Thursday 30 July 2015
The Colossal Hoax Of Organic Agriculture
Organic agriculture is an unscientific, heavily subsidized marketing gimmick that misleads and rips off consumers. The federal government should stop promoting and subsidizing it.
That 'Useless' Liberal Arts Degree Has Become Tech's Hottest Ticket
Stop thinking of Silicon Valley as an engineer's paradise. There's far more work for liberal arts majors -- who know how to sell and humanize.
Wednesday 29 July 2015
4 Bedtime Habits to Avoid
Trouble falling asleep? Your before-bed habits may be contributing to your insomnia. Here are four sneaky sleep saboteurs that you should avoid around bedtime if you want a good night's rest.
American Airlines' 787 Dreamliner Nightmare
American Airlines probably thought it was making the right move when it bought seven Boeing 787 Dreamliners. After all, as I noted in my book, You Can't Order Change, the $166 million 250 to 330 seat aircraft was known for using 20% less fuel -- thus the profits from filling them [...]
Tuesday 28 July 2015
Please Stop Saying These 25 Ridiculous Phrases At Work
At first, euphemisms surfaced in the workplace to help people deal with touchy subjects that were difficult to talk about. Before long, they morphed into corporate buzzwords that expanded and took over our vocabulary until our everyday conversations started sounding like they’re taking place on another planet: Listen Ray, [...]
The Extinction Of Woolly Mammoths And Other Species Coincided With Mysterious Climate Cycles
A study using ancient DNA and radiocarbon dating shows that rapid climate change likely killed off megafauna during the last glacial period
Sunday 26 July 2015
How Long Is Too Long At One Job?
Martin is wondering whether he's stayed too long in his job, so he asks Liz for advice. How long is too long in the same job?
Philippine Build-Up At Subic Relies On U.S. Air, Navy To Stop Chinese
Mysterious containment booms with Chinese markings on them have ratcheted up tensions in the South China Sea while the Philippines plans to return Subic Bay to its historic mission as a military base. Local fishermen describe the booms, painted orange, linked in a string one kilometer long, as buoys intended to [...]
Cosplay Has A World Cup And It's As Amazing As You'd Expect
From Comic-Con San Diego to Comic-Con Shanghai, devoted fans spend late nights sewing fabric, styling wigs, and practicing poses to better imitate their favorite characters in public. Cosplay, the art and craft of dressing up like a fictional persona, is a global hobby. Anyone can cosplay. But for the most dedicated [...]
Windows 10 Automatic Updates Start Causing Problems
Microsoft's controversial update policy has its first victims.
Praise For Prasad, The 72 Year-Old Writer of 'Baahubali' And 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan'
While the hugely successful new Indian films Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Baahubali: The Beginning battle each other for box office supremacy, one man can truly be said to be on both sides of the competition at once. Veteran screenwriter Vijayendra Prasad is credited with writing the story and screenplay for the [...]
Frustration And Anger As Apple's Reputation Tumbles
It has been hard to enjoy Apple's recent releases over the last few months. Updates for iOS appear to be arriving monthly to introduce more bugs than are fixed, OSX is focusing more on eye candy and cloud integration rather than a stable working environment, and Apple's online services are more focused on making money than providing better user experiences. The shine is coming off Apple.
How To Sound Human In Your Resume
Margaret has put a human voice in her resume to differentiate herself from every boring battle drone who uses the same tired resume language ("Results-oriented professional," for instance). Can you do the same thing?
Saturday 25 July 2015
Apple Loop: Frustrating iOS Bug Returns, iPhone 6S Removes Popular Feature, More Apple Music Anger
This week’s Apple Loop includes Apple's quarterly results, the new iPhones lacking the popular 16 GB option, the design changes for the iPhone 6S Plus, a review of the iPod Touch, a look at who would buy the Touch, Apple cloud services going down, Anandtech's review of the Apple Watch, sales figures around the wearable, and Jim Dalrymple's rejection of Apple Music.
How To Answer 'What Do You Bring To The Table?'
How should a job-seeker handle the horrifying interview question "What do you bring to the table?" Liz Ryan lays it out!
Friday 24 July 2015
How To Answer The Interview Question 'Tell Me About Yourself'
How do you answer the interview question "Tell me about yourself!" Here's how to do it in a way that shifts the interview out of oral-exam mode and into a meaty conversation about your hiring manager's pain!
Awesome Redesigned Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star II Takes The Pain Out Of Wearing Them
Converse unveils a redesigned Chuck Taylor All-Star with modern Nike innovations to make your feet sigh with relief.
Hillary Clinton's Reality Check: Her Polling Numbers
Just when we all began to think our only excitement would come from the GOP side of the aisle, a crisis has begun unraveling surrounding Hillary Clinton’s second campaign for the White House.
Thursday 23 July 2015
Please, LeBron James, Just Say No To 'Space Jam 2'
News that LeBron James has teamed with Warner Bros. has spurred talk of future projects, including a sequel to the Michael Jordan animated comedy Space Jam. Don't do it, Mr. James! I don't hate Space Jam. Heck, aside from the fact that it has a single female character who exists solely to be [...]
'Baahubali' Catapults Toward All-Time Record Indian Gross
Now in its 13th day of domestic Indian release, S.S. Rajamouli’s fantasy epic Baahubali: The Beginning has mowed down the box office records of previous Indian films like so many hapless Kalakeya warriors. As it nears the end of its second week, Baahubali has collected more than US$59 million (375 crore [...]
Wednesday 22 July 2015
Move Over Munich: A World Record Beer Garden Opens in the U.S.
Raleigh, NC has quietly carved out a top spot in craft beer tourism. But things just got loud - yesterday the Raleigh Beer Garden opened with more beers on tap than any place on earth.
7 Tricks to Improve Your Memory
I used to have a memory that amazed people, but in the last few years I've had trouble remembering names and movie titles. ("You know, the one about the guy who goes somewhere? It won that award...") I hope to have many years of sharp thinking ahead of me—I'm in my mid-40s, nowhere near senior-moments territory—so I got to wondering: Is there something I should be doing now to counteract the lapses that already seem to be taking place?
There's no way around the fact that memory erodes as we get older. The hippocampus, the area of your brain responsible for building memory, loses 5 percent of its nerve cells with each passing decade. Plus, aging slows production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter vital to learning and memory. Based on these facts, scientists once believed that a person's mental ability peaked early in adulthood, then went downhill from there. But over the last few decades, research has found that adults' brains are still able to form new, memory-building neural networks in a process known as neuroplasticity. The reassuring latest thinking: With a little effort, anyone can boost their power of recollection.
To test this theory in the real world, I tried an array of research-backed brain-sharpening techniques over one six-week period. Am I now able to list all 44 U.S. presidents? No. But can I more easily summon up where I put my keys? Yes. And I think being able to leave my apartment and lock the door is a more valuable life skill than remembering James K. Polk. Here's what worked for me—and what fell flat.
Technique #1: Play brain games
Puzzles like Sudoku and crosswords may improve memory and delay brain decline, though experts are not yet sure why. "My guess is that playing them activates synapses in the whole brain, including the memory areas," says Marcel Danesi, PhD, author of Extreme Brain Workout. Research so far is decidedly mixed: Some studies have found that, while doing crossword puzzles may make you better at remembering the capital of Burkina Faso, there's little evidence they'll boost your performance at more general tasks, like remembering where your car is parked. But a 2011 study showed that participants who played a computer game called Double Decision for six years improved their concentration so much that they had a 50 percent lower rate of car accidents.
