Real Health Fall 2014

REALHEALTH YOUR GUIDE TO BLACK WELLNESS

Get Motivated The Biggest Loser ’s

Dolvett Quince On His Weight Loss Method

Why Gender Matters When Taking Prescription Drugs

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How Climate Change Affects Our Health Gluten-Free Cooking Options

Protective Styles Can Help Your Hair Grow

CONTENTS

this month on REALHEALTHMAG.COM There’s more to persuading people to use condoms than simply just changing their design, says new RH blogger Jason Panda.

Health Basics A—Z

Want to lose weight, exercise smart, eat right, find good health care, sleep better or just get healthy? For tips, click on “Health Basics A–Z” on the realhealthmag.com home page.

Do Your Feet Hurt?

Many people just ignore foot pain, but when your dogs ache this might signal an underlying condition that can seriously affect your health and quality of life.

Pot May Help a Sick Pet

Vets can’t prescribe medicinal marijuana for animals, but some folks swear that the controversial drug has helped their ill pets get better.

Digital Real Health

Read Real Health magazine online exactly as it appears in print. Go to realhealthmag.com/ digital to view the current issue and the entire Smart + Strong digital library.

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17 editor’s letter

18 COVER STORY

moving motivation

Here’s to a long life! But if you could live forever, would you?

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buzz

Climate change and health; drugs and gender; blood pressure levels; the hep C-diabetes link; HIV cure hype; virus prevention efforts

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fitness

How exercise benefits your brain; kettlebell training basics

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nutrition

Food additives draw more public concern; tasty ways to reduce salt intake; are energy drinks safe?

what’s wrong?

It took almost 20 years for actress Jennifer Esposito to be correctly diagnosed with celiac disease.

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eating for wellness

A gluten-free diet isn’t a weightloss solution; it’s a prescription to better health for many people.

sex

Did you know that certain types of prescription and over-the-counter meds can take a negative toll on your sex life?; Ask Doctor Dee

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Personal trainer and TV star Dolvett Quince tells how fitness can be fun and food your friend.

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rescue remedy

Sometimes the best way to help hair grow is to keep our tresses protected. Plus: Stuff We Love

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thoughts

Yikes! How to forgive yourself after making a really big mistake.

Real Health Question of the Month

What are some of your favorite things to do during the fall?

During this season, I like to visit farmers’ markets to select vegetables like squash and kale, pick organic apples at orchards, cook butternut squash pie and dine out when Arizona’s Fall Restaurant Week is in full swing.

—Rhonda Peters

reach out & click!

At realhealthmag.com, you can read more articles; access exclusive, online-only special reports; meet other health-minded black singles; and subscribe ($9.97 for four quarterly issues; you can also call 800.973.2376). Plus, sign up for the Real Health email newsletter to get the latest black health news!

(COVER) SARAH OBRANIC; (JASON PANDA) COURTESY OF JASON PANDA: (FEET, MARIJUANA, LIGHTNING, SALT, WOMAN) THINKSTOCK; (PETERS) COURTESY OF RHONDA PETERS

More Safe Sex Talk

EDITOR’S LETTER

So Do You Want to Live Forever?

REAL HEALTH

R

ecently, 60 Minutes broadcast an episode on a study that followed men and women older than 90, a group that’s called “the oldest old.” The goal of the research was to determine what variables led to a long life, what shape these folks are in, and how we can boost our chances of sticking around long enough to join these nonagenarians.

The broadcast opened with a sweeping statement: “It’s always been a dream of mankind to live forever.” The announcement brought to mind a movie titled The Picture of Dorian Gray, adapted from the book by Oscar Wilde. In it, a young man named Dorian Gray is the subject of a painting that shows him in the flower of his full youth and beauty.

When Gray realizes that his handsome face and body will one day succumb to the ravages of time and death, he exclaims that he’d sell his soul to have only the painting age while he remains young and immortal. In the book and movie, Gray got his wish. As time passed, the painting aged and became ugly because of the evil acts he committed. But Gray remained young and good-looking in spite of it all.

Interestingly, although the study’s findings didn’t explore the moral outlook of its “oldest old” participants, it did look at their brain health, cognitive abilities and experiences with the onset of dementia.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kate Ferguson MANAGING EDITOR

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Megan Strub

ADVISORY EDITOR

Sean Strub

ADVISORY BOARD

Lee SaintMartin, MS, IIPA, CN, ND, naturopath; Goulda Downer, PhD, RD, CNS, and Nutrition Services, Inc.; Yuan Wan, licensed acupuncturist and doctor of traditional Chinese medicine; Dr. Rachael Ross, MD, PhD, sexologist; Lovell Harris, MD, internist; Terrie Williams, mental health advocate; Xavier Artis, campaign creator, Stay Strong: Healing Starts With Us (HSWU)

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Here’s to your health,

JOAN LOBIS BROWN

Issue No. 39. Copyright © 2014 CDM Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. If you are an individual or organization and would like to subscribe to Real Health, go to real healthmag.com or call 800.973.2376.

Send feedback on this issue to info@ realhealthmag.com or Real Health, c/o Smart + Strong, 462 Seventh Ave., 19th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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Among the more interesting findings was that longevity didn’t seem to have a connection with downing a bunch of vitamins or being slimmer rather than carrying some extra weight. What’s more—and this part was not surprising—people who exercised, as compared with those who didn’t, lived longer. In addition, those who smoked died earlier than nonsmokers.

In the book, Dorian Gray smoked opium to forget his evil-doing. But as he lived on, his portrait continued to age.

The paint peeled, and his face became distorted and disfigured. Gray’s brain and body remained sound, his cognitive abilities stayed sharp and his senses keen.

According to the study’s principal researcher, one of things she noticed was that to age well in body and mind it’s key to eat healthy and stay physically and mentally active. In an interview, this scientist said much of the data that researchers were looking at involved studying “the kinds of things our mother told us.” (You know, things like: Eat your fruits and veggies; don’t overdo stuff; and moderation is the key.)

Is that the secret then? Listen to mom so you can live a better, longer life? I think that sometimes the answers to so many questions—especially those related to a richer, healthier, more long-lived existence—are just that simple.

But since I have no proof of this, I’ll continue to watch for more findings from this study. Scientists launched the research in 2003 at the University of California, Irvine, and the National Institute on Aging renewed the funding last fall to continue the study.

And if your mom is 90 or older, also let her know what you find out, so she can smile and maybe say, “I told you so, didn’t I?”

Kate Ferguson, Editor-in-Chief katef@realhealthmag.com

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BUZZ

What’s Up With the Weather?

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fter Hurricane Sandy swooped down on the Eastern seaboard of the United States, people from Maine to Florida were left reeling. In New York City, the storm surge inundated neighborhoods in lower Manhattan and flooded the area’s subway tunnels. Experts say that as the Earth continues to warm we could expect more of these ferocious storms in the future.

