Archive for the ‘Hormone Physician’ Category

SCIENTISTS claims that the G-spot does not exist has made many ladies raise an eyebrow.

Researchers could not find it but lots of women say they can.

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The US study, which we revealed yesterday, found an even distribution of nerves rather than just one small area triggered female orgasms.

That will be a relief to the 22 per cent of men who say searching for the G-spot is their main aim during sex but you can still have fun trying to find it.

Here, a sex expert offers her A-to-G guide on looking for the zone, while another writer encourages women to seek it out.

A is for AROUSAL: Before you launch your G-spot search party, be sure to spend time warming up first.

When you kiss, touch and hug, you increase the flow of blood down below.

That helps all the nerves to be as sensitive as possible, and makes further investigations easier.

Foreplay also increases your natural levels of oxytocin (the bonding hormone) which boosts feelings of affection, meaning you will be less likely to get annoyed if your partner gets lost.

B is for BELIEVE. Id recommend you start with the attitude that the G-spot does exist, until exhaustive research proves you wrong.

It might not be a precise anatomical organ, but there are certainly many thousands of sensitive nerve endings that will respond well to a thorough investigation.

B is also for bursting. Some women describe a sensation like they need a pee when their G-spot is stimulated.

Dont worry you wont. But if you get that feeling, its a sign youre getting a wee bit closer.

C is for COORDINATES: The G-spot is said to be located at around 3 centimetres inside the vagina, on the front anterior wall the side directly beneath your tummy.

But it is not a precise measurement, so think of it as a zone rather than a spot.

Focusing on the journey rather than the destination will maximise your fun.

D is for DIFFERENT TEXTURE: Early studies suggested the G-spot was a walnut-sized area that was raised, bumpy or had a different texture to surrounding tissue.

But medical examinations have never proven the theory. Other research suggested the G-spot might be tissue that expands under stimulation. As you explore, watch for places that feel different, and apply firm, steady pressure there.

D is also for doggy style, which is a good position to target this area.

E is for EROGENOUS ZONES: While youre down there, take time to explore another area of outstanding natural interest.

About four inches higher than the G-spot is the less well-known A-spot (known as the Anterior Fornix Erogenous Zone). This was discovered in 1997 and is sometimes called the female prostate.

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F is for FINGERTIPS: The easiest way to manually hit the G-spot is to use the soft, flat part of your fingertip.

When youve found the right zone, use your fingertip to make a beckoning, come here motion against the spot, as if youre trying to coax it out of hiding (because you are.)

When you find a place that feels good, keep going at exactly the same pace.

The G-spot responds best to steady, prolonged touches.

G is for GIRL ON TOP: This is a great position to stimulate the G-spot as it stimulates that front wall.

The woman straddles her partner, and sits up straight.

Then she leans back slightly, holding on to his legs for balance.

In this position, the area where the G-spot is believed to be gets maximum attention.

Adjust your posture until you feel a pleasurable sensation, then keep moving in the same steady way until you feel a climax start to build.

So glad my partner found it

By Georgette Culley

WHO knows whether the G-spot is a spot, a zone or even exists at all?

But my partner has definitely hit the jackpot in that area before.

My orgasm was as big as the smile on his face and lasted longer than any other climax Id experienced.

Like most women, I find the route one orgasms easier to achieve, perhaps because the crucial equipment is easier to find.

But dont let that stop you from digging for gold.

Of course, it requires a bit more creativity in the bedroom and a LOT of patience on his part. But with the right position and the right partner I think it can be done.

Most men will be more than happy to oblige but if they are anything like my ex-lovers they will definitely need a helping hand.

If youre still struggling there are a vast array of erotic toys on the market to help you locate it. Just dont make it too methodical you dont want to zap the joy out of sex.

One guy I was dating was so determined to find mine, he ended up injuring me in the process.

Put it this way, Ive had more pleasurable gynaecological examinations.

DOCTOR Ernst Grafenberg was a German gynaecologist who served as a medical officer in World War One.

In 1929, he developed the first contraceptive coil known as the Grafenberg ring.

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But in 1950 he was ridiculed for stating there was a part of a womans body that could bring untold sexual pleasure.

His findings were built upon the research carried out by 17th Century Dutch physician Regnier de Graaf, who had described a female erogenous zone that was similar to the male prostate.

Dr Grafenberg, who was a Jew, was jailed by the Nazis in 1937 for smuggling a valuable stamp.

In 1940 he was allowed to leave Germany and went to New York where he opened a new practice. He died in 1957.

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Dr Grafenberg was too modest to name the G-spot after himself.

The term was only coined in 1981 by Dr Frank Addiego, in a report in the Journal Of Sexual Medicine.

In 2008, Italian researchers concluded that the area exists, but only some women have it.

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G-spot does exist and you can still have fun while looking for it - The Sun

Something doesnt feel quite right. Theres a tightness, a fogginess, a malaise, a pain. Thirty minutes later we might use other words: splitting, pounding, banging. Now its a headache.

This happened to me recently. I was late for a meeting and couldnt find my glasses, and I was very tired. I had watched a dystopian drama the previous night with a glass of wine, and I couldnt get to sleep. Everybody was very understanding when I got there in my hot and bothered state. But after that I seemed to chase my tail all day. By the time I got home at 6pm all I wanted for dinner was a paracetamol sandwich.

Women are known to suffer more headaches than men. In the case of migraines, there are three times as many female sufferers as male ones. To understand why, its useful to know whats happening in our brains when we get a headache.

With all headaches, the pain comes from an increase of blood flow to your brain and the widening of the blood vessels (the cerebrovascular system) that feed it. Blood is toxic to the brain, so that system keeps it neatly separate from the neurons that make your brain produce all of your behaviours. The alarm system for the brain is the stretching of the pain receptors in the blood vessels as they dilate.

The pain makes us stop what we are doing and in some instances, such as in migraine, will incapacitate us until everything is back to normal. Tension can cause headaches, but the headache is caused as much by the stresses of our daily lives as it is by the choices we make under stress. We might sit in the same place for longer and not move around as we are under time pressures, leading to stiff muscles, inflammation and nitric oxide release. We might not drink as much water as we should to replenish that which we are losing to make the coffee, sugary snacks and alcohol we are consuming safe to excrete.

Heat increases stress on the body due to the sheer effort of maintaining a safe body temperature. Your heart rate increases and blood vessels move towards the surface of the skin to help heat escape. This results in sweating, which draws water away from joints, muscles and the brain.

Decreasing water levels in the body cause dehydration and affect the brain. Heat may trigger migraines more frequently in some sufferers.

It is more likely that lifestyle changes relating to hot weather trigger migraines more than heat itself. We sleep less, need to drink more water and lose our appetites.

You should avoid direct sunlight from noon to about 3pm. If you are heading outside, wear a hat which protects your head and neck fully, and wear dark sunglasses. Ensure you drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you find that you are feeling tired and can feel a migraine coming on, lie down in a cool, dark room and place a cold compress on your head such as a flannel.

A few ways to soothe migraines are to place a cold pack or cold flannel on your forehead to try to reduce the pain. Lavender oil has been known to ease migraine or headache pain; drop a bit of oil on tissue and inhale gently. Ginger has also been known to ease symptoms; try adding some to hot water for a home-made ginger tea.

Parvinder Sagoo, simplymedsonline.co.uk/migraine

When this happens, we lose water from the brain, which is an oasis in the body. If the kidneys need more water to dilute our urine, this is one of the places they get it from. If you are dehydrated, your brain shrinks in volume, pulling on the membrane covering it and causing more pain signals. Whats worse, those few glasses of wine you had to destress play with your neurochemistry, which ultimately leads to feelings of anxiety later.

Worst of all, long-term stress makes us unhappy and this can be linked to a dip in serotonin, the happy hormone which controls our mood. Fortunately, chocolate contains tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin in our bodies. Our craving for chocolate in stressful times is often our bodys way to self-medicate. A good laugh helps boost serotonin, too.

A painkiller such as ibuprofen can ease the pain, and paracetamol, particularly in combination with caffeine, is effective against tension headaches.

Although almost everyone has had a tension-type headache, not everyone has experienced a migraine. Migraine has a specific symptom set that means it is recognised as something separate from other classes of headache. In migraine, much has happened in the brain before the pain even starts.

In this prodrome phase, there are warning signs such as drowsiness, food cravings, aversion to light, thirst or blurred vision. All can be linked to altered concentrations of chemicals in the brain, which creates the conditions necessary for the next stage: the sensory disturbance known as an aura.

Not everybody has a conscious perception of an aura but it is thought that the same thing is happening in the brains of those who experience an aura and those who dont. The difference lies in how eloquent your cerebral cortex is.

What is happening in this stage is that a wave of excitation is passing over your brain followed by a wave of inactivity. You might therefore see things that arent there, such as flashing lights and scintillating lines as the wave passes over your visual areas, or experience other disturbances in your touch or smell.

Alterations in chemical balance that these waves cause, however, are the triggers for the pain phase because the waves set up vasoconstriction that the brain knows is dangerous: a lack of blood flow to the brain is as damaging as a bleed. This is corrected by vasodilation that stretches the vessels, which we feel as a throbbing, usually towards the front of the head. The relay system for pain signals in the brainstem and thalamus beneath the cortex is connected to all the other parts of the brain and so makes you feel wobbly, clumsy, sick and, of course, very averse to light.

All of this can knock you flat until the chemical balances can be brought back in line. The whole sorry episode leaves the migraineur exhausted in the postdrome phase, while their neurotransmitters and hormones are rebalancing.

Why are women more likely to suffer from this syndrome than men? In 1939, American physician Herman Selinsky argued that this was because a migraine episode could be seen as an escape for the patient from a bad situation and that harassed housewives were particularly prone.

But we now know it comes down to hormones. It turns out that 70 per cent of female migraineurs experience menstrual migraine. Indeed, oestrogen can play with neuronal excitability in lots of ways and it also interacts with the blood vessels of the brain.

Given that we know how important chemical and hormonal balance is in staving off headache, it is not surprising that those of us who experience monthly fluctuations are particularly at risk for migraine.

The use of external hormones such as oral contraceptives might ease symptoms as they stop the fluctuation of hormones necessary for ovulation, which can affect our mood and cognitive function. In essence, functions that would normally be served by one side of the brain now include both. A lack of normal inhibition between the brains hemispheres can lead to the wave of excitation in migraine and so women are vulnerable to migraine at times in their menstrual cycles.

Serotonin, which controls how much pain signal gets to our brain in addition to controlling our mood, may drop during the second half of the menstrual cycle. This explains why sumatriptan, which acts just like serotonin in the brain, is an effective migraine treatment.

But it also explains chocolate craving during the cycle: the chocolate doesnt cause your migraine, as is often thought. It really is your brain telling your body to self-medicate as the migraine begins, through the tryptophan it contains. Although males and females profess to love chocolate to the same degree, it seems women have more licence to eat it.

Splitting: The Inside Story on Headachesby Amanda Ellison (Green Tree, 16.99) is out now

Read more from the original source:
Three times as many women suffer migraines and why they're worse in a heatwave - iNews

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in front of the windpipe in your neck, that secretes thyroid hormone which regulates your metabolism. The storage form of thyroid hormone is T4, which contains four iodine atoms. Once this is released into the blood, it is converted to the more active form called T3, which contains three iodine atoms.

Thyroid hormone production is regulated by TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), which is secreted by the pituitary gland located at the base of your brain. If the thyroid is unable to produce enough thyroid hormone, the pituitary tries to rev it up by producing more TSH. The TSH level can be checked in the lab through a blood test. Normal ranges vary somewhat according to the lab, but in general are between 0.4 and 4.0. A TSH level higher than normal indicates hypothyroidism, while an abnormally low level indicates hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland).

For optimal health and vitality, its important that your TSH level remains in the normal range. Hypothyroidism, manifested by high TSH levels and low T4 levels, can cause the following: fatigue; sensitivity to cold; dry skin; constipation; weight gain; facial puffiness; hoarseness; weakness; aching; hair loss; depression; high cholesterol; slow pulse; and memory problems. Hypothyroidism in a pregnant woman results in lower IQ in the newborn, and if the hypothyroidism is severe, cretinism results, which is associated with multiple deficits including mental retardation.