So I decided to try an online brain-training program called Lumosity, which neuroscientists from Harvard, Stanford and the University of California at Berkeley have used in their own studies; its creators claim that 97 percent of users improve their memory in just 10 hours of playing time. First I answered a series of questions at lumosity.com to identify which of my cognitive processes, including memory, could use a little help. Then I received a personalized training regimen. A 10-minute daily series of games is free, and a more advanced program is available for $12.95 a month. (Being cheap, I stuck with the former.) The games are pure fun—remembering a pattern of blocks, spotting a bird in a field—and are based on what research has found to improve concentration and other cognitive skills.
My grade: B- By the end of a month, my "brain performance index" score rose 6 percent—not amazing in the Lumosity world, but respectable. The main problem: You have to play the games every day, forever, to keep up the benefits. I've mostly kept up. (Except on weekends. Or if I've had a busy week. OK, I haven't kept up.)
Technique #2: Eat the right foods
According to Gary Small, MD, director of the UCLA Memory Clinic, memory superfoods include antioxidant-rich, colorful fruits and vegetables, which protect your brain from harmful free radicals. He's also enthusiastic about low-glycemic carbs, like oatmeal, and anything with omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, a recent study published in Neurology found that people with low levels of omega-3s had brains that appeared to be a full two years older in MRI scans. That was incentive enough for me to follow the memory-enhancing diet from Dr. Small's book The Memory Prescription, which claims it works in just two weeks. Much like the Mediterranean diet, it's heavy on produce, legumes, nuts and fish. It's low on meat, since meat's omega-6 fatty acids may contribute to brain inflammation, a possible underlying mechanism for Alzheimer's. Refined sugars produce a similar effect, so they were also out. (That was the toughest for me.) I ate a farmers market's worth of blueberries, spinach, avocado and beets, and consumed enough fish to sprout gills. I also went beyond Dr. Small's advice and took 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12, the standard recommended daily amount—since studies show people with low levels perform poorly on memory tests—and 1,000 international units of vitamin D, discovered by Tufts University researchers to boost cognitive function. (My doctor signed off on the supplements.)
My grade: A It was difficult to eat meat only once a week, until I noticed how much less physically and mentally sluggish I felt. And my memory became markedly sharper over 14 days. (For instance, I quit using a bookmark because I could remember the page number I'd stopped on the night before.) Planning those meals took a lot of prep, but it paid off tremendously. I still try to use the diet as a guideline: I eat meat once a week, aim for five fruits and vegetables a day and pop omega-3 supplements (since I don't get as much fish as I did on the diet).
Technique #3: Quit multitasking
"One reason people can't remember where their keys are is they're not paying attention when they put them down," says Mark McDaniel, PhD, a psychology professor and memory researcher at Washington University in St. Louis. (His suggestion for always finding them: "When you put them down, stop and say out loud, 'I'm leaving my keys on my dresser,'" or wherever you're placing them.) Studies show that it takes eight seconds to fully commit a piece of information to memory, so concentrating on the task at hand is crucial. I willed myself to stop giving everything "continuous partial attention," a term coined by tech honcho Linda Stone. I put away my gadgets when they weren't absolutely needed. I didn't have 10 websites up all at once. I called a friend, sat on my bed, closed my eyes and actually listened to what she was saying.
My grade: B+ It's amazing how difficult it is to do one thing at a time. Concentration takes work, but I found I could remember appointments better because I paid attention when I made them and repeated the day and time, rather than agreeing to commitments while doing the laundry and returning e-mail messages. My husband, usually my living iCal, was very impressed.
Technique #4: Master a new skill
A recent Swedish study found that adults who learned a new language showed improved memory for people's names, among other things. Any activity that is practiced diligently, such as knitting or skiing, will likely have this effect, researchers say. I vowed to learn to play the keyboard. On YouTube I found PlayPianoKing, an affable guy who teaches everything from Pachelbel's Canon to "Gangnam Style."
My grade: C- While I did learn a mean "Gangnam" and felt my concentration improve, I soon gave up: With brain games and a diet overhaul crowding my schedule, the hour-long, every-other-day lesson was making me cranky, even before I saw any noticeable memory gains.
Technique #5: Get more sleep
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that losing half a night's rest—three or four hours—on just one evening can erode memory. And the journal Nature Neuroscience recently reported that one way to slow decline in aging adults is to improve the length and quality of sleep. During a deep sleep of eight hours or more, it's believed that the brain shifts memories from temporary to longer-term storage. Yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one third of us get less than seven hours a night—including me.
So, for more than a month, I implemented a stringent schedule: I would put my preschooler to bed and take a bath. Then I'd hit my own bed with a book, rather than watch TV or movies, which several studies reveal will make you feel too keyed up to wind down. Normally I fall asleep at 11:30 p.m. and wake at 5:45 a.m., but the new routine put me out by 10.
My grade: A+ Nothing had a better effect on my memory than that long stretch of sleep. I was able to semi-credibly measure the difference because I started my other interventions a few weeks before this one. I bounded out of bed fully recharged. My mind became as focused as a laser beam; I even remembered every mom's name during the school run (no more "Hey, you!" or just "Hi!").
Technique #6: Use mnemonic devices
These are basically memory tools that give meaning and organization to a random group of words or concepts. They could be an acronym (BOG for "Buy oranges and grapes"), an exaggerated visualization (imagining a massive stethoscope to remember a doctor's appointment) or a rhyme (to recall a co-worker's name, I'd remember, "Ted has a giant forehead"). Memory champions also love chunking, or breaking a large amount of information into more manageable nuggets. Say you have to memorize these numbers: 2214457819. It's much easier to do as a phone number: 221-445-7819.
My grade: A+ I found these tactics enormously helpful. I usually forget my poor nephew's birthday, but this year I actually sent a gift, thanks to the unpleasant but memorable NITS ("Nephew is 10 Sunday").
Technique #7: Hit the gym
Researchers from the University of California at Irvine recently discovered that a little exercise might yield big mental benefits. They had one group of subjects ride stationary bikes for six minutes, while another group cooled their heels. Afterward, the active group performed significantly better on a memory test. Instant results! The researchers believe the boost may be tied to an exercise-induced brain chemical called norepinephrine, which has a strong influence on memory. And Dr. Small contends that exercise is the best memory aid of all. "It can increase your brain size," he says—and the bigger your brain, the greater your capacity to remember. His recommendation: 20 minutes of brisk walking a day. I began doing an hour daily—more than Dr. Small recommends, but also more consistent than the gym workouts a few times a week I used to favor, and, according to many experts, more effective in juicing up memory.
My grade: A- This moderate, regular activity worked wonders on my stress levels, and it became much easier to concentrate afterward, so I could fix things (like a grocery list) into my memory. I grew addicted to my walks and still take them. In fact, I found that the memory-boosting healthy lifestyle habits—exercising more, stressing less, eating a better diet—were the most sustainable over time. And that's a win-win.
There's no way around the fact that memory erodes as we get older. The hippocampus, the area of your brain responsible for building memory, loses 5 percent of its nerve cells with each passing decade. Plus, aging slows production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter vital to learning and memory. Based on these facts, scientists once believed that a person's mental ability peaked early in adulthood, then went downhill from there. But over the last few decades, research has found that adults' brains are still able to form new, memory-building neural networks in a process known as neuroplasticity. The reassuring latest thinking: With a little effort, anyone can boost their power of recollection.
To test this theory in the real world, I tried an array of research-backed brain-sharpening techniques over one six-week period. Am I now able to list all 44 U.S. presidents? No. But can I more easily summon up where I put my keys? Yes. And I think being able to leave my apartment and lock the door is a more valuable life skill than remembering James K. Polk. Here's what worked for me—and what fell flat.
