Jumpstart Your Metabolism: 6 Ways To Burn Extra Calories With Red Peppers

Good news for those who like it hot: APurdue University study found eating red pepper can help both decrease hunger and speed up metabolism. Adding just one gram, or half a teaspoon, of ordinary dried, ground cayenne pepper to a meal will do.

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Red pepper capsules, however, won't produce the same results, because you don't get that "burn in your mouth," researcher Richard Mattes, a Purdue foods and nutrition professor, said. And it's the burn that contributes to "a rise in body temperature, energy expenditure and appetite control."

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Red pepper's effects proved especially strong for those who didn't eat the spice regularly. Consuming red pepper helped study participants in general burn more calories — but the appetite-suppression effects occurred mostly in those who at red pepper less. This suggests that "when the stimulus is unfamiliar it has a greater effect," said Mattes. "The finding… requires further study to determine how long it will be effective and how to adjust the diet to improve continuous effectiveness."

Want to feel the burn? Check out these recipes:

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Summer cocktails: How to splurge without the guilt

Whether you are an adventurous cocktail type or are content with a simple glass of wine, spring and summer happy hours seem all the more fun when you can couple it up with halter tops, sundresses and frolicking in the warm summer sun. Moreover, restaurants and bars seem to become extraordinarily creative at this time of year with their libations.

Unfortunately, many summer-time drinks come with a lot of extra calories.  And although one drink might not be so detrimental, two or three can really start to add up.  So what is a summer happy-hour lover to do?  Here's a simple breakdown of the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to popular summer cocktails:

The Good: Wine, champagne and wine spritzers (with club soda), are by far the best choices when it comes to carbs and calories per serving. Dry liquor, such as vodka or gin, and plain, unsweetened mixers are also a relatively good bet. Finally, choosing light beers, such as Miller Light, Corona Light and others are better than full-bodied beers.

The Bad: Hard alcohol mixed with sweetened mixers, such as Tonic or Juice can start to get heavy in both calories and sugar. The sweeter a beverage is, the more impact it will have on your diet. Even though sangria is made with wine, it too is sweetened and can have a lot of calories associated with it. Finally, full-bodied beers tend to pack a whopping punch of carbs and calories as well.

The Ugly: Although tropical drinks are a sure sign of summer, they are by far the worst offenders. Avoid mixed drinks that are frozen or that are made with sweeter liquors, such as amaretto, rum, and fruit based schnapps and other liquors. The worst of the worst include Mai Tais and Pina Coladas.

If you are in full happy hour mode, here are a few options to still enjoy while ensuring you don't overdo it on your sugar or calorie intake:

Option 1: Have one summer favorite that falls under the bad or ugly category, and if you have any more drinks thereafter, fall back to a good drink moving forward.

Option 2: If you enjoy any drink that uses juices, sodas (7-Up or Tonic) or simple syrups, try substituting seltzer water for the soda portion and asking for 'splashes' of juice.  For instance, I love Cape Codders, but have switched to Vodka, Soda and a splash of cranberry. 

Option 3: Try wine spritzers with a splash of juice.  As you can see, wine spritzers are the best of the bunch.  Further, they are festive (with the sparkling water) and if you add a splash of juice, you'll get a bit more flavor than a typical spritzer without a ton of extra calories.

Option 4: Try adding a little all natural soda, such as Izze Sparkling Juice, to wine for a little bit of a sparkle in your spritzer.  These don't have HFCS or loads of added sugars.  They are purely sparkling water and juice.

Option 5: I'm NOT an advocate for this option, but I wanted to put it out there.  If you use soda in your summer cocktail, you can opt for the diet version to cut some of the calories out.  That said, I don't subscribe to diet sodas, as they are full of chemicals that you probably don't want to ingest.

What is your favorite summer cocktail?  Have you learned any tricks to keep the calories to a low roar?

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Virginity checks: What do they really prove?

