How to Combine Yoga and Weight Lifting for a Unique Workout Regimen

There are many different reasons why athletes and health enthusiasts from around the world have added yoga to their workout routines. In addition to improving your strength and flexibility, yoga can also have a positive impact on your mental and emotional health. These few tips will help you incorporate yoga into your workout regimen so that you can enjoy the countless benefits of this ancient practice.

Set Realistic Goals

Those who want to get the most out of their training regimen need to set goals that are both challenging and realistic. Before adopting any type of training into your exercise program, you should spend some time thinking about what you would like to accomplish in the coming weeks and months. Your goals might include improved flexibility for your favorite sport or better core strength so that you can beat your personal weight training records. Writing your goals down will improve your chances of success and give you motivation when you need it the most.

Create a Long-Term Routine

Choosing which workout you are going to do just before you start training isn’t a very efficient system. After creating a long-term routine, it won’t be as easy to skip a workout when you are feeling tired or unmotivated. An effective workout regimen will stagger various exercise in order to give your muscles enough time to recover. Most experts agree that you also need to schedule one full day of rest every seven to 10 days. On your day of rest, you should nothing more than light stretching or a relaxing walk.

Get Help from the Pros

Even though yoga is considered to be low-impact, you still need to learn specific poses and combinations of movements. Taking a yoga class at a local gym or fitness center is a great way to learn the basics of yoga in a safe and comfortable environment. As you master the basics, your teacher will be able to show you advanced movements to solidify your core, strengthen your stabilizer muscles, and improve your flexibility.

Don’t Ignore Your Nutrition

Your caloric needs will continue to change as you try out new exercises and get closer to your fitness goals. If you don’t have the option of hiring a licensed dietitian, then you might want to speak with a trainer about your dietary needs. Sticking to the right combination of fats, protein, and carbohydrates will boost your energy levels and give you enough strength to make it through all of your workouts.

Changing up your exercise routine can be challenging, but the only way to get results is to constantly push your limits. In addition to yoga and weight training, you might also want to consider adding a few cardiovascular workouts such as hiking, swimming, or riding a bicycle.

Health & Fitness: Top Benefits of Wearing Compression Clothing

Compression clothing has gained widespread attention in recent years for their many health benefits. These clothes are often worn by athletes and people with certain medical conditions who find them useful. Here are some of the main benefits of wearing compression clothing.

Improved Circulation

Compression clothing, like that from Capsule Corp Clothing, improves blood circulation by applying constant pressure to certain muscle groups. The increase in circulation can enhance athletic performance by supplying the muscles with more blood and removing toxins. Better blood flow can also help with recovery following a workout. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other dangerous blood clots can further be prevented when blood flow is increased. Such clothing can be especially useful in increasing blood circulation.

Reduced Inflammation and Swelling

The pressure that compression clothing applies to muscles can prevent swelling and inflammation while playing sports. The squeezing action can prevent fluid buildups around muscles and joints. Any excessive fluid can be reabsorbed by the body better when compression clothes are worn. Men’s Journal states that compression socks and tops are particularly good at reducing swelling and inflammation caused by activities like weightlifting and long-distance running. Compression clothes are also sometimes used to reduce inflammation and swelling caused by medical conditions like lymphedema or following surgery.

Muscle Warmth

Keeping the muscles warm is important during workouts, and compression gear can help with this. According to Physioroom.com, this type of clothing provides an extra layer of warmth that can keep athletes’ muscles from getting cold during early-morning workouts. Keeping the muscles warm is one of the best ways to prevent soreness and cramping. Warmer muscles also have less chances of becoming injured. The additional warmth provided to certain muscle groups may even increase endurance. Compression garments can provide maximum comfort while warming up and doing practice drills.

Improved Athletic Technique

Compression gear can even improve the way an athlete engages in sports and help with athletic performance. Pacing is known to improve in some sprinters who wear compression clothing. An athlete may notice an improvement in gait while wearing compression leggings. This type of clothing can also reinforce good posture. Compression clothing is known to reduce muscle fatigue, which may further enhance proper athletic technique.

