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If you’re one of the unlucky people who is a long-term sufferer of migraines or headaches then we have some good news for you.

If you’re also a lover of piercings then this news is going to make you even happier.The internet has recently been full of claims surrounding a certain piercing and the positive affects it has for headache sufferers. 

A daith piercing (a piercing that passes through the ear’s innermost cartilage fold) is being claimed as the cure for those who suffer with migraines and headaches.

This is pretty great news for those that do suffer, considering that it could mean they would no longer be relying on expensive painkillers. A long term cure could cost just €25. 

 

A photo posted by IPRICKU (@ipricku) on

It sounds almost too good to be true. However, many people who have had the piercing are using social media to support the claims that the piercing really does work. 

It hasn’t been confirmed as of yet whether the piercing is a real cure for migraines and headaches. One doctor wrote a blog post addressing the issue and noted:

“If a person enjoys ear piercing and suffers from frequent headaches, it may be worthwhile to consider getting this spot pierced.Since body piercings are generally less than $100, this may be a very economical treatment alternative.” 

The theory behind the daith piercing being a cure for headaches is based on the idea that it is the same pressure point acupuncturists will target to relieve headaches.

The Migraine Relief Center recognises the link between ‘daith’ piercings and easing migraine symptoms.

“The principle is that the piercing mimics acupuncture by hitting a pressure point, which relieves the pressure in the patient’s head,” the website states.

“By having it done on the same side as most migraines occur, it’s thought to help reduce the incidence of migraines in the area.”

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Kelly Brook has been branded as “pathetic” as a result of sharing a snap from a recent night out in London on social media.

The actress and model was enjoying a festive-themed night at Ping Pong restaurant and shared a photo in which she displays a very slim waistline. The brunette is known for her fabulous hourglass figure, but social media users were quick to point out some interesting features. 

After more images surfaced online in which Kelly’s waist is not so tiny, people were quickly accusing the star of editing her Instagram pictures. 

Fellow Instagram users slammed Kelly for apparently using photo editing apps to shave inches off of her waistline. 

“Why have you edited your waist in this picture?! No need when everyone knows you're curvy,” one user wrote. Others appeared to be less than impressed: 

“It's fake airbrushed to death, this is why girls make themselves sick through people like this, I honestly thought someone with natural curves wouldn't want to be thin but nothing surprises me about vein celebs these days.” 

 

A photo posted by Kelly Brook (@iamkb) on

Another added: “Talk about editing!! Such a fake pathetic thing to do!”

The social media criticism comes not long after Kelly herself spoke out on how she thinks that any airbrushing in magazine should be labelled and slammed publications who previously over-Photoshopped her pictures.

Since the Instagram drama took over her social media accounts, Kelly has argued that there is nothing wrong with editing selfies:

“The pictures I post are not unrealistic to who I am. I embrace my Curves and love my body."  

"Slightly photoshopping pics is no different to women wearing fake hair, putting chicken Fillets in their bras, squeezing into Spanx or having filler and Botox in their face. None of which I do.”

The actress added the hashtag #CurveGate to her post after social media users were intent on pointing out how Kelly's pictures appeared to be edited. She added that “we all want to look our best in pics. So let’s all focus on the positive and be nice to each other.”

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Just when we thought that we had a handle on the healthy and unhealthy foods, this study came along to blow everyone’s minds.

You might have thought that including some bacon in your diet, or indeed a burger from time to time, was a step up from other bad health habits- you were wrong. 

Bacon, and plenty of other processed meats are just as bad for you as smoking.

The World Health Organisation is set to make the announcement on Monday that processed meat is amongst the most deadly, the Daily Mail reports.

“Fresh red meat is also due to join the ‘encyclopaedia of carcinogens’ and is likely to be ranked as only slightly less dangerous than the preserved products.” 

 

A photo posted by @eater on

These findings have come after scientists from 10 nations reviewed all attainable evidence.

Sausages are also included in the list of food that apparently pose a massive threat to our health. So maybe rethink that Sunday fry-up.

The Mail is reporting that WHO will rank processed meat in the top five most likely things to give people cancer, among the likes of cigarettes and alcohol. 

Processed meat is said to be labelled as ‘carcinogenic to humans’, which is the highest of five possible rankings, shared with alcohol, asbestos, arsenic and cigarettes.

