Cardio is a must for a whole slew of health reasons: it’s good for your heart, increases energy, helps reduce your risk of certain conditions like osteoporosis and diabetes, helps you sleep better, and boosts your immune system, to name a few! Of course, cardio is also essential if you’re trying to fit into the jeans you wore in college. If weight loss is your main reason for doing cardio, make your exercise count; check out the chart below to find out which type of cardio burns the most calories in 30 minutes. *All calculations are based on a 130-pound woman.

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar! We often hear that probiotics are important to maintain healthy digestion, but what exactly do they do? Fitness recently learned all about the friendly bacteria from Dr. Melina B. Jampolis, MD, who we met with at an Activia event. We asked her about the digestive system, the role of probiotics in overall health, and how to incorporate the live microorganisms in our diets. Here’s what she had to say: How do probiotics help regulate our digestive system? Probiotics are friendly bacteria that live in our intestines. The gut contains 70 percent of our body’s immune tissue, so a healthy gut is important for healthy immune function. Probiotics help keep the cells of the colon healthy, promoting good digestion. Things like stress, lack of sleep, medication, and infection can throw off the ratio of good to bad bacteria in the intestines, which can lead to overall health and digestive problems. This bacteria keeps the cells that line the gut healthy. They produce vitamins and produce lactase, an enzyme that helps break down milk. Can you get probiotics from frozen yogurt? Learn this and more after the break!

One of my current passions is to seek out the best-of-the-best fruits and encourage my clients, family and friends to eat more of them. By “best-of-the-best”, I mean fruits that offer a major upside and little, if any, downside. This is sometimes embodied in fruits that are high in fiber and/or nutrient dense. Other times, Related posts: Whole Body Health Black Garlic and Late Night Snacking New Hope for Seasonal Allergies

Lisa Shives, M.D., is the founder of Northshore Sleep Medicine in Evanston, Illinois. She blogs regularly on The Chart . Read more from her at Dr. Lisa Shives’ Sleep Better Blog . The classic pediatric sleep apnea patient is a skinny 6-year-old with chronic congestion and dark circles under his eyes. We still see many kids in the sleep center who match this profile, but over the past 10 years, a new clinical picture has emerged. Coinciding with the dramatic rise in childhood obesity, there is a clear change in our younger patients. We now see many overweight children in the sleep clinic who have obstructive sleep apnea that resembles the adult version. The thin child with OSA does not usually act sleepy in the daytime. On the contrary, they often act hyperactive or inattentive. In fact, their symptoms can mimic attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Large tonsils and adenoids are the primary cause of OSA in thin children because these and surrounding tissues can relax during sleep and block the airflow to the lungs. In fact, 80 to 90% of such cases of pediatric OSA are cured by surgically removing the tonsils and adenoids. Overweight or obese children are not such an easy fix. They usually present with loud snoring and significant daytime sleepiness. In obese children, the tonsils often become enlarged due to fatty tissues in the upper airway. Fat deposits in the neck and chest also add to the collapsibility of the upper airway during sleep. Unfortunately, a tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy is curative in only about 50% of overweight kids who have OSA. The others are encouraged to try continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) which is the most common treatment for severe OSA. When adults have mild-to-moderate OSA, we offer them an alternative treatment called an oral appliance (also called a mandibular advancing device). However, we cannot use this treatment in children and teens whose mouth and jaw are still changing. The important thing for pediatricians and parents to keep in mind is that the connection between weight and sleep is a two-way street. It’s not just that excess weight increases the likelihood that kids have obstructive sleep apnea, but that having sleep apnea increases the risks of gaining weight. Sleep deprivation due to poor sleep or too little sleep can cause hormonal havoc that leads to weight gain. For example, when research subjects were allowed to sleep for only four hours per night, the hormones that control appetite got all out of whack. Leptin, which acts on the brain to make people feel full, was abnormally decreased and ghrelin, which makes people hungry, was unusually high. These hormonal changes caused the research participants to be very hungry and eat more during the day. Children and teens with sleep apnea might seem to be sleeping a lot, but their sleep is constantly disturbed by brief turbulence in their brain waves – what sleep experts call micro-arousals. In effect, these kids are as sleep deprived as people who only get four to five hours of sleep. Not only do obese kids with OSA have a similar clinical presentation as adults, they unfortunately can have the same adverse outcomes if the sleep apnea is not treated. We are seeing pre-teens who have what we use to think of as adult diseases such as high blood pressure, pulmonary hypertension, heart disease and congestive heart failure. If your child is overweight, please consult a doctor to find out if he or she has the symptoms of sleep apnea, such as snoring, rough breathing, daytime sleepiness, poor academic performance, behavior issues and depression. OSA is easy to diagnose with an overnight sleep test and as I outlined above, there is more than one treatment option. Treating sleep apnea, if present, needs to be part of the weight loss program for everyone, including kids and teens. Filed under: Children’s Health , Obesity , Sleep Tagged: Lisa Shives M.D. – sleep expert

