Best Teen Diets Nutrition Blog: Women's Health

Is it okay to exercise with make-up on?

6:57 PM

Wash up: sweating at the gym can cause breakouts

Sweat doesn't cause breakouts. But leaving it on your face does.

Perspiring in saunas or hot baths has long been used to purify skin.

But breaking a sweat can cause the opposite to happen—irritation and redness, acne flare- ups and clogged pores—when you leave the salty stuff on your face to dry. And by looking around the yoga studio and the gym, most people do.

“Research shows that most gym-goers don’t shower after a workout,” says New York City dermatologist, Debra Jaliman. “So they’re literally sitting in bacteria both on their bodies and on their skin.”

How to make breaking a sweat good for your body and great for your skin? Clean up, people!

Before your workout
A lot people exercise in make-up, says Dr. Jaliman. This is huge skin-care no-no. “You need to wash your face before you hit the gym or yoga class, otherwise the bacteria combined with the dead skin on your face (we all have it) will clog your pores.”

After your workout
Wash your face immediately after your workout—before you leave the yoga studio, the gym, or the Spinning studio, or wherever you break a sweat. It’s one a few skin-care rules that you should never break. You don’t want a cocktail of dirt, oil, and bodily fluids clinging to your skin, affecting its pH, and clogging your pores. No sink is no excuse! Bring cleansing facial wipes with you if there’s no running water (like in the park), or you know you won’t be able to get to a sink promptly.

(No, we don’t think you’re dumb. We just like to be specific. The main thing is to get the dirt, grime, and sweat off your skin. The rest is icing!)

HOW TO WASH YOUR FACE AFTER A WORKOUT

Use a gentle cleanser. Stay away from cleansers that contain sodium laureth sulfate, an ingredient that can overly dry skin. Try an anti-bacterial cleanser with tea tree oil in it, a cooling gel-based face wash, or a gentle milk-based one that contains calming chamomile or lavender extracts.

Try tepid water. And end with a few splashes of cool (not cold) water. The lower temp can cool your skin, of course, but it can help close your pores, which dilate to help release sweat.

Pat, don’t wipe, your skin dry with a towel. Sometimes toweling off can irritate skin, particularly if your face gets really red when you workout.

In fact, don’t dry your skin completely. Get it 90 percent of the way there, then let it air-dry. Somehow this helps curb an otherwise tight and overly dry feeling I often get. (Though a milky cleanser helps.)

Calm your skin down with a face mist or toning spray. I really like these after I workout. It’s like running through a sprinkler. Dr. Jaliman likes Arcona Triad Pads, laced with an antimicrobial cranberry toner.

Treat inflammation. If you have sensitive skin, apply a green tea or resveratrol-based gel, serum, or light moisturizer to soothe inflammation, says Dr. Jaliman. Then apply your sunscreen and make-up.

Save serious treatment products for bedtime. Even normal skin can be more sensitive right after a workout, so you may want to wait until redness dissipates or bedtime to use your super-active acne or anti-aging treatment products.

Related: "Tips for Healthy Skin"

Read the full article, "No sweat: Making sure your skin doesn’t get a workout at the gym" by Well+Good NYC

Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information visit www.bestteendiets.org

Exercise

A more uncommon, but beneficial form of exercise

1:38 PM

Health

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: 15 Celebrities Who Have Faced A Diagnosis

4:00 PM

Hydration

Fluid Needs for Teen Girls

8:25 AM

Adequate hydration is especially important during adolescence, the period from puberty into adulthood that makes up the majority of the teen years. Proper nutrition is essential during this time for normal growth and development. Although often neglected, nutrition requires sufficient hydration. Teens need to consume enough fluids to support body functions, maintain electrolyte balance and prevent dehydration. Fluid requirements for teenage girls depend upon their physical activity level, among other factors. Encouraging your teen to drink will help keep her healthy.

Function

Water is vital to life; you cannot survive without water. On average, your body consists of 60 to 65 percent water; it is found in the blood, cells, tissues and organs. Water has many important functions; it helps cushion organs, lubricate joints, regulate body temperature, moisten tissues, prevent constipation, carry nutrients and oxygen to cells and dissolve minerals so that they are accessible to the body. Every system in your body depends on water. Therefore, water is also responsible for saliva and gastric juice production during digestion, creating a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissue and transporting and eliminating waste products out of vital organs.