The following factors can cause hypothyroidism:

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Worldwide, the most common cause is lack of iodine, which as noted above is an important component of thyroid hormone. Iodine is a naturally occurring element that occurs in varying amounts in soils throughout the world. Food grown in iodine-poor soils results in low iodine levels in humans who eat that food, resulting in hypothyroidism. In the United States and most other developed countries, iodine is added to most salt you buy at the grocery store in order to avoid iodine deficiency.

In developed countries the most common cause of low thyroid is an autoimmune disease called Hashimotos thyroiditis, where a rogue immune system attacks the thyroid gland.

Other causes of hypothyroidism include surgery or radiation for hyperthyroidism or for thyroid cancer.

Rarely, low thyroid is caused by medications such as lithium.

To make an accurate diagnosis of low thyroid in a person with an elevated TSH, a T4 level should be drawn. Sometimes a blood test for thyroid antibodies is ordered as well, to check for Hashimotos disease. In classic hypothyroidism, the T4 level is low, and the treatment is straight-forward: daily levothyroxine (T4) pills, which should be taken first thing in the morning, at least 30 minutes before eating food or taking other medications including supplements. When the TSH is a few points above normal but the T4 is normal, treatment is controversial.

Once you start thyroid replacement, your TSH should be checked in around six weeks, and if needed your dose adjusted. Once your level is stable, it just needs to be checked once a year. Pregnant women need to increase their dose. If your hypothyroidism is treated and your TSH becomes normal, but you still have symptoms such as fatigue, doctors sometimes add T3 (triiodothyronine), to cover the possibility of inadequate conversion in your body of storage T4 to active T3.

Neal Barnard, M.D., is the founding president of Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine. He has authored several books, the latest, which came out in February, called Your Body in Balance. In the chapter on thyroid, he has the following Menu for a Healthy Thyroid:

Iodine: not too much, not too little (both cause problems). There are many health reasons to avoid salt (sodium), but if you avoid iodized salt (keep in mind that sea salt, kosher salt and Himalayan salt are not iodized) you need to take an iodine supplement. The RDA of iodine for an adult is 150 mcg, 220 if pregnant, 290 if breast feeding. You can get your RDA by eating seaweed (sea vegetables) on a regular basis, and the RDA is present in many vitamin/mineral preparations or as a single iodine supplement. Avoid kelp due to too much iodine, and hijiki seaweed which can be contaminated with arsenic.

Dr. Barnard also says to avoid animal products: People who avoid meat, dairy products, and eggs have been shown in research studies to have the lowest risk of hypo- or hyperthyroidism, probably because of lower rate of autoimmune disease in people on a plant-based diet. According to Dr. Barnard, when people switch from an animal-based to a plant-based diet, they often are able to cut back on their thyroid replacement dose, and sometimes their hypothyroidism resolves.

Greg Feinsinger, M.D. is a retired family physician who has a nonprofit: Prevention and Treatment of Disease Through Nutrition. He is available by appointment for free consultations (379-5718)

Original post:
Doctor's Tip: Risks, causes, treatment and prevention of hypothyroidism - Glenwood Springs Post Independent

Today marks the first Fathers Day since our middle daughter, The Architect, 7, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This subject comes up in my writing occasionally, but if youre just joining us, T1D (formerly known as juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes) is an autoimmune disease that leads a persons pancreas to stop producing insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar. It is not known what causes T1D, and unlike the much more common type 2 diabetes, it cannot be prevented or delayed with lifestyle changes.

Type 1 requires multiple daily injections of insulin through a syringe, pen or insulin pump and careful monitoring of blood glucose levels, lest the patient suffer from extremely high or low blood sugar, both of which can lead to short- and long-term complications.

In October, our lives changed forever as this diagnosis was handed down in a physicians well-rehearsed but kindly delivered speech in a hospital room on the 11th floor of Nationwide Childrens Hospital. Weve been trying to figure out the rhythm of life since then, and weve made some strides.

I say all this because during previous Fathers Days, I could have come up with a number of different adjectives to describe Mr. Roy: Hard Worker, Provider, Math Helper, Protector, Player of Board Games, Enforcer of Naps.

This year I have watched Mr. Roy acquire a new adjective: Advocate.

Merriam-Webster defines advocate as one who pleads the cause of another.

To some extent, all of us, when we become parents, are endowed with the title of advocate, but for parents of children with special needs, for example, or medical conditions, that title takes on a new meaning.

In that hospital room in October, as I struggled to the point of numbness with the burden of the unknowns that had been thrust upon us, Mr. Roy stepped into his advocacy role with vigor and grace. He didnt know any more than I did about the causes of diabetes or how to manage it; he didnt care. He knew that he loved his little girl and would stop at nothing to make sure she had everything she needed to survive.

He was the first one to give her insulin in her hospital bed, when I was too afraid Id mess it up; the one who read over all the papers and made appointments with the doctors and educators and school personnel.

Our first night home from the hospital, he was the one squeezing her finger to get a drop of blood at 3 a.m. when she was half-asleep and we had to make sure her levels werent tanking.

Every day, at every meal occasionally now, but especially in those early days he faithfully filled out the charts tracking her progress. He got on the phone with the diabetes educator when we noticed a trend that seemed off. Spoke with them late into the night when The Architect was sick and we were trying to manage blood sugar on top of sickness on top of two other kids.

More often than not, he is the one who calculates her insulin for every meal and gets her pen ready not because I cant or dont, but because he assumed the role like a bird somehow learns to fly after it leaves the nest. Hes willing to try things to improve her condition when I am paralyzed and sticking to the books.

A few months ago Mr. Roy went into a tattoo parlor on his lunch break to have the outline of a drop of blood tattooed on his forearm. Not because hes a cool, hip dad (although you are, Honey), but because he loves his girls inside and out.

In our marriage partnership, I like to think we do a pretty good job of balancing roles. Please dont get the impression from these words that I do nothing, because I, too, am learning. But to watch my husband adopt this new adjective has been a blessing I am especially celebrating this Fathers Day.

To all dads everywhere: Whatever your adjectives, thank you for the roles you take on. Its a blessing to celebrate you today.

Abbey Roy is a mom of three girls who make every day an adventure. She writes to maintain her sanity. You can probably reach her at amroy@nncogannett.com, but responses are structured around bedtimes and weekends.

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Abbey's Road: In celebration of Dad-vocates - The Newark Advocate

I was never one to imagine my future children. While others dream about everything from their future kids' names to their looks and passions, my thoughts have always been a bit more self-centered. I wouldn't say that I never want to have kids of my own, but as a 22-year-old graduating into an unprecedented pandemic and economic downturn, the idea of bringing another life into this world that's dependent on me for survival is more stressful than anything else. So, I didn't really give it much thought . . . until I was forced to.

About a year ago, I had to consider the idea of becoming a parent in a much more immediate way. I'm a trans woman, and one of the first steps toward transitioning is hormone therapy, which also causes infertility. At the time, all I wanted to do was start my transition and leave the body I felt so uncomfortable in behind, but instead, I had to make a decision I didn't imagine dealing with for years to come: whether I would ever have my own children.

When I first tried to start hormone therapy, it felt like an invisible force was standing in my way. I vividly remember taking the train into Chicago to the Howard Brown Health Clinic. I was running late, so I sprinted the mile walk between the train and the clinic. I got there only to find out that I was at the wrong place, and I was told to reschedule my appointment for another day. A week later, I was sitting on a sterilized hospital bed waiting for the doctor to come in and ask me why I wanted to change my body so drastically. It was scary, but I was ready for anything. I was convinced I'd have to fight for my right to access the hormones I needed because no one was going to simply hand over such life-saving drugs to a baby trans woman who still had stubble on their chin and a voice that sounded like it had something to hide.

Of course, there was no fight. My physician was on my side 110 percent. She asked me why I had decided to transition and what outcome I was looking for. I told her I didn't expect hormone therapy to change me into the femme I envisioned myself as overnight, but I wanted to fix what felt like a chemical imbalance within myself. My body was overrun with testosterone, and I was reaching for something that a daily dose of estrogen and testosterone blockers could turn from fantasy into reality.

That was when she informed me that if I truly committed to these pills, I would have to accept the fact that I would be infertile. She gave me several options for banking my sperm, but all I could hear was another obstacle in the way of my transition. My first thought was, "Who wants kids anyway?" But because I've always been a fairly responsible person, I also thought that I should respect my future self and give her the option of having her own biological children. I was torn, but the part of me that was living in the moment I had been waiting so long for told my doctor to give me the pills anyway.

I left the clinic that day unsure of my next step while also holding a month's supply of estrogen pills in my backpack. When I got home, I took one just to know the taste. I placed it under my tongue and waited for it to dissolve, but even that felt like an eternity and I swallowed the pill whole. I was just so tired of the imbalance I had felt for so long, but I also knew I might be rushing what would surely be a lifelong journey.

For the next month, I held the pills close while mulling over whether my future biological children were worth postponing my transition. I hadn't taken a pill since the first day I got them, and I started reaching out to sperm banks to see how difficult this process would be. At the time, I wasn't close to any other trans women going through hormone therapy, and the only advice I got was from trans women telling their stories on YouTube. Some who never banked their sperm before transitioning were forced to stop taking estrogen and turn away from the comfort years on hormone therapy had brought them in an effort to conceive. Even though the prospect of kids felt so far off in my mind, their stories reminded me that whenever I started my transition, I never wanted to go back to that feeling of imbalance, even for a child. I found an affordable sperm bank just west of Chicago, and in January of 2019, I banked my sperm and officially began my transition.

It's been over a year and I'm still paying to keep my sperm viable. My best chance for biological children is frozen in an egg yolk in a warehouse in Illinois. Its existence is reevaluated yearly based on my ability to pay a $250 bill, and brings with it a reminder that my connection to motherhood is tentative and sterilized. So far I haven't paid my second bill, and I question how long I'm willing to preserve my ability to conceive children. I never truly decided whether or not I wanted kids, only that to deny myself the opportunity felt foolish. Or maybe it's foolish to prolong an inevitable letting go. The only truth I know is that I'm a 22-year-old trans woman on her way to becoming. I have no idea where that journey will take me, but at the end of the day right now, I only have my choices to keep me company. And so far, I'm pretty happy with that.

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I'm a 22-Year-Old Trans Woman, and a Year Ago I Was Forced to Decide If I Ever Want to Have Kids - POPSUGAR

BMR can be helpful is losing weight is one of your goals.

No matter what your goals, when it comes to nutrition and body recomposition, knowledge is power. And understanding a few key principles, like how to track macros, calories and how to exercise more effectively is especially important if weight loss is your goal.

If you want to lose body fat, gain muscle or maintain your weight, an important metric you should know about is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Your BMR is the minimum number of calories that your body needs to function at rest. You may think you only need energy to exercise or complete tasks, but your body has a specific energy need just to complete basic functions like breathing and regulating your hormone levels.

Your BMR is not in itself a tool for weight loss, but it can be a helpful starting point for figuring out how to adjust your diet and exercise goals. The problem with a lot of diets and weight loss programs out there is that they are "one size fits all." But every person is different, so taking one meal plan and applying it to multiple people just does not work. Your BMR is calculated based on several different factors that are personal to you, like your age, gender, current weight and activity level.

Keep reading to find out about what BMR is, how to calculate it and how it can help you with your nutrition and exercise goals.

BMR calculators use several different factors, like age and gender, to determine your BMR.

Many people use BMR as a starting point to calculate their daily calorie needs and how to best adjust them to reach their goals. In fact, many macro calculators, like the popular IIFYM, incorporate BMR into their calculations for telling you about your calorie intake and macro needs based on your goals.

One common misconception about BMR is that it is the amount of calories your body burns at rest, but that is a different metric -- Resting metabolic rate or (RMR). Your BMR is what energy your body needs to perform basic functions, while RMR is the amount of calories that your body burns while at rest. Some people use the measurements interchangeably, but they aren't necessarily the same thing.

