Plastic Surgery Pittsburgh: Marso 2015

Martes, Marso 31, 2015

7 Things No One Ever Tells You About Running a Half-Marathon

Pro advice? Handy. Real talk? Priceless.

Signing up for the 2015 NYC Half this past winter after a lifetime of extremely amateur running made me feel like Cinderella with a dozen fairy godmothers. All of a sudden, every runner I knew (and even runners I didn't know) had magical advice for me. "Train outside all the time, even when it's snowing!" "Buy a bunch of Body Glide and rub it on everything!" "Get really angry and use that as fuel!" (Those pieces of advice came from three different people, but the idea of using it all at once is weirdly appealing.)

Lovely as it was to feel supported by my experienced friends, the biggest lessons awaited me in training and on race day in Central Park. What did I learn that they couldn't teach me?

1. Your Foot Modeling Career Is Probably Over
Once I started serious, five-days-a-week training runs, I developed a massive blister on my left instep (that eventually turned into a very useful callus). Two weeks later, my right foot had one to match, and by race day, my right pinkie toenail had split all the way down the middle. Turns out, there are some parts of the body that won’t like training no matter how cleverly you go about it. Fortunately, the rest of my body was more than fine with it. So long, fancy pedicures; hey there, best legs of my life.

2. The Treadmill Is Fine, But It's Not the Road
How about that miserable winter we just had, eh? Risking sickness and injury by training outside would have been bananas, right? I came up with lots of reasons why I had to run on the treadmill instead of the sidewalk, and some of them were awfully good. That said, even the steepest mechanical incline couldn't teach me to power through gusts of icy wind and weave around other runners—and it certainly didn’t prepare me for X factors like getting stuck to the road when some fool poured Gatorade on my shoes.

3. You Should Practice Your Race-Day A.M. Getaway
Learning to pull away from runners who could be slowing you down is one thing; learning to pull away from your own pokey morning routine is something else. I thought I’d planned my race day like the first day of kindergarten: My clothes were stacked on the dresser, my breakfast was pre-planned, my shower was quick and businesslike. Somehow I still fell so far behind schedule that I very nearly missed starting the race with my assigned group. Weird things happen before the sun comes up. Budget your time accordingly.

4. You Don't Need a Playlist
Blah blah beats per minute blah blah inspirational music blah. As my wave of runners prepared for our start, the loudspeakers encouraged us to "CUE UP THOSE PLAYLISTS!"—and almost no one reached for their ear buds. Why run a public race if you're going to disappear into your own head for it?

5. You Do Need Pockets
Even though I was the soul of minimalism at the starting line, I still found myself with a subway pass that needed to go...somewhere. I tucked it into the waistband of my shorts and hoped for the best—which was not what I got. Five miles later, as I ran through Times Square, the pass had migrated where the sun don’t shine. Singular as that experience was, I think I’ll make sure I have a zippered pocket next time.

6. Running Is a Team Sport
At mile 12 of the race, the course dove underground and we entered the blackness of the Battery Tunnel. No cheering friends, no curious bystanders, just a pack of runners and excellent acoustics. I grinned as the encouragements of the runners themselves bounced off the concrete walls, and I added a few ululations of my own. Then the woman next to me turned and chanted, oh so quietly, “I believe that we will win.” That Tim Howard tweet—Team USA’s rallying cry in the World Cup—happens to be my weak spot. My eyes welled up, and I chanted to myself. I believe that we will win. Out of the tunnel, up through the finish line: I believe that we will win.

7. A Post-Run Drink Is Good; A Post-Run Disco Nap Is AMAZING
My husband and I (and a few hundred fellow runners and spectators) raised a post-race glass at Fraunces Tavern, which happens to be the end of the pub crawl George Washington led after the British finally left New York at the end of the Revolutionary War. Calling it inspirational is an understatement. Calling me a zombie at that point is an even greater understatement, which is why I took a cab home, took a bubble bath, and experienced what was far and away the best nap of my life. I then had the energy to really celebrate my first half-marathon—and yeah, I put my medal back on. I suggest you do likewise.

All gifs courtesy of giphy.com

9 Perfect Comebacks for When Someone Judges Your Relationship

Hey, they started it.

No one really knows what goes on in other people’s relationships. But few people will let a minor detail like that stop them from giving you their unsolicited opinions, because “they just want you to be happy.”

Having your relationship judged is uncomfortable and off-putting, and frankly, it can leave you at a loss for words…until now. So keep a few of these comebacks in your back pocket. The next time someone tries to tell you how to live your love life, you’ll be able to shut them down faster than they can wipe that smug look off of their faces.

1. "Well, no one’s perfect. But your boyfriend knows that."

2. "Every couple has the same problems, I guess: stress, communication, and judgmental friends."

