The Best Pet-Friendly Fitness Classes

Posted on April 10, 2013 by admin

Fat dog, fat owner? Not necessarily. But if you move too little and weigh too much, there’s a good chance your pooch does, too. In fact, 52.5 percent of U.S. dogs are overweight or obese, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention’s 2012 National Pet Obesity Survey. But a new trend could help both you and your four-legged friend shape up together: A growing number of fitness classes across the country are offering fun workouts for people and their pets.

Like humans, dogs benefit from any kind of physical activity, says Tricia Montgomery, founder and president of K9 Fit Club, a Hinsdale, IL-based fitness club for dog owners. And when that tail starts wagging, owners find the motivation they need to make regular exercise a routine.

Sure, there’s no proven correlation between the health of a dog and that of its owner. But a more fit and happy you will likely rub off on your pooch and keep his behavior in check, says Montgomery. Even better: Unlike your other workout buddies, dogs never work late, sleep in, or choose “drunch” over a Sunday morning fitness class. So schedule a workout for you and Sparky at one of these fun places across the country:

K9 Fit Club’s Boot Camp
You don’t need hand weights or resistance bands to break a sweat in K9 Boot camp classes, which are taught by fitness and animal trainers. Just scoop up your small dog to do bicep curls, or place your larger dog’s paws on your knees during a wall squat. The 55-minute classes put your strength and agility to the test and promise a heart-pumping workout for you and your dog—not to mention quality time together.
$ 15 per class; various locations in Illinois, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Florida—and more coming soon

Thank Dog Bootcamp
Inspired by Barry’s Bootcamp for humans, Thank Dog Bootcamp combines fitness and obedience training for you and your furry friend. Run by one personal trainer and one physically-fit dog trainer, the course begins with a mandatory consultation to assess you and your pup’s fitness levels. In each hour-long session thereafter, you torch calories and sculpt lean muscle while your dog learns who’s boss (you).
$ 50 mandatory consultation, $ 25 per class with discounts for bulk packages or $ 18 per class to “borrow” a dog; Los Angeles, CA

Bootcamp at FitDog Austin
Some fitness classes for pets focus more on training your pet than training you. But if you want to sprint, strengthen your core, improve your balance, and actually break a sweat, FitDog Austin is the answer. While you can bet you’ll leave with a damp shirt, your dog will walk away extra bendy: The class includes dog stretches and tricks.
$ 12 per class; Austin, TX

The Pack Fitness Doga Yoga
To improve you and your dog’s balance, flexibility, and strength, practice downward facing dog with an actual downward facing dog. The class begins with a walk and flows into a 45-minute yoga class with some doggy massage to leave you both feeling Zen.
$ 12 per class with discounts for bulk packages; various locations in California

Leash Your Fitness Butts and Guts With Your Mutts
This hour-long class sculpts your buns and core from every angle using Bosu balls, TRX, and your own body weight to perform squats, step-ups, and shuffles. Taught by a certified fitness instructor, the class emphasizes fitness for people but also promises to mentally and physically exhaust your dog with constant commands and movements. Why tire out Toto? A tired dog is a well-behaved dog, says Leash Your Fitness founder Dawn Celapino. When you give a dog a job—even if it’s just sitting down—they have to think, which is way harder than a typical walk around the block.
$ 20 per class with discounts for bulk packages; San Diego, CA

Barking Boot Camp
If your dog can sit, stay, and heel, he’s welcome at Barking Boot Camp, a high-energy fitness class that combines resistance training, cardio, “dogstacle” courses, and elements of “doga” (yoga with your dog).
$ 15 per class; New Orleans, LA

Go Fetch Run Cross Training
If you’re bored with your regular dog run, your pup probably is, too. Go Fetch Run Cross-Training classes merge cardio, strength training, agility, core work, and a “down and dirty” obstacle course that promises to challenge participants on both ends of the leash.
$ 25 per class; Brooklyn, NY

photo: Hemera/Thinkstock

javahut healthy feed

Crazy But True: One In Four Melanoma Survivors Don’t Use Sunscreen

Posted on April 10, 2013 by admin

You’d think that skin cancer survivors would be hyper-vigilant about wearing sunscreen and staying out of the sun, but not always: More than 27 percent of people who’ve had melanomas removed say they don’t use sunscreen—and 2.1 percent have actually gone to a tanning salon recently, according to new findings presented earlier this week at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Researchers analyzed data from the Center for Disease Control’s 2010 National Health Interview Survey, an annual, nationally representative survey of people in the U.S. that asks questions on a wide range of health topics. What they were looking for in particular: participants’ self-reported history of melanoma, as well as how that corresponded to their sun protection and indoor tanning habits.

