Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with health and resolved

Duct tape and chickenwire and sh**

toodleydoodley — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:07:38 -0800

Can I use automotive-type silicone sealant to coat the metal handle of a kitchen utensil? I'm looking for some help in an inelegant solution to an intractable problem in the kitchen. Because our household heritage might best be described as Rednec-Tino (or Lat-Nec), a lot of messy, spattery frying and sauteeing goes on around here.

I finally found a 13-inch spatter screen that covers all but my largest (14-inch) pan, but it doesn't cover that one unless I rest part of the handle on the lip of the pan, which would make the stay-cool plastic center melt and leak out of the wire-loop handle of the splatter screen.

Here's what I want to do: I want to punch the plastic center out of the wire loop and replace it by coating the wire loop with silicone sealant, like Form-A-Gasket.

Will this poison me and everyone I cook for? How long should I let it cure?

caveat: I live in BFE, so bonus points for cheaper brands of silicone sealant that I can buy at ACE hardware.

YANMD/PT: How to maintain push-up-related fitness while recovering from hand surgery?

mccn — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:00:43 -0800

You are not my doctor or physical therapist. I am getting some minor surgery on my hand in a few weeks. (And I'll repeat the surgery on the other this coming year.) The surgeon stated it would be about 10 days before I could put my full weight on the hand to do things like push-ups (and probably, to get up from a seated position on the floor). I have recently been pretty out of shape, but started doing tae kwon do in September. Since then, I have graduated to being able to do 20 full-style pushups in a row, without a break, or 50-60 kneeling style (I'm a girl). I like having this facility, and it makes me feel better given how much work I still have to do in other areas.

If I purchase some wrist weights so that I'm not straining the hand, what kinds of exercises can I do so that I don't lose the muscle/endurance I've built up and have to start all over again? (For my next belt test, I have to be able to do 55 pushups/minute to pass - which would be about one month post surgery.) I tend to build muscle rather quickly, up to a point - but I also lose it fast.

Does Pterocarpus marsupium work?

RajahKing — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:27:50 -0800

I recently heard that Pterocarpus marsupium extract can be beneficial for those of us with high blood sugar. Have you tried it yourself? Has it been helpful? Have you seen results? Any side effects?

Strange malady - please help me identify this

dmbfan93 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:24:34 -0800

Please help me identify this illness I have. WebMD and other medical web sites don't quite address the symptoms that I have. Please help. I get this illness each fall/winter: I feel weak, sluggish, headache. I wake up at night in a cold sweat. And yet its not so bad that I can't go to work. To others I seem perfectly fine because I have no tell-tale signs of an illness. It doesn't manifest in upper respiratory issues: I don't get congested, although I feel some sinus pressure. The feeling of weakness and sluggishness feel particularly worse when I slow down - when I'm sitting still working in my cube at work, or when I'm lying in bed - I zonk out right away - I feel so wiped out. Last year when I had this the only thing I could find when inputting my symptoms on medical websites was mono but its not mono because it tends to go away after about two weeks. I want to know how to treat this - to make it go away more quickly - or treat the symptoms. Have you suffered from this malady? If so, how long does it last? Is this just a virus? Appreciate your advice, thanks.

What are the best, almost scientific, alternative health food/supplement recommendations?

HopStopDon'tShop — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:38:53 -0800

[Alt-health filter]: what are your top 10, most important, almost scientific (ie. generally accepted) foods and/or supplements that I should focus on to improve my health? Speaking from a general well-being, alternative health-type of point of view? I don't mean 'vegetables' but very specific stuff like "linseed oil is the very best thing in the world" and "resveratrol kept me alive for 200 years" etc. I'm not an alt-health fanatic but I know there's something there, sometimes, and I'd like to know what you think are the most important, and widely accepted.

"Avoid aspertame" would be a good example. But I can't determine which other stuff is as generally accepted as bad, or good, for you as aspertame. And honestly, I don't think I have time to eat all the things that I'm supposed to be consuming if I was to take everything I read on this seriously ("just 5mg of ... a day..." and "just 10ml of ... in the morning will..." multiplied by 50 just doesn't work).

