A Fat-Melting 7-Move Workout to Get Maria Menounos’ VMA Look

Credit: Getty Images

With plenty of celebrities on-hand for the MTV Video Music Awards last night—Taylor Swift’s girl squad was out in full force—there was a ton of fitspiration for your next gym sesh. And while we may have tuned in to see host Miley Cyrus’s antics, Maria Menounos’s sexy red carpet body was definitely one of the evening’s highlights.

Health’s April cover girl rocked a formfitting black and navy dress and topknot that showed off her sleek physique, which she attributes to clean living and on-the-go workouts.

Looking to replicate her look? Watch the video below for a fast, fat-blasting fitness routine courtesy of the E! News anchor. Do the circuit two to three times for an awesome sweat session that clocks in under 20 minutes.

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3 Ace Tennis Outfits You’ll Love for the U.S. Open

Prints Charming

1. Under Armour UA Fly Fast Visor, $20; amazon.com.

2. New Balance Tournament Racerback, $60; newbalance.com.

3. Lija Match Skort, $60; amazon.com.

4. Monreal London Tampa Sports Bag, $910; saksfifthavenue.com.

5. Adidas Roland Garros Collection by Y-3 Adizero Sneaker, $125; adidas.com.

Court Cutie

1. Lucas Hugh Nordica Balcony Bra, $195; lucashugh.com.

2. Eleven by Venus Love Capri, $42; elevenbyvenus.com.

3. Cortiglia Sonoma Bag, $475; amazon.com.

4. Babolat Propulse BPM All Court, $96; amazon.com.

5. Asics BZ 100 Racquet, $189; asics.com.

6. Wilson “Hope” Tennis Balls, $12; amazon.com.

Retro Cool

1. Monreal London Tennis Grips, $10; masontennis.com.

2. Lululemon Sweat Cuff, $14; lululemon.com.

3. Wilson Women’s Team Dress II, $43; tennis-warehouse.com.

4. Lacoste Headband, $12; lacoste.com.

5. Monreal London Anyone for Tennis Racket Bag, $650; monreallondon.com.

6. Asics Gel-Solution Slam 2 Sneaker, $72; asics.com.

Style Slam

1. Athleta Perforated Run Cap, $20; athleta.com.

2. NikeCourt Bomber Jacket, $130; nike.com.

3. Athleta Blossom Print Chi Tank, $26; athleta.com.

4. Lucas Hugh Technical Knit Shorts, $55; lucashugh.com.

5. Adidas by Stella McCartney Tennis Bag, $200; stellamccartney.com.

6. Adidas by Stella McCartney Barricade Sneaker, $125; adidas.com.

7. US Open Tennis Balls, $7; amazon.com.

All Photos: Lisa Shin

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Some Sobering Stats on Kids and Drinking

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Alcohol poses a far greater threat to children than many parents care to admit, a new report warns.

Many kids start drinking at a young age, and their size and inexperience with alcohol renders them more apt to be binge drinkers, said report author Dr. Lorena Siqueira, director of adolescent medicine at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.

Such hard drinking can prove fatal. For example, one-third of all fatal auto crashes involving alcohol happen among 15- to 20-year-olds, the report found.

“The top three causes of mortality in teenagers are motor vehicle accidents, homicides and suicides, and alcohol is strongly associated with each of these,” Siqueira said.

Between 36 percent and 50 percent of high school students drink alcohol, and 28 percent to 60 percent report binge drinking, the report said.

But the true picture is even darker, Siqueira suggested. Those numbers are based on the adult definition of binge drinking — five or more drinks in a two-hour period for men, or four or more drinks for women.

Because teens typically weigh less than adults, they are likely to reach an unsafe blood alcohol concentration faster, Siqueira said.

Alcohol isn’t benign, one expert agreed.

“We spend a lot of time worrying about all manner of substance abuse, and we should, but this report brings home that the most commonly abused and dangerous drug for children is alcohol,” said Dr. Bennett Leventhal, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.

In 2014, half of twelfth graders and one in nine eighth graders reported having been drunk at least once in their life, the report found.

The way kids drink alcohol makes them more apt to drink too much, Siqueira noted.

“When they drink, they often tend to drink straight from a bottle and they pass it around,” she said.

The report lists an array of health problems that stem from underage drinking:

• Half of all head injuries in teens are associated with drinking.
• Binge drinking has been associated with earlier sexual activity, teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
• Kids who start drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to become alcoholic, compared with people who start drinking after 20.
• Early drinking also can alter brain development, affecting attention, among other things.