Processed meat is made by smoking, curing, salting, or adding chemicals which are believed to be cancer-causing.

While all things in moderation is suggested, removing processed meat from your diet entirely is recommended by the World Cancer Research Fund.

Could this mean that bacon packages will have warning labels in the future? 

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At this point everyone has heard that introducing some cardio exercises to your fitness routine has plenty of benefits.

However, we have also heard that it is not the only way to kick start a weight-loss programme. In fact, many in the fitness industry are encouraging us to step away from the treadmill. 

Including cardio in your routine increases heart health and helps to burn fat, but it might not be setting our metabolisms alight as we had hoped.

Too much cardio can raise your stress levels, and when your cortisol hormone levels are high, you won’t be able to lose the weight you want to. 

Cadence Dubus, a NYC based personal trainer to celebs like the cast Girls explains:

"If you look at the New York Marathon, the majority of the people jogging by are chubby, and most of them have probably been logging 12, 15, or 20 miles a week."

This can be attribute to how the calories you burn increase as you move from a resting level of metabolism to an exercising rate of metabolism. So, going from a steady walk to a run for example.  

Brooklyn Strength

This type of exercise can boost your metabolism for hours even after you have stopped exercising.

So, if you’re spending hours and hours a week on the treadmill sweating it out at a steady jog, then your metabolism will also stay at a steady rate.

Incorporating sprint intervals into your cardio routine can help avoid this. 

Strength training is also recommended. Cadence adds that if you are exercising with body fat in mind, to remember that "building muscle is where you burn calories," says Dubus.

So if you’re looking for a more ‘toned’ physique, your treadmill addiction is probably not helping. 

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Yesterday, the new iOS software update allowed iPhone owners and emoji enthusiasts to express their love of all things burrito, unicorn and cheese. 

There was a lot of cheese loving happening. People were more excited about the cheese than the Bank Holiday weekend it seemed.   

UNICORNS

Now, we feel like there could be an explanation behind this worldwide cheese addiction.

A study recently published in the US National Library of Medicine has examined why certain foods are more addictive than others. 

Surprisingly (or perhaps not if you’re a cheese freak), cheese was found to have the same addictive properties as many drugs.

According to the LA Times: “certain foods are addictive because of the way they are processed. The more processed and fatty the food, the more it was associated with addictive eating behaviours.”

An ingredient in cheese called casein makes cheese particularly addictive because of the way this is broken down into an opiate called casomorphin during digestion. The property has led Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, to call cheese “dairy crack.” 

This is not a joke by the way, your cheese addiction is now validated. Thank you science!

"[Casomorphins] really play with the dopamine receptors and trigger that addictive element," registered dietitian Cameron Wells told Mic. 

Pizza was the food which was crowned the most addictive, which is thought to be as a result of the cheese topping.

So, now that we know there’s an actually explanation behind our love of cheesy food, who wants to try the Pizza Diet?

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The calorie counting debate has been raging for quite some time now.

It can be confusing and often trying to Google your way to new information can leave you in more of a heap than anything else.  If we eat the cheesecake, can we eat anything else all day? How does one calculate calories correctly? What the hell is #IIFYM anyway?​​

We have a lot of questions.

So, in an effort to help people discover that calorie counting can be done effectively and without making you hate everything and celery, five editors spent a week counting their calories. 

This is what they learned:

Not everyone should even count calories:

Buzzfeed Health editors consulted the creator of the 30 Days to Body Love programme. She advised that not everyone should count calories.

If: you have a history of disordered eating, or attaching your own self-worth or confidence to your eating habits, or consider restricting yourself to an exact number of calories as “punishment” for eating too much, or are prone to becoming obsessive about aspects of your life, you probably shouldn't be counting calories.

Not all calories are created equally:

Calorie counting puts emphasis on numbers as opposed to nutrients. So while something may be low in calories, it may not actually have anything nutritious in there. 

There's an app for everything:

There are a number of calorie counting apps out there so do some research and find out which one will best suit your goals. Otherwise you may be inclined to forget to record certain meals.

Record calories after you eat:

Certainly not during your meal, and definitely not before you tuck in. Counting calories before you eat can make some people feel guilty about the amount they consume, which is not good. Instead, snap a photo before you eat to use as a reference when you record your calories later. 