Egyptian women carry banners that read "Social justice" in Arabic as they march to Tahrir Square for International Women's Day in March. An Egyptian general admitted that female protesters who were arrested were forced to submit to "virginity checks." (Photo: AP)

A senior Egyptian general says thatwomen who were arrested during a demonstration on International Women's Day in March were subjected to "virginity checks" while they were being detained by the military.

Seventeen women and about 170 men were arrested during the demonstration, in which women marched to Tahrir Square in Cairo on March 8, demanding equal rights and an end to sexual harassment. The protest became dangerous when men groped, verbally attacked, and insulted the female demonstrators, telling them they should go home where they belonged, according to Associated Press reports.

A March 23 Amnesty International report alleged that the women who had been arrested "were beaten, given electric shocks, subjected to strip searches while being photographed by male soldiers, then forced to submit to 'virginity checks' and threatened with prostitution charges." Officials had previously denied that female protesters they arrested had been tortured or forced to submit to virginity checks, but now an Egyptian general has confirmed that the virginity checks did take place—and seemed to say that the women deserved to be degraded.

"The girls who were detained were not like your daughter or mine," the general, who was not named, told CNN. "These were girls who had camped out in tents with male protesters in Tahrir Square."

The general also told CNN: "We didn't want them to say we had sexually assaulted or raped them, so we wanted to prove that they weren't virgins in the first place." According to the virginity checks they conducted, he added, "None of them were."

Virginity tests can be visual (looking to see whether the hymen is intact) or physical (checking the vaginal muscles' resistance to penetration). Both types of test are highly inaccurate and subjective, and can be a form of sexual assault in and of themselves. The idea that Egyptian soldiers could be absolved of rape as long as the captives are not virgins has sparked outrage around the world.

"This general's implication that only virgins can be victims of rape is a long-discredited sexist attitude and legal absurdity," Amnesty International said in a statement today. "When determining a case of rape, it is irrelevant whether or not the victim is a virgin."

Salwa Hosseini, a 20-year-old hairdresser, told Amnesty International that soldiers tied her up, forced her to the ground, slapped her, and shocked her with a stun gun while calling her a prostitute. Then she and 16 other female prisoners were taken to a military detention center in Heikstep, she said, where they were forced to comply with virginity tests administered by a male doctor while several soldiers stood nearby. If they resisted, they were told they would be shocked again with stun guns.

"When we went to the military prison, me and the girls, we were placed in a room with two doors and a window. The two doors were wide open," Hosseini said during a news conference in March. "The girl takes off all her clothes to be searched while there were cameras outside filming... The girl who says she is single, she undergoes a test by someone; we don't know if he is a soldier or some kid on their behalf."

According to the Amnesty International report, one woman who had said she was a virgin was beaten and given electric shocks after her examination seemed to show that she wasn't a virgin.

But the point of a virginity test isn't really to confirm virginity. The point is to instill fear, assert power, and enforce control—and the women who were subjected to the tests knew it.

"They wanted to teach us a lesson," Hosseini said. "They wanted to make us feel that we do not have dignity."

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Get the Glow: Five Yoga Poses That Give You Great Skin

If there's one thing seasoned yoga practitioners are known for (other than the impressive and slightly alarming ability to bend their bodies in all manner of directions), it's great skin. Think of instructors you've encountered or enthusiasts you know in real life—it's likely they all have similarly youthful, radiant skin. Is it the deep, restorative breaths and meditative state that keep wrinkles at bay, or is it the focused flows of movement that challenge the body and increase circulation?

As it turns out, the answer is a little of both. Practicing yoga does wonders for the mind and body. As skin guru Dr. Nicholas Perricone wrote in The Clear Skin Prescription, "It is the perfect exercise for people who lead busy, stress-filled lives who want to look and feel their best." Yoga in general improves skin health by reducing stress (a common catalyst to breakouts and fine lines) and removing toxins from the body. In fact, there are certain asanas (poses) that are especially good at this, and therefore especially good for the skin. I spoke with two Los Angeles–based yoga instructors, Lisa Paskel and Mary Fanto, to find out the best ways to get a yogic glow.