There are many different calculators available online that can calculate your estimated BMR. Note that some of them will ask you to enter your body fat percentage, which many people do not know. If you don't, you can make an estimate or use the images provided (like IIFYM does) to guess.

Some of the best BMR calculators:

Once you start learning about your BMR, you will likely also find information on TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) since BMR is often calculated first to find TDEE.

Your BMR tells you your calorie needs, when you take that number plus how much you burn every day during normal activity and exercise, you get your TDEE. So really, TDEE is the number that you work off of for figuring out how to adjust macros or calories for body composition goals, according to IIFYM.

Weight loss is tricky, but using calculators that factor in your BMR are helpful for taking a more customized approach for your calories and macronutrient needs. The way that most macros and BMR-based calculators work is by factoring in your TDEE with your goals.

If you want to lose weight, you have to be in a calorie deficit, meaning the calculator will set your daily food intake to equal less calories than what you burn. Sometimes when you take an online quiz to find this number, you will be asked how fast you'd like to lose weight. Then the calorie deficit will be adjusted accordingly. The faster you want results, the more extreme you will have to be with cutting calories. But many experts say that slow and steady is optimal compared to trying to lose a lot of weight quickly.

If you want to maintain your weight instead of lose or gain, then knowing your BMR and TDEE can help you know how many calories you should aim to consume each day to maintain your weight. On the flipside of weight loss is gaining muscle mass. This too requires that you strategically approach your nutrition and add calories into your day (likely in the form of protein and carbs) to make sure you can gain muscle.

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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Knowing your BMR is crucial for losing weight -- here's how to find yours - CNET

ASHLAND, Ky. Many healthcare providers recommend patients undergo routine blood screening regularly. Kings Daughters is offering access to these tests with their Low-Cost Blood Profile program.

The blood screening is available for $25. No physician order or appointment is needed. However, fasting is required. Results will be mailed to participants homes and available in MyChart in one to two days. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted. Insurance cannot be billed.

The LCBP includes the most commonly ordered lab tests, including:

Complete Blood Count: Screens for and monitors conditions that affect the blood cells, including anemia, infection, inflammation, blood disorders and some types of cancer.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel: Provides information about the current status of the metabolism, including kidneys and liver; electrolyte and acid/base balance; blood glucose levels; and blood proteins.

Lipid Panel: Includes measures of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (bad); HDL cholesterol (good); and triglycerides.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone: Screens for and aids in the diagnosis of thyroid disorders, including both low and high function.KDMC also offers optional A1C testing for $5. The A1C test provides information about the average levels of blood glucose over the past three months. The A1C is an important tool in the management of diabetes.All screenings take place from 8-10 a.m. The locations and dates for the screenings include:

Kings Daughters Center for Advanced Imaging, 2225 Central Ave., Ashland, Ky.; Fridays through Nov. 20.

Kings Daughters Ohio, 2001 Scioto Trail, Portsmouth, Ohio; July 17, Sept. 18, Nov. 20.

Kings Daughters Medical Specialties Kinneys Lane, 1729 Kinneys Lane, Portsmouth, Ohio; Aug. 17, Oct. 19.

Kings Daughters Family Care Center Grayson, 100 Bellefonte Rd., Grayson, Ky.; July 10, Sept. 11, Nov. 13.

Kings Daughters Family Care Center Ironton, 912 Park Ave., Ironton, Ohio; July 23, Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 22.

Kings Daughters Medical Specialties Prestonsburg, 1279 Old Abbott Mtn. Road, Prestonsburg, Ky.; July 22, Sept. 23, Nov. 25

Kings Daughters Medical Specialties Jackson, 14395 State Route 93, Jackson Ohio; July 17, Sept. 18, Nov. 20.

Kings Daughters Family Care Center Wheelersburg, 8750 Ohio River Road, Wheelersburg, Ohio; July 10, Sept. 11, Nov. 13.For the most up-to-date testing schedule, stay tuned to our Facebook page or visit the events calendar at KingsDaughtersHealth.com.

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Low-cost blood profile screenings offered throughout the region - The Tribune - Ironton Tribune

America was a nation of huggers.

We cuddled our grandchildren, embraced to provide comfort and hugged in greeting.

But COVID-19 has changed that.

Now hugging can be hazardous, carrying with it the risk of transmitting a virus that travels through close contact.

So will our culture abandon hugging?

"We're going to see a lot less hugging in the future, said Gail Saltz, an associate professor of psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical College. Shaking hands and touching the cheeks of complete strangers probably hasn't made sense for a long time, since we know how contagion works."

Embracing in the time of the pandemic is about risk management.

For many, especially those 65 and older and those with underlying medical conditions who are at high risk for COVID-19, hugging should mostly be off the table, at least until a vaccine is found, said William Li, a physician studying COVID-19 and president and founder of the nonprofit Angiogenesis Foundation.

Younger people also may be reluctant to hug parents or grandparents out of fear they might transmit the coronavirus.

The decision not to hug can actually be a demonstration of caring, Saltz said.

"There's concern about putting the older person at risk, she said.

The person who loves them would feel horrendous if they were the source of the virus."

But people miss hugging so much, they're getting creative.

One New Jersey grandmother donned a head-to-toe unicorn costume and visited her grandchildren for hugs.

Maureen Sweeney, 58, of Cinnaminson said it was overwhelming the first time she embraced her grandchildren after months without doing so.

She disinfects the unicorn between uses and even bought a shark costume for her husband.

After weeks of quarantining, Daria Lucarelli, 57, of Ventura, California, had had enough of waving to her four grandchildren from afar.

She bought clear trash bags, then cut and taped them to create two full-body plastic suits, throwing in scuba snorkels for breathing.

She and her 73-year-old husband showed up on their daughter's doorstep for hugs.

"It was electrifying, Lucarelli said. You don't realize how much you miss the hugs until you actually feel them."

The importance of touch

Hugging has both mental and physical benefits, said Asim A. Shah, the executive vice chair of the department of psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine.

Touch is particularly important for older people, who often report feelings of loneliness, Shah said.

Human contact stimulates the brain to release the beneficial hormone oxytocin, decreasing anxiety and stress, which can boost the immune system.

One study found that hugging and emotional support make people less susceptible to illness, and with milder symptoms if they do get sick.

In a recent survey of COVID-19 lockdown activities by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, older respondents generally seemed more content at home than their younger counterparts, but many in the older group noted that what they missed most was hugging their grandchildren, said Tiffany Field, director of the institute.

Despite that, Field said she doesn't believe widespread hugging will be returning any time soon. In the future it may be reserved only for the closest circle of family and friends.

Replacements for hugging

"I don't think hugging in public is going to come back, she said.

With social distancing in place, it's important to find behaviors that can substitute, in part, for hugging, Shah said.

Interaction through video chatting platforms can simulate about 80 percent of the benefits of touching, while talking on the telephone comes in at about 50 percent, Shah said.

Enhanced communication can also go a long way to ease the lack of human touch, whether that's by text, socially distant face-to-face conversation or written letters, Saltz said. You can say, I love you so much, I wish I could hug you,' she said. Words can touch us, too."

Weighing the risks

For 60-year-old Linda Hidde, of Appleton, Wisconsin, the decision to hug her two young grandchildren came after quarantining for weeks.

The normally cheerful Hidde said she became depressed and cried daily.

"It was taking a toll on me, she said. I finally decided this had to stop."

She began visiting and hugging her grandchildren again.

But Hidde said she's taking precautions by mask-wearing and handwashing and won't interact with her grandchildren if she feels even the mildest symptoms, like a sore throat.

People should be cautious and assess the hazards involved with hugging, and use strategies to make contact safer if they choose to hug, said Theodore Bailey, chief of the division of infectious diseases at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

Wearing a mask and clean clothes and washing hands can help, he said.

"Most of the things we do in life have some risk associated with them, he said.

Getting rid of hugging altogether wouldn't be justifiable on medical grounds, Bailey said, noting that the pandemic is an unusual situation that won't last forever.

Bailey and his wife both work with COVID-19 patients, taking proper safety precautions, and after they shower and change clothes, they do hug their young children.

However, Bailey has not visited his 82-year-old mother who lives in another state. Instead he bought her a tablet for Zoom visits.

New rules for hugging

Hugs should be fully consensual.

Don't approach someone for a hug without discussing it first, Bailey said. This is an exceptional situation and people's comfort with risk is not the same from one person to the next, he said.

Generally, you can hug the people you're quarantined with.

The people you live with are safe to hug, unless they're working outside the home in jobs that might expose them to the virus or to a lot of people, Li said.

Convey affection in different ways.

Send emojis by text, throw kisses through video chat, read a book to grandchildren over FaceTime, express yourself through talking or writing letters, said Raquel Bild-Libbin, a Miami psychologist.

We don't want people to feel they aren't connected and loved, she said. It's just communicated in a different form."

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After the coronavirus, will we ever hug again? - Leesville Daily Leader

People with Type 1 diabetes may be at a high risk of developing severe symptoms and illness from COVID-19, according to a new study published in Diabetes Care.

Diabetes is generally known to weaken the immune system, making it harder to protect against viral infections like COVID-19. Viruses, like the novel coronavirus, may also aggravate preexisting diabetic systems leading to added challenges managing blood sugar levels and worse outcomes.

Researchers found that about half of the people in the study with Type 1 diabetes and suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infections had abnormally high blood sugar -- highlighting how COVID-19 can complicate blood sugar control in Type 1 diabetic patients.

Having consistently high blood sugar can be a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal diabetic complication that is characterized by high blood sugar and low insulin levels. It is commonly triggered by infections.

In the study, almost half of all confirmed COVID-19 cases also developed diabetic ketoacidosis,

"This points to the need for people with diabetes to check their blood glucose often, and to keep blood glucose in good control." said Dr. K.M Venkat Narayan, professor of global health and epidemiology at Emory University, who was not involved in the study.

He added, "People with diabetes, in general, are at increased risk of adverse COVID complications, and at more than twice the risk of death from COVID than people without diabetes."

There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, which means that the immune system attacks the body's own cells and impairs its ability to produce insulin, a hormone that helps to control blood sugar levels. Blood sugar regulation is a complicated process, affected by multiple factors such as food, sleep, stress and illness. Type 2 diabetes, the much more common form of the disease, usually presents itself in adults and can often be controlled by healthy eating and exercise.

A patient holds insulin medicine, Jan. 17, 2020 in Minnetonka, Minn.

This study only included patients with Type 1 diabetes and a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.

"So far, most of the studies published have lumped together all types of diabetes. We know these conditions can be very different and we need to study them separately," said Dr. Fernando Ovalle, director of the division of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at the Birmingham School of Medicine, University of Alabama, who was not involved in the study.

Dr. Mary Pat Gallagher, director of pediatric diabetes at NYU Langone Health and co-author of the study said that from the data they have the risks of complications, such as high blood sugar and diabetic ketoacidosis with COVID-19, are probably similar to those seen in other viral illnesses.

However, "COVID is a more serious infection than influenza," Narayan said.

More research is needed, according to Ovalle. The study was fairly small; most people studied were in their early 20s and did not examine how the severity of COVID-19 symptoms compared to people without Type 1 diabetes.

"Much more research is needed before we can know for sure what the true risks are, particularly for Type 1 diabetes," he said.

Dr. Osagie Ebekozien, author of the paper and vice president at T1D Exchange, added, "As we collect additional data, we will be able to provide more insights on factors that contribute to increased risks of hospitalization and adverse outcomes as a result of COVID-19 for people with Type 1 diabetes."

Regardless, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that diabetes, "including type 1, type 2, or gestational, may put people at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19," and patients should take extra precautions. The agency recommends taking diabetes pills or insulin as usual, testing and keeping track of blood sugar every four hours, and having at least a two-week supply of diabetes pills or insulin.

"High glucose levels may be one factor contributing to excess risk from COVID, and therefore, attention to glucose control is key," said Narayan.

An external insulin pump is carried by a patient with Type 1 diabetes.

