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Friends, it’s been too long!

Ywhealth.org was down for a bit due to computer and site complications, but we’re back!

Since it’s a new year, I would love to hear from you about your healthy New Year’s resolutions, and how you plan to keep them.

Personally, I am going more organic and trying to eat less processed foods. It’s not always easy (or cheap!) but it’s encouraging to see more common supermarkets like Winn Dixie with a line of organic options.

Can’t wait to hear from you!

Kelly Clarkson’s

Does she get an article or interview for her rockin’ hit “I do not hook up”?

Nope. It’s the size of her thighs, or lack there of, on the cover of Self magazine.

Self’s edit-in-chief says yes, they do retouching and lighting and all that good stuff on all their covers. Who doesn’t?

I find it appalling that anyone cares.  Unless she is lying, Kelly says she is healthy, happy, and yes, she indulges in what she wants but she also likes to exercise.

So, fellow media peeps and young women, I’d like to shift the focus on Kelly’s amazing pipes! Get up and dance to “I do not hook up” and burn some calories. Or better yet, dance to her whole CD for an hour and burn around 300 calories!

After all, getting my hair done usually takes hours (three at least) and I never really LOVE the result. (One time, I emerged with pink hair. Not by choice.)

However, I recently had my hair done at Salon U in Birmingham and was bombarded with great advice, and my hair looks good too. Let me share what I learned:

• If you scrub your hair in the shower, STOP! The more gentle you are to your hair, the nicer your hair will be to you. Gently massage your hair from the scalp to the ends.
• To avoid tangles, gently ring your wet hair out, starting up by the scalp and working your way down over the sink.
• Comb your wet hair with a wide tooth comb to avoid breakage. Your hair is 80 percent more likely to be damaged if you just plow through it with a brush.
• If you have oily hair, try washing your hair every other day. You can train your scalp to produce less oil by washing it less. Washing it more only increases oil.
• The color conserve shampoo from Aveda is great for all hair types (so I am told). And it has that just-from-a-salon-smell.

Happy Hair Day!

I have always been a big fan of the Dollar Tree, but for staples like garlic salt, paper plates, and mustard.

But yesterday I bought two Pure Concealers by Maybelline, usually around $5 at Wallgreens, for, you guessed it, ONE dollar.

Best. Buy. Ever.

Also, I picked up an Endless Kissable Shine Wear lipgloss for, again, ONE dollar (ususally around $7 ) at the drug store.

Lesson: before you scoff at the Dollar Store, check it out for your own cosmetic finds!

So it only seems fitting that Bright Pink is the color of breast cancer prevention and treatment for the younger generation.

The non-profit organization Bright Pink started by the amazing Lindsay Avner, supports and helps young women who have, or may have, breast cancer at an earlier age.

How do you know? If you have a history of breast cancer in your family, you should be tested for the BRCA1 gene: an inherited alteration of the gene that increases your risk for breast cancer by 85%. If you test positive for the gene, young women then have the option to have a bilateral mastectomy, or removal of the breasts, as a preventative measure.

At ywhealth, we support Lindsay and her amazing efforts. Breast cancer usually affects women over the age of 40, but it can, and does, affect women our age. To get involved and learn about self breast examinations, visit bebrightpink.org.

Love

As a former model, Katie is launching the “Say No to Size Zero” campaign fighting back against models that qualify as unhealthy, or under weight, according to BMI.

She says at 5’11 and a healthy BMI, she was told to lose 2 stones, which is around 28 pounds. After battling with unhealthy diets, Katie quit the industry and is starting the campaign.

I applaud her effort: too many girls starve themselves or use extreme measures, models or not, to reach an impossible size.

As many as 10 million females in the United States battle an eating disorder including anorexia and bulimia.

I think WE need a “Say No” campaign of our own. Send your thoughts and comments to me on this…and sign Katie’s petition!

It may seem a little bias since I work for Health magazine, but this “diet” (for me anyway) is more of a guide to what I call the weekend trap when you’re not in the mood to cook and you just want something from a drive thru window. No walking required.

My favorite: Taco Bell Chicken Burrito Supreme. A “supreme” anything with the word diet works for me.

More than 30 percent of residents in AL are considered obese, and eight of the top 10 fat states are in the south.

Don’t get me wrong: I like southern cooking as much as the next person (try the homemade banana pudding at Ms. Myras!) but it’s become a state wide life threatening problem. Last year we were #3 in the poll, and we’re only getting bigger.

Unfortunately,  it’s not just adults: more than 35 percent of kids in AL are considered obese, and obesity leads to pretty much every problem in the book: heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and death.  It’s time to be more responsible, not only for ourselves as adults, but for the future.

What can we do? For some, it’s as simple as better portion control. I am huge fan of Slimware; or plates that have three images on them for the proper portion of veggies, carbs, and protein.

Beyond portion control, exercise is also important to your overall health, not just to lose weight.  Try this: if you’re “too busy” for exercise, set your alarm one hour earlier and walk around the block. Or buy a staionary bike and get at least 30 minutes in before you start your day. Note: make sure you’re getting enough sleep too (7 to 8 hours a night); insomnia and sleep disorders have been linked to obesity.

Bottom line is that Alabama is getting bigger. We can’t or won’t give up the BBQ, but we can no longer afford to ignore this problem that can be easily corrected with a little education and a lot of moving.

There, now that we have that out of the way, I am such a fan of green tea. Research shows that consuming three to five glasses of green tea a day can help you lose weight and burn fat.

And now we can add white tea to the list of great beverages, according to the the June 2009 issue of Nutrition & Metabolism. It may help stop new fat cells from forming, and help burn the fat you already have.

I certainly don’t think that tea can replace a good diet and exercise, but every little bit helps!

Try this: New (to me anyway) Crystal Light White Peach Tea. It’s a little sweet, so try mixing it into a large pitcher verses a standard water bottle.