Children start to think positively about alcohol as early as between the ages of 9 and 13, the report found.

These kids are influenced by what they see in the world around them, Leventhal said. They see enticing ads for alcoholic beverages, watch role models use alcohol, and even see the adults around them drinking.

Parents need to be prepared to talk frankly with their kids about alcohol at a very early age, like elementary school, said Marcia Lee Taylor, president and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.

“As parents we all need to own it, that if we aren’t the ones talking to our children and informing their views, then someone else is going to do it,” Taylor said.

In these conversations, parents should talk about how to drink responsibly, and how adult drinking is different from the drinking in which their young friends are engaged, Siqueira said.

For example, adults tend to eat while they drink to reduce the effects of alcohol, she said. They don’t drink very fast or straight from the bottle.

Taylor said parents also need to model good drinking behavior. They shouldn’t describe alcohol as something they need to relieve stress, and they should avoid drinking to excess in front of their children.

The report urges pediatricians to ask kids about their exposure to alcohol. “If your physician wishes to talk to your kid alone, that’s recommended as a good approach to dealing with a teenager,” she said.

Above all, parents should not assume that drinking is just something that happens as a child grows older, and that they have no way to slow or stop it, Taylor said.

The new report noted that 80 percent of teenagers say their parents are the biggest influence on their decision whether to drink, Taylor said.

More information

For more on underage drinking, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Start Your Hike on the Right Foot With Proper Footwear

SUNDAY, Aug. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More than 38 million people go hiking each year in the United States, but many do so without proper footwear and other gear that can reduce their risk of foot and ankle injuries, an expert says.

“We’ve all seen hikers accomplishing great feats, such as completing the Pacific Crest or Appalachian Trails, and these stories inspire us to undertake more challenging or longer hikes,” Dr. Gregory Catalano, a Massachusetts-based foot and ankle surgeon, said in an American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons news release.

“As the number of people hiking increases and they take on more challenging terrain, we are seeing an increase in injuries of all levels of hikers, from Achilles tendon and heel pain to more traumatic injuries, including sprains and fractures of the foot and ankle, as well as stress fractures of the leg, foot and ankle,” he added.

Hikers are at risk for injuries ranging from blisters and bruises to sprains and fractures, but careful preparation can reduce the chances of suffering an injury, he suggested.

Wear sturdy footwear designed for the conditions of the trail you’ll be walking. Be sure your footwear is properly fitted and broken-in before you hit the trail in order to reduce the risk of blisters, pain in the ankles and feet, and toenail damage, Catalano said.

It’s also important to wear socks that cushion the feet, wick away moisture and protect from the cold.

Know your hiking route and your options for getting medical help, he added. Carry supplies, such as bandages and wraps, that you can use to stabilize and protect injured feet and ankles.

Some hikers underestimate the seriousness of an injury. For example, they first try to ease pain by changing the way they walk, altering their pace, or by switching footwear. But in some cases, such actions can cause further injury, Catalano warned.

“It is critical hikers know the signs and continually monitor for complex injuries, as not seeking treatment may result in additional damage that can lead to longer, more involved treatments and recovery periods,” Catalano said.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about preventing and treating ankle sprains.

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Impulsive, Agitated Behaviors May Be Warning Signs for Suicide

SATURDAY, Aug. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Risky behaviors such as reckless driving or sudden promiscuity, or nervous behaviors such as agitation, hand-wringing or pacing, can be signs that suicide risk may be high in depressed people, researchers report.

Other warning signs may include doing things on impulse with little thought about the consequences. Depressed people with any of these symptoms are at least 50 percent more likely to attempt suicide, the new study found.

“Assessing these symptoms in every depressed patient we see is extremely important, and has immense therapeutical implications,” study lead author Dr. Dina Popovic, of the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, in Spain, said in a news release from the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP).

The findings were scheduled for presentation Saturday at the ECNP’s annual meeting in Amsterdam.

One expert in the United States concurred with the findings.

“It has long been known that those patients with depression who also experience anxiety and/or agitation are more likely to attempt or complete suicide,” said Dr. Donald Malone, chair of psychiatry and psychology at the Cleveland Clinic. “These symptoms can also be a clue that the underlying diagnosis is bipolar depression (manic depressive disorder),” he added.

In the study, Popovic’s team looked at more than 2,800 people with depression, including nearly 630 who had attempted suicide. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with each patient, and especially looked for differences in behaviors between depressed people who had attempted suicide and those who had not. Certain patterns of behavior began to emerge, the study authors said.

