These Dry Shampoos Actually Clean Your Hair

Photo: Christine Blackburne

A dry shampoo that actually cleans your hair? That’s the idea behind new formulas like Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo ($22; sephora.com) and Unwash Dry Cleanser ($28; unwash.com). Unlike traditional versions, which mask gunk with powder, these cling to oils and sweat to pull them away from strands so hair feels and looks clean.

How can that possibly work? “They contain a small amount of alcohol,” explains cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson, “which breaks up the grime and allows the absorptive ingredients—such as zeolite or volcanic ash—to remove it.” In fact, our tester found that her hair looked just as good on the third day post-wash as it did on the first.

 

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1IjV42y

Healthy doughnuts and cupcakes

 The holiday season is here so maintain your physique with these allergy-friendly, vegan and low in fat and sugar treats.

 

What you'll need - makes 13

Cupcakes/doughnuts

• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup oat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 241 g (1 cup and 1 tbsp) yoghurt**
• 1 ¼ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 tsp vanilla paste
• 1 tsp butter flavour
• 1 tsp stevia extract
• 1 tsp almond flavour
• Sugar-free rainbow sprinkles

Vanilla bean frosting

• 100 g (1 cup) powdered erythritol
• 60g (5 tbsp) homemade vanilla sugar, powdered in a food processor
• ¾ tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Vanilla Sugar* (make 1 week before)

• 4 cups granulated erythritol
• 3 vanilla beans

What You’ll do

Cupcakes/Doughnuts

Preheat oven to 180°C and line 13 cupcake tins with paper or parchment liners or spray doughnut pans with cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk the brown rice flour, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the yoghurt, almond milk, vanilla, butter flavour, stevia extract and almond flavour. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture while stirring and fold the batter together. Last, gently fold the sprinkles into the batter and scoop the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 20 to 21 minutes or until the surface springs back when tapped. Transfer the cupcakes/doughnuts to a wire cooling rack and let cool while you make the frosting.

Frosting

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Scoop into a piping bag and frost the cupcakes. (For the doughnuts, add one to three tsp more almond milk to thin out the frosting and drizzle it over the donuts). Sprinkle with sprinkles or place a thin layer of sprinkles on a sheet of baking paper and gently dunk the cupcakes or doughnuts.

Vanilla Sugar

Put the erythritol in a sealable jar. Slice the vanilla beans in half lengthwise and scrape out the beans with a knife. Add to the erythritol. Chop the vanilla bean pods into chunks and add to the jar. Shake well so that the beans are mixed through. Let sit for a week. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and strain the jar mixture. Gather the vanilla bean chunks and add to a food processor with ½ cup of the erythritol. Grind the mixture until the beans are completely ground and add back to the sugar jar. Add remaining erythritol to the jar and shake again before using.

*    You can substitute store bought vanilla sugar.
**    Use any yoghurt – soy, Greek, coconut – to suit your taste and food goals.

Recipes and words by Jessica Stier.

Treat your guests to more healthy recipes this holiday season.

 

 

{nomultithumb}

 

Source : Diet & Nutrition http://ift.tt/1TaRFn5

Help Your Kids Sleep in Heavenly Peace

SUNDAY, Dec. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Changes in routine can shortchange children’s sleep during the holidays, so a sleep medicine expert offers some advice for parents.

Keep your youngsters’ sleep times consistent, said Jodi Mindell, a clinical psychologist at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.

“As much as possible, be sure to stick to your child’s usual sleep schedule — both bedtime and nap times,” she said in a university news release.

“Of course, there will be exceptions, such as for family holiday gatherings, but try not to make the exception more than one or two nights in a row. If there are too many days of being off schedule, you can expect meltdowns,” Mindell added.

It’s also important to maintain normal bedtime routines.

“If every night is usually a bath and a story in bed, then do a bath and a story in bed, even on holiday nights,” Mindell said.

“Skimping on the bedtime routine or doing your routine some place else, such as reading stories in front of the fireplace, will often backfire. It’s much more exciting than calming,” she explained.

It’s also important to stick with normal morning routines, she said.

“If your child is not able to tell time yet, then use a ‘good morning’ light in the bedroom. This is simply a nightlight on a timer that is set to go off at a reasonable time, such as 6:30 or 7 a.m., which will let your child know when it’s time to get up for the festivities,” Mindell said.

If your children’s sleep routines go off track despite your best efforts, she recommended easing them back into their normal habits.

