Health Articles And Discussion

Living healthier doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming, experts say

By Colette Bouchez

Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

How much do you know about what makes up a healthy lifestyle? Here’s a pop quiz.

1. How do you define working out?

a. Going to the gym.
b. Turning the jump-rope for the neighbor’s kid.
c. Playing Frisbee with your dog.

2. How do you define good nutrition?

a. Eating a vegetable at every meal.
b. Eating two vegetables at every meal.
c. Drinking a fruit smoothie for breakfast.

3. Which of these is a healthy activity?

a. Push-ups, sit-ups, or running the track.
b. Walking the dog after dinner.
c. Spending Saturday afternoon snoozing on the sofa.

Believe it or not, the correct answer to every question is A, B, and C — even that Saturday afternoon snooze! According to the growing “Stealth Health” movement, sneaking healthy habits into our daily living is easier than we think.

“You can infuse your life with the power of prevention incrementally and fairly painlessly, and yes, doing something, no matter how small, is infinitely better for you than doing nothing,” says David Katz, MD, MPH, director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center and of the Yale Preventive Medicine Center. Katz is also co-author of the book Stealth Health: How to Sneak Age-Defying, Disease-Fighting Habits into Your Life without Really Trying.

From your morning shower to the evening news, from your work commute to your household chores, Katz says, there are at least 2,400 ways to sneak healthy activities into daily living.

“If you let yourself make small changes, they will add up to meaningful changes in the quality of your diet, your physical activity pattern, your capacity to deal with stress, and in your sleep quality — and those four things comprise an enormously powerful health promotion that can change your life,” says Katz.

And yes, he says, a nap on the couch can be a health-giving opportunity — particularly if you aren’t getting enough sleep at night.

Nutritionist and diabetes educator Fran Grossman, RD, CDE, agrees. “You don’t have to belong to a gym or live on wheat grass just to be healthy,” says Grossman, a nutrition counselor at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. “There are dozens of small things you can do every day that make a difference, and you don’t always have to do a lot to gain a lot.”

Do a Little, Get a Lot

The notion that good health can come in small tidbits is not really new. Research showing that making small changes can add up to a big difference has been quietly accumulating for a while.

For example, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2004 found that adding just 30 minutes of walking per day was enough to prevent weight gain and encourage moderate weight loss.

And if 30 minutes is still too big a bite? Another study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that three brisk 10-minute walks per day were as effective as a daily 30-minute walk in decreasing risk factors for heart disease.

“Just the act of going from sedentary to moderately active gives you the greatest reduction in your risks,” says Helene Glassberg, MD, director of the Preventive Cardiology and Lipid Center at the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

But it’s not only in fitness where small changes can make a difference. The same principles apply at the kitchen table (and the office snack bar).

“Reducing fat intake, cutting down on sugar, eating a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar — over time, these things can make a difference,” says Grossman.

As long as the changes are moving you toward your goal — be it weight loss, a reduction in cholesterol or blood pressure, or better blood sugar control — you can get there by taking baby steps, she says.

Moreover, Grossman tells WebMD, making small changes can help give us the motivation to make bigger ones.

“A lot of bad eating habits are about not taking charge of your life, and that attitude is often reflected in other areas,” says Grossman. On the other hand, she says, when you make small changes at the kitchen table, the rewards may show up in other areas of your life.

“It’s the act of taking control that makes the difference in motivating you,” says Grossman. “An inner confidence and power begins to develop that can be seen in other areas of life.”

Tripping Over Baby Steps

Of course, not everyone is certain that baby steps can walk you all the way to good health. Marc Siegel, MD, a clinical associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine, says that while doing something is certainly better than doing nothing, making such small changes is like using a Band-aid to stop a hemorrhage.

“It’s a small, gimmicky idea to target people with very unhealthy lifestyles, and for some it may be useful,” says Siegel, author of False Alarm: the Truth about the Epidemic of Fear. But he fears that for most people, it’s sending the wrong message.

“In some ways it’s a resignation, an admission that things can’t be changed — and that’s certainly not the long-term answer,” Siegel tells WebMD.

Katz concedes that the Stealth Health approach may not be right for everybody.

“There is a trade-off because if you try to make the pursuit of health easier for people, you run the risk of leading them to believe they don’t need to do very much — and that would be the wrong message,” he says.

At the same time, Katz believes that for those who find making health changes a daunting task, Stealth Health techniques can make a difference.

“If you want the really big gains, there has to be some pain,” says Katz. “But there is a lot to be said for the idea that you can make some gains with little or no pain, and that’s infinitely better than no gains.”

Try the Stealth Health Approach

Tempted to give “Stealth Health” a try? Katz recommends picking any three of the following 12 changes and incorporating them into your life for four days. When you feel comfortable with those changes, pick three others. Once you’ve incorporate all dozen changes, you should start to feel a difference within a couple of weeks, he says.

