Today's top celebrity birthdays list (December 20, 2017)

Photos: Associated Press

Top celebrity birthdays on December 20, 2017

Birthday wishes go out to Jonah Hill, Peter Criss and all the other celebrities with birthdays today.  Check out our slideshow below to see more famous people turning a year older on December 20th.

-Mike Rose, cleveland.com

Cell phones aren’t a public health risk

Dangerous, but not because it's going to give you a brain tumor.

The California Department of Public Health recently released guidelines for decreasing one's exposure to cell phone radiation. This seems, at first, like a reasonable thing to offer. But the problem with a government body issuing guidelines on how to avoid something is that it implies the thing should be avoided. And there’s no evidence that cell phones are dangerous to your health.

Seasonal flu kills more globally than previously thought: U.S. study

CHICAGO (Reuters) - As many as 646,000 people are dying globally from seasonal influenza each year, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday, a rise from earlier assessments of the disease’s death toll.
Global death rates from seasonal influenza are likely between 291,000 and 646,000 people each year, depending on the severity of the circulating flu strain, they said.
That is up from a prior estimate range of 250,000 to 500,000 deaths, according to officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published in the medical journal The Lancet.
The CDC did not give reasons for the hike in estimates but said the study by it and global health partners was based on data from a larger, more diverse sample of countries than previously. It excludes deaths during flu pandemics and from conditions exacerbated by the flu, such as heart disease.

Celebrate Taylor Swift's Birthday With 28 of Her Impressive Milestones

3-week-old Vanellope Hope Wilkins, who was born with her heart outside her body and survived surgery at Glenfield Hospital, in what is believed to be a UK first.

A baby born with her heart outside her body has survived surgery to insert it back into her chest.

Vanellope Hope Wilkins, now three weeks old, was delivered by a team of 50 medical professionals at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, UK, on November 22.

Born with ectopia cordis, a rare congenital condition causing her heart to grow outside her body, the baby girl underwent three intensive surgeries to put her heart inside her chest. She is now on the road to recovery.

How parents and teens can reduce the impact of social media on youth well-being

Knowing how to navigate the online social networking world is crucial for parents and teens. Being educated and talking about online experiences can help reduce any negative impacts on youth mental health and well-being.
The Australian Psychology Society (APS) recently released a national survey looking at the impact of technology and social media on the well-being of Australians.
Around 1,000 adults over the age of 18 and 150 young people aged 14-17 years took part. The survey found more than three in four young people (78.8%) and more than half of all adults (54%) were highly involved with their mobile phones. Young people are reportedly using social media for an average of 3.3 hours each day, on five or more days of the week.
The vast majority of adults and teenagers reported their screens and social media accounts were a positive part of their lives. Many use social media channels to connect with family, friends and to entertain themselves. Too much social media use can effect self-esteem
Despite social media playing a positive role for most, the survey found the high use of social media and technology can have a negative impact on youth self-esteem. Two in three young people feel pressure to look good and nearly a third of youth have been bullied online. Nearly half (42%) of frequent users look at social media in bed before sleeping.
The survey also found 15% of teenagers reported being approached by strangers on a daily basis through their online world.

What makes some parents fall for anti-vaccine messaging

Public health officials may not be hitting on the right morals in their quest to get all children vaccinated.

Health researchers have borrowed from a psychological theory that helps explain the rise of Donald Trump to figure out what holds parents back from vaccinating their kids.

Westend61/Getty Images

Since the 1990s, the number of parents seeking vaccine exemptions for their children has been climbing, pitting public health against influential anti-vaxxers in a proxy messaging war.

But it seems the doctors trying to persuade the vaccine-hesitant — still a tiny minority of parents — have mostly been failing: Either their messages are off or the anti-vaccine campaigns, circulating among sources like conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, are too powerful to counter.

Now, researchers are borrowing a theory from social psychology (one that also coincidentally helps explain the rise of Donald Trump) to understand where doctors’ pro-vaccine campaigns may be going wrong. And they’ve discovered that they’re probably emphasizing the wrong things in their messages, as they describe in a study published Monday in the journal Nature Human Behavior.

Why Elton John Is This Season's Unlikely Style Icon

Artwork: Meg O'Donnell

As party season kicks off, we can always expect a little extra sparkle in our wardrobes. But over the past few months, you may have noticed that glitter has swept fashion into a flurry of excess.

It may be true that trends are recycled every 20 years, but the grunge attitude and minimalism of the '90s has dominated the industry for so long. So why has the color, camp, and extroversion of the '80s finally made it's way back into the zeitgeist?

“At a time when the global political climate is fractious, there’s comfort in a certain kind of nostalgia," Katie Smith, retail analysis and insights director at Edited, a fashion and retail technology company, explains. "The '80s were a time of economic boom, when fashion and lifestyles were fast and frivolous. With millennials delaying home purchases and starting families, they have disposable income which revisits some of that '80s hedonism. The '80s are somewhat akin to pure escapism from the harsher realities of life.”

And really, who embodies the maximalism of the decade more than Elton John? Since the '70s, the singer has taken stage costumes to new heights, with legendary costume designer Bob Mackie (a.k.a. The Sultan of Sequins) behind many of his most memorable pieces. Whether it’s the fringed rhinestone jacket and pink geometric sunglasses he wore when performing at Madison Square Garden in 1986, the star-spangled velvet jacket (with matching earrings) when on stage in Sydney the same year, or the wide-lapeled brocade duster coat he wore around Hollywood in ‘87, John championed outlandish and extraordinary dressing throughout the era.