Of the adults in the survey, 171 had a prior history of melanoma and 26,949 didn’t. “Using this very robust data source, we were able to determine that melanoma survivors in general do a better job on staying out of the sun, using sunscreen, and so on—but we still could be doing much better,” says study author Anees B. Chagpar, MD, an associate professor in the department of surgery at Yale University School of Medicine. Of the non-melanoma survivors, 35.4 percent of people said that they never use sunscreen. When you look at the flip side of that—how many people say they always use sunscreen—melanoma survivors also do better than people who haven’t had any of the serious skin cancers removed (32 percent versus 17 percent). But here’s the scariest part: When you control for other demographic factors like race and age, people who’d had melanoma were no less likely to say they’d visited a tanning salon in the last year than people who hadn’t had the disease.

“Truthfully, that blew my mind,” says Chagpar. “All of this really does raise the question of: Are there some behaviors like tanning that just may be habits that are very difficult to break?”

Whether or not indoor tanning is addictive, it is certainly dangerous—particularly for melanoma survivors, who are nine times more likely to get a subsequent melanoma, says Chagpar. While this group needs to be particularly proactive, people who haven’t had skin cancer in the past certainly aren’t off the hook when it comes to staying safe.

“The fact that over a third of people in general never wear sunscreen is problematic,” says Chagpar. “This study really sends a message to both groups that we really could be doing a much better job in terms of protecting ourselves from the harmful rays of the sun and certainly the harmful rays of indoor tanning salons.”

In addition to never, ever indoor tanning, you should apply SPF—the higher, the better—whenever you’ll be outdoors for an extended period of time, says Chagpar. You’ll also need to reapply it every few hours, and it’s a good idea to wear hats, long sleeves, and a long skirt or pants (if you can bear it).

“These are common sense public health messages that wev’e been sending for a long time,” says Chagpar. “I think this is simply a wakeup call that we know these answers, we just could be doing a better job of actually following them.”

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

javahut healthy feed

Should I Worry About the Bird Flu?

Posted on April 10, 2013 by admin

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

You’ve probably heard the scary news: A new strain of bird flu, known as avian influenza A (H7N9), has been identified in China. Twenty-eight people have been infected and nine have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Full disclosure: The CDC issued a health advisory on Friday to inform clinicians what they should do in terms of testing, infection control, and care if they suspect that someone returning from a trip to China may have the virus. The CDC is also working with vaccine manufacturers to develop a virus seed strain that could be used to produce a vaccine if necessary—as in, if there were evidence of human-to-human transmission.

It sounds scary, but before you call your doctor in a panic because you feel a cough coming on, know this: The CDC says it’s just taking these measures to dot all of its I’s and cross all of its T’s. No travel advisories are currently in effect, and right now there’s no evidence that you can get H7N9 from another person, says CDC press officer Jamila Jones. Direct contact with live poultry in China appears to be the greatest risk factor right now—there haven’t been any cases of the virus strain reported in the U.S., or even outside of China. So assuming you live in America and haven’t interacted with any chicken in China recently, you don’t have to change anything about your normal routine.

Flu viruses do constantly change, so it’s possible that this virus could become more transmissible, according to the CDC. Officials there say they’ll continue to monitor the situation and give updates as needed.

For now, though, you have no reason to worry: “There are no specific steps that people in this country need to take to protect themselves,” said Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, director of the CDC, in a telebriefing on Friday. “People can go about their daily lives.” While the numbers of cases and deaths have both risen since the telebriefing—at that time, there were 16 cases and six deaths—the CDC is still offering the same guidance: “Right now we’re still not recommending anything different,” says Jones. The same goes for people in the U.S. who work with poultry: At this time, Jones says you shouldn’t be concerned—and the CDC will send out more information if that should change.

