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Top 5 worst female health habits

You may be doing something that compromises your health on a daily basis without even knowing it

From workouts to healthy diets, many of us make an effort to look after ourselves. However, we could be compromising our health on a daily basis without even knowing it. From carrying heavy handbags to wearing crippling heels, here are the top five female habits you should try to break.

1. Wearing heels
More and more of us are opting to wear heels on a daily basis, and this could be bad news for our health. High heels affect our posture, put pressure on joints, and can lead to a range of conditions including arthritis, hammer toes, back pain and tendon injuries — and that's before you take into account any heel-related accidents! To minimise damage, limit your heels to 1.5 inches for daily wear, and wear insoles to help reduce the pressure on joints.

2. Carrying a heavy handbag
With the rising number of gadgets and accessories the majority of women haul around, many of us are carrying around several pounds of weight on our shoulders every day. As a result, lots of us are also putting our long term health at risk. While you may not feel the effects right now, lugging around a heavy handbag can lead to serious back problems and neck pain as well as poor posture. Don't wait until the damage is done — do your health a favour and try clearing out all non-essential items and switching to a smaller bag.

3. Matching men drink for drink
From networking drinks to first dates and social events, there are many instances when women may feel compelled to keep up with the drinking habits of the opposite sex. However, women not only tend to weigh less than men but they have less body water to dilute the alcohol, which means they tend to get more drunk more quickly. To minimise the risks of alcohol on your health, try to keep within the recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption and alternate alcohol with soft drinks.

4. Obsessing over appearance
While both genders suffer from body insecurity, many women tend to overly obsess over their idea of the "perfect" body. Research findings published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that 16 per cent of the normal or underweight women studied believed themselves to be overweight, while a study commissioned by Dove found that 90 per of women wanted to change at least one aspect of their appearance. Body insecurity not only affects our mental health, but it can also lead to physical damage caused by extreme diets, yo-yo dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery.

5. Emotional eating
While comfort eating affects both genders, research has suggested that men are more likely to reinforce positive emotions with food, while women comfort eat when they're sad. Women are also more likely to satisfy their cravings with sweet, high calorie foods. Rather than letting your waistline suffer next time you're feeling blue, try distracting yourself from cravings by doing something you enjoy, or boost your endorphins and health with an uplifting workout.

11 TERRIBLE BREAKFASTS

11. Terrible Breakfast Bagel: Dunkin' Donuts Sesame Bagel with reduced fat strawberry cream cheese

510 calories, 16 g fat (6.5 g saturated), 860 mg sodium

Remember, bagels are shaped like zeros for a reason. You'd be better off with two glazed doughnuts. Or, simply move outside the menu's concentration of doughnuts and pastries and Dunkin' Donuts proves itself to be one of the better on-the-go breakfast joints in the country. Pair a couple of the Wake-Up Wraps with a zero-calorie cup of coffee to switch your metabolism from sleep mode to high gear.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Egg & Cheese Wake-Up Wraps (2)

360 calories, 22 g fat (8 g saturated), 940 mg sodium

10. Terrible Breakfast Panini: Panera Bread Grilled Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Sandwich

510 calories, 25 g fat (10 g saturated), 1,170 mg sodium

There are two differences between these two sandwiches. First, the Grilled Bacon, Egg & Cheese is built on ciabatta, which provides 50 more calories and half as much fiber. And second, it replaces the ham with bacon, which means an extra 100 calories of mostly fat.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Breakfast Power Sandwich

340 calories, 15 g fat (7 g saturated), 820 mg sodium

9. Terrible "Healthy" Breakfast: Jamba Juice Chunky Stawberry Topper Parfait (16 oz)

570 calories, 17 g fat (3 g saturated), 59 g sugars

Similar approaches to breakfast with very different results. Replacing an oatmeal base with sugars and granola is never a good swap.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Fresh Banana Oatmeal (oatmeal, bananas, brown sugar crumble)

280 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 23 g sugars

8. Terrible Breakfast Croissant: Jack in the Box Sausage Croissant

565 calories, 39 g fat (16 g saturated, 1 g trans), 776 mg sodium

Two simple but immutable rules are at play here: 1. Bacon always beats sausage, and 2. buns always beat croissants. The Breakfast Jacks are a bright spot on the menu, made even brighter by the fact that they're available all day. Take advantage.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Bacon Breakfast Jack