“If your child’s schedule has completely shifted over the holidays, slowly change back starting the two to three days before life returns to usual schedules, by adjusting bedtime and wake time by 15 to 30 minutes every day,” Mindell advised.

More information

The U.S. National Sleep Foundation has more about children and sleep.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1Mpfi5H

Keytruda May Help Fight Tough-to-Treat Lung Cancer

SATURDAY, Dec. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The immune therapy drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab) may extend the lives of people with advanced lung cancer, a new study finds.

Keytruda is commonly used to treat other tumor types, and made headlines recently after it helped former President Jimmy Carter fight off brain cancer.

In this study, researchers compared Keytruda to the chemotherapy drug docetaxel in more than 1,000 patients with non-small cell lung cancer. All of the patients were battling tumors that had progressed even after chemotherapy.

Non-small cell lung cancer is the leading form of the disease.

All of the patients’ tumors produced a protein called PD-L1, which can shield the tumor from immune system attack, according to a team led by Dr. Roy Herbst, professor of medicine at Yale University School of Medicine.

Among patients with the highest amounts of PD-L1, those who received Keytruda lived twice as long as those who received docetaxel alone — 14.9 months vs. 8.2 months, Herbst’s team found. Patients with low levels of PD-L1 also benefited from Keytruda.

Treatment-linked side effects were less in patients given Keytruda versus those who took docetaxel, the study found.

There might be one drawback to Keytruda, however: cost. A year’s supply of the drug carries a price tag of about $150,000.

The new study was published Dec. 19 in The Lancet and also presented at the annual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology on Saturday. The research was funded by Keytruda’s maker, Merck & Co.

The findings suggest that the drug might be offered earlier to patients with a particular lung tumor profile, said Herbst, who is also chief of medical oncology at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven, Conn.

“I believe we should treat patients with the best available drugs as soon as possible. Now that we have learned which patients are most likely to benefit from the anti-PD-L1 strategy, we could begin moving this drug to the earlier setting stages,” he said in a Yale news release.

“In this direction, I am eager to see the results of ongoing studies testing [Keytruda] in the first-line setting and as an adjuvant after surgery to hopefully reduce high rates of lung cancer recurrence,” he added.

One expert agreed that the findings may mark an advance against lung cancer.

“This is a fascinating development in cancer treatment that uses targeted immunotherapy instead of standard chemotherapy,” noted Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

“This is being examined in other cancers as well,” he added, “and may represent the dawn of new immune-based approaches to cancer.”

In October, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Keytruda for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors express PD-L1 and whose cancer progressed while or after receiving platinum-containing chemotherapy.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about non-small cell lung cancer.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1Yo0FvS

Colored Contacts Can Be Totally Safe, as Long as You Take These 3 Steps

Photo: Getty Images

If you’re the type who’s always on the hunt for a fun, new way to experiment with your look, colored contacts can offer a dramatic change.

The eye trend has been popping up among celebrities like Selena Gomez, who chose to switch up her natural dark brown color for a blueish grey hue at this year’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. But is wearing colored contacts safe, especially given all of the contact lens horror stories that have been circulating lately? We got the experts to weigh in on how you can pull them off—without hurting your eyes

RELATED: Tips to Make Your Eyes Pop

Go to a professional

The real trouble with color contacts starts when you look outside your eye doctor for your colored contacts, Steven Shanbom, MD, an ophthalmologist in Berkley, Michigan tells Health. “You should be considering your colored contact a medical device, not a toy.” And yes, even if you don’t normally wear corrective lenses, you still need a professional fitting.

What could go wrong? “If you have a contact that is too tight or the curvature it too short, it can stick and hold up the eye and slowly cause an abrasion or irritation,” Dr. Shanbom says. “That’s a spot for bacteria to come in and cause an infection.”

Use a lens from a reputable brand

While it is possible to order colored contacts online or pick them up at certain convenience stores, Dr. Shanbom warns that any brand that doesn’t require a valid prescription shouldn’t be trusted. “If you see an eye care professional to be fitted, you are going to get a safe product,” he explains.

The problem with these unverified brands is that they are made to be one-size-fits-all, but all corneas are not equal. Just like your feet require the correct shoe size, your eyeball needs a lens that fits. By wearing contacts that don’t correctly fit your eye you run the risk of irritation, infection, and even blindness if you get an infection that gets out of control.