The verdict: Pay attention to updates, but there’s definitely no need to freak out.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from Women’s Health:
How Long Should a Cough Last?
Flu-Catching Myths
Cold or Flu: Can You Tell?

javahut healthy feed

How Often Should You Check Your…?

Posted on April 10, 2013 by admin

You probably know how often you can go between manicures, hair cuts, and bikini waxes, but it’s harder to remember when you’re due for certain health screenings. Plus, it seems like the suggested guidelines for common medical check-ups are constantly up for debate. Case in point: A recent study found that getting your blood pressure checked at every doctor’s visit may result in an inaccurate diagnosis for hypertension—not to mention unnecessary stress.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic looked at records for 68 patients with hypertension and 372 patients without high blood pressure. When they looked at the readings from every single appointment, they identified all 68 cases of hypertension, along with 110 mistaken diagnoses for people without high blood pressure. But when they just took one annual reading, the doctors still caught all but five cases of hypertension—and they cut the number of false positives by almost 50 percent.

So should you turn down the test the next time you see your doc? Not necessarily. After all, it’s a free, quick, and painless part of your check-up, says Donnica Moore, MD, author of Women’s Health For Life. That said, she stresses that guidelines should never be set in stone and that you and your doctor can make the best decision about scheduling certain tests more or less frequently than recommended. “That will be based on the guidelines, but also on your personal medical history, family history, and lifestyle and behavior choices,” says Moore.

Need a refresher course on your recommended screenings? Check out our fool-proof guide to help you remember what needs to be checked and when:

Once a Month
Breast self-exam: Check your girls for unusual lumps or bumps monthly so you can stay on top of any changes, says Moore. The best time to do it is a few days after your period ends.

Skin self-exam: The Skin Cancer Foundation strongly recommends that you check out your body once a month for any new or unusual spots or marks. Just remember your ABCDEs: asymmetry, border irregularity, uneven color, diameter bigger than 6 mm, and evolving shape and size.

Every Six Months
Dental check-up: Make sure to hit up the dentist’s chair twice a year for cleanings and other preventative maintenance, but you should only get dental X-rays on an as needed basis to prevent unnecessary exposure to radiation, according to the American Dental Association’s recommendations.

Once a Year
Full physical exam: This annual check-up should include a height and weight check, a blood pressure screening, a clinical breast exam, and any blood tests your doctor deems necessary, says Moore. These may include tests for blood sugar, blood count, hormone levels, and other crucial markers.

Pap smear: If you’ve had three consecutive normal pap smears, are in a mutually monogamous relationship, and have no other risk factors, you could technically go three years between screenings, says Moore. However, most doctors still suggest women see their gynecologist once a year and get a pap smear while they’re there. Your pap tests for any changes or abnormalities in the cells in your cervix, which is a way to screen for cervical cancer, says Alyssa Dweck, MD, co-author of V is For Vagina. For women 21-29, any mild irregularities in the pap test will prompt an HPV test to check for the high-risk strains of the HPV virus, says Dweck. Other than that, you probably won’t get an HPV test until you’re 30. (See below for more info on HPV testing)

Pelvic exam: Even if you aren’t getting an annual pap smear, it’s important to visit your OB/GYN annually for a routine pelvic exam, where she’ll feel around for your uterus and ovaries, says Dweck. This is a way to check for fibroids, cysts or any pain or swelling that might indicate an infection.

HIV tests: Get tested annually at your doctor’s office or a health clinic, says Dweck. The most accurate screening is a still a blood test, though you may get a mouth swab in some cases.

Other STD tests: It’s recommended that sexually active women get tested for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea annually until age 25, says Dweck. These can be run off your pap or with a separate swab of your cervix. After age 25, it’s still recommended that you get tested regularly for the range of STDs—including hepatitis b and c, syphilis, and the lesser-known trichomoniasis—based on your own risk factors, which you should discuss with your doctor. Of course, it’s also a smart idea to get tested before you have a new sexual partner or if you have any usual symptoms.

