems are still developing.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Get This: Meditation’s Good For Your Memory

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin

Check out the list of links that should be on your radar today:

Meditation can help boost memory and focus, according to a new study. [The Atlantic]

If your most-wanted superpower is underwater breathing, you’re in luck: Researchers have created injectable oxygen that could help people do just that. [Medical Daily]

This GIF of Jennifer Lawrence photo-bombing SJP at last night’s Met Gala = amazingness. [Vulture]

A new study from the Pentagon reveals that sexual assaults in the military are on the rise. [NYT]

Half of the people in the U.S. who are infected with hepatitis C have never been properly tested for it, according to the CDC. [Reuters]

Because Obama voiced support for selling Plan B over the counter to women as young as 15, a Fox News host publicly wondered if he plans to put his 14-year-old daughter on birth control. So wrong. [MadameNoir]

High school students are dropping loads of cash on “promposals.” Because there’s no better way to blow $ 1,000 than on a plane banner that says, “Ashley, will you go to prom with me?” [NY Post]

As if you needed more incentive to stay away from Capri Sun, researchers have found mold in the juice pouches. [The Daily Meal]

Apparently, licking your kid’s pacifier can help protect him or her from allergies. If you’re going to try this trick, you’ll probably want to do it in private. [NPR]

photo: Pixland/Thinkstock

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Do You Think the Pill Should Be Available OTC?

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin

The debate over whether or not emergency contraception should be sold over-the-counter is raging. But what about your everyday B.C.? Sixty-two percent of women support over-the-counter access to birth control pills, according to a new nationally representative survey.

To examine the demand for hormonal contraception without a prescription, researchers surveyed 2,046 women across the country who were considered at risk of unintended pregnancy—meaning they had had sex with a man in the past year, weren’t pregnant or trying to become pregnant, hadn’t delivered a baby in the last two months, weren’t sterilized, and didn’t have a partner who was sterilized. Not only did 62.2 percent say they’re in favor of OTC birth control, but about 30 percent of the respondents who weren’t currently using birth control or were on a less effective method (such as condoms alone) said they would likely start using birth control pills if they were offered OTC.

A big benefit that would result from birth control pills being sold OTC: easier, more convenient access—which could potentially mean a decrease in the unintended pregnancy rate. No more jumping through hoops or missing half-days of work to get your Rx re-written.

On the other hand, concerns about OTC BC include fears that women who shouldn’t be on birth control pills for health reasons would take them—like women who smoke or have a history of migraines. Another concern is that women wouldn’t visit the gynecologist for pap smears or STI testing if they weren’t also visiting for a pill scrip.

That being said, in a committee opinion released last November, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) threw their support behind the push for OTC oral contraceptives, writing, “Weighing the risks versus the benefits based on currently available data, OCs should be available over-the-counter.”

And now, from this nationally representative survey, we know that the majority of women support birth control pills hitting store shelves, too. But if you’re part of that majority, don’t expect rollouts in the near future: “There’s a lot that needs to happen in order for birth control pills to go over the counter,” says Eve Espey, MD, MPH, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico and chair of ACOG’s Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women. A pharmaceutical company would have to sign on, pills would have to be studied in an OTC setting, and the FDA would have to approve the move, says Espey.

TELL US: Are you for or against over-the-counter birth control pills? Would you get refills for—or get started on—the pill that way if it were an option? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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The Greenest (and Easiest!) Way to Buy Groceries

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin

How amazing does grocery shopping in your pajamas sound? Pretty amazing. And—as it turns out—you can feel good about it, too. You can majorly cut your carbon dioxide emissions by using a grocery delivery service rather than driving to and from the store, according to a new study out of the University of Washington.

Researchers tested hundreds of different models for home grocery delivery in Seattle, including different rates of use by shoppers and handling delivery in clusters versus spreading it out. The takeaway: “It’s very hard to find a scenario in which there’s not a reduction in vehicle miles traveled and a reduction in CO2 using this service,” says Anne Goodchild, PhD, an author of the study and an associate professor in the department of civil and environmental engineering  at the University of Washington.

By swapping a trip to the store for a delivery service, you can slash your carbon dioxide emissions by about half, says Goodchild. And if companies opt for clustered delivery rather than a more random schedule, they can also cut their own carbon dioxide emissions by about 75 percent, she says.

You’ll save time and the environment? Win-win! Worried about cost? While you’ll have to check your local delivery service to see how its prices stack up against those at your go-to grocery store, ordering online can be cost-effective—especially since it saves you money on fuel and encourages you to stick to a pre-planned shopping list.

If you want to give it a whirl, check out the options below. (No grocery delivery service in your area? You can still reduce your carbon footprint by walking, biking, or taking mass transit to the grocery store if possible—or even making it a group activity with a neighbor-friend, says Goodchild.)