If you want to do this effectively, you have to be accountable: 

Honesty is truly the best policy. If you're frustrating because you don't see any results, it could have something to do with the cheeseburger and milkshake you ate yesterday but logged in your app as an apple. 

Counting calories alone may not actually help you lose weight: 

Yes, if you want to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you consume, so counting calories is a good place to start. However, there are lots of other things that can slow down you metabolism such as stress, your sleeping patterns, etc. So, keep that in mind before embarking on a calorie counting journey.

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We hate to break it to you, but acne is just one of those things that we wish we could leave behind with puberty. Unfortunately, that is sometimes just not the case.

While some of your blemishes can be the result of one too many trips to the take away or that time of the month, some people can face irritated skin or nasty breakouts as a result of one simple habit.

The water in your shower could be causing your skin to break out.

Life Script pointed out that changes in your environment can cause your skin to react badly.  This can be a result of our skin adjusting to different pH levels in the water.

However, Dr. Robynne Chutkan recently appeared on Today to inform us that hard water or soft water are the least of our worries. We might actually just be too clean, and that is what leads to break outs.

She says that a certain amount of grime is needed to keep our bodies full of friendly germs that we need to protect ourselves from those that can do us harm.

She explained that we may not actually need to be scouring ourselves in the shower daily with soap. In fact, by doing so, we could be removing bacteria that helps prevent certain skin issues, especially eczema.

She advises to forget about soaps, but if we insist to go for mild, organic products.

We can also ditch the hand sanitizers, unless you’re working in a contagious area of a hospital. While during flu season extra precaution is wise, apparently using too many antibacterial soaps is doing harm to our skin.

So, basically, repeatedly killing off good bacteria on our skin may break down our natural immunity and this can lead to breakouts and skin irritation.

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There are those of us who can think if nothing better to do than don a tiny pair of running shorts and hit the spinning class the second their work day ends. Then there are also those of us who see the shorter evenings as an excuse to catch up on our TV shows and enjoy warm snacks.

If you are one of those people who doesn’t particularly love the thought of the gym after a long day (or before one, early morning gym people can be the worst), then we have good news.

You can still get fit and healthy, and you don’t need a gym membership.

Go for a bike ride:

It doesn’t have to be incredibly strenuous, Also, you’re probably less inclined to notice you’re doing so much physical activity when if you pick a scenic route.

Take the stairs:

If you’re at work or just out and about, make the effort to take the stairs and not an elevator. You’ll burn more calories, and possibly save some time if you work in a busy office building.

Park further away:

It seem like a nuisance, but if you’re going to be desk-bound all day there’s no harm in spending an extra minute or two walking from the car park.

Laugh more:

This is probably our favourite study that we’ve come across yet. While research maintains that you can’t eat fast-food every day and expect to have rock hard abs after a few giggles, they do say "every calorie counts". Laughing raises your energy expenditure and increases your heart rate from 10 to 20 per cent.

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Most of us know by now that not all foods were created equally.

Yup, some are adept at getting our metabolism REALLY fired up – while others do little except slow everything down.

Still, with (whisper it!) Monday morning now looming once again, we're frankly eager to kick-start the week in the best possible way: and that means getting our diets in order.

But did you know that there are a load of metabolic rate rumours that continue to fly despite having somewhat questionable origins?

Here, SHEmazing! examines the cold-hard evidence so you can separate foodie fact from foodie fiction… shedding excess bloat without going hungry. Hurrah!

 

1) Sleep keeps you slim: FACT

Just one night of bad sleep can slow down your metabolism the next morning, reducing the energy you expend for tasks such as breathing or digestion by up to 20 percent, according to one US study.

On top of that, disturbed shuteye can throw off hunger hormones leptin and ghrelin, which means you'll be hankering for junk food by lunchtime. 

 

2) Breakfast is the most important meal of the day: FICTION

This is definitely a healthy habit – but those who eat breakfast are not necessarily thinner than those who skip it.

Actually, research has shown that there’s no difference in the metabolic rates between those who eat breakfast every day and those who fast until noon. 

 

3) Chillis burn calories: FACT (sorta)

Adding in lots of spice to your food is seen by many as a great way to burn calories and fat. And it's true – the spice does help… though not by very much.

Indeed, studies in the area show that even a lot of chilli only eliminates about 50 extra calories a day.

