Before you dismiss this as just another article about the master cleanse, please read on!

Studies have proven that liquid cleanses, like the juice cleanse, the infamous master cleanse, and even the water with lemon cleanse, are more harmful to the body than beneficial. Probably because girls tend to do them for weeks, even months at a time, to lose weight.

We forget that the purpose of a cleanse is to help rid the body of toxins from processed foods and from our environment, not to become anorexic for a week.

Every day our body is exposed to chemicals from car exhaust, pollution, and the very lotion we apply to our skin. We breathe in harmful particles floating in the air. We eat fruit that has been soaked in pesticides and meat that has been injected with antibiotics.

Our incredible bodies constantly filter out all of these toxins on an a daily basis — it is a self-healing, self-renewing and self-cleansing organism. However, all of this can be too much and we find ourselves feeling sluggish and unhealthy. This indicates that your body needs some help. A holistic detox is the best method.

Here’s how: Read More »

Maintaining a healthy diet and working out obviously has beneficial effects for our body and well-being. But need another reason to trade in the fries for some fruits and vegetables? Need extra motivation to get yourself to the gym?

Well, here you go:  These things may also have an effect on our sex life.

And not in a “eating carrots means a hotter bod” sorta way. There are tons of  healthy foods out there that actually pump up that libido of yours.  And although most of us probably are at that age where we don’t exactly need an extra boost, we might as well take one anyways! Can’t have too much of a good thing, right? Read More »

If you are considering taking diet pills, more specifically, Hydroxycut, it’s time to get rid of those thoughts once and for all. The FDA recently linked their products to severe liver damage and death (yes, death!), so the makers pulled 14 of its products from shelves.

Here are the gross details, from this article: The FDA said it has received 23 reports of serious liver injuries, including liver damage that resulted in a transplant in 2002, liver failure, jaundice, seizures and cardiovascular problems. The reports include the 2007 death of a 19-year-old man living in the Southwest, which was reported to the FDA in March.

Death, people! And for what? The hopes that a supplement, which is not regulated at all, and could, for all we know, have dog poop in it, may help you lose a tiny bit more weight? To fit into a smaller size? To see results like the commercials (which really just use two different people!)?

I’m pretty sure the cons outweigh the benefits in this situation… Read More »

We all know that eating right, exercising, drinking lots of water (not excessive amounts of alcohol), and not smoking increase your health and your chances of living longer overall.  But let’s be honest–how many of us actually do all those things, all of the time?  More often than not, I choose the cheeseburger over the salad at the cafeteria and most of my exercise comes from climbing the stairs between classes and walking around the mall.

But now, more and more evidence shows that while taking care of your body is important, there’s something else that contributes to a longer life: strong friendships.  A series of studies published in an article by the New York Times reveal the healthy impacts friendships have.  For example, in a ten-year-long study in Australia, researchers found that older people who had lots of friends were less likely to die during the course of the study than those with fewer friends.  Also, a Harvard study showed that strong social ties contributed to increased brain activity in older age.  Furthermore, it’s been found that people with strong friendships get fewer colds. Read More »

The sun is shining, the breeze is warm and Spring is in full swing. Who wants to waste such a beautiful day slaving away on a treadmill indoors? Research shows that sharing your sweat session with Mother Nature decreases your stress levels and ups your calorie burn due to the varied terrain and fluctuating temperatures. It’s time to lace up your Nikes and head to the nearest park.

-Your cardio doesn’t have to be boring when you’re hoofing it under the sun. After a quick warm-up, try jogging backwards. Experts say it burns a fifth more calories and improves your balance by engaging your core. Afraid of looking silly? Don’t be.  All anyone will think would be, “Hey! She knows something I don’t!”

-Now, let’s build our endurance. Find some stairs and sprint from the bottom to the top without stopping or skipping steps. Walk back down and finish up with 4 more sets. Just like having a Stairmaster outdoors, this exercise will increase your heart and lung capacity while building killer legs for those adorable minis.