To Improve Nutrition:

1. Buy whole foods — whether canned, frozen, or fresh from the farm — and use them in place of processed foods whenever possible.
2. Reject foods and drinks made with corn syrup, a calorie-dense, nutritionally empty sweetener that many believe is worse for the body than sugar, says Katz.
3. Start each dinner with a mixed green salad. Not only will it help reduce your appetite for more caloric foods, but it also will automatically add veggies to your meal.

To Improve Physical Fitness:

1. Do a squat every time you pick something up. Instead of bending over in the usual way, which stresses the lower back, bend your knees and squat. This forces you to use your leg muscles and will build strength.
2. Every time you stop at a traffic light (or the bus does), tighten your thighs and butt muscles and release as many times as you can. (Don’t worry, no one will see it!) This will firm leg and buttock muscles, improve blood flow — and keep you mildly amused!
3. Whenever you’re standing on a line, lift one foot a half-inch off the ground. The extra stress on your opposite foot, ankle, calf and thigh, plus your buttocks, will help firm and tone muscles. Switch feet every few minutes.

To Improve Stress Control:

1. Give your partner a hug every day before work. Studies show this simple act can help you remain calm when chaos ensues during your day, Katz says.
2. Have a good cry. It can boost your immune system, reduce levels of stress hormones, eliminate depression, and help you think more clearly.
3. Twice a day, breathe deeply for three to five minutes

To Improve Sleep:

1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water. The scent has been shown in studies to promote relaxation, which can lead to better sleep.
2. Buy a new pillow. Katz says that studies show that pillows with an indent in the center can enhance sleep quality and reduce neck pain. Also, try a “cool” pillow — one containing either all-natural fibers or a combination of sodium sulfate and ceramic fibers that help keep your head cool.
3. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed. You’ll be giving yourself a boost of fiber and essential fatty acids along with the amino acid tryptophan — a natural sleep-inducer.

Basic Treatment and Prevention of Back Problems

Back pain is caused by several different reasons. That’s why when dealing with it, the first thing to consider is finding what might have caused it. Some of the most common reasons for back pain come from poor sitting or lying posture.
What is a Slipped Disc?

If you have chronic back pain, chances are you have heard friends around you mention “slipped discs.” What exactly is a slipped disc? Does it mean there’s something in your spine that slipped out of place and needs to be returned via surgery?
Stretch That Back

Have you experienced a persistent back ache while the doctors seem to find nothing wrong? You may have done countless X-rays but there are no findings at all. There may perhaps be natural causes for that persistent backache, and perhaps there are also natural ways you can deal with it. Hopefully the following guide questions and suggested modes of action can help ease your back pain.

How to Deal With Your Back Pain By Exercising

Back Pain is usually caused by the imbalance of the back muscles. For example if the muscles on the front of the thighs are not as strong as the muscles on the back of your thighs they will be an even pull on your spinal column.
Say good bye to your bad back!

If you have a desk job or need to sit in front of the computer for hours on end then get yourself a chair which supports your straight back.
Common Reasons for back pain

Most of us never master the art of right posture. We are always taught a lot of things but never the art of sitting right or standing right.
How to get rid of back pain?

Getting rid of back pain is never too easy. You can try out all types of medications but primarily you need to focus on exercises.
Easy Methods of dealing with Back Pain

Acute back pain might result from a sense of weariness, too much work, strenuous activities or just long hours in front of the desk.
Dealing with the main types of Back Pain

There is no easy way of dealing with back pain. Certain steps and measures can definitely be followed and the best way to actually go about doing this is exercise.
Dealing With Chronic Back Pain

For some people, chronic pain makes it difficult to sleep. If you’ve had this problem for many weeks in a row, now is the time to see a doctor.
Herbal Treatment for Arthritis

Arthritis involves the inflammation of the bones and joints and it usually occurs in the age old crisis of non-movement of joints and muscles in which overtime the pain
Advance Pain Relief

Advance pain relieving technique as introduced for the patients suffering from less pain or acute pain of the muscles
Muscle Pain Relief

Muscle pain as known to many might be the simplest or even complex acute pain of the muscle to any part of the human body
Exercises for lower Back pain – Learn Them For A Healthy Back

I sits on computer chair for almost 14 hours(even more than that) which causes lower back pain. Back pain is one of those buggy health problems which will not hurt much to go to doctor but will keep on bothering you. So may be you can follow some of these Back Pain removal exercises. Do not over do them though if you feel it is hurting you.