Technique #1: Play brain games
Puzzles like Sudoku and crosswords may improve memory and delay brain decline, though experts are not yet sure why. "My guess is that playing them activates synapses in the whole brain, including the memory areas," says Marcel Danesi, PhD, author of Extreme Brain Workout. Research so far is decidedly mixed: Some studies have found that, while doing crossword puzzles may make you better at remembering the capital of Burkina Faso, there's little evidence they'll boost your performance at more general tasks, like remembering where your car is parked. But a 2011 study showed that participants who played a computer game called Double Decision for six years improved their concentration so much that they had a 50 percent lower rate of car accidents.
So I decided to try an online brain-training program called Lumosity, which neuroscientists from Harvard, Stanford and the University of California at Berkeley have used in their own studies; its creators claim that 97 percent of users improve their memory in just 10 hours of playing time. First I answered a series of questions at lumosity.com to identify which of my cognitive processes, including memory, could use a little help. Then I received a personalized training regimen. A 10-minute daily series of games is free, and a more advanced program is available for $12.95 a month. (Being cheap, I stuck with the former.) The games are pure fun—remembering a pattern of blocks, spotting a bird in a field—and are based on what research has found to improve concentration and other cognitive skills.
My grade: B- By the end of a month, my "brain performance index" score rose 6 percent—not amazing in the Lumosity world, but respectable. The main problem: You have to play the games every day, forever, to keep up the benefits. I've mostly kept up. (Except on weekends. Or if I've had a busy week. OK, I haven't kept up.)
Technique #2: Eat the right foods
According to Gary Small, MD, director of the UCLA Memory Clinic, memory superfoods include antioxidant-rich, colorful fruits and vegetables, which protect your brain from harmful free radicals. He's also enthusiastic about low-glycemic carbs, like oatmeal, and anything with omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, a recent study published in Neurology found that people with low levels of omega-3s had brains that appeared to be a full two years older in MRI scans. That was incentive enough for me to follow the memory-enhancing diet from Dr. Small's book The Memory Prescription, which claims it works in just two weeks. Much like the Mediterranean diet, it's heavy on produce, legumes, nuts and fish. It's low on meat, since meat's omega-6 fatty acids may contribute to brain inflammation, a possible underlying mechanism for Alzheimer's. Refined sugars produce a similar effect, so they were also out. (That was the toughest for me.) I ate a farmers market's worth of blueberries, spinach, avocado and beets, and consumed enough fish to sprout gills. I also went beyond Dr. Small's advice and took 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12, the standard recommended daily amount—since studies show people with low levels perform poorly on memory tests—and 1,000 international units of vitamin D, discovered by Tufts University researchers to boost cognitive function. (My doctor signed off on the supplements.)
My grade: A It was difficult to eat meat only once a week, until I noticed how much less physically and mentally sluggish I felt. And my memory became markedly sharper over 14 days. (For instance, I quit using a bookmark because I could remember the page number I'd stopped on the night before.) Planning those meals took a lot of prep, but it paid off tremendously. I still try to use the diet as a guideline: I eat meat once a week, aim for five fruits and vegetables a day and pop omega-3 supplements (since I don't get as much fish as I did on the diet).
Technique #3: Quit multitasking
"One reason people can't remember where their keys are is they're not paying attention when they put them down," says Mark McDaniel, PhD, a psychology professor and memory researcher at Washington University in St. Louis. (His suggestion for always finding them: "When you put them down, stop and say out loud, 'I'm leaving my keys on my dresser,'" or wherever you're placing them.) Studies show that it takes eight seconds to fully commit a piece of information to memory, so concentrating on the task at hand is crucial. I willed myself to stop giving everything "continuous partial attention," a term coined by tech honcho Linda Stone. I put away my gadgets when they weren't absolutely needed. I didn't have 10 websites up all at once. I called a friend, sat on my bed, closed my eyes and actually listened to what she was saying.
My grade: B+ It's amazing how difficult it is to do one thing at a time. Concentration takes work, but I found I could remember appointments better because I paid attention when I made them and repeated the day and time, rather than agreeing to commitments while doing the laundry and returning e-mail messages. My husband, usually my living iCal, was very impressed.
Technique #4: Master a new skill
A recent Swedish study found that adults who learned a new language showed improved memory for people's names, among other things. Any activity that is practiced diligently, such as knitting or skiing, will likely have this effect, researchers say. I vowed to learn to play the keyboard. On YouTube I found PlayPianoKing, an affable guy who teaches everything from Pachelbel's Canon to "Gangnam Style."
My grade: C- While I did learn a mean "Gangnam" and felt my concentration improve, I soon gave up: With brain games and a diet overhaul crowding my schedule, the hour-long, every-other-day lesson was making me cranky, even before I saw any noticeable memory gains.
Technique #5: Get more sleep
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that losing half a night's rest—three or four hours—on just one evening can erode memory. And the journal Nature Neuroscience recently reported that one way to slow decline in aging adults is to improve the length and quality of sleep. During a deep sleep of eight hours or more, it's believed that the brain shifts memories from temporary to longer-term storage. Yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one third of us get less than seven hours a night—including me.
So, for more than a month, I implemented a stringent schedule: I would put my preschooler to bed and take a bath. Then I'd hit my own bed with a book, rather than watch TV or movies, which several studies reveal will make you feel too keyed up to wind down. Normally I fall asleep at 11:30 p.m. and wake at 5:45 a.m., but the new routine put me out by 10.
My grade: A+ Nothing had a better effect on my memory than that long stretch of sleep. I was able to semi-credibly measure the difference because I started my other interventions a few weeks before this one. I bounded out of bed fully recharged. My mind became as focused as a laser beam; I even remembered every mom's name during the school run (no more "Hey, you!" or just "Hi!").
Technique #6: Use mnemonic devices
These are basically memory tools that give meaning and organization to a random group of words or concepts. They could be an acronym (BOG for "Buy oranges and grapes"), an exaggerated visualization (imagining a massive stethoscope to remember a doctor's appointment) or a rhyme (to recall a co-worker's name, I'd remember, "Ted has a giant forehead"). Memory champions also love chunking, or breaking a large amount of information into more manageable nuggets. Say you have to memorize these numbers: 2214457819. It's much easier to do as a phone number: 221-445-7819.
My grade: A+ I found these tactics enormously helpful. I usually forget my poor nephew's birthday, but this year I actually sent a gift, thanks to the unpleasant but memorable NITS ("Nephew is 10 Sunday").
Technique #7: Hit the gym
Researchers from the University of California at Irvine recently discovered that a little exercise might yield big mental benefits. They had one group of subjects ride stationary bikes for six minutes, while another group cooled their heels. Afterward, the active group performed significantly better on a memory test. Instant results! The researchers believe the boost may be tied to an exercise-induced brain chemical called norepinephrine, which has a strong influence on memory. And Dr. Small contends that exercise is the best memory aid of all. "It can increase your brain size," he says—and the bigger your brain, the greater your capacity to remember. His recommendation: 20 minutes of brisk walking a day. I began doing an hour daily—more than Dr. Small recommends, but also more consistent than the gym workouts a few times a week I used to favor, and, according to many experts, more effective in juicing up memory.
My grade: A- This moderate, regular activity worked wonders on my stress levels, and it became much easier to concentrate afterward, so I could fix things (like a grocery list) into my memory. I grew addicted to my walks and still take them. In fact, I found that the memory-boosting healthy lifestyle habits—exercising more, stressing less, eating a better diet—were the most sustainable over time. And that's a win-win.
Voice Actor Troy Baker Quits Twitter
Acclaimed voice-actor Troy Baker has left Twitter after a joke riled up critics.
