Category Archives: Wellness

Do you know Molly? Word is she’s all around these days.

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Molly is another street name, along with ecstasy, for MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) which can be ingested in powder, pill, or capsule form and it is taken orally. MDMA has been around since the early 1900’s when it was created as a weight loss drug, but it was found to create an intense sense of euphoria and some psychedelia (seeing and/or hearing things that may not be there). It regained popularity in the 1980’s in the psychiatry world when it was looked at to treat anxiety and various other disorders…but it also started becoming bigger on the streets in the 80’s and 90’s and started showing up at parties (raves), and started becoming more of a commonly used drug in the 2000’s.  There are some really legitimate reasons this drug is being studied for scientific use, even currently, but there are also some legitimate reasons that people should be wary of taking it as a street drug.Ecstasy_monogram (1)

What is the deal with Molly?

In its purest form, Molly (AKA MDMA), starts to hit within about 30-45 minutes after ingestion, peaks in about 120 minutes, and lasts usually a total of 3.5-5 hours (depending on dose, metabolism, and if you ingest other drugs as well). It creates this intense euphoria, truly the happiest you’ve ever been, with virtually no anxiety response, no fear of strangers, and actually you feel like you know people, it’s almost a false sense of intimacy. The feeling of touch is enhanced, so things feel much better when you touch them and when you are touched; many people use this as a foray into sexual enhancement and encounters they may not normally have/feel.  It is not a drug that people have no control over their actions, they are just very carefree without a worry in the world…one can understand the draw of that! There are many studies underway looking at the use of MDMA in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to help prevent some of the effects of the disorder, and work through the anxiety that can occur. It has also been studied to look at sexual dysfunction and to assist in marriage therapy/counseling.

What’s the Downside?

Because the drug boosts your serotonin levels and enhances all of your happy/good time feelings, the risk is that many people don’t know they are headed for an overdose, because they feel so good, their heart rate is increased, their blood pressure is elevated, and they are usually at concerts or parties where the “vibe” is so up they don’t think anything is wrong with them. An overdose on Molly can come on pretty quickly and be tough to reverse if it’s not treated in time. Also, because you feel so amazing when you’re on it, the next day is a total downer, and people report intense depression, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, paranoia, lack of attention/motivation, GI upset, loss of appetite, and severe exhaustion. And long-term use can lead to severe depression and anxiety.

Drinking alcohol, or using other drugs along with MDMA can make it very difficult for users don’t know that they may be overheating, or losing too much sodium from excessive sweating (which can cause some serious issues in your brain and lead to death), but because the drug lasts 3.5-5 hours, many users with use other drugs along with it to enhance the “high” or make it last longer. It is a deadly combination to mix MDMA with other drugs (even alcohol) and with MDMA use estimated to be around 25 million people annually, there are a LOT of people at risk of overdose, and from the long-term side effects.

Signs of Overdose:

Disorientation, extreme confusion, hallucinations, convulsions, muscle stiffness, chest pain, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, headache, loss of consciousness, kidney failure, and coma leading to death.

The Bottom Line?

In the early summer 2013 there were three deaths within one week of each other from presumed MDMA overdose alone by college age people, and overdoses aplenty at the eletronica music festivals over the summer months, leading to some of them being cancelled….and not to mention the fact that many music artists are referencing the drug in their lyrics, it seems like Molly is only gaining in popularity. And there is NO chance I am telling anyone that MDMA is healthy to use!

Be aware of the signs of overdose and seek immediate help if you think you are overdosing, tell someone, and if you see someone you think needs help, get them the help they need by calling emergency services (911 in the US). And parents?  Talk to your college age children about the drug and the risks, it seems that among college-age students, this drug is on the rise, and is used with almost the same frequency as marijuana. If you are thinking about trying the drug, read up first, know signs of overdose, don’t take other drugs, make sure to hydrate properly, and be in a safe environment….OR just skip doing drugs, and live a clean lifestyle, truly the choice is yours!

