Items you need for exfoliation

• Exfoliating cleanser
• Loofah, body brush or exfoliating gloves
• Pumice stone
• Body lotion

How to exfoliate

Before stepping into the shower, brush your dry skin with your loofah, body brush or exfoliating gloves. This will help remove the loose skin and prepare your skin for the exfoliating process. Begin with the soles of your feet, working your way up your body.

Get into the shower and wet your body from head to toe. Don’t exfoliate your skin if you are sunburned or have any open cuts or wounds.

Use a pumice stone on your feet to eliminate rough spots and calluses. If your feet are extremely rough, soak them in a basin of warm water mixed with a cup of milk for 30 minutes before getting into the shower.

Apply your exfoliating cleanser to your loofah or gloves. Begin scrubbing your body in a circular motion starting with the bottoms of your feet and working your way up. When you reach the bikini area, don’t scrub too hard because the skin is very sensitive.

Use a body brush to exfoliate your back and other hard-to-reach places.

Be gentle on your face, particularly around your eyes and mouth. Use an exfoliating product especially formulated for the face, which is gentler than products designed to be used on the body.

Don’t forget about your hands. You want them to look and feel soft and smooth too!

Rinse your body with lukewarm water, follow by the coldest water you can stand. Apply a shower gel to soften your skin, if you’d like.

After stepping out of the shower, apply a moisturizing body lotion all over. Body lotions and facial moisturizers containing alpha or beta hydroxy acids are ideal choices because these acids contine to remove dead skin cells.

Use body moisturizer once a day. Exfoliation is drying to the skin, so you must keep your skin hydrated.

http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/803596/how-to-exfoliate-your-skin

Psychologically, doing something that’s fun and different improves your mood, while doing the same old workout can drag you down mentally, explains exercise physiologist Fabio Comana.

Another reason to branch out: “Doing the same thing over and over takes its toll on your body,” says Comana. “Over time, overuse can cause microtrauma and lead to injuries.” These seven exercises may seem intimidating, but they’re actually fun workouts that burn major calories and fat while requiring mental focus. So face your fitness fears and challenge yourself to try one of these exercises today.

1. Kickboxing

Get ready for some butt-kicking kung fu fighting. Even if your last attempt at a choreographed fitness class was a flop, with patience and practice, kickboxing (whether you opt for the dance-style gym variety or a boxing gym session that actually involves wearing gloves) is a boredom-proof workout that burns anywhere from 700 to1,000 calories an hour, helps to sharpen your brain, and provides built-in muscle sculpting. And anyone can do it: “We have everyone from teenagers to middle-aged adults at our gym,” says Chad George of PKG Training Center LA.

How to brave it: “It’s like riding a roller coaster for the first time–you just have to take a deep breath and try it,” says George. Another way to warm up to a class: Practice jump roping to work on your coordination, George suggests. If you’re still nervous for the first class, recruit a friend to join you, recommends Alyssa Simon, an on-again, off-again runner who tried boxing for the first time almost 2 years ago and was hooked.

2. Bicycling

So much for never forgetting how to ride a bike. Some 60% of adults like the idea of traveling on two wheels but are fearful of traffic. Yet cycling advocates argue that the health benefits of getting out of your car and into the fresh air far outweigh the risks.

How to brave it: Remember, 40% of our trips in the United States are less than 2 miles—about a 10-minute bike ride. Find at least one driving trip per week—say to the store, park, restaurant, or friend’s house—and switch it to a bike ride. Skip the Spandex, fancy road bikes, and clip-in pedals; instead, find a bike-savvy buddy who rides in regular clothes and is willing to show you the ropes on a sturdy upright bike, says Mia Birk, author of Joyride: Pedaling Toward a Healthier Planet. Many cities have bike maps available, and some are even coded by level of difficulty, so use that to pick a route that’s low-stress, has either nice scenery or a fun destination (like an ice cream shop), and is no more than 5 miles.