“Most of these symptoms will not be spontaneously referred by the patient, [so] the clinician needs to inquire directly,” Popovic said.

She and her colleagues also found that “depressive mixed states” often precede suicide attempts.

“A depressive mixed state is where a patient is depressed, but also has symptoms of ‘excitation,’ or mania,” Popovic explained. “We found this significantly more in patients who had previously attempted suicide, than those who had not. In fact, 40 percent of all the depressed patients who attempted suicide had a ‘mixed episode’ rather than just depression. All the patients who suffer from mixed depression are at much higher risk of suicide.”

The researchers reported that the standard criteria for diagnosing depression spotted only 12 percent of patients with mixed depression. In contrast, using the new criteria identified 40 percent of these patients, Popovic’s team said.

“This means that the standard methods are missing a lot of patients at risk of suicide,” she said.

Malone agreed that a “mixed state” can heighten odds for suicide.

“This study appropriately cautions caregivers to pay particular attention to suicide risk when treating patients with mixed states,” he said.

“Bipolar patients are at higher risk of suicide in general when compared with non-bipolar depression, even when not in a mixed state,” Malone said. Drug treatments for bipolar depression “also can differ significantly from those of unipolar depression,” he added. “In fact, antidepressants can worsen the situation with bipolar patients.”

According to Malone, all of this means that “accurate diagnosis is essential to deciding on effective treatment.”

Dr. Patrice Reives-Bright directs the division of child and adolescent services at South Oaks Hospital in Amityville, N.Y. She said that the “more commonly known risk factors for suicide include hopelessness, history of previous attempts and recent loss or change in one’s life.”

However, the impulsive and risky behaviors outlined in the new study can “also increase the likelihood of someone who is depressed to act on thoughts to end his or her life,” Reives-Bright said.

She agreed with Malone that “identifying these symptoms of a mixed state is important when assessing mood symptoms and selecting treatment options for the patient.”

Findings presented at medical meetings are typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. However, according to Popovic, one strength of the new study is that “it’s not a clinical trial, with ideal patients — it’s a big study, from the real world.”

More than 800,000 people worldwide die by suicide every year, and about 20 times that number attempt suicide, according to the World Health Organization. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in young people.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on suicide prevention.

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Hate Hangovers? Then Don’t Drink Too Much

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Since people first started drinking alcohol, the search has been on for a way to go heavy on the pour but light on the hangover.

Unfortunately, two new drinking surveys suggest that search is probably futile.

One poll, conducted in Canada, concluded that if you drink to excess, you’re going to have a hangover — no ifs, ands, or buts.

A second poll, conducted in the Netherlands, suggested that chasing your liquid poison with food or water ultimately does little to improve the hangover experience.

“There is a big difference between severity of hangovers and the symptoms people experience during hangover,” acknowledged Joris Verster, a member of both study teams. Verster is an assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, and psychopharmacology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

“For example, some people have headaches, others are nauseous, others are just tired. Given this, there is no clear definition of a hangover,” he said.

But one thing is clear, Verster said, “the more you drink, the more likely you are to get a hangover.”

Verster and his colleagues are scheduled to present their findings Saturday at a meeting of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Findings presented at meetings are generally considered preliminary until they’ve been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The survey team pointed out that past research has suggested that between one-quarter to one-third of drinkers routinely attest to being immune from hangovers.

But the Canadian survey found little evidence to support this notion.

Nearly 800 Canadian students were asked to subjectively discuss their single heaviest drinking experience during the previous month. Specifically, the students were asked to note the amount of alcohol consumed and total time spent drinking. All were also asked to indicate if they’d had a hangover, and, if so, to describe its severity.

While just over 30 percent said they didn’t have a hangover, only about 10 percent of those individuals actually had an estimated blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) that exceeded 0.08 percent, the study said. A BAC of 0.08 percent is the point at which American drivers are considered legally impaired, according to the U.S. Governors Highway Safety Association.

What’s more, nearly 80 percent of the supposedly “hangover-free” group registered an estimated BAC below 0.10 percent, while just 2 percent had a BAC of 0.20 percent or more, the study found.

Among the top-drinking group, almost nobody claimed to be hangover-free. And the investigators concluded that it was highly unlikely that any heavy drinker had truly managed to elude the consequences that come with pounding back one too many.

The second survey focused on 825 Dutch students who offered details concerning their latest bout of big drinking and the hangover that followed.

Drink totals were tallied, and investigators noted whether food and/or water was also consumed either right after drinking (before bedtime) or the following morning once a hangover was already underway.

