Your Probiotics May Be Lying to You

We love our probiotics here on Vitamin G (hello to better digestion and immune system strength!), but if you're popping a probiotic supplement, experts warn that you may not be getting exactly what you're paying for...

According to a new report by ConsumerLab.com, many of the probiotic supplements for sale today don't contain the number of good-for-you bacteria that they claim to have. And, shockingly, many contain somewhere between 10 to 58 percent of the amount listed on the label.

"Consumers should keep in mind that a large percentage of organisms in a probiotic supplement may die before a product is even purchased and labels can be misleading or incorrect," said Tod Cooperman, MD, President of ConsumerLab.com. "Many products start with several billion viable cells, but there may or may not be a sufficient number of viable cells remaining at time of use to be beneficial."

Your Healthy To-Do List For Today

Hi my dears! You know I like to give you little healthy reminders now and then (forgive me for sounding like your mom sometimes--I care about you!!), well, I'm going start giving you occasional to-do list (I'm a chronic list-maker, are you?)--easy little things you can do or think about during your day to be healthier and happier. So, here's your healthy to-do list for Friday...

*Track down an old tennis ball, and tuck it in your bag to bring to work next week. Here's why: Rolling a tennis ball around on your feet (under your desk--no one will see!) feels so relaxing--hello, free foot massage!--plus it can help combat foot tension and pain.

Why Kate Winslet Says She Still Feels Like "the Fat Kid"

Were you overweight as a child? Kate Winslet spoke out recently about her childhood weight issues--going so far as to call her former self "fat" and admit to still holding on to some of those old feelings of inadequacy. What she said (and the kind of surprising after-exercise treat she gives herself!) after the jump ...

****

"I was fat," Kate she says in the December issue of Vanity Fair. "I didn't know any fat famous actresses. I just did not see myself in that world at all, and I'm being very sincere. ...You know, once a fat kid, always a fat kid. Because you always think that you just look a little bit wrong or a little bit different from everyone else. And I still sort of have that."

What Do You Think About When You're in The Shower?

To me, a shower is more than just a place to wash your hair. It's crazy, but you know the cliche about getting great ideas in the shower? It's always true for me--so true, in fact, that I keep a notebook in my bathroom to jot down little epiphanies that hit me in the shower! What do you think about when you're lathering up?

Did you guys hear the news about showerheads being loaded with bacteria? Gross, yes, but probably not any real cause for alarm (unless you have a health condition that leaves you with a compromised immune system). On the happier thoughts!

I love my morning shower. Even though I always have guests in the bathroom with me (my baby, who sits in a bouncer seat; my toddler who rocks on his "rocking horse," yes, in the bathroom; and sometimes my dog--it's a full house!), I still try to zone out a little and relax. To me, a shower is a built-in time for a little zen (even if someone is crying or barking, which is almost always the case).

Weight Loss Secrets: This Late-Night Hunger Buster Is Really Working for Me

Tell me I'm not the only person in America who feels hungry--no, crazy hungry--around 10:00 each night. After a good dinner, I try not to fall victim to the munchies a few hours later. Here's a trick that has been consistently working for me lately...

Peppermint tea!

It's not cookie-dough ice cream or a bowl of cereal or anything else you might be craving at 9 or 10 at night, but here's the thing: There's something about mint tea that can reorient your cravings and simmer your hunger down, and researchers point to science to back it up.

Since I've been engaging in my pre-bed peppermint tea ritual, I've been doing so well at avoiding p.m. snacking, which some say could help shed pounds (here's why). Oh, and I love the mini-mint "facial" I get from hovering over my cup. It feels relaxing and healthy.

Watch Me Diet: Are You in a Food Rut?

When it comes to cooking, I'm a creature of habit. I eat the same meal for breakfast almost every morning: three egg whites, two slices of turkey bacon and a piece of wheat toast. But after reading this Exactly What to Eat to Lose Weight tip on how trying new foods can help keep eating on track, I decided to take some culinary risks...

The grocery store was out of turkey bacon, so I had to make a swap then and there. I was so used to reaching for the same item over and over, I hadn't even looked at the other possibilities. Soy breakfast sausage? Canadian Bacon? I opted for some chicken sausage with sage and apples. Two little links provided almost the same amount of calories as my usual turkey bacon, but the novelty made me excited to dig in this morning at breakfast.

Want to Be Happier? Do This, Not That

Let's say you are given $5,000 out of the blue. You have three choices on how to spend it: a.) an exciting 7-day vacation to a luxurious spot on the map that you've always wanted to visit, or b.) put it away in savings and let it grow, then use it later when you really need it, or c.) spend it on something practical, like the new roof for your house, a new deck for your backyard or car that actually works. One of these choices buys you the most happiness, say researchers--and it's kind of surprising ...

The choice that may make you most happy, say researchers?

The vacation!

I know, money doesn't buy happiness (duh), but according to a LiveScience article that reviewed the latest happiness research, we tend to be more cheerful when spending our money on experiences rather than stuff.

The Magic Words That Helped This Person Lose Weight--Do You Have a "Diet Mantra"?

What do you think of "mantras"? You know, the kind of new-agey belief that if you say something enough--out loud--you can convince yourself of anything. While I am a believer in the power of positive thought, when it comes to fitness, I'm not sold on the idea that what you say can make you thin. Then I heard this story ...

****

Food psychologist Brian Wansink told this story: "Over coffee, a new friend commented that he had lost 30 pounds within the past year. When I asked him how, he explained he didn't stop eating potato chips, pizza, or ice cream. He ate anything he wanted, but if he had a craving when he was not hungry he would say--out loud--"I'm not hungry but I'm going to eat this anyway."