Peapod
Delivers to markets within Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin
Minimum order: $ 60

FreshDirect
Delivers to the greater New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut metro area, as well as the Greater Philadelphia area
Minimum order: $ 30

AmazonFresh
Delivers to the greater Seattle area
No minimum order

Safeway
Delivers to several markets within California (in Southern California, they’re Vons.com), as well as Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Phoenix and Tucson, AZ; Las Vegas, NV; and the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Area
Minimum order: $ 49

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Does Hula Hooping Count as Exercise?

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin

If you’d prefer to hula hoop than hit the gym, you’re in luck: It might be just as effective. In fact, Kelly Osborne said hula hooping helped her whittle two inches from her waist, according to a recent interview. No doubt, she looks amazing. But can hula-hooping actually give you a good workout?

While hooping is just one part of Osbourne’s daily workout (she also says she runs intervals and does either weight training, yoga, or Pilates), hula hooping really can help you slim down: It burns about seven calories a minute, according to a 2010 study conducted at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. And while that might not sound like a lot, it’s about as much as you’d burn by walking briskly—and even more than you’d torch per minute in a power yoga, step aerobics, or Pilates class.

While hula hooping strengthens your core, and—depending on what you do with the hoop—can work the rest of your body, too, strength training still trumps hula hooping for sculpting lean muscle, says study author John Porcari, PhD, director of clinical exercise physiology at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. That said, swinging a hoop around your hips can be a pretty effective aerobic workout, he says.

Can’t hula hoop to save your life? Your hoop is probably too light—or too small. Contrary to what you might think, a heavier hoop makes hula hooping easier because it generates momentum, says Mary Pulak, owner of Hooked on Hooping fitness classes in Green Bay, WI, and designer of the hula hooping workout used in the 2010 study. Because you need to keep your core tight to whip the weighted hoop around your waist, heavier hoops also work your abs more than their lightweight counterparts, she says. A two-pounder is ideal. “It creates enough force to give a fantastic workout, but it’s not heavy enough to bruise your body,” Pulak says.

In terms of size, the bigger the hoop, the easier it is to use because it gives you more time to react to the forward and backward hooping movements, says Pulak. The diameter of the right-sized hoop should be between the height of your waist and your breastbone.

Ready to starting hooping? Find a certified instructor in your ‘hood, or, buy your own hoop and try a hooping DVD. You could also build your own hooping workout: Just turn on your favorite playlist and hoop to the beat. For a more intense cardio workout, increase the speed, vary the hoop’s direction, and do alternating knee lifts to challenge your core. Add arm movements and squats to turn the routine into a total body workout.

photo: Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock

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Get This: It’s Melanoma Monday

Posted on May 6, 2013 by admin

Check out the list of links that should be on your radar today:

Just in time for Melanoma Monday—created to get the word out about preventing this deadly disease—the FDA is suggesting a crackdown on tanning beds. Learn more about the dangers of indoor baking. [USA Today]

Proof that Kevin Spacey isn’t the slime ball he plays on House of Cards: The actor just adopted a rescue dog and named her Boston in honor of the city. So cute! [People]

Self-affirmations can help you become a better problem-solver when you’re stressed out. [ScienceDaily]

The bad Melanoma Monday news: One in six men don’t get skin cancer screenings because they’re afraid of what the derm will tell them. [UPI]

Omega-3s have a lot of awesome health benefits, but new research finds they won’t help prevent macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. [NYT]

If you live on the East Coast and bugs creep you out, you’d better get over that. The cicadas are coming—and they’re supposed to outnumber humans 600 to one! [The Atlantic Wire]

Couples say sex is better on the Ultimate Hybrid Mattress, according to a survey conducted by the company that makes the Ultimate Hybrid Mattress. [Marketwire]

A guy in Queens stole more than $ 150,000 of BluePrint juices. Guess he really wanted to cleanse… [The Daily Meal]

Turkish Airlines just announced that wearing red nail polish or lipstick is a fireable offense for flight attendants. [Reuters]

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Athens Java Hut

Serving Jittery Joe's Coffee, Cecilia Villaveces, Cakes and Italian Gelato

Would You Know If You Had Lyme Disease?

Pregnant? Make Sure You’re Getting Enough of THIS Nutrient

The Simple Way to Boost Your Arousal

Get This: There May be a Cure for Gray Hair

“Should I Worry About Wearing Lipstick?”

Get This: Meditation’s Good For Your Memory

Do You Think the Pill Should Be Available OTC?

The Greenest (and Easiest!) Way to Buy Groceries

Does Hula Hooping Count as Exercise?

Get This: It’s Melanoma Monday