Yours in Good Health

B

A few reasons Pumpkin is a True Super Food!

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I love summer, and I always get really bummed when the weather starts to cool off, and I know that Fall will be here…and then the dreaded winter. I digress. The fall can be such a great time and some of my most favorite foods are available: Macintosh apples, apple cider, pumpkins, and tons of different squashes pop up at my local farms. I love pumpkin baked goods, but I don’t like fake pumpkin, so I get really excited when sugar pumpkins are available so I can roast them and use fresh pumpkin in my recipes and get all of the nutritional benefits! Pumpkins aren’t only pretty and yummy, they really are good for you.

What makes Pumpkin a Super Food?

For one thing, it is low in calories: 49 calories in a cup of pumpkin, which also contains 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, and lots of vitamins and nutrients!  One serving of pumpkin contains almost double the recommended daily dose of beta-carotene, also known as Vitamin A, which can help to prevent free radicals (presumable prevent certain types of cancer), improve eye sight/vision, tighten skin (or prevent wrinkles), and also protect against heart disease. They are also rich in Zinc, Magnesium, Calcium, Folate, Vitamin C, and Potassium (way more than bananas which can help to replace electrolytes lost during workouts.)

That whopping dose of fiber can help to make you feel fuller faster, and with lower calories in the pumpkin, it can also help with weight loss.  That much fiber can also help keep your bowels more regular (if you are in need of that!)

One of the amino acids present in pumpkins, and pumpkin seeds, can boost your serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that improves your mood and makes you feel happier. Maybe there is some reason I feel like I am a pumpkin addict: it makes me happy! I do feel like people who like pumpkin go pumpkin crazy as soon as it’s available, and maybe there is some science to that.

How to Roast Your Own?

pumpkin collageIt couldn’t be easier:

1.  Get a sugar pumpkin and wash the outside to remove all dirt.

2. Cut your pumpkin in half.

3. Scoop out the seeds and inside strings with a spoon. You can save the seeds, dry them and roast them separately or just toss them.

4. Flip the pumpkins so the skin side is up, and poke a few fork holes in the skin to allow steam to escape when roasting and roast in your oven, in a roasting pan, for around 45-50 minutes on 375F.

When they are done roasting, let them cool, and the pumpkin flesh should be really soft and scoop right out. You can add this to any dish that calls for canned pumpkin in the same amount, and just add your own spices.  It is SO easy, and so much better tasting, plus there are no preservatives…I see no negatives!

So feel good about it, go get your pumpkin on, and feel good about indulging in Fall’s favorite Super Food!

Yours in Good Health

B

Is it Time to “Pencil In” Sex? As seen on Bloom!

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Check out my post on Bloom Enjoy Yourself and their new site, about why sexual health is as important as many of the other things us Healthcare Practitioners are telling you to do as part of a healthy lifestyle (i.e. exercise!) More sex means a healthier life? Read on!

Schedule Sex- Bloom I think the ladies will have a new reason to get their motors running, and fellas, you are WELCOME!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

 

Tips to Prevent Travel Anxiety

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Do you ever get really excited to go away on vacation, or go away for a long weekend, and then become totally seized with anxiety right before it’s time to go? Whether your anxiety is due to flying, packing, leaving your kids/family, animals, plants, or whatever makes your freeze up, it is a real life issue and more people than you might realize are affected by these fears, even if they don’t have a diagnosed anxiety disorder.  There are some tips that you can use to help to decrease your anxiety and make trips and traveling MUCH more enjoyable.

Pack early and prepare!

Pack early and prepare!

1. Organize: Make lists of what you need to pack and everything you need to do before you go. You will feel more in control if you know that, in advance, you made a list of everything that needed to be completed, and you took care of all of it. So you can be ready and leave for your trip, assured that you are totally prepared.

2. Medicate: If you have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, and take medications to treat it, discuss with your Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) the possibility of increasing your medication dosage in times of high stress, or when the appropriate time to dose your medication is, so that you remain calm and clear when traveling.

