This versatile herb freshens your breath, soothes winter coughs, even slims your stomach. October 17, 2013 at 02:13AM
How Depression Can Make People Lose All Perspective | Health and Burn Weight
Some people with depression may not be able to talk about it. Get expert advice on the warning signs of depression. October 24, 2013 at 02:13AM
How to Help Someone Who is Suicidal | Health and Burn Weight
Get expert advice on how to tell if someone is a suicide risk and the things you should say. October 22, 2013 at 02:13AM
4 Questions to Ask Your Doctor | Health and Burn Weight
Ask these key questions to get more out of your health care provider. October 11, 2013 at 02:13AM
4 Easy Ways to Get Healthy Today | Health and Burn Weight
These simple tips can make a huge difference to your health. October 11, 2013 at 02:13AM
Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick | Health and Burn Weight
These simple tips will help you stay healthy all year. October 11, 2013 at 02:13AM
Instant Energy Boosters | Health and Burn Weight
Instead of chugging another cup of coffee, try these all-natural energy boosters to jump-start your day. October 11, 2013 at 02:13AM
How Friends Save Our Lives (And Waistlines! And Sanity, Too!) | Health and Burn Weight
Between your gal pals, the ladies in your Zumba class, online buddies and work chums, you probably have even more friends than you realize. And that's significant: "Having lots of ways to connect is important, especially during midlife, when women are bogged down with balancing work and family, and can use all the support they can get," says Irene S. Levine, PhD, a psychologist in New York City and author of Best Friends Forever. Three groups of friends share stories about how they got each other through times of crisis, bolstering their bonds along the way.
My friends helped me survive cancer
When a doctor told Katya Lezin in 2011 that she had ovarian cancer, she assumed the worst and considered the diagnosis a "death sentence." After breaking the news to her husband and her three teenage children, the Charlotte, N.C., college adviser phoned her closest friends: Lorrina Eastman, a 46-year-old psychologist and mom of three, and writer Lisa Zerkle, 46, also a mother of three.
Katya: "Lorrina assured me that we'd be in this together and spelled out ways she'd help, like arranging for meal donations and planning a carpool to get my kids around. It took such a load off my mind. That week, Lorrina ordered bracelets from the American Cancer Society that said 'Courage'—they symbolize ovarian cancer awareness—and gave them to friends and family, which helped my kids feel bonded with everyone in my support network."
Lorrina: "The news left me numb. Katya's like a second mother to my children."
Lisa: "The chemo sessions were going to run up to 10 hours long. I made a schedule so friends could sign up for two-hour slots to wait with Katya. I also delicately turned away well-intentioned acquaintances when she felt like being alone."
Katya: "I'd get incredibly nauseous or totally loopy from the drugs, but Lisa's chemo-buddies idea was a highlight of my cancer journey. When friends overlapped between shifts, it turned into a big gabfest. At the end of the regime, one friend even said, 'Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm sad that your chemo is over.'"
Lorrina: "Sometimes Katya was so sick, and helping her family was the best thing we could do for her. I went to her daughter's winter concert at school and picked up a birthday cake for her youngest. Toward the end of her chemo treatments, she was exhausted but decided to run the annual Race for the Cure anyway. I ran with her—for support, and to make sure she didn't collapse. It turned out to be an empowering experience."
Katya: "As we crossed the finish line, I began sobbing. It was cathartic."
Lisa: "Classic Katya—she turned her experiences into a book, But I Just Grew Out My Bangs! A Cancer Tale.
Katya: "I'm nearing my two-year cancer-free mark, and I'm optimistic. In March, Lorrina and other friends organized a big birthday party for my 48th. I was 'kidnapped' for the day and taken from one fun activity to another, like a scavenger hunt. They've also planned three different weekends away for my husband and me. It's like I tell my kids, 'Life is not about how you act at Disneyland, it's how you act when things aren't going your way.' My friends have always been wonderful in good times, but I've been blown away by how they came through in the bad."
We lost 148 pounds together
Cincinnati high school teacher and mom of two Cheryl Buccino, 46, vowed to lose weight after hitting 209 pounds a couple of years ago. She found inspiration right across the hall: fellow teacher Natombi Simpson, 43, a mother of one who'd once weighed 248 pounds but seemed to be getting smaller and smaller by the day.
Cheryl: "It took months to ask how she was doing it. "
Natombi: "I knew how it felt to be bigger than you wanted to be. I knew I could help her."
Cheryl: "Natombi was hyped up about Weight Watchers, so I joined, too. She'd text me things like 'Tell me what you ate for lunch.' At the end-of-year school cookout, we brought our own salad and angel food cake."
Natombi: "It was never a competition! Having her to share successes and setbacks with made losing much easier. I got Cheryl—who swore she couldn't clap in time to music—to try Zumba. And she helped with my body image: Even after I'd lost a lot of weight, I stuck to baggy clothes. She got me to try more fitted ones."
Cheryl: "One day Natombi twirled around in the hall to show me her jeans—a size 8, down from a 22. We were jumping up and down."