Ian Kerner , a sexuality counselor and New York Times best-selling author, blogs about sex weekly on The Chart. Read more from him on his website, GoodInBed. A provocative movie premiered recently at  the Sundance Film Festival that caught the attention of audiences and critics as well as sexuality professionals such as myself. “ The Surrogate ” chronicles the true story of a relationship between a surrogate partner (played by Helen Hunt) and her client (John Hawkes), a poet who is stricken with polio and seeks to lose his virginity before he dies. When we hear the term “surrogate,” most of us probably think of a surrogate mother, who carries and delivers a baby for another couple or person who cannot. Yet surrogate partners (sometimes called sexual surrogates) have been around for years, providing a potentially valuable, though oft-debated, service to clients who wish to increase their sexual, physical and emotional experiences. Surrogate partners gained attention in the 1960s when William Masters and Virginia Johnson (also known as Masters and Johnson) began training surrogates at their research institute. These days, surrogate partners are typically trained by the International Professional Surrogates Association in Los Angeles, the main surrogacy organization. Clients are referred to surrogate partners by their therapists or other mental health professionals. So just who sees a surrogate partner? The short answer is: anyone who wants to improve his or her sexual intimacy skills or, more likely, overcome a daunting sexual problem. Surrogates, who can be male or female, see a wide variety of clients. Some people may use a surrogate partner because they are sexually inexperienced and want to gain skills before sleeping with a romantic partner. A man may seek a female surrogate to help him deal with issues such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation. Likewise, a woman might seek a male surrogate for assistance working through issues such as painful sex or difficulty reaching orgasm with a partner. Surrogates also work with people coping with the infirmities of multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, quadriplegia and other physically challenging conditions – as was the case with the real-life woman upon whom “The Surrogate” is based. Watch: A look into the work of a sex surrogate But surrogate partners don’t just have sex with their clients. In fact, some never engage in intercourse at all, instead focusing on other intimate activities including kissing, touching, cuddling and answering the client’s questions about sex. The goal is to provide a safe, comfortable atmosphere for clients to explore sexual issues without judgment or fear, and with a professional who is able to go beyond talk therapy and into the hands-on realm of intimacy-interaction. And like a therapist/patient relationship, the question of whether a surrogate partner is sexually attractive to the client is not part of the equation. Many sex therapists would prefer that their clients work through their sexual issues themselves – using their romantic partners as they would a surrogate partner, if you will. “I always tell my patients that I cannot really know how a person works to say whether they are physically healthy or psychologically appropriate and sensitive to a person's needs," says sex therapist Madeleine Castellanos, author of the " Good in Bed Guide to Male Sexual Issues ." "Because of this (and the legalities of surrogacy in New York and other states) I do not recommend or encourage my patients to do this. I always prefer that individuals work out their issues with their partner.” One of the main issues with sexual surrogacy is that it remains highly unregulated. The International Professional Surrogates Association does have its own code of ethics, but that only matters if a surrogate partner is trained by and aligns him or herself with this organization. Better regulation could add more legitimacy to what is already an important, but often misunderstood, profession. You're probably asking – how is this different from prostitution? A professional, empathetic surrogate partner is light-years away from a prostitute (the services of which, in addition to being illegal outside of Nevada, often amplify rather than mitigate a sexual issue). But while sexual surrogacy is not prostitution, the legality is somewhat fuzzy, and therefore polarizing in clinical and medical circles. Sexual surrogacy is not a contract for sex. On its website, the International Professional Surrogates Association addresses the issue of legality thus: “The legal status of surrogate partners is undefined in most of the United States and most countries around the world. This means that there are generally no laws regulating the profession.” Even if a person is interested in retaining the services of a surrogate partner, finding a surrogate may not be easy. While the profession hit the ground running during the sexual revolution of the 1970s, today locating a surrogate partner is nothing like locating, say, a dentist, or even a sex therapist. At its peak, the association had 200 to 300 members in the United States but now has about 50 . Even if you do reside in a community with access to a surrogate (or can travel to meet one), you may face challenges: Many traditional therapists aren’t comfortable discussing sexual issues with their clients in the first place, and may be further reluctant to recommend a surrogate. Perhaps with the release of the movie, more people will become aware of the value these partners provide and the potential role they can play as sexual healers. Filed under: Relationships , Sex Tagged: Ian Kerner Ph.D. – sex counselor