Experts advise that diabetics should talk to their physicians if their medications need adjustment. "It is usually possible to prevent diabetic ketoacidosis if the higher insulin requirements that are often seen with viral illnesses are addressed early in the process," said Gallagher.

A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, balanced diet, regular sleep and stress management all help with diabetes control and "may also help boost defenses against COVID," said Narayan.

Amid the pandemic, disruptions to work, care and daily routines make it harder to maintain good blood sugar control. Experts advise vigilance and care: Take safety measures to avoid COVID-19, check blood sugar levels more frequently if feeling sick and do not hesitate to seek a physician's assistance. Serious complications are preventable with early intervention and responsible diabetes management.

ABC News' Dr. Jessica Johnson contributed to this report.

Hassal Lee, a neuroscience Ph.D., and student doctor at the University of Cambridge is a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit.

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Type 1 diabetics may be at high risk for severe illness related to coronavirus: Study - ABC News

NOVATO, Calif.andTOKYO, June 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.(NASDAQ: RARE), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel products for rare and ultra-rare diseases, andKyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.(Kyowa Kirin, TSE: 4151), a global specialty pharmaceutical company creating innovative medical solutions using the latest biotechnology, today announced that theU.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has approved Crysvita(burosumab) for the treatment of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23)-related hypophosphatemia in tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) associated with phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors that cannot be curatively resected or localized in adults and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older. Crysvita is a human antibody that blocks excess activity of FGF23, a hormone that causes phosphate urinary excretion and suppresses active vitamin D production by the kidney.

For approximately half of all individuals with TIO, surgical removal of the tumors is not possible, leaving these patients with no other treatment options. The FDA approval of Crysvita marks the first treatment option that addresses the cause of the severe hypophosphatemia and osteomalacia resulting from these rare tumors, said Camille L. Bedrosian, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Ultragenyx. We plan to leverage our experience and existing infrastructure with Crysvita in X-linked hypophosphatemia to bring this important medicine to patients living with the rare, painful and debilitating disorder of TIO.

Since its approval, Crysvita has meant a great deal to patients and families that previously had no other treatment options. We are proud of the work that has been done to advance this discovery from our labs, through a robust clinical research program, and through the FDAs priority review process, to make this treatment available to patients with TIO, said Gary Zieziula, President, North America for Kyowa Kirin. Our commitment to meeting the needs of patients with rare and serious diseases remains steadfast and we will continue to partner with the Ultragenyx team to address these needs with urgency.

TIO is a rare disease caused by typically benign, slow-growing tumors that produce excess levels of FGF23, which is involved in phosphate reabsorption. Patients with TIO can experience symptoms including severe hypophosphatemia (low levels of phosphate in the blood), osteomalacia (softening of the bones), muscle weakness, fatigue, bone pain and fractures. There are an estimated 500 to 1,000 people inthe United States with TIO, and approximately half of all cases are believed to be inoperable. In patients for whom the tumor or lesion is inoperable, the current treatment consists of oral phosphate and/or active vitamin D replacement. Efficacy of this management is often limited, and its benefits must be balanced with monitoring for potential risks.

This is the second FDA-approved indication for Crysvita, which was first approved in April 2018 for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) in adult and pediatric patients one year of age and older. The XLH indication was expanded in September 2019 to include infants as young as six months of age.

The FDA approval of Crysvita for TIO was based on data from two single-arm Phase 2 studies, a 144-week study in 14 adult patients conducted by Ultragenyx in theUnited Statesand an 88-week study in 13 adult patients conducted byKyowa KirininJapanandSouth Korea. In both studies, Crysvita was associated with increases in serum phosphorus and serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels. Increased phosphate levels led to improvements in osteomalacia. Additionally, whole body bone scans demonstrated reduced tracer uptake with long-term treatment suggesting healing of bone lesions. Most common adverse reactions (>10%) in TIO patients are: tooth abscess, muscle spasms, dizziness, constipation, injection site reaction, rash, and headache.

The FDA granted Priority Review designation for the supplemental BLA for TIO, which is reserved for drugs that treat a serious condition and, if approved, would provide a significant improvement in safety or effectiveness.

To support access, Ultragenyx has a program called UltraCare, which helps patients and caregivers understand insurance coverage and assists them in finding financial support for Ultragenyx medicines including Crysvita, and for the administration of them. Dedicated in-house UltraCare Guides are available Monday through Friday from9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Timeat 888-756-8657.

About CrysvitaCrysvita (burosumab-twza) is a recombinant fully human monoclonal IgG1 antibody, discovered byKyowa Kirin, against the phosphaturic hormone FGF23. FGF23 is a hormone that reduces serum levels of phosphorus and active vitamin D by regulating phosphate excretion and active vitamin D production by the kidney. Phosphate wasting in TIO and other hypophosphatemic conditions, including XLH, is caused by excessive levels and activity of FGF23. Crysvita is designed to bind to and thereby inhibit the biological activity of FGF23. By blocking excess FGF23 in patients with TIO and XLH, Crysvita is intended to increase phosphate reabsorption from the kidney and increase the production of active vitamin D, which enhances intestinal absorption of phosphate and calcium.

Crysvita is approved by theU.S.FDA for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) in adult and pediatric patients six months of age and older and FGF23-related hypophosphatemia in tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) associated with phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors that cannot be curatively resected or localized in adults and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older, and byHealth Canadaand BrazilsNational Health Surveillance Agency(ANVISA) for the treatment of XLH in adult and pediatric patients one year of age and older. InJapan, it is approved by theMinistry of Health, Labor and Welfare(MHLW) for the treatment of FGF23-related hypophosphatemic rickets and osteomalacia. InEurope, Crysvita has received European conditional marketing authorization for the treatment of XLH with radiographic evidence of bone disease in children 1 year of age and older and adolescents with growing skeletons, and an application for the expanded use in adults with XLH is currently under review by theEuropean Medicines Agency.

Kyowa Kirinand Ultragenyx have been collaborating in the development and commercialization of Crysvita globally based on the collaboration and license agreement between the parties.

U.S. INDICATIONCrysvita (burosumab-twza) is a fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23)-blocking antibody indicated for the treatment of:

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATIONCONTRAINDICATIONS

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONSHypersensitivity

Hyperphosphatemia and Risk ofNephrocalcinosis

Injection Site Reactions

ADVERSE REACTIONSPediatric XLH Patients

Adult XLH Patients

Adult TIO Patients

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION

Side effects may be reported to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 orwww.fda.gov/medwatch.Side effects may also be reported to Kyowa Kirin, Inc. at 1-888-756-8657.

Please see fullPrescribing Information for a complete discussion of the risks associated with CRYSVITA.

About UltragenyxUltragenyx is a biopharmaceutical company committed to bringing to patients novel products for the treatment of serious rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases. The company has built a diverse portfolio of approved therapies and product candidates aimed at addressing diseases with high unmet medical need and clear biology for treatment, for which there are typically no approved therapies treating the underlying disease.

The company is led by a management team experienced in the development and commercialization of rare disease therapeutics. Ultragenyxs strategy is predicated upon time- and cost-efficient drug development, with the goal of delivering safe and effective therapies to patients with the utmost urgency.

For more information on Ultragenyx, please visit the companys website at http://www.ultragenyx.com.

AboutKyowa KirinKyowa Kirincommits to innovative drug discovery driven by state-of-the-art technologies. The company focuses on creating new values in the four therapeutic areas: nephrology, oncology, immunology/allergy and neurology. Under the Kyowa Kirin brand, the employees from 40 group companies acrossNorth America, EMEA andAsia/Oceaniaunite to champion the interests of patients and their caregivers in discovering solutions to address unmet medical needs. You can learn more about the business ofKyowa Kirinatwww.kyowakirin.com.

Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements related to Ultragenyx's expectations and projections regarding its future operating results and financial performance, anticipated cost or expense reductions,the timing, progress and plans for its clinical programs and clinical studies, future regulatory interactions, and the components and timing of regulatory submissions are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our clinical development programs, collaboration with third parties, future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, Ultragenyxs reliance on its third party partner, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., for the supply of Crysvita, the effects from the COVID-19 pandemic on the companys business and operating results, smaller than anticipated market opportunities for the companys products and product candidates, the companys evolving commercial infrastructure, uncertainties related to insurance coverage and reimbursement approval for the companys products, manufacturing risks, the uncertainties inherent in the clinical drug development process, including the potential for substantial delays and the risk that earlier study results may not be predictive of future study results, the lack of predictability in the regulatory approval process, the timing of regulatory filings and approvals (including whether such approvals can be obtained), and other matters that could affect sufficiency of existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments to fund operations, the companys future operating results and financial performance and the availability or commercial potential of Ultragenyxs products and drug candidates. Ultragenyx undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of Ultragenyx in general, see Ultragenyx's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 7, 2020, and its subsequent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts:

UltragenyxInvestors & MediaDanielle Keatley+1-415-475-6876dkeatley@ultragenyx.com

Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd.MediaHiroki Nakamura (Global)+81-3-5205-7205Email:media@kyowakirin.com

Lauren Walrath (US)+1-646-526-4454Email: publicaffairs.na@kyowakirin.com

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Ultragenyx and Kyowa Kirin Announce US FDA Approval of Crysvita (burosumab) for the Treatment of Tumor-Induced Osteomalacia (TIO) - BioSpace

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With the coronaviruspandemicforcing us all to cook more often frompantry staplesand non-perishable food stashes, canned food has probably never been more popular. But what's the best canned food to stock from a nutritional point of view?

Canned foodsare convenient, affordable and easy tostock for long periodsof time. They can be a simple solution to many shopping and cooking problems. Their health implications, however, are less clear. When it comes to the nutritional value (or lack thereof) of these products, there's a wide range of opinions.

"People should treat canned foods as they would any kind of food," nutritional therapy practitioner andLife Health & Wellness CenterCEO Asher Adelman says. "When shopping for canned foods, the best choices are real whole foods that aren't processed and that don't contain refined grains, sugar or inflammatory vegetableoilslike corn, canola and soybean oils."

Time to get more specific! Here are the details about the best and worst canned foods you can buy (for yourself orto donate), according to nutritionists and other nutrition experts.

Read more:How to safely grocery shop during a pandemic

According to Gabrielle McGrath, MS, RN, LDN ofLexi's Clean Living, canned pumpkin is great to have on hand for its slew of health benefits. The nutrients and antioxidants in plain and cannedpumpkin puree(without other additives) can boost your immune system, protect your eyesight, and lower your risk of chronic disease. Look for brands that list simply "organic pumpkin" on the ingredients list.

Certified nutrition therapy practitionerHaley Haltemanis cautious about the high sodium content of most canned foods, but she notes that canned chicken,salmon,tunaandsardinescan be great for a quick, high-protein meal as long as the quality is right. Choose brands that are "organic, from pasture-raised or wild-caught sources, packaged in water, with no salt added."

There are plenty of healthy options available in the canned vegetable section at your local supermarket, but registered dietitianJen Hernandezencourages you not to gettoocarried away, focusing instead on the canned veggies you think you'll actually eat. Hernandez is a big fan of cannedcorn,green beansandpeas, all of which are best for you when marked low sodium and no added salt.

McGrath regularly stocks diced tomatoes in her own kitchen for use inchilis,soupsandtomato sauces. Citric acid and calcium chloride are two ingredients frequently found in canned tomatoes and are nothing to be concerned about, according to McGrath.

Read more:A comprehensive guide to canned tomatoes

Registered dietitianBri Bellrecommends keeping cannedbeansandlentilsin your pantry. These legumes are healthy sources of protein, fiber and carbohydrates, and can be easily added to everything from soups andchilistosaladsandgrain bowls. Steer away from added salt whenever possible.

Read more:The best ways to use all the beans in your pantry

Even for the "good" canned products listed above, there can be some variation in terms of ingredients and preparation.Stick to versions ofallcanned foods with low sodium and no added sugar.

"It's important to keep in mind there are unhealthy versions of anything canned," McGrath says. "You need to look at thenutrition facts panelso you can fully understand what you are eating."