3. "Maybe we can talk more about that over a big salad sometime. Please tell me you’re finally eating healthier."

4. "I don’t say anything about your man—even though he’s a cat."

5. "So, just to clarify, you think I’m an amazing and smart person who can’t be trusted to make her own decisions? Okay..."

6. "I am loving this new lipstick I got. Unless you think I should feel differently about it?"

7. "Sounds like you really know what makes the perfect guy. Maybe you should get out there and find him."

8. "He accepts me for who I am. I can’t say that for everyone in my life."

9. "I’d love to get more tips on how to be happy from you. Are you still spending all of your weekends binge-watching CSI?"

8 Bizarre, Annoying, and Potentially Embarrassing Things That Can Happen to Your Body After Giving Birth

Future moms, don't say we didn't warn you!

In a world where celebrity moms go on and on about the diet and exercise secrets that helped them regain their perfect pre-pregnancy shape, we're glad we can always count on Drew Barrymore to shoot from the hip. That's what she did in a recent interview, when she opened up about one unexpected change she experienced after giving birth to two daughters in three years. "After making two babies, holy cow, does your body do some crazy stuff!" she said. "You feel like a kangaroo with a giant pouch; everything's saggy and weird."

No matter how toned your stomach was pre-baby, this body change can happen to any new mom. And it has less to do with excess fat than stretched-out belly skin that usually needs months to snap back into shape again, says Alyssa Dweck, M.D., an ob-gyn in Westchester, New York and coauthor of V Is for Vagina. Be warned, however: Sometimes it never does, and a little belly pooch stays with you forever.

There's plenty of other weird stuff that can happen to you after giving birth, too. Here's what else you need to know about your body post-baby:

1. Your Vagina Can Become Too Big for a Tampon
Imagine getting your period, popping in a tampon...and then feeling it slide out into your underwear. Terrifying, but it's not uncommon during the first few months your flow returns after delivering a baby. "It's just a consequence of the vagina still being stretched out from childbirth," says Dweck. Luckily, this almost always goes back to normal, says Dweck, and isn't anything you should be alarmed about.

2. You May No Longer Have Control Over Your Farts
Delivering a baby does a number on your pelvic floor muscles, making them slacker than they used to be. The result: You'll have no warning when you're about to pass gas, so you have no choice but to let 'em rip. "It's very common and embarrassing, but eventually these muscles will firm up again," says Dweck.

3. You Will Probably Pee in Your Pants
Pelvic floor muscles stressed out and gone slack after childbirth strike again, leaving some women peeing a little whenever they sneeze, cough, lift weights, or do some other activity that forces them to bear down, says Dweck. With time, and kegel exercises, these surprise dribbles will usually cease.

4. Your Feet Often Get Bigger
"During pregnancy, a woman's feet tend to swell and become wider, but sometimes they never return to their pre-pregnancy size, and it's not exactly known why," says Dweck. The difference can be as much as one entire size. Note to anyone considering a baby: Start a new shoe fund asap.

5. Your Can Hair Fall Out in Clumps
Thanks to fluctuating hormone levels, many new moms find themselves dealing with hair loss so drastic, they think they're going bald, says Dweck. "It happens at about the seventh month after delivery, and it can be very distressing," she says. "Generally it's just temporary, though; the hair loss should stop, and you'll have the same texture and amount you always had."

6. Your Private Parts Can Change Color
"It's not uncommon to sport darker skin on your nipples, labia, and even your perineum, the skin between your vagina and anus," says Dweck. Again, it's a consequence of screwy hormone levels. "It goes away in some women, but others find that the pigment doesn't fade," she explains.

7. Your Breasts Might Squirt Milk Telepathically
Now this is freaky: Even if it’s been months since you gave birth and you're winding way down on breastfeeding, the mere thought of your baby or the sound of another infant crying nearby can cause your boobs to telepathically squirt milk all over your bra and blouse, says Dweck. Consider it a good reason to pack an extra shirt in your purse—unless you want to spend the rest of the day with a wet spot over your nipple!

All gifs courtesy of giphy.com

Lunes, Marso 30, 2015

What He Wants You to Do (and Say) When He Can’t Get It Up

The dos and don’ts of dealing with his boner (or rather lack thereof)

The candles are lit. The Jason Derulo playlist is cued up. After X number of dates where you’ve flirted back and forth, you and this dude are ready to take the next step. So, it kind of sucks when his penis responds to its invitation to the party with a “Nah, y’all have fun. I’m gonna chill here.”

Dysfunction of the junk-tion is embarrassing for any guy, but it can be just as tough for you to handle, too. Here are a few tips on how best to navigate the situation.