My "Fun" C-Section: Part 1
Now that I'm on the other side of my cesarean section, I see why the doctors who advised me through my exciting pregnancy were so reassuring about planning this surgery. It was fun (well, almost).
We arrived before 6 o'clock in the morning—planned C-sections are done early in the day, partially for the comfort of the mother, who isn't allowed to eat or drink after midnight the night before.
I was so excited to be done with my pregnancy and eager to meet my baby that I drove myself to the hospital, with my husband in the passenger seat.
This time I wasn't scared. The thought of having my abdomen opened up and my unborn baby lifted from me didn't frighten me at all. I felt her kicking that morning, and I knew this fetus, who was misdiagnosed as a miscarriage at six weeks, whom we might have lost when I leaked fluid at 18 weeks, who successfully sailed through my orthopedic surgeries, and who dutifully fattened us both up throughout my third trimester, was finally ready to look me in the eyes.
Without the groaning and tears that characterized the last time I gave birth at this hospital (an emergency C-section after a womb infection endangered my daughter's life, as well as mine), I checked in clearheaded, but hungry.
The check-in process went along with only one hitch: Unfortunately, the nurse who started my IV wasn't familiar with the tenolysis procedure I'd undergone earlier this year. She attempted to insert the needle directly over the healing tendons in my wrist, and it took me several minutes to stop crying from the excruciating pain.
After a few more tries, we finally had an IV drip ready to go in my left hand, and I strolled directly into the operating room. I could hear my OB having a pre-surgical powwow with the medical team. "We are gathered here this morning," he said, sounding ministerial, "to perform a cesarean section on Erica Kain, a 37-year-old woman and mother of two." He continued to calmly dole out instructions to the team while I filled out paperwork.
Rolling the IV drip behind us, the nurse escorted me into the operating room, where a bright light shone directly in the center of the operating table. Babbling excitedly, I hoisted myself up onto the table, and lay down with my large belly under the crosshairs.
The anesthesiologist asked me to lie on my side so he could administer my spinal block. "Arch your back like a cat," he instructed, and I squeezed my OB's hand while the anesthesiologist injected a painful numbing solution around the site. I didn't feel the longer needle he inserted with the spinal block medication itself.
That spinal block medication felt wonderful! Compared to my emergency C-section's "cranked up" epidural, which made me shake and chatter so hard that a filling cracked right out of my teeth, it was a numbing fantasy come true.
My right thigh started to feel warm, just like I was rolling into a hot tub. Then I started to feel that warmth through my left side as well. By the time I was rolled onto my back again, I had only the vaguest sensations in my abdomen and legs.
Members of the surgical team introduced themselves to me as they assembled a curtain across my chest, so I could be spared the gorier aspects of the procedure. Having been outfitted in scrubs and a mask, my husband assumed the position next to my head, only peeking over the curtain occasionally.
The nurses shaved me and painted adhesive on either side of my lower belly to help position the spreader that would hold my incision open. A second doctor assisted my OB, whose eyes I could see over his mask, until he changed his focus to my belly and said, "OK, it's 8:30. We've begun."
A nurse repeated "8:30 start" and I realized that things were underway; my doctor was reopening the incision that had brought my second daughter into the world. My body was surrendered to the surgical process as a Frank Sinatra album played softly in the background.
Stay tuned for my next entry, Part 2: Another voice enters the room.
We arrived before 6 o'clock in the morning—planned C-sections are done early in the day, partially for the comfort of the mother, who isn't allowed to eat or drink after midnight the night before.
I was so excited to be done with my pregnancy and eager to meet my baby that I drove myself to the hospital, with my husband in the passenger seat.
This time I wasn't scared. The thought of having my abdomen opened up and my unborn baby lifted from me didn't frighten me at all. I felt her kicking that morning, and I knew this fetus, who was misdiagnosed as a miscarriage at six weeks, whom we might have lost when I leaked fluid at 18 weeks, who successfully sailed through my orthopedic surgeries, and who dutifully fattened us both up throughout my third trimester, was finally ready to look me in the eyes.
Without the groaning and tears that characterized the last time I gave birth at this hospital (an emergency C-section after a womb infection endangered my daughter's life, as well as mine), I checked in clearheaded, but hungry.
The check-in process went along with only one hitch: Unfortunately, the nurse who started my IV wasn't familiar with the tenolysis procedure I'd undergone earlier this year. She attempted to insert the needle directly over the healing tendons in my wrist, and it took me several minutes to stop crying from the excruciating pain.
After a few more tries, we finally had an IV drip ready to go in my left hand, and I strolled directly into the operating room. I could hear my OB having a pre-surgical powwow with the medical team. "We are gathered here this morning," he said, sounding ministerial, "to perform a cesarean section on Erica Kain, a 37-year-old woman and mother of two." He continued to calmly dole out instructions to the team while I filled out paperwork.
Rolling the IV drip behind us, the nurse escorted me into the operating room, where a bright light shone directly in the center of the operating table. Babbling excitedly, I hoisted myself up onto the table, and lay down with my large belly under the crosshairs.
The anesthesiologist asked me to lie on my side so he could administer my spinal block. "Arch your back like a cat," he instructed, and I squeezed my OB's hand while the anesthesiologist injected a painful numbing solution around the site. I didn't feel the longer needle he inserted with the spinal block medication itself.
That spinal block medication felt wonderful! Compared to my emergency C-section's "cranked up" epidural, which made me shake and chatter so hard that a filling cracked right out of my teeth, it was a numbing fantasy come true.
My right thigh started to feel warm, just like I was rolling into a hot tub. Then I started to feel that warmth through my left side as well. By the time I was rolled onto my back again, I had only the vaguest sensations in my abdomen and legs.
Members of the surgical team introduced themselves to me as they assembled a curtain across my chest, so I could be spared the gorier aspects of the procedure. Having been outfitted in scrubs and a mask, my husband assumed the position next to my head, only peeking over the curtain occasionally.
The nurses shaved me and painted adhesive on either side of my lower belly to help position the spreader that would hold my incision open. A second doctor assisted my OB, whose eyes I could see over his mask, until he changed his focus to my belly and said, "OK, it's 8:30. We've begun."
A nurse repeated "8:30 start" and I realized that things were underway; my doctor was reopening the incision that had brought my second daughter into the world. My body was surrendered to the surgical process as a Frank Sinatra album played softly in the background.
Stay tuned for my next entry, Part 2: Another voice enters the room.
How to Save Money And Go Natural
Going green gets a bad reputation for breaking the bank. Organic food can be expensive, all-natural clothing doesn't come cheap, and alternative treatments aren't always covered by insurers. But with the right strategy—and our (free!) expert advice—you can actually save hundreds of dollars each month just by being more eco-friendly.
Lean and Green
10 Easy Ways to Eat Natural
Want to eat green on a lean budget? These 10 trends, tips, and tools can help you save.
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Lean and Green
10 Easy Ways to Eat Natural
Want to eat green on a lean budget? These 10 trends, tips, and tools can help you save.
Organic On the Cheap
This Recipe Feeds 5 for Less Than the Cost of a Fast Food Meal
Think eating all-natural will break the bank? Tuscan Chicken Stew is easy, organic, and less expensive than fast food fare.
Bottoms Up
Inexpensive Natural Wines That We Love
Its more affordable than you might think to drink natural, eco-friendly wines: Organic, biodynamic and other forms of chemical-free farming are already common among quality wine producers.
Saving at the Grocery Store
Money Q&A: Saving on Organic Foods and More
Expert advice on where to scrimp on expensive organic groceries.