While nearly 55 percent said they had some food before bed, there was no clinical difference seen in the way such drinkers rated the severity of their subsequent hangover when compared with those who didn’t eat immediately after drinking.

Similarly, the nearly 45 percent who said they downed a big breakfast the next day (and the 34 percent who consumed a lot of fatty foods) also saw little reduction in their hangover severity, the survey revealed.

Drinking water while consuming alcohol, or the following morning, also provided merely “modest” hangover relief, the study team found. And they concluded that food and water had no “relevant effect” on hangovers.

Nevertheless, Michael Bloomfield, a clinical lecturer in psychiatry at University College London and the Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Center in London, England, said more research is needed.

“I don’t think this is the final nail in the coffin with respect to studying hangovers,” he said. “Whilst we know that alcohol affects different chemicals in the body to make us feel lousy, we still aren’t entirely clear on exactly why it is we can feel so dreadful with a hangover,” Bloomfield added.

“At the moment, the best advice to avoid a hangover would be to drink less alcohol,” he suggested. “Everyone’s body deals with alcohol slightly differently so it would be very difficult to come up with a one-size-fits-all ‘hangover limit’ for drinking.”

Bloomfield also pointed out that if people can drink a lot without getting a hangover, it may be a sign that they are tolerant to the effects of alcohol. And, that could be a sign that they’re at risk of alcohol addiction. He said that if anyone is concerned about their alcohol use, they should speak with their family doctor or a psychiatrist.

More information

There’s more on heavy drinking at the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

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10 Hairstyles Perfect for Fall

Image: Courtesy of MIMI/Getty Images/Elysia Berman

We know come fall you’re inundated with a ton of articles with the newest hairstyles to replicate. But, the truth is, it’s rare that a look is genuinely new.

Trends come and go, and history is bound to repeat itself. So, rather than claim that these colors and styles are novel, we’re going to let you in on a little secret: They’re not. But, they are en Vogue yet again and your favorite celebrities look absolutely stunning wearing them. So why not give them a try?

Here are the most gorgeous, exciting, and trendy styles for the coming season. You won’t be disappointed.

Brondes

A mix between blonde and brunette, this color is a more relaxed style for off-duty It-Girls.

Sleek, Middle Parts

Dubbed “Rich Girl Hair” this glossy style parted right down the middle is a supermodel favorite.

Adornments

Bored with your hair? Add an accessory. It’s the quickest — and coolest — way to look undeniably chic.

Platinum Blondes

Not for the faint of heart, this bold hue takes a lot of time and effort. But the results are wildly rad.

Side Parts

Romantic and flattering, a side part can take your look from flat to fancy in 5 seconds or less.

Bobs

A friend of the ever-popular lob, this season it’s time to take your ends up about an inch. Plus, it’ll cut your styling time in half.

Shags

Channel a ’70s Joan Jett with this rock and roll-friendly ‘do. And who wouldn’t want to cop T. Swift’s style?

 

Pixie Cuts

If you really want a change, this is the style for you. It’s an immediate game-changer.

 

Bedhead

An oldie but a goodie, this style is a long-time friend to many. Keep the texture matte and the curls messy and you’re good to go.

Sombré

Rather than a harsh ombre style, it’s time to take it down a notch. Sombré (subtle ombré) offers just a whisper of change.

This article originally appeared on MIMIchatter.com.

MIMI Chatter is an endless stream of beauty content. We bring together the must-knows and the how-tos from your favorite sites, beauty influencers, our editors, and YOU.

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FDA Warns of Joint Pain Tied to Common Type 2 Diabetes Drugs

FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Use of a class of widely prescribed medications for type 2 diabetes is tied to severe joint pain in some patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned on Friday.

The drugs — sitagliptin (Januvia), saxagliptin (Onglyza), linagliptin (Tradjenta) and alogliptin (Nesina) — come from a newer class of medications called DPP-4 inhibitors.

The drugs can be taken alone or used in conjunction with other diabetes drugs, such as metformin. DPP-4 inhibitors help fight type 2 diabetes by boosting the amount of insulin the body produces after each meal, when blood sugar levels are typically high.

However, in a statement, the FDA said the medications “may cause joint pain that can be severe and disabling,” and the agency “has added a new Warning and Precaution about this risk to the labels of all medicines in this drug class.”

The FDA stressed that patients who take a DPP-4 inhibitor should not stop using the drug, “but should contact their health care professional right away if they experience severe and persistent joint pain.”

