Florida Laws May Help Lower Abuse of Prescription Painkillers

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — New legislation designed to rein in prescription narcotic abuse in the state of Florida has prompted a small, but quick decrease in narcotic painkiller prescriptions, a new investigation reveals.

About a year after the laws were enacted, Florida saw total prescriptions for the narcotic painkillers called opioids drop by 1.4 percent, the study found. Researchers also discovered a 2.5 percent decrease in the total of opioid volume that was dispensed. What’s more, significant falloff was seen among patients and dispensaries that had been at the highest end of the prescribing spectrum, the study noted.

“There are no magic bullets when it comes to the opioid epidemic,” acknowledged study lead author Dr. Caleb Alexander, co-director of the John Hopkins Center of Drug Safety and Effectiveness in Baltimore.

“The problem is huge. America is just 5 percent of the world’s population, but we consume 80 percent of all opioids, and more Americans have died from opioid abuse than double the number who died in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam combined,” Alexander said.

“But these types of policies and programs,” he added, “are one of the main tools states have to combat the problem. So it’s very important that we evaluate their impact. And I do think these reductions are clinically important. Because even just a 2 percent reduction in opioid volume translates into hundreds of thousands of fewer pills dispensed per month.”

Opioid-based painkillers include hydrocodone (Vicodin) and oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet).

Alexander and his colleagues outline their findings in the Aug. 17 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

Though Florida is hardly the only state in the nation grappling with prescription narcotic abuse, the study team noted that it has become “the epicenter of this epidemic.”

For example, fatalities among Floridians resulting from prescription drug overdoses skyrocketed by more than 80 percent between 2003 and 2009. And of the 100 American doctors cited for purchasing the highest amounts of the opioid oxycodone in 2010, 90 were based in Florida, according to the study.

Although opioids are an important and legal form of treatment for many pain sufferers, they are also extremely addictive. Some pain clinics across Florida and elsewhere are thought to be bogus dispensaries — or “pill mills” — that essentially dispense narcotics for profit rather than legitimate medical purpose, according to background information in the study.

To address these growing concerns, Florida passed new drug laws between 2010 and 2011. Florida’s first law required that all pain management clinics be registered with the state and run by a physician owner. The second established a statewide prescription drug monitoring program that tracks all drugs sold in an electronic database.

The new analysis looked at the 2010 to 2012 prescription patterns among roughly 2.6 million patients across both Florida and neighboring Georgia. Georgia hadn’t implemented any new curbs on pain clinic operations, the study said.

In all, 480 million prescription drugs were issued through more than 430,000 prescribers and 2,800 pharmacies across both states. Nearly 8 percent of the prescriptions were for opioids, the study found.

But compared to Georgia, post-legislation Florida saw a measurable drop in overall opioid dispensing.

For example, the average amount of opioid included in any one filled narcotic prescription dropped 6 percent in Florida.

“Of course, we’re still losing far too many Americans to preventable deaths associated with this form of abuse and misuse,” said Alexander. “But this is certainly a ‘glass half-full’ situation. Particularly because the bulk of this drop took place among the highest volume abusers and prescribers. So these policies will save lives.”

But Dr. Edward Michna, director of the Pain Trials Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, cautioned that such success can breed unintended consequences.

“Florida was out of control,” he said. “It is the hotbed of the national problem. But with 49 states now implementing or about to implement similar programs, the risk is that we confuse criminal operations with the day-to-day practice of medicine. Because there is a large chronic pain problem in this country, and in many cases opioids may in fact be legitimately indicated.

“All this increased surveillance and decreased utilization raises the possibility that in the process some people who really need these meds may be affected. It’s pretty clear something has to be done. But we need to find the right balance,” Michna said.

More information

There’s more on opioid drug abuse at U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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City Grime Releases Pollutant When Exposed to Sunlight: Study

MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Sunlight causes grime on city buildings, statues and other outdoor surfaces to release chemicals that create smog, according to a new study.