Many people have experienced numerous advantages with compression clothing. Whether this type of clothing is worn for athletic or medical purposes, compression gear can address many issues that affect the body. If you’re worried about how compression clothing can fit in with your style, know that there are tons of styles out there for you to choose from. If you’re into anime, for example, there are Dragon Ball Z compression clothes that you could where if you wanted to. Whatever your style is, there’s definitely something out there for you.

3 Fun Activities That Help You Build Muscle and Get Fit

Most people think that getting into shape means putting in hours of hard, tedious work in the gym. Though this approach certainly produces results, it’s also difficult to stick to. If you aren’t enjoying your fitness routine, the odds of you being able to remain consistent with it through sheer willpower are fairly low. A better approach is to make your workouts enjoyable so that you’ll actually want to do them. Here are three fun activities you can incorporate into your workout schedule that will help you build up extra muscle and get into better shape.

Rock Climbing

When it comes to fun activities that will put your body through a rigorous workout, it’s tough to beat rock climbing. Unlike exercises such as running and weightlifting, there’s nothing monotonous about rock climbing. Every move you make from one hold to the next will require through and concentration, preventing the exercise from getting boring.

At the same time though, the act of scaling up a wall will put your body through one of the best workouts you’ve ever experienced. Even better, synthetic rock walls are starting to become very popular at gyms throughout the country, making it fairly easy to find a place to go climbing. If you’ve never been climbing before, you may need to work with an instructor your first time to be sure you get the most out of it.

Go Swimming

Swimming may hardly seem like exercise, but it does a remarkably good job of working your whole body while at the same time being intense enough to burn calories very effectively. Best of all, despite its intensity, swimming is very easy on the joints, making it a good option for people who are getting older or who suffer from previous exercise-related injuries.

Finding a swimming pool can be a bit tricky depending on where you live, but most cities of any size have several public pools that are open during the warmer months. Some gyms also have them, though these are somewhat scarce outside of large cities. If you want to be able to go swimming whenever the urge strikes you, you can consider investing in a home pool or swim spa from a place like pool portsmouth nh. Though a pool or spa can cost a good bit of money, it’s an investment that will pay off both in terms of your health and of the value of your home.

Play Basketball or Volleyball

Playing a sport is easily one of the best ways to make physical activity fun and enjoyable. Some sports, like football, require far too much equipment to be easy to play on the go. Basketball and volleyball, on the other hand, can be played anywhere where you can find a public court. All you’ll need is a ball and a few friends, and you’ve got a fun game that will help to condition your entire body.

If neither of these sports is your cup of tea, try to find one that you do like and that can be played without too much equipment. The more often you can get out to play whatever sport you enjoy, the more good you’ll be doing for your body.

These are just a few of the fun activities you can do that will help you build muscle and tone your body up. If you decide to choose one of these activities as part of your exercise regiment, remember to do it consistently. Just as with the more standard approach of going to the gym to work out, consistency is important in activity-based exercise. If you don’t perform your exercise regularly, your body won’t exhibit much change.

Harris Williams & Co. Advises Sky Zone, LLC on its Sale to CircusTrix

Richmond, Virginia, February 1, 2018 – Harris Williams & Co., a preeminent middle market investment bank focused on the advisory needs of clients worldwide for more than 25 years, announces the sale of Sky Zone, LLC and Sky Zone Franchise Group, LLC (together, Sky Zone) to CircusTrix Holdings, LLC (CircusTrix). Sky Zone is the originator of the trampoline park movement with 195 franchise locations in 11 international markets. The transaction was led by Ryan Budlong, John Neuner and Zach England of Harris Williams & Co.’s Consumer Group.

“We are extremely happy to have represented Sky Zone on its sale to CircusTrix,” said Ryan Budlong, a managing director at Harris Williams & Co. “Sky Zone pioneered the trampoline park industry and supports a growing number of successful franchise partners who are focused on providing a fun and safe fitness experience for people of all ages. Under the visionary direction of Jeff Platt (CEO), Sky Zone has realized tremendous growth both domestically and internationally and we look forward to its future success in partnership with CircusTrix."