Eye exams: The American Optometric Association recommends eye exams at least once every two years, though annual exams are suggested for anyone with current vision problems (if you wear glasses or contacts, that includes you).

Every Other Year
Skin cancer screening: Skin cancer is a huge issue for women in their twenties, so see your dermatologist before your biennial appointment if you notice any suspicious marks, says Moore.

Slightly Less Often
HPV test: At age 30, women should start getting an HPV test with their pap every five years, says Dweck. Luckily, it’s relatively quick and painless since the test uses the same cervical swab as your pap. Prior to age 30, you should not be getting tested regularly for HPV unless you have an abnormal pap, since strains of the disease are so common in younger woman and they typically go away on their own, says Dweck.

Cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood count: Your doctor will want to check these at least once in your twenties and once in your thirties, though some physicians give a guideline of testing them once every five years, says Moore.

Thyroid test: Starting at age 35, it’s recommended that you check your thyroid levels via a blood test and have them re-tested ever five years after that, says Moore.

Down the Road
Colonoscopy: This test should come right around your 50th birthday, unless your family history warrants an earlier screening, says Moore. If you have a first-degree relative with colon cancer, it’s recommended that you start your screening 10 years before their age at diagnosis.

Diabetes screening: Routine diabetes screenings (which involve a blood sugar test) start at age 50 and should be done once every three years, says Dweck.

Mammograms: At 40, you’ll want to start scheduling annual mammograms, though your doctor may recommended screening earlier if you have a family history, says Dweck.

Only As Needed
Don’t be shocked if your doctor orders a blood test outside of these general guidelines, since many health checks are done on an as-needed basis. Things like your hormone levels, blood sugar, vitamin D levels, and iron deficiencies can all be seen in a blood test and may be ordered if you come in with certain symptoms, says Dweck.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from Women’s Health:
8 Essential Medical Tests
DIY Health Tests
Head-to-Toe Health Checks

javahut healthy feed

Daily Dose: April 9, 2013

Posted on April 9, 2013 by admin

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

Men feel “mommy guilt,” too, according to new research. As they should! [Toronto Star]

Jason Segel is reportedly writing a book for young adults. Totally preordering that on Amazon. [Jezebel]

AMC is thinking about making a Breaking Bad spinoff. [Vulture]

As if drivers who text weren’t scary enough, now you have to worry about pilots who text while flying. [Bloomberg]

Another reason to put down the booze: Researchers have found arsenic in hundreds of beer samples—and some contain more than twice the U.S. limit for water. [Newser]

An increasing number of online journals will publish almost anything for a price—so now it’s harder to distinguish between legitimate studies and pseudo-science. [NYT]

A new poll finds that 87 percent of women are turned off if a dude has b.o. Thank you, Captain Obvious. [Reuters]

The newest way to lower your colon cancer risk, according to researchers: avoid space travel. Well, that’s helpful. [MyHealthNewsDaily.com]

A Texas chain called Bikinis just secured a trademark for the word “Breastaurant.” We didn’t realize the term was in such hot demand. [Eater]

photo: Digital Vision/Thinkstock

javahut healthy feed

7 Ways to Bliss Out Your Bedroom

Posted on April 9, 2013 by admin

Is your bedroom more of a hot mess than a healing oasis? You’re not alone—Only a quarter of women say they view their bedroom as a relaxing retreat, compared with about a third of men, according to a new survey by Leggett & Platt, a furniture and bedding manufacturer. Sure, it’s easy to let this room turn into everything from your sleep center to your home office—and everything in between. But at the end of the day, your bedroom is where you’ll go to recharge—so it’s crucial to keep it as stress-free as possible.

Here, seven ways to boost your room’s relaxation factor for a blissful, spa-like space.

1. Kick the clutter

photo: The Container Store

Those piles of papers are doing more than just collecting dust—they’re actually stressing you out, says Sally Augustin, PhD, an environmental psychologist and founder of DesignWithScience.com. So it’s no surprise that 49 percent of the women surveyed said their bedrooms needed better organization to become a real oasis. Even if you don’t have time for a total overhaul, you can start by picking up a few neat storage boxes (like these from The Container Store). Since even a stack of boxes gives your space some order, it’s more visually relaxing than seeing things strewn around haphazardly, says Augustin.

