We spoke with Dr. Travis Stork, a co-host on The Doctors and active ER doctor, yesterday to help spread the word about women’s heart health. During the month of February we’re all doing our part to help to curb the number one killer of women in America – heart disease. The thing is, aside from genetic influence, it can often be completely preventable based on your lifestyle choices.
We asked Dr. Stork what one thing people should do, and could do, today to start making a difference for their heart health, and thus reduce their risk of stroke or death. He recommends “the simplicity of walking 30 minutes each day.”
“[Walking] doesn’t require expensive equipment, it doesn’t require any skill set,” he said. “What I also love about walking is it can do something else that’s interesting for your heart, it can increase the quality time you spend with loved ones.” Those relationships and that time bonding are just as influential on your overall health.
He recommends that we make a post-dinner walk for 30 minutes a part of our family routines. “Make it a habit with your family, your kids will watch you and engage in your habits.” It certainly sounds a lot more appealing than plopping down on the couch as a “root vegetable,” as he described. Read Full Post >
She’s always been sexy, glamourous and stunning, but this week Kelly Preston is saying she hasn’t looked this good since high school! The 49-year-old actress, wife of John Travolta, and new mom has lost 42 pounds, she tells PEOPLE, and is feeling pretty good about it. Not only does she say she’s fitting in size 4 skinny jeans, a first since high school, but says “I have more energy than I’ve had in 20 years.”
She and Travolta had son Benjamin 14 months ago; She admits tofeeding pregnancy cravings for powdered donuts and cinnamon muffins. She left the hospital feeling as though she looked as pregnant as when she arrived and feared she’d never lose the extra 20 pounds. Benjamin’s birth brought them so much joy (they’re son Jett died at age 16 in 2009) that she said “if I had to weigh more for the rest of my life because of it, then I would have.” But like any other woman, she wasn’t looking forward to it.
She traded in acting and strenuous workouts and spent a year focusing on herself, playing basketball or swimming with her 11-year-old daughter, Ella, and playing tennis with Travolta. She also got a little help from her friend Kirstie Alley, or rather, her friend’s weight loss brand Organic Liaison. She started by drinking Organic Liaison’s Rescue Me, and credits the natural weight loss supplement with helping her lose practically all of her post-pregnancy weight. Read Full Post >
For people so active in helping the children of the world, it seems Brad Pitt and long-time partner Angelina Jolie aren’t making the health of their own a priority.
In an interview on CBS Sunday Morning that aired today, Brad opened up about his family, saying he “couldn’t imagine life without any of them.” He also shared that the couple’s brood of six children travels the world with them, wherever their gigs take them. Because of the often harried schedule, not to mention ushering eight people out the door, Brad admitted they turn to a pretty unhealthy breakfast and energy solution.
“Listen, I admit there’s times like, ‘We gotta get up. Get up! Here’s your shoes. Here’s your shoes. Drink this Coke. Drink this Coca Cola. Drink it all. Right now! Drink it! Drink it! Drink it! Just so we could get ‘em up and going,” Pitt said.
Coke for breakfast? Come on Brad and Angelina! That’s not good for either of you, much less six young, growing children. You may not realize it, but thefoundation is already laid. You’re showing them that making time for themselves isn’t a priority, nor is starting their day with a healthy breakfast. Hurrying out the door? Give them an apple to eat in the car (which has been found to give us more energy than a cup of coffee). Read Full Post >
It might be Friday, but we stayed in tonight. We participated in Leah Segedie’s Twitter chat, #Ashamed, to raise awareness for theGeorgia advertising campaign by Strong4Life attempting to curb the rampant childhood obesity epidemic in the state. If we’d been at the bar like everyone else celebrating TGIF it would have been standing room only. According to Leah there were 544 people tweeting on #Ashamed tonight. “I worked harder on that party than any I’ve ever done,” Leah told us shortly after the chat ended.
To show just how powerful social media is, or maybe how powerful Leah Segedie at BookieBoo and Mamavation is, this Twitter chat was organized practically over night and had a lot of interest, as that count of 544 shows. Additionally, Leah shared other stats, like 13 million impressions and 4859 tweets posted in the one-hour chat.
Leah told us she had two goals for #Ashamed. “First, to petition Strong 4 Life to take the billboards down. Second, to talk about the issue in a way that’s not shameful and gets the word out.” The public outcry over this campaign has been loud enough that some have already been taken down. The hope is that tonight’s nearly 600 voices on Twitter will remove them from the remaining areas, like Atlanta.
“Just take the damn things down,” Leah shouted. “It’s over and done with.” Read Full Post >
The benefits of yoga are vast, and can help the busiest of people unplug, unwind, and reconnect with themselves. It’s one of those activities you can do just about anywhere, be it home, gym, office, and now the airport.
Yesterday San Francisco International Airport (SFO) opened a dedicated yoga room within the concourse. It’s been deemed the first of its kind at any airport in the world. Located in terminal two near Virgin America, the yoga room has been well designed. The former storage closet offers a quiet, serene escape from the hustle of the terminal. Inside yogis will find chairs, yoga mats, and low dim lighting. The room cost SFO about $20,000, and they say their work isn’t done. There are plans to add felt-covered “rocks” to the room to inspire a Japanese Zen-garden ambiance later in the spring. Read Full Post >