310 calories, 14 g fat (5 g saturated), 790 mg sodium

7. Terrible Breakfast Burrito: McDonald's McSkillet Burrito with Sausage

610 calories, 36 g fat (14 g saturated), 1,390 mg sodium

For all intents and purposes, this breakfast burrito isn't actually a terrible morning choice—as long as you take it with water, and very strictly watch what you eat for the rest of the day. But why choose the 610-calorie version when you can eat an equally tasty breakfast burrito for half the calories, and 20 fewer grams of fat? This leaves you room for other nutritious foods—fruits, vegetables, whole grains—to eat without worrying throughout the day.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Sausage Burrito

300 calories, 16 g fat (7 g saturated), 830 mg sodium

6. Terrible Breakfast Combo Plate: Bob Evans Pot Roast Hash

759 calories, 53 g fat (18 g saturated), 1,463 mg sodium

There's a lot of good in this dish—eggs and roast are both packed with protein, which, as we've hammered home in this slideshow, is a nutrient you should consume every breakfast. But here's what else the Pot Roast Hash comes with: Home Fries. As in fried potatoes. As in fried lumps of carbohydrates. A better option: Stick with the good, cut out the bad.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Border Scramble Omelette with Egg Lites

416 calories, 24 g fat (12 g saturated), 1,162 mg sodium

5. Terrible Biscuit: Hardee's Monster Biscuit

640 calories, 44 g fat (16 g saturated), 2,130 mg sodium

The pieces of this biscuit individually aren't what make it so dangerous. It's the fact that they're all added together in one big jumbo slop heap that causes trouble. Here we're looking at bacon, sausage patty, several slices of ham, "folded egg," and two slices of American cheese. A more reasonable biscuit is what you'll find below: Simply bacon, egg, and cheese. No need to get fancy with extra toppings.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit

400 calories, 25 g fat (8 g saturated), 1,190 mg sodium

4. Terrible Omelet: IHOP Spinach and Mushroom Omelette (no pancakes on the side)

910 calories, 70 g fat (26 g saturated, 0.5 g trans), 1,570 mg sodium

You can make this same omelet at home for roughly 300 calories. What sets IHOP's apart? The absurd amount of cheap fats being tossed around the kitchen. This thing has more saturated fat than a half stick of butter, and if you opt for the pancakes on the side, you can tack another 450 calories onto your nutritional debt.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Two x Two x Two (with bacon)

560 calories, 31 g fat (11 g saturated), 1,280 mg sodium

3. Terrible French Toast: IHOP Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry Topping

1,030 calories, 39 g fat (17 g saturated, 1 g trans), 755 mg sodium, 61 g sugars

IHOP's menu is full of gut-busting sweets—Stuffed French Toast, Belgian Waffles, Strawberry banana Danish Fruit Crepes... you name it. The problem with each and every one of these super-sweetened, carbo-loaded meals isn't just that they're all packing at least half a day's worth of calories; it's that they're setting you up for a massive sugar crash about halfway between breakfast and lunch. If you're set on the sweet stuff, stick with the Simple & Fit menu at IHOP. The Seasonal Fresh Fruit Crepes are great because they offer a thin layer of pancake, and a lot of fresh fruit. (So at least you're getting something out of it, nutritionally).

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

SIMPLE & FIT Seasonal Fresh Fruit Crepes

580 calories, 24 g fat (5 g saturated), 430 mg sodium, 42 g sugars

2. Terrible Pancakes: IHOP Harvest Grain 'N Nut Pancakes (4) with Cinnamon Apple Compote and Whipped Topping

1,060 calories, 51.5 g fat (13 g saturated), 1,945 mg sodium, 50 g sugars

Whatever you do at IHOP, don't add a fruity compote to your waffle or pancake platter. That'll guarantee that you double your plate's sugar count and add at least 150 calories to the final tally (which, if you order more than 3 pancakes, is already going to be mighty high). The reason that fruity compote is so bad for you is because it's not fresh fruit we're dealing with—it's more like a sugary goo that has fruit chunks drowning in it.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Original Buttermilk Pancakes, Short Stack (3)