Nail infections can be caused by fungi, yeasts and molds. Each of  these is a micro-organism – a bit like a bacteria – but from a different   family. Fungus can affect several types of tissue including mucous  membranes, skin, hair and of course the nails of the fingers and toes.  This means that, when treating the condition,  attention needs to be  given to the skin around your nails, in the space under your nail and in   the  nail  itself. Those affected by fungus often comment that the  condition has killed the nail. In actual fact, all nails – even the  healthiest look ones – are already dead.  The only living  part of the  nail plate is below the skin at the base. This fact is  important as  it  means that nails don’t have any potential to fight  off infection by  these bugs and fungal spores  are everywhere – all the time. The nail’s  only protection from being infected is the shiny  surface of the nail.  With  this intact, the spores can’t settle in and grow but just ‘slide  off’.  A good analogy is to think of it like a concrete driveway.  No  cracks  means no weeds will grow. If cracks  occur, no matter how clean  you keep your  environment, weeds will grow.

The most common fungi that cause nail infection disease   in animals  and humans are Trichophyton rubrum, Candida albicans  and Trichophyton    mentagrophytes.

What are the signs and symptoms of nail fungus ?

Fungal nail infections are unsightly and embarrassing to most  sufferers.  When they occur on the fingers, they can cause additional  hygiene concerns, for example, when preparing food. Not all nail  infections will cause pain but this can occur as debris builds up below  the nail plate.  Some of the symptoms can include:

• Streaking and staining of the nail plate and / or nail bed
• Yellow, white, brown or black discolouration of the nail
• A collection of debris building up between the nail and the skin
• Nail that is unattached from the nail bed skin
• Disorderly nail plate
• Brittle, crumbling and thickened nails
• Soft and powdery nail surface
• Flaking or tearing away of the nail
• Putrid odour emanating from the below nail space

How did I get this fungal nail infection ?

Fungal nail infection

As discussed above, fungal spores get into the nail when it is  damaged.This can occur if  the nail was scuffed up by a tight fitting  shoe, scraped while you were using a nail cutting instrument or damaged   by any other kind of trauma. Also, leaving nail polish in place for  extended periods  effectively ‘paints’ the fungus into place. We advise  our patients to be particularly wary about the communal nail  polish  pots used at pedicure salons. The only way that fungal spores can be  killed is to pass exposed instruments through an autoclave after every  customer.  So called ‘sanitation units’ have been proven to not kill these micro-organisms. Legislation requires that podiatrists must  use an autoclave but this requirement does not extend to beauty  therapists and nail salons.  As autoclaves cost up to $10 000, consider  whether the local  pedicurist has invested in one of these.  Wonder also  whether the customer before  you may have wanted their nails painted to  hide an ugly fungal nail infection of their own.

How to treat fungal nail infections?

Thousands of people are latching onto a diet that promises rapid weight loss—up to 30 pounds a month—and, judging by its recent surge in popularity, actually delivers. But the so-called hCG diet is either a weight-loss miracle or a dangerous fraud, depending on who’s talking. The plan combines drops or injections of hCG, a pregnancy hormone, with just 500 calories a day. While some believers are so convinced of its power they’ll willingly stick themselves with a syringe, the government and mainstream medical community say it’s a scam that carries too many health risks and doesn’t lead to long-term weight loss.
“It’s reckless, irresponsible, and completely irrational,” says Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Can you lose weight on it? Of course, but that’s mainly because you’re hardly consuming any calories. And any benefit is not going to last.”

HCG is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat infertility in both men and women. But its weight-loss roots trace back to the 1950s, when British endocrinologist A.T.W. Simeons realized that giving obese patients small, regular doses of the hormone helped them lose stubborn clumps of fat. It only worked, however, when coupled with a near-starvation diet. Simeons began touting hCG as a potent appetite suppressant that would make anything more than 500 daily calories unbearable. And he claimed the hormone could blast fat in key trouble spots like the upper arms, stomach, thighs, and buttocks, while preserving muscle. Save for a few tweaks, the modern-day incarnation is largely as Simeons presented it: Dieters supplement an extremely low-calorie meal plan with daily injections prescribed off-label by medical professionals, or take diluted, homeopathic hCG— typically in drop form—sold online, in drugstores, and at nutritional supplement stores.

Exactly why the hCG diet is experiencing a revival now is unclear, but the hype has sparked a response from the FDA. In January, the agency warned that homeopathic hCG is fraudulent and illegal when sold for weight-loss purposes. Though the FDA said such products aren’t necessarily dangerous, their sale is deceptive, since there’s no good evidence they’re effective for weight loss. What’s more, all hCG products, including injections prescribed by a doctor, must carry a warning stating there’s no proof they accelerate weight loss, redistribute fat, or numb the hunger and discomfort typical of a low-calorie diet.