DIY Cleaners
Save Green While You Clean
Using toxin-free, all- or mostly natural cleaning products isnt just a good idea for protecting the environment inside (and outside) your home—it can actually save you some dough.
All-Natural Hair Treatments
A Pantry Staple that Salvages Split Ends
Olive oil helps quench seriously dry strands. Leave it in your hair overnight as an all-natural and budget-friendly alternative to deep conditioners.
DIY Facial Masks
At-Home Spa: Create a Cranberry Face Mask
Cranberries can help naturally exfoliate lackluster, dead skin. Try this easy, at-home treatment twice a month.
Luxe for Less
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Who says you have to spend a ton to pamper yourself? We found luxe stuff that wont blow your bank account.
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Organic products aren't always cheap, so you want to make sure your dollar is well spent. We put these eco-friendly picks to the test.
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Babies After 40: The Hidden Health Risks of Mid-Life Pregnancy
From Health magazine
After years of struggling with repeated miscarriages and fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), Joanna Brody was thrilled when she finally conceived on her own at the age of 43—even considering the increased risk of health problems associated with pregnancy after age 40. Still, the former marathon runner was in good health and exercised throughout her pregnancy, which was uneventful.
But two days after returning home from the hospital after her daughters birth (she also had a 6-month-old adopted son), she woke up feeling like she couldnt breathe. “I thought I was having a panic attack due to the stress of taking care of two infants while building a new home,” Brody, now 45, recalls.
The next day, when she couldnt catch her breath walking up a flight of stairs, she rushed to the emergency room. There, doctors discovered that her lungs were filled with fluid, a sign of peripartum cardiomyopathy, a potentially fatal condition that occurs when theres damage to the heart, resulting in a weakened heart muscle that cant pump blood efficiently. While it occurs in only about 1 in every 1,300 deliveries, its most common in older women, especially those, like Brody, who are over the age of 40.
The number of women giving birth into their 40s and 50s and beyond is at record highs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2007, 105,071 women aged 40-44 gave birth, the highest rate since 1968; the birth rate for women 45 to 54 was 7,349, an increase of 5% in just one year.
“The numbers have really skyrocketed over the last two decades, as research has increasingly shown that older women are able to carry pregnancies and deliver babies safely,” says Mark Sauer, MD, chief of reproductive endocrinology at Columbia University Medical Center and a leading researcher in this field.
Success stories
Theres no official data on how many American women over the age of 54 successfully give birth each year, although there have been plenty of news reports of women in their late 50s and early 60s who have conceived via donor eggs. While older moms have long been the source of biblical legend (think of Sarah, who is said to have given birth to her husband Abrahams son Isaac at the jaw-dropping age of 90), right now the oldest documented birth mother in the world is Omkari Panwar, a 70-year-old Indian woman who gave birth to 2-pound twins in 2008 via emergency cesarean section.
But the United States has had its share of 60-plus new moms, too, including Frieda Birnbaum of Saddle River, New Jersey, who in 2007 at age 60 set the record for the oldest woman in the country to give birth to twins. (A 62-year-old, Janise Wulf, gave birth to a singleton in 2006.)
While it may seem nothing short of miraculous that cutting-edge IVF technology is enabling older women to get pregnant, experts are concerned about the increased risk of maternal health problems, ranging from cardiac complications to potentially even a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
“A healthy 42-year-old with no medical problems who is in good physical shape and conceives naturally is likely to have just as nice a pregnancy as a woman who is a decade younger,” says Laura Riley, MD, a maternal-fetal-medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and chairwoman of the communications committee of the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. “But there are a fair number of women in their mid-40s getting pregnant through IVF who have a ‘touch of hypertension, are a little overweight, or are prediabetic, and thats where we start running into problems.”
Older women are increasingly at risk for potentially deadly complications. A 2002 University of Southern California study, for example, found that 26% of women ages 50 to 54 suffered from preeclampsia (a life-threatening condition characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine), and 13% developed gestational diabetes (a temporary form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy)—and that number soared to 60% and 40%, respectively, for those over the age of 55.
While there are no official guidelines from organizations like the American Society for Reproductive Medicine on how old is too old, leading fertility experts and high-risk obstetricians are voicing concerns about this brave new world of peri- and postmenopausal pregnancy.
“The age cutoff at our clinic is 54, based on the research that shows a marked increase in complications in women older than 55,” says Richard Paulson, MD, director of the Fertility Program at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and one of the countrys leading researchers on pregnancy in the peri- and postmenopausal years.
Others are more conservative. “We have an age cutoff in our practice of 44 years of age for someone using her own eggs and 51 years of age in someone using donor eggs,” says Robert Stillman, MD, medical director of Shady Grove Fertility Center, one of the countrys largest fertility clinics, with 15 offices in the Washington, D.C., area. “Weve never had a successful birth in a woman over the age of 44 using her own eggs, and we think its unethical to promote treatments in a vulnerable population where theres not a chance of success. We wont treat women over the age of 51, period, because we believe there are too many risks involved with carrying the pregnancy, both for the mother and for the fetus.”
But many clinics across the United States—including some of the nations leading fertility centers—take women who are well into their 50s. So what are these risks, and what exactly do they mean for older women who are contemplating pregnancy? Here, a look at the biggest dangers.
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The risk of cancer
One cant help thinking of Elizabeth Edwards, who gave birth to two children at ages 48 and 50 after undergoing fertility treatments—and who was diagnosed four years later, in 2004 at the age of 55, with stage II breast cancer. (In 2007, she revealed that her cancer had recurred and was now at stage IV.)
While she has never publicly discussed whether there could be a link between fertility treatments in older moms and subsequent breast cancer, breast cancer experts speculate that the two could be related.
“Its a very unsettled question,” says Julia Smith, MD, PhD, director of the Lynne Cohen Breast Cancer Preventive Care Program at the New York University Cancer Institute. “Every time weve tampered with the natural cycle of reproductive hormones, weve had a problem, as evidenced by research showing a link between hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer. As women get older, theyre at increased risk for breast cancer, and Im concerned about giving peri- or postmenopausal women additional sex hormones that could disrupt the natural course of aging of the breast cell.”
Research also shows that older women who have recently given birth are more likely to develop breast cancer in the 15 years following the birth than their peers of the same age who have never had children. One Swedish study followed women after theyd given birth and found that the childbearing women were slightly more likely to be diagnosed with cancer—and women who had their first child after the age of 35 had the highest risk, about 26% higher than women who had never given birth. (This is a transient risk: After 15 years, their odds dropped below that of women who had never given birth.)
“My worry is if an older woman is cooking a really early breast cancer and then is exposed to massive levels of estrogen during her pregnancy, could that accelerate tumor growth?” adds Mary Jane Minkin, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Yale School of Medicine. “No ones ever studied it, and its a real possibility.”
The other point of concern: “The minute a woman gets pregnant, we cant screen her for breast cancer. And we cant do a mammogram until shes finished breast-feeding, which could be almost two years later,” Dr. Smith points out. “If shes younger than 40, its not a big issue because her overall risk of breast cancer is so low. But if shes 45 or 50, then Im worried.”
Cancer experts are less concerned about the risks of other types of reproductive cancers among past-40 women undergoing fertility treatments. In fact, a Danish study published in February in the British Medical Journal followed more than 50,000 women who underwent fertility treatments for 15 years and found no increased risk of ovarian cancer among women who took most types of fertility drugs.
The one exception—women who took clomiphene citrate (Clomid) had an increased risk of a type of ovarian tumor called serous ovarian tumors, which may be more influenced by hormones than other tumors, says Louise Brinton, PhD, chief of the Hormonal and Reproductive Epidemiology Branch at the National Cancer Institute. Brintons own preliminary research has found a possible link between Clomid and endometrial cancer, a treatable cancer of the womb. “Many women in their 40s and 50s are using donor eggs, so they wont be taking Clomid, which is an ovulation-inducing drug,” she points out. “But for those women who are, they need to be aware that there may be a link.”