Working/Going to School with Fibro: What works?

eleanna — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:26:17 -0800

I have fibromyalgia. Help me figure out how to be a better student/employee. What accommodations/techniques work for you? I have doctors, so more looking for 'this worked for me/my mom/my friend' than anything medical. I have fibromyalgia, generally speaking fairly well managed (I have had it for over 10 years and know a lot about what works and what doesn't medically). I have 2 doctors (rheumatologist/internist) who I see regularly and work with, so I feel like I have a handle on the medical side and like, if I could come up with more to do or that would help, they would work with me on it.

I am working on my 2nd graduate degree and I also have work experience and hope to be reentering the workforce soon. However, while I produce excellent work (good performance reviews/straight As in my courses), I also notice that the fibromyalgia can unexpectedly impair performance due to fatigue/pain if I overextend myself (say..during midterms/surprise long project at work). I've realized that I really have no idea what accommodations, if any, to ask for (and I feel a bit ridiculous asking for any, because I should just be able to handle it), or what I could be doing in addition to the general eat healthy, exercise, get as much sleep as possible, work with doctors, to make this easier. Or what the school/my future workplace could do that would help or I could do to mitigate the effect. As an example, my last boss loved my work, but despite me being more productive than most, the amount of sick leave I needed annoyed her.

Bleh. tl;dr.

In summary: What can I do (or other people help me to do) beyond the obvious to maximize my non-fatigue/pain time?

Note: I have talked to my doctor(s) about this...main response (beyond exercise, etc. which I already do) was 'talk to other people who have the disorder/figure out what you need and we'll help'. Hence, the question.

Stress Detector

philosophistry — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:32:48 -0800

Is there a device that can automatically observe your stress levels in real-time? A research scientist mentioned she knew of another research scientist who had a device like this. As she said, "It reminds [me] of a researcher who has a sensor on her computer, which can tell if you're stressed as you're typing away at work." When I followed up with more questions, she couldn't recall details.

I also vaguely remember this being possible. Maybe through a webcam that can tell your facial expressions. Anybody have any leads?

As a half-measure, I bought a heart rate monitor which is effective at telling you when your blood is boiling. While you may not need a monitor to tell you this, I believe in the saying, "if you can measure it, you can control it."

Recs for easygoing pediatricians near Ridgefield CT

mccn — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:20:02 -0800

[kidsfilter] Recommendations for easygoing, vegetarian-friendly pediatricians near Ridgefield, CT? Good friends of mine are moving, rather suddenly, to Ridgefield, CT next week. They have two sons, under two years old - one is about 20 months, and the other was born a few weeks ago.

They've asked, since I live in the NY Metro Area, if I could find recommendations for pediatricians within a half hour of the area, who are "ok with vegetarians and cosleeping, not prone to panic, and not married to charts." Neither of the kids has any medical conditions that require specialty care, and both are healthy to my knowledge.

Any suggestions you have to offer would be greatly appreciated!

Tips on adjusting to nursing

gypseefire — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:13:11 -0800

My daughter just had my grand daughter. The entire process was amazing and I haven't fallen in love this hard in nearly 20 years. (when my daughter was born) She has decided for the health and benefits of the baby to nurse. I nursed and I remember how hard it is the first 2 weeks. A great deal has changed and I was wondering if anyone had any practical advice on how to get through the rough beginning of nursing an infant with a barracuda grip. Are there any products, herbal remedies etc...

How can I get rid of this mucus from throat?

InterestedInKnowing — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:07:03 -0800

My throat has been having a lot phlegm. I'm a singer and I don't know if it has to do with any dairy products I'm consuming. I haven't had a cold for several months so I'm not sure how to get rid of this problem? Any suggestions?

What is this heart condition called?

heytch — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:29:25 -0800

What is the name of this heart condition, and is it genetic? The main artery supplying blood to the heart isn't developed properly in utero, resulting in major surgery and/or death of the baby post birth. Back in 1981 my mother gave birth to a baby boy with this disorder. The pregnancy appeared normal, but he only survived for 8 days after being born. My mother can't remember the clinical name of the disease, all we have is this description: The main artery in/to the heart was not developed, resulting in a fatal heart failure. Apparently a cure was developed only a few years later, in the mid 80s. It involves surgery, and can now be detected in utero and treated before the baby is born. The rest of my family members are healthy, but we have a very small sample size so I don't think a hereditary link would be obvious. As an added note, all the other children (incl cousins and children of cousins) are female.