 

4) Weight-training trumps cardio: FACT

Since pumping iron increases your calorie burn long after you stop working out, it's by far the best thing you can do for your metabolism.

In fact, one study showed you can actually burn up to an incredible 450 additional calories in just 24 hours after lifting weights. 

 

5) Eat little meals throughout the day: FICTION

This trend has really taken off in recent years, but there is no evidence to suggest that eating your calories throughout the day is necessarily better than sticking to three meals.

In fact, some dieticians say the former is only a sure-fire way to over-eat and pack on the pounds. 

 

6) Green tea helps you stay slim: FACT

Ever since Victoria Beckham was cited as a fan more than a decade ago, dieters have eagerly been tucking into green tea.

And with good reason: although it only burns around 50 calories a day, there is research that proves it also keeps it fuller for longer – which is great for cutting out snacking. 

 

7) B12 supplements are requisite: FICTION

Lately a load of celeb-types (Rita Ora being just one) have been singing the virtues of B12 pills – or even injections.

But there’s no evidence that B12 actually has the power to rev up your metabolism. In fact, unless you have a deficiency as identified by a blood-test, you're wasting your money.

 

8) Black coffee ftw: FACT

Caffeine raises your heart rate so your metabolism actually starts burning calories immediately.

Better still, sipping on any source of caffeine an hour before your workout has been shown to help you burn around 15 percent more calories once you finish up in the gym.

 

9) Protein-loading is better than calorie-counting: FACT

The likes of chicken breast or fish is tough to beat, primarily because they take far more energy to digest than carbs or fat.

And that means you end up burning more energy while digesting. Plus high-protein foods contain amino acids that lean muscle needs to grow.

 

10) Eating late at night makes you fat: FICTION

Sure – if you're munching on fatty snacks late into the evening in addition to your usual meals, you're not going to be slim. But if you're just the type who prefers to dine at 9pm rather than 6pm?

Our slimmer Mediterranean neighbours confirm that alone will not cause excess weight gain.

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From time to time we can all find ourselves feeling a little stressed out. There are numerous reasons why, and even beginning to think about them all cane make us feel less than zen. 

So, when we stumbled across this golden nugget of info, we had to share it with everyone and anyone who had never heard the good news.

There is a very easy procedure that can relieve stress, without the hassle or expense of a doctor. Also, it doesn't take particularly long either. Doctor of medical science and psychiatrist Mark Sandomirsky might just be on to a winner with his simple ear massage technique.

Despite the causes and effects of stress being numerous and incredibly varied depending on each individual, Dr. Sandomirsky reckons psycho-reflexology is one way to physically de-stress and relieve heaviness or pain from certain parts of the body, using natural anti-stress points.

According to Cosmopolitan, the first step in this doctor's method requires eliminating all destructive emotions. 

This is the first step before using the Shen Men (or "The Gate of Heaven", according to ancient Chinese culture) area on your ear to bring energy to your whole body.

Massaging the Shen Men — a pressure point situated in the upper third part of your ear — reportedly strengthens your overall health, decreases stress, and boosts energy. If this is true then we are sensing a very bright future might be in store for us all.

In order to access this positive energy, Dr. Sandomirsky recommends using a cotton bud to press this point and massage it while breathing deeply.

When you inhale, look to the left, and look to the right when exhaling, which eventually should calm down your body.

Whether or not this method will actually work everyone is dependent on the individual, but to be honest when you're feeling overwhelmed or completely stressed out, there's no harm in at least trying something new.

A few minutes of deep breathing exercises are generally recommended for people who need to find some calm, adding in the ear part might just be an added bonus.

So, pass us the cotton buds and bring on the good vibes.

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We are all guilty to pressing the snooze button one too many times and grabbing something less than nutritious before we dive out the front door. Or there might be days when things just get away from us and we end up working through lunch. 

Skipping sit-down meals in favor of grabbing something to eat while we're on the move is more popular than we would like to admit. But, did you know that it might be what is actually contributing to weight-gain?

According to a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology, eating on the run could be over-shadowing all of your hard work in the gym or your healthy eating habits.

Researchers at the University of Surrey found that dieters who ate while walking around or moving were more likely to overdo it during that meal.

More so than people who ate during the activities we typically associate with mindless eating, like watching TV. These eaters were apparently more likely to overeat later in the day too.