The problem is, many women arent briefed by their doctors on potential long-term risks. “I talk to fertility specialists all the time and bring up my concerns, and they tell me the same thing they tell their patients—they dont have any evidence that it is harmful,” Dr. Smith adds. “But its not a question of not having evidence proving harm—we dont have any evidence proving safety.”
The risk to your heart
The strain of pregnancy, experts say, can be likened to the stress of running a marathon—and the older a woman is, the more likely she is to have complications from it.
Doctors of women in the 40-plus set are most concerned about pregnancy-induced preeclampsia, which generally surfaces in the third trimester. While the incidence of preeclampsia among all moms-to-be is 3 to 4%, that risk increases to 5 to 10% if youre older than 40 and jumps up to 35% if youre past 50. Most reputable fertility clinics require patients over the age of 45, especially those with borderline cholesterol or high blood pressure, to undergo more extensive cardiology screening, like an electrocardiogram (EKG) or a stress test, but “these tests can miss women who have borderline heart disease,” Dr. Stillman says. “Sure, they may be fine playing tennis. But the stress of nine months of pregnancy? Thats the equivalent of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.”
In addition, pregnancy can prompt an earlier onset of health problems that would have otherwise developed later in life. “A 50-year-old woman with borderline high blood pressure who might not develop hypertension until shes 60 may start to have it during her pregnancy,” explains Errol Norwitz, MD, a high-risk OB-GYN at the Yale School of Medicine. And this can set her and her baby up for a host of complications.
Deborah Lake, 50, developed preeclampisa seven years ago (she was 43) while carrying twins, prompting her physician to induce labor. “My blood pressure had always been quite low, but toward the end it began to creep up to the point where my doctor decided to induce me at 36 1/2 weeks,” she recalls. Lake delivered her first daughter, Savannah, vaginally. But her second daughter, Courtney, got stuck in the birth canal, prompting an emergency C-section. Lake was discharged after three days, only to return a few days later when her blood pressure shot up and her whole body swelled, both signs of preeclampsia. “They gave me diuretics, and I peed out about 50 pounds of water weight in three days,” she recalls.
Lake had been trying to get pregnant for almost a decade and finally conceived via donor eggs. “Because of my age and the fact that I was carrying twins, I was so careful—I ate perfectly, I didnt gain too much weight,” she says. “But even that, ultimately, wasnt enough to stave off problems.”
There are also heart concerns after pregnancy. “Most women tend to gain weight with each pregnancy and keep those extra 10 pounds around for a while,” Dr. Minkin says. “That extra weight increases an older womans risk of developing heart disease.”
Progesterone, a reproductive hormone thats given to women during IVF and is also present at high levels during pregnancy, causes both blood pressure and cholesterol to temporarily go up, adds Nieca Goldberg, MD, director of the New York University Womens Heart Center. “This isnt an issue for a healthy woman with no risk factors for heart disease.
But if youre going into pregnancy with borderline high blood pressure or cholesterol, which many older women have, it can pose a serious problem,” she says.
Peripartum cardiomyopathy, which Joanna Brody had, is also a potential danger among this group of moms. While Brody emerged unscathed, this condition can cause heart failure—which leads to death in 25 to 50% of cases, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Another huge worry: gestational diabetes, a temporary form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. It almost always goes away after delivery, but it can be a harbinger of diabetes later in life and puts women at risk for delivering a too-large baby (macrosomia).
Though the overall rate of gestational diabetes is 3%, it rises to 7% in women older than 40 and 20% in women older than 50. But while risk factors like a family history of diabetes, borderline blood sugars, being overweight, or having had gestational diabetes in an earlier pregnancy all increase your chances of getting it, many older women with none of these end up developing this dangerous condition.
Not surprisingly, because over-40 women are more at risk for a variety of health problems, their C-section rate is significantly higher than that of younger moms. Almost a third of all women in the United States deliver via C-section, but almost 50% of women having their first child between 40 to 45 and almost 80% in women ages 50 to 63 undergo the procedure.
“Older women have older uteruses, which tend to not contract as well, which can result in abnormal labor” and lead to a C-section, explains Robin Kalish, MD, director of clinical maternal-fetal medicine at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.
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The risk of placental problems
While placental problems are relatively rare during pregnancy, the risk shoots up once you hit the big 4-0. If you get pregnant past that age, you have a 10-fold increased risk, compared with women younger than 30, of placenta previa—a dangerous condition in which the placenta does not move up and away from the opening of the uterus during pregnancy; this can cause severe vaginal bleeding and activate premature labor. The main reason? An older uterus is less hospitable to the drastic bodily changes of pregnancy.
“The uterus is required to grow from the size of a small pear to a huge watermelon in nine months, which requires an enormous level of blood flow,” Dr. Stillman says. “Vascular disease is ubiquitous as people age, whether its in the heart or in the vagina, and it gets more and more difficult as a woman gets older for her uterus to keep up with the rapid growth of pregnancy.”
Lauren B. Cohen, a New Jersey lawyer who is the second oldest woman in the United States to give birth to twins, at age 59, spent two months in the hospital before giving birth to her twins at 31 1/2 weeks due to complications from placenta percreta, an incredibly rare condition in which the placenta actually breaks through the walls of the uterus and attaches to another organ such as the bladder.
“My doctors said my uterine walls had been weakened, due to age, a past C-section, and the stress of carrying twins,” Cohen explains. During the C-section, she hemorrhaged so much from her placenta that she required a transfusion of 33 units of blood. The twins—born two months premature at just over 3 pounds each—have suffered no long-term health problems, but they have developmental delays.
The risk to baby
Babies born to over-40 women like Cohen are not only more likely to be born early but also more likely to have birth defects. One Columbia University study found that 2.9% of women older than 40 have babies with birth defects, compared with 1.7% of all women younger than 35. Of these, cardiac issues are the most common: Another study found that heart defects were four times more common in infants of women over 40, compared with those age 20 to 24.
“It could have something to do with egg quality or with the fact that older women may have undiagnosed and untreated diabetes or hypertension, which could affect growth and contribute to birth defects,” explains Randy Fink, MD, a high-risk OB-GYN in Miami.
What women must know
While modern medicine is now able to get you pregnant into your fourth, fifth, or even sixth decade, it cant guarantee a smooth and safe road to delivery. There are undeniable health risks to pregnancy in the peri- and postmenopausal years, risks that often arent revealed to the plus-40 women hoping to get pregnant. If youre in your 40s and considering pregnancy, its critical to be proactive and get a thorough screening to rule out hidden heart disease or diabetes.
“All women in this age group need to get their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels checked, as well as an EKG,” before trying to get pregnant, Dr. Goldberg says. While a borderline or high level on any of these tests doesnt necessarily rule out pregnancy, youll need to undergo even more detailed tests such as an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to “see” any potential damage done already to your heart.
Women with risk factors for breast cancer—such as having a family history of the disease—should also think carefully before proceeding, Dr. Smith advises. Most women over the age of 45 are automatically referred to a high-risk practice. If youre not, make sure you get a recommendation for a good one.
The bottom line: It is possible to have a baby in midlife. But before you proceed, its essential to understand the potential dangers to you and your baby.
“Even if a woman passes all the screening tests with flying colors, shes still more at risk for health complications,” stresses Miriam Greene, MD, an OB-GYN at New York University Langone Medical Center. “And we just dont know what the long-term health effects are going to be of all these added hormones on their bodies. If an older woman decides she wants to get pregnant, thats her decision. But she should have her eyes wide open and make sure shes fully aware of all the potential risks.”
