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By Nora Krug The Washington Post For 27 years, Brian Cuban struggled in silence. "When I first began to starve my- self in 1979, eating disorder awareness didn't really ex- ist," Cuban writes in the on- line magazine Greatist.com. "It was certainly not what boys and men did. At least, I didn't think so. I had been taught that men strive to be leaders. Men love sports. Men go on dates with pretty girls." He didn't know then, he writes, that his behaviors — avoiding food, forcing him - self to vomit — "were psy- chological disorders. They were simply acts I engaged in, much like breathing." At 44, he attempted suicide. Now 53, Cuban, brother of billionaire investor Mark Cu - ban, is a lawyer, a TV host and an activist on behalf of men with eating disorders. "Depending on which statis - tics you look at, up to 25 per- cent of those suffering from eating disorders are male. Still, media coverage and portrayals of eating dis - orders today are still en- trenched in the stereotype of these being 'women's ill- nesses,'" he writes. Cuban, whose memoir, "Shattered Image: My Tri- umph Over Body Dysmor- phic Disorder," was pub- lished this summer, hopes that more men with eating disorders will seek help — from their families, profes - sionals and organizations such as the National Eat- ing Disorders Association — and reach out to others like them, particularly on- line, where he found a sup- portive community. (Cuban came forward about his ill- ness on his blog before tell- ing his family.) "This is true eating dis- order awareness: stories shared by people who have been there and want to help," he writes. "When ready, add your voice. And remember: There is no shame." meN Eating disorders are not just a woman's issue Oen overlooked, up to 25 percent of those with disorders may be men Photos Provided by the family it is common for young men with eating disorders, including Zach (last name withheld), to become obsessed with body building. here he is one month before he was hospitalized. Online: "eating disorders: the men's issue No one talks about and Why that has to Change," Greatist.cOm By Angela Haupt US News and World report If the eyes are the win- dow to the soul, the lips are the door. And we don't need to tick off a list of rea- sons to properly convey why they're so important. Which means that when they're chapped – when they're sore and rough and cracked and it hurts to even smile – it's a problem. Our lip skin is much thinner than the skin on our backs and hands – it's the "interface between the outside and our insides," says Barbara Reed, a clin - ical professor of derma- tology at the University of Colorado. Sometimes, even a simple move like licking our lips, which feels natu - ral, can wreak damage. "If you've ever seen a desert after rain comes, you know the surface gets very flaky. The same thing happens to our lips," Reed says. Consider this advice to prevent and treat chapped lips, particularly during winter – the most lip-un - friendly time: Causes Chapped lips are caused by the same thing that causes chapping and rashes anywhere on the body: ex - treme dryness, worsened in this case by – you guessed it – lots of lip licking. As Reed explains, sa - liva contains enzymes de- signed to help digest food, not to moisturize our lips. When the air is particu- larly dry, the moisture we create by licking quickly evaporates, prompting us to repeat the motion again and again. "This leads to a dr y - ing out of the top layer of skin, which causes it to shrink and detach from the layers beneath," says d er m at olo g i s t Je s s ic a Krant, founder of the Art of Dermatology practice in New York City. Other lip-chapping cul - prits are perhaps less ob- vious. These include the juice from citrus fruits; an allergy to nickel (which is why you shouldn't put me - tallic items like paper clips in your mouth); and too much vitamin A. Certain medications – in - cluding some used to treat blood pressure, acne and vertigo – could also trigger the issue. In some cases, chapped lips are tracked back to an allergy to in - gredients in your tooth- paste and lip products. Check to see if your toothpaste contains guai- azulene or sodium lauryl sulfate, or if your lipstick contains propyl gallate or phenyl salicylate. If so, stop using these products, and see if your lip condi - tion improves. Prevention It might go without say- ing by now, but: Stop lick- ing your lips. Same goes for pinching or rolling them together, which also causes damage. Wear lip balm daily – "literally around the clock," Reed says – and if you spend any time out - doors, use a lip sunscreen with an SPF of 15 to 30, and reapply often. A word of caution, though: If your lips are a l r e ady ch app e d a nd cracked, shy away from chemical sunscreens that could worsen the problem. (There are two types of sunscreen: physical, which uses UV filters to block the sun's rays, and chemical, which absorbs the rays.) Meanwhile, stay hy - drated by drinking plenty of fluids. And keep a hu- midif ier in your home, which will moisten the air and prevent your lips from drying out. Breathe through your nose, since breathing through your mouth can dry your lips out. And, we hate to break it to you, but you should avoid those super-hot show - ers that feel like a vacation from the winter cold. The heat can damage your lips – and your skin in general – so stick with cool or luke - warm water instead. Treatment The first rule of thumb: Apply lip balm compul- sively. Look for a formula with hydrating ingredi- ents, such as petrolatum, shea butter, hyaluronic acid a nd dimethicone. The purpose isn't so much moisturizing your lips as it is creating a barrier be - tween delicate skin and ir- ritants, including dry air, saliva and food or drink. It also helps soften flakes that you shouldn't peel off with your fingers – since doing so can create deep cuts, Krant says. Consider applying