by Kelsey Murray
Spring and summer are possibly the most popular times for a wedding. Unfortunately for many brides, along with the wedding comes a boat load of stress to look “perfect” on their big day. Sadly, this quest for perfection can be very hard on a bride’s health. Crash dieting is often the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions a bride’s preparation for her wedding.
Aside from drastic weight loss, there are many other things that brides often do in preparation that can be unhealthy or harmful to her health. Here are some tips for avoiding some common practices that brides-to-be might not realize are putting their health in danger.
Choose your makeup carefully. Some makeup contains ingredients that can cause allergic reactions. Some symptoms might include skin redness, dryness, and itchiness. Look for makeup that is fragrance-free or made for sensitive skin and do not change makeup brands right before a big event because you do not know how your skin might react to it. If you are having your makeup done professionally, ask the makeup artist which makeup he or she uses and make sure that it will not cause you to have a reaction.
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Mary Hartley, RD, MPH, is the director of nutrition for Calorie Count, providing domain expertise on issues related to nutrition, weight loss and health. She creates original content for weekly blogs and newsletters, for the Calorie Count library, and for her popular daily Question-and-Answer section, Ask Mary. Ms. Hartley also furnishes direction for the site features and for product development.
Calorie Counters want to know whether or not it is wise to cleanse the system with a detox diet. Here are a few of the readers’ favorite “Ask Mary Q+As” about spring cleaning.
Should I fast to prepare my system for a change?
Fasting is unnecessary. Your system does not need to prepare for change. In a fast lasting longer than a day or two, the body starts to breakdown some of its muscles and organs to generate fuel for the central nervous system. Because muscle is a major calorie burner, less muscle could lead to lowering overall calorie requirements, which could make it more difficult to lose weight in the future. And then, due to feast-or-famine thinking, food deprivation could lead to overeating when food becomes available again. Instead of fasting, it’s best to just go ahead and begin to eat a balanced diet of wholesome food at a lower calorie level.
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Usually everyone is excited for the rain to dry up and the sun to start poking through so they can take their workout outside and soak up some vitamin D, but if you suffer from seasonal allergies, you may be dreading the changing of the seasons. Itchy, watery eyes, a stuffy nose and a scratchy throat can make it hard to get out of bed, let alone pound the pavement for an exhilarating run.
Even if pollen does knock you on your butt, you don’t have to banish yourself to the gym year round. There are a few things you can do to lessen your allergy symptoms, or at the very least, prevent them from getting worse if you do decide to take your workout outdoors.
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by Kelsey Murray
Finally! Spring time is here! Grass is growing, trees are budding, and flowers are popping up everywhere you look. But, if you suffer from allergies, then you might not be able to see all of the new life that is springing up due to your itchy eyes and runny nose. Yep, it’s official: allergies are in full swing.
For eight years, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has released a list of the top Allergy Capitals in the USA. The list is based on each city’s pollen scores. The city with the highest pollen amounts was awarded a score of 100 and all other cities were rescaled according to their relative amounts of pollen.
So what if you live in one of the worst allergen cities?
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Guest blogger, Carol Dunlop is certified through FiTour as a Personal Trainer and through the American Red Cross as a CPR, AED and First Aid Instructor. She has competed and placed in several Fitness America and National Bodybuilding competitions. To receive your Free E-course “How to Burn Calories While you Sleep,” check out her website, OptimumBodySculpting.com.
Aaaah Spring! The images that come to mind; flowers, sun, sand and bikini season! There, I said it, that dreaded 2-word phrase that can cause you to run to the cottage cheese isle for weeks on end. Wait! It doesn’t have to be this way. Follow my 7-Step guide and make this bikini season the one that makes you utter, “Bring it on, baby!”
Step 1: Eat Breakfast: Never skip breakfast, it’s the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast makes your body believe that you’re starving. Eating breakfast gives you an energy boost and prevents you from overeating later in the day, not to mention keeping you alert and attentive to detail.
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