City grime is a mixture of thousands of chemicals — including nitrogen oxides — emitted into the air by vehicles, factories and other sources. It had been believed that nitrogen oxides become inactive when they are trapped in grime on city surfaces.

Field studies conducted in Toronto and Leipzig, Germany, revealed that sunlight releases nitrogen oxides from grime. When in the air, nitrogen oxides can combine with other pollutants called volatile organic compounds to create ozone, which is the main component of smog.

The study finding is to be presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.

“The current understanding of urban air pollution does not include the recycling of nitrogen oxides and potentially other compounds from building surfaces,” study author James Donaldson, a University of Toronto chemistry professor, said in a society news release.

“But based on our field studies in a real-world environment, this is happening. We don’t know yet to what extent this is occurring, but it may be quite a significant, and unaccounted for, contributor to air pollution in cities,” he explained.

Research presented at medical meetings is typically considered preliminary until published in a journal that’s peer-reviewed.

More information

The World Health Organization outlines the health risks of air pollution.

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Kids’ Risky Behaviors a Concern in Some Military Families

MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Children in U.S. military families are more likely to engage in risky behaviors and to be bullied than those in civilian families, a new study finds.

Researchers surveyed about 688,000 middle and high school students in California in 2013, including more than 54,000 who lived in a military family.

Compared to those in civilian families, children in military families were more likely to report alcohol use (45 percent vs. 39 percent); physical bullying such as being punched, kicked, or slapped (36 percent vs. 27 percent); and non-physical bullying such as being the target of jokes, rumors or online harassment (66 percent vs. 59 percent).

The study, published Aug. 17 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, also found that kids in military families were more likely to take a gun or knife to school. Fights and fear of being beaten up were more common among military-related children as well.

“These results suggest that a sizable subset of military-connected students are struggling to cope with the ramifications of two long wars,” lead author Kathrine Sullivan, a Ph.D. student in social work at the University of Southern California, said in a university news release.

“While a lot of military kids are still doing well, despite these stressors, many are in need of more support,” she added.

Nationwide, an estimated 4 million students have had parents serve since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and many of those youngsters are currently enrolled in public schools, according to the researchers.

“The findings suggest that health risk and behavior issues among military-connected students should not be viewed in isolation,” study co-author Tamika Gilreath, an assistant professor in the USC School of Social Work, said in the news release.

“It is likely that youth who experience difficulty with substance use are the same youth who might have problems with victimization,” she added.

Schools need to know who their veteran- and military-connected students are, and should assess their needs and provide supports, study co-author Gordon Capp, a Ph.D. student in social work at USC, said in the news release.

More information

The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry has more about families in the military.

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Neglecting Teen Health May Lead to Bigger Problems as Adults

By Tara Haelle
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Nearly one in five teens has specific health care needs that are not receiving attention, and this may set them up for poorer physical and mental health in adulthood, a new study contends.

“Previous research had shown that lack of medical care in this age group is associated with poor health and higher risk behaviors at the time. But, it wasn’t known that these poor health outcomes persisted into adulthood,” said lead author Dr. Dougal Hargreaves, a pediatrician and health services researcher at University College London, England, and at Boston Children’s Hospital.

The study was published online Aug. 17 in the journal Pediatrics.

The researchers analyzed data from 14,800 participants in a long-term U.S. study of teen and adult health. The teens first answered questions in 1994-1995 when they were, on average, 16 years old. Then they responded in another questionnaire in 2008 when they were about 30 years old.

In the teenage questionnaire, 19 percent reported they had some kind of health care need that did not get treatment.

“Teenagers have the same broad range of health needs as other age groups,” Hargreaves said. These include acute infections, skin problems or headaches, and long-term conditions such as asthma, diabetes or epilepsy. Teen needs also include mental health problems and preventive care, such as immunizations and obesity prevention.

“Some health problems are particularly common in adolescence,” Hargreaves said. “For example, anxiety, depression and other mental health problems often start in adolescence and early adulthood, but many young people experience long delays in getting the help they need.”