"Hunger and fullness are far more than just biological processes, and not only relate to the calories consumed, but also to whether a person is aware of what they are eating," explains Jane Ogden, Ph.D., professor of psychology.

"When we eat mindlessly and are distracted from the food we are eating, our body doesn't get to code the food as having been eaten."

So, why does eating on the move have more of an impact than eating while sitting down?

"I think eating on the go may cause more overeating than watching TV not only because it is a powerful form of distraction but it's also a form of exercise," says Ogden. "People may then overcompensate for this exercise and feel that they are legitimately allowed to eat more."

With busy lives and overwhelming schedules, it can be tough to find the time to schedule a sit-down meal. However, Dr. Ogden explains that healthy habits are easier to implement than we think.

"This doesn't need to take much time," says Ogden, who suggests that even a few moments of sitting down can help your brain to recognise your meal as the real deal.

"Stopping what you are doing and practicing the conscious process of thinking 'now I am having something to eat' should be enough." 

Now we are going to go and eat some cake, healthy cake, obviously!

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Natalie White never really struggled with her weight during college.

However – like a lot of people – she found it more difficult to keep fit and trim once she started working.

“When I graduated, I picked up a management job that required me to be at work at 4am and work 55 hours a week,” she explains.

“Obviously, I was very tired. Since I was exhausted, I never felt like cooking, so I resorted to frozen food, fast food, pretty much anything quick and easy… my exercise habits were non-existent.”

In fact, by the time she turned 30, she packed on about 22.5kg. Then a health-scare at her doctor’s proved to be wake-up call she needed. “I needed to start treating my body better. 

“I started making healthy changes: I stopped smoking, I went vegetarian, and I kept an eye on the foods I was putting in my body. 

“I also left my job to find something that wasn't as stressful or exhausting. However, I still wasn't losing weight.”

Natalie admits that she “could never be one of those super fit people,” but intrigued by friends who entered endurance events, she put name down for the Chicago marathon.

“I had to just do it – so I started training,” she also explains to Women’s Health.

“It took me over seven hours to finish my first marathon, but I finished! It was the best feeling ever. I signed up for another one soon after.”

Still, at that point Natalie weighed some 93kg. “I knew I had to do something different to start losing weight.

“Obviously, training for my second marathon and participating in fitness events, like the Spartan Race, weren't enough to help me reach a healthy weight.”

She turned to classes which championed strength training and weights mixed up with cardio exercises in circuits. “It was like nothing I'd ever done before,” she says of the programme.

“During my first class, I could barely do a pushup or a squat, but the challenge brought out my inner competitor.

“I started going twice a week and worked my way up to four times a week.

“On top of that, I started to do a little research online about what it takes to lose weight and fuel my workouts. I learned that I needed to eat way more protein that I was, and that actually made the biggest difference.

“I started to notice more definition in my muscles, and the weight began coming off.”

Two years after setting out to get in shape and improve her health, Natalie weighs just 74kg – a reduction of close-to 20kg from her heaviest.

Although ultimately she hopes to hover around the 64kg mark, she’s also gone from a UK size 22 to a UK size 12.

 

Along the way, Ms White has clearly learned a lot about her body and diet. And she cites six key tips that help just about everyone achieve similar results…

1) Make life changes: She had to leave a stressful job with long hours – but nothing is worth compromising your health over. Natalie also quit smoking.

2) Don’t get overwhelmed: Natalie has knocked two hours off her marathon time – but her first one took more than seven hours. “I had to just do it – so I started training,” she states.

3) Be patient: She isn’t at her goal weight just yet, but she’s getting there. “By staying patient and being consistent, I don't get discouraged and give up on all the progress I've made,” she says.

4) Look at your diet: You need protein to feed your muscles – so don’t fall into the trap of only going low-fat, or low-carb. Natalia, like a lot of women, wasn’t eating enough protein when she was overweight.

5) Try new workouts: “I love running,” she says, “but if I didn't try the weights classes with my friends, I would have never achieved the results that I wanted or learned that I like to lift heavy things.”

6) Be OK with yourself: “I know I'm not as fast or as strong as some of my athletic friends, but I feel good about what I've accomplished. That success helps me feel confident at the gym and assures me that I'm capable of reaching my weight-loss goal.”

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