The Best Asanas for Your Skin
Before going into skin-advantageous poses, it's important to note that these shouldn't be performed without warming up the body first. "I would never tell anyone who's not warmed up to go into a spinal twist or an inversion," warns Lisa Paskel, co-founder of Yoga Shelter. That could cause injury, especially for beginners unfamiliar with the poses in the first place. Even the simpler ones should be done slowly and carefully.

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
This easy standing pose allows you to focus on deep, rhythmic breathing—an essential element of healthy skin. "Most adult humans barely breathe into their throats," Paskel explains, "[but] getting oxygen in the body is the number one thing." Yogis and yoginis believe that drawing oxygen into, through, and out of the body releases harmful toxins and keeps vital systems running optimally.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
This one is difficult if your hamstrings are especially tight (hence the importance of warming up first), but luckily, you don't have to touch the ground or keep your legs pin-straight to get the pose's skin benefits. "Even if you just bend over at the waist, close your eyes, and let your head hang … you're clearing everything out and your blood is switching directions," says Mary Fanto, an instructor at U Studio Yoga. She suggests trying that for one minute a day and working up to five.

Because forward-bending poses fight against gravity by turning the head toward the ground instead of toward the sky, Fanto refers to them as fountains of youth. Blood flows into the face faster, bringing with it oxygen and other helpful nutrients that fight free radicals, encourage skin cell renewal, and give the visage a rosy glow. Uttanasana is the easiest of the forward bends; those who practice yoga regularly can also try Downward-Facing Dog and the hip-opening Child's Pose.

Bharadvaja's Twist (Seated Twist)
Both Fanto and Paskel say that twisting positions are great for digestive health, which is important for moving toxic properties out of the organs. "Anytime you're clearing your body of waste, it's better for your skin," Fanto says. However, simply twisting isn't enough—deep, cleansing breaths are a necessary component to the pose. "If you don't follow up with really good breath and water, then the toxins get released, but then they get trapped," Paskel points out.

Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
Challenging poses like Chair make the heart beat faster, increasing the circulation of blood flow throughout the body and prompting the skin to sweat out impurities. Chair pose lengthens and strengthens the thigh muscles. Warrior I and Half Moon Pose are more advanced poses that also work the legs.

Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)
Inversion poses include some of the hardest, most advanced postures in yoga and shouldn't be attempted by anyone who hasn't been practicing for some time (or any female menstruating, for that matter). Inversions such as Headstand and Shoulderstand (known as the king and queen of asanas, respectively) increase blood flow to the face. They also require clear focus, regular breathing, and a great deal of endurance—all of which help to clean out the body. Viparita Karani is a less challenging version of Shoulderstand that supposedly aids everything from digestion to insomnia.

Doing a forward bend or seated twist once in a while can't hurt (as long as you're warmed up and aligning yourself properly, that is), but both Paskel and Fanto emphasize deep breathing, lots of water, and a healthful diet as equally key to youthful, radiant skin as well. And while they agree that certain poses are especially beneficial for the skin, both maintain that regular yoga practice or at least regular exercise of some sort is what it takes to get that coveted glow. A forward bend alone won't achieve yogic skin—but it's a good place to start.

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When Pretty Friends Make You Feel Ugly

Last week I reported on a study about body image and how a woman's impression of her looks is most heavily influenced by what others thinks — not what she thinks. Of course, 0nce we get past caring about other people's impressions, most of us have an opinion on our own looks, too. But our beauty compass is still largely defined by how we judge others.

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Be honest, if you're surrounded by a group of gorgeous women, aren't you more likely to feel inferior or insecure about how you look? It's like all of a sudden there is pressure to up the ante and pull out our sexiest attire and spend more time in the mirror than necessary when you know you're going to be around other women who have done the same. On the flip side, when you're with a more down-to-earth, no-fuss crowd, you tend to be more relaxed about your looks, right?