3. Kettlebell training

Don’t let a small ball of iron intimidate you. First used by Russian bodybuilders in the 1700s, these weighted orbs (they look a bit like cannonballs with handles) may seem like something better left to the superfit. But you’d be missing out big time. “It looks pretty scary, but you don’t need a lot of athletic ability,” says Sarah Lurie, author of Kettlebells for Dummies. “I’ve trained senior citizens, obese people, and people who’ve never exercised before, and they see results in as little as a week.” Speedy results, including weight loss and muscle sculpting, are a hallmark of the kettlebell workout, which University of Wisconsin researchers found burned over 20 calories a minute—the equivalent of running a 6-minute mile.

How to brave it: Your best bet is to splurge on one or two sessions with a qualified instructor (look for the letters RKC, for Russian Kettlebell Challenge certified), says Lurie. Otherwise, look for a workout DVD with plenty of instruction—Lurie has several—to get you started. And if you’re buying your own kettlebell, go bigger than you think, advises Lurie: Fifteen pounds is a good starting point for most women. If you skimp on size, you’ll end up using just your arms or legs and not getting the full-body workout kettlebells are capable of.

4. Push-ups

Move over, men in uniform. Contrary to popular belief, push-ups (the “real” ones, done on your hands and toes) are not just for men, and they’re one of the single best exercises you can do to strengthen your body from head to toe and fend off age-related flab. That’s because while your arms may be doing most of the heavy lifting, the rest of your muscles are engaged in stabilizing your body.

How to brave it: It’s all about progression. You wouldn’t pick up a 20-pound dumbbell for your first weight workout, and the same goes for a challenging body weight exercise like push-ups. So how do you lighten the load? By increasing the incline. Standing in front of a set of stairs, place your hands several steps up from the bottom, then walk your feet back until your body is in the classic push-up position. The slant shifts some of your weight back toward your legs so your arms don’t lift quite so much weight as you bend and straighten your elbows. Do as many push-ups as you can like this—even if it’s just a couple to start—then continue with that number every other day for a week. When you’re ready, add another one or two reps, and once you can do 10 push-ups, descend a step (you might have to reduce your reps at first). Keep up the cycle till you get to the floor.

5. Rock climbing
Head for the hills—or the wall, as the case may be. “Sure, rock climbing has more inherent dangers than golf or tennis, but with proper instruction and guidance, climbing is safer than the drive on the freeway to get there,” says Brittany Griffith, a climber with Black Diamond Equipment in Salt Lake City, Utah. And you don’t have to be superstrong to do it either. Climbing is largely about technique, not how many pull-ups you can do.

How to brave it: Start at an indoor climbing facility—with the growing popularity of the sport, you’ll find climbing walls at many YMCAs, health clubs, and even universities. Stick to beginner routes to start, says Griffith. “Rookie mistake number one is getting on a climb that’s too difficult. You’ll gain more by climbing a lot on easier terrain than working yourself to death on a sequence that’s too tough.”

6. Yoga
Don’t be spooked by the Spandex and “om” chants. Studies show that yoga can help you relieve stress, feel good about your body, and curb overeating. But if the thought of going to a class makes you bite your nails, curse your love handles, and dive into a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, clearly you’re missing something.

How to brave it: “Even I get scared if I’m going to an advanced class with all these superyogis,” says Kristin McGee, an in-demand NYC yoga instructor and creator of yoga DVDs, including her latest, Yoga Tone. If the chanting in one class makes you uncomfortable, try a different one, she says. If mirrors make you self-conscious, look for a studio without them. And if you find yourself getting wrapped up in comparing yourself to other women in the class, focus on your breathing to reset your mind. Or, don’t even go to class—do yoga at home via a website like emglivefitness.com, where you can “attend” live or on-demand classes online for $5 a session.

7. TRX® Suspension Training®
Want a workout that’s all about hanging out? Like a jungle gym workout for grown-ups, the original TRX® Suspension Trainer® is made up of industrial—grade nylon straps that leverage your own body weight for hundreds of exercises. But like the old trust test of closing your eyes and falling backward into another person’s arms, it takes a lot of confidence in your own strength and balance to, for example, get into a suspended plank position to complete an Atomic Push-up. Yet anyone can do it with the right instruction—even pregnant women, says Lisa Witzlib, a TRX senior course instructor, trainer, and owner of Witzlib Fitness Studio in Atlanta, Ga. And the instability from being suspended means far more muscles are activated while doing a chest press on a TRX than if you were doing it on a bench with a set of dumbbells. The result? A spiked calorie burn.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/05/7-scary-exercises-for-women/#ixzz1lzrxgwr5

People with psoriasis develop thick, red, scaly patches on the skin, which are often itchy or sore.

