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Friday, 12 March 2010

  • Follow Healthkicker Out on Twitter! You Know You Want To!

    If you can't get enough of Healthkicker and our posts, come check us out on Twitter!

    Every half hour our Twitter gets updated with a post that has been featured on the front page - which means you'll never miss out on something we've got to say!

    Either log on to Twitter and search our name ("Healthkicker") or click the Twitter icon on the right hand side of our Healthkicker front page to follow us!

    Are you on Twitter? We can follow you, too! Just request us and we can share updates with each other.

    If you've got a question for us and you're logged on to Twitter, don't feel like you have to come over to our website - you can always @Reply us and ask a question. Just make sure to leave your @Healthkicker (or @Xanga/Datingish/Dollarish etc) name so we can give you credit and alert you when your question/post goes live!

Thursday, 11 March 2010

  • What's a Good Workout for a Skinny Girl?


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    Okay, the title of this post tells you point blank: I've never been overweight a day in my life. I'm 5'6", I have long legs, I'm small enough to still wear juniors'-size clothes.

    However, since I moved in with my boyfriend, my eating habits have started mold themselves after his and have caused me a little weight gain. I skip breakfast most days, I go a few weeks without grocery shopping, I don't really cook as much as I should, and I've found that I like going for drinks with my honey occasionally. All of this has caused me to gain a soft little belly, some more booty, and thicker thighs.

    While I don't mind the weight gain, I don't want it to get out of control because it's unhealthy and because I have a tattoo on my belly, near my side, which I don't want to stretch out.

    Do any of you know of any workouts which can help tone me up a bit more, yet keep the curves I'm (finally!) getting?

  • My 13 Cousin is on Migraine Medication?

     
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    I found out at dinner tonight at my 13 year old (male) cousin is on migraine medication. While I don't doubt that he may actually get headaches or migraines, I'm not sure if medication is necessary.

    You may have seen me write about being anti-medication before in other posts or comments... and it's true. I've broken/sprained/fractured/popped seven different body parts ten different times and I RELUCTANTLY take medication. I ask for generic pain killers instead of "the good stuff" because I don't want to take it to begin with. I have various medications laying all over my house because no prescription I've been given has never been finished. I hesitate to even take aspirin when I have a headache or cramps.

    So now, for me to learn that my 13 year old cousin is on migraine medication... well this just sends me into a frenzy. So many questions come to mind: how does he even know what a migraine is? Has the source of these "migraines" been considered or found? Has there been other treatment besides medication for these "migraines"? Isn't 13 a little young to be started on prescription medication?

    If I had any say in this, he would be looking for other ways to handle his migraine-pain.

    What do you think? What age is too young to be taking prescribed medication?

  • Diet Diplomacy: How to Handle Invitations While Dieting


    Many of us are on diets, for weight loss, allergies, religious/ethical, cultural or medical reasons. This can cause some sticky wickets when we are asked to dine out at a home or restaurant. A little creative diplomacy and a good attitude can usually overcome these social "sticky wickets."

    When we are asked to a dinner party instead of promptly refusing we can say this "I'd love to! I'm have some dietary restrictions and wouldn't dream of asking anyone to go out of their way, but I'd love to make the tastiest dish in my cookbook and bring enough to pass." Or when you're invited to a restaurant for dinner, here is a diplomatic way to socialize comfortably. "I have some dietary restrictions, but I'd love to join you for drinks/dessert afterward, how about it I join you at 8?" It's not uncomfortable for others if, while they have dessert you have coffee, or if they order drinks and you grab yourself a diet soft drink or tonic water. More Here...

  • Advice: I Need Help with Pet Allergies!


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    This comes from our Advice column!

    From MsEnergyDrink:

    "I own two cats and a dog.. and anytime my boyfriend comes over, he has serious reactions to the fur. He doesn't break out or anything, but his eyes get red and puffy, he begins to sneeze a lot and he gets fatigued. He really doesn't like taking medications, but I think that taking something will really help him handle his pet allergies better.

    What (non-drowsy) medication is good for pet allergies?"


    Do you take any pet allergy medications? Help out and share your secret!: "Need help with pet allergies!"

  • I Want to Get in Shape for Summer!


    I want my belly to be flat again before summer! And well... more in shape

    Anybody have and quick advice tips on a workout plan that involves simple things like crunches, squats... or something that I can do with eight pound weights? (Anything but push ups. I can't do them at all!)

    Any advice would be great guys!

    What are your tips? How are you going to get in shape for the summer?

  • Lets Talk About Legalizing Marijuana


    That's right. I'm going to talk about pot.

    I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I use marijuana to treat the symptoms of my chronic illness. I make a tea out of it. It helps my joint and muscle pain, and it relieves my nausea. Nausea plagues my life - I literally cannot take any prescription nausea medications anymore, either due to side effects or built up tolerance. It also helps me sleep, and sleep WELL.

    I also have plenty of friends and acquaintances who smoke recreationally. I don't have a problem with this. I don't like the taste or the smell of pot, so I don't smoke it. I have in the past, before I was sick, but it's not really my thing. The only reason I even tried it again, albeit in different form, was due to desperation. The medical community could not help me anymore.

    I think marijuana should be legalized. The pros far outweigh the cons, in my eyes. More Here...

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

  • What's Up, Healthkickers?

     

    You've all been great with asking questions in our Advice column... but we want to know what's up! Come talk to us!

    We want to publish your great posts on the front page... so submit them easily by using our submission form (or by typing the entry yourself)! We can have your story featured for other Healthkickers to read and comment on so you can get great feedback on your story or concern.

    Too shy to talk about your health problems? Submit your post and simply request to remain anonymous in your post! Whatever is more comfortable for you.

    The topics can be anything relating to health like: 

    - Dieting and exercise
    - Something you need answered about health, diseases, illness, hygiene - whatever!
    - Something you see in public that concerns or interests you
    - Drug and/or alcohol abuse/use 
    - Health news 
    - Eating disorders and body image 
    - Funny pictures or videos that are health-related

    Whatever it is, write to us! We want to know how your health is.


    Submit your health stories here!

  • Fecal Bacteria with Your Salad Anyone?

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    I just saw a Yahoo article written by environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno on the cleanliness—or lack thereof—of bagged lettuce.  

    The article says that Consumer Reports recently tested 208 containers of salad greens, finding “common indicators of poor sanitation and fecal contamination” in a large amount of them.  Um…ew.

    Fortunately, there were no discoveries of toxic bacteria like E.coli O157:H7, listeria, or salmonella, which could cause disease.

    Still, food safety expert Marion Nestle reminds us that “it’s never a good idea to have fecal bacteria in your food or water”—hmm, you don’t say—“because it means that untreated waste has gotten into them somehow.”  Again, ew.

    And in case you're wondering, according to the Consumer Reports tests it didn’t make a difference if greens were organic.

    Anyway, here’s what Marion says you can do about it:

    More Here...

  • This Guy Needs Diet and Exercise Tips!


    Due to my recent weight gain (around 5 pounds since September of last year), I've made myself a goal: to lose those 5 pounds in my Spring Break (10 days).

    Now I'm not particularly overweight for my body, but it's just really nice to have a 6-pack back cause you know, summer's right around the corner and beach visits are...quite common. Oh, and the fact that my butt seems to be relatively "rounder" than usual would contribute to this goal.

    Haha, but all kidding aside...

    Please help me out on some manageable, easy dieting or exercise tips to lose weight!


    What do you think about this? Is losing the weight safely possible?