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Age-Related Side Effects of Mid-Life Pregnancy
From Health magazineHigh-tech medicine is making it possible to get pregnant at 40, 50, even past menopause. However, a mid-life pregnancy may increase the potential for developing cancer and heart problems. The post-40 mom should also be aware of these risks:
Incontinence. Older women may already have weak pelvic-floor and urethra muscles, which can make urinary incontinence much more likely, both during and after pregnancy, says Robin Kalish, MD, of the Weill Cornell Medical Center. And even if the 40-something mom has a C-section, she may still develop urinary incontinence that requires that requires surgery to fix, Kalish stresses.
Strains and sprains. Your expanding uterus puts enormous strain on your back muscles, which tend to be weaker in older women, says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, of the Yale School of Medicine. To protect your back, continue to exercise (include back-strengthening moves) throughout pregnancy. A chiropractor or acupuncturist may be able to help.
Depression. While no studies have looked at the 40- and 50-something mom's susceptibility to postpartum depression, "it makes sense that older moms could be more vulnerable to this, as they may be more set in their ways and used to more personal freedom than younger women," says Diane Sanford, PhD, a St. Louis psychologist who specializes in postpartum depression.
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My Dog Helped Me Heal
Animals know. They know when you are happy, and they know when you are sad. They know when you are ill and when you are well. While I was going through my experience with breast cancer, my dog Lucy stayed at my side. When I went to bed, she came with me. She laid in bed next to me like a human and would stare at me as if she were communicating a deep understanding and empathy through her eyes. She even huffed through her jowls and touched me with her paw, as if to say, I know and I understand. It nearly brought me to tears.
Even my boyfriend's dog, Peso, would lay with me when I took naps. I always called him my little "sleep assistant," because he would lay in the crook of my waist and stay with me, without budging. Certain days of chemotherapy were be hard. Just the sheer presence of having an animal at your side, not requiring anything of you, not asking for attention, was enough to make you feel as if you were not alone. And that was the gift I received: unconditional love.
San Diego photographer Adriene Hughes, now 48, created a series of self-portraits chronicling her 2004 diagnosis with stage II estrogen-positive breast cancer and the treatment ordeal that followed. Here, she is pictured with her boyfriend's dog, Peso. To see more of her photographs, view the slideshow.
We want to hear from you: Has a pet helped you get healthy? Please email your stories and pet pictures to us.
Even my boyfriend's dog, Peso, would lay with me when I took naps. I always called him my little "sleep assistant," because he would lay in the crook of my waist and stay with me, without budging. Certain days of chemotherapy were be hard. Just the sheer presence of having an animal at your side, not requiring anything of you, not asking for attention, was enough to make you feel as if you were not alone. And that was the gift I received: unconditional love.
San Diego photographer Adriene Hughes, now 48, created a series of self-portraits chronicling her 2004 diagnosis with stage II estrogen-positive breast cancer and the treatment ordeal that followed. Here, she is pictured with her boyfriend's dog, Peso. To see more of her photographs, view the slideshow.
We want to hear from you: Has a pet helped you get healthy? Please email your stories and pet pictures to us.
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7 Ways to Have a Healthy Vacation Without Ever Leaving Your Home
Same place, different mind-set—thats the challenge of a staycation. How do you exist within the same four walls, with the same distractions—messy basement, couch and remote, computer, junk food, phone—yet create a relaxing, healthy, away-from-it-all experience? According to a 2009 AP-Gfk poll, one-third of Americans have already canceled a trip due to financial concerns, and more than half have no plans to hit the road this year. For the recession-squeezed, or the downright too-exhausted-to-travel, we tapped the experts for advice on how a typical family of four can have an invigorating (and inexpensive) vacation without leaving home.
Plan to check out—at least mentally
The best way to feel like youre getting away in your own home? Create a vacation plan—and stick with it. “Think about what your intention is for the time off, write it down, then put it up on the fridge,” says Meredith Haberfeld, a New York–based life and career coach. If your goal is to feel connected to your family, set aside specific time for family-only activities, dinners, and outings. Research shows that family rituals (like vacations) boost parents and kids mental and physical health. But just because youre not getting away doesnt mean you cant focus on together time—it just takes a bit more effort.
If youre winging it, youre setting your staycation up for failure. “You need to have some clear goals and set up a schedule,” says Ken Robbins, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “Most people do a poor job because they dont plan and then they answer the phone, they do an errand, people stop over, and before they know it, the week is over and theyve done what they usually do.”
Rediscover your hometown
For a true mental getaway, explore your surroundings with a visitors eye—it will keep you away from the pull of the daily grind. One great resource is discoveramerica.com. Simply plug in your location and youll find a list of nearby offerings for museums, galleries, libraries, parks, and unique businesses (think candymakers, tea producers, breweries, bakeries). City magazines or weekend newspaper sections are another great resource for in-town events such as outdoor concerts, movies in the park, and theater performances. Or head to the closest college town to take advantage of some free campus offerings, like dance performances, lectures, and more.
Create your own swanky destination
Cant afford to get to Canyon Ranch? You can create nearly the same healthy experience at home. “If youve always wanted to take a yoga, water aerobics, or spinning class, schedule a day where everyone does a few things at the local rec center,” says Melissa Thornton, a marriage and family therapist in Trumbull, Conn. Many gyms and yoga studios offer a free introductory trial or a discount for your first class, or log on to gymticket.com to score free passes to gyms in your area.
Try a little in-house pampering and healthy dining for the ultimate spa experience. Light candles, put body oils and rose petals in a bath, and play some soothing music. Try at-home facials and pedicures for a relaxing mother-daughter group activity. And when your tummies start to rumble, gather your family and head to the kitchen. You can try hundreds of Canyon Ranchs healthy recipes—like Chicken Panzella Salad or Artichoke and Tomato Flatbread—just by signing up (for free!) at the resorts website.
Get moving
A healthy staycation should include one active element every day, but that doesnt mean you should schlep your family to the gym. “Combine getting outside and exercising with something else to create an adventure,” says Mike Munro, a fitness consultant in New York City. He suggests taking a train ride to a new hiking trail, or combining a hike with a midday picnic. You can also turn something as simple as a bike ride into a scavenger hunt. “Just ride through the city and hunt for a picture in front of a certain building, a keychain from a different part of town, and a drawing of a local monument,” he adds.
For families with teenage children, try setting a team goal, like a 10K race, bike race, or group walk. Put together a three-month training schedule, place it on the fridge, and let each family member check off his or her daily workout. (A general rule of thumb: Every two weeks increase your training by at least 10% but no more than 25%.) “Having this calendar helps you focus, and seeing all those check marks becomes a visual indicator of your progress,” says Munro. Choose your event ahead of time, then use your staycation to focus on training.
For extra motivation, try training for a charity event. Several studies have demonstrated the link between volunteering and greater mental and physical health. In fact, a recent large-scale Vanderbilt University study found that people of all ages who volunteered experienced increased physical health and decreased levels of depression. Check out volunteermatch.org for opportunities near your home.
Get away from your gadgets
A staycation can quickly go south if you let yourself get caught up with daily tasks like checking your email and returning phone calls. If you really want to get away, you should act like youre out of town. “For at least a few days put the auto responder on your email and leave a message on your phone saying that youre on vacation,” says Robbins.