And then there are the canned foods that should be avoided almost all the time

While many nutrition pros swear by the health benefits of canned beans, McGrath is cautious about purchasingbakedbeans in a can. Canned baked beans, she says, are often loaded with saturated fat, sugar and unnecessary additives. If you lovebaked beans, go the homemade route, instead.

Sorry to burst your bubble on your favorite feel-good canned soups, but many of these products arenotapproved by nutritionists. "A no no for me is canned soups," Hernandez says. "Not only are they often more than a day's worth of sodium, they just don't taste as good as homemade!" Making homemadesoupis a commitment, but don't be intimidated -- there are plenty of manageable DIY recipes out there for everything fromEasy Lentil SouptoClassic Tomato Soup.

Read more:How to make easy crock-pot chicken stock in the slow cooker

Therearesome canned fruit options that can be a healthy snack or add-on to yogurt or oatmeal, but nutritionistLisa Richardsnotes that many brands package their fruit in syrup. This does, of course, help retain the fruit's sweet taste, but it's also high in added sugar, which can increase inflammation and contribute to poor gut health.

Canned pastas (like the o-shaped ones you loved when you were a kid) and other ready-made meals can be convenient to have around in a pinch, but they're not recommended from a health perspective.Kiss My Ketoregistered dietitian Sofia Norton names these products among the worst canned options in the game, primarily because of their high levels of preservatives, additives, salt, and sugar.

Read more:Three pantry pasta recipes for when the fridge is bare

More generally, when reviewing your canned food options, Halteman recommends paying special attention to the way the can itself is made. Some brands use toxic chemicals likeBPAto make their cans.BPAis an endocrine disruptor andcan cause problemswith hormone levels and increase the risk of heart complications, cancer, and other diseases. "This is the number-one thing to look for!" Halteman says.

It should be noted that as consumer awareness about and backlash to BPA has increased,many manufacturers have stopped using it(even if the labels don't say so), but if you want to be extra-safe, you may still want to stay away from canned foods that aren't specifically labeled BPA-free.

Read more abouthow to stock a pantrybeyond canned goods.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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The best and worst canned foods, according to nutritionists - CNET

NBCs Today Show health expert Joy Bauer knows that a strong immune system is vital to help ward off disease.

Reducing stress, exercising, eating antioxidant-rich foods, and getting a good nights sleep can help individuals stay healthy, especially during a pandemic. Although eating a bowl of chips while binging on Netflix may have been the norm at the beginning of the crisis, Bauer says now is the time to get off the couch, nourish your body with healthy foods, and get a good night of sleep.

She told Showbiz Cheat Sheet that boosting your immune system doesnt have to be complicated, require an expensive gym membership, or involve a complex nutrition plan.

Its really a combination of looking and feeling our best, she says. But at the same time every single physician you talk to now, they make strengthening the immune system their top priority.

Bauer acknowledged that a number of Americans are re-emerging into society after being in a COVID-19 cocoon. Some people may have added a few pounds to their frame due to the stress of being locked down too.

But she views this as a unique opportunity for Americans to get serious about their health. Because its about survival, she remarks. One transformative aspect of the lockdown is that many people have become better home chefs. So rather than hitting the same pasta recipe, Bauer suggests weaving immune-boosting foods into meals.

RELATED: Today Shows Joy Bauer Says These 4 Foods Can Keep You Looking Young

Specifically [meals] loaded with produce and antioxidants, she suggests. Now is the time to find recipes that you can create around your repertoire and learn how to make things that are healthy and immune-boosting.

Plan out your week with at least three or four meals for each meal category, to keep the variety fresh. Thinking ahead means youll be better prepared at the grocery store and more likely to save money. Going back to the office? Double up on the recipes, portion out sizes, and store extras in the freezer. When its time to head to work, grab a packaged meal, and go. Dont forget to date your stored items.

Bauer recommends integrating Vitamin C immune-rich produce, such as citrus and mangos, into daily meals. Also, consider zinc to boost your immune system. Zinc-rich foods include cashews and pumpkin seeds.

RELATED: Foods That You Should Never Touch If Youre Over 50

Vitamin D is also important. It plays a major role in the immune system, she says. Milk and milk alternatives are good sources. But the important resource is salmon. The omega-3 fats with salmon are so great for every part from head to toe of your body, she says. Bauer also shared three immune-boosting recipes. They include loaded bell pepper nachos, plus her longevity smoothie and mango-ginger cashew smoothie.

Not feeling comfortable going back to the gym just yet? Bauer says taking a walk every day will give you the immune-boosting exercise your body craves. The easiest thing anybody can do to boost their immune system, mood and regulate weight from the exercise standpoint is just put on your sneakers and walk for at least 30 minutes a day, she remarks.

RELATED: 5 Healthy Habits You Should Remember Every Day

Its so simple and the health payoff is tremendous, Bauer adds. I always tell people to do it first thing in the morning because I think it sets you up to have a productive day. We know from research it boosts your mood. Harvard Health cited additional benefits, which include a possible cancer risk reduction, reduced sugar cravings, and less joint pain.

Bauer suggests using the time to catch up with friends on the phone or to listen to a book on tape. Make a deal that you are only going to listen to the audio when you are exercising, she suggests. Also, find a podcast to dive into for fun.

Bauer says the third key to a strong immune system is getting a good night of sleep. Sleep has gotten so much attention within this last year, even prior to the COVID stuff, she says. Being sleep deprived is directly related to increased levels of stress, being overweight, and having Type 2 diabetes. Also having memory issues.

RELATED: Today Show: Former Co-Host Kathie Lee Gifford Said She Would Get Creamed For Talking About This On the Air

People should try to aim for seven to eight hours a night, she recommends. But with people experiencing anxiety and stress, how can you still grab those vital hours of shut-eye? One of the things people can do is drink a calming cup of chamomile tea, Bauer says. Avoid drinking alcohol and also keep technology, such as phones and tablets, out of the bedroom.

And melatonin for sure, she says. Melatonin is a hormone and it helps to regulate our sleep-wake cycle. Bauer recently partnered with Life Extensions Fast- Acting Melatonin. Its a citrus vanilla [flavor], she describes. And it helps you get a restful sleep pattern.

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Joy Bauer of the 'Today Show' Shares 3 Easy Ways to Boost Your Immune System - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Enhanced, chronic joint pain treatment has been launched by The Aspen Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Gershon helps patients nationwide to overcome pain and injury.

(Newswire.net -- June 20, 2020) -- Enhanced, chronic joint pain treatment has been launched by The Aspen Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Gershon helps patients nationwide to overcome pain and injury while avoiding surgery.

The Aspen Institute for Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine has launched an updated service for nationwide patients. Anyone across the US needing the very best in stem cell therapy and exosome treatments can get in touch wit Dr Julian Gershon Jr. He is triple board certified in Family Medicine, Sports Medicine, and Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine, with decades of experience in stem cell therapy. He specializes in chronic joint pain primarily in the shoulders, knees, hips, and ankles.

More information can be found at: https://www.aspen-regenerativemedicine.com

Aspen Institute for Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine has developed a reputation for excellent service and exceeding client expectations. This has led to the Aspen Institute becoming a nationwide leader in the latest cutting-edge non-invasive treatments for chronic joint pain and healthier aging. Their focus has been on shifting from disease management medicine to optimal health and quality of life based medicine.

Now, through their newly updated services, the Aspen Institute is providing nationwide clients with stem cell therapy, exosome therapy, bio-identical hormone therapy, protein rich plasma PRP injections, and other healthcare solutions that can both improve and maintain beauty and health.

Treatments are centered around regenerative medicine that is evidence based, proactive, and synergistic. In this way, the Aspen Institute for Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine help patients to regain control over their health and enjoy happier, healthier, and more active lives.

They serve professional athletes and discerning clientele that demand the very best in alternatives to surgery. The team uses cutting-edge technology for umbilical cord and blood-derived stem cell procedures. Clients come from Denver, across the USA, and further to receive the highest quality treatments available in the world.

Athletes also benefit from an on-site board-certified sports medicine physician. For those seeking stem cell therapy, exosome therapy, and the best regenerative medicine, The Aspen Institute offers the highest quality results that can be achieved at this time.

Alternatives to surgery can be found with non-invasive treatments, anti-aging solutions, and regenerative platelet-rich plasma therapy.

Nationwide patients can visit Dr Julian Robert Gershon Jr in Lakewood or Aspen to discuss their health requirements. The treatments on offer are ideally suited to combating Achilles tendinitis and tears, back pain, arthritis, hip pain, knee pain, neck pain, tennis elbow, and more.

Patients benefit from non-invasive treatments that allow them to get back to fitness faster. These are pain free, and offer increased tissue repair. They also help with the reduction of inflammation and promote new blood vessel growth.

Full details can be found on the URL above.

Follow this link:
Upgraded Regenerative Stem Cell Exosome Joint Injection Medical Therapy Launched - Newswire

Summer is here, but one thing hasn't changed: we still need to do our part to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Toting hand sanitizer around has become the norm and, for many people, that includes keeping an extra bottle in the car. But is that habit safe as the temperatures rise? Could the heat render the hand sanitizer ineffective?

While you may have seen rumors circulating on social media that hand sanitizer can "explode" in a hot car, you won't end up with a fire on your hands if you keep a bottle stashed away. "For hand sanitizer to explode, the temperature would have to reach almost 700 degrees Fahrenheit to start a fire," Kathleen Dass, MD, at the Michigan Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Center, told POPSUGAR. "Even at the hottest temperature over the summer, studies show the maximum temperature most cars will reach is 160 degrees."

However, you should avoid leaving hand sanitizer in direct sunlight in a hot car. Hand sanitizer needs to have at least 60 percent alcohol content to be effective. "Prolonged heat and sunlight exposure can make the hand sanitizer less effective because the alcohol can evaporate," Dr. Dass said. She also noted that having sanitizer in a clear bottle can raise the temperature. Jeffrey Toll, MD, an internal medicine physician in Los Angeles, told POPSUGAR that in order to avoid any potential degradation of the sanitizer's quality, you should keep it away from direct sunlight if you're in the car for a long period of time.

Although keeping hand sanitizer in a hot car won't cause a fire, Dr. Toll said it's important to remember that it is flammable because it contains alcohol so you should always be mindful of where you store it and make sure to keep it away from any open flame. Dr. Dass added that when storing it in your car, make sure it's not anywhere near the car's cigarette lighter. But purely for COVID-19 purposes, the most important thing is to keep it in the coolest space possible. "Store it in a cool, shaded, or partially shaded place in your vehicle," Dr. Toll said. "And remember that it is not a replacement for soap and water, just an alternative to use when soap and water are not available."

Continued here:
How to Safely Store Hand Sanitizer in Your Car This Summer - POPSUGAR

These are the secret codes you need to find them.

From Men's Health

Netflix Has a Bunch of Hidden Movies and TV Shows You Don't Know About

Netflix has none of what you don't want (commercials) and more of what you do (movies, shows, and specials) but if you find yourself watching the same episodes of The Office over and over again, it's time to rethink your queue. The dizzying amount of choice on your favorite streaming platform can feel overwhelming at times, but with the right tricks up your sleeve, you can find exactly what you want to watch without spending an hour clicking through those never-ending feeds.

Browse with secret codes.

Netflix organizes all of its content into special categories thousands of them in fact. You can explore each genre by typing its unique number after the web address: http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/X, with X being the code. So the next time you're mindlessly scrolling through the homepage, jump to exactly what you want using one of these special shortcuts.

If you need something for the kids ...

Zero in on specific age groups or fam favorites (Disney!) by clicking straight onto one of these categories:

Children & Family Movies: 783

Disney: 67673

Education for Kids: 10659

Family Features: 51056

Kids TV: 27346

Movies based on childrens books: 10056

Movies for ages 0 to 2: 6796

Movies for ages 3 to 4: 6218

Movies for ages 5 to 7: 5455

Movies for ages 8 to 10: 561

Movies for ages 11 to 12: 6962

If you need to laugh ...