Editor's note: CNN contributor Amanda Enayati ponders the theme of seeking serenity: the quest for well-being and life balance in stressful times. There is a good chance that my children (and yours) are stressed out on a daily basis. Not necessarily from catastrophic burdens such as death, abuse or abandonment (though far too many children are dealing with those as well), but from the slow boil of everyday anxieties – a swell of unrelenting childhood stress that, in the long term, may bury our kids good and well in a tsunami of serious health problems. More, faster, better High on the list of stressors is the pressure many parents place on their kids: the mentality that the earlier a child does something – walks, talks, reads chapter books, excels in advanced robotics for kindergartners – the better. “Competitive anxieties do get induced in a lot of children because they’re induced in a lot of parents,” says Jay Belsky, an internationally recognized expert in the field of child development and family studies and a professor at the University of California, Davis. “There has been a sea change, a cultural shift,” says Denise Clark Pope, senior lecturer at Stanford University’s School of Education and co-founder of Challenge Success, a project that aims to reduce unhealthy pressure on young people. “We live in a society where there is a premium on performance as opposed to mastery or effort; on grades and scores over engagement; on speed and outer appearances over intrinsic motivations. “Many parents are getting caught up in the craziness, in the ‘more is better’ and ‘faster is better’ mind-set. Children end up overscheduled and in and out of schools and classes, with very little time left over, including for sleep.” Strategies for stress relief The experts Belsky, Pope and Parul Chandra, head teacher at Bing Nursery School, Stanford’s laboratory preschool – favor a handful of strategies that have proven effective in helping children reduce, prevent or cope with stress. Allow for playtime, downtime, family time. A young child’s job is to play. Pope says, “Research shows that playtime, downtime and family time are major protective factors in increasing health and well-being, and lowering stress in children.” Children also need to feel part of an unconditionally loving family. “You can’t have the benefits of family without spending time together. And it doesn’t matter how you define family; it doesn’t have to be biological. What does matter is literally sitting down, having meals and doing activities together,” she says. Studies shows that family meals are the single strongest predictor of higher achievement and fewer behavioral issues for children between 3 and 12. “That’s 25 minutes, five times a week.” Children need time to reflect, to rejuvenate, to rest, Pope says. “And we include sleep in that because lack of sleep is correlated to higher rates of depression and anxiety.” Distract. Belsky finds that distraction can be an effective strategy for both younger and older children. “It’s really a matter of turning their attention elsewhere, away from what’s stressing them,” he says. Early on, adults can help children regulate their attention. Eventually, children will develop the skill themselves and learn to place their focus away from what’s bothering them. Problem-solve. “We as adults tell children how to solve problems,” Chandra says. “But problem-solving with them instead of for them is very important. You want children to think about what it is they are going through. Have them explain it to you. And then articulate it back so that you can be sure that you are understanding correctly and that you’re both on the same page.” Ask open-ended questions such as “What do you think may help?” Having children brainstorm a list of possibilities, making them aware of strategies they have used in the past and getting them to come up with solutions can all be hugely empowering for a child. Keep routines. Chandra advocates maintaining children’s routines during particularly stressful times. “It’s important that they don’t feel like their whole lives are topsy-turvy, that they have parts of the day to look forward to living in the moment and just being a child.” Watch, listen, communicate, reassure, validate. Listen and watch for atypical behaviors in children, suggests Chandra. The younger the children, the harder it will be for them to talk about what they are feeling. Pay attention to your child’s stories. Know that their dramatic play is a window into what they’re thinking, going through and worrying about. Validate children’s feelings. Tell them, "I know how that feels" instead of "you shouldn’t be feeling that way.” Validating is important because it alleviates a lot of stress. But also guide children toward empathizing with others. Ask, “How do you think the other person feels?” Communicate with your child. Talk about your most aggravating times. Bring up things that caused you stress and how you resolved these problems. Reassure children that they will be OK. “There is a whole palate of feelings between mad and sad," Chandra says. "Stress is always going to be there, but you have to give children the skills and words to be able to talk about it. If you don’t, behaviors will come out later and you will wonder where they came from! But acting out usually represents months and years of incidents and feelings that haven’t been discussed – layer upon layer upon layer.” Let children be children. All three experts warn against treating children like smaller versions of adults. “Physiologically, kids are not mini-adults,” Pope says, “and the idea of miniaturizing the adult world is a huge problem. It can lead to things like inappropriate use of media, inappropriate ways of dressing and inappropriate things being put on children’s shoulders.” Chandra advises, “Be mindful of conversations and things that children can pick up on at home. They pick up more than we think they do. And they if do happen to overhear something, explain that it’s an adult agenda, that their parents will take care of it. “Children are innately wired to be happy people, and they tend to live in the moment. We as adults have so much to learn from them.” A life with no stress? Belsky says, “Look, no life is going to be stress-free. There is something to be said for learning to cope with stress that is in your capacity to cope with.” Permitting our children the opportunity to experience some stress and enabling them to deal with it creates coping capacity. When you are building muscle, you shouldn’t be lifting too many weights. But the right amount can strain your muscles enough to increase strength. Coping is the same way. If it’s the right amount, children build capacity. Family’s values Pope recommends that families sit down and take a hard look at the value systems driving them. “Ask the big questions: How are you, your school and your child defining success? It is often that definition, that value system, that is driving the unhealthy stress.” Work together to write a mission statement that articulates the family’s core values, Pope suggests. Who are you as a family? Where are you going? And who are you not? A lot of important parenting choices are made on the fly from your gut. “You ask people what they want for their children and most will say, ‘A happy, healthy, self-sufficient person who gives back to society.’ But if you work backward from that, it’s not about the overscheduled, gratified 8-year-old. We are talking about the long term here.” Pope adds, “And even if that train has already left the station, it’s not too late. It’s never too late! Put your stake in the ground, abide by it and live your values.” Filed under: Children’s Health , Stress Tagged: Amanda Enayati — Special to CNN