According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, although no one can say that any single weather event was directly caused by climate change, our current weather is the product of our changing climate. What’s more, global warming raises the probability of extreme weather events.

Interestingly, scientists have been studying climate change and noting major weather developments since the early 1800s. In the late 1960s, researchers began focusing attention on the melting of ice in the Arctic Sea. This phenomenon is one of the factors feeding global warming. With the loss

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of icy surfaces that reflect the sun’s rays, the land heats up as it absorbs more solar radiation.

As a result, sea levels go up, and sometimes rain comes down really hard, wind speed increases and we have a Hurricane Sandy rampaging through town.

Naturally, these storms are scary because of the damage they can do. “The overall health effects of a changing climate are likely to be overwhelmingly negative,” says the World Health Organization (WHO). This is because climate change affects several key determinants of health: clean air, safe drinking water, As years pass, it’s sufficient food and sedefinitely cure shelter. getting In a report published nastier out there. in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, a volunteer for the Occupy Sandy relief effort drew a graphic picture of the storm’s potential to precipitate a health crisis. “What they found was frightening,” said Nastaran Mohit, the volun-

teer. “There were literally thousands of elderly people trapped in the upper floors of these buildings. The hallways were pitch black. Many apartments were without functioning plumbing. People were living in their own feces.”

But unsanitary conditions aren’t the only health risks generated in the aftermath of any extreme weather event. For example, when heat waves hit, death rates rise. Scorching temperatures can also boost the levels of pollutants in the air, and that worsens respiratory and heart disease, especially among the elderly. Similarly, extreme heat stimulates the release of pollen and other airborne allergens. These asthma triggers can make life almost unbearable for those who suffer from the illness.

A post-Sandy report revealed residents lacked safe food and water, and many of the chronically ill faced medical emergencies when they couldn’t access medications. Says the WHO: “All populations will be affected by climate change, but some are more vulnerable than others.”

THINKSTOCK

Most scientists agree that global warming drives climate change and that it affects not only the environment and economics, but also our physical and mental health.

BUZZ HOW LOW SHOULD YOU GO? New blood pressure goals raise questions, especially for men.

Gender Matters Meds can affect each of the sexes differently.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted driving simulation studies on people who had taken the same dosage of the insomnia drug Ambien. They found that the sexes processed the medication differently. Women had more Ambien left in their bloodstream than men after taking the med. The findings spurred researchers to take a harder look at how gender differences affect drug dosages and other aspects of health.

Says Phyllis Greenberger, of the Society for Women’s Health Research, “We need a better understanding of the sex-specific mechanisms of disease as well as how women and men differ in their response to drugs and other treatments.”

Greenberger is pushing for federal agencies, such as the FDA and the National Institutes of Health, to do more studies about sex differences in medicine. But what should female patients do while they wait for these agencies to move on the findings?

Some health advocacy groups suggest women do the following: Ask prescribing docs to personalize dose recommendations for them, and mention the results of the Ambien study; pay attention to their bodies, especially if they think they’re reacting to a med; and report anything negative that might be drug related to their doctors, pharmacists and the FDA.

Last year, when a committee of experts raised blood pressure targets for folks with hypertension, age 60 or older, many people became confused.

These doctors said the highest acceptable reading was about 150/90 (read as “150 over 90”). This reading compares with the earlier stricter standard of 140/90.

In blood pressure readings, the higher top number (the systolic reading) measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats.

The lower bottom number (the diastolic reading) measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.

But in older men with more health conditions, forcing down blood pressure with drugs may put them at risk of more side effects from these meds. That’s why the new recommendations might be helpful—they allow for a higher number.

The reason doctors try to control their patients’ blood pressure is to prevent strokes.

But Lewis A. Lipsitz, MD, the chief of geriatrics at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, says it might Bos not be necessary to push the numbers down to meet the older standards.

After all, why risk paying unnecessary costs if un you ddon’t have to?

THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS WHO HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. (PILL BOTTLE) THINKSTOCK; (HEART ILLUSTRATION) THINKSTOCK; (LIVER) ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/JANULLA

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A Double Whammy Hep C raises your risk of type 2 diabetes, and diabetes can worsen hepatitis.

According to a number of studies, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) can promote type 2 diabetes—and diabetes can increase the risk of cirrhosis of the liver and the most common type of liver cancer, called hepatocellular carcinoma.

“It has been known for some time that people with hepatitis C are more likely to develop type 2

diabetes than uninfected people,” explains Susan Cabot, MD, author of the book The Liver Cleansing Diet.

Cabot says one possible explanation for this is that HCV triggers fat accumulation inside the liver.

A fatty liver can’t absorb excess glucose from the bloodstream, so sugar levels can rise too high.

In type 2 diabetes, sugar builds up in the blood because the body can’t properly respond to insulin, a hormone we produce to regulate blood sugar levels.

Too much sugar and insulin in the blood create a lot of inflammation in the body, and this, in turn, can help accelerate the progress of liver disease. realhealthmag.com

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BUZZ

Don’t Believe the Hype

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When claims of HIV cures grab headlines, it’s okay to be skeptical.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WHO ARE LIVING WITH HIV.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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DOWN THESE MEAN STREETS Why some favor targeted HIV prevention in specific areas What are your chances of getting HIV and surviving if you live, let’s say, in Philadelphia’s ZIP code of 19143? Well, this location is one of the areas in the United States that’s most heavily affected by HIV. What’s more, according to statistics, 50 percent of all people living with HIV are located in 12 cities: Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Tampa, Miami, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, DC. The reason for such a high concentration of the virus within these cities is because race and poverty place residents in certain neighborhoods at higher risk of contracting HIV. “People of color are disproportionately impacted, and their risk of infection is a function not just of behavior but of where they live and the testing and treatment resources in their communities,” says Amy Nunn, ScD, MS, an assistant professor of behavioral and social sciences at Brown University’s School of Public Health.

Studies show that people in these locations are less likely to be tested and treated for HIV. Says Nunn: That’s why “we should be rolling out testing and treatment services and positive social marketing messages en masse in these communities.”

BOTH IMAGES: THINKSTOCK

n today’s Internet age, news travels quickly, which is just what happened when recent reports incorrectly announced scientists found a molecule in ordinary soy sauce that might be useful in treating HIV. But that “news” turned out to be riddled with errors and pumped up with hype.

Last year, a British newspaper ran a headline saying “Scientists on Brink of HIV Cure.” But Ole Søgaard, one of the lead researchers from the Danish study cited in the article, shot down the announcement. “We are not on the brink of an HIV cure,” he explained. “We are making good progress, but there is still a long way to go.”

Shortly after Søgaard’s statement, the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange urged readers “to treat future media stories that claim to have news of an HIV cure with a healthy degree of skepticism.”

The Danish researchers said they believe an HIV cure is achievable but that it will most likely take many years and rounds of clinical trials.

One U.K. blogger, Tom Hayes, a.k.a.

