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Among the lesser-known and less-studied eating disorder behaviors is chew and spit (CHSP) behavior. This behavior consists of chewing a highly palatable and energy-dense food and spitting it out instead of swallowing it. The intent of chewing and spitting is to enjoy food’s flavor without ingesting calories. CHSP is similar to bingeing because it involves larger than intended quantities of high-calorie foods. It also shares elements of restrictive eating because the food is not actually consumed....

Each year, more than 500,000 people head to their healthcare provider’s office to get what is sometimes to referred to as “the snip”—or a vasectomy. This simple, non-invasive surgical procedure is a highly effective form of pregnancy prevention and is among the most commonly used means of birth control. “It is recommended for men and their partners who are interested in permanent contraception,” says Stephen Lazarou, MD, FACS a reproductive urologist, men’s health specialist, and director of urology at Boston IVF as well as a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School....

Compared to text messages or email, voice-based communication tends to create a stronger social bond, according to an advance online publication of a study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology. Key Takeaways Talking by phone or over a computer creates a stronger social bond than communicating by text or email, a recent study suggests.These social bonds and connections can aid well-being, especially right now when isolation levels are high.If phone calls are not part of your everyday routine, one expert suggests making “appointments” with friends as motivation....

What Are Age Gap Relationships? Whether it’s a celebrity or someone you know personally, age gaps in romantic relationships always draw a bit of attention. The History of Age-Gap Relationships In general, men are much more willing to consider women who are significantly younger. According to multiple studies, this has evolutionary roots. Age-Gap Relationships Age-gap relationships usually refer to an age difference of at least 10 years between partners. In general, the definition of age-gap relationships and what is and is not acceptable varies based on a person’s sex, age, and cultural norms....

The word “phobia” in the name means that fear doesn’t come from a rational place; there is no reason for any person to fear someone because of their identity, and homophobia manifests as actions that are anything but fearful. Homophobia is an irritational dislike of, or prejudice against, people who are LGBTQIA+. There are entire populations in our society that are homophobic, but that doesn’t make homophobia an acceptable viewpoint to hold....

Whenever you feel like your baby is not moving as much as usual—especially when you’re far enough along that you’ve been feeling regular movement—it is best to call your healthcare provider. There is a good chance that there is nothing wrong with the baby, but it is important that you discuss any changes in your baby’s movement with your physician or midwife. In some cases, decreased movement may be an early warning sign of a condition that could lead to stillbirth, so it is absolutely best to err on the side of caution....

When does voice change occur for boys going through puberty, and what does it mean? Puberty is predictably unpredictable, for both girls and boys. You know your child will go through the stages of puberty, but you don’t always know when those symptoms will present themselves. Boys experience voice change during puberty, and the change can happen anywhere between the ages of 10 and 15. Typically, voice change begins somewhere around age 12 or 13, or during the middle school years, which can make the experience a tad embarrassing for the child....

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In 2020, the disease was responsible for nearly 10 million deaths. When a parent is diagnosed with cancer, it impacts the entire family, especially the children. And according to a new study, the amount of information kids receive about a parental diagnosis carries significant weight. Key Takeaways A new study notes that many parents fighting cancer have a hard time sharing the diagnosis with their children....

For a majority of people living with anxiety, Xanax (alprazolam) is a known treatment method. This medication was prescribed around 21 million times in 2018 alone. It is recognized as the most common psychiatric medication in the United States. In addition to anxiety, this medication has also been used off-label to manage depression and may be recommended for insomnia treatment. There is little question that Xanax provides relief from anxiety symptoms....

Some parents gravitate to traditional names like Elizabeth, Sarah, John, William, and Noah. Others love popular baby names like Ava, Aiden, Amelia, Oliver, Olivia, Asher, and Liam. These can all make wonderful name choices for your baby. But some parents seek more unusual or creative names. Creative names can be inspired by just about anything, from a favorite city, color, language, flower, season, or landmark to a beloved book, word, culture, or character....

An earlier article presented a fictional first-person account of someone with social anxiety disorder (SAD). The goal of that article was to add a personal touch to the informational articles contained on this site. Perhaps the article described someone you know. You may have even experienced some of those symptoms yourself. As a new addition to this series, here is a day in the life of a teenager with SAD....

Whether you took a month off for maternity leave, or you took a decade off to be a stay-at-home parent, feeling excited about going back to work doesn’t make you a bad mom. After all, what’s not exciting about earning an income, holding adult conversations, and getting tasks done without constant interruption? If all that sounds better than changing diapers, then it’s OK. If you feel bad for being excited about going back to work, however, you’re not alone....

If you smoke cigarettes or e-cigarettes, every puff puts poisons, toxic metals, and carcinogens into your bloodstream. In fact, of the more than 7,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, at least 250 are dangerous to your health, and at least 69 of those can cause cancer. Whether you smoke cigarettes, use e-cigarettes (vape pens), or inhale secondhand smoke, those chemicals affect everything from your blood pressure and pulse rate to your organs and immune system....

There remains a significant level of uncertainty about children returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. Back-to-school is usually a time of nerves and excitement for kids—along with some relief for busy parents—but there are issues for parents to consider during a pandemic. As fall approaches, school districts around the country are beginning to announce their plans to re-open.Some districts have the resources to offer various options, including in-person, online, and hybrid versions of the school day, while others may have just one choice....

What Is a Dyssomnia? Types of Sleep Disorders Sleep disorders, also known as sleep-wake disorders, include over 80 different conditions with varied symptoms. Dyssomnias are one group of sleep disorders. To understand which types of conditions are grouped under dyssomnias, it can be helpful to understand how the various types of sleep disorders are classified. Dyssomnia Dyssomnias are a group of sleep disorders that affect the timing, quality, or quantity of sleep....

Family-based treatment (FBT, also sometimes referred to as the Maudsley method) is a leading treatment for adolescent eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED). It is a manualized treatment delivered by trained professionals. It is primarily delivered in outpatient settings, although there are some residential and partial hospitalization (PHP) programs that incorporate FBT. It should therefore usually be considered as a first-line approach to treatment for children, adolescents, and some young adults with eating disorders....

In early pregnancy, your OB/GYN or healthcare provider will likely offer you the option of doing some genetic tests and screenings. Genetic tests can offer helpful information about your baby’s health, including the possibility of birth defects or genetic abnormalities. These tests are usually recommended for people who have a family history of genetic disorders, or people who are having a baby over the age of 35. But anyone who’s interested and thinks they’ll find the information helpful can undergo genetic testing....

Acquiring motor skills is an important part of child development that allows children to participate in physical activities and achieve age-appropriate developmental milestones. These skills also require motor planning—that is, the ability to think through and act upon a plan for motion. For example, if a child has the strength and muscle tone to climb the ladder of a slide, but they can’t place their feet in the right spots and in the right order to reach the top, they may have poor motor planning skills....

If you want to collect, freeze, and store your breast milk, but you’re only getting a little bit of breast milk each time you pump, you may be wondering if you can combine these small amounts together. It would be convenient if you could combine, freeze, and store your breast milk in the amounts that your baby is taking at each feeding. By putting small quantities of breast milk together into one container, you can also maximize the storage space in your freezer....

If asked which smoking-related disease is the number one cause of death among smokers, most people would probably guess lung cancer or emphysema. While both diseases do claim many lives each year, more smokers actually die from heart disease than any other smoking-related condition. As of Dec. 20, 2019, the new legal age limit is 21 years old for purchasing cigarettes, cigars, or any other tobacco products in the U.S....