Nonetheless, doctors are still doling out prescriptions for the daily injections, typically inserted into the thigh. At New Beginnings Weight Loss Clinic in Florida, for example, an in-house physician has prescribed injections to 3,000 clients since 2008, and clinical director Jo Lynn Hansen has recently observed a marked jump in interest. There, clients can opt for either a 23-day plan ($495) or a 40-day regimen ($595). After taking a six week break and eating normally—to prevent the body from becoming “hCG-immune”—many resume the process, completing multiple cycles. “We have people flying in from all over the country,” Hansen says. “It’s just a tiny little needle that pricks the skin. Anyone can do it.”

[Do Your Genes Determine Which Diet Means Weight-Loss Success?]

Though hCG dieters have some leeway in how they spend their 500 daily calories, they’re urged to choose organic meats, vegetables, and fish. Dairy, carbs, alcohol, and sugar are all off limits. A day’s meals might consist of coffee and an orange for breakfast; a little tilapia and raw asparagus for lunch; a piece of fruit in the afternoon; and crab, spinach, Melba toast, and tea for dinner. If dieters slip up, they’re encouraged to compensate by drinking only water and eating nothing but six apples for 24 hours. That’s thought to help squeeze out water weight, a psychological boost to help them get back on track.

“It wasn’t that hard to pull off, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” raved London-based fashion stylist Alison Edmond in February’s Marie Claire. “In the end, I lost a total of 25 pounds, ending up at a weight I hadn’t been in 10 years.” Despite success stories like hers, scientific evidence on the plan is shaky at best. In 1995, researchers analyzed 14 clinical trials on the hCG diet. Only two concluded hCG was any more effective than a placebo at helping people lose weight. And nearly 10 years earlier, a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal stated hCG has “no value” as a means of managing obesity, and that the diet has been “thoroughly discredited and thus rejected by the majority of the medical community.”

Detractors say the hormone isn’t some miracle ingredient to weight loss—the restrictive diet is. “If you don’t eat, you lose weight,” Cohen says. “If hCG truly diminished hunger, it would be a wonderful drug. But if that were the case, why couldn’t you just modestly reduce your intake while using it? Why would you have to simultaneously starve yourself?” But believers insist that, thanks to hCG, they can stick to a low-calorie diet without hunger pangs, while losing unwanted fat. They’re adamant that hCG is essential to the diet’s success. “People are strongly convinced that this hormone will keep them on a 500-calorie diet. And the power of suggestion can be a very strong force,” says Cohen.

Of course, the regimen isn’t without risks. The hormone is known to cause headaches, blood clots, leg cramps, temporary hair thinning, constipation, and breast tenderness. The FDA has received at least one recent report of an HCG dieter developing a pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal blood clot in the lung, says agency spokesperson Shelly Burgess. Yet, the hormone’s full risk profile is unknown. “HCG was studied briefly [for weight loss] and found to be ineffective, so we have no idea what its potential risks are,” Cohen says. “Do I have data that it causes heart attacks, stroke, or cancer? No, I don’t, because we just don’t know at this point.” While hCG may be safe on its own—the FDA says it’s safe as an infertility treatment—pairing it with an extremely low-calorie diet could have unexpected side effects.

Two years ago, Lori Hill, 40, of Salt Lake City, Utah, began a 28-day hCG diet cycle. She says she lost about 26 pounds, including thigh fat, largely without hunger. But she felt ill almost immediately, and by the last week of the diet, Hill—a fit and active soccer referee—couldn’t climb a flight of stairs without gasping for breath. The effort made her muscles burn and shake, too. After completing the cycle, Hill regained all the weight she had lost, plus an additional 15 pounds. “I starved myself and threw all my nutrients out of whack,” she says. “You’re tricking your body into letting you starve, without feeling any major hunger. What you’re doing to your body just isn’t worth it.”

There’s no question that 500 calories a day is tantamount to malnutrition—dieters should never dip below 1,200, say experts—and federal dietary guidelines recommend more than three times the amount of calories the diet prescribes for women ages 19 to 30. Moreover, extremely low-calorie diets can cause severe bone and muscle loss, electrolyte imbalances, gallstones, and even death. “I’ve heard a lot of people say the side effects of this diet are overwhelming,” says registered dietitian Keri Gans, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “And they could start as soon as one day in—you’ll start feeling irritated and tired.”