Daily Requirements

Individual fluid needs depend upon a number of factors including your weight, gender, health, activity level and location. Additionally, there is more than one way to calculate your body's fluid requirements. According to the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine, girls ages 9 to 13 require 2.1 liters per day, teen girls ages 14 to 18 need 2.3 liters and older adolescent girls require 2.7 liters of water. This is approximately 8 to 9 cups of fluid daily. A general rule is to drink enough water so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day.

Increased Needs

You need fluid to replace what your body loses through the day. Aside from normal fluid loss, there are extraneous factors that influence your daily fluid needs. For example, your body needs additional fluid when you are more physically active, are running a fewer, are in a hot climate, are at a higher altitude or experience diarrhea and vomiting. To stay hydrated, it is important to drink before you feel thirsty, especially when you are participating in vigorous physical activity.

Dehydration

It is important to drink a sufficient amount of water to avoid thirst as thirst is a biological indicator of dehydration. Dehydration is caused by an inadequate fluid intake, profuse sweating, failure to replace losses after exercise, exercising in hot weather or relying on thirst to hydrate. A loss of body fluid can cause your blood volume to drop, increasing the heart rate and resulting in a myriad of symptoms. This results in fatigue, muscle cramps, dizziness, headache, weakness, irritability, irrational behavior, nausea and vomiting, confusion and the inability to concentrate. If left untreated, dehydration can result in heat injury, swelling of the brain, seizures, hypovolemic shock and even coma.

Tips to Increase Fluid Intake

Each day, you lose water through breathing, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. Therefore, it is important to consume beverage sand foods that contain water to replenish your water supply. Water comes from more than just fluids. Foods such as fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber and have a high water content, thus promoting a feeling of fullness and satisfaction. You can also increase your daily intake of water by carrying a water bottle with you to school or a sports activity. Add a wedge of lemon or lime for a little extra flavor -- this may improve the taste and help you stay hydrated. It is important to choose water over sugar-sweetened beverages, which add empty calories to your diet and can actually dehydrate you.

“Fluid Requirements for Teenage Girls” by Erica Wickham with Livestrong.com. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/509892-fluid-requirements-for-teenage-girls/#ixzz239mzngOo

Fruits Veggies

The Importance of Iron

11:21 AM

What is iron and why is it important?

Iron is a mineral that helps build red blood cells. Most importantly, iron helps your blood cells carry the oxygen that is needed for energy. Getting the right amount of iron can improve your performance in sports and in school.

Iron is an important nutrient for teens, especially for those who have started menstruating. Vegetarians also need to pay extra attention to make sure they get enough iron.

What is anemia?

Anemia is a condition that occurs when you don't have enough healthy red blood cells. This is a problem, because without the right amount of healthy red blood cells, enough oxygen doesn't get into your body. This causes people with anemia to look pale, and often feel weak and tired. The most common causes are not getting enough iron or losing too much iron from heavy menstrual periods. Your health care provider may recommend a multivitamin with iron if it seems like you are not getting enough iron from foods. If you are already anemic, your health care provider will probably suggest an iron supplement.

How much iron do I need?

Iron is measured in milligrams. The amount you need depends on your age, gender, body size, and lifestyle. In general, though, you can use these guidelines to determine how much iron you need.

Girls age 9-13: 8 mg/day

Girls age 14-18: 15 mg/day

What foods are rich in iron?

Good sources of iron include red meat, eggs, poultry, fish, legumes (or beans), and fortified cereals. It is important to know that your body absorbs iron from animal sources (known as “heme” iron) more easily than it absorbs iron from plant sources (known as “non-heme” iron). The following table lists some foods that are good sources of iron.

Food	Serving Size	Iron (mg)
Beans and Peas
Baked beans, without pork	½ cup	1.5
Chick peas	½ cup	2.4
Lentils	½ cup	3.3
Red beans	½ cup	2.6
White beans	½ cup	2.5

Cereals
Cheerios®	1 cup	10.3
Cinnamon Life®	¾ cup	7.4
Frosted Miniwheats®	1 cup	15.4
Rice Krispies®	1¼ cup	11.4
Whole Grain Total®	¾ cup	22.4

Dried Fruit
Peaches	¼ cup	1.6
Apricots	4 large halves	0.4
Raisins	¼ cup	.07

Meat, Poultry and Fish
Beef liver, cooked*	3 ounces	5.8
Egg, large	1	0.6
Pork, cooked*	3 ounces	0.9
Salmon, canned*	3 ounces	0.7
Sirloin, cooked*	3 ounces	2.9
Turkey, light meat, roasted*	3 ounces	1.6
Veal, cooked*	3 ounces	0.9

Other
Almonds, whole, unblanched	½ cup	3.1
Prune juice	½ cup	1.5
Spinach, boiled	½ cup	3.2
* Source of heme iron

Nutrition Tips:

· Foods high in vitamin C help your body absorb non-heme iron. Eat iron-rich foods along with foods that are high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits and juices, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, and dark green vegetables to increase the amount of iron you absorb. For example, top your cereal with strawberries, add tomato slices to a turkey sandwich, or have an orange with a peanut butter sandwich.