Doctors and other health-care workers should “consider DPP-4 inhibitors as a possible cause of severe joint pain and discontinue the drug if appropriate,” the agency said.

Type 2 diabetes, which is often but not always linked to obesity, affects about 95 percent of people with diabetes. As the FDA noted, “when untreated, type 2 diabetes can lead to serious problems, including blindness, nerve and kidney damage, and heart disease.”

More information

There’s more on type 2 diabetes at the American Diabetes Association.

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Can This ‘Hair Condom’ Really Fix Split Ends?

Photos: Kelsey Dubinsky

My mom is a hairdresser, so I’ve always had a very easy go-to when it came time for a trim. But now that I’ve moved away from her, I am still working on the courage (and the funds) to seek out a regular stylist in New York.

Right now, my ends could use a bit of a touch up for sure. So when I heard about Kocostar’s Split End Therapy ($8, kocostar.com), a treatment that promises to hydrate and rejuvenate dry and damaged hair in just 15 minutes, I was game.

Don’t get me wrong, I was a little skeptical about the product’s ability to basically resurrect my dead ends in just fifteen minutes. It also didn’t help that when I searched the treatment online, I learned that it has a not-so-flattering nickname: “The Hair Condom.” But I figured for eight bucks and only 15 minutes of my time, why not?

RELATED: 12 Ways to Fight Frizzy Hair All Summer

Split ends are the result of damage to your hair from hot tools, combing, washing, coloring, or even hair ties. The stress on your strands breaks down the outer layer of the hair cuticle, leaving the core exposed and vulnerable so it becomes weak and eventually splits in two. And as we’ve all heard time and time again from experts, the only real solution for split ends is to chop them off.

Still, I wanted to see if Kocostar’s treatment would at least make my locks a little less dry looking, even if it didn’t work miracles.

Applying it was straightforward: Simply unfold the wrap (which is really more like a “hair diaper” than a condom, if you ask me) and slip your hair in. Seal with the elastic band included in the package, and wait.

I noticed that a lot of the product was at the very bottom of the wrap so I ended up massaging my hair around in the package while I waited. I didn’t understand how all this product was going to miraculously absorb in my hair without rinsing; the directions said all I needed to do was comb through and style.

After 15 minutes, I took it out. And this is what my ends looked like:

Photo: Kelsey Dubinsky

RELATED: 10 Foods for Stronger Nails and Thicker Hair

Then I spent about 10 minutes combing through it. My ends still felt a bit greasy and wet. They definitely felt smoother, but like I needed to rinse something out. I resisted the urge to wash my hair completely so I could test the full affect of the treatment. Once I let it dry completely my ends felt… silkier than usual, but nothing life changing. Within one hair wash they were back to normal.

Verdict: While the Split End Therapy was decidedly not a miracle cure, it did smooth things out a bit and make my hair shiny for the time being. Here are my results.

In the meantime, I’ll be taking recommendations for a new hairdresser in the city.

RELATED: 15 Hair Products for a Shinier, Healthier Mane

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As Tropical Storm Erika Eyes Southeastern U.S., Residents Need to Prepare

FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — With tropical storm Erika motoring toward the southeastern United States, hurricane season is clearly under way and people who live in the paths of these dangerous storms need to be prepared.

On Friday, Florida Gov. Rick Scotta declared a state of emergency, as Erika is expected to hit that state by Monday. The soaker of a storm has already left 12 dead as it crosses the Caribbean.

To be prepared, families living in the paths of tropical storms and hurricanes should have an emergency communication plan that specifies out-of-state relatives or friends as primary contacts, according to Marcus Robinson, director of safety and chief fire official at Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Robinson also noted that landlines and cellphones are often knocked out during hurricanes, so families should arrange a local point of contact in case they get separated. Social media is another way to keep in touch with loved ones.

Be sure your home and contents are insured and photograph all expensive personal items. Keep paper documents in portable plastic storage containers that are easy to transport if there is an evacuation order, he advised.

If evacuation is ordered, leave as soon as possible to reduce the risk of encountering heavy traffic, flooded roads or washed-out bridges. You should have an evacuation kit and protective clothing ready to go, Robinson said.

During a hurricane, remain indoors in an interior room away from windows. Do not go outside when the eye of the storm passes overhead and everything is calm. The second half of the storm will soon follow, Robinson said.

There are also many potential dangers after a hurricane, such as fires and carbon monoxide leaks. If you use a generator, follow all instructions and guidelines and use the correct size and type of power cord, Robinson said.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about hurricane readiness.

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