Don’t: Ask if This Has Happened Before
On your end, there’s really no reason to ask this question. Either it has happened before and then you’re left thinking about him with other ladies or this is the first time and you think, “Oh my god, I broke him!” (You haven’t. He probably just had too much whiskey).

And to him, that question isn’t going to resolve the situation. If the problem is that he’s too in his head, forcing him to catalog his sexual history will only make it worse. People get off on some unique things, but existential rabbit holes about manliness are not one of them.

Don’t: Make It About You
Erectile dysfunction has nothing to do with you as a person or a partner. No man has ever thought, “Hm, I wanna have sex with that girl. I just hope I want to have sex with her enough that my penis gets hard.” That disparity simply does not exist. If you guys have made it all the way to the bedroom while “Talk Dirty” is playing, he’s down—even if his penis is too.

Do: Make It Clear How You Want to Help
Instead of asking what’s wrong or why it’s wrong, talk about what you or him might be able to do in order to fix the situation. “Would it help if I [insert sexy thing that you are comfortable doing]?” is just about the best thing a girl can say in the situation.

Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, a more open-ended, “What can I do to help?” would suffice. (Just know that he’s probably going to ask for a blow job.)

Do: Keep A Level Head About Condom Talk
If you’re using condoms and the guy is having trouble, it’s not unlikely for him to blame it on the contraceptive. Check if maybe there’s another style of condom he’d prefer, but don’t immediately chastise him for trying to get out of wearing one. He’s probably just complaining and fully understands the importance of condoms as much as you do.

That being said, don’t let him use this as an excuse to get out of wearing one. Whining about condoms is annoying—but not as annoying as a two-year-old.

Why You Really Need to Rethink How You Talk About Yourself

Dove's new video will make you do a double-take on your thoughts.

The post Why You Really Need to Rethink How You Talk About Yourself appeared first on SELF.

How Kevin Hart's Small Stature Gives Him an Edge with the Ladies

As in, they try to put him in their purses.

Comedian Kevin Hart may be a strapping 5'4", but what he lacks in size, he makes up for in humor—and he's not afraid to direct his jokes at himself. Proof? The 36-year-old star of Get Hard had this to say when we asked how he can tell if a woman is flirting with him.

"Because of my size, women are very affectionate with me," he told us. "They are huggers and try to put me in their purses. I take that as flirting."

The actor also told us his favorite pickup line: "If I were taller, would I have a chance?"

We can't help but think his confidence is way more impressive than a few extra inches would be—and we're pretty sure his gorgeous fiancée, Eniko Parrish, would agree. Besides, there's no shortage of reasons that dating a short guy can be awesome.

For more interesting tidbits from Kevin Hart, including what he thinks is better than sex, buy the April 2015 issue of Women's Health, on newsstands now.

Biyernes, Marso 27, 2015

12 Things Married Women Do But Will Never Admit To

At least now you know you're not the only one who checks his e-mail when he's not around.

I have a confession to make: When my husband Chris is out of town, I tend to act a little...differently.

I'll wait hours to shower after going for a run, lounge around the house in my grody workout gear, and eat ice cream straight from the tub. I also always go to bed in my comfiest and most unsexy pajamas (a onesie with a butt flap, thank you very much).

I spend so much time bringing my A-game when he's around that it feels a-freaking-mazing to do the complete opposite when I'm left to my own devices.

Of course, one time he came home early and caught me in the act. I was standing in the kitchen, eating ice cream with a fork, while working my holey, '80s-cut running underwear, a sports bra, and greasy hair. It was heaven...until he walked in.

While I was mortified, it still hasn't stopped me from doing the same thing every time he's out of town. And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who has little habits that I keep from my other half. Just to be positive (because I really, really don’t want to give up my onesie), I took a survey of my married girlfriends. Here's what I discovered (the names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent):

"My husband never logs out of his e-mail when he's done and sometimes even leaves it up on our computer. So of course I'm going to look at it. I've never found anything even remotely off, but that doesn't stop me from looking around his inbox and sent folder every once in a while." —Sarah

"Sometimes, I'll check out my husband on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and spend time looking at what he posted. It's kind of weird, but I guess I'm just curious to see what he's talking about and who he's talking with when he's not with me." —Katie

"I've never farted in front of my husband—at least that I'll admit—but sometimes I have a gas problem, especially when I order this one dish I love from a Mexican takeout place near my house that's loaded with onions. I only order it when my husband isn't going to be around for 24 hours so I can fart in peace." —Laney

"Every once in a while, I'll look at my husband's texts. I'm paranoid he has one of those apps that tell you when someone's been on your phone—but apparently not paranoid enough." —Amy

"My husband is big on recapping his workday in detail when he gets home. It's so boring, so I usually tune him out. I discovered that I can say the right things at the right time by reading his facial expressions. If he looks upset, I'll just say something like, 'I'm sorry,' when he stops talking. He thinks I was listening the whole time." —Erin

Here are a few other things many married women do but would never own up to:

Throw out your husband’s ratty Homer Simpson boxers when he’s not around and then pretend to help look for them when he starts panicking about not being able to find them.