The researchers focused on five areas of health problems when the teens reached adulthood: having overall poor health, difficulty with everyday activities, taking extra time off work or school, depression symptoms, and suicidal thoughts.

Those who had unmet health needs in adolescence were more likely to experience all of these negative adult experiences except taking more time off work.

“Attitudes to health and health care are often established in adolescence and young adulthood,” Hargreaves said. “Our study found that individuals who didn’t get in the habit of accessing health care appropriately as adolescents continued not to access the care they needed as adults.”

Adults whose teenage health issues weren’t addressed had 52 percent greater odds of having difficulty doing everyday activities, such as moving furniture, going bowling, or walking a short distance, compared to the other study participants.

The adults with unmet needs as teens also had 27 percent greater risk of having only fair or poor health, 36 percent greater odds of depression symptoms and 30 percent greater odds of suicidal thoughts.

The reasons teens were not getting the care they needed was varied, but only 15 percent cited cost.

Dr. Danelle Fisher, vice chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., said, “The most surprising finding in this study was that the unmet health needs existed across all socioeconomic groups.

“Teen health issues are important even if there is no obvious functional impairment,” Fisher explained. “Adolescents sometimes seek to hide destructive behaviors, and other times they ask for help.”

While the study only found an association rather than a cause-and-effect link, there are several possible reasons why these teens with unmet health needs have a harder time in adulthood, Hargreaves said. It may be that a serious or long-term health condition becomes worse when it’s not addressed early on. Or teens may get into a habit of not seeking health care when they need it.

Hargreaves suggested three ways to better address teens’ health needs. One is ensuring that high-quality, confidential health care services exist for young people. Another is for policymakers, insurance companies and care providers to make sure all teens have access to this care.

“Thirdly, many young people miss out on medical care due to embarrassment, lack of engagement with their health or lack of knowledge about when a health problem might be serious,” Hargreaves said. “This is a wider issue which needs to be addressed by parents, community groups, charities, schools and media organizations, as well as by health care professionals.”

More information

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

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FDA Could Approve First Female Libido Pill Soon

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could soon approve a controversial drug aimed at boosting libido in women.

If it gets the agency’s nod, flibanserin would become the first such FDA-approved medicine.

Proponents say the drug would provide an important option for millions of American women who suffer from hypoactive sexual desire disorder, which causes a persistent or recurring lack of desire or an absence of sexual fantasies.

“This would bring another option to the table that doesn’t currently exist,” said Fred Wyand, spokesman for the American Sexual Health Association, a group that testified at an FDA hearing in favor of flibanserin. “There really are not any medical options available for women who have low sexual desire. There just aren’t a lot of choices out there.”

But opponents note a host of concerns regarding the drug, which has already twice been turned down by the FDA, once in 2010 and again in 2013.

An FDA advisory panel voted 18 to 6 in June to recommend the drug’s approval, but the endorsement was somewhat muted. The committee called the drug’s benefits “moderate” or “marginal,” and the panel members who voted yes said full FDA approval should come with conditions.

The FDA typically follows the recommendations of its advisory panels, but is not bound to do so.

Flibanserin hasn’t been shown to be very effective, said psychotherapist Keesha Ewers, founder and chief medical officer of the Functional Sexology Institute.

Women in clinical trials for the drug reported, at best, an increase of one additional satisfying sexual event per month, according to FDA documents. Plus, clinical trials have also shown that the drug doesn’t appear to directly boost a woman’s libido, Ewers added.

“Not one person in the studies that have been done has actually reported an increase in sexual desire,” she said. “What has been reported is a decrease in the distress that is felt about lack of sexual desire.”

That distress is one of the clinical parameters used to diagnose a person with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. And, that is what has allowed the drug’s proponents to contend that it can be useful in treating some women who have sexual dysfunction.

There are also some safety concerns about flibanserin. One in five people in clinical trials reported that the drug caused feelings of extreme fatigue and sedation. Accidental injuries associated with this fatigue occurred twice as often in women taking flibanserin compared with those taking a placebo, FDA documents showed.