490 calories, 18 g fat (8 g saturated, 1 g trans), 1,610 mg sodium, 13 g sugars

1. Terrible Slamwich: Denny's Grand Slamwich with Hash Browns

1,520 calories, 101 g fat (44 g saturated, 1 g trans), 3,550 mg sodium

Bacon, sausage, ham, eggs, cheese, and mayo conspire to create the worst breakfast sandwich in America. Start your day with this and you'll need to wait 48 hours before consuming another gram of saturated fat. And that's before you get to the hash browns that come on the side.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Fit Slam

390 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated), 850 mg sodium

You can find this article online at:
http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/new-worst-breakfasts-america

Makeup Tricks

Shake Up Your Makeup

By Roopika Malhotra

URL: beauty/skincare-makeup

Shake Up Your Makeup

• 
  If you love brown or black eyeliner...
  Try plum or navy
  Jewel-toned liners make you nervous? Plum or navy is a good compromise. "The hint of color makes your irises more vivid without being over the top," says New York City makeup artist Carmindy, who's always up on all of the best beauty products out there. Draw a thin line along the roots of the upper lashes, then gently smudge the color with a brush or your finger to soften the look and make it smokier.
  
  
• 
  If you love nude eye shadow...
  Try a shimmery gold
  Do you scan all the pretty shadows in your palette each morning, sigh, and dunk your brush into a basic nude? You need to live a little! "A sparkling gold or khaki shadow is soft and natural, but the glimmer adds texture and interest," says Liz Pugh, an international celebrity makeup artist with Rimmel London. If you don't want shimmer all over your lids, use it as an accent. "I use my finger to press some right onto the center of the lid, below the crease, to give eyes a multidimensional effect."
  
  
• 
  If you love buff or baby-pink polish...
  Try griege polish
  The love child of gray and beige, griege is the shade of the season. "It has a trendy edge, but it's totally neutral and wearable," says Sarah Lucero, a makeup artist with Stila. Plus, it's low maintenance. "Chips won't be glaring like they are on dark, vampy nails," says Lucero. Paint two coats onto short, rounded tips for a cool look that won't raise eyebrows at work.
  
  
• 
  If you love bronzer...
  Try a tawny peach cream blush
  The rosy-cheek thing is in—and it looks more natural than bronzer when temperatures drop. Plus, a cream formula hydrates dry fall/winter skin. "A creamy peach blush has a luminous effect like a bronzer, and it flatters all complexions," says makeup artist Polly Osmond. Blend the cream high on the apples of your cheeks in a circular motion to draw attention to your cheekbones.
  
  
• 
  If you love red lipstick...
  Try a burgundy lip stain
  Think of burgundy as red's hipper younger sister. "Like red, it's seductive and feminine, but it's more mysterious," says makeup artist Jillian Dempsey, Avon's global creative color director. Use a lip stain because it will last longer.

Sexy Foods

The New Hot Meal

URL: weight-loss/sexy-foods

Sexy Foods: The New Hot Meal

• 
  Chocolate
  This sensual sweet does more than just make your tongue happy; it also contains a compound called phenylethylamine, which is linked to the release of endorphins, those natural feel-good chemicals that flood our bodies after a workout. Interestingly, though, research from the University of Guelph, which examined hundreds of studies on potential aphrodisiacs, found that even though people believe their sexual desire increases after eating chocolate, it's not linked in any way to sexual arousal or satisfaction. In other words, chocolate's sexy powers are likely all in the head, where it triggers serotonin and endorphins. But hey, that works too! When you're jonesing for a fix, enjoy a portion-controlled amount (half an ounce) with some hot tea.
  
