Bod Squad
I'm almost never hungry. I'm trying to gain weight, but I can rarely even finish a meal.
I feel full after just a few bites.
When girls lose their appetites, a probable culprit is clinical depression, which strikes one in five kids. Symptoms of depression can also include not enjoying things you used to, losing confidence, becoming irritated easily, and changes in sleep patterns.
Teenagers need about 2,000 calories a day from nutritious foods such as veggies, fruits, lean meats, whole grains and fats. And the less you eat, the less hungry you feel, explains Marlo Mittler, registered dietitian/nutritional consultant, Fairway Market, New York: “Hunger cues, like your stomach growling, disappear.”
To get your appetite back, eat small amounts of food every three hours. If you continue to feel unable to eat, you should get to a doc. Other causes could be an underlying illness or a side effect of any prescription drugs you might be taking.
TELL US NOW! Are you havin' body bummers? Click on SEND A QUESTION below to send in your most important body qs.
BY CAITLIN R. ON 11/4/2009 7:00:00 AM 81 COMMENTS
POST IT ON YOUR
E-MAIL
PRINT
SHARE
Is it safe to pop pimples? I’ve heard it can leave scars.
If it’s OK to pop, what’s the best way to do it?
The correct answer is to let your bumps be. Seriously. Avoid picking, which usually makes zits last longer, turn red and multiply like bunnies.
If you must, here’s a lesson from Dr. Coyle Connolly, dermatologist, Voorhees, N.J.: 1) If you have a whitehead, take a warm shower to open the pore. 2) Hold a warm washcloth on the zit. 3) Give the bump a few gentle, firm squeezes. 4) Stop! If you can’t get it, leave it alone. Otherwise, it might pop inside your skin and cause an inflamed mess. If white goopy stuff comes out, and you see a little blood, you’ve probably gotten it all. Dab on a bit of benzoyl peroxide cream either way, and hope for the best.
TELL US NOW! Are you havin' body bummers? Click on SEND A QUESTION below to send in your most important body qs.
BY CAITLIN R. ON 10/28/2009 7:00:00 AM 102 COMMENTS
POST IT ON YOUR
E-MAIL
PRINT
SHARE
I get pit stains. I shower daily and use strong deodorant.
Yet, I have stains before second period. Help!
As if you don’t have enough to worry about in puberty, right? Excessive sweating is called hyperhidrosis. According to guidelines from the International Hyperhidrosis Society, you know you have it if your sweating is embarrassing, depressing or prevents you from doing things.
“Most people don’t even tell their best friends,” says Dr. Doris Day, spokesperson for the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and a dermasurgeon in New York City. She recommends an over-the-counter product containing a deodorant and antiperspirant (try Certain Dri, drugstore.com). If that doesn’t work, a dermo can help you with this problem.
TELL US NOW! Are you havin' body bummers? Click on SEND A QUESTION below to send in your most important body qs.
BY CAITLIN R. ON 10/21/2009 7:00:00 AM 80 COMMENTS
POST IT ON YOUR
E-MAIL
PRINT
SHARE
I get brown clumps on my pad during my period, and it freaks me out!
What’s wrong?
Nothing like brown clumps to remind you that periods are, well, icky! But relax—you’re fine. When a girl’s flow is in full force, it tends to be red. But when it slows down, it becomes brown from air exposure.
Plus, your uterus is self-cleaning, so when you menstruate you shed its lining. That means clumps and clots are not only OK, they’re part of the process.
TELL US NOW! Are you havin' body bummers? Click on SEND A QUESTION below to send in your most important body qs.
BY CAITLIN R. ON 10/14/2009 7:00:00 AM 94 COMMENTS
POST IT ON YOUR
E-MAIL
PRINT
SHARE