3. Avoid Caffeine: Caffeine can make you more anxiety ridden, even though it helps to keep you awake and give you more energy.  That extra bit of stimulant can help you finish all of your last-minute errands, but it can also cause some anxious moments.

4. Know your Triggers: What causes your anxiety?  What are your triggers?  Maybe it is that last-minute frenzy, or saying goodbye to your family….realize that and plan accordingly.  If you need more time to say goodbye, plan for it. If you need to pack way ahead of time, to ward off panic attacks and anxiety, pack two weeks ahead.  Whatever makes you the most nervous, plan for it, because you will be less anxious if you are prepared, and no one knows you better than yourself.

5. Try to Relax: Easier said than done, but try to meditate, listen to white noise, go for a long run (or whatever your preferred choice of exercise is) that morning to help clear your head. Take a bath with lavender essential oils, or get a massage; whatever techniques work for you to help ease your mind and slow/prevent anxiety attacks.

6. Be Open: Most importantly, don’t suffer alone.  If you are traveling with others, let them know that sometimes you get anxiety when traveling and let them know what they can do to help you (if even it is to leave you alone to figure it out yourself.) That way, they know what may be causing you to act a little different from your normal self, and you don’t have to feel like you are hiding anything….which can cause anxiety in and of itself!

I don’t really get anxious….unless I’m late for my flight/missing my flight; that can cause me to lose my cool! I also always feel really guilty leaving my dogs. It is totally irrational guilt because they love staying with their trainer, and they have no idea what’s going on; the stress is all me, and I project it on them, but I’ve come to realize that I do it, SO I prepare and make sure that I have them all situated, then I get back to finish packing and head to the airport with plenty of time, and I am cool as a cucumber.  All that stated, I don’t have an anxiety disorder, just normal stress, but I have learned what causes me undue stress and I work with it to decrease it as much as possible.

Traveling is never easy, but knowing what causes you to lose your cool, and preventing it, is one way to make the experience a LOT better.  And if you are someone who really freezes when traveling (due to fear of a plane, flying, etc) you can work with your HCP to try hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or talk therapy and see what will best fit your needs and re-train your thinking, to make traveling a breeze.

Yours in Good Health

B

Pickle Juice: What is this trend?

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I have received quite a few emails at this point asking about pickle juice, why kids are drinking it, and if there are any health benefits or detriments. I must say, I had not heard of this trend, and wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I found quite a few uses for pickle juice that some people advocate for. Honestly, I’m not sure I’m reaching for a jar of pickle juice any time soon, but you read and on decide for yourself.

picklesWhat are the main reasons for drinking pickle juice?

–As a Sports Drink: Some athletes are big believers that the sodium in pickle juice helps to replenish the bodies electrolytes lost during strenuous exercise, not much unlike gatorade, or any other sports drink. Some studies have shown that drinking pickle juice when sports related cramps are present, they will be relieved in under 85 seconds, which is 45 seconds faster than water. Along with sodium, pickle juice contains calcium chloride and vinegar which makes it more acidic, and easier for your body to absorb in that state.

–To prevent Restless Leg Syndrome: Now this is more of a home remedy that has not been studied, but many sufferers report drinking a few ounces of pickle juice before bed and being able to sleep without the leg kicking that normally keeps them awake. How (or even IF) it works has not been studied, but it is touted as a treatment by many different people.

–To Aid a Sick Stomach: This is also a home remedy, and it has not been studied, but apparently people used to frequently ingest vinegar and honey to soothe a sick stomach (including heartburn) and those are two ingredients in many pickling agents, so ingesting pickle juice may give you the honey and vinegar people seek to soothe their stomach woes. I couldn’t imagine feeling sick to my stomach and drinking pickle juice, but there are many reports that it makes people feel better.