  
• 
  Coffee
  OK, coffee breath may not be that alluring, but java does possess some sexy properties. A study from Southwestern University found that the female sex drive perks up after a little joe, which stimulates the part of the brain that regulates arousal. One caveat: Because getting back to a healthy sleep pattern is so important for your overall health, be sure to pay attention to your afternoon cutoff time. For many people, restricting caffeine after 2 p.m. is a good general rule.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Eggs
  These are a reliable source of L-arginine, an amino acid that's been shown to be effective in treating erectile dysfunction. And they're not just for breakfast. Try an easy frittata recipe for dinner some night.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Peaches
  The creamy texture, beautiful color, and summery smell are defnitely attractive, but these are just bonuses: It turns out that peaches' high vitamin C count makes them something of a fertility drug for your guy. Higher consumption results in better sperm counts and less sperm clumping (without going into details, that's a positive thing). Frozen slices are actually a little higher in vitamin C than the fresh ones, so stash some in the icebox and toss them into a smoothie for you—and your man.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Saffron
  A gorgeous, bright-yellow spice, saffron comes from the crocus flower and has a mild, delicate flavor that's popular in Spanish and other Mediterranean dishes. Researchers have found that saffron lives up to its reputation of improving sexual performance (worth its expense at about $11 per gram). The best way to bring out its favor is to soak the threads in hot (but not boiling) water or broth for 15 minutes and add the "tea" to your recipe. It's superb in any grain dish—Spanish seafood paella is a classic one—as well as in soups and stews.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Steak
  Beef has loads of zinc and iron, as well as plenty of satisfying protein and B vitamins. Plus, there's just something so tantalizing about the sound and smell of steak sizzling on the grill—it's like foreplay you can eat! Besides being good for sexual performance, steak has that special-occasion feel to it. Go for a grass-fed variety to make it extra healthy.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Watermelon
  This juicy favorite has an unusually high level of an amino acid called citrulline, which your body uses to pump out another amino acid, arginine, that's related to vascular health. In guys, that can translate to healthier erections; in women, it has been linked to increased libido, according to research from the University of Hawaii. And let's be honest, there's something kind of sexy about biting into a dripping hunk of melon on a hot day.
   Excerpted from the book Slim Calm Sexy Diet by WH nutrition expert,    Keri Glassman.
    Pick up a copy today!
  
  
  
  

Beat Stress

Emotional Eating Isn't Always Bad | Women's Health Magazine Last updated: March 20, 2012 Issue date: December 2007

WomensHealthMag.com

Forget everything you've heard about stress-eating being a bad thing. If you put the right foods in your pie hole (i.e., not pie), noshing when your nerves are jangling can actually calm you down. And that's great news, because the last thing you need is more stress, which over time can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity -- and the odds that you'll go ballistic on Mom when she asks, for the third time, what your unemployed fiancé does for a living. The following listed below are the best foods to soothe stress and can counteract the damage that chronic pressure does to your bod. Stock up on the lot of them so that when the tension rises you can beat stress instead of freaking out.

Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts

When all hell breaks loose, reach for a handful of almonds. They're bursting with vitamin E, an antioxidant that bolsters the immune system. Almonds also contain B vitamins, which may help your body hold up during seriously unpleasant events (like getting a year's membership to Match.com as a present). About a quarter cup every day is all you need. Another easy way to get a fix is to switch from traditional PB to almond butter on high-tension days. (We like All Natural Barney Butter Almond Butter, $7, barneybutter.com.)

Sick of almonds? Shell pistachios or crack walnuts. Both will help keep your heart from racing when things heat up. "We experience immediate cardiovascular responses to stress because of the 'fight or flight' response," says Sheila G. West, M.D., associate professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State. When stress strikes, the hormone adrenaline raises blood pressure to boost energy -- so you're prepared to run like hell if you need to. But because we seldom need to fight or flee (dodging your annoying aunt doesn't count), it's better to blunt the strain on your heart. A 2007 Penn State study led by Dr. West found that eating one and a half ounces (about a handful) of pistachios a day lowers blood pressure so your heart doesn't have to work overtime. Walnuts have also been found to lower blood pressure, both at rest and under stress, West says. Add about an ounce to salads, cereal, or oatmeal.

Avocados

The next time stress has you hankering for a high-fat, creamy treat, skip the ice cream and try some homemade guacamole -- the thick, rich texture can satisfy your craving and reduce those frantic feelings. Plus, the green wonders' double whammy of monounsaturated fat and potassium can lower blood pressure. (For a healthy recipe favorites in under 20 minutes, check out the WH Recipes homepage.) One of the best ways to reduce high blood pressure, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is to get enough potassium -- and just half an avocado offers 487 milligrams, more than you'll get from a medium-size banana. To whip up your own avocado salad dressing, puree a medium avocado with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne.

Skim Milk

Science backs up the old warm-milk remedy for insomnia and restlessness. Turns out calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension, says Mary Dallman, Ph.D., professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco. A glass of moo juice (preferably skim or 1 percent) may also reduce stressful PMS symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. According to a 2005 study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who drank four or more servings of low-fat or skim milk per day had a 46 percent lower risk of pre-period misery than women who had no more than one serving per week.