2. Do a little rearranging

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

You want to make sure your bed is positioned so that you have a clear view of your bedroom door when you’re in it, says Augustin. Why is this specific arrangement so relaxing? It has to do with how we’ve evolved: Being able to see who may be coming in and out is a basic safety thing, so it helps to ward off anxiety, says Augustin. If your room is pulling double duty as a home office, minimize stress by positioning your desk so that it’s not in the direct view of your bed, says Augustin.

3. Pick the right bulbs

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Super-bright lights may help you get up in the morning, but they’re the worst when you’re trying to chill. “Bluer light is great for cognitive work, and golden incandescent light calms you down,” says Augustin. Swap out your bedroom bulbs with ones labeled incandescent, warm white, or soft white rather than daylight or bright white, which can be a lot harsher. If you simply can’t live without strong overhead lights, make sure you have a bedside lamp with softer bulbs to switch on when you’re ready to relax.

4. Dabble in aromatherapy

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Score the same zen feeling you get from spas by bringing their go-to scent into your bedroom. Lavender essential oil has been shown to increase deep sleep and make you more refreshed the next morning, according to a study at Wesleyan University. And previous research has found that the scent can help lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and nervous system arousal—all of which are crucial to winding down. To get reap lavender’s benefits, keep a bottle of essential oil on your nightstand or place a few drops on your pillow.

5. Bring in only what you need

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Forty-two percent of women said the bedroom is their go-to spot for hiding clutter. But even though it might seem convenient to keep everything from your tax forms to your yoga mat in your room, experts say it’s a bad idea. You don’t want to bring in a lot of things that are going to increase your stimulation, says psychology expert Alice Boyes, PhD. So keep out anything that might get your mind racing, like an unfinished work project or even your workout clothes if they’re stressing you out.

6. Adopt a calming color scheme

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Certain hues can impact your mood, so it’s important to pick the right one when painting or decorating your space. “You want to use colors that aren’t very saturated but are relatively bright, like classic pastels,” says Augustin. A sage green is a great pick since the color has been associated with both relaxation and creativity. Plus, the light hue can make the room appear a little larger. And you might want to stay away from red comforters—the color is known to energize, rather than calm you, says Augustin.

7. Make it sleep-friendly

photo: photodisc/Thinkstock

The best way to turn your room into a serene space is to view it as just that—and not your office, yoga studio, kitchen, or storage unit. To do that, set it up in a way that promotes good sleep hygiene, says Boyes. That includes using light-blocking curtains, keeping the space at a comfortable temperature, and anything else that makes your space more snooze-friendly.

top photo: Hemera/Thinkstock

More from Women’s Health:
Are You a Hot Mess?
Get Organized
Sexy Bedroom Makeover

javahut healthy feed

The Super Food That Can Lower Blood Pressure

Posted on April 9, 2013 by admin

To treat high blood pressure, you may want to swing by the grocery store—not your pharmacy: Egg whites could reduce your blood pressure as effectively as some medicines, according to a study conducted by the American Chemical Society (ACS).

In the study, researchers from Clemson University in South Carolina and Jilin University in China fed hypertension-prone lab rats short chains of amino acids called peptides from egg whites. These peptides reduced the rats’ hypertension by 19 millimeters of mercury, which is about equal to the effect you’d see from taking a low dose of the hypertension drug Captopril, say study authors.

Previous research has found that eating peptides from egg whites has a similar effect to taking hypertension drugs: Both suppress the enzymes that cause blood vessels to narrow (which raises your blood pressure), says study author Zhipeng Yu, PhD, a researcher at Jilin University.

While the egg white peptides in this experiment were highly concentrated, undercooked by human standards, and fed to mice (not people), previous research suggests that the peptides may maintain their beneficial effects at higher temperatures, too. What’s more, this study’s results were promising enough for researchers to plan further studies to determine how many egg whites humans would need to consume to manage hypertension, says Yu.