Watch the next episode of The Walking Dead without your man, but pretend to be shocked at the twists and turns when you watch again with him.

“Forget” to unload the dishwasher, take out the trash, or make the bed, so he has to do it.

Polish off the leftovers from the night before and then play dumb about their whereabouts.

Talk for ages about how “stressed” and “overwhelmed” you are, so he volunteers to take on your regular chores.

Speed through sex because you really, really want to be done in time for the new episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

So, okay, keeping some habits on the DL in your marriage is apparently normal, although I bet women aren't the only ones who do this. Just to be sure, I asked a married guy friend.

His response: "Sometimes I unplug the Wi-Fi router if I lose an argument."

I rest my case.

Korin Miller is a writer, SEO nerd, wife, and mom to a little two-year-old dude named Miles. Korin has worked for The Washington Post, New York Daily News, and Cosmopolitan, where she learned more than anyone ever should about sex. She has an unhealthy addiction to gifs.

7 Telltale Signs That a Bachelor Relationship Is Ending

Are Chris Soules and Whitney Bischoff headed for Splitsville?

Let's face it: The odds are stacked pretty high against each Bachelor and Bachelorette duo. In the history of the 13-year-old franchise, only four couples have actually made it down the aisle. Which means it's pretty easy to tell when things are on the rocks. With rumors swirling that the most recent love match made on ABC, Chris Soules and Whitney Bischoff, might be dunzo, we rounded up seven signs that foreshadow a Bachelor breakup on the horizon.

1. There's No Proposal
In Bachelor nation, this is red flag number one. The most recent culprit: Juan Pablo. Forget the ring—he couldn't even tell the last woman standing, Nikki Ferrell, that he loved her (red flag number two).

2. They're Not Moving To Be Closer Together
This is usually revealed at the After the Final Rose special. Bachelor couples will often say they're just going to do the long-distance thing—"take it slow" and "be normal"—for a while. In the real world, you'd probably want to move closer to your fiancé or significant other, right?

3. The Ex-Bachelor Takes the Dancing With the Stars Bait
To be fair, most recent Bachelor Chris Soules is only the third Bachelor to have appeared on the reality show. But when Jake Pavelka accepted his spot, it intensified rumors that he was in it for the fame and fortune—not the right reasons. Soon after, he split with Vienna Girardi.

A photo posted by Chris Soules (@souleschris) on Mar 15, 2015 at 6:52pm PDT

4. They're a Little Too Lovey Dovey
Before Bachelorette Andi Dorfman and Josh Murray called it quits, their Instagram accounts were PDA overload. She was his #WCW and he was her #MCM—every single week. After they broke up, it became clear it was all for show (and they've since deleted their Instagram posts).

A photo posted by Andi Dorfman (@andi_dorfman) on Feb 17, 2015 at 11:43am PST

5. They've Become BFFs with the Paparazzi
When Bachelorette Emily Maynard and Jef Holm were rumored to be splitting up, they were photographed everywhere together. The most suspicious photo shoot? Kissing at the grocery store. Bachelor fans stopped buying into it when they finally announced their split three months later.

6. They're Seen Out with Other "Friends"
US Weekly caught Bachelor Ben Flajnik's canoodling with three other women–all in one weekend, and just before the final episode aired. During the live After the Final Rose special, Flajnik claimed all three women were just friends. Courtney Robertson stood by his side until about sixth months later when she ceremoniously returned her four-carat Neil Lane diamond.

7. The Wedding Date Is Still a Mystery
After getting engaged on the show in May 2009, Bachelorette Jillian Harris and Ed Swiderski seemed like they were ready to make it work. She moved into his one-bedroom condo in Chicago and the pair openly discussed a 2010 wedding—but never set a date. So when they parted ways in August 2010, it wasn’t a huge surprise.

Huwebes, Marso 26, 2015

Why Y'all REALLY Need to Wash Your Sheets More Often

You're gonna wanna have some Tide handy.

After a long, hard day, there’s nothing like curling up in 600-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. But, if you’re like many other people out there, you’re also curling up in dead skin, bacteria, fungus, mites, and fecal matter. Yes, poop.

We polled 1,187 readers on how often they wash their sheets and change out their pillows, and while 44 percent of women said they wash them once a week, 31 percent said they wash theirs twice a month and 16 percent said they do so just once a month. Meanwhile, 32 percent of women said they almost never switch out their pillows.

At minimum, you should wash your sheets once a week, says Philip Tierno, Jr., Ph.D., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University's Langone Medical Center.