You may just chalk up a bad night’s sleep to feeling a little bit off the next day, but in reality, regularly getting a bad night’s sleep can ruin your health. A constant lack of quality sleep can lead to high blood pressure and later heart problems, and a new study is looking at the correlation between waking up during the night and developing Alzheimer’s . And even without these long-term effects of chronic bad-quality sleep, there are the immediate ones: the next-day grogginess, irritability, and feeling foggy-headed. Do all these bad effects encourage you to make getting quality sleep a priority? Do You Make Quality Sleep a Priority? Yes – I make sure I do all I can for quality sleep. No – I’ve been waking up tired for years!

How to catch Zs if your partner is a snorer or blanket hog – HuffPost Healthy Living Reasons the Nike+ Fuel Band might be worth the hype – Blisstree Easy dinner ideas, all under 400 calories – Health Booty-blasting workout to whip your backside into shape – Fitnessista How to start a love affair with fitness – Shape Kate Upton’s Sports Illustrated cover may have been Photoshopped, but how much? – The Stir How your healthy eating might be making you fat – Prevention

In her upcoming article on sleep research, WSJ Personal Journal news editor Andrea Petersen examines the chronic sleep deprivation of today’s kids, noting that the problem has persisted for at least a century. Too little sleep can have health consequences for young people and adults alike, from obesity and memory problems to depression and higher risk of substance abuse. Now, Andrea will take questions from readers about the connection between sleep and health in a live chat on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m. The chat will be moderated by Personal Journal deputy editor Leslie Yazel. Ask your questions now.

Asking About Off-Label Use: Families of Alzheimer’s patients are asking physicians and advocacy groups about the off-label use of a skin-cancer drug, bexarotene, in their loved ones following a study suggesting a benefit for the drug in diseased mice, the WSJ reports . Still, experts say, it’s not yet clear whether the drug will actually work in humans, and if it does, what the ideal dose will be. Bexarotene is marketed by Eisai as Targretin, the WSJ says. Sleep Gap: A report in Pediatrics finds that the recommended length of kids’ sleep time has dropped by 71 minutes over about 100 years, while the actual sleep duration dropped 73 minutes over the same period, Reuters Health reports . A gap between recommended sleep length and reported sleep length of about a half hour persisted over the years, suggesting that the perception that kids aren’t getting enough sleep goes back for a century. Contraception-Coverage Controversy: Some Roman Catholic priests said yesterday they weren’t satisfied by the Obama administration’s revamped policy that shifts the responsibility to cover free birth control to insurers from religious employers who object to the coverage, the WSJ reports . The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says the compromise is insufficient; the head of the Catholic Health Association and president of the University of Notre Dame say it assuages their concerns. Calories and Memory Loss: A study released yesterday by the American Academy of Neurology found that higher calorie consumption among older people was associated with a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment, USA Today reports . People with mild cognitive impairment don’t necessarily go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease, and the findings must be confirmed by larger studies. Image: iStockphoto