Psychologist Carlin Flora explains:

"Psychologists call it the 'contrast effect': You feel prettier around ugly people and uglier around pretty people. These social comparisons happen not only when you deliberately scrutinize passersby, but constantly and automatically."

To prove this, in one study researchers gave people a subliminal glimpse of an attractive female face. Those people subsequently rated themselves as less attractive than those who saw a homely face, even though no one remembered having seen the images in the first place. Our self-image is built on these comparisons all day long.

Kinda reminds you of high school all over again when we were always looking to the "popular crowd" as a source of approval and how to dress, how to look and how to make-out with our boyfriends in the hall. (OK, maybe that was just me.) But it does bring up a good question: Why do we still base our own self-worth and self-beauty on others? Why do we feel so insecure that we have to compare ourselves to others?

Body Image: Is "Fat Talk Free" Really the Best Policy?

I will admit that I choose to hang out with women who are more of the athletic type. We can go straight from mountain biking to meeting for drinks and no one cares how dirty or smelly we are. But, when I'm around the oh-no-I-broke-a-nail type with her perfectly groomed outfit and perfectly coiffed fake blonde hair at our kids' swim meet, I try to steer clear. Not because she isn't a nice person (I assume she is), but as I stand there in my baseball cap with no makeup and the morning's running clothes still stuck on my sweaty body, I shrink, my shoulders slump, I don't stand as tall and I feel like I need to go home and take a shower (which I do) and primp.

What's interesting though is, feeling bad about our looks is all in our minds.

"We're not even close to objective when it comes to judging our own looks," Flora adds. "Other people see the whole package. But when we look in the mirror, we're liable to zero in on the imperfections. That bump on your friend's nose? It's her trademark! It gives her character! But to you, that thing on your nose is downright disfiguring. The good news: You're almost certainly hotter than you think. It's partly a matter of limited attention—everyone else is too fixated on his or her own appearance to be critical of yours."

Still, I don't open a Victoria's Secret catalog when I'm PMS-ing and having a bad hair day.

Running and Body Image: What Is a "Runner's Body" Anyway?

Tell us what you think. Do you feel ugly around people you think are prettier than you?

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Study: Anorexia Increases Death Risk

When it comes to dieting, many of us are at fault for going about it the wrong way. Unfortunately, many women – and men – are so consumed with trimming their waistline, they succumb to anorexia.

Anorexia is a condition in which a patient believes they are fat and deprives themselves of food; they may also exercise excessively.

While we know anorexia is harmful to one both physically and mentally, a new study now shows that a patient with anorexia has a five times greater chance of dying than someone without the eating disorder; in fact, one out of five deaths among anorexics were caused by suicide, while the rest were attributed to the effects the disorder had on the body over time – which can include heart disease or irregularities, dehydration and starvation, and anemia. People who suffer from bulimia or another non-specified eating disorder also are about twice as likely to die as people without those disorders, according to the study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. These diseases are known to be particularly dangerous for teenagers. The death rates for eating disorders, especially anorexia, are higher than those for schizophrenia and depression.

There are 10 warning signs of anorexia nervosa, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), Inc.:

1. Deliberate self-starvation with weight loss
2. Intense, persistent fear of gaining weight
3. Refusal to eat or highly restrictive eating
4. Continuous dieting
5. Excessive facial/body hair because of inadequate protein in the diet
6. Compulsive exercise
7. Abnormal weight loss
8. Sensitivity to cold
9. Absent or irregular menstruation
10. Hair loss

If you think a loved one is suffering from anorexia nervosa or a related eating disorder, there are many groups like ANAD and The National Eating Disorders Association waiting to help. The ANAD help line is 630-577-1330. Click here for more on this report and advice from an expert.

Related Advice for Healthy Living:

• Obesity Rates Still High Despite Numerous Weight-Loss Shows
• Fish and Whole Grains: What You Should Take Away From the Mediterranean Diet
• Dr. Pamela Peeke: Steer Clear of Weight-Loss Drugs
• Top 5 Tips for Forever Health with Ms. Fitness Greta Blackburn

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