Clearly, IANAD or med/nursing student, so I don't know where to even start googling. Are you? I am especially keen to know whether or not this condition is hereditary, in which case I need to watch out for it when I have children of my own. Thanks!

Relocating to the US, health insurance advice needed!

hibbersk — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:12:36 -0800

I'm relocating to the US (from the UK) in a couple of weeks and having concerns about health insurance. My husband's employer covers health insurance for him, but to cover me as well we must take out the 'family policy' for $500 per month (if we had 4 kids this would be a great deal, but apparently it's the same price for the whole 'family' even if that's just me. This seems crazy to me, not sure if it is normal!). Is my alternative plan crazy? Health insurance companies confuse and scare me! To simplify things, assume that I'll be there for a year, and I will not have a job that includes insurance. I'm on the H4 (nonimmigrant) visa. However the year will be split into chunks where I'll be back in the UK - for example a month from mid-Dec to mid-Jan, a couple of weeks in April, and a few weeks in June/July. So the chunks of time when I'll be in the US will be 2-3 months each.

My idea is to get premier single trip travel insurance through my regular provider STA Travel, for £134 (2 months) to £172 (3 months). The coverage is outlined on the link above and is all quite standard as far as travel insurance goes. The policy is single entry, so I'd buy a policy with each return flight to be covered for all the time I am in the US. This is clearly much better value than the $500/month policy offered through husband's employer. I assume the travel insurance wouldn't cover routine checkups etc and I'm ok with that; I can get those done when I'm back in the UK every few months courtesy of our wonderful NHS. Worst case scenario, the savings we'd make from not going with the $500/month policy would easily cover a flight home for a non-emergency, non-covered but necessary medical consultation. The travel insurance has other benefits too, such as emergency dental treatment (dental isn't covered at all in the employer's policy), legal costs, theft, etc. But I'm also totally paranoid about the US healthcare system, and don't want to be caught out or bend the rules to such an extent that the travel insurance policy wouldn't pay up in an emergency because I'm classed as being a US resident or something, because if insurance companies can find a way not to pay out, they usually do in my experience! So mefites, is this a sensible plan of action or am I missing something?

how do you purge mercury from your body?

thermonuclear.jive.turkey — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:56:26 -0800

how do you purge mercury from your body? Hello,

Lately my consumption of sushi has ramped up. I'm starting to get concerned about how much of mercury I've probably accumulated in my body. (I do not show any symptoms of mercury poisoning, & AFAIK I think I still have a long way to get there).

However: is there a medically verified way to purge mercury from your body?

My google-fu tells me that if I had genuine mercury poisoning then a Dr. could give me perscription medication that purges mercury, and there are several drugs that can do this.

Short of that, however, my google-fu seems to indicate that there are a number of health-food type cures that assert that a particular vitamin/mineral/vegetable matter etc. remove mercury from your body. Now, the assertion may be correct, but it seems that many of these claims are made by web sites trying to sell you vitamins, or alternative-medicine sites that make me wonder if their claims are accepted by mainstream medicine...

So I ask: is there anything that is genuinely, widely agreed-upon by the medical profession, to remove mercury from one's body, short of perscription drugs?

Weight Question

dmbfan93 — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:53:28 -0800

When is the best time of day to weight yourself for the most accurate read? Why do I always weight several pounds more in the evening than in the morning? Also, what impacts the scale the most from day to day? What you eat/drink? Is it possible to gain three pounds overnight? I realize my scale may be faulty, but I get the same kinds of readings from the scale at the gym.