Natombi: "I've lost 93 pounds! Inspiring Cheryl keeps me motivated still."
Cheryl: "I've lost 55 pounds and feel years younger. If I screw up and overeat, I start fresh the next day, no guilt—something Natombi taught me."
My best friend saved my life
Public-affairs manager
Kelley Cone, 47, and at-home mom Denise Hus, 48, met while cheering on their sons at high school basketball games in Midland, Mich. In March 2011, before a joint vacation, Denise got a painful cough that wouldn't go away.
Denise: "Kelley kept bugging me to get it checked before we left for Florida. At school, she spotted me and yelled, 'I'm going to drive you to Urgent Care myself if you don't take yourself.'"
Kelley: "I figured that with antibiotics and rest, she'd be good to go."
Denise: "At Urgent Care, a chest X-ray revealed a suspicious shadow. The doctor told me to go for a CT scan. The results showed an aortic dissection—a tear that could lead to a fatal rupture. I sat with my husband, Mike, in shock while ER nurses and doctors rushed into the room. I kept repeating, 'Is this really happening? I feel fine.' They scheduled me for open heart surgery the next day."
Kelley: "When I got the call from Mike, I didn't believe it. It was freaking scary. But then I was relieved that I'd nagged her that morning."
Denise: "I was most worried about my three boys. It helped knowing that Kelley was preparing their meals and distracting them with activities. She kept my spirits up, joking that this was the last trip I was going to get out of! The surgery went fine. My doctor told me my cough was actually unrelated to the aortic dissection—it was just a blessing that I had gotten it checked out. My heart would never have withstood a flight. Kelley saved my life—something I shared when I spoke at an American Heart Association 'Go Red' event."
Kelley: "I don't want credit; any friend would've done the same. I still turn it back on her, like during a toast when our families go on spring break. I'll say, 'What would we do without you here?'"
October 09, 2013 at 02:13AM
My friends helped me survive cancer
When a doctor told Katya Lezin in 2011 that she had ovarian cancer, she assumed the worst and considered the diagnosis a "death sentence." After breaking the news to her husband and her three teenage children, the Charlotte, N.C., college adviser phoned her closest friends: Lorrina Eastman, a 46-year-old psychologist and mom of three, and writer Lisa Zerkle, 46, also a mother of three.
Katya: "Lorrina assured me that we'd be in this together and spelled out ways she'd help, like arranging for meal donations and planning a carpool to get my kids around. It took such a load off my mind. That week, Lorrina ordered bracelets from the American Cancer Society that said 'Courage'—they symbolize ovarian cancer awareness—and gave them to friends and family, which helped my kids feel bonded with everyone in my support network."
Lorrina: "The news left me numb. Katya's like a second mother to my children."
Lisa: "The chemo sessions were going to run up to 10 hours long. I made a schedule so friends could sign up for two-hour slots to wait with Katya. I also delicately turned away well-intentioned acquaintances when she felt like being alone."
Katya: "I'd get incredibly nauseous or totally loopy from the drugs, but Lisa's chemo-buddies idea was a highlight of my cancer journey. When friends overlapped between shifts, it turned into a big gabfest. At the end of the regime, one friend even said, 'Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm sad that your chemo is over.'"
Lorrina: "Sometimes Katya was so sick, and helping her family was the best thing we could do for her. I went to her daughter's winter concert at school and picked up a birthday cake for her youngest. Toward the end of her chemo treatments, she was exhausted but decided to run the annual Race for the Cure anyway. I ran with her—for support, and to make sure she didn't collapse. It turned out to be an empowering experience."
Katya: "As we crossed the finish line, I began sobbing. It was cathartic."
Lisa: "Classic Katya—she turned her experiences into a book, But I Just Grew Out My Bangs! A Cancer Tale.
Katya: "I'm nearing my two-year cancer-free mark, and I'm optimistic. In March, Lorrina and other friends organized a big birthday party for my 48th. I was 'kidnapped' for the day and taken from one fun activity to another, like a scavenger hunt. They've also planned three different weekends away for my husband and me. It's like I tell my kids, 'Life is not about how you act at Disneyland, it's how you act when things aren't going your way.' My friends have always been wonderful in good times, but I've been blown away by how they came through in the bad."
We lost 148 pounds together
Cincinnati high school teacher and mom of two Cheryl Buccino, 46, vowed to lose weight after hitting 209 pounds a couple of years ago. She found inspiration right across the hall: fellow teacher Natombi Simpson, 43, a mother of one who'd once weighed 248 pounds but seemed to be getting smaller and smaller by the day.
Cheryl: "It took months to ask how she was doing it. "
Natombi: "I knew how it felt to be bigger than you wanted to be. I knew I could help her."
Cheryl: "Natombi was hyped up about Weight Watchers, so I joined, too. She'd text me things like 'Tell me what you ate for lunch.' At the end-of-year school cookout, we brought our own salad and angel food cake."