For when the new Ellen Degeneres special is not enough:

Comedies: 6548

Cult Comedies: 9434

Dark Comedies: 869

Slapstick Comedies: 10256

Stand-up Comedy: 11559

If you need to cry ...

Grab the tissues and get ready to sob your way through one of these:

Tearjerkers: 6384

Emotional Movies: 4136

If you want something to watch on date night ...

Cozy up on the couch with your significant other for a crowd-pleaser:

Action & Adventure: 1365

Action Comedies: 43040

Biographical Dramas: 3179

British Movies: 10757

British TV Shows: 52117

Dramas: 5763

Dramas based on Books: 4961

Dramas based on Real Life: 3653

Mysteries: 9994

Period Pieces: 12123

Sci-Fi Adventure: 6926

If you're over Netflix originals ...

Sometimes the streaming service gets a little too ambitious promoting its own content. You could try installing the "No Netflix Originals" Chrome extension to remove them completely from your browse page or jump ahead to one of these categories ahead:

Classic Movies (31574)

Classic Comedies (31694)

Classic Dramas (29809)

Classic TV Shows (46553)

Cult Movies (7627)

Cult TV Shows (74652)

If you want something light on in the background ...

Not in the mood for complicated plot lines and whispered dialogue? These don't require a lot of brain space after a long day.

Food & Travel TV: 72436

Food & Wine: 3890

Reality TV: 9833

Home Improvement: 3293

Science & Nature Documentaries: 2595

Science & Nature TV: 52780

Travel & Adventure Documentaries: 1159

If you want to binge ...

Hint: When "one more episode" turns into 10, go to "My Profile" and then "Playback Settings." There's an option to uncheck "Play next episode automatically." But we won't judge you for spending an hour (or 10) on one of these categories:

Classic TV Shows: 46553

Crime TV Shows: 6146

TV Action & Adventure: 10673

TV Comedies: 10375

TV Dramas: 11714

TV Mysteries: 4366

TV Sci-Fi & Fantasy: 1372

If you're in the mood for romance ...

From the light and happy rom-com to steamy Romance with a capital R, these will have you feeling some type of way.

Romantic Movies: 8883

Romantic Favorites: 502675

Romantic Dramas: 1255

Steamy Romantic Movies: 35800

Classic Romantic Movies: 31273

Romantic Comedies: 5475

Romantic Christmas Films: 1394527

Romantic Movies based on Books: 3830

Romantic Movies based on Real Life: 3963

To sort movies by year ...

On your computer, go to a category page (like Romantic Comedies) and look for a box with four dots on the upper right hand side of the page. From the dropdown menu, you can change it from "Suggestions for you" to sort by year released, alphabetical, or reverse alphabetical order.

To add in expert reviews ...

If you question what Netflix considers "critically acclaimed" (us too), filter in another layer of critiques by installing the Google Chrome extension RateFlix. The free add-on will display IMDb ratings, Rotten Tomato percentages, and Metacritic scores right next to the movie description before you accidentally click on Bright.

To watch titles before they expire on Netflix ...

Check websites like What's on Netflix and Just Watch. They'll tell you what's brand-new on the service and what's about to leave, so you can stream it before it disappears.

See more here:
Netflix Has a Bunch of Hidden Movies and TV Shows You Don't Know About - Yahoo Lifestyle

Bobby Berk, one-fifth of Netflixs Queer Eye, has been at the center of an ongoing joke about how he gets the most work done... .

and doesnt get enough screentime for it pretty much since the show started.

Now, it appears Bobby himself

has caught on to the joke.

A new season of Queer Eye dropped on Netflix on June 5, so naturally new memes, tweets and TikToks have come out of the woodwork.

According to TikTok user geneleave, Bobby

actually duetted one of her TikToks.

with a facial expression that seemed

to imply that he totally agrees that

he does the most work on the show.

Bobby has since deleted the duet,

but a Twitter user managed to

record it before it disappeared

Follow this link:
Queer Eye star Bobby Berk addresses jokes about him doing the most work on the show - Yahoo Lifestyle

Atlantic Health System Cancer Care will continue its tradition of world-class medical education with its 2020 Annual Review in Oncology Virtual Symposium. The symposium, held virtually this year with free registration, will take place Saturday, June 27, 2020, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET. Distinguished faculty from some of the Northeasts leading cancer centers will summarize the latest advances in oncology, which have recently been presented at international conferences. The diverse range of topics should be of interest to surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists and other physicians, nurses and allied health professionals.

Missak Haigentz, Jr., MD, medical director of hematology and oncology for Atlantic Health System and principal investigator for the Atlantic Health Cancer Consortium, the only New Jersey-based National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), will moderate.

Medical education in the era of COVID-19 is more important than ever, said Dr. Haigentz. Oncology education for physicians and other health care professionals has continued at Morristown Medical Center and Atlantic Health System, and we remain the go-to destination whether its in-person or online for oncology medical education with some of the nations top cancer researchers.

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Dr. Haigentz is an internationally known expert in lung and head and neck cancers, including thyroid cancer. He has served as lead or co-author on numerous studies, and is currently principal investigator at Atlantic Health System for 13 lung cancer studies and eight head and neck cancer clinical trials.

Dr. Haigentz will welcome symposium attendees, before introducing the presenters:

The programs learning objectives are for participants to be able to:

Atlantic Health System designates this live educational activity for a maximum of 4 AMA PRA Category 1 credits, Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Atlantic Health System is accredited by the Medical Society of New Jersey to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The registration deadline is June 26, 2020. To register, email Danette.Clark@atlantichealth.org.

Read this article:
5 Key Areas of Cancer Research Presented by Thought Leaders at Annual Review in Oncology Virtual Symposium - TAPinto.net

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Michele Adams is quick to say, I dont want to throw anyone under the bus, but it took her being hit by a car for her thyroid disease to finally be diagnosed.

Adams has always been an active person, but for a few years, she had felt tired and had a constant tightness in her throat. She was diagnosed with post-nasal drip but did not feel relief after a year of treatment.

I thought this exhaustion, hoarse voice and lump in my throat were just my new normal, Adams said. Id accepted it, and I shouldnt have.

During this time, Adams went on a bike ride in northeastern New Jersey something she still does frequently. However, on this day, Adams was struck by a car as she was biking.

The incident resulted in an MRI scan. Adams was not seriously injured, but doctors noticed something unexpected. The scan revealed nodules in her lower neck, which suggested thyroid disease.

I now realize I had symptoms of a thyroid condition for years, Adams said. Id had it up to here with not feeling like myself. Once I had the MRI results, I knew to seek out a thyroid expert, and I found an endocrinologist.

What you probably do not know about your thyroid

Thyroid disease is more common than diabetes and heart disease, but more than half of Americans with thyroid disease are unaware, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE). This lack of awareness can endanger a persons health and well-being.

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located low in the front of the neck below the Adams apple. It produces thyroid hormones that influence almost every cell, tissue and organ in the human body.

Common signs of thyroid diseases include:

Cheryl Rosenfeld, D.O., is a thyroid expert and AACE member. Rosenfeld is also the physician who treated Adams thyroid disease.

If the thyroid does not function correctly, it can affect every possible aspect of a persons life, Rosenfeld said. Remember that thyroid conditions can cause changes in mental health, including depression. Ive also spoken to patients whove experienced an inability to concentrate, which seriously affected their performance at work.

Several disorders can arise if the thyroid produces too much hormone (hyperthyroidism) or not enough (hypothyroidism).

Other thyroid diseases include:

Undiagnosed thyroid issues can also place a person at increased risk for heart disease, osteoporosis, infertility and other serious conditions.

What to do if you are up to here with not feeling like yourself

Once I was placed on treatment for Hashimotos and hypothyroidism, my life changed completely, Adams said. My throat is no longer sore, and Im able to go out with my family or spend time at the gym without feeling completely drained of energy.

The first step to ensure your thyroid gland functions properly is to speak with a health care provider about your symptoms and whether a thyroid test is needed.

Anendocrinologistis aspecially trained doctor who is qualified to diagnose and treat hormone-related diseases and conditions, including thyroid cancer and all other diseases related to the thyroidgland.

Visitthyroidawareness.comto learn more about thyroid health.

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'It Impacts Weight, Sleep and Mental Health': What You Need to Know About Your Thyroid Pasadena Weekendr - Pasadena Now

At a time when leadership is needed to address the current COVID-19 pandemic and to tackle racial inequality and police brutality, the federal government is making changes that gamble with the lives of LGBTQ patients. Last week, the Trump administration finalized a rule to remove non-discrimination protections in health care and health insurance for LGBTQ persons, flying in the face of our ethical obligations as physicians to do no harm.

The prior rules outlined in Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act established that it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in certain health programs and activities. Subsequent rules in 2016 expanded those protections regarding sex to ensure they encompass gender identity, thus providing for coverage of medically appropriate care for transgender individuals. These 2016 rules ensured that the law reflected the established science and policies of professional health organizations, including the American Medical Association and American Psychological Association.

This latest attempt by the Trump administration to eliminate protections for LGBTQ people relies on the false notion that sex is binary and immutable again demonstrates hostility towards LGBTQ persons, established science, and the practice of medicine. Under this new rule, a transgender person risks being refused routine preventive care, such as prostate cancer screening for a transgender woman and pap smears for a transgender man. Moreover, it threatens insurance coverage for needed gender affirming care such as hormone therapy and facial feminization surgery that research demonstrates can improve the health and well-being of transgender persons. As primary care physicians and providers of gender affirming care, we know that the risk of being denied these services or losing insurance coverage will cause significant harm to our patients.

If this discriminatory rule moves forward, it will also impact reproductive health care protections for individuals experiencing pregnancy and in need of termination, if the procedure violates the beliefs of the provider. Loss of these protections represents a barrier to care, and will lead to higher costs, and more importantly, a loss of dignity.

Transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse people already experience high rates of discrimination in health care. In the largest survey of transgender persons in 2015, 33 percent had at least one negative experience in a health care setting relating to their gender identity in the past year, and 23 percent did not seek care when needed, due to fear of being disrespected or mistreated as a transgender person. These experiences occur even more often for individuals of color and people with disabilities.

In a review of discrimination complaints submitted to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the most common issues involved individuals being denied care or insurance coverage because of gender identity or transgender status. These poor experiences include a transgender woman being denied a mammogram, a transgender man being refused screening for a urinary tract infection, an insurer not covering reproductive health care due to gender identity, and a transgender man being denied coverage for breast cancer genetic testing, despite the recommendation of his physician. These instances of discrimination are a stain on our profession and represent a failure to meet the needs of our patients. Ensuring access to health care and striving for optimal health for all persons are fundamental values of the medical profession and are long reflected in our ethics. The government should work to make it easier for all people to access health care, not more difficult.

This rule legitimizes unequal treatment of patients by clinicians, health care organizations, and insurers. In particular, it harms transgender individuals by providing cover for denial of needed care, and it represents a brutal blow to transgender persons of color, who already face greater health inequities related to the intersecting impact of racism and the anti-transgender sentiment expressed repeatedly by this administration. Such policy should not be permitted by the government, let alone proposed by it.

The administration claims to be protecting the moral and religious beliefs of health care professionals. But if providing care for LGBTQ persons violates health professionals beliefs, they are in the wrong profession.

Dr. Carl G. Streed Jr. is the research lead at the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Jenny R. Siegel the medical director at the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Boston Medical Center.

Read more:
Trump administrations hostility toward LGBTQ lives will harm lives - The Boston Globe

On this page:BasicsBisphosphonatesRANKL InhibitorsHRTSERMsTSECAnabolic AgentsOther DrugsSupplements

Whether you have risk factors for developing osteoporosis or youve been diagnosed, you may wonder what the best avenues are for strengthening your bones. While theres no cure for this bone-thinning condition, with the right meds, you can see improvement and slash your risk of fractures.

Osteoporosis means porous bones. In short: Its a condition that occurs when you lose more bone mass than your body can make. Think of your bones as a bank account: You spend the first couple of decades of your life socking away bone (money) for retirement. When you reach age 30 or so, youll hit your peak bone massthe highest bone mass youll have in your lifetime. When youre a kid, a calcium-rich diet, exercise, and general good health yield healthy bone development.