UKPositiveLad, who is the editor-in-chief of beyondpositive.org, questions how these reports influence the public.

“Could it be,” Hayes writes, “that our fascination with a possible cure, and the media’s need to shout it from the rooftop every time there’s a glimmer of hope (no matter how unsubstantiated) is causing the general Downing public to believe we either already soy sauce have a cure, or that one is just weeks won’t get or months away?” rid of HIV. Point well taken.

FITNESS

Remember to Exercise!

Staying active may lower the risk of Alzheimer’s

Kettlebell Basics

(KETTLEBELLS) DREAMSTIME.COM/SNITOVETS; (BIKE RIDERS) THINKSTOCK

How to get fit with these heavy-metal alternatives to free weights The story is that Russian strongmen used kettlebells in the 1700s to build strength, balance, flexibility and endurance. But nowadays you find these brightly colored, cannonball-shaped metal orbs in well-equipped gyms. Here’s how you use them to help shape your body.

Select smooth-handled kettlebells in sets of three different poundages. Many gyms usually have sets that include 5-, 8- and 10-pound weights.

Learn the proper technique. To avoid injury from the explosive movements of kettlebell exercises, you must first master basic techniques with a light load of weight. Then you can progress to heavier poundages.

Work with qualified and experienced instructors. According to the American Council on Exercise, you’ll get the safest, most effective kettlebell training from a certified fitness instructor. And don’t forget to ask if he or she regularly attends specialized sessions.

It seems there’s no end to the good things that working out can do for our bodies. Now, findings show that moderate physical activity may stop Alzheimer’s disease from attacking an area of the brain that helps us remember stuff. And that’s even if your family history puts you at risk of this common form of dementia that affects memory, thinking and other cognitive behaviors.

For the study, researchers tracked four groups of healthy older adults, ages 65 to 89, with normal cognitive abilities, such as memory, reasoning and problem-solving skills. The results? Participants who were at high risk of Alzheimer’s but were physically active showed no loss in the volume of the hippocampus, the part of the brain governing memory and the way our bodies relate to the surrounding environment.

According to researchers, these findings show “additional evidence that exercise plays a protective role against cognitive decline.”

Tennis anyone?

THE NUMBER OF STEPS WE SHOULD MOVE EACH DAY TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND DECREASE OUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE. Source: American Heart Association

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SEX Ask Doctor Dee Dorothy Horton, PsyD, answers your questions.

Not in the Mood?

These types of meds can kill your sex life.

What are the chances that the pill you, or your partner, just popped will also slay your sexual pleasure? Well, according to sexual health resources, prescription drugs can cause sexual dysfunction in men and women.

Sexual dysfunction generally falls into four areas: desire, arousal, orgasm and pain disorders. A problem in any of these categories can put the kibosh on a night of intimacy for couples and throw cold water on even the most passionate romance.

Often, when couples experience sexual dysfunction in their relationship, they stop short of checking each other’s medicine cabinets for the culprit. But before running to the therapist or doctor to undergo tests that might lead to more prescriptions that could possibly finish off the flickering flames of love and desire, take a look at the following list of major drug classes that can totally annihilate your sex life.

Among the passion-killers are drugs used to treat high cholesterol

(statins and fibrates), blood pressure and depression. Also on the list are antipsychotics for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other major psychiatric conditions; anticonvulsants for seizures in people with epilepsy; meds to treat certain kinds of chronic pain, such as migraines and nerve problems; tranquilizers (a.k.a. benzodiazepines) used to treat anxiety, insomnia, agitation, muscle spasms and seizures; and H2 blockers for gastrointestinal disorders such as gastric and peptic ulcers, erosive esophagitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

What’s more, even certain overthe-counter medications, such as antihistamines and decongestants, can cause erectile dysfunction or problems with ejaculation.

Oh yes, one more thing: When you fill a prescription, get into the habit of asking the pharmacist if the med you’re getting might just also cause sexual dysfunction.

To coax your husband into taking better care of his health, try introducing the subject in a respectful, caring way.

Keep the discussion clear, simple and to the point.

Many women say they don’t want to assume the role of being their men’s moms, so avoid sounding like a mother trying to get her children to do the right thing. (Translation: Don’t carp or complain about his behavior.) This is a discussion between man and wife, so let your husband know you’re concerned about him because you want your man to be in the best of health so you can enjoy each other’s company for years to come.

Once you’ve established your root reason for being worried about your husband’s health, it should be much easier to make suggestions without becoming a nag, putting him on the defensive, or getting into an argument.

Remember, when you want men— and people in general—to receive your message in a positive manner, your most persuasive tools are respect, timing, clear communication, simplicity and a warm approach that says you really care.

THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF AMERICAN MEN WHO HAVE TROUBLE ACHIEVING OR SUSTAINING AN ERECTION. Source: A New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center study published in the British Journal of Urology International, August 2011

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(MEDICATION) THINKSTOCK; (HORTON) COURTESY OF DOROTHY HORTON, PSYD

What’s the best way to persuade my husband to take better care of his health? I don’t want to become a nag.

NUTRITION Fueling Up

The same chemical is used in yoga mats and bread dough?

Energy drinks surge in popularity. Is that a concern?

Read the label on almost any energy drink, and the most common ingredient you’ll find is caffeine. It’s the chemical that provides the jolt folks crave to boost their energy and endurance and make them feel more alert and focused.

What’s more, the waker-upper drink is being guzzled by more people now than ever before, including younger kids and adolescents.

But health professionals express concerns about the safety of these drinks. “While energy drinks and energy shots may give you the energy boost that you desire, they may also produce some unwanted side effects,” say Erica Bub and Karla Shelnutt, researchers at the University of Florida IFAS Extension, and authors of a report on the popular beverages.

They say the drinks can cause irregular heartbeat, jitteriness and difficulty sleeping, but that there isn’t enough research yet to state whether the carbonated beverages are unsafe.

To steer clear of any problems, the scientists advise energy drink devotees to chug them in moderation, don’t mix the stuff with alcohol or other caffeine-containing beverages, and do check with your doctor if you’re on medication or have a condition that may make imbibing these energy boosters unsafe.

Unnecessary Ingredients Say what? A blogger got companies to stop putting azodicarbonamide in their food.

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arlier this year, a blogger warned consumers about azodicarbonamide. Companies used the chemical compound in dough to make bread fluffy. But the ingredient is also used to make yoga mats. So folks flocked to her website to sign an online petition asking companies to stop using the stuff.

Indeed, azodicarbonamide isn’t the only chemical ingredient to be outed online and summarily removed from foods we eat. Two years ago, cochineal extract (a.k.a. carmine), a red dye made from crushed bugs, got the boot from two of Starbucks’ strawberry-flavored drinks. Ditto for brominated vegetable

oil, or BVO, a food additive that keeps the color in citrus-flavored soft drinks from separating.

But everything in our environment is made of chemicals, and they aren’t necessarily bad for us. Water is a chemical compound—dihydrogen monoxide—that we need to support life.

