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Sodium is like that annoying, socially awkward kid who just can’t take a hint. No matter where you go, he’s there, usually sporting some short jorts, trying to get your attention.  He knows he’s not welcome, at least he should,  but he can’t take a hint. And then you’re bloated.

OK, so I might be mixing up my analogy here (I don’t think sodium wears cut-offs or weird kids make you retain water), but you get my point: sodium is annoying, it’s bad for you and it happens to be in everything. Which might be tasty, but is also a problem when we’re only supposed to consume around 2,300 mg of sodium a day (which is basically a teaspoon of salt). Besides the other harmful effects sodium has on the body (think high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc), the biggest offender – especially in bikini season – is bloating.

Blah. Bloating. Even the word sounds fat.

Summer bloat is every girl’s worst nightmare. No matter how hard we hit the gym to get fit for summer, that extra water retention always manages to come back and haunt us right before we hit the beach. So how can we prevent it? Easy, avoid sodium. And how do we avoid sodium? Well, you gotta know where to find it….

On average, only 5% of our daily sodium intake is from adding salt into our foods. The real culprits are processed and prepared foods. A whopping 77% of our daily sodium intake comes from these foods! In my personal war against all bloat-inducing-foods (BIFs?), I’ve come across a few unlikely salt culprits that you should consider before slipping on your bikinis this summer – and probs during the rest of the year too. Read More »

We all feed our stomachs daily, but are we really giving them what they want and deserve?

Sometimes it’s hard to fit healthy food into a busy schedule, making it even harder for us to keep our digestive tract happy and healthy.  Unfortunately, one of the most common side effects of an unhappy tum-tum is bloating (ew).  Luckily, with a few easy tweaks to our diet, we can get on our way towards a fitter and flatter stomach.

Tummy Tip #1: Drink tons of water.  Water is probably the closest thing to a silver bullet you’ll ever find.  Not only does it improve the look of your skin and stimulate mental clarity, it also aids in digestion.  This translates into a flatter, bloat-free stomach for you.  Make sure you’re getting enough agua by listening to some advice from the Institute of Medicine.  They recommend that the lovely ladies, like ourselves, drink about 9 cups of H20 a day.

Tummy Tip #2: Hold the salt. As a general rule of thumb, wherever salt goes water will follow.  This is good for maintaining a good balance of minerals in the blood, but can be bad when it comes to belly bloat.  You don’t have to cut out salt completely to diminish bloating, but try to avoid overly salty foods like chips, canned soups, frozen meals, and salted nuts. Read More »

This scenario is all too familiar: You, crunched over in a ball with an empty bag of potato chips and chocolate bar wrappers strewn about yelling out “Why God why!?” while wondering if you’re considered ‘Promises Rehab’ status if you take ten Advil.If there is anything that my period cramps have taught me it’s that I soo do not want to have children. They say cramps are supposed to prepare your body for childbearing. I even read that because of this fact, I should ‘man up and face the pain’.

Nothing says “Let’s get pregnant” like debilitating cramps that ruin my weekend and keep me in fetal position for hours at a time. Childbirth is going to be like cupcakes and dandelions. Can’t wait.

When it comes to cramps I would say I take the opposite route of “manning up”. Heating pads, drugs, exercise, (booze?), whatever is necessary to help me get rid of the pain, I welcome with open arms. Read More »

What if I told you that you never needed to worry about getting knocked up ever again?

And, what if I told you it involved no pills, shots, or weird, granola-hippie “herbal” treatments?

Well ladies, it’s certainly a possibilty…and while it sounds like a dream come true for those of us held prisoner by Tic-Tac-sized pills, I’m not entirely convinced that I can get down while free and clear of all worry. What is this magical device?

Meet the Lady Comp, the one thing on Earth you’ll have to trust more than God. That is, if you dont want mini-me’s running all over the place. It works by recording your temperature upon waking up in the morning, and from the readings, will detect whether or not you are ovulating. Green = go. Red = YOU’LL GET PREGNANT!! DON’T DO IT!!

It sounds incredible. No more bloating, loss of sex drive (which defeats the purpose of BC), acne, and the other millions of side effects birth control usually boasts. But isn’t this esentially the Rhythm Method?

I mean, there is science to back up the claims that you’re internal body temperature rises when you’re ovulating, but I can just hear the voice of the school nurse, my doctor…and yes, my mother telling me I’m crazy for even considering this all-natural, all-faith option. Read More »

Everybody hates PMS.

The crazy mood swings, the back pain, the excruciating cramps, and the lazy lazy lazy.

Everybody loves chocolate.

The bittersweet, the dark, the nutty, the shameless calories.

Jamieson Laboratories in Canada have just introduced PMS Support Chocolate Bars, fifteen different soy crisp treats infused with natural botanicals that help alleviate physical and emotional symptoms of the dreaded Aunt Flow.

The smart sweets are made up of sodium caseinate, artichoke leaf and chasteberry, white willow bark (said to be “herbal aspirin”) and a bunch of other ingredients we’ll never recognize. All these natural ingredients work together to relieve pains, bloating, and your baaaad attitude.

Hallelujah!

Seems like the perfect solution considering everyone craves chocolate on their period anyway. Lucky for us we can stop popping pills and throw out that damn warm compress, because these delectable delights cash in at only 70 calories a serving. Read More »