a tad of honey, which works be - cause it attracts moisture from the environment. But steer clear of irritating fla- vors such as peppermint, camphor and menthol, Krant says: "That minty taste does nothing to aid healing." She adds that the thinner the lip balm, the more easily it will rub off – and the less effective it will be. Over-the-counter hy - drocortisone, which is an anti-inf lammator y, can also help soothe chapped lips. But Reed warns that there's no need to "get too fancy." Particularly strong cortisone creams can thin the skin, so don't use one your doctor gave you for another part of your body. No matter what you ap - ply, do so after you brush your teeth or wash your face. Toothpaste, mouth- wash and facial cleansers affect the pH balance in your mouth, potentially causi n g ch appi n g. Lip balm can help counter - act that. When to see a doctor If you've been treating your lips for four or five days, and they're getting worse – or you've noticed open cracks, along with yellow discharge – you might have an infection, Reed says. See a derma - tologist, a doctor who di- agnoses and treats condi- tions related to the skin, hair and nails. It could be that you're al- lergic to ingredients in your lip balm of choice, such as certain preservatives, fra- grances or colorants. And occasionally, per- sistent chapped lips indi- cate an underlying med- ical problem, which your doctor can help diagnose. These include actinic chei- litis, which is caused by ex- cessive sun exposure; thy- roid disease; psoriasis; or lupus, which causes pho- tosensitivity on the lips. SKiN cAre Your guide to chapped lips Weather, allergies, acid in citrus are all reasons for that sensitive skin By Wyvette c. Terrie US News and World Report Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a wa- ter-soluble vitamin found in many and single-entity nu- tritional supplements. Vi- tamin C has an important role in the formation of col- lagen, carnitine, amino acids and hormones; is an essen- tial component in the heal- ing of wounds and burns; and aids in the absorption of iron. Moreover, vitamin C is classified as an antioxidant, and many clinical studies re - port that megadoses (500 to 1000 milligrams per day) of ascorbic acid may prevent, or shorten the duration of, the common cold. While vitamin C is ap - proved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of scurvy, vitamin C is most often used by con - sumers to boost the immune system. Results from a 2010 analysis of 29 clinical trials with an estimated 11,000 subjects reported that tak - ing vitamin C routinely (at least 0.2 grams day) did not decrease the likelihood of getting a cold. However, the use of vita - min C supplements was as- sociated with a slight de- crease in the severity of cold symptoms and the du- ration of the common cold, and some studies report a re- duction of 8 percent in adults and 14 percent in children. A review published in 2009 presenting research on the effects of vitamins and minerals for treating colds concluded that sup - plementation with vitamin C does have some potential benefits for treating the com- mon cold; however, because there are only a few thera- peutic trials, more research is needed to ascertain the effective dosages and the treatment guidelines. Many clinical studies suggest that vitamin C is most effective for reducing the duration of upper respiratory tract in - fection symptoms in chil- dren and healthy adults, but it does not appear to be as useful once a patient exhib- its symptoms. In general, vitamin C is considered safe, but ad- verse effects have been re- ported when this supplement is taken in megadoses. When ingested in megadoses of four or more grams per day, vitamin C may cause , stom - ach cramps and nephrolithi- asis; therefore, megadoses of the vitamin are typically not recommended. Other poten- tial adverse effects include , dizziness, flushing and fa- tigue. To prevent the develop- ment of , you should drink a full glass of water when tak- ing vitamin C. People with diabetes, a history of recur- ring renal calculi and/or re- nal dysfunction should avoid prolonged use of megadoses of vitamin C supplements. Nonprescription vitamin C dietary supplements typ - ically contain ascorbic acid, which is considered to have bioavailability equivalent to that of naturally occurring ascorbic acid in foods such as orange juice and broccoli, but some supplements con - tain other forms, such as so- dium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, other mineral ascorbates and ascorbic acid with biof lavonoids. Adult multivitamin supplements typically contain doses of 60 to 100 milligrams, which are considered to be adequate if supplements are required. According to the Hand - book of Nonprescription Drugs, the recommended daily limit of vitamin C is 2 grams. Ideally, you should obtain vitamin C through dietary means. People who choose to use supplements should take only the recommended dosage unless otherwise directed by their primary health care provider. These people should also be screened for potential drug interactions. In ad - dition, megadoses of vita- min C may decrease the ef- fectiveness of some agents, such as protease inhibitors, warfarin, estrogens and ni- acin. viTAmiNS Can Vitamin C cure your cold? Supplements are good for us but megadoses can cause adverse effects What works: studies report megadoses (500 to 1000 milligrams per day) may pre- vent, or shorten the duration of, the common cold. Who: many clinical studies suggest that vitamin C is most effective for reduc- ing the duration of upper respiratory tract infection symptoms in children and healthy adults. How much: according to the handbook of Non- prescription drugs, the recommended daily limit of vitamin C is 2 grams. what works best www.redbluff.mercy.org /veincare Get a Leg up on Your Health With the St. Elizabeth Center for Vein Care. 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