Still, some laboratory-produced chemicals added to food to flavor, preserve and confer other functional benefits aren’t really necessary, say health advocates. They want to know why companies don’t just use natural substances from whole foods to accomplish the same results.

Hmm. Good question.

THE PERCENT OF OUR SALT INTAKE THAT COMES FROM PROCESSED FOODS OR RESTAURANT MEALS. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Salt Stats

ALL IMAGES: THINKSTOCK

Pass On the Salt Here’s one easy way to cut back on sodium.

According to David Kessler, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, salt is one of the key culprits that drive overeating, along with sugar and fat. What’s more, by age 2 or 3, kids show a marked preference for salty foods, says Gary Beauchamp, director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center, a nonprofit science research institute in Philadelphia.

The bottom line is Americans just eat too much sodium chloride, so public health experts are racking their brains to find

ways to woo folks away from their saltshakers. One way to do this, researchers found, is to teach people how to flavor food with spices and herbs. That’s according to study findings presented at an American Heart Association scientific session earlier this year.

For the study, volunteers took part in a behavioral intervention that taught them how to use herbs and spices in recipes instead of sprinkling salt on their meals. The results? They cut their sodium intake by almost 1,000 milligrams.

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(POGUE) DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER; (CHILDREN) COURTESY OF ERIC POGUE

Weakness?

Trainer Dolvett Quince says he doesn’t believe in that word. Now, are you ready to get moving?

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LOSER WINS

(PREVIOUS PAGE) SARAH ORBANIC/COURTESY OF LIONSGATE

ALL The Biggest Loser coach Dolvett Quince talks with RH about motivating people to overcome their physical challenges, lose weight and get ďŹ t.

By Kate Ferguson

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hen Dolvett Quince was a child, he and his three siblings were placed in foster care. The memory of that time in his life is bittersweet for Quince because, although a family adopted him and his siblings, he was physically and mentally abused. But the experience forged the strength he employs today as a personal trainer who gets his clients results.

“I got strength from weaknesses, so I applied those life lessons into what I do today,” Quince says. “I think one of the key elements of being a personal trainer is helping someone believe in the impossible. I help people believe that no matter where they are in their life, there’s always hope to be better.”

Quince joined The Biggest Loser in 2011 and soon became a favorite of fans who watch TV’s popular weightloss contest. Quince’s training approach is to help clients enjoy fitness. “I show my clients ways to have fun working out, so it’s not a chore or something you do because something is wrong,

but something you do because it’s a part of your day,” he says. “Also, I teach them how to look at food as a friend, not an escape.”

The methods Quince employs are proven techniques many experts suggest people use. For example, to achieve weight loss simply incorporate healthier foods and exercise into your life.

Today, in the United States, nearly 155 million adults age 20 or older are overweight or obese, according to the American Heart Association. Experts classify this as a crisis of epidemic proportion. “There are things that concern me as a father, such as schools taking physical education out [of the curriculum], as if movement isn’t necessary for children,” Quince says. “But I think physical fitness starts with parents, our schools and education.”

Indeed, physical activity and weight loss are the subjects Quince instructs his clients about on the TV show and in several DVDs for The Biggest Loser workout series. What’s more, he wrote a best-selling book, The 3-1-2-1-Diet, about his weight-loss program.

“I used myself as a guinea pig starting out in terms of the metabolism and the

way the body reacts to the program scientifically. I eat clean one day, and then I cheat a little bit, and then I go back to eating clean again for two, and then cheat again,” Quince explains. “I noticed that every time I cheated, my body was a little tired because of all the work that I put in on the clean days, and it was just amazing the response that I got. I applied it to my clients early on in my career, and they had success.”

Among the clients who transformed their bodies with Quince’s eat-andcheat program are celebrities such as actress Angela Bassett and football player Daniel Wilcox, a tight end for the Baltimore Ravens. Quince says that the program “is the secret” responsible for the success enjoyed by contestants he trains on the show.

But what happens after the diet ends?

Quince says that by the time his clients go back to the real world, they’ve achieved a lifestyle change that translates into a new way of eating forever.

“I think my book, more than anything, says this is something that you can do from now until you’re 90 years old,” Quince says. “Unlike many diet books, my program doesn’t tell you to

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIONSGATE

“THE BIGGEST LOSER” DVDS FEATURE QUINCE LEADING EXERCISE CLASSES BASED ON THE POPULAR TV SHOW.

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deprive yourself, and it’s not a strict regimen. But it simplifies an entire week and your entire life, so it’s very specific and very direct. You can have what you’re accustomed to, but when you eat and exercise this way you see results.”

Indeed, most health experts agree that, ultimately, deprivation diets don’t work for the long-term. The best weight-loss diets change the unhealthy ways that people eat and live.

According to the nutrition expert Walter

Willett, MD, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition, and chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, the real issue isn’t losing weight.

“People can cut back on calories and lose weight on almost any diet,” Willett says. But keeping weight off over the long run is another story.

“Thus it is more important to find a way of eating that you can stay with for the rest of your life,” he suggests.

“For this reason, any eating plan you choose should be satisfying and allow variety, and should also be nutritionally sound.”

In general, Quince’s 3-1-2-1 diet fits this description. The program emphasizes “eating clean,” defined as meal choices that consist of lean proteins, green vegetables and smart carbs. In addition, Quince stresses portion control to maximize weight loss, and he allows the occasional indulgence to satisfy cravings, boost metabolism and strengthen dieters’ willpower so they stick with the plan.

As for exercise, Quince believes physical activity is key to a fit, healthy lifestyle, and the benefits go far beyond just liking what you see in the mirror.

Quince’s motto, “Changing lives one rep at a time,” is essentially a step-bystep technique that he has successfully used to help his clients transform their bodies and outlook on life. “It’s pretty amazing to watch the transformations and listen to the testimonies today from the book,” he says. “But the proof is in the pudding.”

In addition, the benefits of exercise transcend simply keeping the pounds at bay. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular

physical activity is one of the most important things we can do for our health.

In general, becoming and staying active not only controls our weight but also reduces our risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and some cancers. Basically, it increases our chances of living longer.

What’s more, physical activity also strengthens our bones and muscles, improves our mental health and mood, and betters our ability to perform everyday activities. For example, exercise helps prevent older adults from falling.

Despite this wealth of benefits, however, less than 48 percent of all American children and adults meet the most recent physical activity guidelines. According to these guidelines, children and adolescents, ages 6 to 17, should be able to perform 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day.

What’s more, adults, ages 18 to 64, should engage in 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week along with muscle-strengthening activities that work all their major muscle groups on two or more days each week.

For adults, 65 and older, who are generally fit and aren’t limited by illnesses, the guidelines are the same as for adults in the previous age group. But this group should also engage in one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as jogging or running, and muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days each week to work their legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms.

