Eat Yourself Healthy: A Greek Victory

Turns out the Greeks have it going on...nutritionally, that is.

Studies have found that following a Greek diet is best for both your heart and brain.  Researchers in Spain followed two groups of people for six and a half years: those who stuck to a Mediterranean diet and those who stuck to a low-fat diet.  They studied the effects it had on both their brains and heart and found that those on the Mediterranean diet exhibited a decrease in inflammation that can lead to both vascular (circulatory) damage as well as various cognitive impairments including free radical damage.

The Mediterranean diet is high in a variety of anti-inflammatory foods including olive oil, whole grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, fish and red wine.

Lesson learned: low-fat diets don't do much more than, well, lower our fat intake.  We want good health and our red wine, too!

Superfoods to the Rescue!

Many of us have heard the term "superfoods" thrown around with wild abandon.  But, what are these mythical superfoods and what makes them so...super?

Superfoods not only help with weight control and overall health, but they are also easy to find and simple to incorporate into your daily diet.  Because, really, how super are foods that claim such magical things as weight loss and great health but require a detective, a GPS and a downpayment to actually get them into your kitchen?

Here are 10 superfoods that are sure to satisfy not just your body but also your pocketbook and gas tank.

1. Low Fat Plain Yogurt

2. Eggs

3. Nuts

4. Kiwis

5. Quinoa

6. Beans

7. Salmon

8. Broccoli

9. Sweet Potatoes

10. Berries

5 Surprising Steps to Better Sleep

A good night's sleep is well worth its weight in gold.  However, our busy lives seem to overflow into our nights so that a good night's sleep feels more like an anomaly, a little pleasant surprise, rather than the norm.  Sometimes we think back to our high school days when anything less than 9 hours of sleep was debilitating and now 9 straight hours of sleep seems physically impossible.

So, we thought we'd do a little research on debunking sleep myths and confirming the facts about what can help to facilitate a great night's sleep.  Here are the 5 most surprising ones we found:

1. The Nightcap: Many believe that a drink before bed helps them sleep better.  False!  While alcohol can, in fact, help you fall asleep, it actually leads to disruptive, restless sleep due to its digestive process within your body.

2. Exercise Leads to Better Sleep...But Watch the Clock: Yes, regular exercise does lead to better sleep.  The only caveat is that, because exercise causes the body to remain in a more alert state, it's best to finish your workout 3-4 hours before you plan on hitting the sack.

3. Reduce Your Screen Time: While watching TV or reading on the computer might seem relaxing, it's actually reducing your melatonin levels which can lead to a harder time falling asleep.

4. Napping May Lead to Insomnia: In theory, a nap can be just what your body ordered.  And, when done right, this is true.  For many people, a short 10-15 nap in the early afternoon re-energizes them for the remainder of the day without consequence.  However, for some, an afternoon nap can actually decrease your body's sleep drive at night which can lead to poor sleep.  So, consider holding out on that nap if you're finding that it's affecting your nighttime sleep.

5. Get Out of Bed: Surprisingly, it's suggested that after 30 minutes of awake time during the night, it's best to go ahead and get out of bed.  Studies show that getting up and doing a few things (none of which are stimulating, of course) can lead to a quicker sleep turn around.  Simply reading or listening to relaxing music are some suggestions.  By staying in bed and tossing and turning, you're more likely to have more trouble falling back asleep than if you had simply gotten up in the first place.

The Anita Active Momentum Bra has a new color!

One of our favorite, not to mention best-selling, sports bras is the Anita Active Momentum 5529.  It's seamless, has high-tech fabrics that offer superior breathability and moisture-control and is extra supportive to boot.

Previously, the Anita Momentum Sports Bra was only offered in black or white.  But, we have great news!  This amazing athletic bra is now also available in Desert, a light nude, that is both discreet and feminine.

Take a look!

New! Juzo Tie Dye Fall/Winter Colors

Are you ready to spruce up your compression wardrobe?  Well, Juzo thinks so and we can't help but agree.

Available now, the Juzo Dreamsleeves & Hand Gauntlets along with the Soft and Dynamic lines including the great Juzo Footless Leggings all come in some fantastic fall/winter colors with the added option of Tie Dye (solid color with white tie dye lines) or Black Tie Dye (solid black with color tie dye lines).

The Juzo Fall/Winter color options are Magenta, Pink, Gold, Violet, Indigo, Pistachio and Graphite...a nice assortment of colors, if we do say so.

Be sure to order your custom-dyed compression garment from Juzo before the colors change!  To shop all compression, click here.

New: Trulife Ella Cotton Seamless Bra 4014

Meet the Trulife Ella Cotton Seamless Bra.  Anyone who has ever been in the market for a cotton mastectomy bra has no easy task ahead of them.  So, for this reason, we are thrilled that Trulife has heard the call and answered with quite an impressive product.

Not only does the Ella bra offer the breathability and softness of cotton, but it also features CoolMax fabric in the pockets and underband.  Temperature-regulation can be a very persistent and fickle problem to treat but this bra certainly takes the issue by the horns.  In addition, the Ella bra is a fantastic option for women who have recently undergone or are in the midst of radiation treatment.  The cotton fabric won't irritate already-compromised skin and the seamless cups allow for easy concealment under tees and other thin, draping garments.

We love the new Trulife Ella bra and we think you will, too!  Check her out here.

New: Bra Tools

We would like to introduce you to our new BRA TOOLS section.  Our never-wavering goal since starting The Pink Bra five years ago has always been to offer women good, solid advice on proper lingerie fit as well as the ins and outs of finding the perfect bra.

We understand the vast assortment of bra selections on the market and how intimidating that can be for someone unfamiliar with the process of lingerie shopping. So, we created this new BRA TOOLS section in order to consolidate our wisdom and advice into a simple go-to guide for our shoppers.

Enter BRA TOOLS.  In this new section of our ever-evolving and ever-expanding website you'll find all kinds of useful lingerie shopping guides and information from a bra glossary (What exactly is the difference between contoured cups and molded cups?) to fitting guides for several different specialty lingerie items.  For instance, what is the difference in measuring yourself for a nursing bra vs. a traditional bra?  Pregnancy brings a host of body changes (to say the least!) but how will that influence the correct bra sizing for your nursing bra(s)?

These are the questions we hear all the time and so we thought we'd give you a forum to find these answers along with a million others in once solitary place.

Happy fitting and please let us know what you like/dislike.  Note, this section is being grown and expanded on a daily basis so please be patient while we gradually create a more robust BRA TOOLS section for you.

Sincerely,

The Pink Bra Team