To Gans, the regimen is nothing more than a crash diet—and an expensive one at that. A more sensible route to weight loss, she says, is no more mysterious than choosing healthy foods, limiting portion sizes, and exercising. “This is another approach for people who believe there’s a silver bullet, but there is no such thing. All this diet does is show you how to restrict, and a person can only do that for so long without returning to old habits

Two glasses before meals may help you shed pounds permanently

Drinking two 8-ounce glasses of water before breakfast, lunch, and dinner may be just the backstop your willpower needs to help you shed pounds permanently in 2011, according to a recent study published in Obesity. Researchers instructed two groups of overweight or obese men and women to follow a low-calorie diet, asking one group to also drink two cups of water before meals. After 12 weeks, the water drinkers had lost an average of 15½ pounds, compared with 11 pounds for the control group. Those who continued the habit for a year lost an additional 1½ pounds on average. “I would never promote this as a get-slim-quick scheme,” says senior study author Brenda Davy, an associate professor in the department of human nutrition, foods, and exercise at Virginia Tech University, who notes that the practice slows the emptying of the stomach. “This is simply an additional strategy that could help people manage their hunger.”
The study examined the effect only on middle-age and older adults, but Liwei Chen, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Louisiana State University Health Science Center School of Public Health, thinks it’s a smart strategy for everybody, particularly if it causes them to cut back on soda. American adults average 28 ounces of sugar-sweetened beverages per day, says Chen, who led a study published in May that found even a small reduction in sugar intake significantly lowered blood pressure. “Aim to avoid sugar-sweetened beverages altogether,” she advises. That way, you battle two risk factors at once.

At the beginning, the goal seems innocent, smart even: a vow to eat more whole grains, or more fruits and vegetables. But healthy eating can turn rigid and confining, wiping out whole categories of food one by one—first anything with additives, perhaps, then maybe nonorganic produce, and then another and another. It can become decidedly unhealthy. The focus on quality and purity can deteriorate into orthorexia, a term coined in 1996 by physician Steven Bratman to describe a “fixation on righteous eating.” Like anorexia and bulimia, it can wreak serious damage on the health of someone trapped in the obsession.

 
“Orthorexia boils down to someone who is very, very concerned with eating what they consider the perfect diet,” says Joy Jacobs, a clinical psychologist with the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine. “This is someone who takes healthy eating to an extreme and feels good about it. These people often have a sense of moral superiority.” While others abuse their bodies, they know better.

Orthorexia is not a formally recognized psychiatric diagnosis or eating disorder, although most experts agree it blends elements of both. While an anorexic or bulimic person is fueled by a desire to lose weight, someone with orthorexia singlemindedly pursues health through food. Some with the condition eat only raw or organic foods. Some may follow a strict vegan or fruitarian diet. And others may eliminate sugar, processed ingredients, artificial flavors and colors, or anything that contains additives.

“As it becomes more and more restrictive, it begins to interfere with your quality of life and your wellness,” says Sondra Kronberg, cofounder and nutritional director of the Eating Disorder Collaborative Nutrition Counseling Specialists of New York. “It starts controlling you, and you become trapped in this very narrow vision.”

[Family-Based Therapy: An Eating-Disorder Treatment That Works]

As the list of unacceptable foods lengthens, going hungry rather than eating something “unhealthy” seems increasingly reasonable. The obsessive behavior expands. A 2004 study at the University of Rome reported that out of 400 students surveyed, nearly 7 percent—more than the percentages of anorexic and bulimic students combined—suffered from orthorexia. Those students, wrote the researchers, “prefer to starve themselves rather than eat food they consider impure and harmful to their health.”

Most experts agree the condition is becoming more common, encouraged by a rising volume of messages about the perils of obesity and the virtues of a selective, choosy way of eating. “If people are trying to eat healthier, that’s a positive,” Jacobs says. “The dark side is when it’s taken to the extreme.” Eliminating entire classes of food, such as carbohydrates or fats, can lead to nutritional deficiencies and malnourishment, Kronberg says, throwing off the balance of electrolytes to the extent of threatening the heart. And cutting out too many types of food can lead to significant weight loss, especially as the ability to gauge hunger and determine how much to eat is lost. Kronberg recalls one patient who was “emaciated” but believed nothing was wrong with her; her eating habits were part of her mission to be healthy.

The risks are more than physical, as those with orthorexia tend to isolate themselves. Because they may eat only specific foods in specific situations, dining at restaurants with friends becomes impossible. And their world revolves around planning, purchasing, and eating meals. “The preoccupation takes over your life and spills onto others, like your partner or your children, as you begin controlling what they eat as well,” says Cynthia Bulik, director of the University of North Carolina Eating Disorders Program. And the condition can slide into other eating disorders. “I’ve seen troubling situations with patients or parents who are comfortable with an orthorexia label, because they don’t think it’s as scary as anorexia,” Bulik says. “But sometimes it can be a stepping stone to a more serious eating disorder, and [that thought process] can be a barrier to getting the necessary care.”
 

Most psychologists and psychiatrists consider orthorexia a real condition, but it is not in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), used by mental health professionals to diagnose and research disorders, nor is it in the first draft of the 2013 version. Without explicit diagnostic criteria, determining whether someone has orthorexia is subjective.”There’s no official line. The time to get concerned is when the behavior and preoccupation or obsessions start to interfere with life or create difficulties and distress,” Bulik says.