What happens if we don't give our dog chemo?

misskaz — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:11:03 -0800

My dog has just been diagnosed with lymphoma. For various reasons, my husband and I are probably not going to do the chemo and radiation treatments outlined by the oncologist. If you have made a similar choice with your pet, can you tell me what happened? Our dog is the sweetest, most wonderful 10.5 year old greyhound. The form of lymphoma she has (T-cell) is more aggressive and resistant to chemo than the more common form of lymphoma. Given her age (although before this she's never acted or felt like a senior dog), the cost, the potential for it to not work at all, the emotional trauma for us and the physical trauma for her, and everything else, we are probably not going to try the chemo and radiation treatments. We have heard that prednisone can keep the swelling down and her appetite up for a little while, so we may try that. The one really swollen lymph node was already removed a couple weeks ago when we and the vets thought it was just a stubborn infection. (The first biopsy only showed an infection.) That's when they found a mass on her tongue and the subsequent biopsies revealed the cancer.

She has been somewhat lethargic for a while now, and we have to encourage her to eat. It seems like she will eventually eat a regular amount of food, but does it in several small meals rather than wolfing it all down at once. Unfortunately, with the antibiotics and surgery and everything else (she had a hard time eating dry food prior to the surgery, so we had to try soaking, pureeing into a gruel with a blender, etc.), she has lost a few pounds and as a greyhound, she doesn't carry much extra weight. She still seems happy and loves being with us and cuddling. She doesn't play as much on her own, but still gets excited to see her doggy and human friends.

Basically, we want to know what to expect in terms of her health - Will she have a long, slow decline or feel mostly ok before things go downhill quickly? What signs should we look for that she's unhappy or in pain? What kind of treatments, medicine, foods, etc. are available/should we be prepared for in terms of pallative care? We know that the timeline without treatment is short, but we just want to be prepared. If you have had the misfortune of a lymphoma diagnosis in your pet, and chose not to do chemo, would you mind sharing your experience?

By the way, we do have a call in to the oncologist to ask these questions as well - hopefully we can get some answers without having to pay for another consultation, but we will pay if needed. We know that chemo in dogs doesn't have as bad side effects as in people because it is administered at lower doses, but we think (hope) we are making the right decision here.

The Health Insurance In-Out Network shuffle

Raze2k — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:55:45 -0800

Health Insurance snafu. The In-Out Network shuffle. Am I borked? I was recently experiencing a number of health related issues that came about suddenly and seemed to indicate the possibility of something significantly more serious than the actual cause turned out to be. To make a long story short, I saw a number of doctors in a very short period of time, all recommended by a new general practitioner who had been recommended highly by a coworker.

The new doctor was a member of my health insurance network and with each doctor that he referred me to, I first checked with the online health insurance web site to see if the doctor was listed as being In Network. Every doctor seemed to check out and up until this morning, all seemed to be well; every claim had been processed perfectly, listing only my copay as responsibility.

This morning I checked and noticed that three of the claimed had finished processing with the entire cost being forwarded to me, each stating that the health care provider was not in-network. I cannot afford the amount being billed to me and I immediately checked the website again to see if the doctor was listed as being in-network.

He is, however, upon calling my provider the friendly woman I spoke to on the phone mentioned that the claim might have been rejected because the address listed on the website differs from the address at which I actually saw the doctor (he has office hours at a different location). She forwarded the claim back to the health insurance network and said that I should check back in two weeks.

Am I screwed because of the different address on file? I was under the impression that a doctor was in- or out- of network.. the location of the procedure and service by this doctor were all at a location listed as in-network as well (since he was using the offices of my general practitioner). I asked what my options were in the event that the claims were rejected again and she said that I could file an appeal. Has anyone dealt with anything like this in the past?

How Does Exercising Work?

AzraelBrown — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:37:36 -0800

The kids wanted to take skateboarding lessons and swimming lessons and use the climbing wall at the YMCA, so we got a family plan...now what can *I* do with it? I have, literally, never intentionally exercised. Last time I really did any "exercise" was 1990, sophomore year of high school, the last gym class I was required to take to graduate. I worked in carpentry a while, did odd-jobs that were physical (delivery, furniture assembling, etc.), so I was pretty fit into my twenties. Now, I'm 35, 5'10", 190lbs, and sit all day long in front of a computer, and recently had a high cholesterol test for which exercise and diet changes was advised. I've put on weight slowly, a couple pounds a year since I've gotten more sedentary, and I can tell I'm becoming un-fit. Yes, I've searched AskMetafilter for previous exercise advice, but it is all mumbo-jumbo to me.