“As a personal trainer, I motivate people to go beyond what I teach them, and show people they can exercise on their own and there’s a way to make it part of their lifestyle,” Quince says.

Still, as a personal trainer, he’s a big believer in tapping into group support.

Quince suggests a buddy: “Don’t go at it alone, do it as a team player, whether it’s with a co-worker or a family member.” ■

Weigh to Go! Dolvett Quince tells how to drop the pounds in 3-1-2-1.

For years I’ve been giving this diet to my clients, and it’s been highly successful. It involves three days of clean eating, followed by one cheat day, then two days of clean eating, and one more cheat day. You stick to that pattern of eating, week after week, and the pounds will melt off. I won’t be forcing you to do anything drastic, like super strict dieting or meal-planning pyramids or fat-gram counting. I tried all that early in my career, and my clients rebelled— and so did their bodies, by clinging on to fat rather than releasing it.

Instead of depriving you and denying you foods, I’m giving you permission to eat virtually any food you want. Granted, I’ll give it to you in doses and moderation. But I won’t take away from your lifestyle. I’ll enhance your lifestyle and show you how to form new, realistic habits that will stay with you for a lifetime. I take a lot of pride in getting real results for real people, and that’s what you’ll get on this diet. In fact, you can lose up to 10 pounds in just 21 days! You’ll keep losing until you reach your goal weight—and I’ll show you how to finally keep it off forever.

The 3-1-2-1 Diet works by manipulating your body’s natural tendency to slow its metabolic rate in response to severe calorie restriction.

It takes a new approach to getting lean—one scientifically based on changing up food and calories to tap into your body’s potential to burn fat.

You’ll lose weight fast, and you won’t plateau. While unconventional, my diet will give you great amounts of muscle and less fat than practically anything you’ve ever tried.

Excerpt from The 3-1-2-1 Diet by Dolvett Quince. Copyright © 2013 by Dolvett Quince. Used with permission by Grand Central Publishing. All rights reserved.

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GUT INSTINCT JENNIFER ESPOSITO KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH HER, BUT IT TOOK ALMOST 20 YEARS TO FIND THE CAUSE OF HER DECLINING HEALTH AND MYSTERIOUS SYMPTOMS: CELIAC DISEASE AND GLUTEN.

By Kate Ferguson

On any given day, you can find Jennifer Esposito at her gluten-free bakery, Jennifer’s Way. The store is located in New York City’s East Village and is the realization of a dream for the actress. She views the bakery as her very own “laboratory and studio” where the smell of fresh bread and cookies, cinnamon and vanilla remind her of happy childhood moments spent at home.

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me, I surely would have never made it out of that experience,” she says.

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t turns out the culprit behind her symptoms was celiac disease, an autoimmune and digestive illness that results when the body can’t digest gluten, a protein found in grains such as wheat and rye. In her book, the actress from Crash and Spin City recounts her journey with the disease and into healthy eating and advocacy.

According to the American Journal of Gastroenterology, celiac disease affects about 3 million Americans, but it often takes several years before a proper diagnosis is made. Why is that? Esposito learned the answers the hard way.

“These symptoms range all over the map, so if a doctor is hearing [patients say, ‘I have a] headache and backache,’ they’re not going to automatically think of celiac disease,” she says.

Peter H.R. Green, MD, director of the Celiac Disease Center and the Phyllis and Ivan Seidenberg professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University in New York City, confirms that Esposito’s difficulty getting a correct diagnosis isn’t an uncommon story, even though the illness isn’t hard to diagnose once it’s suspected as the culprit.

One big problem, Green says, is that celiac disease isn’t on most doctors’ radars. “Patients usually have a long period of symptoms and see many different doctors before someone thinks about the disease and tests for it,” he says.

The tests for celiac disease are widely available blood tests that specifically screen for celiac disease antibodies. But the most sensitive and commonly used test, whether symptoms are present or not, is the tTG-IgA (tissue transglutaminase antibodies) test.

(THIS PAGE AND PREVIOUS PAGE) COURTESY JENNIFER ESPOSITO & JENNIFER’S WAY

Arguably one of the most harrowing passages in the memoir Jennifer’s Way is when doctors at a New York City hospital locked actress Jennifer Esposito in a psych ward because they misun-

derstood the symptoms she was exhibiting. Esposito was having a panic attack that, it turned out, was brought on by a nutritional deficiency resulting from celiac disease. When she made an offhand remark saying she felt like she wanted to jump out the window, the hospital staff thought she might be suicidal.

“I was thinking, like, this cannot be real right now,” she recalls. “And this was in NYC with great doctors, and it was…I was blown away.” The ordeal was a turning point. “That was the pivotal moment. After that, I said, Something is very wrong here. This does not make sense, and I need to do something.”

Fortunately, Esposito wasn’t alone during the episode. Her dad was there, and he was able to get his daughter released. “Look, if my father was not with

Positive results are confirmed through other antibody tests, genetic testing or an endoscopic biopsy.

Despite these tests, however, Green says the United States has one of the lowest rates of diagnosis compared with most other developed countries because, by and large, physicians lack awareness about the disease.

The amount of time it takes for celiac sufferers to get a correct diagnosis is “disgustingly long, so Jennifer’s story is, unfortunately, not that unusual,” Green adds. “And the long duration of disease and symptoms can always take its toll on people—emotionally and physically.”

Certainly this was the case for Esposito. “I’d been treated for a phantom parasite that was never actually found, tested for every disease in the book, and after every test, I always got that look,” Esposito says in her book. “That ‘it might just be in your head’ look. And then, the prescriptions and the referral to the therapist. Always the therapist.

Always the implication.”

Finally, after seeing a number of specialists, including a gastroenterologist (a digestive disease expert), one doctor thought to test Esposito for celiac disease. Her blood test result was the aha moment Esposito craved.

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ut knowing what was wrong didn’t solve the problem. Eventually, celiac cost Esposito her role on the popular TV series Blue Bloods.

But Jennifer regards that difficult time in her life as a turning point. She’d been writing a blog about how she’d been handling celiac and everything she’d learned about the illness, but after that career blow she wanted to do something “more proactive.” That’s when she decided to open Jennifer’s Way, a gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, peanut-free, allergy-friendly organic bakery, located in New York City’s East Village.

The bakery was a way for her to help other people with celiac disease manage their illness. Esposito considers herself a fighter, so moving into advocacy came easily to her. “I don’t know where I get the strength, and I want to tell myself to stop, stay down, you’ve been hit, but for some reason I come back up swinging,”

DIGEST THESE DIFFERENCES Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are not the same thing.

First off, gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, along with related products such as spelt and kamut. Celiac disease is a digestive and autoimmune disorder in which people develop antibodies to gluten.

This causes inflammation and damage to the intestines.

“Some people can be very sick, while others have minimal or virtually no symptoms,” explains Peter Green, MD, director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University.

Physical symptoms include diarrhea, thinning of the bones, skin rashes, neurological problems, seizures and a host of other issues.