–To cover the scent of alcohol: Some teenagers and other underage drinkers will take a few swings of pickle juice to cover the smell of alcohol on their breath to get their parents off the trail. I guess seeing as it replaces lost fluids and sodium/electrolytes, it’s not a horrible idea, but it seems like a gross choice of beverages, and it will help to prevent that imminent hangover!

–To relieve Sunburn: There are multiple reports of blotting sunburns with pickle juice, stating that the vinegar helps to take the burn sensation out of the sunburn.  Now, this really has not been studied at all, and I am not sure how it would be soothing to burned skin, other than by replacing some fluids that may be lost through the skin.  But, if you are without aloe, oatmeal, or any other form of soothing relief, you may want to give pickle juice a try!

Are there Side Effects?

There are really no true known detriments to drinking pickle juice, but if you have a family history of gout, ingesting a lot of the acidic pickles/pickle juice can cause a build up of uric acid in your joints, which can be really painful.  Other than gout, as long as you don’t have to be on a low sodium diet for cardiac or renal issues, you should be pretty safe drinking the pickle juice.

So, in short, the only real research that promotes the ingestion of pickle juice is for cramping related to electrolyte and fluid loss from strenuous exercise.  All other reasons may be perfectly valid, but they have not been studied….and sorry teens that I may have outed, but if your parents smell pickles on your breath after a party, you may be getting grounded! And feel safe drinking that pickle juice, it really won’t harm you. If you do have any medical issues and take medications, you may want to check with your Healthcare Provider (HCP) before adding this regimen to your daily intake.

Yours in Good Health

B

The Fasting Diet: A good long-term diet option?

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There has been a lot of press recently about the Fasting Diet, and that Physicians in the UK highly encourage patients to adapt it into their current diets. But, there is also a lot of confusion regarding what it actually entails and how it works. It sounds pretty scary, and something that you couldn’t imagine making a part of your lifestyle, but once you learn a little more about it and the benefits, you may be a little more willing to give it a try.

Clean DietWhat is the Fasting Diet?

Basically, it sounds like you are starving yourself, right? It does, but that is not actually the diet. The Fasting Diet is also known as the 5:2 diet, where you eat a healthy diet 5 days a week, and then two days a week cut your calories to 500-1,000 per day. Micheal Mosley is a Healthcare Provider (HCP) in the UK that has both written a book and made a documentary on this diet, so he is obviously a huge proponent of the Fasting Diet. The diet was first researched on rodents, and it was found that they maintained a lean body type and lower body weight when they intermittently fasted, which allowed for improved (steady) blood sugar levels and cognitive function in various tasks. After the results of the rodent study, the human researcher started following the diet himself and found similar results, and felt more productive and focused.

A controlled study was also done on 100 women in the UK that were overweight, that were given a standard Mediterranean diet 5 days a week, and they cut down to the lower calorie days twice a week in which they cut out carbohydrates and ate lean proteins (think fish, chicken, etc).  At the end of the study the women on this “fasting” diet lost more weight than those that ate calorie restricted diets throughout the week and never flexed their food or calorie intake. Many of the women who were a part of the fasting diet group reported feeling better about themselves and more energized, so they felt it was easier to stick to the diet, and most of the participants continued on the diet even after the study was completed.

I know that this fasting diet will sound extreme to some people, but 1,000 is easily doable, as long as you plan for it, by drinking lots of water, and plan your meals, you can easily feel satiated on 1000 calories, as long as you spread small meals throughout the day.

Do you think you can rock it?

There are a couple of schools of thought: you can eat almost the same exact thing every day making your body into a well oiled machine, or you can flex your diet and calories to constantly challenge your metabolism by doing this fasting diet.  The results are interesting, that people actually report feeling better, lose healthy amounts of weight, keeping a lean body, and have improved blood sugar levels. It is a lifestyle change more than a diet, and you do need to plan for it, but I think it is something that can be easily obtained, once you get over the mental aspect of the two low-calorie days.

Along with eating a clean diet, and exercise, you may surprise yourself and find this is a lifestyle change that works with you and helps you feel better overall and healthier! Of course, with any major lifestyle change, especially if you have any health issues, you should check with your HCP before starting.

