Author: menyok

From memoirs to self-help guides, learn about anorexia and bulimia resources

Posted by menyok on in Health and Fitness

An estimated 10 million women and one million men in the United States suffer from an eating disorder, according to the Eating Disorder Foundation. If you’re seeking help for yourself or someone you care about, talk with an expert.

In addition, we recommend the following books and DVDs:

  • “Letting Ana Go” tells the story of a girl who seems to have it all. But as she struggles with meeting expectations, she turns to controlling food as a way to take charge of her life. Weight loss comes to mean success, all documented in a moving diary that reveals the toll and tragedy of eating disorders. Learn more about “Letting Ana Go”
  • “Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia (P.S.)” is a fascinating memoir by best-selling author Marya Hornbacher. In it, she reveals how she first fight to lose weight – and then battled to recover. It’s a stark, insightful journey through the looking glass of eating disorders. Learn more about “Wasted: A Memoir”
  • What happens when a woman specializing in documentaries and photography explores life within an eating disorders treatment facility? The answer is “Thin,” an exploration into the lives of brave girls and women who revealed their stories in hopes of helping others. Included with their personal stories are essays on the sociology and science of eating disorders by renowned researchers Joan Jacobs Brumberg, Dr. David Herzog, and Dr. Michael Strober. Learn more about “Thin” by clicking here. Also recommended: HBO’s original documentary showcasing those patients: Get the details on the DVD
  • “You can never be too rich or too thin” has become a familiar saying. But Susan Sarandon proves why the “too thin” element can be deadly in the documentary “Dying to Be Thin”
  • Discover how to know if a “problem” might be an eating disorder by clicking here for “Almost Anorexic: Is My (or My Loved One’s) Relationship with Food a Problem? (The Almost Effect).”

4 big benefits of stretching

Posted by menyok on in Health and Fitness

Obviously, stretching increases flexibility, but so what?

First, flexibility can increase “stability, balance, and ease of movement,” as Michelle Matte at Livestrong.com describes, which reduces risk of injury, not just in athletic activities, but in everyday life.

Stretching also encourages the production of lubricants in our joints, as AZ Central’s Andrea Cespedes tells us. This, combined with the relief of tension around your joints earned by stretching, can ease arthritis and other joint pain.

After sitting at a desk or behind a steering wheel for hours and hours on end, your posture can start to go. Stretching out your back, neck and chest will not only help improve posture, but work towards alleviating the lower back pain and neck tension caused by long-term slouching.

Speaking of long days working and commuting, stretching is a great stress reliever. When combined with deep breathing (as used in yoga) stretching can help you calm down and ease your mind, while loosening all the areas where you hold tension. Cespedes also explains that various stretches can even aid in hormonal balance, digestion, and blood pressure, which can all be associated with stress.

In short, if stretching is not a part of your routine, it should be.

Beautiful Baubles: Layering Bracelets 101

Posted by menyok on in Fashion

There’s nothing we like more than a good arm party, but there is an art to curating the perfect wrist full of blinged-out bracelets. A few simple tricks will help you nail a complementary combination and prevent bracelets from toppling to the front of your hand every time you move your arm. To master the art of stacking of baubles, we asked accessory aficionado Shahrnaz Shifteh to give us a crash course in how to properly rock an arm party. Click through for Shifteh’s foolproof tips — your naked wrists will be glad you did.

Mix & Match

When layering bracelets, don’t shy away from mixing and matching a variety of colors and materials. “The trick is to make sure they’re all the same diameter so they don’t topple to the front of your hand,” advised Shifteh. “Gemstones, beads, rubber — anything goes if you keep the diameter of your bracelets consistent.” This trick also ensures that any charms are visible when the bracelets are stacked.

Similar Stack

“Layering a bunch of the same bracelets results in a more dramatic look,” said Shifteh. “To create this layered effect, you should stock up on bracelets when you find ones you like.” In this look, Shifteh piled on rhinestone bracelets and pearl bracelets in two iridescent shades, pale green and lavender. Again, the bracelets should have the same diameters to prevent unwanted toppling.

Curating Classics

For an updated take on a classic look, pair a variety of gold bangles with several of the same pearl bracelets. Gold bangles with simple details nicely complement pearl bracelets with black and gold accents. “This look works because the diameter of the bracelets are similar so they fall together nicely,” explained Shifteh.

Time to Layer Up

Incorporate a watch into a layered look by pairing it with several thick bangles of similar widths. Be sure to match your metals for a complementary combo. “Don’t be afraid to wear large pieces on one wrist — or even on both wrists,” said Shifteh. “If you have one or two bangles on one wrist, wear a watch on the other to balance it out.”

Statement Bangles

“Animal prints can be mixed and matched much more manageably when it’s done with jewelry because it’s such a small amount of print,” explained Shifteh. The key is to choose animal prints that play off your outfit’s color palette. In this look, the leopard bangle complements the red skirt while the zebra print bangle is a variation of the stripe motif.