About Health

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Are You at Risk for Silent Heart Disease?

Are You at Risk for Silent Heart Disease?

Better rush to shrink that gut. The more years of young adulthood you spend obese, the greater your risk of coronary artery calcification—early, “silent” heart disease with no symptoms—in middle age, says a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In fact, each extra year of obesity between ages 18 and 30 boosts your risk by 2 to 4 percent. Though you don’t notice it, the calcification predicts your risk of future heart problems.

“While 2 to 4 percent per year doesn’t seem very high, this risk adds up over many years and therefore becomes more and more substantial over time,” says study author Jared P. Reis, Ph.D.

The results confirm that losing extra pounds as soon as you can—and keeping them off—tops the list of ways to protect your heart, Reis says. Need motivation? Aim to drop 2 to 4 pounds each week rather than 3. Setting a goal with a high and low range will make you more likely to actively pursue it, according to new Florida State University research.

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Pump Up Your Willpower!

Pump Up Your Willpower!

Think your diet will derail after a tough work week? Not if your habits have a say. Customs trump cravings during times of stress, finds new research from UCLA.

Scientists offered stressed-out students both nutritious fare (like fruit) and not-so-great snacks (like cookies), then asked the students how often they ate those foods during a normal week when they weren’t cramming for exams. The results: In crunch time, the students still picked their most habitual snacks, regardless of healthiness.

What that means: Even at times of peak stress, when you expect willpower to crumble (and indulgence to be at an all-time-high), you go with what you’re used to. That’s why eating right and exercising “are real investments when times are stress-free,” says lead researcher David Neal, Ph.D.

In other words, your healthy habits pay off when your self-control is low. That’s great news if you already opt for a handful of almonds over a Snickers bar, but it takes a little more time and practice to break out of a bad pattern.

To develop a new routine, pick just one thing at a time and stay consistent, Neal advises. Want to be a regular at the gym? Going at the same time 3 days a week will help you hone your habit more than showing up 5 days at different hours, says Neal. Click here for more advice on how to break your bad habits.

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The Strategy That Gets You a Second Date

The Strategy That Gets You a Second Date

Hoping to land another date? Get personal. Sharing intimate info right off the bat helps you forge a closer connection with her, finds new research in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

When two strangers traded sensitive details about issues they had with a close friend and their happiest childhood memories, post-conversation measures of liking, closeness, perceived similarity, and enjoyment all jumped between 8 and 22 percent. That’s compared to conversations in which only one person spoke and the other listened, the research shows.

You’re probably thinking, well, duh—of course you need to be more than a brick wall on the first date. But it’s a little more complex than that: You have to show her you understand what she’s saying by talking about your own similar experiences or feelings, explains study coauthor Susan Sprecher, Ph.D., of Illinois State University. If your deep, dark confessions have nothing to do with hers, you’re less likely to form a bond, Sprecher says.

Your plan: Follow her lead. Ask her how she gets along with her boss, and jump in with stories about your own mishaps with the head honcho. Try to match the tone and gravity of her disclosures, says Sprecher. If she’s telling you about arguing with her sister, launching into the story of your brother’s struggle with cancer may be a tad too dramatic—but a painfully awkward tale about an old family vacation? Just right.

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The Real Reason You Hate Your Job

The Real Reason You Hate Your Job

Hate your daily grind? Blame your open mind. Being too flexible in your job search could lead to a 9-to-5 you despise, finds a new Belgian study.

Researchers surveyed more than 300 unemployed people and found that those who were willing to look outside their specific field, accept a lower salary, or consider a longer commute were more unhappy with their eventual jobs than those who stuck to their comfort zones.

While taking an accommodating approach can boost your odds of gaining employment, it can backfire when you actually get the gig: Being over-qualified or under-experienced for your position leads to having a negative job attitude, the researchers say. And when you wake up every morning dreading another day at the office, you’re a lot more likely to quit and end up right where you started: the unemployment line.

Narrow your sights to land a job you love, advises career expert Nicole Williams, connections director for LinkedIn. Her advice: Use the social networking service to do an advanced search for people who already hold the position you want at similar companies. Don’t be pushy or ask for a job; instead, send a personal note asking your contact if you can pick his brain for a few minutes about what his day-to-day entails. You’ll make another connection and figure out which jobs are right for you.

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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Michael Buble at the O2| My weekend in London

Michael Buble at the O2| My weekend in London

I have had what seems like a very busy July! I’ve been on holiday, been to the races and also saw Michael Buble at the beginning of the month. As I had such a fabulous time I thought I would share with you some of the pictures of my mini break to London. Matt bought me the Michael Buble tickets as part of my Christmas present so I have spent the past 6 months in anticipation for this weekend so I’m sure you can understand just how excited I was. I am a massive Michael Buble fan (yes I’m so uncool) and have never seen him live before so this was the best Christmas present I could if asked for.

< p align="center">We had tickets for the Friday night so we took a train from Leeds to London at lunchtime to arrive in good time to get to our hotel and get some dinner in Greenwich. We had a wander around the Royal Naval College and took in some sun before heading for dinner. After eating dinner we headed back to our hotel to freshen up and took the tube to the O2 arena for the show.

The show was everything I imagined and so much more. I was completely overwhelmed that I even had a tear in my eye when he sang my favourite songs. He sung perfectly and has such a great personality so he had some great banter with the crowd.. even Matt was impressed! At the end of his show he took off all his microphone equipment and still managed to fill the entire arena with just his voice… it was so silent as everyone took it in, that you would of heard a pin drop. After the show we went for drinks in Canary Warf and retreated back to ou r hotel after a few glasses of wine.

The next day was a scorcher so we were up early and made the most of our time in London. Having not really had an leisurely time in London whenever I have visited it, we decided to take our time and act like tourist for the day taking in the sights on London and wandering around the many beautiful streets in Kensington and Chelsea. We were underwhelmed with Oxford street after realising that the street has the same stores along it but just 500 meters apart, we headed to Hyde Park for a make shift picnic from Sainsburys. After our rest and sunbath we headed over to Harrods so I could pick up some macaroons from Laduree. When I lived in France my friend and I would visit Paris purely for the macaroons. We spend a good few afternoons sat in the Jardin des Tuileries nibbling on them in the sun… nothing beats them in my eyes! Matt went for the salted caramel and vanilla and I had pistachio and chocolate.

After a very long but enjoyable day wandering around London we hopped on the train and headed back to Leeds that evening for a barbeque with matts family… I was very happy to finally rest my very achy feet! Overall I had the most perfect weekend with my two favourite men (Matt and Buble). It was definitely worth the 6 month wait for my Christmas present!

Was anyone else lucky enough to catch Michael Buble at the O2? Or am I the only uncool blogger with the massive Michael Buble fascination?

Go check out Christina’s gorgeous blog Kimi and Me for fashion, lifestyle and all things pre tty.

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