Yours in Good Health

B

Take your workout outdoors for more benefits!

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People think I am absolutely insane for working out at the hour in the morning that I do during the week (I fully admit 430-530am is early, but it’s just how my life rolls) and the fact that I work out outside year round here in New England adds a whole new level of bonkers! I run outside so that I can be efficient, work out while getting my dogs their daily exercise (a kill two birds with one stone kind of thing), but who knew that my daily outdoor exercise was even more beneficial than just those two reasons? Apparently, it might not just be in my brain that my daily runs are like my daily therapy sessions; there’s now a little bit of research to back that up.

natureWhat are the benefits of outdoor exercise?

From the University of Toronto, some research has come out that shows actual physiological benefits foo running outside as opposed to working out indoors. When people work out in nature, amongst trees and far from the every day stressors of life, they have improved moods, less tension, anxiety, and stress. For example, it was found that people running outdoors, due to lower stress levels, had a lower heart rate than those running on a treadmill, showing there is less stress on your body.

I know the next argument: increasing your heart rate is good for you when doing cardio, why do you want to keep it low? Because the runs feel/are less stressful on your body, people tend to run longer and harder when they are working out outdoors as opposed to those in a gym. You also tend to work your body in different ways when outdoors; in a gym running on a treadmill, it is a very stable surface, whereas outdoors, you are jumping curbs and cracks in concrete, running on grass, sand, concrete, etc. which makes you use different muscles to stabilize your body, and your workout tends to burn more calories.

Plus, getting out of the gym, helps to change-up your routine and challenge your body more, you might try an alternate route running, or do lunges instead of running up a hill, find a low branch and pump out some pull ups. I fully realize that people think I am bonkers when I am running, then drop into 100 push ups, or do some pull-ups and dips, but it changes my workout, helps me relax, and after an awesome workout, I always feel amazing a ready to take on the challenges of the day in stride.

My phone, pager, and computer tend to be a major source of stress for me at work, and I find myself despising my work email as it chimes onto my phone when I’m not at work; even though it tends to make me more efficient, perhaps I am too efficient. When I am running, just me, my dogs, and my music, I don’t think about work, I don’t think about email, I think about the now. I focus on my breathing, how my body feels, and some days, on pushing myself to an extreme for speed, others for distance, and some days, I just jog along lost in my thoughts. It makes complete sense that being in nature and disconnected would decrease your stress and anxiety, so now you have even more of a reason to get your butt out of the gym and get into nature!

Yours in Good Health

B

Some foods you THINK are good for you, but they aren’t!

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I think we all know to lay off the Crisco, use less added fats to meals, and steer clear of processed foods as much as we can, but there are some foods that are touted (and erroneously labeled) as “healthy” that really aren’t all that good for you!  Have you fallen victim to any of these?

1. Juice:

Fruit juice, even if made from real fruit and not from concentrate, is full of sugar, and you are losing many of the vitamins and almost all of the fiber from the fruit which is one of the best parts for you.  If you make your own juice, you are all set, but almost all store-bought juices are not good for you.

2. Fish:

So, please do not get me wrong, I LOVE fish and the omega 3’s, 6’s, and 9’s that you get from fish are so great for you, the problem, just like when buying meat, is the source of the fish. When fish are farmed, there are heavy loads of antibiotics added to the water that they live in because so many fish are corralled in the farms, so to keep them healthy in less than optimal settings, they pump in antibiotics to keep them healthy, but we end up ingesting them when we eat the meat of the fish! Make sure to get wild fish and fish that are low in mercury.

3. Gluten-free:

If you have a gluten allergy, gluten-free snacks, breads, etc are the best thing that has ever happened to you, because you can finally purchase gluten-free staples for your diet which is awesome! For those of us who can tolerate gluten, make sure to read those labels; the gluten-free snacks may be highly processed and have lots of extra sugars to make it up for the lack of gluten in the products.