Experts believe the disease is caused by an abnormal immune system attack on the body’s own cells. Some studies have suggested that smokers are more vulnerable to psoriasis, possibly because the habit can affect immune activity.

But most have studied people at only one time-point, which makes it hard to be sure the smoking came before the psoriasis.

So for the new study, researchers used data from three large, long-running studies of U.S. health professionals.

Of nearly 186,000 men and women followed for 12 to 20 years, 2,410 developed psoriasis during that time. And the risk was greater among both current smokers and former smokers.

People who were current smokers at the study’s start were almost twice as likely as lifelong non-smokers to develop psoriasis. And past smokers had a 39 percent higher risk than non-smokers.

The findings, reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology, do not prove that smoking, itself, causes psoriasis in some people.

But it is clear that the smoking came before the psoriasis, said senior researcher Dr. Abrar A. Qureshi, of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Past studies have found links between psoriasis and both obesity and heavy drinking. But after accounting for those factors, the smoking-psoriasis link remained, Qureshi told Reuters Health.

“I think if there’s one message, it’s that for now, smoking seems to be a risk factor for new-onset psoriasis,” Qureshi said.

Other studies have pointed to some reasons that smoking could contribute to psoriasis — mainly its effects on immune system activity and inflammation. Smokers, for instance, tend to have higher levels of “autoantibodies” — immune defenses that are mistakenly aimed at the body’s own cells.

About 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Type 1 psoriasis arises in teenagers and young adults, and it’s strongly related to family history of the disease. In contrast, type 2 psoriasis arises later in life, and it tends to be milder and less related to heredity.

The men and women in the current study were middle-aged to older. So it’s likely they had type 2 psoriasis, Qureshi’s team says.

As for people who already have psoriasis, the current findings don’t speak directly to whether quitting will help them, according to Qureshi.

But there are already plenty of reasons for any smoker to quit, he said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/02/03/smoking-tied-to-higher-psoriasis-risk-study-finds/#ixzz1lKjJcz9m

It’s true, consuming unhealthy fat in excess can hamper your health.  Saturated fats are found in animal based foods such as meat, eggs, and dairy products.  They are notorious for clogging arteries, because saturated fat increases LDL also known as “bad” cholesterol.  Trans fats come from hydrogenated fat products such as margarine and vegetable shortening, and packaged snack foods like cookies and chips.  These fats not only increase LDL, but also lower HDL or “good” cholesterol.

It’s important to limit your intake of bad fats, but it’s imperative to incorporate good fats into your diet for optimal health.  Fatty fish like salmon are fully of polyunsaturated fats, which reduce LDL cholesterol.  Monounsaturated fat, found in foods such as nuts and olive oil, not only reduce LDL but increase HDL as well! These fats help the body absorb and benefit from vitamins and minerals found in food.  Fats also keep us feeling full and satisfied.

So how do you make sure to get more of the good stuff and less of the bad? Well, turn your attention away from total fat on a nutrition label, and look at the specific types of fat listed underneath total fat.  For example, nuts have a high fat count, but it’s mostly comprised of monounsaturated fat, making them a good for you snack option.  Another quick trick is to eyeball it.  If fat is liquid at room temperature, such as olive oil, then it’s most likely a healthy fat.  A fat that is solid at room temperature, like butter, is probably an unhealthy fat.  By deciphering the good from the bad, you can make better choices for overall health.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/19/why-eating-fat-doesnt-make-fat/?test=chol#ixzz1k0wwZTjG

1. Why Do You “Laugh Until You Cry?”
Experts don’t really know. One thing to consider: Laughing and crying are similar psychological reactions.