· If you take a calcium supplement, try not to take it at the same time as your iron supplement because your body absorbs these nutrients better when they are taken separately.

· Don't take an iron supplement with caffeinated drink such as cola or coffee. Caffeine can interfere with iron absorption.

· Choose breads, cereals, and pastas that say “enriched” or “iron-fortified” on the label. These foods have extra iron that can really boost your intake

Excerpts taken from “Iron” by the Center for Young Women’s Health Staff. Read more: http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/iron.html#ixzz20FAeQk3p

Nutrition

Healthy Hair Nutrition

10:23 AM

The body's number one priority is caring for its living tissues. Because hair is not a living tissue, nourishing hair follicles is a low priority. However, many believe that shiny, healthy hair is a sign of youth and vitality. Nourishing your body with the right nutrients may give you healthier hair. In fact, what you put in your body may be more important than what you put on your hair.

Diet for Healthy Hair

Many factors contribute to hair health, including genetics, environment, and health and nutrition status. Eating the right foods plays an important role in hair health because the nutrients found in certain foods nourish hair follicles, and promote healthy circulation, ensuring that oxygen-rich blood reaches the scalp and keeping sebaceous glands lubricated at the hair's base. While diet does not guarantee beautiful hair, it may help and certainly does not hurt.

Protein and Zinc

Those that have brittle, thinning hair are often not consuming enough dietary protein. Good quality protein is necessary for healthy hair. Protein-rich foods include dairy products, beans, fish, meat, eggs and poultry. Strive to consume two servings daily of dairy products (such as 1 cup of non-fat milk) and two to three servings of meats, beans, fish or eggs. Yogurt may be especially beneficial because it supplies both protein and a strain of healthy bacteria known as acidophilus. Acidophilus may help assist your body in nutrient absorption. Look for yogurt brands that mention "live active cultures" on the label.

Low blood levels of the trace mineral zinc are associated with thinning hair in numerous research studies. Very good food sources of zinc include Crimini mushrooms, oysters, spinach, sea vegetables, pumpkin seeds, beef and lamb. Do not take a zinc supplement unless recommended by your physician.

Essential Fats for Shiny Hair

Healthy fats, especially polyunsaturated fats, keep hair healthy and shiny. The essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega-6's) and linolenic acid (omega-3's), are particularly important. Sunflower oil is rich in linoleic acid. Only about 1 tbsp. daily is necessary for hair health. It ensures adequate oil production from the sebaceous glands (keeping hair pliable). You need much more linolenic acid (omega-3 fatty acid) in your diet for overall health (including scalp health). Foods rich in omega-3 fats include fish such as salmon, mackerel, red snapper, and tuna, as well as flaxseed and walnuts. Avocados and olive oil are rich in monounsaturated fats, which also contribute to shiny hair.

Vitamins for Hair Health

Vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene in food), the B-vitamin folate, vitamin C, and biotin (also known as vitamin H) all contribute to hair health. Folic acid (known as folate in food sources) is a B-vitamin partially responsible for producing red blood cells, which carry nutrients to the roots of the scalp. Folate-rich foods include beans and dark green leafy vegetables. Food sources of biotin (or vitamin H) include Brewer's yeast, barley, corn, and soybeans. A deficiency of biotin is thought to contribute to dull, dry thinning hair.

Vitamin A (known as beta-carotene in food sources), and vitamin C are antioxidant nutrients that fight free radical damage that can lead to premature aging of the hair and scalp. Beta-carotene may also help alleviate dandruff, while vitamin C helps strengthen the hair shaft, preventing breakage. Foods rich in these nutrients include citrus fruits, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, carrots and apricots.

Article “Nutrition for Healthy Hair” by Michelle Turcotte, MS, RD with Livestrong. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/23611-nutrition-hair/#ixzz1ua8honuW

Women's Health

Teen Girls and Bone Health

10:52 AM

Why should I be worried about bone health now?