Flibanserin’s opponents contend that the FDA is being muscled into approving the drug through a slick marketing campaign called “Even the Score,” which uses a gender-rights argument to advocate for the drug’s approval. The campaign receives funding from Sprout Pharmaceuticals, Palatin Technologies and Trimel Pharmaceuticals, all of which are working on drugs to treat female sexual disorders.

A number of high-profile groups such as the National Organization of Women have signed onto the campaign, which argues that women deserve a medication that helps sexual function since men already have Viagra and Cialis.

“We live in a culture that has historically discounted the importance of sexual pleasure and sexual desire for women,” NOW President Terry O’Neill said in an NPR interview earlier this year. “And, I fear that it’s that cultural attitude that men’s sexual health is extremely important, but women’s sexual health is not so important. That’s the cultural attitude that I want to be sure the FDA has not, maybe unconsciously, imported into its deliberative process.”

Other groups in support of Even the Score include the American Sexual Health Association, the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, the Society for Women’s Health Research, and the Institute for Sexual Medicine.

“What makes me sad, worried, and to be honest, annoyed, is that there are no medical options available for women for whom biological factors are at play. Not one,” said Lynn Barclay, the American Sexual Health Association’s president and CEO, who testified before the FDA advisory committee in June.

Ewers said it’s a false argument to compare flibanserin for women to Viagra or Cialis for men. “To say that we’re going to give equal rights to women by giving them the pink version of Viagra is ridiculous and unintelligent,” she said.

Viagra works on a man’s body, stimulating blood flow to create easy erections. “That’s an actual physiological function — erection,” Ewers said. “It’s not affecting their desire. It’s affecting their plumbing.”

Flibanserin, on the other hand, works by affecting a woman’s brain chemistry, which can have a host of unintended consequences, she contended.

“The problem is that these two things are not the same,” Ewers said. “It’s being presented with this very black-and-white argument, as equal time for women, and that’s just not the case.”

More information

Learn more about sexual dysfunction in women from the National Women’s Health Information Resource Center.

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Doctor Offers Back-to-School Health Tips

SUNDAY, Aug. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — With the arrival of the new school year, parents need to remember the importance of keeping their children healthy, a pediatrician advises.

“As we approach the beginning of each school year, we must consider the ongoing health of our children. Ages differ, and therefore needs and concerns differ, but principles remain the same. Healthier children are happier children,” Dr. Peter Richel, a pediatrician at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y., said in a hospital news release.

He outlined a number of ways to help children stay healthy during the school year. One important consideration is making sure they get enough sleep.

“We often allow later bedtimes during summer months, usually compensating with later sleeping each morning, but adequate rest cannot be overemphasized once school begins. Bedtime routines are very important, especially with earlier start times. Try not to overbook children with activities, especially younger children. Inadequate rest can lead to lowered resistance, and increase susceptibility to illness,” Richel said.

Good nutrition is another key factor. Children need to have three meals a day, including a good breakfast. Snacks should be as healthy as possible. Children also need to get daily exercise.

Certain vaccinations are needed when kids begin kindergarten, and requirements may vary slightly by state.

Anxiety can be a problem for some children as they start the new school year.

“Parents should encourage their children to discuss anything that makes them nervous about returning to school or going to school for the first time. If it is riding the bus, look into ‘practice runs’ on the bus, or work with your child to imagine that your car is the bus,” Richel suggested.

“If they worry about the school itself, take a tour or two before the first day of school to help them get oriented, and say hello to their new teacher when they visit the school. If they are concerned about being separated from you, have them pick a special toy or stuffed animal that they can put in their backpack and take to school with them. Place a note in their lunchbox expressing how proud you are of them, and if they are not reading yet, simply draw a heart or something they like, such as a truck,” Richel advised.

Safety is another important consideration.

“Parents should review and encourage bus safety for those children who ride, and safe driving for those adolescents who drive to high school and college,” Richel said.

When using a backpack for school, children should use both straps when wearing it. If they use a one-strap saddle book bag, or carry athletic bags with sports gear, they should switch sides every day.