"The Sky Zone transaction marks our third health, wellness and fitness transaction completed in the last quarter," added Zach England, a vice president at Harris Williams & Co. "Consumer trends toward healthier, more active lifestyles continue to fuel growth across multiple segments and we expect this growth to continue for some time."

Sky Zone, which was founded in 2004, opened its first park in Las Vegas and has since grown to 195 franchised and corporate-owned parks in the U.S. and abroad. It focuses on active play experiences for people of all ages.

Provo, Utah-based CircusTrix was founded by Case Lawrence in 2011. Its parks specialize in active recreation attractions including trampoline fields and ninja courses. With this acquisition, CircusTrix has almost 300 parks worldwide under its umbrella.

Harris Williams & Co. (www.harriswilliams.com), a subsidiary of the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC), is a preeminent middle market investment bank focused on the advisory needs of clients worldwide. The firm has deep industry knowledge, global transaction expertise and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Harris Williams & Co. provides sell-side and acquisition advisory, restructuring advisory, board advisory, private placements and capital markets advisory services.

Harris Williams & Co.’s Consumer Group has completed more than 50 transactions in recent years across a variety of verticals, including branded consumer products; consumer services; food, beverage and agribusiness; and restaurant and retail. For more information on Harris Williams & Co.’s Consumer Group and other recent transactions, visit the Consumer Group’s section of the Harris Williams & Co. website.

Investment banking services are provided by Harris Williams LLC, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC, and Harris Williams & Co. Ltd, which is a private limited company incorporated under English law with its registered office at 5th Floor, 6 St. Andrew Street, London EC4A 3AE, UK, registered with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales (registration number 07078852). Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Harris Williams & Co. is a trade name under which Harris Williams LLC and Harris Williams & Co. Ltd conduct business.

Denver, Colo. (January 31, 2018) – A group of seasoned wellness industry executives have joined forces to create the Wellness Tourism Association (WTA). Registered in the State of Colorado as a not-for-profit, privately-held organization, the WTA has been established and designed to serve this booming travel sector.

“Our mission is clear and concise,” says Co-Founder and Chairman Andrew Gibson, VP Wellbeing, Accor Hotels, “We plan to support and further the growth and development of the wellness tourism industry through networking, education, communication and marketing.”

The new association will be a network of and for qualifying members of the wellness tourism industry. Its objectives will help to define the industry, as well as educate consumers to recognize legitimate and credible wellness suppliers and operators.

Co-Founding member Tom Klein, President & COO of Canyon Ranch stated, “The WTA will fill a gap in this global industry by providing a credible and unified voice.” Klein added, “As with all associations, the goals and objectives will be determined by the members.”

According to the Global Wellness Institute’s 2017 Global Wellness Economy Monitor, the Wellness Tourism segment is a $563 billion industry -- growing faster than the tourism industry itself. “It makes perfect sense to have our own association,” says Co-Founder and President, Anne Dimon, Founder/CEO of TravelToWellness.com “Especially since there is some confusion with consumers and travel agents as to what constitutes legitimate ‘wellness travel.”

Nilendu Srivastava, Managing Director of The Art of Living Retreat Center, a year-round wellness retreat facility in Boone, North Carolina is another Founding Member.

The association’s first tourism office member - the Monaco Government Tourist Office - will be represented by Cindy Hoddeson, Monaco’s Director, North America. The wellness history of this city-state dates back to 1860 and the Etablissement des Bains, Monaco’s first baths where people traveled to benefit from the curative powers of the Mediterranean.

Madeleine Marentette, owner of Grail Springs -- recent recipient of Canada's Best Wellness Retreat 2017 -- will also sit on the first Board of Directors - - as will Jim Forberg, Founding Partner and COO of Unicomm LLC, producers of the long-running Travel & Adventure Show and introducing a wellness element to their shows in 2018.