“Both occur during states of high emotional arousal, involve lingering effects, and don’t cleanly turn on and off,” says Robert R. Provine, a psychologistat the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and author of Laughter: A Scientific Investigation. We associate crying with sadness, but tearing up is an even more complex human response. Tears are triggered by a variety of emotions–”by pain, sadness, and in some cases even extreme mirth.

It’s just the way we’ve evolved,” says Dr. Lee Duffner, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

As it turns out, that’s good, because both laughter and crying can ease a stressful experience, probably by counteracting the effects of cortisol and adrenaline. So if you ever find yourself laughing until you cry, count yourself lucky.

2. Why Do Onions Make You Tear Up?
When you cut into an onion, you rupture its cells, releasing enzymes that produce a gas called propanethial sulfoxide. Once that gas reaches your eyes, it reacts with tears to produce a mild sulfuric acid. And that hurts. The brain then signals the eyes’ tear glands to produce more liquid to flush the stuff out. The more you chop, the more irritating gas you produce and the more tears you shed.

“The onion’s chemical reaction is a defense mechanism that evolved to repel pests,” explains University of Wisconsin—Madison horticultural professor Irwin Goldman.

Keep the stinging and crying to a minimum by chilling an onion in the freezer before cutting it; cold temperatures slow release of the enzymes. The highest concentration of enzymes is at the bottom of the onion, so cut it last to postpone the weeping (and the irritation) for as long as possible.

3. Why Do Your Joints Crack?
The most common type of joint in the human body is the diarthrodial joint–knuckles and shoulders are examples–in which two bones come together in a capsule. Inside that joint capsule is a lubricant called synovial fluid, which contains dissolved gases. When you stretch the joint, you’re actually compressing it and the fluid within, forcing those nitrogen-rich gases to escape the synovial solution. The release of “air” within the joint capsule is what you hear as a “pop.” Once the gas is released, the joint is a bit more flexible (enabling you to go a little further in a yoga pose, for example).

But you’ve probably noticed that you can’t immediately crack the same joint again. That’s because the gases released in a pop must first reabsorb into the fluid, a process that takes 15 to 30 minutes. If you habitually crack your knuckles to relieve tension, try concentrating on your breath for 30 seconds instead. Knuckle cracking doesn’t lead to arthritis, but it can lead to decreased grip strength.

4. What Causes Goose Bumps?
Goose bumps (scientific name: piloerection) pop up when you’re cold or afraid. A tiny muscle at the base of each body hair contracts; together, they appear as naked bumps on the flesh. They made sense eons ago, when humans still had a natural “fur coat.” Back then, fluffing your ruff would warm the body by trapping an insulating layer of air between the hairs. And standing your hair on end was intimidating to predators or enemies (picture a cat facing off with a dog). Evolution has since stripped humans of their pelts. Now goose bumps are, of course, no medical issue. If you’re uncomfortable showing off your vestigial physiognomy, dress warmly, place yourself in calm environments, and avoid horror flicks.

5. What Makes Your Eyelid Twitch?
This annoyingly common condition is known as eyelid myokymia. Not a lot is known about eye twitches, which are more likely to occur in the lower eyelid than in the upper, though they’re probably caused by the misfiring of a nerve. But experts know that fatigue, stress, and caffeine all increase the likelihood of the pesky twitching. So do eyestrain, poor nutrition, excessive alcohol intake, and allergies. Fortunately, eye twitching is almost always benign and usually goes away by itself. To put an end to a bout of the eye flutters, cut down on coffee and alcohol and give your eyes–and your whole body–a good night’s rest.

6. Why Are You Always Cold?
Body temperature is regulated in the brain by the hypothalamus, which signals the body to give off heat in warm conditions and trap heat (or shiver, generating heat in muscles) when it’s cold. Iron plays a role in this process, so people with anemia (commonly caused by iron deficiency) often feel chilly. Poor circulation–due to high blood pressure or medications, among other culprits–can leave the extremities deprived of heat. An underactive thyroid gland can also slow a person’s metabolism to a point where the body generates insufficient warmth. A recent study suggested there may even be a genetic predisposition to toward tolerance of cold. If you’re the type who needs to wear sweaters and wool socks in the summer, eat iron-rich foods like lean red meats, beans, and dark green leafy vegetables, which can counter anemia. And avoid nicotine, which constricts blood vessels and leads to poor circulation.

