Saturday 16 May 2015

The Right Way to Wear Boots in Warm Weather


Boots can definitely be worn year-round, says Men’s Health Associate Fashion Editor Dan Michel. The trick is picking a pair that remains comfortable when the warmer temperatures roll around.

“Where your insulated winter boots will look strange, a simple leather pair will come off as cool and rugged,” says Michel.

Good examples would be a waterproof pair, like Timberland’s rugged Chestnut Ridge 6-Inch Waterproof Boots, to keep your feet dry during summer storms or Chippewa’s clean, uncomplicated Crazy Horse General Utility Service Boots, which will work with most outfits. Lighter colored leather automatically looks more seasonally appropriate than dark browns and black.

Friday 15 May 2015

Hats Don't Protect You from the Sun as Well as You May Think

It’s that time of the year again—hats have officially transitioned from a fashion statement to a weapon in the war against UV rays. But do they really offer much in the way of protection from the sun’s damaging effects?

A little bit—but definitely not enough for you to forgo using SPF on your face and any exposed areas of your body. "Wearing a hat provides instant shade, which increases your cumulative total sun protection factor by at least 10,” says Ava Shamban, M.D., a dermatologist in Beverly Hills. "Regardless of whether [or not] you wear a hat, you need to apply a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 because ultraviolet light is reflected off of surfaces." Remember to stick to this rule: Apply about a shot glass worth of SPF to your entire body, and reapply every two hours.

It Only Takes 5 Days of Indulging in Fatty Foods to Mess with Your Muscle Function

No matter how much you try to eat healthy, things happen—you indulge in daily bacon cheeseburgers with a side of piña colada on vacation or end up ordering takeout a lot in one week.

We’ve all been there, which is why we’re filing this news under “terrifying”: A new study from Virginia Tech has discovered that eating a high-fat diet for just five days can change the way your body’s muscles processes nutrients. That can lead to weight gain, obesity, and diabetes, among other long-term health issues.

How to Recreate Spa Water at Home

Ever notice how the water at spas always tastes so much better than...just about any other attempt at flavored H2O? The secret, says Cecelia McKibben, spa manager with the Hotel Jerome's Auberge Spa in Aspen, is filling your water dispenser with all of your ingredients the night before you want to drink up to really let the flavors seep in (she notes that the Auberge Spa uses filtered water and organic ingredients, which could also help with the flavor). Here's the super simple recipe McKibben's spa uses most often if you want to whip up your own batch at home:

Sunday 19 April 2015

It Only Takes 5 Days of Indulging in Fatty Foods to Mess with Your Muscle Function

No matter how much you try to eat healthy, things happen—you indulge in daily bacon cheeseburgers with a side of piña colada on vacation or end up ordering takeout a lot in one week.

We’ve all been there, which is why we’re filing this news under “terrifying”: A new study from Virginia Tech has discovered that eating a high-fat diet for just five days can change the way your body’s muscles processes nutrients. That can lead to weight gain, obesity, and diabetes, among other long-term health issues.

Saturday 18 April 2015

Why the FDA Can't Be Totally Sure Your Food Is Safe

You read all food labels and stay away from artificial ingredients. You nosh on plenty of whole fruits and vegetables daily and squeeze in some lean protein at every meal. But what about the ingredients lurking in that gluten-free pasta you're about to cook? You may be putting yourself at risk without even knowing it.

There's a certain level of trust we put in the hands of food manufacturers. But it seems an antiquated law may be allowing them to slip in new ingredients without prior approval from the FDA. The Food Additives Amendment, which has been around since the 1950s, allows manufacturers to self-proclaim ingredients "generally recognized as safe" (or GRAS), after which they can be used in products without any special warnings on the packaging.

What Happens to Your Face When You Use Expired Makeup

You know you’ve done it—we're talking about using a makeup product that's way past its expiration date. After all, you shelled out major dough for that mascara, so why would you want to toss it once the date on the tube has come and gone?

But expiration dates serve a bigger purpose than merely getting you to buy another product. That’s because old makeup not only works less efficiently—it can do major damage to your skin. You’ve been warned, ladies.