This is the nearest YMCA, although I can go to either of the local ones; they say they have someone who can help using the equipment appropriately ("free orientations"), but they're not a personal trainer. I'm not trying to lose a lot of weight or build muscle: I'm just aiming for general healthiness, and since the YMCA is available to me, I'd like to use it. I don't expect anyone to hand me an exercise plan or go into great detail, but just put me at a starting point in the maze and a general idea of which way to go. I guess what I'm looking for is terminology, expectations, or direction -- how does intentional fitness happen?

I need sleep.

reenum — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:38:17 -0800

How can I make my office more comfortable so that I can take naps over lunch? From time to time, I battle insomnia. This necessitates me having to take a nap over lunch. I know this isn't the best way to deal with it, but please humor me.

Here is my setup: I have my own office with a closing door. I have an L-shaped desk and a reclining office chair. There is ample floor space.

I need to figure out a way to make my power naps work for me. I also can't have anything too obvious, so cots and the like are out. I've heard of people suggesting yoga mats and the like, but I want to hear from others who are able to sleep at the office.

What sorts of things should I have that allow me to sleep well for that one hour in the middle of the day?

Are those gosh durned kids really having as much free love as the Tv says?

reenum — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:24:24 -0800

How accurate are the media portrayals of young people engaging in risky sexual behaviors? Recently, I've noticed that a lot of media outlets seem to be sensationalizing the sexual practices of people in their teens and 20's. These sources would have you believe that these groups are always 'hooking up', they prefer oral sex to kissing, and that now engage in sexual activity first and date if the experience is positive. Things along those lines.

I'm 30, so I was a teen in the early 90's. I find it hard to believe that sexual mores have changed all that much in the last 15 years. Obviously, I don't get much action, so I can't speak from experience. Have things really become as open and free as the media would have us believe?

Are there any studies or news stories that give statistics of how prevalent sexual activity and risky sexual behaviors are in teens and twentysomethings? Anecdotes are also welcome.

Help me, O Exercise Gurus.

canadia — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:26:01 -0800

Burning calories while exercising: how important is how much effort you put into it? Does difficulty enter the equation, or is it all time and distance? Here's an example of what I mean: I've been riding my single gear bike to and from work for the past month on a route that is rolling hills that go as high as a 7% incline. It takes me about 40 minutes to get 5 miles, and I'm huffing and puffing for most of the trek. A few hours later, after standing on my feet all day, I turn around and bike home, which takes me roughly an hour. As I get more used to the ride and it becomes easier, does the amount of calories I burn drop, since my heart rate is no longer skyrocketing, or does it go up, since I'm going faster?

What counts as "moderate" exercise? Does all my heart-pounding biking count as "leisure," since I'm only going a total of 10 miles? Do calorie calculators take effort into consideration, or is "difficultly" measured by how fast you go in a certain amount of time, regardless of your heart rate?

Help a health-conscious snacker bake!

schmoo — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:28:08 -0800

Please suggest me some snacks, light or portable dishes that are both healthy and involve baking or cooking. I love to cook. I especially love to cook recipes that involve lots of chopping, stiring, mixing, frying or baking. I don't like recipes that are just an assembly of ingredients, or which only take 2 minutes. I like to be in the kitchen! That said, I'm not looking to spend hours in the kitchen, so something that takes 3 days isn't really an option!

I cook a lot of meals like this in the evenings, but I'm looking for snacks that I can bake or cook. - Things that I can take to work in my lunchbox, snack on after work, or leave in the fridge and graze on for a few days.

However, I'm also pretty health-conscious and trying to, if not lose a few pounds, definately not put any on. This rules out the normal things that I think I would find fun cooking - cookies, cupcakes, muffins, quiche, samosas, breads, etc. That list seems biased towards sweet things, but savoury are just as welcome, if not more.

The kinds of things that I am looking for, and have experimented with already are: falafels (baked, not fried), healthy lo-cal dips (would welcome more of these!) and glazed nuts (not the most low-fat of snack but at least has health benefits). I would love any and all suggestions for things along these lines. I would also welcome low-calorie versions of the things that I don't bake - cookies, cakes, etc.

So - give me your recipes for low-fat, low-cal or just plain healthy snacks and light dishes which involve cooking or baking.

