FabSugar

On Our Radar: Gwyneth Paltrow Leads the Fight For the Cure

FabSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:00:22 PDT

Gwyneth Paltrow has been named the 2008 ambassador for the Key to the Cure campaign with Saks Fifth Avenue. Paltrow will be the sixth Oscar-winning actress to become the ambassador to the program, which has raised over $28 million for cancer institutions.

The actress, who lost her father from the disease in 2002, stated, “If there is anything I can do to help raise money, especially with a charity like this, I will. I read about the charity and how aggressively they are trying to find a cure, not only for women’s cancers but also for other cancers. They target a lot of different areas out there. They support people who are coming up with innovative ideas to cure cancer. It’s an issue that touched me in a lot of ways.”

Karl Lagerfeld has created this year's T-shirt to benefit the campaign. The $40 tee features two arrows crossing on its front with a heart, and illustration of the designer himself on the back. Items will be available Oct. 16-19 at Saks stores, Off 5th Stores, and Saks.com.

To see more more images from the star-studded campaign,

Fab Flash: Stars Design Charms to Aid Cancer Research

FabSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 13:30:22 PDT

Kate Moss, Scarlett Johansson and Christian Louboutin have all contributed a charm for this year's limited edition necklace in aid of Cancer Research UK. Each charm reflects the personal experience and character of its creator. Kate's (far right) is a pretty turquoise and silver swallow; Scarlett's (second from left) a white, yellow and orange lily; Christian's (center) is what else but a small golden shoe with his signature red sole.

The necklace, about $51, can be purchased starting September at Wallis. Twenty dollars from each necklace will go towards Cancer Research UK's work.

Source

The Skinny On: Cranberry, More Than Just Sauce

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:00:00 PST

When I think of cranberries, four things come to mind:

A refreshing Thanksgiving side dish
The song Linger ("Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?")
Yummy Cosmopolitans
Horrible bladder infections

Maybe you just like the taste of cranberry sauce but cranberries are more than just a pretty fruit. For starters, they are very high in antioxidants and vitamin c.

What's more? MSNBC reports that drinking cranberry juice can block bladder infections, can prevent a plaque formation on teeth (mouthwashes with the compound are already in development) and in some people, regular cranberry juice consumption can kill the bacteria which can cause stomach cancer and ulcers.
Furthermore:

The National Institutes of Health is funding research on the cranberry’s effects on heart disease, yeast infections and other conditions, and other researchers are investigating its potential against cancer, stroke and viral infections.

Fit's Tip: Good, fresh cranberries are only available for a brief time, from late September to December, but you can get cranberry juice and supplements year round.

Eat Cake For Breakfast and Lose Weight, Study Says

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:21:52 PST

If your insatiable sweet tooth is preventing you from losing weight, findings from a recent study may be just the thing to help you slim down. Researchers found those who ate a large breakfast that included something sweet lost weight and were able to keep off more pounds than those who ate a small breakfast.

A group of 193 obese adults (not a huge study) were split into two groups. One ate a large, 600-calorie breakfast that included a sweet item such as a cookie, cake, or doughnut. The other group ate a 300-calorie breakfast with no dessert. Both groups ate the same amount of calories daily: 1,600 for men and 1,400 for women.

Keep reading to find out more details about cake and weight loss.

5 Surprising Health Benefits of Being a Sports Fan

Prevention — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:19:15 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Cristina Goyanes, Prevention

It’s no wonder your friends aren’t available to hang out on Sundays in the Fall and Winter - according to a 2005 Gallup Poll, 64 percent of Americans claim to be professional football fans, and as of 2010, women make up 44 percent of the NFL fan base.

Being a sports fan doesn’t mean you’re expected to know all the players and stats of your hometown teams and destined for a beer gut - it’s about coming together in the name of good times as part of a community.

“Bonding over sports - the highs and lows of the game - strengthens ties, helps us feel supported, and makes it easier for you to open up about personal things,” says Renee Clauselle, PsyD, who runs a private psychology practice in Long Island, NY.

Seventeen Unexpected Side Effects of Exercise

Rooting for the same team creates an immediate sense of family, says Daniel Wann, PhD, a Murray State University professor who has been studying the psychology of sports fans for over 20 years. “If you identify with a local team, you build an instant connection to others around you,” he says.

Beyond the bonding aspects, watching sports can motivate you to pump up your own workouts - and even burn a few extra calories when you jump, cheer, and clap during the highlights of the game. Find out more ways being a sports fan is a winning situation for your health.

Keep reading to learn how being a sports fan benefits your health.

The Secrets of the World's Healthiest Women

Health — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:45:10 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

From pouring on the olive oil like the Greeks to slashing stress like the Scandinavians, what we
can learn from the happiest, slimmest, longest-living cultures around the globe.