7. Are Your Ears Still Growing?
Yes, the outer ears do. Starting at birth, the ears are, proportionally, the body’s largest feature, with a Spock-like prominence. They grow rapidly until about age 10, then slow to the languid pace of about 0.22 millimeter per year, according to a study by Britain’s Royal College of General Practitioners. Other studies show that the earlobe itself also lengthens throughout life (men have longer lobes than women). However, the size of the ear canal, which is formed by bone and cartilage, does not increase into old age.

8. Are All Babies Born Without Freckles?
Babies, of course, can be born with birthmarks and “beauty marks,” but it’s true that upon entering the world they have no freckles, which the skin produces (using excess pigment) in response to sun exposure. As babies get out in the sun, those with fair complexions and light eyes will be especially prone to developing freckles (and will have a higher likelihood of skin cancer and melanoma later in life). “Those freckles on the redheaded kid’s cheeks aren’t cute–they’re sun damage,” says Dr. Robin Ashinoff, director of dermatologic surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center. “And freckles probably also indicate damage to the DNA in your skin cells.” Children and adults alike should have their freckles monitored regularly by a dermatologist and vigilantly use sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/13/odd-body-explained/#ixzz1jLrAriRC

Preventing cancer and your diet go hand-in-hand. Antioxidants, vitamins and polyphenols are paramount in staving off this devastating disease. I’ve compiled a list of foods that are rich in cancer-fighting properties.

1. Avocados:Rich in the antioxidant glutathione, which attacks free radicals in the body, avocados are an excellent source of potassium and beta-carotene.

2. Carrots:They’re good for your eyesight, but also good for nixing cancer. Beta-carotene can help reduce many cancers including lung, throat, stomach, intestine, prostate and breast cancers. Be aware that some research has suggested that taking beta-carotene supplements has actually been linked to higher rates of lung cancer in high-risk groups like smokers.

3. Chili peppers and jalapenos: Not only do they spice up your favorite dishes, but they have a chemical called capsaicin in them that can help keep certain cancer-causing elements called nitrosamines at bay.

4. Flax: Chock full of healthy ingredients like antioxidants, which can block cancerous changes in the body, it is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to protect against breast and colon cancers.

5. Garlic:It will help to boost your immune system and breakdown cancer-causing substances. The allium compounds found in garlic block carcinogens from getting into your cells and slow down tumor development. Studies have linked a lower risk for stomach and colon cancers with garlic. One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that garlic supplements did not have the same effect, so stick with the whole clove.

6. Green tea: According to many studies, green tea is a cure-all. It has been known to help prevent skin, esophageal, stomach, colon, pancreas, lung, bladder, prostate and breast cancers. This tea contains polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties. Studies have shown that polyphenols shut down and prevent cancerous tumors by cutting off the blood supply to tumors.

7. Licorice root: Studies suggest it may be helpful in preventing prostate cancer because it contains a chemical called glycyrrhizin, which helps block components of testosterone. You should not take licorice root if you have high blood pressure, and licorice candy doesn’t count – you have to eat the actual root.

8. Rosemary: Studies have shown rosemary helps to inhibit the development of both breast and skin tumors in animals. There haven’t been any studies done on humans yet, but rosemary has a long history of other medicinal uses like treating upset stomachs, digestive disorders and headaches.

9. Seaweed: Rich in beta-carotene, protein, vitamin B12, fiber, chlorophyll and chlorophylones, it contains important fatty acids that could help fight off breast cancer.

10. Turmeric:It’s a powerful anti-inflammatory that can help slow the production of inflammation-related enzymes, which are high in certain cancers like bowel and colon cancers.

I want to be clear – these foods are not cure-alls. But they might help your body better defend itself from developing cancer, so eat up!

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2010/02/08/cancer-fighting-foods/#ixzz1ihDO69Xr

Lack a little rhythm? Well, there’s a trend on the list for just about every person, preference and body part.

