The 411 on HPV

By: Mamaluv

A cancer that is caused by a virus. Did you know about this? I was shocked to hear, and so I took it upon myself to spread the word.

Cervical cancers the word, and the primary cause is HPV, Human papillomavirus. Yearly almost 6 million women in the US are infected with this virus, 10,000 will develop cervical cancer and over 3,700 will die of this disease. HPV is an STD; the American Cancer Society estimates that over 50% of sexually active Americans will become infected with at least one form of this virus at some point in their life. Health Canada assesses the risk of lifetime infection at 75% for Canadians.

Here's the 411 on HPV. There are over 100 different strains, but only some will cause cancer. There are a variety of other health outcomes including genital warts that may result from HPV infection. In most women, HPV can clear on its own, but many carry it symptom-free and are able to pass it on to their partners. Some women will only find out they are infected when their Pap smear tests come back positive for abnormal cervical cell growth. There is no known cure. Preventative measures such as condom use are not very effective, since HPV is harbored in the entire genital area and is passed by contact. The only ways to reduce your risk for cervical cancers are to limit the number of your sexual partners, use barrier protection, don't smoke, and don't use the Pill.

There's good news in sight. In June 2006, a new vaccine called Gardasil® was approved by the FDA for use in girls and women ages 9-26*. Further research is being conducted to develop a vaccine for women over 26. The main reason for the age range is to target women who have had none or very limited sexual experience. Gardasil® protects against 4 strains of HPV, which together account for 70% of all cervical cancers and 90% of genital wart outbreaks. Women already infected with the types of HPV targeted by the new vaccine cannot be cured by the vaccine, nor will Gardasil® affect existing cervical cancer. The word here is prevention. Studies show girls and women vaccinated before coming into contact with the targeted forms of HPV may have nearly 100% protection against those forms.

Other forms of HPV not targeted by the vaccine represent the remaining 30% cancer risk and 10% genital wart risk. Because of this, recipients of the vaccine need to receive annual Pap tests punctually, as do all women. Statistics indicate that as many as 1/3 of eligible women do not have Pap smears done regularly, even though 90% of cervical cancers could be detected early by this test.

Ask your doctor for more information and please, tell your friends.

Educate yourself more about this important issue: http://www.webmd.com/hw/uterine_cervical_cancer/tw9601.asp

*Since June 2006, Gardasil has also been approved for use in Canada, Australia, Mexico, the European Union, and other countries.


Mamaluv is a ChickAdvisor member, a mother of 3 and environmentalist who enjoys manicures, massages and margaritas (on occasion).

White-Out

The Dangers of Over-Bleaching

By: Mamaluv

A quick look through my makeup bag tells you a lot about me. A little bit of this to accentuate, a little of that to disguise, and oh yes, the most important accessorymy Whitestrips, the best thing since the Wonderbra and control-top underwear, the ultimate age-defier.

I am a 30-something mother of three, so my natural aging process wasn' t exactly being helped by sleepless nights and gallons of coffee. I needed a little extra help, and the buzz is that a dazzlingly white, glow-in-the-dark smile is the latest greatest thing to look 10 years younger.

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, bleaching is the #1 requested service in dental offices today. Then we buy the whitening toothpastes, mouthwashes, and gum to maintain our pearlies between ZOOM!® sessions.

This stressed-out missus is about to become one hot mama!

Except there's this teeny niggle of doubt in the back of my mind...ya know, the idea that fashion has its price, better is the enemy of good, and all that jazz.

So I have to say I wasn't overly shocked to read on MSN Health of the inherent dangers of tooth whitening procedures. It seems that you really can have too much of a good thing.

Let's assume for a moment that you won;t abuse the product by exposing your teeth longer than the manufacturer recommends in order to achieve a refrigerator-white result. Even proper use can cause gum and enamel damage, leading to overly sensitive teeth, grayish discoloration, and accelerated tooth decay. But let's face it: many of us would be prone to overuse the products in an attempt to attain celeb-worthy smiles.

The truth is, most celebrities and Extreme Makeover participants actually have porcelain veneers or crowns, giving them a whiteness not achievable with a bleaching product. They also come with a face-paling price tag. So forget about Chicklit-style incisors for a sec and take some advice, girls.

Not everyone is a good candidate for a whitening procedure, so you should ask your dentist at your next checkup if whitening is realistic for you. He or she may recommend ZOOM!, a custom-mold tray for at home, or even a drugstore product like Whitestrips depending on your needs and budget. If your teeth or gums are not healthy enough for any of these procedures, you need to know this before you subject yourself to a lot of pain and possibly permanent damage.

If you do purchase a DIY product, your result will look most natural if you match your new tooth shade to the whites of your eyes. Your teeth may not all have the exact same shade; this will also look natural.

Let's face it. We just want to look our best, not light up the lanes on glow-bowling night. Keep it real, ladies!

Mamaluv is a ChickAdvisor member, a mother of 3 and environmentalist who enjoys manicures, massages and margaritas (on occasion). Her teeth are a nice healthy white.

Shape Up Your Butt in Five Easy Steps

By: Marc Laverdure, B. Sc., CSCS

I get approached all the time from people looking to slim, trim, and shape their butt! Whether they have lost it over the years or feel as though they landed on the wrong side of the gene pool, tightening and toning the glute muscles can be achieved by including these most important exercises into your workout routine:

1. Squats
Squats are a no-brainer and as they are clearly one of the best exercises for the legs, hips, butt, and thighs. This involves the simple motion of standing up and sitting down over and over again. With each movement, all of the muscles of your but are fully engaged and making sure you get a nice soft landing with each descent. The deeper you go, the higher the intensity and the more you will feel the muscles tighten up!