RELATED: 8 Tricks for Wearing Mascara When You Have Sensitive Eyes

Luckily, many name brands are jumping on the color changing bandwagon if you have a valid prescription. Options range from ACUVES 1-Day Define lens (for as low as $65 for a month’s supply), which subtly brightens your eyes natural color with colored enhancements, to Alcon AIR OPTIX COLORS ($80 for a three-month supply, airoptixcolors.com), which allows you to chose between 9 color options for daily wear up to 30 days.

Take good care of them

Just like prescription lenses, you’re not off the hook once you’ve gotten fitted by a pro and purchased from a reputable brand. It is still up to you to properly care for your contacts.

Depending on how they’re labeled, the lens should be always be discarded after a certain amount of time and replaced with a fresh lens. And you should never be cleaning your lenses with anything other than cleans hands and a sterile solution.

RELATED: 8 Tricks for Wearing Mascara When You Have Sensitive Eyes

“That’s the same whether you have a colored contact or a clear lens,” says Dr. Shanbom.

The good news is that if you follow these precautions, it’s relatively safe to wear colored contacts for cosmetic sake. Say Dr. Shanbom, “if you wear them properly, I don’t see where it’s a undue risk to want to change your eye color.”

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1ZgxHuJ

Holiday Luggage Can Be Hazardous to Your Back

FRIDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) — Heavy luggage may be more than a hassle for holiday travels — those overloaded bags can sometimes cause health problems, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) warns.

“Individuals are at high risk for back, neck and shoulder strains when carelessly handling heavy luggage,” Dr. Nitin Khanna, an orthopedic surgeon and AAOS spokesperson, said in an academy news release.

“Always be cognizant of the way you are lifting heavy luggage to avoid painful injuries,” Khanna advised.

In 2014, Americans suffered almost 73,000 luggage-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

When you shop for new luggage, look for a sturdy, light piece with wheels and a handle, the AAOS said. Pack lightly. If possible, put items in a few smaller bags rather than one large piece of luggage.

Never twist your body when carrying or lifting luggage. Rather, point your toes in the direction you are going and then turn your entire body in that direction. Don’t rush when carrying or lifting luggage. If it’s too heavy or an awkward shape, ask for help.

Don’t carry heavy luggage for long periods of time. Check heavy baggage rather than carrying it on a bus, train or plane, the AAOS said.

When lifting luggage onto platforms or into a car trunk, bend at the knees, lift with your legs, and keep it close to your body. When putting baggage in an overhead compartment, first lift it onto the top of the seat, then grab both sides and lift it up.

If you’re using a backpack, it should have two padded and adjustable shoulder straps and several compartments where you can secure different-sized items. Use both shoulder straps when carrying the backpack, the AAOS recommended.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about holiday health and safety.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1Pevayp

Drug Overdoses Hit Record High: CDC

FRIDAY, Dec. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Drug overdose deaths reached record highs in 2014, fueled largely by the abuse of narcotic painkillers and heroin, U.S. health officials reported Friday.

In 2014, more than 47,000 Americans died from drug overdoses — a 14 percent increase over 2013. Since 2000, nearly half a million people have died from overdoses, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More than six out of 10 drug overdose deaths involved narcotics, including prescription painkillers and heroin, the report found.

“The increasing number of deaths from opioid [narcotic] overdose is alarming,” CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden said in a statement.

“The opioid epidemic is devastating American families and communities. To curb these trends and save lives, we must help prevent addiction and provide support and treatment to those who suffer from opioid use disorders,” he said.

Oxycodone, which includes the brand-name drug OxyContin, and hydrocodone, which includes the brand-name drug Vicodin, continue to be among the most commonly prescribed narcotic painkillers, and are responsible for more overdose deaths than any other narcotic, the researchers found.

Deaths from these drugs increased 9 percent — 813 more deaths in 2014 than 2013, according to the report released Dec. 18 in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

In 2014, deaths from overdoses of heroin also increased, continuing a sharp rise that has tripled since 2010, the researchers said.

In addition, deaths from illegally made fentanyl — a potent narcotic added to or sold as heroin — are also increasing, the CDC reports.

More men and women of nearly all ages, as well whites and blacks, are dying from drug overdoses, the researchers found.

According to the report, rates of drug overdose deaths were highest in five states: West Virginia, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Kentucky and Ohio.

Two trends appear to be driving the overdose epidemic: a 15-year increase in deaths from prescription narcotic painkiller overdoses and a recent surge in overdoses from illegal drugs, mainly heroin. Both of these trends worsened in 2014, the researchers added.