Wellness Tourism is not a new industry, as people have traveled both nationally and internationally with health or wellness the primary focus since the time of the Roman Baths. Today, the commitment to ‘health as your wealth’ transcends borders, cultures and ages, with many new companies flocking to the sector.

Membership will be open to qualifying destination marketing organizations, hotels and resorts, destination spas, tour operators, travel advisors, wellness educators and others with an interest in supporting the industry and helping shape its future and sustainability. Dimon adds that, “while ‘wellness’ is often thought to be a luxury category of travel, we also want to ensure we represent a diverse range of members across consumer segment."

For more information, please visit http://www.wellnesstourismassociation.org and for interview opportunities and additional details, email the WTA at admin@wellnesstourismassociation.org

Perhaps the struggle on the path the fitness is intimidation. Namely, the intimidation we feel when we’re at the gym. It’s easy to feel inferior or even stupid when you’re surrounded by people who are already in great shape. “How do I use this machine?” “I’ll never be able to lift that much!” “I’ll never look like that.” These are just a couple of thoughts that plague those who are trying to get started on their fitness journey.

Below is a wonderful graphic from Aaptiv. Aaptiv is an audio fitness app. Having a personal trainer in your ear while working out could be a great way to stay motivated for sure! If you’re not ready for that however just check out some of the information below. It’s amazing that 80% of adult Americans are not exercising enough!

I love the 2nd point about making sure you have a plan before showing up. It’s easy to get confused and distracted if going to the gym is a new routine for you. Showing up knowing what you’re going to work on ahead of time is key. You might have a goal of simply running the treadmill or 5-6 exercises to perform. Whatever you choose, just have goals before going in and leave once they are accomplished. It will help alleviate any pressure to do more, and you’ll leave feeling great every time!

I also think #4 isn’t talked about enough. Ask someone for help! The gym and fitness scene is very different than it was years ago. The mindset of most people in the gym is one of inclusion. They are happy that you are there and happy to help if you need it. I understand this wasn’t always the case. Gym were full of people who didn’t want to deal with people just starting out. Those days are over. While I’m sure some jerks still exist is a rare thing. Most people are happy to help you out 🙂 If you’re still nervous about talking to another member, find a trainer!

The graphic answers some great questions that everyone deals with. This, I think, might actually be the key. You are not alone. Many people go through the same internal struggles. Give the graphic a read, I’m sure it will address the challenges you’re facing and hopefully motivate you to get fit!

New published evidence reinforces the importance of device choice in asthma control

Two new publications build on previous evidence that not all devices are equally effective in delivering asthma control.

LONDON, ON, Jan. 31, 2018 /CNW/ - A recent article in Pulmonary Pharmacology and Physiology¹ provides in vitro evidence that the AeroChamber Plus* Flow-Vu* valved holding chamber (or spacer) delivers aerosolized drug more effectively than other chambers, a view further supported in a new literature review published in Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease.²

Child using the AeroChamber Plus® Flow-Vu® chamber for children 1-5 years old (CNW Group/Trudell Medical International)

The use of spacers with Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs) has become firmly established in the management of asthma and COPD, with guidelines such as the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA)³ recommending their use to reduce oropharyngeal deposition of drug, and counter the common problem of poor inhaler technique. What is not established, however, is whether there are any meaningful differences between the devices. While GINA guidelines do indicate that not all are the same – a view echoed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommendations,⁴ which state that data for MDIs should be generated with a 'specific named spacer' – this view is not expressed in all guidelines. Two recent publications set out to address the impact of spacer design on drug delivery performance and look at potential implications for clinical use.

Four similarly sized chambers were compared 'out of the box' in terms of statistical equivalence with the gold standard AeroChamber Plus* chamber with respect to retention of drug particles within the device and the aerodynamic particle size distribution of the drug particles delivered. Only the AeroChamber Plus* Flow-Vu* chamber (Trudell Medical International) demonstrated an equivalent profile of dose retention and delivery versus the reference chamber. The Compact Space Chamber Plus^™(Medical Developments), the OptiChamber Diamond^™ (Philips Respironics, Inc), and InspiraChamber^TM (Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc) devices all retained approximately twice as much drug, delivering around half the dose and showing non-equivalent performance compared with the AeroChamber Plus* Flow-Vu* chamber and reference chamber (pretreated AeroChamber Plus* chamber).