I have searched previous posts, and while there are many on health snack ideas, none that meet my particular criteria! Thanks in advance!

MA Health Insurance

Elsie — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:16:47 -0800

Anyone know about Massachusetts Health Insurance? I'm between a rock and a hard place. I'm about to move to MA from overseas. I sent off application for the low-cost insurance, Commonwealth Care, but it may be weeks after I arrive to hear whether I qualified. I do not want to go one minute without coverage in the U.S. so I thought I'd get a short-term policy. However, as I understand it, if you have any prior health insurance at all in the U.S., including short-term, you can't qualify for the Commonwealth Choice low-cost option. The other available insurance, a high deductible polict or Health Savings account is $500 a month. Any advice on how to proceed? Based on fruitless calls to MA Insurance Dept. it seems to be a Catch 22 situation unless I'm missing something. Any advice?

Burned my hands with cleaning products. Now what?

dizziest — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:14:36 -0800

Mild chemical burns on my hands -- do I need to see a doctor? Cleaned something (not the toilet) using toilet bowl cleaner on Sunday, and stupidly didn't consider the fact that the harsh chemicals shouldn't touch my hands. Now it's Tuesday, and the red itchy spots haven't disappeared. If anything, they're slightly worse.

Now, before you chide me and tell me to see a doctor immediately and not be an idiot, they're not that bad. Still red, still painful, but only the tiniest amount of blistering (I had to stare for a while to even see it), and not so painful that I haven't been able to live my life just fine. Still, it concerns me that they still hurt and that they seem to be worsening.

Also, my insurance kind of sucks and I'm in my last week of grad school with a major project due on Thursday. I definitely don't have time to deal with the student care center (slow, awful, probably expensive) if it's not strictly necessary. That said, if someone with medical training tells me it's necessary, I'll go.

Otherwise, feel free to tell me about your experience, but know that I've already googled this plenty and am well aware that it's always a good idea to seek medical attention for chemical burns. I've read enough FAQs about this to notice that they're all copy-and-pasted versions of the same thing, and they seem to think I'm pretty much on the line between ok and not ok to just let this shit heal itself.

Why doesn't the rug match the drapes?

reenum — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:36:34 -0800

Why do some people's hair on their head and pubic hair not match in color? First off, I'm excluding people who have their hair colored. I know why their hair doesn't match.

I've known women who had dirty blond hair and had black pubic hair. Others I've spoken to have shared the same thing. Given that hair should be the same all over, why is pubic hair sometimes a different color than the rest of your hair?

Help me build an exercise routine.

so_gracefully — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:22:29 -0800

General advice in the area of finding my exercise/fitness niche? Good, structured DVDs or programs to try? I am a female in my mid-twenties, and I have never been too "sporty" or all that excited about exercising in general. I want to become excited about it, but I have not yet been able to find something that I really like or something that feels like it's working well for me. I also have no idea how to structure it so that I'm doing something that is definitely worthwhile, so I guess that's my main question--what can I add in to create more structure so that it's effective and simple to stick with?

Goals:
- Improve heart health, lose a little bit of weight, feel more connected to my body, strengthen my muscles and make myself less vulnerable to aches/pains in my largely sedentary job.

Limitations:
- Can't afford a gym membership or even yoga classes right now
- Don't really have any equipment, or access to any

Things I already know/like:
- I am working on the nutrition part, and that is going well.
- I like to try to challenge myself a little bit throughout the day, like taking the stairs instead of elevators whenever possible, parking at the back of a parking lot to give myself more of a walk, etc.
- I have really loved yoga classes in the past, but the DVDs I currently own are very meditation-focused, and I want something more strength- and challenge-focused.
- I like walking and sometimes hiking; how can I incorporate them in a way that maximizes their benefits?
- I would love to be able to swim, but don't have access to a pool!
- I have been having fun playing Dance Dance Revolution. Dance-focused workout videos make me feel very defeated because I have some problems with coordination.
- I like to follow along with DVDs, and currently I have: some basic yoga videos, some basic pilates, cardio pilates (this is the one I enjoy the most). I am definitely looking for recommendations on good videos that are meant to increase overall strength and encourage weight loss, while being fairly simple and not complicated with a lot of intense dance moves!