2. Lunges Lunges are another great addition to any butt-wrenching workout as they help to isolate each individual leg. Start by taking a massive step forward with one foot and then stop there. Slowly bend both knees thereby lowering your back leg towards the floor and then right before your back knee touches, push yourself back up to the top and then repeat. I would recommend you did 10 repetitions per leg 3 times each switching in between. The only draw back to this one is that it can have an effect on the knees if this is a weak area for you so if you experience any pain while performing this one I suggest you skip it.

3. Glutes One of my all-time favorites! Glute extensions are very effective at isolating the muscles in the butt region and helping to shape and form the area quite nicely. Simply get down on all fours, take one leg and kick it back behind you over and over breathing out as you kick back. Make sure to keep your head down and think about pushing something away from you with the heel of your foot! For this one, I would recommend a repetition range of about 20 done consecutively for 3 sets.

4. Hip Extensions This one will surely get your butt working! Start by lying down on your back with your knees bent. With your hands down on either side of you, lift the butt as high as you can towards the ceiling!!!! Hold it there for 2-3 seconds and then lower it back down to the starting position. The higher you go the more you will feel it and make sure to squeeze the butt real tight at the top and then slowly drop it back down to the floor. Repeat this 20 times squeezing it hard for 2-3 seconds at the top each rep and you will be one step closer to fitting into those nice form fitting jeans ;-)

5. Stiff-legged Deadlifts This one is a little more difficult and more on the advanced side but once you can master it, the results will be worth it! To start, stand up straight feet together. Slowly bend over making sure to keep your knees absolutely straight! Go as low as you can while keeping the back straight and arched, once you feel a pull behind the knees, make your way back to the starting position and then repeat.

To add resistance, hold a small weight in each hand and let your arms hang down as you bend forward. Remember, it is crucial that you keep the back straight to feel this in the right spot. If you feel it in the lower back, you've gone too far. Do about 15 repetitions for 3 sets stretching the hamstrings between each set in order to prevent and cure a saggy butt!

Don't forget that on top of all this, to really add the finishing touches to a nicely shaped butt, I would strongly recommend you make an effort to also include about 2-3 hours of cardiovascular activity each week. Whether on the bike, treadmill, elliptical or simply walking outdoors or playing your favorite sport, if you can work that into your program you will decrease the amount of fat in the surrounding butt area so as to really see your results pay off!

Marc Laverdure is a virtual personal trainer and the founder of www.doctorworkout.com. He totally understands how we feel about striving for a nice bum, and is happy to help make that happen in whatever way he can.

Find Your Dream Jeans with Zafu

It's so hard to find the perfect pair of jeans. With so many brands designed for different body types, how do you know which is the best fit for you without trying on 100 pairs?

The Jean Team at Zafu.com has the answer. Using a fun and easy quiz format about your body type, how jeans typically fit you, what kind of style you're looking for and your weight, measurements and preferences, they find a slew of options that will best compliment your figure. Your personalized results show you a batch of jeans that will best fit you, another batch that will fit you well, and then pages and pages of other options to choose from. They tell you what size you should buy, and link you to stores online where you can buy them. Sweet! You no longer have to wrestle it out alone in the change room.

We tested it ourselves and were surprised to find that some of their top recommendations were a pair of Citizens (Ava) we'd already tried and fallen in love with, and a few we'd been eyeing. Yup, we're sold! If you're still a scaredy cat of online shopping and live in the Toronto area, try Body Blue Denim Lab for excellent personalized service and selection or Hill Street Blues for buy one get one half off for a huge range of designer brands all the time.

Fall in Love With Food Again

Patio season may be over, and while that means saying good-bye to fresh strawberry margaritas and summer salads, it also means we can welcome back our favorite comfort foods! Swap the iced latte for a toasty pumpkin spiced version and trade in the gazpacho for a steamy bowl of carrot and ginger soup. Sample the new fall creations at your favorite restaurant and stop calorie counting for a bit. Fall is the time when we tend to eat a little more, sleep a little more and enjoy heartier foods.

In her book French Women Don't Get Fat, Mireille Guiliano says it's important to eat food in season since our bodies innately adjust to the time of year.

"In fall and winter, we will naturally yearn for a more concentrated energy to keep warm and on the move... and so happily begins the season for oysters, seafood, warm hearty soups, dried beans and lentils, and more meat."

For some great fall recipes to try at home check out food network or the LCBO's Food and Drink collection with a number of delicious ideas such as adding a splash of vanilla or peach schnapps to a mug of hot chocolate for a delectable liquid desert! Nymag.com has a great article on where to find fresh apple and pear drinks in New York.

Whether you're enjoying a bowl of homemade chili by the fire or Joining a group of friends at your favorite Italian restaurant enjoy the fall and savor the flavors of the season!

Fighting Stress One Cup of Black Tea at a Time

"Have a cup of tea. That'll make you feel better."

Granny was right; tea really is good for your health! But who knew it was a legitimate stress buster too? A new study in London suggests that drinking black tea helps reduce stress and promotes relaxation. According to webmd.com, researchers determined that black tea drinkers were able to de-stress more quickly and had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol after exposure to stress than those who drank a fake tea substitute.

Black tea is rich in catechins, polyphenols, flavonoids and amino acids, which are linked to a number of health benefits. So whether you're having a hard day at the office, studying for midterms or dealing with the pressures of motherhood, have a cup of black tea and feel the stress melt away (well, maybe a little).

We're addicted to Starbucks Tazo Chai Tea. Mmmmm!

For more information, read the article on webmd.com here.