It is never too early to start worrying about bone health. Your peak bone-making years are in your childhood and teen years. If you do not make enough bone as a kid, your risk for a bone disease called osteoporosis goes up. Having good eating and exercise habits now will help you to have strong, healthy bones throughout your life. A poor diet and not enough physical activity as a teen can cause you to have weaker bones as an adult. This not only makes it easier to get osteoporosis, it can hurt the body's ability to heal right after an injury. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D and doing enough of the right type of physical activity (called "bone-strengthening activity") can help protect your bones.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis (say: ah-stee-oh-per-oh-sis) is a disease that thins and weakens bones to the point where they break easily. It is called a "silent disease" because bone loss happens without much notice. Having a bone break easily or getting a little shorter is often the first sign of this disease. While osteoporosis can strike at any age, over half of all women over age 65 have it.

There are certain things that are linked to your chances of getting osteoporosis. These things are called risk factors. Some risk factors cannot be changed, while others can be changed.

Risk factors that CANNOT be changed include:

· Sex. Women are more likely to develop the disease than men are. Women have lighter, thinner bones to begin with and their bones become thinner quickly after menopause (when periods stop for good).

· Age. The longer you live, the greater your chances are of getting the disease. The amount of bone loss varies among women, and not all women get osteoporosis.

· Family history. This disease runs in families, which means your risk of getting it is greater if someone in your family has the disease.

· Body size. Women who are small-boned and thin have a higher risk than women who are larger-boned and weigh more. But, being heavy does not mean that you will not get this disease.

· Ethnicity. White and Asian women are at greater risk for this disease. Black and Hispanic women do get osteoporosis, though.

Risk factors that CAN be changed include:

· Diet. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet will help you to build and keep strong, healthy bones.

· Bone-strengthening activity. Exercise helps keep bones strong and healthy over your lifetime.

· Smoking. Smoking lowers the level of the hormone estrogen in your body, which can cause you to go through menopause earlier, boosting your risk for osteoporosis.

What is bone-strengthening activity?

Bone-strengthening activity is any activity that produces a force on the bones (weight bearing) and promotes bone growth and strength. Examples of bone-strengthening activities that you can do include walking, running, tennis, dancing, tae kwon do, hiking, hopscotch, and basketball.

How do calcium and physical activity make bones stronger?

To make bones strong and to keep them strong, the body needs calcium, vitamin D, and physical activity.

· Calcium helps bones to grow right. When the body makes new bone tissue, it first lays down a framework of a protein called collagen. Then, calcium from the blood spreads throughout the collagen framework. The hard crystals of calcium attach to the bone structure. Calcium and collagen work together to make bones both strong and flexible.

Calcium is also needed for many other activities within the body such as neural communication (the way your nerves and brain send signals to each other) and heart and lung functions. If the body doesn't get enough calcium from foods and drinks, it takes it from bones, which can make them weaker.

· Vitamin D helps the body use calcium. Lots of foods have calcium, but vitamin D can be harder to find. You can get what you need for the day by drinking two glasses of fortified milk, and some cereals and yogurts are fortified with vitamin D as well.

· Physical activity helps bones become stronger and thicker, just as a muscle gets stronger and bigger the more you use it. Bones are living tissue. Bone-strengthening activity causes new bone tissue to form, making bones even stronger. It also makes muscles stronger, and muscles push and tug against bones to make them even stronger. Physical activity also makes you better coordinated, which can make you less likely to fall and break a bone.

Can I get enough calcium if milk upsets my stomach?

Some girls get a stomachache or have gas after they have milk or other dairy products because of lactose intolerance. The good news is that there are milk and other dairy products that are specially made for people with lactose intolerance. Look for milks, cheeses, cottage cheese, and other dairy products that are labeled "lactose-free" or "lactose-reduced." These dairy products have just as much calcium as the regular products. There are also pills and drops that can make it easier for you to digest milk and dairy products. Talk to your doctor if you would like to try one. Other foods rich in calcium include canned salmon, broccoli, and leafy green vegetables. Some foods have added calcium, like orange juice and cereal.

Are dairy products fattening?

There are many low-fat or fat-free milk products available. Also, there is the same amount of calcium in fat-free and low-fat milk. Dairy products are a very important part of a teen's diet. They provide calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients that help prevent osteoporosis.

I've heard that soda pop is bad for my bones. Why?