Natombi: "It was never a competition! Having her to share successes and setbacks with made losing much easier. I got Cheryl—who swore she couldn't clap in time to music—to try Zumba. And she helped with my body image: Even after I'd lost a lot of weight, I stuck to baggy clothes. She got me to try more fitted ones."
Cheryl: "One day Natombi twirled around in the hall to show me her jeans—a size 8, down from a 22. We were jumping up and down."
Natombi: "I've lost 93 pounds! Inspiring Cheryl keeps me motivated still."
Cheryl: "I've lost 55 pounds and feel years younger. If I screw up and overeat, I start fresh the next day, no guilt—something Natombi taught me."
My best friend saved my life
Public-affairs manager
Kelley Cone, 47, and at-home mom Denise Hus, 48, met while cheering on their sons at high school basketball games in Midland, Mich. In March 2011, before a joint vacation, Denise got a painful cough that wouldn't go away.
Denise: "Kelley kept bugging me to get it checked before we left for Florida. At school, she spotted me and yelled, 'I'm going to drive you to Urgent Care myself if you don't take yourself.'"
Kelley: "I figured that with antibiotics and rest, she'd be good to go."
Denise: "At Urgent Care, a chest X-ray revealed a suspicious shadow. The doctor told me to go for a CT scan. The results showed an aortic dissection—a tear that could lead to a fatal rupture. I sat with my husband, Mike, in shock while ER nurses and doctors rushed into the room. I kept repeating, 'Is this really happening? I feel fine.' They scheduled me for open heart surgery the next day."
Kelley: "When I got the call from Mike, I didn't believe it. It was freaking scary. But then I was relieved that I'd nagged her that morning."
Denise: "I was most worried about my three boys. It helped knowing that Kelley was preparing their meals and distracting them with activities. She kept my spirits up, joking that this was the last trip I was going to get out of! The surgery went fine. My doctor told me my cough was actually unrelated to the aortic dissection—it was just a blessing that I had gotten it checked out. My heart would never have withstood a flight. Kelley saved my life—something I shared when I spoke at an American Heart Association 'Go Red' event."
Kelley: "I don't want credit; any friend would've done the same. I still turn it back on her, like during a toast when our families go on spring break. I'll say, 'What would we do without you here?'"
October 09, 2013 at 02:13AM
14 Health Products You Probably Don't Need | Health and Burn Weight
The messages can be seducing: Lose weight without trying. Build muscle without lifting a finger. Wake up flawless. Check out these 14 products that promise, but probably won’t deliver, a healthier you. October 05, 2013 at 02:13AM
10 Best Big Cities for People With Asthma | Health and Burn Weight
In this slideshow we take a look at the 10 best big cities to live in if you have asthma, as ranked by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Is your city on the list? September 30, 2013 at 02:13AM
6 Things You Need to Know About Insurance | Health and Burn Weight
Here's what the Affordable Care Act means for your family's health insurance coverage. October 02, 2013 at 02:13AM
How to Optimize Your Health Insurance Plan | Health and Burn Weight
Q: Its open enrollment season for health insurance. What should I compare policies on to make sure I get the best one for the price?
A: Generally, you want to look at price, coverage, and ease of use. Clearly, affordability should weigh heavily in your decision, but don't let that be the sole criteria. "Costs are much more than premiums," says Leslie Fried, director of the National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment and director of policy and programs for the National Council on Aging.
If you have a preferred doctor, make sure he or she accepts the plan you're considering, says Frederic Riccardi, director of Client Services at the Medicare Rights Center. Also, look at the prescription drug costs in the plan and whether the drugs you take are actually covered, the deductible you have to pay before benefits kick in, and the overall amount you can be expected to shell out in any given year.
If youre in good health and single, you can save money by picking a low-cost, high-deductible plan that will cover you mainly for major procedures. However, if you go to the doctor a lot or have kids, dont make the mistake of picking a cheap policy only to later discover that it only covers major injuries or catastrophic illnesses. In the new Insurance Marketplace, established as part of the Affordable Care Act, the Platinum Plan offers the highest premium with the highest coverage. The Bronze Plan offers the lowest premium but also the least amount of coverage, with the individual paying 40% of medical services, says Fried.
On the coverage front, find out what services and procedures are included—as well as which treatments are excluded. Then, figure out how you would fare in a typical year, based on your expected use of benefits, the premiums, co-pays, and prescription drugs you may need. For instance, if you take specific medications, you might choose a plan with higher premiums if the drug costs were low enough to offset it.
Finally, check how easy it is for you to access benefits: How do you submit claims? Is phone or online assistance readily available? And whats the process for seeing specialists or consulting doctors of your choice? Weigh all three of these areas—cost, coverage, and ease of use—on what your likely medical needs will be for the upcoming year, then go with the plan that has the best fit.
And open enrollment happens every year, it's important to review your coverage every year. "If your health status changes, you're going to want to revisit your choices," says Fried. October 02, 2013 at 02:13AM
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