Avoid putting too much pressure on children to do well, because it can be counterproductive.

“Don’t demand perfection, simply encourage each child to do their best. Students who achieve success as scholars, athletes and musicians feel good about themselves. Remember, each child is an individual, and need not feel pressure to do all things, or to do all things well. Try not to compare them to siblings or friends,” Richel said.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about school health.

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Don’t Let Backpacks Lead to Back Injury

SATURDAY, Aug. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Backpacks are convenient for students, but they can pose a threat to kids’ backs, necks and shoulders if used improperly, an expert says.

In 2013, there were more than 5,400 backpack-related injuries treated in emergency departments across the United States, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

“In my own practice, I have noticed a marked increase in the number of young children who are complaining about back, neck and shoulder pain,” Scott Bautch, of the American Chiropractic Association’s Council on Occupational Health, said in an association news release.

“The first question I ask these patients is, ‘Do you carry a backpack to school?’ Almost always, the answer is ‘yes,'” he said.

A backpack should weigh no more than 5 to 10 percent of a child’s weight. And, the backpack should never be wider or longer than the child’s torso, Bautch advised. Backpacks also should not hang more than 4 inches below the waistline.

Backpacks need wide, padded and adjustable shoulder straps, and children should always use both straps when wearing a backpack, Bautch said.

It’s also important for a backpack to have a padded back. This improves comfort and also protects the child from sharp edges on pencils, rulers, books and other school supplies inside the pack.

Select a backpack with several separate compartments, which will make it easier to position the contents more effectively. Place pointy or bulky items away from the area that rests on the child’s back.

One way to limit a backpack’s weight is to ask your child’s teacher if it’s possible for the youngster to leave the heaviest books and electronic items such as laptop computers at school, and take home only lighter handout materials, Bautch said.

More information

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has more about backpack safety.

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3 Awesome Ways to Use Bananas (That Aren’t Smoothies!)

You already eat bananas as a snack and toss them into smoothies, of course—but this potassium-loaded, fiber-rich fruit can do so much more. Here are three creative ideas, straight from our food director’s kitchen.

Grain-Free Banana Pancakes

Photo: Beth Lipton

Have you gone gluten-free, or are you reducing the amount of grains in your diet? Doesn’t mean you have to give up enjoying pancakes for breakfast. Try these this weekend (double or triple the recipe if you’re feeding a crowd):

Yield: 4 pancakes

1 ripe banana
1 large egg
Generous pinch of salt
3 Tbsp. almond meal
¼ tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
Coconut oil (for cooking)

In a bowl, mash banana well with a fork. Add egg, salt, almond meal and vanilla, if using and stir with fork until well combined. Melt a generous amount of coconut oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Pour in batter (use about 3 Tbsp. batter for each pancake), spacing well in skillet. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes total, flipping halfway through. Note: These can be tricky to flip, so resist the urge to try until the pancakes are firm on the bottom.

If cooking in batches, keep cooked pancakes warm on a plate in a 200ºF oven until all pancakes are cooked. Serve hot, with yogurt and berries or a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired.

RELATED: 12 Refreshing and Healthy Ice Pop Recipes

Chocolate Banana “N’ice Cream”

Photo: Beth Lipton

Dairy- and refined sugar-free! This is a great treat for anyone, but especially if you’re lactose-intolerant.

Serves: 1

½ cup dairy free milk of choice (I used homemade cashew milk)
1 ripe banana, sliced and frozen
3 to 4 Tbsp. raw cacao
Generous pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and very thick. Thin with more nut milk, if needed. Transfer to a bowl and freeze.

RELATED: 3 Easy Peach Recipes That Will Make You Look Like a Gourmet Chef

Roasted Bananas

Photo: Beth Lipton

Yep, you can roast bananas. This recipe makes for a sweet, spiced, and wholesome treat for breakfast or dessert.