So while you shouldn’t ditch your pills just yet, it can’t hurt to include more egg whites in your diet. Get cracking on these tasty recipes:

Breakfast Pizza

Zesty Spinach Omelet

Photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Breakfast Burrito

Photo: Mitch Mandel

Egg White Frittata

Photo: Jeff Harris

Eggs and Lox on an English Muffin

Photo: Jeff Harris

photo: Hemera/Thinkstock

javahut healthy feed

7 Ways to Spend Less on Meds

Posted on April 9, 2013 by admin

No one wants to spend more money on medications. In fact, people under 65 are twice as likely as older Americans to skip their meds, according to a new Centers for Disease Control study. Why? To save money. You know this is a bad idea, but here’s what you may not know: If you fill your prescription at the wrong pharmacy, you could pay up to 447 percent more, according to a new study featured in the May 2013 issue of Consumer Reports.

To investigate drug costs across the country, secret shoppers called more than 200 U.S. pharmacies to price check 30-day supplies of five common genetic prescriptions: the diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone), the antidepressant Lexapro (escitalopram), the cholesterol regulator Lipitor (atorvastatin), the blood thinner Plavix (clopidogrel), and the asthma drug Singulair (montelukast). Researchers then tallied the cost of all five drugs at each store and compared the bills.

Overall, Costco was the least expensive—and you don’t even need to be a member to fill your Rx there. Online retailers such as Healthwarehouse.com and Familymeds.com had reasonable prices, too. But according to the secret shoppers, CVS was the most expensive; the prescriptions cost a total of $ 749 more than they did at Costco. Prices at Rite Aid and Target weren’t much cheaper than at CVS. And while independent pharmacy and grocery store pharmacy prices varied widely, stores outside urban areas tended to charge less.

No matter where you shop, a little research can help you get the best price per pill. Ask your pharmacist these questions so you won’t pay a penny more than you have to:

“Is there a generic version that’s cheaper?”
When you invest in a designer bag, you probably want the real deal—not a knock-off. But unlike with accessories, most generic drugs are just as effective as their name-brand counterparts. Ask your doctor to prescribe the generic version of the drug you need, or if you don’t realize you’ve been given a name-brand Rx until you get to the drugstore, you can always ask the pharmacist for a comparable generic version. Most pharmacists will contact your doctor directly to confirm this change.

“Can you match the price I found at another pharmacy?”
While it’s smart to shop around for the best prices, you’ll want to buy all of your prescriptions from the same place so that your pharmacist can keep tabs on what you’re taking and advise against potentially dangerous drug combinations. To get the lowest price at the pharmacy of your choice, just ask: Independent drug stores will often match other pharmacies’ prices to keep your business, says Stephen W. Schondelmeyer, PhD, PharmD, a professor of pharmacy economics at the University of Minnesota. So if you don’t want to shop at Costco, you can still call them, ask what they’d charge for your meds, and use that to negotiate a better price from the mom-and-pop pharmacy you prefer.

“Do you give student discounts?”
Because secret shoppers in the study weren’t always offered the lowest price available up front, it pays to ask if you’re getting the lowest price. This question could prompt your pharmacist to disclose additional discounts: Some places offers student and senior discounts, for example.

“Is it cheaper to get a 90-day supply?”
For drugs you take every day, it’s more convenient and often cheaper to buy in bulk, (i.e., a 90-day dose instead of a 30-day one). Target’s pharmacy, for instance, offers more than 300 generic drugs that cost $ 4 for a 30-day supply, and $ 10 for a 90-day supply.

“What’s the price without my insurance?”
Just because you have health insurance doesn’t mean you should always use it. Check the retail price just in case your meds cost less than your prescription drug co-pay. For instance, generic Lexapro costs $ 7 for a 30-day dose at Costco. So if your insurance co-pay is $ 10, you’re better off paying the full price.

“Do you have a loyalty card or prescription program discounts?”
Many stores do. For instance, the CVS Health Savings pass ($ 15/year) offers card-holders a 90-day supply of more than 400 generic drugs for $ 11.99 a pop. The Walgreens Prescription Savings Club ($ 20/year) promises an annual savings up of up to $ 79.13 per 90-day supply of generic drugs. And Rite Aid’s free Rx Savings Program discounts name-brand drugs by 15 percent and offers certain generic drugs for $ 9.99 per 30-day supply, or $ 15.99 per 90-day supply.