-How about you pull your forgotten roller blades out of the back of your closet and lace them up? While also a great cardio workout, rollerblading tones your inner and outer thighs along with your beautiful booty. To torch about 450 calories in 30 minutes, alternate one minute of tucked, speed skating with one minute of upright, relaxed skating. Be sure to wear your knee and elbow pads! I hear scrapes and bruises are out this season. Read More »

Dr. Mark Hyman is the best doctor you’ve never met. He is a best selling author and is smart yet realistic with his approach to health, wellness and weight. CollegeCandy got the chance to talk to him about all things health that you should know.

After reading his book UltraMetabolism, Dr. Hyman had me convinced to follow his 3 week detox. It seemed impossible, but I figured if Britney could make a successful comeback when all odds were stacked against her, then surely I could follow this seemingly impossible feat for 3 weeks, no sweat. No dairy, no gluten, nothing artificial, nothing processed, no simple sugars, no peanuts, no eggs. No CAFFEINE. What?!

It’s been a challenge and while I’ve had a few slip ups here and there, this chick right here who was going to Starbucks twice a day is now sipping… decaf. I’m not bloated, my skin does not look like I belong in 7th grade and I wake up in the morning with energy. Such a weird concept, I know. I urge you to read this interview then pick up UltraMetabolism and his newest book, The UltraMind Solution and give it a try.

And even if you don’t, at least promise me you will give up the Splenda and 100 calorie packs. Read More »

Health guidelines and facts are constantly changing as we learn more about the human body and what we need to stay strong. To maintain optimal health, you need to keep up to date with the newest in fitness, nutrition and medical research.

Check out the latest headlines about that unique body of yours:

- So you think you’ll impress your crush by taking on a beer bong like a champ? A new study published in the March issue of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors asked women how much they thought they needed to drink at a social event to interest a man. The women’s estimates were more than twice what the guys said they would prefer. At your next party, drink less and truly impress! Read More »

The letter D is the fourth letter of the alphabet. It’s also one of the most important things you want for your body so your bones don’t deteriorate and so you don’t look like one of those Twilight vampires.

What do I mean, you ask? Well, I’m talking about vitamins. Specifically, Vitamin D.

Did you know that this D-elightful vitamin increases calcium absorption and thereby helps encourage healthy bone growth? It has shown promise in helping to prevent certain cancers, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, and osteoarthritis.

The Institute of Medicine currently recommends an Adequate Intake (AI) of Vitamin D of 200 International Units (IU) for adults under age 50 (that means you!). As new studies continue to showcase vitamin D’s potential benefits, more scientists are calling for increased recommendations, some suggesting as much as 1,000 IU!

That number seems high at first, but considering that a fair-skinned person can manufacture 15,000 IU or more of vitamin D in as little as 30 minutes of sun exposure, it’s not that hard to get. In case you don’t like the outdoors, though (or it’s just too cold during winter), here are some easy ways to make sure you get enough D in your life: Read More »

We’ve spent the last week discussing eating disorders, what triggers them and how they can negatively affect your life.  But we don’t want anyone to think that all weight loss attempts result in disordered eating or full-blow eating disorders.

If you want to lose a few pounds (or a lot of pounds) there are very healthy ways of doing so. Ways that don’t require you to binge on exercising or skip meals. We asked our friend Erin, a health and diet connoisseur for the college female at Student Body, for her advice on dieting the healthy way.

Her advice is below: Read More »

So it’s been a week since I decided to start Dr. Ian Smith’s 4 Day Diet. I’ve completed two modules, resisted a whole lot of temptation, and successfully started the plan.

I told myself during these first two phases that I would follow the plan as strictly as I possibly could. Afterall, the beginning is the kick-start, sets the tone, and would get me into the right mindset.

The first four days (detox) consisted mostly of fruits, green veggies, brown rice, beans, legumes, and a little bit of yogurt and eggs. I never realized how great of an option (and how filling) beans were. I made a fabulous bean salad drizzled with some balsamic vinegar and lemon juice that was scrumptious and kept me full all afternoon.

The second set of four days (transition) was similar food-wise to the Detox days, but started to add back some more food. Colored veggies, proteins, even two snacks a day from a huge list in the back of the book (ranging from cottage cheese to a sweet potato to 1/2 cup fro yo etc).

I noticed the first day of detox was the hardest day all week. My body wasn’t used to no sugar (aside from the sugar in fruit) so I felt a bit sluggish, which I anticipated.

But after day one, I was bursting with energy. Read More »