The Youth Hormone

The Youth Hormone...

Everyone’s talking about it. But can it really reduce body fat, increase lean muscle mass, boost mood, heighten sex drive, give you plenty of energy, get rid of wrinkles and tighten saggy skin?

Barbara just had another birthday.

She watches her diet, exercises when she can, and is in pretty good shape. In fact, she could be the poster child for the “Fountain of Youth” headline we see on the covers of fashion mags around the globe.

What’s her secret? It’s not just the occasional Botox, peel or fit leer, or even her assortment of skin creams that could rival the anti-aging section of your local Sephora. Barbara, who was always “cutting edge,” has become a believer in what is fast becoming the most popular (if not the most expensive) anti-aging treatment in the USA… Growth Hormone Therapy.

t seems everyone is talking about human growth hormone lately. No less than the famed Dr. Oz began a recent show by asking his audience, “How many of you want to start feeling 20 years younger right now?” Allure magazine, in  its “Anti-aging Special” issue, highlighted growth hormone as its 2013 call-out. Shape magazine began a recent growth hormone article with the provocative lead in: “When you see a 50-year-old actress who can pass for 35, you can bet that good genes aren’t the only things responsible for her youthful glow.” Fox News, The Today Show, CNN, ABC, and CBS have all contributed to the current frenzy.

Love Bugged

Love Bugged

Nowadays, couples therapy isn’t just for long-term partners—more people in new relationships are seeking professional help.

Is it a waste of time or time well spent?

Jennifer and Henry’s* first date was right out of a rom-com. “We went kayaking and then

stayed up all night telling each other our life stories,” says Jennifer, who is 24, the same age as Henry. “After that we were just together.”

But the happy ending never materialized. “All of a sudden we couldn’t pick a movie without screaming at each other,” admits Jennifer, of Santa Cruz, California.

But they didn’t want to just give up, feeling like if they did, the time they’d spent together would have been wasted. So they went to therapy— right around the three-month mark.

Hope and Alex, both in their early thirties, together nine months, are the kind of blissfully happy couple who probably call each other “Boo” in private. Still, they spend Thursday nights in therapy. “Everything’s perfect now,” says Hope, of Sacramento, California. “But we want

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Research Suggests Good Nutrition May Manage Symptoms Decades ago, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a group of developmental disabilities in which patients have significant social, communication, and behavioral difficulties, was consid­ered rare, and the prognosis of those who had it usually wasn’t good. Many individuals were committed to institutions for the rest of their lives because of their inability to function in society. But times have changed.

The prevalence of ASD among adults and children has sky­rocketed over the last several years. Much more research on the etiology of the disorder and the different ways to treat and manage

All Fitness

All Fitness

Are you struggling to sort fitness fact from fiction? We asked the expertsto explain once and for all how extra activity affects your weight loss…

Myth #1 I have to exercise if I want to lose weight

When it comes to weight loss, experts agree that it’s what you eat that counts most, not how much you exercise. ‘When you’re Food Optimising, you’ll be eating at least 500 fewer calories a day, without feeling hungry. To burn off 500 calories by exercising, you’d have to run for about an hour a day, which most of us would find impossible,’ says Dr Jacquie Lavin,

Naturally Happy

Naturally Happy

Welcome to short and dark days, endless to-do lists and spirit numbing traffic. If the hubbub of the holidays leaves you more stressed than merry, you’re not alone. A survey by the National Women’s Health Resource Center revealed that almost two-thirds of the respondents experience holiday depression. Still, these feelings are hardly seasonal; stress and fatigue can strike on any given day. If your depression is ongoing and significantly interferes with your work or relationships, you may need clinical treatment, so talk to your doctor about options. But if the occasional bad day (or week) is taking too much of an emotional toll, these natural

mood boosters may be the best gift you can give yourself—and your loved ones—this season.

Get involved

One good way to lift a blue mood is to get involved in your community, and the holidays offer plenty of opportunity. In a study of more than 2,500 people published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, researchers found that volunteer work enhanced six aspects of personal wellbeing:

Spice Rubs and Marinades

Spice Rubs and Marinades

What are rubs, brines and marinades and how are they used?

Answer: Spice rubs, marinades and brines are some of my favourite cooking practices using everyday. It’s the opportunity where any cook can be creative in manipulating the texture,

tenderness and most importantly, flavour of meat. They can also help transform tougher cuts of meat into a melt-in-your-mouth meal, plus they are easy to make.

So, let’s start with brines and marinades. Basic brine is a saltwater solution, usually 3% salt to water weight (the brine should taste like sea water).

ARSENIC IN BABY FOODS

What We’ve Learned About the Safety of Rice Products for Infants and Children

After six months of breastfeeding, Kim was delighted to have reached the pivotal milestone of introducing solid foods to her infant daughter. Following tradition and the trusted advice of family and friends, Kim confidently chose rice cereal as her baby’s first solid food.

Shortly thereafter, in early 2012, researchers from Dartmouth College published scientific findings that revealed many baby foods, including rice cereal, contain significant levels of arsenic