Lead author, Dr Sanjeeva Dissanayake, has recently published a literature review in Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease, which provides further support for these findings. In considering the important attributes of such delivery devices, the review notes a shift in emphasis from chamber size and shape to other aspects, such as consistency of drug delivery, static charge reduction, valve performance, and factors optimizing facemask effectiveness (such as flexibility and seal). Despite the general lack of published clinical studies that confirm the therapeutic benefits of such differences, the AeroChamber* 'family' of chambers has amassed an impressive body of clinical evidence. Most recently, a real-world database study⁵ has demonstrated improved clinical benefits and reduced resource utilization use with the AeroChamber Plus* Flow-Vu* chamber vs other chambers in patients with asthma. A study specifically looking at the Flow-Vu* inhalation indicator has also shown benefits for carer confidence in dose delivery, and improved care-giver preference and quality of life.⁶

Dr Dissanayake commented, 'The in vitro equivalence study results and the literature review findings provide strong support for the EMA guideline recommendations that data for MDIs should be generated with specific spacer devices, and further reinforce the view that superficially similar chambers should not automatically be considered to be interchangeable - even if superficially similar'.

About Trudell Medical International (TMI)

Trudell Medical International designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes a wide range of medical devices and is home to a global Aerosol Lab and Research Center. From the flagship AeroChamber^*Brand of Valved Holding Chamber and the latest award-winning Aerobika* device, to custom designed products and systems, our best-in-class respiratory management products have been sold in over 110 countries. Their efficacy has been validated in hundreds of peer-reviewed articles from various medical journals. www.trudellmed.com.

About AeroChamber^* brand valved holding chambers (VHC), including the AeroChamber Plus^* Flow-Vu^* AVHC

Developed in 1983 to address the needs of asthma and COPD patients having difficulty in taking their MDI medications correctly, the AeroChamber^* brand of chamber has innovated continuously to improve patient ease of use and quality of life as well as clinical outcomes and healthcare system savings.

The AeroChamber^* brand is the global leader of chambers, with safety and efficacy validated in numerous third party clinical evaluations amongst various patient populations; it is the chamber most recommended by leading MDI pharmaceutical companies.⁷
AeroChamber Plus^* Flow Vu^* chamber is designed to deliver the intended prescribed dose via the MDI, similar to using an MDI with perfect technique. An additional feature is the incorporation of the Flow-Vu* inspiratory indicator for the care-giver to observe effective inhalation. The Flow-Vu* indicator provides real time feedback confirming an effective inhalation and ensures that there are no leakages of ambient air into the space between facemask and face, that could prevent medication delivery altogether. www.aerochamber.com

Dissanayake S, Nagel M, Falaschetti E, Suggett J. Are valved holding chambers (VHCs) interchangeable? An in vitro evaluation of VHC equivalence. Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 2018; 48:179-184 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pupt.2017.10.005
Dissanayake S, Suggett J. A review of the in-vitro and in-vivo valved holding chamber (VHC) literature with a focus on the AeroChamber Plus Flow-Vu anti-static VHC. Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease. 2018; 12. https://doi.org/10.1177/1753465817751346
Global Initiative for Asthma: Global strategy for asthma management and prevention, 2017 Available from: www.ginaasthma.org. 2017.
Dissanayake S. Application of the EU Guidelines for Pharmacokinetic Studies of Locally Acting Orally Inhaled Drug Products. Respiratory Drug Delivery 2010. Vol 12010:293-304.
Burudpakdee, C., Kushnarev, V., Coppolo, D. et al. Pulmonary Therapy. 2017; 3(2):283-96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41030-017-0047-1
Ammari WG, Toor S, Chetcuti P, Stephenson J, Chrystyn H. Evaluation of asthma control, parents' quality of life and preference between AeroChamber Plus and AeroChamber Plus Flow-Vu spacers in young children with asthma. The Journal of Asthma: Oofficial journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma. 2015;52(3):301-307.
AeroChamber brand of holding chambers. Study Summary (September 2017). Available from: https://www.trudellmed.com/aerochamber-study-summary