The trends were selected through an annual survey conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine. The survey was completed by 2,620 fitness professionals worldwide who ranked their selections into a list of 20 trends they believed would be big in 2012.

“The survey attempts to show a distinction between fads and trends and is a good representation of what’s occurring in the health and fitness industry worldwide,” said Walter Thompson, Ph.D., the lead author of the survey and a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

The list serves to educate consumers and have them question the health clubs they attend. Gym-goers need to determine if their club offers the services that have been deemed trendy across the fitness industry in the year ahead, Thompson says.

For instance, Zumba, a dance workout, offers classes in more than 110,000 gyms in more than 250 countries. So it probably won’t be hard to find a gym that offers these classes.

“I think people are waiting to see if we’re a fad, but class numbers keep getting bigger and Zumba is becoming more popular, so now, people realize we’re here to stay,” said Alberto Perlman, CEO and co-founder of Zumba fitness.

Zumba’s popularity has skyrocketed over the years, and the dance workout was one of the biggest surprises on the list for 2012.

“Zumba is liberating and magical, and one of the key ways it has expanded is through word of mouth,” Perlman said.

Zumba ranked ninth on this year’s list. Thompson is curious to see if it will follow Pilates’ short run in the top 20 fitness trends. Pilates was ranked in the top 10 for three consecutive years, beginning in 2008, but dropped off in 2011.

Of course, there are always trends that are expected to make an appearance on the list each year, such as educated, certified and experienced fitness professionals; strength training; and fitness programs for older adults.

Fitness professionals claimed the No. 1 spot on the 2012 list — and have done so for the past five years.

The demand for fitness trainers is expected to boom over the next half-decade. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics determined that the “… jobs for fitness workers are expected to increase much faster than the average for all occupations [through 2018].”

“It starts with knowledge, and from that stems all the different ways to get in shape. If you have a certified and educated fitness professional, they can guide you through the other 19 fitness trends,” said Brian Attebery, a trainer certified by the National Fitness Professionals Association and the owner of RESULTS Fitness and Nutrition Center in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Also returning among the veteran trends is No. 3 on the list: fitness programs for older adults.

As baby boomers are aging, more are attempting to keep their youthful physique and energy with frequent gym visits.

“The baby boom generation is retiring, and retiring more healthy. They’re a lot more active, and many enjoy working out,” Thompson said. “And with the economy the way it is, group training was another trend that didn’t come as a surprise. These group training sessions are directly related to the economy, and trainers often offer discounts to groups of people.”

Once the new year rolls in and resolutions to hit the gym go into full effect, this predicted list of fitness trends will certainly come in handy.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/27/health/new-year-fitness-trends/index.html?hpt=he_c2

Two groups of women were tested: one with skin cancer and one without. The women were asked about their smoking habits to see if there was any correlation between lighting up and developing cancer. And sure enough, the study found that women who had squamous cell skin cancer were more likely to be smokers, and that women who smoked for 20-plus years were more than twice as likely to have developed the disease as non-smokers. The researchers explained that since cigarette smoke contains carcinogens, the ash and smoke that comes into contact with their faces throughout the day ultimately puts their skin at risk.

But get this: Men who smoke had only a “modest” risk of developing skin cancer according to the study, and at a much lower level than women. The researchers aren’t exactly sure what puts women at an elevated risk.

If you follow our Practice Safe Sun campaign, you know that most cases of skin cancer are 100 percent preventable—and not smoking is another risk factor you can easily avoid. So if you smoke, we hope this alarming new research helps you kick the habit for good.

Read more: New Skin Cancer Risk – Skin Cancer Risk Increased By Smoking – Cosmopolitan

Being a president is a demanding job, especially in times like this, and it’s plausible that the stress of juggling politics, the economy and the military could literally take years off a person’s life.

Michael Rozien, M.D., a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, suggested that presidents age twice as fast as normal while in office.

But sociologist Jay Olshanksy, Ph.D., who is also a professor of public health at the University of Illinois, Chicago, doesn’t buy it.