Celiac disease can occur at any age after someone starts to ingest gluten, and it strikes men and women in equal degrees. “But women get diagnosed much more frequently than men because they have greater access to health care and see doctors all the time as compared with men,” Green says.

In addition, some people are sensitive to gluten and often exhibit gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea and fatigue. “But gluten sensitivity is typically more of a self-diagnosed condition,” Green says. It’s not the same as having celiac disease.

Many people follow gluten-free diets because they feel it’s healthier—but that ain’t necessarily so.

“Gluten-free diets are low in fiber,” Green explains, “and rice flour, which is the main substitute for wheat flour, isn’t fortified.”

What’s more, most people on a gluten-free diet may develop vitamin and iron deficiency.

Advises Green: “So if people are going on a gluten-free diet, they should get advice from an experienced dietitian and make sure that their gluten-free diet is healthy.”

she says. “It is what it is, and I’m grateful for it. I do need to take care of myself, and this has become such a driving passion for me. When I get the letters from kids who are sick and parents talking about their children—or themselves because they’re sick—and they’re not getting the correct help, that fuels me to keep moving.”

One way for celiac sufferers to get help is for doctors to become more educated about the illness. But Green says “it’s very hard to educate physicians after they stop learning.”

S

till, the “word is getting out,” he says, especially among the more recent medical school graduates.

Green stays busy on the lecture circuit talking to gastroenterologists about celiac. But he says “part of the mode of diagnosis for celiac disease also involves general internists and family care doctors.

“Jennifer’s story is very good to get out there because it’s a classic example of a patient going to a doctor and saying, ‘Look, I need help,’ and [the doctor doesn’t] look under the right stones.”

For people who suffer from celiac, even the meds docs prescribe are suspect. Gluten can be found in medications too. “That’s why when you have to take a medication—and I try not to take anything—you really have to go beyond the pharmacist,” Esposito stresses. “Call the manufacturer.”

And that’s even if you’ve taken the medicine before because formulations change. “You can’t just assume it’s OK,” Esposito cautions.

And if you’re experiencing symptoms you think might be related to celiac disease, Green advises getting tested for it. “That’s much better than just going on a gluten-free diet,” he says. “If you have celiac it’s important to get the diagnosis because you need to have very specific management for the disease.”

Today, Esposito is much better, but she continues to get checkups on a regular basis. “I still have a bit of trouble absorbing certain nutrients,” she says.

“Every couple of months I get blood work done just to see where I’m at because things change with this disease.

That’s what’s so crazy.” ■

These colorful appetizers contain tasty bits of chopped veggies and quinoa, a whole grain generally considered a gluten-free food.

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GOING GLUTEN FREE Before you hop on the gluten-free bandwagon, you must understand one key point: This special diet isn’t designed for everyone.

By Rhonda Peters

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and nutrition industry introduces a new eating trend or diet that is hailed as the answer to Americans who are struggling to lose weight and eat healthier. One of the most recent trends to sweep pop culture is the “gluten-free diet.”

In actuality, gluten-free diets aren’t new. They’ve been recommended and prescribed by doctors for a number of years for people with celiac disease or who have a sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in whole grains such as wheat, rye, barley, triticale and related grains that include durum, einkorn, semolina, spelt and faro (what’s more, oats contain a protein similar to gluten when processed, so some folks can’t tolerate oats either).

Indeed, with the recent focus on gluten-free foods and testimonials from prominent people claiming that such diets helped them become more healthy and lean, many believe avoiding gluten is a good way to lose weight. But Leslie Duhon, a registered dietitian in Lake Charles, Louisiana, begs to differ.

“Switching to a gluten-free diet

GLUTEN-FREE DIETS AREN’T FOR WEIGHT LOSS. EATING THIS WAY IS MEANT TO GIVE PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM CELIAC DISEASE OR GLUTEN SENSITIVITY RELIEF FROM PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS. 3 2 REAL HEALTH FA LL 2 0 14

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Every couple of years, it seems the food

should not be used as a means to lose weight,” she stresses. “Switching to a gluten-free diet should be regarded as a path to wellness for those people afflicted with celiac disease and sensitivities to gluten.”

In fact, unnecessarily removing gluten from your diet may be harmful.

Most foods that contain gluten, such as pastas, breads and breakfast cereals, also contain large quantities of essential vitamins and nutrients. If you remove these foods from your diet without substituting suitable alternatives, you can create serious vitamin deficiencies.

“Breads, pastas and cereals, for example, contain significant amounts of vitamin B, iron and fiber,” Duhon explains.

“Our body needs these vitamins and nutrients to function, so you have to be very careful about removing gluten from your diet without being under the supervision of a physician or a registered dietician.”

People living with celiac disease (see our profile on actress Jennifer Esposito on page 26), or those who suffer from gluten sensitivity, cannot just follow a gluten-free diet for only a few months or whenever it’s convenient. In order to remain free of symptoms and steer clear of doing major damage to their intestinal tract, these folks must always avoid gluten. For them, Duhon notes,

“a gluten-free diet is more than a trend; it’s the designated medical treatment prescribed for these illnesses.”

Briefly, celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the digestive process of the small intestine. In contrast, non-celiac gluten sensitivity causes the body to mount a stress response (often resulting in gastrointestinal symptoms) that is different from the immunological response that can cause damage to intestinal tissue in those who have celiac disease.

But Duhon cautions that just because a

food is gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s healthy, even for people with celiac.

“This only means that gluten is not included in the food product,” she explains. “I think people get confused about this, so it’s very important, especially for someone with, for example, heart disease and celiac disease to understand this.”

Because of this common misconception, health experts advise that anyone who is under doctors’ orders to eat gluten-free consult with a nutritionist.

This is key to ensure that food choices do not negatively affect a pre-existing health condition, or create a new one.

In addition, experts advise those with celiac disease to avoid all foods that contain any amount of gluten, because even traces of the substance can be harmful. Doctors also suggest celiac sufferers ask their grocers if they can share any resources or offer gluten-free food store tours.

Duhon recommends purchasing a gluten-free cookbook—even if you’re a “good” cook—and keeping a food journal, which you can bring to your medical appointments.

And what about dining out? Call ahead to see if your favorite eateries offer gluten-free meals. And when at a restaurant, don’t be ashamed to ask waiters about ingredients in dishes.

Another tip from Duhon is this: “Do not be surprised if you notice that a number of the gluten-free products are more expensive than regular products.”

That said, the sticker shock may deter

some people. If money is an issue,

Duhon suggests “couponing, meal planning, buying gluten-free foods in bulk, and joining membership-only grocers, such as Sam’s Club, among many others.”

Money was an obstacle for one of Duhon’s clients, so here’s what that person did. “She started a gluten-free dinner club,” Duhon says.

“She and some other people whom she met in a support group began a dinner club whereby each would take a night to host meals and everyone would pitch in on making the side dishes.”