“Do you accept any independent prescription discount cards?”
No insurance? No problem. Independent prescription discount cards are easy to find online—and they’re often free. To unlock discounts on more than 20,000 name-brand and generic drugs, print a Free Drug Card online and check the site to find a nearby pharmacy that accepts it. Then, flash your card when you pick up your prescription—you’ll save up to 75 percent.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

javahut healthy feed

The Dinner That Could Help You Live Longer

Posted on April 9, 2013 by admin

As if you really needed convincing, here’s one more reason to order that salmon avocado roll: Higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death in adults over age 65, according to a new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Most observational studies on the topic have relied on self-reported fish consumption. But for this long-term observational study, researchers examined the blood levels of three kinds of omega-3s in about 2,700 participants aged 65 and older. The study tracked those participants for 16 years, and the participants with the highest omega-3 levels in their blood lived, on average, 2.2 years longer than those with the lowest levels.

The people with the highest blood omega-3 levels also had a 27 percent lower risk of dying from all causes when compared to the people with the lowest blood omega-3 levels. The risk of death from coronary heart disease in particular was significantly lower.

While this study followed older adults, the findings are relevant to younger people, as well, says lead study researcher Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, doctor of public health and an associate professor in the department of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. “If you start at a young age and eat fish your whole life, the benefits could be even greater,” he says.

That’s particularly true since the good news about seafood keeps rolling in: In a study presented today at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting, omega-3 were shown to considerably slow or even stop the proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer cells. Another new animal study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology suggests that fish oil has immune-boosting benefits and may be good for people with a compromised immune system.

So how much fish should you eat if you want to reap its health benefits? Try for an average of 400 milligrams per day, which you can get if you have fish twice per week, says Mozaffarian. (The omega-3s get into your tissues and last for several days, so you don’t have to eat it every single day.) Keep in mind that omega-3 content varies among the different fish species; fatty types like salmon, herring, anchovies, bass, trout, white tuna, and swordfish pack the most.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

javahut healthy feed

Daily Dose: April 8, 2013

Posted on April 8, 2013 by admin

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

Being a chocoholic might not be so bad in the future: British researchers say they’ve developed a method to replace up to 50 percent of the fat in chocolate with fruit juice, vitamin C, water, and diet cola—without making it taste awful. [TIME]

A group of Harvard students are using 3-D printers to create more textural paintings that blind people can “see.” [Fast Company]

Word on the street is Brittney Griner from Baylor University might become the first woman drafted into the NBA. Let’s lay off the negativity and jokes—that’s amazing! [WSJ]

You know those beeping alarms that monitor patients’ vital signs in hospitals? Disconcertingly, at least two dozen people die each year because healthcare workers eventually start to tune them out. [AP]

We all need a vacation: The U.S. Is the only industrialized country that doesn’t guarantee its workers paid time off. [Huffington Post]

A new study found that 20 percent of people in the U.S. have no clue they’re at risk for hypertension—and women are less likely than men to receive treatment. [Science Daily]

Dudes who own Xbox 360s are better in bed than those who prefer to play video games on Wiis, PlayStation 3s, or good, old-fashioned computers, according to a new study. Because there’s no bigger turn-on than a guy with an Xbox controller in his hand… [Guyism]

A vet in California announced that he supports medical marijuana—for dogs. [Medical Daily]

Apparently sperm is one of the biggest exports in the U.S. right now. Nothing like American-made. [LiveScience]

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

javahut healthy feed

Athens Java Hut

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

The Best Pet-Friendly Fitness Classes

Crazy But True: One In Four Melanoma Survivors Don’t Use Sunscreen

Should I Worry About the Bird Flu?

How Often Should You Check Your…?

Daily Dose: April 9, 2013

7 Ways to Bliss Out Your Bedroom

The Super Food That Can Lower Blood Pressure

7 Ways to Spend Less on Meds

The Dinner That Could Help You Live Longer

Daily Dose: April 8, 2013