As with obsessions and addictive behaviors in general, the first step in conquering the condition is to admit to the problem—which is especially hard with orthorexia because of the pride in adhering to stringent, positive limits. Treatment options mimic those of other eating disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches how to replace obsessive thoughts with healthier alternatives. Instead of fearing that going out to eat with friends will destroy his health, for example, an orthorexic learns to think, “I can eat at a restaurant and remain healthy.” A gradual-exposure strategy, reintroducing a bit of chocolate and other forbidden foods one by one, is another common approach. Experts suggest working with an array of professionals, including a therapist and nutritionist, to begin to see food more realistically and rebuild a healthier, more balanced diet.

“We all want to live longer, and we all want to be healthier,” Kronberg says. “What you put into your system does make a difference in how you function, behave, and think. But when you take that to an extreme, when you lose your flexibility, you’re stressing the system—not supporting it. The most important factor is balance.”

Nearly two out of every three men will begin balding by the time they’re 60. Most don’t part with their part willingly—American males collectively spend $1 billion a year trying to hang onto those locks. And while there’s no cure for a shiny scalp, there are a lot of supposed causes that men worry about more than they need to.

 
Recent research suggests that the most common type of hair loss, male pattern baldness, can be triggered by faulty hair-making progenitor cells in the scalp. Researchers long believed that men whose hair progressively thins—starting with a receding hairline, and then stretching to the crown—lacked a sufficient number of these cells. Rather, it appears that the cells are merely unable to complete their normal development and mature to a fully-functioning state. That finding, published last month in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, could help researchers develop a treatment that reactivates and restores the malfunctioning cells.

Other potential contributors to hair loss include illness, age, genetics, and even primping habits. Meanwhile, a flurry of myths contribute to men’s anxiety, if not to baldness itself. “I get athletes who think helmets caused their hair to fall out, and men who say it’s because their mothers rubbed their heads with black tar soap,” says dermatologist Gary Hitzig, author of Help and Hope for Hair Loss. Neither helmets nor soap are at fault, he says. And more blame may get heaped on mothers than they deserve.

U.S. News gets to the bottom of nine common beliefs about hair loss. Here’s the bald truth:

Myth: Hair loss is passed down from your mother’s side.

Not entirely true. While the primary baldness gene is on the X chromosome, which men get only from their mothers, other factors are also in play. The hereditary factor is slightly more dominant on the woman’s side, but research suggests that men who have a bald father are more likely to develop male pattern baldness than those who don’t.

Myth: If you’re balding, you’re old.

On the contrary, hair loss can strike in the teens and is common among 20- and 30-year-olds. The earlier it begins, the more severe it will likely become.
Myth: Wearing a hat strains hair follicles, causing hair to fall out.

Good news for men who rely on caps to cover their shiny crowns: They’re not causing any harm. Dirty hats can, however, lead to a scalp infection, which in turn accelerates hair loss, so either make sure yours is clean or rotate frequently.

Myth: Trauma can cause hair loss.

True—with a catch. Physical or emotional stress “will never cause you to lose hair you wouldn’t have lost anyway,” Hitzig says. “If the hair is not meant to be lost, it will grow back.” That said, it can accelerate balding. Rapid shifts in weight—whether pounds are gained or lost—can also contribute to the likelihood of hair loss.

Myth: Treatments like Propecia and Rogaine can prevent hair loss.

True. “Propecia is probably the most important advance in hair loss therapy in the last several decades,” says Neil Sadick, a clinical professor in the department of dermatology at the Weill Cornell Medical College. That prescription pill, which reduces levels of a hormone that shrinks hair follicles, works best in younger people whose hair is just beginning to thin. In addition to stalling the process, about one-third of men on Propecia will see some hair regrowth. But it’s not the only option: Rogaine (also known as minoxidil), a topical treatment applied directly to the scalp, also helps slow hair loss. But both drugs come with drawbacks. Propecia can reduce libido, or sex drive, in men, while Rogaine must be applied twice daily and can irritate the scalp.

Myth: If you want to hang onto your hair, stay away from gel and hairspray.

No need to forgo the products—they don’t cause balding, and neither does shampoo, washing your hair frequently, or dandruff. But some men tease their hair and use curling irons, which could speed up the process. “It’s the over-mechanical utilization of hair that can be problematic,” Sadick says.

Myth: Exposure to the sun encourages balding.

Not true. Tanning beds also don’t have an effect.

[Am I Going Bald? It's a Bit Early to Say]

Myth: Loading up on carbohydrates can lead to hair loss.

Carbohydrates and red meat provide nutrients that are helpful for maintaining a full head of hair, says Wilma Bergfeld, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Bergfeld’s past research suggests that iron deficiency may be closely linked to hair loss. Treatment—like taking iron supplements—could restore growth.

Myth: The most sexually active men are the first to go bald.

