Healthspan Blog

So here is the scoop. One of my best friends is pregnant and me being a guy I don’t have much first-hand experience so I need to find out some information in order to be as supportive as possible. I searched the web and came across a virtual all-in-one pregnancy site. It really does have everything you need to know, starting from the stages of conception all the way to birth.

My friend says twins run in her family and I was even able to find specialzed information topics like twins complications, best to be prepared for anything. I will let you know how everything ‘comes out’ in around 7 more months!

Biggest Loser’s Biggest Changes

Here are some interesting new ways to kick that dirty habit:

Short bursts of activity: A new review in the journal Addiction says a quick dose of exercise — as little as 30 minutes of brisk walking or stretching, for instance –quells cravings.

Internet groups: Groups like Quitnet can offer round-the-clock encouragement from fellow quitters and counselors. This kind of support can double your success, studies say.

Innovative medication: Chantix, the newest stop-smoking drug, short-circuits nicotine’s ability to activate the pleasure centers in the brain, so lighting up is less enjoyable. According to the National Cancer Institute, more stop-smoking drugs (and possibly even a vaccine that makes nicotine unappealing) could hit the market within five years.

A new way to use the patch: A study in Nicotine and Tobacco Research suggests that smokers who start the patch two weeks before they quit may double their success rate. (Talk to your doctor, because this trick risks exposing your body to a dangerous amount of nicotine if you smoke a lot while wearing the patch.)

Smoking ‘will’ kill ya, so give these methods a try.