While this kind of cost-cutting may be foreign to some, the savings can help non-compliant celiac sufferers and those who are gluten sensitive improve adherence to their new dieting regimens.

And compliance is key when it comes to minimizing celiac’s side effects and complications. Although transitioning to a gluten-free diet may be a challenge, it can be done with proper education and planning.

If you’re having trouble adjusting, you can join a support group.

Fortunately, many more glutenfree products are hitting the shelves of grocers around the country. Because the gluten-free market numbers around 44 million, some stores have “whole aisles dedicated to gluten-free packaged foods,” according to the Gluten-Free Agency, a consulting group that helps advertisers market to that population.

The Food and Drug Administration also helped by issuing a rule defining what constitutes glutenfree; this ensures that foods labeled gluten-free are indeed free of gluten.

But some foods labeled as such may become contaminated with the protein during harvesting or processing, so be cautious.

Fortunately, a number of foods are naturally gluten-free, such as fruits, veggies, meats, fish and seafood, dairy, legumes and nuts. In general, so are many grains and other starchy foods, such as rice, cassava, corn, soy, potatoes, quinoa, millet, kasha, amaranth and nut flours, just to name a few. ■

Banana Mini Muffins Ingredients: 1 tablespoon ground golden flaxseeds 3 tablespoons filtered water ½ cup mashed banana 3 tablespoons agave syrup 1 tablespoon sunflower oil (or lightcolored oil) 3 tablespoons roasted walnut oil 1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon lemon extract 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour 1 ∕8 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt 1½ teaspoons baking powder ¼ cup diced banana (optional) ¼ cup chopped nuts (optional) 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional) Instructions: Preheat the oven to 330°.

Whisk by hand with a small whisk the ground flaxseeds and water in a medium bowl; set aside about 2 minutes.

Add the mashed bananas, agave syrup, sunflower oil, walnut oil, vanilla and lemon extracts to a small mixing bowl and mix on medium speed for about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flaxseed mixture, flour, salt and baking powder; mix for about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not over mix.

Pour batter evenly into a lightly greased 24-cup mini non-stick or silicone muffin pan (or any pan of choice). If desired, add about ½ teaspoon of diced banana, nuts and a pinch of cinnamon to the top of the batter. Bake about 20 minutes; bake time will vary based on the type of pan. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the muffin.

Nutrition facts (serving size, 3 muffins): calories 130, fat 9 g, cholesterol 0 mg, carbs 13 g (added sugar 8 g, fiber 2 g), potassium 87 g, sodium 174 mg, protein 1 g, calcium 2%, iron 4%, vitamin C 4%.

Total yield: 20 to 24 muffins.

For more gluten-free recipes, log onto rhondascooking.com/site/shop to purchase Rhonda's cookbook.

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WE’VE GOT YOU

COVERED

(POGUE) DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER; (CHILDREN) COURTESY OF ERIC POGUE

Want to grow longer tresses? Popular wisdom says protective hairstyles are the way to go—but some claim they may do more harm than good.

By Gerrie E. Summers

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MO’ CHOICES Ditch the protective styles and grow longer tresses with these popular low-maintenance looks.

Wash-and-go. Wash and condition the hair in sections and finger comb to decrease the likelihood of tangles. Just realize that this style tends to be better for thin, short hair. (Longer hair can get tangled.)

And for some hair, wash-and-go styles cause shrinkage, which may also lead to tangles.

Twist-outs. Twist wet or damp hair.

(But make sure the hair is not too wet because this could make strands more prone to breakage during twisting.) You can also use a moisturizer or oil to twist dry hair.

One word of warning though: The style won’t last as long.

Braid-outs. Wash and deep condition hair, then divide into sections and apply a leave-in conditioner. Seal with a light oil before braiding. Let tresses air-dry, or use a hooded dryer. Once completely dry, gently finger comb the hair to give tresses a crimped, curly or wavy look without the need for a heat appliance.

Buns or chignons. You can always create a bun to wear as a protective style, but they’re also a great way to stretch your strands before wearing your hair out. Simply apply a generous amount of styling product to soaking-wet hair, and then fashion and pin your tresses into a bun. Presto! You’ll instantly achieve more length after your strands dry.

and even weaves and wigs, is to protect the fragile ends of our hair from the environment. This means sheltering our strands from extreme temperatures and moisture-robbing winds in the summer and winter and reducing heat styling, combing and brushing.

To make sure that protective and low-maintenance hairstyles actually protect the hair, observe the following hair rules: Moisturize.

Use water-based moisturizers, gels and light oils after washing or when styling.

Detangle.

When working with natural tresses or hair that easily tangles, remove or prevent knots while the hair is damp, or saturate it with moisturizers and oils.

Also, avoid alcohol-based gels at all cost because these can dry out the hair. To minimize tangling, use your fingers to detangle the hair, or try a wide-tooth comb with smooth teeth to avoid snags.

Condition.

Just one rule here: Regularly use a deep conditioner on your hair.

Chose the right products and styles.

The low-maintenance styles and products that are best for your hair will depend on the texture, curl pattern and health of your hair. For example, don’t use heavy products on thin hair. Also, wash-and-go styles might be better for thin and wavy hair, but the same might tangle thick, coarse hair.

Wash and condition the hair before styling.

After washing the hair, moisturize, section and twist, or braid, tresses.

Leave the braids or twists in for a few days, which can double as a hairstyle.

Once the braids or twists are taken out, the twist-out or braid-out provides a low-maintenance style. To reduce boredom (another complaint about wearing protective styles), you can transform the twists or braids into buns or updos.

Still don’t have a clue? Check out videos and websites on the Internet that feature interesting protective styles and directions on how to achieve them. ■

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hanks to the fragile nature of our hair, black women sometimes go to w great lengths, so to speak, to retain longer locks and pprevent breakage. Many would agree that protective styles succeed at both.

Protective styles are coifs that safeguard the ends of the hair and reduce the need to manipulate tresses using heat and chemicals that can lead to tangles and breakage. Also, many women turn to protective styles after undergoing the “big chop” when they transition from relaxed hair to natural.

While these protective styles will not directly stimulate hair growth, these low-maintenance looks can help keep our strands from snapping off because of too much handling.

Still, there is some debate, especially in the natural hair community, as to whether protective styles may do more harm than good. Why? Well, because even these types of styles can become a problem if the wearer thinks low maintenance means no maintenance.

For example, certain protective styles, such as braids, can take a long time to create and take out. As a result, women who wear braids might tend to leave the style in too long. What’s more, elaborate braided styles can cause tension and also lead to damage, depending on the technique the hairstylist uses to create them. The same can be said about extensions and weaves, which can also damage the hair more so than regular styling.

In addition, braided or cornrowed styles can make it difficult to keep the hair roots moisturized and the scalp clean. That’s because these areas are hard to access during shampooing.

Also, our ends are tucked away when tresses are styled in this way, so thirsty strands can become dry and brittle.