That’s because the second you crawl into your sheets, you’re infecting them with your constantly-shedding skin (you lose millions of skin cells per day!), lotions, makeup, sweat, hair, and anything you’ve picked up during your day, like pollen, pet dander, fungal mold, and dirt particles, says Tierno. All come with a not-so-healthy dose of bacteria—for instance, sweat can carry fecal matter and E. coli from your poop shoot to your sheets—which grows the longer you postpone laundry day.

What’s more, the sweat and skin attracts dust mites, and gives them food to munch on and multiply, he says. The thought of cozying up with a bunch of mites is enough to give most women the heebie-jeebies, but the bugs themselves don’t actually hurt you. What can is their poop: It can exacerbate allergies and asthma. And, even if you don’t have allergies, it can cause you to wake up in the morning with red eyes and a stuffy nose, he says.

“A lot of people don’t realize that they spend one-third of their life exposed to these allergens,” says Tierno. That’s a lot of time to be lying in a bed of mites and poop.

But, even if you wash your sheets once a week, you could still be sleeping on top of a bed of nastiness: Over time, gravity takes over and these particles and bacteria seep their way into your mattress and pillows, he says.

Sure, you could just toss your mattress into the dumpster and buy new pillows, but the easiest way to prevent bacteria from accumulating (and to keep anything that’s already in there from getting to you) is to buy mattress and pillow covers, says Tierno. Look for ones that say they are “impermeable” and that encase the entire mattress, rather than just covering the top of it. Wash them every few months (aim for the change of each season) to get rid of any buildup.

Miyerkules, Marso 25, 2015

Skin-Care Tips From Gorgeous People Who Sweat For a Living

The post Skin-Care Tips From Gorgeous People Who Sweat For a Living appeared first on SELF.

Watch 3 Ordinary Adults (Plus 3 Kids and 2 Animals) Accomplish Extraordinary Physical Feats

Prepare to get served.

Who doesn't love a story about average people doing crazy-awesome things? Those amazing tales make you feel inspired to go out and achieve your goals—even if it's just making it to the gym today.

And since we could all use a little early-week pick-me-up, we've got six average Janes, plus a dog named Jiff and a cat named Alley, who crushed their incredible fitness accomplishments. Check 'em out, and prepare to be ahhhhmazed.

1. The Toddler Dance Prodigy
At the ripe old age of two, Zaya is already a choreographing machine. In her music video debut, the dance extraordinaire showed off her skills in a performance—complete with backup dancers following her every step—set to Sia's "Chandelier." See her move:

2. The 77-Year-Old Who Deadlifts More Than You
Last year, Willie Murphy, a grandmother who happens to participate in powerlifting competitions, told USA Today that she began her fitness journey by lifting five-pound weights and working her way up. Murphy says she now deadlifts 215 pounds. So yeah, she's a big deal—and she knows it.

3. The 89-Year-Old Gymnast Who Performed a Killer Routine
It's not every day that you see a woman who could be your grandma in a leotard, but Johanna Quaas of Germany—who holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest active gymnast in the world—makes it look totally normal. In last year's German-American Steuben Parade in New York City, Johanna wore a green leotard while nailing an impressive parallel bar routine that you have to see for yourself.

Post by International Gymnastics Camp.

4. The Dog Who Can Run Fast on Two Legs
Another average dog with unbelievable skills is Jiffy. He recently set the world record for being the fastest pooch on two legs, according to the Today show.

5. The Girl Who Did 44 Back Handsprings in a Row
In other acrobatic amazingness news, Mikayla Clark, a high school cheerleader from Atlanta, set the record for most consecutive back handsprings when she flipped over 40 times in a row. Dang.

See her in action:

6. The 91-Year-Old Woman Who Broke a Marathon Record
Anyone who runs a marathon has accomplished something huge, but when you do it in your '90s, like Harriette Thompson did last year, you're on a whole other level. And Harriette didn't just finish the race, she clocked in with a time of 7:7:42, a record for her age bracket. What was that you were saying about skipping the gym today?

7. The Cat Who Can Jump Way Farther Than You
Alley, a cat from Chicago, set the world record for "longest cat jump" by crushing a six-foot long jump, according to Life with Cats. Though she started out as just your average cat, she went on to become part of a cat performance troupe when her natural jumping abilities were discovered, says her owner Samantha Martin.

See Alley's impressive jump:

8. The Girl Who Planked for Over an Hour
Yep, you read that right. The then 16-year-old Gabi Ury held a plank for an hour and 20 minutes! What's even more shocking is that Gabi was actually born with a cluster of birth defects that affect her spine, muscles, and limbs—yet she held a plank for 80 minutes! Excuse us while we give this girl a standing ovation.