Make a family pact to turn off BlackBerrys, iPods, and computers. “This is a great one for mental health because it disconnects you from the responsibilities, stressors, and routine of everyday life,” says Thornton. If a complete turnoff is impossible, then set very specific limits—like once a day for 15 minutes. Technological turnoff is not only good for families, but it may also calm the gadget-addicted. Edward Hallowell, MD, author of CrazyBusy: Overbooked, Overstretched, and About to Snap, says that personalities who feel the need to answer every email can work themselves into a state of toxic stress. So use your staycation to unwind and disconnect.
Make food fun
Use your time off to experiment in the kitchen as a family. Chris Heuston, a Colorado-based nutritionist and mother of three, likes to walk or ride her brood to the farmers' market and let everyone pick some toppings for a personal pizza. If you want to score some great deals—or even some free produce—head to the market toward the end of the day, just as the merchants start to pack up their trucks. Many merchants dont want to lug unsold produce back home, so theyll sell it to you for a super-low price (or even for free).
Try whipping up your own pizza dough, dividing it into individual pies, and letting your kids make their own. Heustons favorite toppings include olives, red peppers, and basil, or goat cheese, potatoes, and asparagus. And when it comes to the kitchen, healthy doesnt have to mean boring. Heuston suggests Iron Chef lunches. Simply lay out multiple ingredients and let everyone create his or her own meal. Heuston is also a fan of grilling. Its easy and theres less clean up. “Try things that you wouldnt necessarily grill, like romaine for a Caesar salad or tomatoes for a salsa,” she says. “My kids love to make homemade ice cream in the summer and well grill peaches to mix in.”
Keep the mood light and relaxed
Things tacky, wacky, or out of the ordinary can be memorable. If youre lucky enough to have a local drive-in movie theater, go in your pajamas. Visit an oddball local attraction—like the worlds largest popcorn ball in Sac City, Iowa—or have a family mini-golf tournament. Sure, you may wish you were headed to the beach or the Grand Canyon, but set a positive example for your kids by keeping the mood light. The effects could be long-lasting—research shows that kids who feel good about themselves are less likely to be materialistic.
Plan to check out—at least mentally
The best way to feel like youre getting away in your own home? Create a vacation plan—and stick with it. “Think about what your intention is for the time off, write it down, then put it up on the fridge,” says Meredith Haberfeld, a New York–based life and career coach. If your goal is to feel connected to your family, set aside specific time for family-only activities, dinners, and outings. Research shows that family rituals (like vacations) boost parents and kids mental and physical health. But just because youre not getting away doesnt mean you cant focus on together time—it just takes a bit more effort.
If youre winging it, youre setting your staycation up for failure. “You need to have some clear goals and set up a schedule,” says Ken Robbins, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “Most people do a poor job because they dont plan and then they answer the phone, they do an errand, people stop over, and before they know it, the week is over and theyve done what they usually do.”
Rediscover your hometown
For a true mental getaway, explore your surroundings with a visitors eye—it will keep you away from the pull of the daily grind. One great resource is discoveramerica.com. Simply plug in your location and youll find a list of nearby offerings for museums, galleries, libraries, parks, and unique businesses (think candymakers, tea producers, breweries, bakeries). City magazines or weekend newspaper sections are another great resource for in-town events such as outdoor concerts, movies in the park, and theater performances. Or head to the closest college town to take advantage of some free campus offerings, like dance performances, lectures, and more.
Create your own swanky destination
Cant afford to get to Canyon Ranch? You can create nearly the same healthy experience at home. “If youve always wanted to take a yoga, water aerobics, or spinning class, schedule a day where everyone does a few things at the local rec center,” says Melissa Thornton, a marriage and family therapist in Trumbull, Conn. Many gyms and yoga studios offer a free introductory trial or a discount for your first class, or log on to gymticket.com to score free passes to gyms in your area.
Try a little in-house pampering and healthy dining for the ultimate spa experience. Light candles, put body oils and rose petals in a bath, and play some soothing music. Try at-home facials and pedicures for a relaxing mother-daughter group activity. And when your tummies start to rumble, gather your family and head to the kitchen. You can try hundreds of Canyon Ranchs healthy recipes—like Chicken Panzella Salad or Artichoke and Tomato Flatbread—just by signing up (for free!) at the resorts website.
Get moving
A healthy staycation should include one active element every day, but that doesnt mean you should schlep your family to the gym. “Combine getting outside and exercising with something else to create an adventure,” says Mike Munro, a fitness consultant in New York City. He suggests taking a train ride to a new hiking trail, or combining a hike with a midday picnic. You can also turn something as simple as a bike ride into a scavenger hunt. “Just ride through the city and hunt for a picture in front of a certain building, a keychain from a different part of town, and a drawing of a local monument,” he adds.
For families with teenage children, try setting a team goal, like a 10K race, bike race, or group walk. Put together a three-month training schedule, place it on the fridge, and let each family member check off his or her daily workout. (A general rule of thumb: Every two weeks increase your training by at least 10% but no more than 25%.) “Having this calendar helps you focus, and seeing all those check marks becomes a visual indicator of your progress,” says Munro. Choose your event ahead of time, then use your staycation to focus on training.
For extra motivation, try training for a charity event. Several studies have demonstrated the link between volunteering and greater mental and physical health. In fact, a recent large-scale Vanderbilt University study found that people of all ages who volunteered experienced increased physical health and decreased levels of depression. Check out volunteermatch.org for opportunities near your home.
Get away from your gadgets
A staycation can quickly go south if you let yourself get caught up with daily tasks like checking your email and returning phone calls. If you really want to get away, you should act like youre out of town. “For at least a few days put the auto responder on your email and leave a message on your phone saying that youre on vacation,” says Robbins.
Make a family pact to turn off BlackBerrys, iPods, and computers. “This is a great one for mental health because it disconnects you from the responsibilities, stressors, and routine of everyday life,” says Thornton. If a complete turnoff is impossible, then set very specific limits—like once a day for 15 minutes. Technological turnoff is not only good for families, but it may also calm the gadget-addicted. Edward Hallowell, MD, author of CrazyBusy: Overbooked, Overstretched, and About to Snap, says that personalities who feel the need to answer every email can work themselves into a state of toxic stress. So use your staycation to unwind and disconnect.
Make food fun
Use your time off to experiment in the kitchen as a family. Chris Heuston, a Colorado-based nutritionist and mother of three, likes to walk or ride her brood to the farmers' market and let everyone pick some toppings for a personal pizza. If you want to score some great deals—or even some free produce—head to the market toward the end of the day, just as the merchants start to pack up their trucks. Many merchants dont want to lug unsold produce back home, so theyll sell it to you for a super-low price (or even for free).
Try whipping up your own pizza dough, dividing it into individual pies, and letting your kids make their own. Heustons favorite toppings include olives, red peppers, and basil, or goat cheese, potatoes, and asparagus. And when it comes to the kitchen, healthy doesnt have to mean boring. Heuston suggests Iron Chef lunches. Simply lay out multiple ingredients and let everyone create his or her own meal. Heuston is also a fan of grilling. Its easy and theres less clean up. “Try things that you wouldnt necessarily grill, like romaine for a Caesar salad or tomatoes for a salsa,” she says. “My kids love to make homemade ice cream in the summer and well grill peaches to mix in.”
Keep the mood light and relaxed
Things tacky, wacky, or out of the ordinary can be memorable. If youre lucky enough to have a local drive-in movie theater, go in your pajamas. Visit an oddball local attraction—like the worlds largest popcorn ball in Sac City, Iowa—or have a family mini-golf tournament. Sure, you may wish you were headed to the beach or the Grand Canyon, but set a positive example for your kids by keeping the mood light. The effects could be long-lasting—research shows that kids who feel good about themselves are less likely to be materialistic.
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