And if you wash the hair infrequently to avoid disturbing braided styles, you risk product buildup. (This means if

you have a scalp condition that requires frequent washing with medicated shampoos or treatments, it’s best to avoid styles that are left in for a long period of time.)

To sum up, the point of low-maintenance hairstyles such as braids, twists

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Visit flipbelt.com.

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A ROUNDUP OF THE LATEST, MUST-HAVE FINDS FOR HAIR, SKIN, HEALTH, BEAUTY AND MORE. THESE PRODUCTS ARE WORTH EVERY CENT. White Sands Porosity The Fix (4 oz., $19) Smooth out rough, frizzy, damaged strands with this lightweight formula of gentle silicones and natural oils that also detangles, shines and protects the hair. Visit whitesandsproducts.com.

WOATS Oatsnack (10 oz., $6) These soft, chewy, honeysweetened whole-grain oats come in three versions: peanut butter and toffee peanuts, dried cranberries and praline pecans, and chunks of chocolate vanilla cream cookies. Visit woats.com.

NOTHING BUT Melted Shea Butter Leave-in Conditioner (8.8 oz., $7.99) This creamy conditioner softens, detangles and moisturizes the thickest, driest hair and doubles as a styling aid. Visit nothingbuthaircare.com.

Out of Africa African Black Soap (4 oz. box, $3.99) Hydrate, nourish and exfoliate your skin with this vitamin-enriched shea butter body bar that contains no dyes or other harsh ingredients. Visit outofafricashea.com.

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THOUGHTS

Three Hard Words

How one man finally said “I forgive you” to himself.

At the age of 18, I agreed to participate in a robbery that changed my life forever. The crime itself was bad enough, but there was another angle to this big mistake in my life. I had set up my boss to be robbed at gunpoint. This was the man who’d taken a chance on me and given me a job.

After the police investigated, they learned of my complicity in the robbery. But even the humiliation of being handcuffed and arrested couldn’t compare with the vision of my boss begging me to help him as my accomplice waved a pistol in his face. I was filled with shame and regret for my actions.

Years later, I went through an extended period in therapy and learned a lot about myself. But nothing brought me peace until I finally sought out my former boss to tell him how sorry I was for what I’d done.

—As told to Kate Ferguson

The Expert Says

Now’s the hard part: Make amends and forgive yourself.

When Beth and her older sister, Jean, were younger, the two got into a silly argument that escalated into unexpected rage. During the exchange, Beth reacted by viciously pinching her sister’s arm. As an adult many years later, she was still bothered by memories of her mean-spirited actions. She’d never apologized to Jean, and she felt rotten inside.

According to recent findings published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, it’s much easier to forgive ourselves if we first make amends. Saying you’re sorry—even to yourself—can be healthy. In fact, admitting wrongdoing and expressing remorse can lead to mental and physical health benefits.

Conversely, being unable to forgive yourself can trigger depression and anxiety and can weaken the immune system.

“One of the barriers people face in forgiving themselves appears to be that people feel morally obligated to hang on to those feelings. They feel they deserve to feel bad,” explains Thomas Carpenter, a Baylor University researcher and author of the findings. “Our study found that making amends gives us permission to let go.”

By the way, after Beth apologized to Jean for her childhood anger— over the delicious meal she’d prepared—she felt immensely happy.

Says Beth, “It was as if a stone had been lifted off my chest.”

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Is there a downside to self-forgiveness?

Research suggests that while self-forgiveness can relieve unpleasant feelings like guilt and shame, it can also reduce empathy for others and motivation to make amends.

Okay, so what’s the healthiest way for us to forgive ourselves?

Healthy self-forgiveness therefore seems to involve releasing destructive feelings of shame and self-condemnation but maintaining appropriate levels of guilt and remorse—to the extent that these emotions help fuel positive change.

What are some other healthy ways we can practice self-forgiveness?

Recognize what you did wrong. Consider reparative behaviors that can make a difference for others and help your personal growth. And empathize with those you hurt.

THINKSTOCK

Okay, So You Messed Up Big Time

Some ways we forgive ourselves are much healthier than others, says researcher Juliana Breines, PhD, who studies how selfcompassion and self-criticism affect our health and well-being.

READER SURVEY

SPEAK YOUR MIND! (And Win Free Stuff)

The idea behind going on a vacation is that we need downtime to give our minds and bodies a chance to rest and recuperate from work. When you take a vacation, do you really leave the office behind? And, in general, how do you view vacation time? RH wants to hear what you think.

As a thank you, we’ll select one winner at random from among the completed surveys we receive to send a fitness DVD (recommended retail price $12.99). For official contest rules, visit realhealthmag.com/surveys.

New to yoga?

Then try this DVD!

1. Do you stay connected to the office when on vacation?

11. What is your household income?

❑ Yes

❑ $15,000–$34,999

❑ No

❑ $35,000–$49,999

❑ Under $15,000

❑ $50,000–$74,999

2. Do you simply relax by doing nothing when you’re on vacation?

❑ $75,000–$99,999 ❑ $100,000 and over

❑ Yes

12. What is the highest level of education attained?

❑ No

❑ Some high school

3. Do you believe that taking vacations can reduce burnout?

❑ High school graduate

❑ Yes

❑ Bachelor’s degree or higher

❑ Some college

❑ No

13. What is your ethnicity?

4. Do you see vacations as wasted time when you could be getting work done?

❑ American Indian or Alaska Native

❑ Yes

❑ Asian

❑ No

❑ Black or African American

❑ Arab or Middle Eastern

❑ Hispanic or Latino

5. Do you believe vacations enable employees to be more productive when they return to work?

❑ Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

❑ Yes

❑ Other

❑ White

❑ No

14. Where do you get Real Health?

6. Are you afraid to take vacation days because you think it reflects badly on your work ethic?

❑ I’m a subscriber

❑ Yes

❑ My church

❑ No

❑ A community or college organization

❑ My doctor’s office

❑ It was mailed to me

7. Do you take all your allotted vacation days?

❑ Other:_______________________

❑ Yes

15. Do you have Internet access?

❑ No

❑ Yes

8. When you’re on vacation, do you feel guilty that you’re not at the office?

❑ No

❑ Yes

16. Name:___________________________________________ 17. Organization (if you represent one):______________________ 18. Street address:_____________________________________________ 19. City & state:_________________________________________________ 20. ZIP code:____________________________________________________ 21. Email:________________________________________________________ 22. Phone:_______________________________________________________

❑ No

9. What year were you born?_________ 10. What is your gender? ❑ Female

❑ Male

❑ Transgender

❑ Other

Fall 2014

“

Don’t say

I’m all good

“

just because you don’t have symptoms.

HEPATITIS C CAN LEAD TO LIVER CANCER Most people with Hepatitis C do not feel sick. Yet liver damage may be silently taking place. Even if you think you’re fine, talk to your doctor about getting tested.

Publication No. 221237

www.cdc.gov/knowmorehepatitis