Serves: 2 to 4

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter (preferably grass-fed, such as Kerrygold)
2 bananas, thickly sliced on a bias
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
2 to 3 tsp. raw honey
1/8 to ¼ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 to ¼ tsp. ground ginger

Preheat oven to 400ºF. While oven is heating, place butter in an 8-inch square pan, place in oven and allow it to melt. (Watch carefully; you don’t want butter to brown.) Remove baking dish from oven. Place bananas in pan in a single layer. Sprinkle with lemon juice, then salt. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon and ginger. Roast until bananas are soft and lightly darkened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm or transfer to a bowl, let cool, then cover and refrigerate. Serve with plain yogurt, over oatmeal or chia pudding, or simply topped with chopped nuts or granola.

Want to know more about bananas? Read up on their surprising history and get more deets about their abundant health benefits.

RELATED: 17 Refreshing Blueberry Recipes

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Headaches Are Common in Kids, Teens

FRIDAY, Aug. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A number of things can trigger headaches in children and teens, a pediatrician says.

About 10 percent of school-aged children and up to 27 percent of teens have headaches from time to time, according to Dr. Nick DeBlasio, a pediatrician in Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Pediatric Primary Care Clinic.

One of the leading causes of headaches in children and teens is not drinking enough fluids, especially when youngsters are active outside during warm weather. The cure in this case might be as simple as having your child drink more water.

Missing a meal can also trigger a headache. Parents need to make sure their children eat a well-balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. Too much caffeine and certain foods can also cause a headache, DeBlasio said.

Lack of sleep is another potential headache trigger. Middle and high school students typically need at least 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night.

High levels of stress at school or at home — such as a major move or parents getting divorced — can also lead to headaches.

If a child has difficulty seeing what’s going on at the front of the classroom, he or she might suffer eye strain, which can result in a headache. An eye test can help determine if a child’s headaches are caused by vision problems, DeBlasio said.

Children are also more likely to get headaches if a parent gets them, too.

If a youngster has a headache, give them over-the-counter ibuprofen and water, DeBlasio said. Follow the instructions on the package for appropriate dosage and do not give it to your child more than three times a week.

If a child’s headache persists for a few days or worsens, call a doctor.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about headaches.

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We Tried Lululemon’s New Craft Beer and Here’s What We Thought

Photo: Lululemon

Cheers, yogis!

In a ploy to “bridge the beer-yoga divide,” Lululemon Athletica is offering up a branded beer at select liquor stores called the Curiosity Lager.

From the athletic clothing label that brought you “anti-ball crushing” pants, the craft brew arrives just in time to toast the company-sponsored SeaWheeze Half Marathon being held in Vancouver’s Stanley Park on Saturday. They teamed up with Canadian brewery Stanley Park Brewing to produce the suds, which clock in at a 4.6% alcohol content and feature chinook and lemondrop hops, per the company’s website.

A Lululemon spokesperson recently said it was a ploy for the male consumer, eliciting eye rolls across the Internet. The bad news (or is it good news?): They produced just 88,000 cans and you can only find them at liquor stores across the border in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, and at the post-run party tomorrow. Admit it, though, you’re a little bit curious about what a yoga beer can taste like.

Well, just for fun, three Health staffers—and one Health husband!—graciously volunteered to sample it for you. Here’s what our team had to say about it.

RELATED: Got Leftover Beer? Try These 11 Recipes

Michael Gollust

Research Editor, Health magazine; Writer and Video, Health.com

Photo: Michael Gollust

To be honest, I’m no beer expert, but I’ve tried a few in my day and tend to favor hoppy products from Northeast breweries like Smuttynose, Peak Organic, and Harpoon.

Appearance: The Curiosity Lager can jumps out at you with its cheery, whimsical park-and-bridge design. (My wife actually worried it might look too cute and could be mistaken for a flavored ice tea, soda, or sports drink.) The brew itself is a pretty nondescript pale yellow.

Aroma: It offers up a pleasing citrus-y aroma, almost like a floral white wine.

Taste: It came off as a little limp, in my opinion. The flavor was mild, with only the faintest tanginess. It had little aftertaste and a clean finish, but alas, not really much of a start.