Wealth, access to healthcare and education are all closely linked to longer lifespan, and presidents have all three resources in abundance, he said. If anything, presidents should age slower than the average person.

To test his hunch, Olshanksy collected birth, death and inauguration dates of every American president that died of natural causes and included living presidents. Then, based on their time in office, he estimated their projected lifespan under Rozien’s “accelerated aging” theory.

Most presidents, or two-thirds, lived or are living longer than their projected lifespan. Olshansky found. They also made it past the average lifespan of men in their age group.

“The first eight presidents lived an average of 79.8 years during a time when life expectancy for men was under 40,” Olshanksy said.

His findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

“It seems like most presidents live exceptionally long lives,” Olshanksy said.

The obvious answer to what seems like the rapid physical aging of presidents in office may simply be that they are older when they leave the White House than when they enter. They also take office in their mid-50s, which is on average a stage in life when the external signs of aging tend to become more pronounced in men.

Also, Olshanksy said he suspected high levels of stress can contribute to superficial aging, even if they don’t shorten lifespan.

“There is good, strong literature to suggest that stress can lead to accelerated graying of hair,” he said. “There’s no question that stress has a powerful effect, but at least with regard to the presidents, it doesn’t appear to be making them die sooner.”

Olshanksy plans to study people in other high-stress jobs, like CEOs of insurance companies, to test whether stress really does influence how old they look.

Read more: http://www.wafb.com/story/16211478/new-study-finds-presidents-only-look-like-they-age-faster

But, although you can no longer eat wheat, barley, rye and some oats, there are tons of food you can eat. And don’t worry, you don’t have to give up bread forever. Because of the high incidence of celiac disease and gluten intolerance (it is estimated that one in every 100 people in the U.S. have
celiac disease and more go undiagnosed), tons of gluten-free products (including breads and pastas), restaurants and recipes are becoming more readily available. However, it’s still very important to be an informed consumer. Many foods that you would never imagine to have gluten do – like bouillon cubes and soy sauce. Follow these tips to get you on track:

Walk the perimeter

Did you ever notice that many of the foods dietitians advocate for health are on the outskirts of the grocery store? Here you will find fresh fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and proteins like meats and meat substitutes. Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables (and canned unless
they contain additives or fillers) are naturally gluten free. Beware though of vegetables with sauces as they may contain gluten. When it comes to dairy: Milk, half and half, butter, margarine, eggs, most cheeses including hard cheeses, and cottage cheese are gluten free. Check labels or with the
manufacturer on processed cheeses, cheese blends and flavored yogurts. Make sure to avoid cheeses with vegetable gum, food starch and preservatives not defined by a gluten-free source. Most poultry is also gluten free, just avoid poultry that has been breaded or that is self basting. Fresh meats like beef, meat substitutes and fish are safe to eat. Be careful when purchasing sausages and hot dogs as these foods may contain wheat. Stock up on healthy fats like nuts and oils, which are also gluten-free unless coated in a marinade or candy covering.

Explore your starches

There are many starches that are naturally gluten free. Branch out from your traditional wheat and try: buckwheat, cornmeal, grits, millet, quinoa and rice. Other starches that can be used are legumes, and starchy vegetables like peas, potatoes and corn. If you like to bake, some gluten-free flours include: almond, amaranth, artichoke, sorghum and teff flours.

Purchase your carbohydrate essentials

After diagnosis it can be expensive and overwhelming to run out and buy all gluten-free products. Instead, stock up on the essentials – purchase a gluten-free bread, frozen waffles, cereal, popcorn, gluten-free crackers and gluten-free snack bars. Some great brands include, Bob’s Red Mill, Chex, The Really Great Food Company and La Tortilla Factory.

Look out for hidden sources

Read labels and steer clear of products like: malt, barley, dextrin, candy, some cold cuts (Applegate Farms is gluten free), gravies, imitation fish, soy sauce, teriyaki, vegetables in sauce,
hydrolyzed wheat protein, rice mixes, communion wafers, chips, bouillon cubes, soups, multivitamins, play dough, lip gloss and stamps.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/11/03/tips-for-going-gluten-free/#ixzz1fOEyK8N7