SOURCE Trudell Medical International

This first of its kind film shows the filmmaker’s personal struggle with thyroid disease and the medical confusion and negligence that surrounds it

The award-winning documentary Sick to Death! exposes the medical incompetence surrounding the treatment of one of America’s most common illnesses as experienced by New Orleans filmmaker Maggie Hadleigh-West, and debuted online January 18, 2018.

Hadleihg-West is available for interviews Thursday, February 1 through Friday, March 16, 2018. Please call or email with a preferred date and time.

Johanna J. Ramos-Boyer | JRB Communications, LLC | Office: 703-646-5137

Sick to Death! has received a Guggenheim Award and three Impact Doc Awards prior to the world premiere sold out screenings at the 2017 New Orleans Film Festival.

“Thyroid disease is THE MOST misdiagnosed disease in American medicine, " said New Orleans physician Dr. Charles Mary, II in Sick to Death!.

"I cried when I realized I should have been diagnosed as a child, but when I realized that millions of people were sick, undiagnosed or misdiagnosed despite medical information being available, I was angry and change became my mission.” said Hadleigh-West. “The purpose of the film is to expose the problem through many people’s stories, experts, historians and statistical data."

In Sick to Death! Hadleigh-West unflinchingly exposes her 30-year struggle to regain her health. Sick to Death! is both a call-to-action and a quirky, raw film which examines the maze most patients face in seeking treatment in today’s disturbing medical reality. This film uses thyroid disease as a metaphor for all illnesses and provides the viewer a roadmap for how to negotiate their individual health challenges.

Sick to Death! is available on both Amazon and VIMEO and the easiest way to find the film isthrough the film’s website: sick2death.com

About Maggie Hadleigh-West: As early as 1991, Maggie Hadleigh-West created the first film on the sexual harassment of women in public, War Zone (1991/1998). Her film Player Hating (2011) was praised by SLANT magazine as “one of the more intimate and revealing looks at American (housing) projects ever made.” Sick to Death! is the first feature length documentary on thyroid disease and complications that surround it.

Hadleigh-West is a 2017 Impact Doc Awards winner, a 2013 Guggenheim Fellow Award Winner, 2010 Indie Fest: Audience Impact Merit Award Winner, 2010 Accolade Merit Award Winner, 2009, 2006, and 2005 Alcyon Foundation Fellow, a 2004 New York State Council on the Arts Fellow, 2001 University of Louisville Distinguished Professor Nominee, 2000 Rockefeller Fellow Nominee and a 1998 Berlin Film Festival Caligari Nominee. Over the course of her career, Maggie Hadleigh-West has been internationally recognized as an activist, independent filmmaker, public speaker and the founder of YoMaggie Productions, LLC. Sick to Death! Is her 5th film. Her fourth film, and second feature documentary Player Hating: A Love Story follows the life of hip-hop artist Half-a-Mill as he struggles to escape ghetto obscurity for fame. Her well known feature length documentary, War Zone, covers the public harassment of women, turning the lens of her camera on her harassers.

The world's leading researcher of ovulatory cycles offers insight into the intelligence of hormones. HORMONAL (on-sale 2/13)

“The perfect Valentine’s Day read for…any woman who’s ever been pissed off by a guy calling her ‘hormonal.’” -- Bookpage

“Essentially, HORMONAL covers everything anyone could ever want to know about the hormonal cycles of women, from birth through puberty and the childbearing years and into menopause. ‘Every girl and woman benefits from understanding the scope of hormonal cycles, the hows, whens, and whys,’ writes the author. ‘We should become familiar with the potential nudges that affect our behavior. And we should know that choosing to act on those behaviors is an individual choice, dependent upon our own preferences and goals. Being naïve to our hormonal natures will not help us. Being hormonally intelligent, on the other hand, will.’ Haselton provides a useful tool for women in that quest to become better informed about a significant aspect of their lives.” -- Kirkus