If you skimped on any of the above (say, due to a childhood illness), your peak bone mass might be on the low side. Once you reach that retirement age (over 50), youll need to make some withdrawals; this is when you start losing bone mass naturally and bone formation slows.

If you didnt have a great peak bone mass to start with, you could get into trouble, leaving bones thin, brittle, and vulnerable to breaks. Certain risk factorssuch as being a postmenopausal woman or having a family history of osteoporosiscan also mean youll lose bone at a faster-than-normal rate.

The end goal of all osteoporosis treatments is to stabilize your bone densitymeaning, prevent you from losing additional bonerather than achieve a complete cure. These meds are designed to slow your bone loss, and in some cases, help make new bones, so yours are less vulnerable to fracture (breaking).

Thats important because fractures arent just painful they can be debilitating, leading to loss of mobility and independence, financial strain, and even death. The mortality rate a year after a hip fracture is about 22 percent. Yet, osteoporosis causes a staggering number of bone breaks a year: 1.5 million to be exact, according to research in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

To answer that, lets start with what actually constitutes osteoporosis. The condition is often diagnosed when you have a bone density scan, a test that measures your bone mineral density (BMD).

The most common BMD test is a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or bone densitometry referred to as a DXA or DEXA scan. It checks the mineral levels in your bones, comparing your level to that of a 30-year-old of the same gender. The idea is to see how far your bone density has deviated since then. Heres how to read your results, known as a T-score:

If youve suffered a fracture, your doctor will likely do a bone density scan to see if osteoporosis is at play. The scan is also routinely given to women starting at age 65 (at risk women can start at 60) and to men starting at 70 years old.

Your doctor will also determine how likely you are to fracture a major bone within the next 10 years via a Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX). If you have osteopenia and a low risk of fracture, you probably wont be treated with an osteoporosis drug. Instead, the recommendation is to make lifestyle changes to improve, or at least stabilize, your bone density. What kinds of tweaks are we talking about? These may include:

However, if youre diagnosed with osteopenia and have a high risk of fracture, your physician may start you on osteoporosis meds to slow down your bone loss before it becomes osteoporosis. Medications arent always a given though. A person who is diagnosed relatively young with no history of fractures and is otherwise healthy may not need meds just yet.

A few drug classes for osteoporosis that work in different ways to prevent fracture and a treatment plan may include one of the following types of drugs:

This family of meds give your natural bone production a chance to play catch-up by slowing or stopping resorption, when bones break down and release minerals such as calcium into your blood. They home in on and inhibit osteoclasts, the cells that do the breaking down. Antiresorptive drugs include:

Youve probably heard of Fosamax or Boniva (or the Boniva generic ibandronate). Theyre part of this drug class the most commonly prescribed for osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates work by slowing down those osteoclasts, giving your osteoblasts (the bone-building cells) a chance to get ahead. Examples include:

Most drugs come with some risk of side effects, and bisphosphonates are no exception. The most common side effects of bisphosphonates are:

There is a side effect from Fosamax called osteonecrosis of the jaw (loss of blood supply to this bone). Its a risk with all bisphosphonates, but its rare and usually seen in people receiving high doses of the meds during cancer treatments. Another less common side effect is atypical femoral fracture; (yes, an osteoporosis med can actually cause a bone break). Long-term use is linked to breaks in the upper thigh area. Zoledronic acid side effects can also include flu-like symptoms, but theyre temporary.

To reduce the risk of the more serious side effects, current osteoporosis treatment guidelines for bisphosphonates call for reassessing a patients fracture risk after three to five years. If your risk of fracture is low-to-moderate after treatment, you may be able to take a break from the drugs; those who are still high risk can remain on bisphosphonates for up to 10 years.

These injections work by neutralizing RANKL, a protein thats necessary for osteoclasts to do their job breaking down bone. Theyre given via injection every six months, depending on the brand, for up to 10 years. Example include:

RANKL injections can also lead to atypical fractures, and that risk is even greater if you suddenly stop treatment. A study in the journal Osteoporosis International found a five percent increase in multiple vertebral fractures after halting the osteoporosis treatment injection.

HRT cuts down on fragility fractures by 20 to 35 percent, studies have shown, but because of its potential health risks (pulmonary embolism, cardiovascular issues, and breast cancer are just a few), its considered a last resort treatment for osteoporosis alone and is reserved for women who are experiencing both menopause symptoms and osteoporosis. Side effects can include:

HRT is approved for women in the form of daily oral tablets and transdermal patches that are applied daily or weekly.

SERMs arent hormones, so they dont carry the same risks as traditional HRT, but this class of drugs does act similar to estrogen in the body by reducing menopause systems and fortifying your bones and preventing fracture, particularly in the spine.

Its a good option for women who are dealing with both menopause symptoms and osteoporosis, but have a high risk of breast cancer that eliminates HRT as an option. SERMs are taken as a daily tablet. One example is Evista (raloxifene), a daily oral tablet approved for women. Evitas most common side effects are:

This type of drug, like Duavee (conjugated estrogens/bazedoxifene) combines estrogen with a SERM to help with severe menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and boost bone mineral density. Research has shown it can increase both spine and hip density after 12 months. Its a daily tablet thats taken orally. Side effects can include:

Because TSEC contains estrogen, it carries some of the risks of HRT.

These are your bone builders. This osteoporosis drug class is designed to stimulate osteoblasts, the cells that beef up bone formation. Theyre typically reserved for more severe cases of osteoporosis where the risk of fracture is very high. Anabolics include:

The most common side effects of these osteoporosis treatment injections are:

The newest bone maker on the block, romosozumab-aqq, is an anti-sclerosin monoclonal antibody approved for postmenopausal women with high risk of fracture. It comes with a risk of cardiovascular issues, so if youve had a heart attack or a stroke within the past year, this is not an ideal drug. Teriparatide and abaloparatide are synthetic versions of parathyroid hormone, which regulates calcium, essential for strong bones.

While worries about side effects may give you pause about filling your prescription for osteoporosis meds, its important to remember this: The benefits of preventing a fracture (and all that comes with it) win out over the risks of taking these meds, according to guidelines from the Endocrine Society published in The Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Its not widely done, but theres evidence that pairing an antiresorptive with an anabolic agent may yield better results than giving one drug alone. One study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research showed combining the bisphosphonate zoledronic acid with the anabolic teriparatide boosted bone mineral density in the spine and hip more than either drug alone.

In an analysis of seven studies, research in the BMJ Open found that a combo of the two drug classes greatly improved bone mineral density of the hip and spine more quickly than an anabolic agent alone. Some doctors will also give an anabolic first (in severe cases) and prescribe a bisphosphonate to maintain your newly formed bone mass.

While bisphosphonates and anabolic agents are the most common osteoporosis medications, some drugs that are used to treat other conditions that can also have a positive effect on bone density.

Youve probably heard steroids are bad for bones. Its true; long-term use of corticosteroids (synthetic drugs that are similar to cortisol, a hormone your body produces) deteriorates bone mineral density, causing osteoporosis. But low doses of anabolic steroids (synthetic versions of the male hormone androgen) may have the opposite effect, stimulating bone growth and reducing osteoporosis pain from fractures, according to research in Clinical Calcium. However, theres limited data to know the long-term side effects of anabolic steroids.

This used to be a malaria medication. How can that possibly help your bones? Hydroxychloroquine is antirheumatic, meaning its used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus, Sjgen syndrome, etc. Researchers discovered those treated with Plaquenil had higher bone mineral density than those who werent. Its not FDA approved for osteoporosis and comes with a rare, but serious risk of eye damage in high doses. More common side effects include:

This is another type of bisphosphonate given via IV infusion that slows down bone loss, but its primarily used to treat bone damage from Pagets Disease (a chronic disease that causes deterioration of bone tissue) and certain types of cancer, as well as hypercalcemia (high levels of calcium in blood caused by calcium). Its an option for osteoporosis patients, but zoledronic acid has proved better for fracture prevention.

Right now, there are no natural supplements that experts recommend in lieu of FDA-approved osteoporosis drugs. If youve been searching the internet for that, youve probably come across info on strontium, a trace element, for osteoporosis.

There is some scientific basis on this one. A study found that postmenopausal women who took two grams of strontium ranelate every day for three years suffered 37 percent fewer spinal fractures compared to women taking a daily placebo pill.

Theres also a strontium ranelate-based drug (Protelos) approved in Europe, but not here in the US. (Its associated with some serious side effects such as pulmonary embolism and heart attacks.) So, should you take an over-the-counter version of the mineral, such as strontium citrate or strontium chloride, to strengthen your bones? Not so fast. These are not the same as strontium ranelate, and theres no evidence they work.

What about OTC estrogen pills? Phytoestrogens, plant-based versions of the hormone such as soy and flaxseed, have some limited data behind them to show that they may help slow bone loss. But physicians say not enough to replace your prescribed medication. Phytoestrogens in your diet may be better at preventing low bone density than treating osteoporosis.

No one drug stands out as the safest; all medications have side effects. Youll have to weigh the pros and cons of each with your physician to find the right fit for you. Typically, bisphosphonates are well tolerated and have been shown to be safe to take for up to 10 years, which is why theyre the first line of treatment for osteoporosis.

Theres no cure for osteoporosis, but you can strengthen bones and reduce the risk of fracture by taking medications and making lifestyle changes. These include: boosting your calcium and vitamin D intake, doing weight-bearing exercises at least three days a week, drinking less alcohol (no more than one to two drinks a day), and if youre a smoker, quitting.

No, osteoporosis drugs are not a lifelong commitment. You can take bisphosphonates for up to 10 years, but the latest osteoporosis guidelines suggest reassessing a patients bone density between three and five years, and, if possible, taking a break from the drugs. Bisphosphonates linger in your bones after you stop taking them, so you have some built-in protection. RANKL agents such as Prolia can be used up to 10 years, while anabolic agents can only be given for up to two years.

The risk of suffering a fracture is far greater than incurring some of the most serious side effects of medication. One in two women over age 50 will fracture a bone and fractures can be extremely painful and debilitating. Need more convincing? Consider this stat from a New York Times article: For every 100,000 women taking bisphosphonates, fewer than three will have osteonecrosis of the jaw, and only one will suffer an atypical femoral fracture. But 2,000 will have avoided an osteoporotic fracture.

Visit link:
What Are Your Osteoporosis Medication Options? - HealthCentral.com

Mikel Kelly: There's a lot going on in the world, but at the end of the day, nothing means 'as much as my own health'

On Monday, June 15, I celebrated the 20th anniversary of the day I was told by a physician's assistant at Kaiser Permanente, following a biopsy conducted by that very same man (at Mother Joseph Plaza annex, next door to St. Vincent Hospital), that I had tested positive in five out of six samples taken for prostate cancer.

It was June 15, 2000, and even though it seemed like every other famous man over 50 was announcing to the world that they had this same brand of cancer, it completely floored me. I was 52 and otherwise very healthy.

It was almost embarrassing how little I knew about this disease, but because I had to sort through the various "treatments" (which included, oddly enough, doing nothing) I quickly learned a whole lot about it.

First of all, I discovered I was lucky. Of all the kinds of cancer out there, prostate cancer is one of the most common but even more important, one of the slowest moving. People who contracted breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer and others soon learned that time is of the essence, and in most cases, the earlier discovered the better.

My most immediate challenge was to learn as much about the disease as possible and then choose the kind of attack I was going to employ.

My cousin Dennis, in Seattle, was a few months ahead of me in his own fight with the disease, and he quickly rounded up a huge bundle of magazine articles, medical reports and journals on the subject and sent them to me. He had chosen the therapy in which they plant a number of radioactive seeds in the walnut-size organ.

There was also a lot of support for the "normal" radiation treatment, where they blast you down there in the groinal region with the invisible rays 35 times every week day for seven weeks (more about this approach later).

The do-nothing option was never appealing to me. Maybe if I was 75 or 80 at the time, I'd consider it because they say it's such a slow-growing cancer it's not that hard to outlive it. Usually, the medical folks tell you, you'll die of something else entirely.