The largest increase in narcotic overdose deaths were from synthetic narcotics, not including methadone. These drugs caused 5,500 deaths in 2014, almost twice as many as in 2013.

Many of these overdoses involved illegally made fentanyl, researchers say.

In addition, deaths from overdoses of heroin increased 26 percent, accounting for more than 10,500 deaths in 2014.

Abuse of prescription narcotic painkillers is the biggest risk factor for going on to use heroin — especially among young adults, the CDC found.

The switch to heroin is fueled by the increased availability of heroin, its relatively low price compared to prescription narcotics and the high purity of the heroin being sold, the researchers reported.

According to the CDC, the way to curb the epidemic of drug abuse is to limit the amount of narcotic painkillers being prescribed; to increase the availability of addiction treatment, including medication-assisted treatment; and to expand access and use of naloxone — a drug that reverses the symptoms of a narcotic overdose.

“This report also shows how important it is that law enforcement intensify efforts to reduce the availability of heroin, illegal fentanyl and other illegal opioids,” Frieden added.

More information

Visit the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1Pevai4

Chrissy Teigen’s Most Hilarious, Body Positive, All-Around Awesome Posts from 2015

Move of the Week: Hula Hoop Pump Ab Exercise

Hula-hoops aren’t just for kids—they’re actually great tools for toning your abs. So grab a hoop and watch Kristin McGee, Health’s resident fitness expert, demonstrate the best way to execute this exercise. Who knew working out your core could be so fun?

RELATED: 24 Fat-Burning Ab Exercises (No Crunches!)

Here’s how to do it: Stand with your feet a little wider than hip width apart, get those abdominals in and up. Start out with 30 seconds and build up to a minute or as long as you possibly can.

Trainer tip: Don’t worry if you can’t get the movement perfectly right the first time you try—just practicing is going to work your abs.

RELATED: The 8 Best Fat-Blasters

 

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1PecoXY

How Your Yoga Class Might Actually Save You Money

Photo: Getty Images

And now for some more good news for the yogis and meditators out there—but this time it has nothing to do with awesome arms or your libido. New research suggests that practicing these mind-body techniques may actually translate to major healthcare savings later on.

The study, published recently in the journal Plos One, followed more than 17,000 people for roughly 4 years. Over that time period, about 4,500 of the participants were enrolled in an 8-week program offered at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, which teaches complementary mind-body tools such as yoga, meditation, cognitive behavioral skills, and mindfulness; the rest were a control group. For both sets of participants, the researchers tracked how often they used healthcare services, everything from regular doctor’s appointments to tests and hospital or emergency room visits, and why.

In the end, they found that on average, those who got the mind-body training used their healthcare 43% less compared to the control group, which translated to an estimated average savings each year of $2,360 per person in emergency room visits. Furthermore, the team estimated that mindfulness training could mean savings of anywhere from $640 to $25,000 per patient per year.

RELATED: 25 Surprising Ways Stress Affects Your Health

Why? You probably know that stress can affect your health, but you might not realize that stress-related health problems account for the third biggest chunk of healthcare expenditures in the United States—only after heart disease and cancer. In fact, according to a 2013 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, 40–60% of primary care visits have a stress-related component.

Stress-related disorders include things like depression and anxiety, but stress can also manifest physically as back pain, headaches, insomnia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel, chest discomfort, and more.

RELATED: Yoga Moves to Beat Insomnia, Ease Stress, and Relieve Pain

This latest study shows that mind-body interventions offer a way for patients to engage in their own treatment, thus reducing doctors visits and nipping problems in the bud,  lead author James E. Stahl, MD, associate professor of medicine at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, explains to Health. This is especially important, considering the JAMA study showed that of those stress-related primary care visits, only 3% of doctors actually spoke to the patients about ways to manage their stress.

In the long-term, Dr. Stahl hopes to see mind-body interventions and wellness-oriented programs become more widely available and covered by healthcare plans. But in the meantime, the good thing about mind-body exercises and stress relief practices is that there are a number of ways to create your own program. You can start with these great at-home (or work!) yoga sequences, and a goal to do 10 minutes of meditation per day.

Says Dr. Stahl, “Consistency and practice is the key—even doing something for just 10 minutes per day can have a big impact on your health—they all have a cumulative benefit.”

RELATED: 20 Weird Ways Breathing Right Can Improve Your Life

 

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1JhpI7t