This is one of the most popular myths Sadick hears from patients. Relax, he says—there’s no truth to it. Research has also found that men who bald do not have more testosterone than their hairier friends.

Hear fiber and you probably think of bran cereal, which doesn’t exactly make you salivate. But new research suggests more fiber could equal more years. Analyzing data from nearly 400,000 men and women ages 50 to 71, researchers found that those who consumed the most fiber were 22 percent less likely to die from any cause during the nine years they were studied. Men were 24 to 56 percent and women 34 to 59 percent less likely to die of heart and infectious or respiratory diseases, according to findings from the National Institutes of Health’s AARP Diet and Health Study, published today in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

 
Why fiber reduces the risk of early death is unclear. Perhaps it’s because fiber lowers levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, improves blood glucose levels, reduces inflammation, and binds to potential cancer-causing agents, helping to flush them out of the body, says lead author Yikyung Park, a staff scientist at the National Cancer Institute.

What is clear, however, is that participants only benefited when fiber came from grains, like oatmeal, cornmeal, and brown rice. Fiber from fruits, vegetables, and beans had no impact on death risk. “Whole grains are rich sources of fiber, but also good sources of vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals that may provide health benefits,” Park says. And grains have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties—another reason researchers say grain fiber is beneficial.

Clearly, “all fibers are not created equal,” cautions James Anderson, an endocrinologist at the University of Kentucky-Lexington. “Different fibers have different properties.” And while the latest study emphasizes grain fiber, past studies have found that fiber from fruits and vegetables can benefit heart health.

Here’s a field guide to fiber sources:

Soluble fiber: Foods high in soluble fiber, so called because of its ability to dissolve readily in liquids—include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries, and apple pulp, according to the American Heart Association. Soluble fibers have been linked to lower levels of “bad” cholesterol. Viscous fibers found in foods like oat bran and beans seem to work particularly well because they form a gel in the gut that slows down fat formation and absorption, says Joanne Slavin, a professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota and author of the American Dietetic Association’s 2008 position paper on dietary fiber. (The Food and Drug Administration allows heart disease health claims for oats, barley, and psyllium, the fiber found in Metamucil.) Soluble fibers also regulate blood glucose levels, says Anderson. But most soluble fibers, except psyllium, don’t have the laxative effects that many people associate with fiber, so don’t rely on them for that purpose.

[6 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Eating Fruits and Veggies]

Insoluble fiber: High levels of insoluble fiber, too, have been associated with a lower risk of heart disease—perhaps through other mechanisms. So while there’s an ongoing debate over which types of fiber confer which heart-protective benefits, the take-home is that no one should rely solely on soluble fibers to get the maximal heart benefit. The AHA lists whole-wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, cabbage, beets, carrots, brussels sprouts, turnips, cauliflower, and apple skin as foods high in this type of fiber. Unlike soluble fiber, it doesn’t dissolve in liquids or form a gel but instead passes through the digestive tract pretty much unchanged. Because insoluble fiber hustles things along in the digestive tract, it’s also a good source of relief if you’re constipated. In addition, insoluble fiber (and to some extent, the soluble kind) may help you feel fuller and possibly help weight control.

Resistant starch and others: The starch products not digested in the small intestine “fit the newer definitions of fiber,” says Slavin. They’re found in legumes as well as starches like potatoes, pasta, and rice that have been cooked and cooled (as in potato or pasta salad, or sushi), and barely ripe bananas. And they’re also being added to foods to increase fiber content without affecting taste, as well as to reduce caloric density; a product called Hi-maize, for example, is added to pastas and energy bars. In addition, resistant starch is a “prebiotic” that, when fermented in the large intestine, increases beneficial bacteria, says Hope Warshaw, a nutritionist and author of the Real-Life Guide to Diabetes. (She’s also a consultant to National Starch, the maker of Hi-maize.) It doesn’t, however, seem to have the cardiovascular effects of other soluble fibers, says Anderson.

Cancer prevention is easier than you think. With a few simple lifestyle changes, you can drastically reduce your risk of many types of cancer. Many factors play a role in cancer development, but the good news is that most can be avoided.
1. Avoid Smoking and Exposure to Smoke
Smoking is the most significant cancer risk factor that we can reduce. It is responsible for not only lung cancer, but many other types of cancer. One of the best ways to prevent cancer is to quit smoking or never start. As soon as you quit, and it’s never too late, your body reaps the benefits of being tobacco-free.

Avoiding secondhand smoke is also a way to prevent cancer. Secondhand smoke is the smoke exhaled from a smoker or a lit cigarette, pipe or cigar. This smoke contains more than 60 known carcinogens”. These carcinogens interrupt normal cell development. This interference is what ignites cancer development.
•Can Cigars Cause Cancer?

