The data, collected from 351 women at an average age of 51, revealed that those “who consistently breast-fed their children had waist circumferences that were an average of 2.6 inches smaller than women who had never breast-fed.”

As Dr. Nieca Goldberg suggests, these women may also be engaged in healthier lifestyles, but it appears that breastfeeding makes a significant difference when it comes to unhealthy belly fat.

View more details on womenshealth.gov

When a man opened fire in the dental office where Lydia worked last summer, she was shot twice: “The bullet fragments were millimeters from her heart and her vital organs,” said Dr. Ashkan Ghavami.

According to a firearms expert interviewed for the story, what saved Lydia’s life may have been the presence of her saline breast implants.  Of course he advises against getting “breast enhancements as a means to deflect a possible incoming bullet.”

Read more about this story here on NBC Los Angeles

According to writers on Bloomberg news, pharmaceutical company and Botox manufacturer Allergan Inc, applied for FDA clearance to market Botox as a headache treatment.  However, researchers say they cannot fully explain how Botox works to relieve headaches. One co-author of the study, Rami Burstein says, “it may block the signals in sensory nerves located on the outside of the head.”

• Read more about the study on Bloomberg news and Archives of Dermatology
• Read more about Botox in Dallas and Arlington

Unfortunately, some male patients feel embarrassed to investigate the procedure. A man who documented his tummy tuck online writes that he perceived a “stigma or shame associated with male tummy tucks,” that made him hesitate to inquire about the operation.  If you’re researching a tummy tuck, know that surgeons should be able to offer advice specific to your gender.

A male member of the realself.com forum asks about skin laxity on his abdomen due to weight loss:

I’m dealing with loose skin after a 50 lbs weight loss in my teens. I’ve totally transformed and I’m very athletic with well-defined abs, but have laxity mostly below the navel and around the lower back. The problem areas are very localized and I hide it under the belt line with no one suspecting I was obese. But I feel “unfinished.” The front skin is very thin and hangs, the back is mostly smooth. Is there a tummy tuck technique that would excise the abdominal skin and provide modest tightening in the lower back?

Washington DC plastic surgeon Chris Hess MD responds: “Even though we tend to have better skin tone than women, we can still end up with excess skin due to skin memory. It sounds like you could undergo a mild excision of the excess tissue–less than a mini tummy tuck.”

Some cases aren’t so simple. When a man has experienced a greater weight reduction, the full tummy tuck may be recommended. “Do not hesitate to use a full abdominoplasty for a male patient with extreme skin laxity; men tend to heal better than women after abdominoplasty,” advises Oklahoma cosmetic surgeon Angelo Cuzalina.

Others agree: a comprehensive approach may be necessary for a large number of men. Dr. Alan Matarasso, scientific editor of Aesthetic Surgery Journal discusses the procedure in Cosmetic Surgery Times: he says “you really need to treat men circumferentially, all the way around, because if you ask most men what bothers them, it’s the ‘love handles,’ and that goes all the way around to the back.”

For men, tummy tuck surgery might be discussed less frequently, but it is clear that cosmetic surgeons perform it on a regular basis. If you think you might be a good candidate, ignore any perceived “stigma” and ask a surgeon for the information you need.

• Tummy tuck surgery in Dallas, Texas

For most people, the average age to pursue an injectable treatment likely depends on when they attain a certain level of income and when they begin to notice prominent frown lines or wrinkles. But does that mean you need to be past a certain age?

According to Bay Area plastic surgeon Sirish Maddali, “many [of his] patients understand that using Botox at a younger age can be preventative and therefore start earlier.” But how many 20 or 30-somethings actually take these steps to maintain their appearance?

According to statistics from the ASAPS:

2,464,123 Botox treatments were performed in 2008*

• 0.3 percent of patients were 18 and under
• 15.4 percent of patients were 19-34 (379,582 procedures)
• 49.1 percent of patients were 35-50
• 27.3 percent of patients were 51-64
• 7.9 percent of patients were over 65

*2009 stats aren’t available yet

Antioxidant-rich foods can help combat the natural processes that wear down your body in general and your skin in particular. Nutritionists suggest that an antioxidant-rich diet is a good choice for skin health, with broccoli, carrots, berries, whole-grain cereals and fish on your grocery list. There’s no secret ingredient or sole contributor to a “healthy skin diet,” but regularly eating well and choosing these super foods is the key.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale University School of Medicine and author of “The Wrinkle Cure,” emphasizes antioxidants in his approach to a skin-healthy diet too, and believes the ideal skin-healthy meal would include a six-ounce serving of fresh grilled salmon, a romaine lettuce salad with lemon juice and olive oil for a dressing, and fresh cantaloupe.

Fish is at the top of Perricone’s skin health list of anti-aging foods, because fatty fish contains important nutrients and Omega 3 fatty acids. He lists salmon, albacore tuna, and mackerel as great additions to any skin-healthy diet.

The bottom line is that aging is a natural process that can be influenced by what we eat, so make good nutrition a fundamental part of your efforts to look better.

According to the plaintiff, this contact, which reports say mentioned a non-compete agreement between the parties, interfered with the distribution of its new product line.

Obagi Medical Products has denied any anti-competitive conduct in the matter, and says it will vigorously defend the suit.

Competition in the skin care industry is nothing new, but it has been intensifying in recent years. The demand for anti-aging skin care products has increased over the last decade as baby-boomers have taken advantage of advances in skin care science. In fact, between 2006 and 2008, U.S. sales alone rose 13% to 1.6 billion dollars, and the trend shows no sign of weakening.

Read more about Obagi skincare products in Arlington, Texas

Researchers now regard fat around the hips, buttocks and thighs as a healthier fat than tummy fat, the kind that maintains lower levels of inflammation and blood sugar. Beer guts and spare tires, however, are curves that can lead us to health problems later in life. Also known as visceral fat, this dangerous fat lies closer to vital organs, whereas subcutaneous fat is situated closer to the skin and is more visually accessible.

But how can we change from visceral fat to subcutaneous fat? How can an apple shape become more pear-like? For now, the answer lies in diet and exercise.

Citing studies conducted on the effects of training on waist size, medical researches advocate incorporating at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days per week, and two days of strength training; and cutting calories by 500 to 1,000 daily. Also important is to eat 25 grams of fiber and 60 to 70 grams of protein daily. Added protein and strength means more muscle and less fat.

In the article “Are You a Pear or an Apple?” Tatiana Morales informs readers that pear-shaped women, too, have potential health problems to address. Outlining Dr. Marie Savard’s book Apples & Pears: The Body Shape Solution for Weight Loss and Wellness, Morales writes that extra fat around the hips can lead to varicose veins. These pear-shaped women tend to have less estrogen and are more prone to bone loss after menopause. They are also more likely to have lower self-esteem, and are therefore more prone to eating disorders. For these women, it is important to eat low-fat foods and incorporate strength training into exercise routines.

Related Links

• BBC: Having Big Bum, Thighs is Healthy
• CBS: Are you a pear or an apple?

If you need help following through on those New Year’s resolutions, this event might be worth checking out.  The free event at Methodist Charlton Medical Center is planned to help you slim down, eat right, look good or even get your degree.

On hand will be a motivational speaker, representatives from the University of North Texas and Cedar Valley Community College and practicing physicians on the Methodist medical staff.

Scheduled programs include these topics:

• How to reach and maintain a healthy weight
• Beginning an exercise program and sticking to it
• How to look and feel your best with cosmetic procedures

More information on Methodisthealthsystem.org and Dallasnews.com