4. Granola/Granola Bars:

Not all granola is bad for you, but many of the commercial granolas have extra sugar and fats added, along with chocolate and other candies to make them taste yummier, whereas that all offsets the whole grain goodness and oats that is the basis of all granola. Make sure to read the labels and see what is added besides the whole grains, and see if any dried fruits have sugar-coating.  The best bet? Make your own!

veggie chips

5. Veggie Chips:

People tend to eat veggie chips thinking that they are eating a much better snack than regular potato chips, but unfortunately most of the brands of veggie chips that were tested were found to have a primarily potato base with small amounts of vegetable powder added as a supplement. I guess they are better for you than potato chips but they are not much better for you and they will certainly not help to loosen your belt loops at all!

6. Muffins

I have always said that muffins are just breakfast cake treats.  Even if you get a high fiber, all wheat/whole grain muffin, it is fiber/grains added to cake batter.  They may taste yummy and seem to good to be healthy, because they are! They are not low in fat or calories and you are better off grabbing some fruit, a smoothie, or oatmeal to start your day  rather than munching on a muffin.

7. Yogurt covered dried fruits:

Yogurt covered raisins are so yummy because the “yogurt” is actually dried milk with added fats and sugars to make them tasty. So, while you may be getting some nutrition from the dried fruit itself, that thick coat of yogurt more than offsets all of the goodness of this snack.  You are better suited just having some dried (or fresh) fruits, and adding them to your favorite yogurt, it won’t taste the same, but your body will appreciate the nutrition!

8. Vitamin/nutrient beverages: 

They are filled with sugars! Yes they do have essential vitamins and nutrients added, but the sugars added are pretty significant and that adds loads of calories to your day.  If you do really want one of these beverages, cut it with water to a 50/50 mixture and you will still be getting some sweet and some of the vitamins/nutrients but with way fewer calories and with more water!

Really the key is to read labels, not the packaging, and don’t be fooled by new trends! And follow that golden rule that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is; so stick to foods on labels you can pronounce and actually know what they are, it usually means the foods are less processed and better for you!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Lunge Plus Challenge: Tighten your core and lower body!

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For those of you who have been joining the April, May, June, and July Challenges, this one should be a good mix of all of the muscles we have been working on, and increasing our cardio and stamina, along with toning. For the August challenge, we will focus back on those lower legs doing lunges (both standing alternating, and walking) and burpees to help to work on agility and coordinate strength.

LungeLunges: 

All forms of lunges work the hips, abdominals, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calf muscles. SO we will be tightening and strengthening the lower core muscles and the legs in this challenge! To perform a standing lunge properly:

Step forward with one leg. While keeping your back straight, bend your other leg until parallel with the floor and your back knee almost touches the floor. Make sure your front knee does not go over your ankle, it can cause injury and make you unstable.

 To perform an alternating walking lunge: 

Perform the same lunge as described above, but actually propel yourself forward and basically walk in a series of lunges!  You may look a little silly but you can add it into a daily walk or during chores; I do it all the time!

Burpees:

They are meant to be done in rapid succession, and through the various different exercises target your hamstrings, gluteal muscles, calves, biceps, triceps, pectoral muscles, hip flexors, and abs.  They are one stop shopping kind of exercises, so get ready to really test yourself!  To perform them properly:

1. Start standing upright    2. Drop to a squat with your hands on the floor    3. Keep your feet hands flat and kick your feet directly back   4. Immediately bring your feet back to the squat position   5. Jump back up to the standing position with your hands extended over your head.

As with all of the challenges, this is very difficult and if you have any medical issues you should speak with your Healthcare provider and obtain approval before starting.  Also, if you feel that you need to take a break on a day not listed as a rest day, listen to your body!