Research suggests that teen girls who drink a lot of soda pop, especially colas, have more bone fractures (breaks). One reason that soda pop may be bad for your bones is that if you drink a lot of it, you might not be drinking as much milk as you should. As a result, you're not getting all the calcium and vitamin D that you need for growing healthy bones. Another reason may be that colas contain a lot of phosphoric acid (foss-FOR-ihk ASS-ihd). Taking in a lot of phosphoric acid may cause your bones to lose calcium, making them weaker.

Excerpts taken from "What Girls Need to Know About Bone Health" from girlshealth.gov. Read more: http://www.girlshealth.gov/nutrition/bonehealth/index.cfm

Best Teen Diets recommends well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat and fat-free dairy and protein. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents, and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating in teens. For more information visit www.bestteendiets.org, and stay tuned for our relaunch with updated content and resources.

Women's Health

Sugary Drinks Hurt Even Skinny Women's Hearts

1:11 PM

Women who drink sugary beverages every day may raising their risk for heart disease, even if their habit is not packing on the pounds. Whatever the form — sweet tea, soda, or coffee drinks that look like desserts — women who drank two or more sweet beverages a day were at an increased risk for heart disease, even if they did not gain weight over the five-year study, according to the findings presented Sunday at the American Heart Association's meeting in Orlando, Fla.

"So we looked at its association with individual risk factors" for heart disease, said Christina Shay, lead author of the paper and an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. "Is it blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity? What is it specifically?" Shay and her colleagues followed 4,166 people between the ages of 45 and 84 who were part of the larger Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis study. Shay said it was "striking" that women with a sugary drinking habit developed high levels of triglycerides, which are a type of fat, but men did not.

Women who drank two or more sugary beverages per day were four times more likely to develop high triglyceride levels than women who drank fewer sugar-sweetened beverages. Women with the liquid sugar habit were also were more likely to develop abnormal levels of fasting glucose, a sign they could be developing diabetes. "These drinks may be influencing heart disease risk factors even if people don't gain weight," Shay said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 26.8 million Americans have heart disease, which ranks as the nation's number one killer. Yet Americans love their soda. The California Department of Public Health reports that the average American drinks 50 gallons of sweetened beverages a year.

Sugar's connection to heart disease
"There are some calories that come like a nuclear attack," said Dr. Stephanie Coulter, director for center for women's heart and vascular health Texas Heart Institute. Eating complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal cause glucose (sugar) to be released slowly into the blood. "But have a sugar drink, and all the sugar comes rushing into your system," Coulter said. And if the body has lost the ability to use the hormone insulin to regulate blood sugar (a condition called insulin resistance), the extra sugar remains circulating in the blood.

Daily blasts of too-high blood sugar can disrupt metabolism in several ways, said Dr. Stephen Devries, a cardiologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. High sugar levels increase triglycerides, lower good cholesterol and prompt the body to make an especially damaging, smaller molecule of bad cholesterol. Too much sugar also raises levels of inflammation, another risk factor heart disease, Devries said.

In the new study, many women saw expanding waistlines, even if they did not gain weight. Cardiologists point out that such "belly fat" may have an especially negative effect on heart health.

Why waistlines, why women?
"It's even shown that women who are thin, with big waist lines are at greater risk for heart disease," said Dr. Holly Andersen, of the Perelman Heart Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. Unlike the fat right beneath the skin that can be sucked out by liposuction, the fat around the organs in the center of the body produces hormones "that make us more likely to get diabetes, higher blood pressure, higher triglycerides," Andersen said. The women in the study were middle aged and older, so post-menopausal hormonal shifts might have made it more difficult to keep weight off their middles, she said.

All the more reason why women might want to be careful with a soda habit, Coulter said. "The message is that women have smaller frames then men, and therefore need more calorie restriction," she said.

Excerpts taken from "Sugary Drinks Hurt Even Skinny Women's Hearts" by Lauren Cox with MSN. Read more http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45277790/ns/health-heart_health/#.TsF89PT7ges

Best Teen Diets recommends a well balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and teachers that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating in teens. For more information go to http://www.bestteendiets.org/

Is it okay to exercise with make-up on?

A more uncommon, but beneficial form of exercise

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: 15 Celebrities Who Have Faced A Diagnosis

Fluid Needs for Teen Girls

The Importance of Iron

Healthy Hair Nutrition

Teen Girls and Bone Health

Sugary Drinks Hurt Even Skinny Women's Hearts

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