The secret to a long, healthy life in America? According to longevity researchers, it may be to act like you live somewhere else.

It seems like every year another country's lifestyle is touted as the new magic bullet to cure us of obesity, heart disease, and premature death: for an unclogged heart, herd goats and down olive oil like a Mediterranean. Avoid breast cancer and live to 100 by dining on tofu, Japanese-style. Stay as happy as Norwegians by hunting elk and foraging for cowberries.

Health.com: Weight-Loss Secrets From Around the World

The places we're usually told to emulate are known as Blue Zones or Cold Spots. Blue Zones were pinpointed by explorer Dan Buettner and a team of longevity researchers and are described in his book The Blue Zones: Lessons For Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest. They're areas in Italy, Japan, Greece, California, and Costa Rica where the people have traditionally stayed healthy and active to age 100 or older.

Keep on reading for more great tips from around the globe.

A Strawberry a Day May Keep the Doctor Away

Susannah Chen — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:30:59 PDT

Strawberries aren't just delicious; they may also help fight certain kinds of cancer. A preliminary study suggests that strawberries could potentially prevent esophageal cancer.

Oncologists at Ohio State University showed that freeze-dried strawberries, when dissolved in a glass of water twice a day for six months, slowed the growth of precancerous lesions among subjects. Although the study employed the use of freeze-dried strawberries, researchers suggested people can still benefit from eating fresh strawberries on a daily basis.

These findings challenge a European study that shows higher fruit intake doesn't change cancer risk. Still, I'll take an excuse to eat more strawberries; they're delicious and in season. Would added health benefits inspire you to eat more fruit?

The Healthiest Drinks For Your Diet

Leta Shy — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:29:33 PST

When eating healthfully, a large focus may be on what not to drink: no sugary juices, sodas, or high-calorie cocktails. But many drinks can actually help you live a healthier lifestyle. We all know that drinking enough water is essential, but find out what other drinks should also be on your OK list below, and remember to enter our healthy living giveaway for a chance to win a $500 Under Armour gift card!

Coffee: The hot drink is the perfect accompaniment to a cold morning or a drowsy afternoon, but offering you a warm pick-me-up isn't its only advantage. Coffee has been proven to help improve memory, increase endurance, and ease muscle pain. The list doesn't stop there; read more about the health benefits of coffee here.

Watch for: The benefits of coffee don't always outweigh the risks, especially if you drink too much. Drinking too much java can cause you to become anxious or jittery, disrupt your sleep patterns, develop high blood pressure, or endure regular headaches. Stay attuned to caffeine's affect on your body and, in general, don't drink more than 300 milligrams a day (the average cup of coffee contains 100 milligrams of caffeine).

Red wine: All those studies about the health benefits of red wine makes me feel that much better about relaxing with a glass of Cab after work. Red wine contains a compound called resveratrol, which has been proven in studies to be beneficial to your health - everything from fighting cancer to antiaging, along with other disease-preventing benefits.

Watch for: The benefits of wine stop at one glass a day, so don't go overboard. You may be doing yourself more harm than good, especially since one glass of red wine usually runs around 127 calories. And while scientists have researched resveratrol in many lab studies, there have been few studies in humans - and let's not forget the recent news that a leading red wine researcher actually falsified data in dozens of studies on heart health and resveratrol.

Two more good-for-you drinks after the break!

5 Reasons You Need More Sleep

Shape — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:14:00 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Whether you admit you need help nodding off or are still in denial about the major suitcases under your eyes, chances are you could use an intervention: a full two-thirds of Americans say they have trouble getting enough shut-eye at least once a week. That’s pretty harrowing, considering that sleep is absolutely essential for health and normal functioning. If you need a reason to hit the sack early read on. You’ll be surprised how much skipped sleep impacts your well-being.

You'll Live Longer
Chronic insomniacs are more likely to suffer a heart attack than those who sleep well, according to new research in the journal Circulation. Other studies have linked lack of sleep to a higher risk of dying from a stroke and developing breast cancer.

See even more benefits of sleep after the break!

Why New Yorkers Live Longer Than the Rest of the US

Heather Dale — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:49:18 PST

Well here's a new year's shocker for you - The Annual Summary of Vital Statistics has just announced that New York City has surpassed national figures with its all-time high life expectancy of 80.6 years. That's right, New Yorkers are living longer than ever before, and not only that, but they are living, on average, two years longer than the rest of the country. "By investing in health care and continuing to encourage more New Yorkers to take charge of their own health, we've experienced dramatic improvements in life expectancy," says Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

Here are the secrets behind New York City residents' longevity.