No, I selected what they called "the gold standard" the surgery where they cut a hole in you (eerily similar to the slice one makes when cleaning a trout) and remove the whole enchilada. My own surgery was of the "nerve sparing" variety, meaning the doctor I settled on, Chris Mershon, would as delicately as possible try to extract the prostate from the web of nerves surrounding it which, in turn might allow me to retain sexual function, no small item to a 52-year-old fellow. It was a success, I was told, and I was further advised that I came through it with good margins.

But (you knew there would be a "but" didn't you?), almost exactly five years later, my PSA (the prostate specific antigen, the number all prostate cancer sufferers live and die by) began to rise again.

Unfortunately, at exactly that moment in time, the company I worked for announced that it would no longer include Kaiser Permanente in the insurance choices we were offered -- so, with the help of my doctor, I picked a new physician to handle my care, a Legacy urologist, Dr. Bruce Lowe, and together we sorted out the options and settled on radiation therapy as my next adventure.

Unlike the prostatectomy I underwent back in 2000, the radiation is the treatment that really kicked my butt. Though the actual treatment, in the opening weeks of 2006, went smoothly enough, the after-effects in subsequent years were significant. As time went by, I lost all sexual function, and have had a continual battle with urinary incontinence. Then, this February I was subjected to an even more serious indignity that no one had ever mentioned up to then: blood clots in the bladder that had me climbing the walls of the Good Samaritan ER until they finally poked a drain in me to take the pressure off. Apparently, this blood clotting thing is not uncommon in cases where radiation has been used.

So, while everybody else was staying home and staying safe, I was making numerous and repeated visits to see health professionals, my urologist in Portland, the surgeon in Seattle who installed an artificial sphincter in me two years ago to control my peeing (which was damaged during my ER adventure and no longer was working) AND my brand new medical oncologist (Dr. Julie Graff and her team) at the OHSU Knight Cancer Center, where I began a new round of treatment because my PSA had decided to swing back up again.

This latest attack on my cancer is a ferocious brand of hormone treatment, called androgen deprivation therapy in which I get a shot in the belly fat every three months, along with a fairly aggressive "oral chemo" that involves me taking a couple of horse pills every day exactly two hours after breakfast and at least an hour before lunch. The side effects of this round of treatment is significant, though not yet intolerable. They mostly consist of fierce hot flashes about every hour, along with a tendency to poop out quickly during uphill walks.

So, this is why I'm kind of losing touch with all that's going on out there in the real world the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests going on in pretty much every community of any size, the financial tailspin that everybody but the very wealthiest in our nation is in and the utter lack of leadership from the White House.

All of those things worry me a lot. Not as much as my own health, maybe, but still a lot.

Stay safe out there. And if you're a guy and there's any history of prostate cancer in your family, get it checked. If you do, you might be lucky enough to hang around a few more years, like me.

Mikel Kelly, a former editor with Pamplin Media Group, retired from Community Newspapers a little over four years ago. He no longer chases fire trucks and police sirens, but he does have a tendency to send in these "observations" to us.

You count on us to stay informed and we depend on you to fund our efforts.Quality local journalism takes time and money. Please support us to protect the future of community journalism.

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Opinion: This month my cancer turned 20, but I am still standing - Pamplin Media Group

You open your microwave and discover a cup of coffee you reheatedyesterday. Names escape you. And wherefor the 1,000th timedid you leave those dang AirPods? It's normal to be forgetful every once in a while, but if you find yourself battling multiple brain farts daily, it may be time to dig deeper to uncover the cause. Don't panic: Chronic forgetfulness doesn't always mean Alzheimer's disease. In fact, there are a whole host of reasons your memory might be stalling. Find out if one of these could be causing your brain drain.

1You're taking a medication that has memory side effects.

"If you're concerned with your memory, one of the first things to do is to review your medication list with your physician," says Lauren Drag, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist at Stanford Health Care. Several prescription and OTC drugs can mess with your memory, she notes. Topping that list are anticholinergics, which are drugs that interfere with a neurotransmitter in your brain called acetylcholine. Antihistamines like Benadryl, reflux drugs like Zantac, muscle spasms treatments like Flexiril, and depression drugs like Paxil and Elavil are all considered anticholinergics. Other medications to watch for include certain blood pressure drugs, sedatives like Valium, and some pain medications. If you suspect your treatment is to blame for your memory blips, ask your doctor if there's an alternative worth considering.

2You're struggling with depression.

When you're in a mental funk, it's hard to focus on what's in front of youwhich makes recalling it later virtually impossible. Depression may actually reshape certain parts of your brain, says Drag. "Research suggests that it can be associated with changes in the size and functioning of brain regions that are important to skills such as memory, the speed at which we think, attention, and problem-solving ability."

3You're drinking too much.

You know booze muddles your mind while you're drinking, but it can also make heavy drinkers forgetful after they've dried out. "Interestingly, research has shown that sobriety can lead to a temporary worsening in memory and thinking, as you go through a detox period," says Drag. Some peoplemainly life-long alcohol abusersmight never get their sharpness back. But most people can expect the fog of forgetfulness to eventually lift, says Drag, though it can take anywhere from weeks to months.

RELATED: Are you drinking too much in quarantine?

4Your tension level is through the roof.

Stress distracts your brain when it should be memorizing information. That's why a phone number you've just been told can escape you before you even have time to pull the phone out of your pocket and dial.In the short-term, "someone who is feeling anxious can have difficulty following a conversation because he or she is ruminating over a worrisome topic," says Drag. And chronic, severe stress is even worse. "It can have a significant impact on the brain, presumably through long-term exposure to hormones that are released during periods of stress," she explains. Even the everyday hassle of managing household bills and busy schedules can chip away at your memory skills. "Juggling multiple tasks at once, staying up late to finish tasks, not exercising and not eating wellall of these factors can increase forgetfulness," says Drag.

5You have a chronic or undiagnosed health issue.

Any ailment that affects your brain's blood supplylike diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterolcan cause mental blocks. "A variety of health conditions, such as hypothyroidism, vitamin deficiencies, and hormone imbalances can also cause memory problems," says Drag. "In older adults in particular, urinary tract infections can cause sudden and temporary confusion." She recommends checking with your primary care physician for a physical to rule out these common causes and ensure there's nothing to worry about. In some cases, a simple vitamin supplement will help restore your brainpower.

6You're just plain exhausted.

Just because you're logging 8 (or more) hours under the covers doesn't mean you're getting good quality rest. Research has shown that people who spend less time in deep sleep have more trouble with memory. The good news? Sometimes all it takes is a quick power napeven if you snooze for as little as 6 minutesto give your brain a boost. If you're feeling abnormally tired despite your siestas, get a thorough checkup. "Sleep apnea, for example, can deprive the brain of oxygen and lead to changes in the blood supply to the brain which over time can negatively impact memory and thinking abilities," says Drag.

RELATED: 11 Best Multivitamins for Women in 2020

7You're just getting older.

As you age, your brain might show signs of wear and tearjust as your skin gets more wrinkled and your joints become creakier. Alzheimer's becomes much more likely after 65, but mild forgetfulness is even more common. So don't instantly freak out if you find yourself struggling to learn new skills, or to think of the word you want to use in a sentence. "The most common complaints I see from older adults are that they have difficulty coming up with words and walk into a room and forget why they are there," says Drag. "These lapses can certainly be normal."

How do you know if your forgetfulness has moved past what's normal? If your memory lapses start impacting your daily life, it's worth getting checked out. "An isolated incident of missing an exit or turning the wrong way when driving a new route isn't unusual," says Drag, "But if you're frequently getting lost while driving, particularly in familiar locations, talk with your doctor." In the meantime, exercising, making smart food choices, and surrounding yourself with a strong support network may help you stay sharper longer.

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7 Commons Reasons for Forgetfulness That Have Nothing to Do With Alzheimer's - Prevention.com

If you're looking for a more consistent sleep aid that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, family medicine physician Robert Rountree, M.D., says magnesium is the way to go: "Melatonin does one thing very well, which is to provide a specific signal to the brain that it is time to initiate the sleep process. It isn't so great for maintaining sleep," he tells mbg.*"Magnesium helps to calm down the central nervous system, which helps to prepare the brain to turn off and also to keep it functioning at a calmer level throughout the night.*" Since magnesium is a mineral and not a hormone, there's less concern over taking it every day, though you should always talk to your doctor before introducing a new supplement into your routine.

This ability to promote a longer-lasting state of relaxation is why mindbodygreen chose magnesium as the workhorse of our new sleep supplement, magnesium+. We worked with Rountree on the formulation, which includes 120 mg of magnesium glycinate as well as other sleep promoters like jujube and pharmaGABA, to help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling refreshed.*

See the article here:
Melatonin vs. Magnesium: The Difference Between The Sleep Aids, Explained - mindbodygreen.com

The novel coronavirus has added a lot of terms to our collective vocabulary. The latest is antigens, and though these proteins may sound similar to antibodies and both will be key to test as doctors learn more about COVID-19 they actually play very different roles in the body and the course of the disease. POPSUGAR asked experts for a quick breakdown of these two terms and what they mean for the strategy moving forward.

Contrary to what it might sound like, antibodies actually protect your body! Your immune system produces these little Y-shaped proteins to defend you against invader cells (pathogens). "An antibody is the immunoglobulin (protein) produced by the immune system," Habib Sadeghi, DO, a physician and integrative medicine specialist in Los Angeles, told POPSUGAR.

Fun fact: antibodies are produced by certain lymphocytes. A doctor can check your antibody levels in your blood. For COVID-19, "doctors look for two kinds of antibodies to SARS CoV-2 to determine exposure: IgM antibodies that develop early in an infection and IgG antibodies that appear after levels start to drop about four weeks in," said Dr. Sadeghi. The latter would in theory allow you to develop some level of long-term immunity, but experts still aren't sure if that's the case.

Antigens are not produced by the body. "An antigen is any substance that induces a response from the immune system," Dr. Sadeghi explained. This can range from a toxin to simply a foreign substance. Remember the pathogens we just mentioned? Those invader cells? Antigens are part of pathogens the part that triggers the antibodies to spring into action.

From there, "an antibody is capable of binding with the antigen and neutralizing it," Dr. Sadeghi said. This is typically how your body fights off an infection.

Antigen tests are the latest offering in the fight against COVID-19, designed to help manage the large number of tests needed to detect active cases. Antigen testing is cheaper than nasal swab testing, and blood results come back faster.

"The antigen test looks for actual pieces of protein of the virus itself, where the antibody test looks for evidence of a person's immune system response to being infected," William Kimbrough, MD, of One Medical, told POPSUGAR. "This means that the antigen test is identifying people with active infections (similar to what the more broadly available PCR swabs do), where the antibody tests look for people who have been previously infected."

Your doctor can help you determine which test is right for you. Just remember: a positive result on the antibody test does not necessarily mean you have immunity, so please, keep social distancing and following CDC guidelines until there's a safe and effective vaccine.

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Confused About Antigen Testing For COVID-19? Here's How It Differs From Antibody Testing - POPSUGAR

A five-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Queensland,

Australia, is currently on the market for just under

$600,000, but theres a reason why its so cheap.

According to the real estate listing

posted by PRD Real Estate, the house

which is just a few minutes from the

beach is experiencing subsidence.

Translation? Its sinking.

In an interviewwith realestate.com.au,

marketing agent Danny ODonnell said that he

was surprised by how many people were interested

in the beach house despite the subsidence.

I spent four days straight answering calls. Each

time I hung up, I had seven new voice messages.

By Saturday morning Id had over 100 text messages

and phone calls and 58 emails. It was crazy.

When ODonnell hosted an open house

for the literal sinking ship, he was

shocked to find more than 200 people

lined up to tour the property.

Within days, PRD Real Estate had

offers that ranged from $550,000 to

$675,000, well above the asking price.

The owners of the house ended up accepting

a cash offer from a local buyer for $647,000

More here:
This 5-bedroom house is deeply discounted but there's a catch - Yahoo Lifestyle