Martes, Marso 24, 2015

Angelina Jolie Reveals She's Had Her Ovaries Removed

The star opens up about her choice—and why it could save her life.

Angelina Jolie has been refreshingly open about her health journey over the last few years. Now, in an article she penned this morning for the New York Times, she reveals that she’s had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure against cancer.

Two years ago, Angelina had a double mastectomy after learning that she tested positive for the BRCA1 genetic mutation, which meant she had an 87 percent risk for breast cancer and a 50 percent risk for ovarian cancer.

In her article, Angelina stresses that she didn’t decide to have this surgery just because she carried the BRCA1 genetic mutation. She says her doctors agreed it was the best option for her because three women in her family have also died from cancer (including her mom, who died from ovarian cancer when she was 49 years old).

“I went through what I imagine thousands of other women have felt,” writes Angelina. “I told myself to stay calm, to be strong, and that I had no reason to think I wouldn’t live to see my children grow up and to meet my grandchildren.”

There’s plenty of science backing up Angelina and her doctors’ choice. Women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations who have their ovaries removed may reduce their risk of ovarian cancer by up to 80 percent and reduce their overall risk of death by up to 70 percent, according to a February 2014 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

While the surgery will greatly reduce the actress's risk of getting ovarian cancer (which about 15,000 women in the U.S. die from every year), it will also put the 39-year-old actress into early menopause. She’ll now experience symptoms like hot flashes, hormonal imbalances, and disturbances in sleep years before she would have had she not had her ovaries removed.

Depsite this, Angelina is sure of her decision. And we commend her for being so honest and to helping educate women about cancer risks in women and preventative measures. “…I feel at ease with whatever will come, not because I’m strong but because this is a part of life,” she writes. “It is nothing to be feared.”

Take Bright Pink's quiz to assess your risk for ovarian cancer.

Lunes, Marso 23, 2015

Men Now Have a Legit Excuse for Why They ALWAYS Forget Your Anniversary

You might want to let it slide after all...

We all know the husband who forgets his wedding anniversary is a bad cliché, but it may be true that guys just have a harder time remembering things. A new study published in JAMA Neurology found that memory generally starts declining for both sexes after age 30—and then plummets after age 40 for men.

RELATED: 7 Foods That Boost Your Memory

For the study, researchers looked at 1,246 men and women between the ages of 30 and 95. Study subjects were all cognitively healthy when selected and went through PET scans, MRI scans, and some memory testing protocols—all in the name of measuring the size of their brain's hippocampus, levels of peptides typically associated with Alzheimer's, and levels of learning and memory performance.

Over time, everyone's hippocampal volume progressively worsened, but it shrunk the most in men over the age of 60. And overall age-related memory decline was most dramatic in men, even before any kind of abnormal PET scan showed up.

Such differences between the sexes could be happening for a number of reasons, from simple developmental causes to hormone defenses (thanks, estrogen!) to lifestyle-related differences. Still, researchers have yet to dig deeper to discover the true reason behind the cognitive gap.

You might be tempted to scan your spouse's noggin to find out just what exactly is (and isn't) going on in there, but since you can't just submit him for research, try to realize that a memory lag may not be his fault. So don't get mad if (when?) he forgets the date you two tied the knot. Just leave him a little note to serve as a friendly reminder, and hope he remembers the gift.

Biyernes, Marso 20, 2015

13 Wedding Venues That Little Girls (and Grown-Ass Women) Dream About

If heaven were a wedding location...

Whether you're an engaged bride-to-be or just, you know, preparing a wee bit in advance, the only thing that rivals gazing at photos of gorgeous wedding dresses is ogling stunning venues. Gone are the days that #VenuePorn is limited to banquet halls, churches, and hotels—according to a recent survey by The Knot, unexpected places to wed, like historic buildings and farms, have grown in popularity as people seek to plan weddings that reflect their individuality. Get ready to want to steal these venues for your wedding immediately.

1. The Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles

A photo posted by My Wedding Merchant (@myweddingmerchant) on Mar 19, 2015 at 3:29am PDT

2. Maleny Manor in Australia

A photo posted by Maleny Manor (@malenyweddings) on Mar 18, 2015 at 10:00pm PDT

3. Legacy Farms in Lebanon, TN

A photo posted by Acephotography (@acephotonash) on Mar 17, 2015 at 7:49am PDT

4. Penderyn Estate in Queenstown, MD

A photo posted by Claire Duran Weddings & Events (@claireduranweddingsandevents) on Mar 19, 2015 at 5:37am PDT

5. Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England

A photo posted by Blenheim Palace (@blenheimpalace) on Mar 5, 2015 at 2:24am PST

6. Clock Barn in Hampshire, UK

A photo posted by Clock Barn (@clockbarn) on Mar 1, 2015 at 8:09am PST

7. The Mitten Building in Redlands, CA

A photo posted by Julienne Reta (@jreta) on Mar 9, 2015 at 10:23pm PDT

8. Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, UK

A photo posted by Lesley Meredith (@lesleymeredithphotography) on Mar 16, 2015 at 10:22pm PDT

9. Ashley Castle in Chandler, AZ

A photo posted by Studio 616 Photography (@studio616photo) on Mar 19, 2015 at 7:36am PDT

10. The Willows in Australia

A photo posted by Belinda Fitzpatrick (Ancora) (@thethreepiecesuit) on Feb 21, 2015 at 4:48pm PST

11. Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

A photo posted by augiechang (@augiechang) on Mar 15, 2015 at 10:39am PDT

12. Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Santa Susana, CA

A photo posted by LESLIE KAPLAN (@encore_eventdesign) on Mar 11, 2015 at 3:09pm PDT

13. The Williamsburgh Savings Bank in Brooklyn, NY

A photo posted by Monica (@furtadomf) on Nov 12, 2011 at 11:44am PST

Is It Normal to Have a Sex List?

One dude who's been keeping track of his past partners turns to an expert to find out.

I started my sex list when I was a sophomore in college. Until then, it had never occurred to me to keep a list written down somewhere. But when my soon-to-be girlfriend asked me how many sexual partners I’d had and I responded that I wasn’t exactly sure off the top of my head, she wasn't satisfied. More like mortified, actually. She immediately thought that my ignorance was a lie and that I was some sort of accomplished Lothario. (I wasn’t. Our stats were in the same ballpark.)

She demanded to know precisely how many women had come (or, more accurately, not come) before her, so I obliged. It was one of the more bizarre things I’ve done—making a list of former sexual partners to placate a current one—but we had a strange relationship. It didn’t work out. I don’t want to talk about it.

I kept the list going after we broke up, and right now it’s locked away in a folder in my Evernote documents titled “Taxes 2009.”

Why do I keep a sex list? For several reasons.

1. Nostalgia: Sometimes it’s nice to bust out the sex list and remember the good ole’ times. It feels nice to know that I won’t forget about any of the women who were kind enough to have sex with me.

2. Confidence boosts: Sometimes you can get a boost by looking back and being like, “Whoa! That girl actually slept with me! If I lose like 20 pounds, I can get right back into the dating game, probably!”

3. Analysis: It’s a way of helping me see how I’ve matured through the years and how I’ve learned what to do and not do both sexually and relationship-wise.

4. Safety: If I contract an STD, I might have to track down where I got it and let other partners know. (This is probably the best reason to keep a sex list, but for me it’s an afterthought. I’m not having sex with enough people within a short time span to not be able to name the past few, in order, on command.)

Like most everything I do regarding sex and relationships, I spend a decent amount of time wondering whether or not my practices are normal or common or damaging. (For example: my browser history is rife not only with porn, but also with articles and research about how much porn is too much porn.)

So I hit up Christie Hartman, Ph.D., a Denver-based dating expert and behavioral scientist who has also written five dating advice books.

My hope was, as it always is when I speak with behavioral scientists, that Hartman would tell me that what I do is completely normal. She didn’t.

But when it comes to motive, she did make me feel normal—at least within the vacuum of fellow sex-list-keepers.

“It’s not all that common, but people do do it, and it’s also not that big a deal,” says Hartman. “It’s a way of chronicling your life a little bit, though it can be different for guys than it is for girls.”

I was interested in the difference between the sexes, though they’re pretty predictable if you think about it objectively:

“If a guy keeps a list, he’s doing it possibly as a way to feel good about himself to some extent,” says Hartman. “What guy doesn’t want to be able to convince a woman to sleep with him? It makes him feel good, like, ‘Yeah, I achieved something positive with women.’”

But with women, it’s not such an achievement, she says. Why? I’ll put it in layman’s terms for you: It’s generally easier for a woman to get laid than a man because guys are #thirstier (at least outwardly) than girls.

Hartman says that women might be motivated to keep a sex list not only to chronicle their sex and relationship lives, but to ensure they haven’t gone over whatever partner limit they’ve imposed on themselves—or that society has imposed upon them.

Both sexes also keep sex lists as a means to look back on life adventures.

Hartman says she sees nothing particularly wrong with doing so. “You only live once, and you’re only young once, so why not chronicle what you’re experiencing to look back on later?” she says. “It helps you remember your positive experiences—and the negative ones, too.”

I suppose it sort of helps establish a sexual best practices guide for yourself, which I’m sure we’d all be into having.

To end our conversation, I asked Hartman a question that would either allay my anxiety about being some sexual experience-documenting deviant or confirm it: Is there any psychologically or socially negative reason for a person to keep a sexual partners list?