Martie Haselton, PhD, is the world's leading researcher on how ovulatory cycles influence women's sexuality. She is a professor of Psychology at UCLA and the Institute for Society and Genetics and directs UCLA’s Evolutionary Psychology Lab. In her forthcoming book, HORMONAL: The Hidden Intelligence of Hormones -- How They Drive Desire, Shape Relationships, Influence Our Choices, and Make Us Wiser (Little Brown and Company/February 13, 2018/$28.00 hardcover) Dr. Haselton explains the hidden intelligence of the hormonal cycle and its role in empowering women to succeed sexually, reproductively, and socially.

Hormones don't make women irrational; they do help women choose mates, compete with female rivals, produce healthy offspring, and conquer other biological challenges. With fresh insight, Martie Haselton explains that behind the "fickle" differences in what women find sexy about men, or what they like to wear, there's a hidden adaptive intelligence that has evolved over eons. The research is provocative but extremely compelling, and it comes with fascinating practical takeaways on how women can use their hormonal cycles to their advantage, helping them achieve success in their relationships, careers, and lives. Groundbreaking and counterintuitive, HORMONAL will empower women everywhere to embrace their biology.

Martie Haselton, PhD is the world’s leading researcher on sexuality and the ovulation cycle. In HORMONAL: The Hidden Intelligence of Hormones — How They Drive Desire, Shape Relationships, Influence Our Choices, and Make Us Wiser (Little Brown and Company/February 13, 2018/$28.00 hardcover) Haselton takes a deep, revealing look at the biological processes that so profoundly influence our behavior, and sets forth a radical new view of women’s bodies, minds, and sexual relationships that embraces hormonal cycles as adaptive solutions to the genuine biological challenges that women have faced throughout history.

At the core of Haselton’s new Darwinian Feminism is her remarkable discovery that humans, like our animal cousins, possess a special phase of sexuality, called estrus, which comes with a host of physiological and behavioral changes. Combining the scientific rigor of a leading researcher with the wit and candor of a best friend, Haselton explains how hormonal intelligence works — both its strengths and its weaknesses — and how women can track and understand their desires, fears, perceptions, and fantasies across the 28-day cycle and over the course of their lives.

Rigorously researched, entertaining, and empowering, HORMONAL offers women deep new insights into their bodies, brains, relationships, and affairs, allowing them to make better-informed choices about sex, marriage, friendship, contraception, and more. Above all, HORMONAL is a clarion call to appreciate and embrace the genius of female biology!

Did you know…

A woman’s attractiveness peaks just prior to ovulation because her “mate search effort” is turned on.
PMS may have evolved to get rid of boyfriends with unfit sperm.
Lap dancers on the Pill make about $20,000 less per year than lap dancers who are ovulating normally.
A woman may find an otherwise obnoxious male unusually appealing during certain points in her cycle.
Ovulating women tend to prefer more stylish and provocative clothing, and to spend more money on fashion and beauty — not so much to attract men, but to intimidate female rivals.
Women walk more, eat less, socialize more, meet more men, dance more, and flirt more when they’re ovulating.
Unlike nearly any other creature on earth, humans evolved to have sex—for fun, not babies--outside of the fertile window.
New mothers are formidable. They will behave more aggressively toward someone who is threatening, but their blood pressure stays low – they are cool as a cucumber and badass at the same time.
Menopause is not a sign that something has gone wrong in a woman’s body – it has a deep evolutionary history vital to our species’ success.

5 Reasons Why More and More People Are Saying ‘No Way’ to Valentine’s Day

Whether you’re in a couple or rolling solo, Valentine’s Day comes with expectation and pressure. With #CoupleGoals as a consistently trending hashtag, countless pictures of couples on social media, the obsession of celebrity break ups and make ups and TV shows like the Bachelor and Bachelorette serving up contrived romance sprinkled with drama, the way we think of love and romance has changed. Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a New York Board Certified Neuropsychologist explains why so many people say ‘no way’ to Valentine’s Day and offers some alternatives that shift this negative mindset.