Mouthfeel: I’m typically a fan of hoppier, more herby flavors, but I can certainly appreciate a lager for summertime sipping. This one, though, lacked the crispness and the “ahhhhh” I’m usually looking for.

Food pairings: I can see it pairing with fish or chicken, or a bowl of chips and salsa, but it didn’t hold up to a bowl of chili in my dinnertime test.

RELATED: 7 Ways to Keep Alcohol From Ruining Your Diet

Ahmad Shairzay

Product Manager, Health.com

Photo: Ahmad Shairzay

I don’t know if I can claim beer aficionado status but I do enjoy a good brew from time to time. I enjoy light and crisp lagers and pilsners in the warmer months while hearty and hoppy IPA’s and smooth stouts in the colder months. While some IPA are akin to sipping an old gym sock, there’s an enjoyment when it’s done well.

Appearance: Golden and light in appearance. Just about what you’d expect with a lager.

Aroma: Slighty fruity, very, well, “beery”.

Taste: Light but balanced lager, not at all hoppy. Slightly fruity, crisp, and refreshing. It’s a very easy-drinking brew.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and effervescent.

Food pairings: A light and crisp lager like this can go with just about anything, from salty to savory. Personally, I think it would be great with some chips and guac.

RELATED: The Health Benefits of Lululemon’s ‘Anti-Ball Crushing’ Pants

Matt Allyn

Resident Beer Expert; friend of Health.com

Photo: Matt Allyn

I’m a certified beer judge, co-author of  The Brewer’s Apprentice ($16, amazon.com), web editor at Men’s Journal, and husband of Health.com deputy editor Christine Mattheis. Also, I am wearing all Lululemon clothes in this photo. I wanted to really complete the whole experience of testing this beer.

Appearance: Clear light gold with a soft white head.

Aroma: Bready barley aroma with a toasted edge.

Taste: Slightly sweet upfront, with a touch of crisp apple and bread crust. Mild, spicy hops balance the malts and add a little grapefruit.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied, fairly easy to drink.

Food Pairings: Salad, soft fresh cheeses, grilled seafood and sushi, fresh fruit, burgers and brats.

RELATED: Got Leftover Beer? Try These 11 Recipes

Amelia Harnish

Resident Beer Hater; News Editor, Health.com

Photo: Amelia Harnish

I dislike beer. When I go out, I almost always overpay for a fancy cocktail from the drink menu. Or sangria. I really like sangria! If I’m going to have a drink, I want to enjoy the taste and not feel bloated afterward. I realize this makes me a very stereotypical “girl” drinker, and I’m more than okay with that.

Appearance: Yellow, like a sunflower or like pee. Sorry. All beer looks like pee to me. But, the can is really cute! I like that it doesn’t look like a beer. You could drink this on the beach without getting a ticket probably.

Aroma: Uh….it smells like beer? For the record, I Googled “how to smell beer” to make sure I was doing this right, and I found this Beer Advocate article and followed all directions. I think it’s just hard to compare it to something when you don’t drink beer very often. But if you are like me and you hardly drink beer, the “aroma” will conjure memories of watered-down keg beer from college, probably.

Taste: The Beer Advocate article said to resist swallowing as to “let [the beer] wander and explore your entire palate,” but when I did that it sorta burnt my tongue and all the flavor evaporated and it just tasted like seltzer. Like most beers, this beer tastes the best to me when drank quickly. There is a funky aftertaste, but I feel comfortable saying it’s crisp going down.

Mouthfeel: The other thing I liked about this (besides the can) is that it is easy to drink. I think in the parlance that means it’s “light-bodied.”

Food parings: I drank it with a veggie quesadilla. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Our verdict

For a company that made a fortune deploying Lycra to great effect, it feels like a bit of a “stretch” for Lululemon to venture into craft beer. But whatever the goal was, we suppose it was worth a shot (mostly because we got free beer out of it).

RELATED: The Healthiest Way to Order Drinks at a Party

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1Et5VQ2