“For the most part, no,” she says, a statement I greeted with a small fist-pump like the ones Tiger Woods uses when he lands a crucial putt. (I wonder what that dude’s sex ledger looks like!)

“The only exception would be if somehow the list is creating some kind of negative feeling for you as a guy, making you feel inadequate because you don’t think your list is long enough or colorful enough.”

And if it does?

“Throw the damn list away," says Hartman. "If it generates anything negative, it’s probably not good.”

Scott Muska is a writer in New York City. You can follow him on Twitter @scottmuska or e-mail him at srm5082@gmail.com.

Martes, Marso 17, 2015

3 Things Every Girl With Curls Needs in Her Beauty Kit

Plus, your chance to win products

Oh, curls. If you've got 'em, you've probably tried smoothing things out to see how the other side of the shaft lives. But times, they are a-changing. Globally, more of us have naturally curly hair. And "there's a newfound interest in authenticity," says psychologist Vivian Diller, Ph.D. "Curls tell people 'I'm real. I can let go.'" (We think she means losing the death grip on your flatiron.)

Still, some of us need a nudge. Inspiration: Dove's new "Love Your Curls" campaign encourages women to relish their above-the-neck curves. And last year, actress Halle Berry reportedly took her ex to court for straightening their daughter's hair.

When it's not making waves, this hair type is turning heads. So whether you were born curly or just wanna join the club, check out the April 2015 issue of Women's Health (on sale today!) for all the tips you'll need to rock a gorgeous mane.

In the meantime, here's the three must-haves every curly girl needs to spiral into control:

1. Diffuser: "It blows evenly dispersed air, not gusts of wind, so curls won't frizz or form flyaways," says hairstylist Tippi Shorter. Choose one with fingers, like Conair Pro Universal Tourmaline Finger Diffuser attachment ($10, sallybeauty.com), which cradles your curls and maintains their shape as they dry.

2. Microfiber towel: It's much softer than terry cloth or cotton, so it won't create friction that can cause fuzz. And since it absorbs more water from strands, it helps products penetrate better. Try DevaCurl DevaTowel ($12, devacurl.com).

3. Wide-tooth comb: Because a brush spells breakage for curls. We like Ouidad Double Detangler Comb ($26, ulta.com).

Bonus: Not born with bends? Suave Professionals Sea Mineral Infusion Moisturizing Body Shampoo and Conditioner ($3 each, at drugstores) can make texture easier to achieve.

Ready to show off your curls? Enter our #CurlyHairContest!
Insta before-and-after pics of your coils, and you could win every product featured in our April 2015 curly hair story! Here's how:

1. Follow @WomensHealthMag on Instagram.
2. Post your best before-and-after photo of your curls, tagging @WomensHealthMag and #CurlyHairContest.
3. ENTER HERE for your chance to win by 4/21/2015.

Need some inspiration? Check out some WH Editors who've embraced their curls below!

If you love your curls (and why wouldn't you?), we want you to show them off in our #CurlyHairContest! Insta before-and-after pics of your coils like our online beauty and health editor @xtinaph here, and you could win every product featured in our April 2015 curly hair story! Here's how: 1. Make sure you're following @WomensHealthMag on Instagram. 2. Post your best before (you embraced your natural tresses)-and-after photo of your curls, tagging @WomensHealthMag and #CurlyHairContest. 3. Enter online for your chance to win by 4/21/2015 @ womenshealthmag.com/sweeps/curly-hair-contest Go, curly-haired beauties, go!

A photo posted by Women's Health Magazine (@womenshealthmag) on Mar 17, 2015 at 6:42am PDT

Jill Percia

Alison Goldman

Tracy Middleton

Lunes, Marso 16, 2015

Watch Ryan Gosling Prove Yet AGAIN That He Could Not Possibly Be More Perfect

Hey, girl, wanna get married?

Pretty much anything Ryan Gosling says or does makes you collapse into a pile of mush, but this time he's outdone himself.

Ryan directed a film called Lost River, and after the premiere at South by Southwest, Ryan and the cast took questions from the audience. That's when Heather MacKay, an instructor at the College of Heath Care Professionals in Austin, Texas, raised her hand and said, "I think your film was amazing, and I'm kind of going to take away from this for a second and ask my girlfriend of 11 years if she'll marry me."

She got down on one knee and began her proposal, and that's when Ryan—the most romantic guy of all time—asked her if she wanted the microphone. Cue the applause.

After Heather finished her sob-inducing speech—and her girlfriend said yes—Ryan said, "Well, let's get out on that note, shall we?" Well played, sir.

Watch the video to see the cry-worthy moment for yourself:

For more heart-warming reasons why Ryan is the best, check out nine amazing love lessons from him (and the characters he's played).