“Valentine’s Day is a ‘Hallmark Holiday’ and I’m still broke from Christmas.”

When money is tight many people may want to cut back on spending especially for things they feel are frivolous. “Financial stress is a common thing and when people are made to feel pressured to spend, they get resentful and want to claim their power,” explains Dr. Hafeez. Instead of boycotting all romance, put a $20 maximum on gifts and you’ll see how sweet, thoughtful and creative you can get.

“Every restaurant is crowded and the service is terrible.”

Nothing kills romance faster than crowds and a bad experience dining out. Since everyone goes out to eat on Valentine’s Day there will be a lapse in service. “One way for couples to celebrate is to call their favorite restaurant in advance and have a meal prepared they can pick up and heat up at home,” suggests Dr. Hafeez. “You can either break out the fancy dishes and dress up or you can put on sweats and eat while watching a movie, the important thing is that you enjoy yourselves and aren’t stressed,” she adds.

“We’ve been together for ages. Every day is Valentine’s Day! Do we really need to celebrate?”

“Celebrations and traditions are important in a relationship and when they fall away it’s usually a sign of trouble and disconnection. While you may not feel the need to do anything extravagant use the day to appreciate the love you have and life you’ve created, even if it’s in a small way,” Hafeez advises.

“I’m single so what’s the point?”

Rolling solo on Valentine’s Day again, all the more reason to turn it into a Self Love Day. Being single on Valentine’s Day can be tough for people, especially those still healing from a break up or divorce. “You want to really be kind and caring to yourself. Booking a massage, getting a haircut, or arranging a single ladies night with your single friends could be just what’s needed. Focus on creating your own happiness,” says Dr. Hafeez who often sees a link between break up depression and anxiety over holidays.

“I’m just to busy for love and romance and all that stuff.”

Some people are just focused on other things that are top priority in their lives. There are plenty of women who are turned on more by generating income for their businesses than concerning themselves with outside approval or validation. There has been a rise in female entrepreneurship with more millenials and Gen X’ers preferring to build empires than romantic relationships. For them it’s just February 14^th the mid way point to a short month. “There’s nothing wrong with women wanting to focus on their professional lives. They often feel to focus on business, romance, which may cause them to lose focus, has to be shelved for a while, this is more common these days,” Dr. Hafeez shares.

While many say ‘no way’ to Valentine’s Day there are millions saying I DO.

According to a 2017 survey of 1000 people done by James Allen, an online diamond and bridal jewelry retailer, 43 percent of millennials say Valentines Day is their top pick for proposal day. November – February is considered proposal season.

Some other mind-blowing stats that clearly show Cupid isn’t going away anytime soon are.

In 2017, the National Retail Federation put the estimated total spending at over $18.2 billion. That's an average of $136.57 per person.

Jewelry is the most popular gift with 20 percent of consumers expected to buy jewelry, with a total of $4.3 billion on bling, the NRF said.

$2 billion will be spent on flowers, with roses being most popular. 250 million roses are produced for the holiday, the Society of American Florists said.

The American Greeting Card Association puts that industries pay out at 1 BILLION… yes folks $1 … for paper.

About Dr. Sanam Hafeez:

Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD is a NYC based licensed clinical neuropsychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services, P.C. a neuropsychological, developmental and educational center in Manhattan and Queens.

Dr. Hafeez masterfully applies her years of experience connecting psychological implications to address some of today’s common issues such as body image, social media addiction, relationships, workplace stress, parenting and psychopathology (bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, etc…). In addition, Dr. Hafeez works with individuals who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), learning disabilities, attention and memory problems, and abuse. Dr. Hafeez often shares her credible expertise to various news outlets in New York City and frequently appears on CNN and Dr.Oz.

Connect with her via twitter @comprehendMind or www.comprehendthemind.