Day 1: 10 Burpees 10 Alternating lunges
Day 2: 10 Burpees 14 Alternating lunges
Day 3: 10 Burpees 18 Alternating lunges
Day 4: 10 Burpees 20 Alternating lunges
Day 5:10 Burpees 24 Alternating lunges
Day 6: 10 Burpees 26 Alternating lunges
Day 7: REST DAY
Day 8: 20 Burpees 26 Alternating lunges
Day 9: 20 Burpees 26 Alternating lunges
Day 10: 20 Burpees 30 Alternating lunges
Day 11: 20 Burpees 30 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 12: 20 Burpees 36 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 13: 20 Burpees 36 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 14: REST DAY
Day 15: 30 Burpees 40 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 16: 30 Burpees 40 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 17: 30 Burpees 50 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 18: 30 Burpees 60 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 19: 40 Burpees 70 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 20: 40 Burpees 80 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 21: REST DAY
Day 22: 50 Burpees 86 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 23: 50 Burpees 86 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 24: 50 Burpees 90 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 25: 50 Burpees 90 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 26: 60 Burpees 96 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 27: 60 Burpees 96 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 28: 70 Burpees 100 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 29: 70 Burpees 100 Alternating WALKING lunges
Day 30: 80 Burpees 100 Alternating WALKING lunges

Enjoy the challenge and be strong!

Yours in Good Health

B

Tighten the Tackle or Leave it Alone?

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It always fascinates me that some celebrities try a cosmetic “treatment” they seemly don’t have side effects, so they tout to everyone how great it is, and then a new trend is born. Some of the procedures that people undergo as forms of cosmetic treatments are pretty intense, and can have some major long-term side effects, so you really need to be aware of what can happen. As all of you know, I love to hop on trends that make your life easier, like laser hair removal, but I do think that we need to think about the procedures we want/get before we just jump into it. The latest trend in Hollywood?  Scrotal Ironing, AKA “tightening the tackle”, which was really brought into the spotlight by George Clooney a few weeks ago (and he won’t confirm whether he was being tongue in cheek or actually had the procedure). I have covered the scrotal shortening procedure, for those hanging low, but this is more a cosmetic procedure to tighten wrinkles….

What is Scrotal Ironing?

Basically, the scrotum is made of very thin skin, just like the skin under your eyes, which can become loosened over time, and scrotal ironing is similar to a face lift….just for down below.  By using a light laser treatment, the skin tones are evened, wrinkles are diminished, and hair is removed as well. The procedure itself takes around an hour (and you my need more than one session), with a cost around $575. The procedures have a small amount of pain associated with them, given the sensitive area and all, but numbing creams can be used to diminish the discomfort.  And after all your treatments, you can turn back the hands of time and have a wrinkle-free, hair free, and nicely toned scrotum….if that’s what you’re looking for in life, but it is not without side effects!

So Smooth, George!

So Smooth, George!

Are There Side Effects?

There are always side effects with every procedure, and scrotal ironing is no different. They range from very mild, like skin irritation, or slight burns due to the use of the laser too close or too long in one area, which are temporary (but quite uncomfortable, I would imagine).  Then there is a much more intense side effect, which is a risk of retrograde ejaculation; when men get to the point of ejaculation, the semen is unable to leave through the tip of the penis, so it goes into the bladder, and is removed form the body during urination.  That will directly reflect a man’s ability to procreate, because they cannot ejaculate semen from their penis into their partner (or sample jar- however you choose to do it), and it may have to be removed another way, if you are looking for a viable semen sample for procreation.

The Final Verdict?

If you feel the need to tighten your tackle or Iron your scrotum, for whatever reason you feel it is necessary, if you are fertile and looking to procreate, you should talk to your Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) before dropping $575 and booking that appointment.  Retrograde ejaculation seems to be a much rarer side effect, but it is still a risk.  And, I don’t have a scrotum, obviously, but men seem so protective and hypersensitive about that area, I couldn’t imagine all you men running to get this done, but apparently George Clooney has more than just a swooning effect on women!  Just think about the risk vs benefit of a smooth scrotum before jumping under that laser!

Yours in Good Health

B