•Does Marijuana Increase Your Risk of Lung Cancer?

2. Practice Sun Safety and Recognize When Skin Changes Occur
Did you know that over one million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year? Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer among men and women, and it accounts for about half of all cancer diagnoses. The good news is that skin cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer.

The first step in preventing skin cancer is to avoid UV ray exposure. We can do this by wearing sunscreen, avoiding mid-day sun, wearing protective clothing when outdoors, and by staying away from tanning beds. Here are some tips to get you started:
•Common Sunscreen Mistakes

•How to Fake a Summer Tan

•Avoid the Sun: How to Take Your Walking Indoors

3. Eat Your Fruits and Veggies
A well-balanced diet is advantageous for many reasons. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables greatly reduces your risk of developing cancer and many other conditions.

Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, which help repair our damaged cells. Green, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are your best bet to help prevent cancer. Studies also show that dark fruits, like blueberries and grapes, may also have anti-cancer properties.

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower appear to pack a powerful punch at preventing cancer, according to numerous studies. Other cruciferous vegetables include bok choy, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage.
•Eat to Beat Cancer

•6 Weeks to a Healthier Diet

•Nutritional Benefits of Eating Berries

4. Limit Red Meat and Animal Fat
Numerous studies show that a diet high in animal fat increases the risk for several types of cancer, particularly colon cancer. Red meat contains much more fat than poultry and fish, so reducing the amount of red meat in your diet may help to prevent cancer. A diet high in fat also is major cause of obesity, which is a risk factor for many types of cancer.
•Healthy Sources of Protein

•Eat Beef and Still Stay Healthy

•Quiz: How Healthy is Your Diet?

5. Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol regularly increases your risk factor for many types of cancer. Studies suggest that men who consume 2 alcoholic drinks per day and women who have 1 alcoholic drink per day significantly increase their risk factors for certain types of cancer.

•How Alcohol Can Cause Lung Cancer

•Signs You May Be an Alcoholic

•Are You Troubled By Someone’s Drinking?
6. Exercise for Cancer Prevention
Did you know that when you are exercise, you are reducing your risk for many types of cancer? The American Cancer Society recommends exercising 30 or minutes, at least 5 days a week for cancer prevention. Exercising doesn’t have to mean going to the gym to lift weights. There are plenty of ways to get exercise into your day. Check out these 10 ways to prevent cancer through exercise for great gym alternatives.
•How Exercise Can Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk

•Can Exercise Prevent Lung Cancer?

•Exercise for Beginners
7. Know Your Personal and Family Medical History
Knowing your family history of cancer is important to properly assess your risk factor for certain types of cancer. We know that cancers like breast, colon, ovarian, and possibly other types can be hereditary.

If you know that a certain type of cancer runs in your family, let your doctor know. Together, you can determine a proper screening plan and assess your true risk. Genetic testing and counseling is available and may be recommended based on your family’s medical history.
•Should You Have the Breast Cancer Gene Test?

•How to Properly Record Your Family Medical History

•How to Get Your Family Medical History if You are Adopted
8. Know What You’re Being Exposed to in Your Work Environment
Chemicals in the workplace may increase your risk of developing many types of cancer, including kidney cancer and bladder cancer. If you are exposed to fumes, dust, chemicals, etc. in the workplace, you have a legal right to know what you are being exposed to. Gasoline, diesel exhaust, arsenic, beryllium, vinyl chloride, nickel chromates, coal products, mustard gas, and chloromethyl ethers are all carcinogens and can be found in some work environments. Talk to your employer about limiting exposure.
•Could My Job Put Me at Risk for Lung Cancer?

•Do Chemicals Increase Your Risk of Breast Cancer?

•Do You Know What the Carcinogen Hazard Symbol Looks Like?

9. Practice Safe Sex
You may wonder what sex has to do with cancer. Unsafe sex can result in the infection of the human papillomairus (HPV), a known cause for cervical cancer and a risk factor for many other types of cancer. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that is spread through sexual, skin-to-skin contact. A vaccine, Gardasil, to prevent HPV was approved by the FDA in 2006 and protects against four strains of HPV that are associated with cervical cancer and other types. HIV/AIDS is also associated with some types of cancers.

•What Is HPV and How Do You Get It?

•HPV Symptoms

•How to Prevent HPV
10. Get Screened for Cancer Regularly
Cancer screening tests can be useful not only in detecting cancer, but also helping prevent it. Screening tests like the colonoscopy and Pap smear can detect abnormal cellular changes before they turn cancerous. The key to their effectiveness, however, is that they are done regularly.

Other cancer screening tests are available and may be useful for early detection, but not necessarily cancer prevention. Prostate cancer screening through digital rectal exams and PSA tests can help detect prostate cancer early. Mammograms and other imaging tools are also recommended to detect breast cancer in women.