Photo: WWD/REX/Shutterstock

Photo: WWD/REX/Shutterstock

But how does the musician’s vivacity translate today? One look through Gucci’s spring 2018 offering and you’ll see how creative director Alessandro Michele has made the decade’s euphoric aesthetic both nostalgic and contemporary. The brand’s iridescent jumpsuit emblazoned with color-pop musical notes? It’s Elton John on stage 30 years ago. According to Vogue, Michele drew inspiration from his friend Elton’s costume archives, with more than one look a reference to recognizable pieces worn by the icon. The designer even embroidered John's initials onto the back of jackets and T-shirts. Sequins dominated the 108-look collection, with a kaleidoscope of color glistening down the catwalk — ‘80s hedonism indeed.

Gucci isn't the only delivering the exuberance of the ‘80s sequin into 2017, either. Michael Halpern, the London-based Central Saint Martins graduate, has been championed by everyone from Donatella Versace to Sarah Mower for his shimmery pieces. Sure, he may draw inspiration from Studio 54’s ‘70s heyday, but styled with a pink satin jacket with razor-sharp shoulders (as it is in his fall '17 lookbook, it’s the ‘80s through and through.

 

“We've seen a real return to glamour with a revival of sequins and sparkle from brands such as Halpern, Attico, Osman, and DVF,” Natalie Kingham, buying director at MatchesFashion.com, notes. “There has also been an emergence of luxurious fabrics such as jacquard and brocade in metallic, or with lustrous accents from designers such as Gucci, Peter Pilotto, Carl Kapp, and Rochas.” Reiterating Smith’s point about escapism, Kingham advises buying into the fantasy and frivolity of the decade: “Investing in luxurious clothing doesn’t always need to be about simple timeless pieces. There is something decadent and glamorous about investing in a strong sequin look from Michael Halpern to cheer yourself up and add some flamboyance to your wardrobe.”

Fast-fashion is tapping into the decade of decadence, too. By analyzing retail trends, Smith can measure the growth in demand for ‘80s pieces: “Ruffled items are up a stunning 181% this fall compared to last, whether it’s down the sleeves of a sweater or blouse, across the hem of a skirt, or on the neckline of a jumpsuit. One-sleeved and asymmetric ruffled styles pack the most '80s punch,” she says. “Exaggerated sleeves were popular through the summer and returned during autumn on statement jumpers in bold poster paint palettes. We’re seeing dolman, batwing, and lantern sleeves, which, when paired with an oversized silhouette or a dramatic turtleneck, look like they stepped straight out of the '80s.”

ASOS, for example, has embraced the return of the decade, and is going all-out for party season. “Chandelier earrings, power shoulders and cocktail dresses are the perfect way to celebrate the holidays,” ASOS womenswear head of design, Sian Ryan, says. “The '80s oozes glamour and decadence...exaggerated shoulders and sleeves, metallic fabrications, dramatic embellishments and silhouettes — all of these elements encompass the party.” Her advice on styling the trend? “Mix it up, don’t be too literal, and have fun with luxe fabrics and elaborate silhouettes. Enjoy the opulence, it’s the holiday season, after all!”

Photo: Courtesy of ASOS

And while sparkles may be perfectly suited for holiday season, the '80s aren't going away once the festivities have come and gone. “While the '80s trend has had a strong impact over the last couple of years, it’s too strong an aesthetic to have an enduring influence on fashion,” Smith notes. “However, next season will certainly still be influenced by the '80s, as the spring '18 collections have attested.” Whether you go for Princess Diana-inspired sports casual with pearls and cycling shorts at the ready, or go all-out-Elton John with glitzy and glamorous hedonism, either way, it’s time to flash back to the '80s.

Georgia Murray

December 1, 2017, 6:00 AM

 

The sweating therapy: Expert guide to steam and sauna bath

Sweating has been used as a form of therapy for thousands of years to cure numerous diseases. With the rise in number of gyms and spa parlors, it has been gaining popularity in our country as well. Steam and sauna are available in most spas and gyms around the valley. Along with their health benefits, it is also important for us to know that it may not be suitable for everyone.
Hence, to understand the possible benefits, health risks and precautions of steam and sauna bath, we at The Week spoke to Reena Shrestha, director of Heritage Spa at Basundhara, Kathmandu. Here is everything you need to know about steam and sauna bath.

Sauna bath
Sauna is a room that is heated to 50 degrees Celsius and then gradually the temperature in the room increases up to 95 degrees Celsius. Also known as dry heat, humidity in a sauna room is often 10 to 20 percent.

Donatella Versace to Receive 'Fashion Icon of The Year' Award

Longtime Versace Creative Director Donatella Versace shall receive the award for  Fashion Icon of the Year at next week's BFC Fashion Awards, scheduled for December 4^th. The Reggio Calabria-born took over the creative reigns of the famed Versace fashion house, following the death of her brother Gianni Versace in the year 1997.

Men are treating themselves with trips to the beauty salon

The beauty salon is often thought of as being a female-focused environment, but men are increasingly joining in the fun.

Almost half (47%) of young men in the UK have enjoyed a spa, in-store or beauty salon treatment in the past 12 months, according to new research from market intelligence agency Mintel.
This is a marked increase from 2015, when the number was just 33%.
The most popular treatments appear to be massages, which 18% of men aged 16-24 polled had partaken in, and facial hair removal or shaping, which also attracted 18% of participants. Meanwhile, 17% had visited the spa for body hair removal.


The mental benefits of beauty and grooming treatments were cited as one of the main reasons behind the trend, with 76% of those who had visited a spa or salon over the last 12 months saying that it helped to promote their mental well-being.
Sixty-four percent said that such appointments were an important part of their health routine. Overall, 36% of the men had booked their last appointment as a treat for themselves, while 20% did so for a special occasion and 19% said it was a regular grooming appointment.

Pat McGrath: Beauty Is Everything

Visionary make-up artist, founder of an eponymous range and now Vogue beauty editor-at-large: Pat McGrath presents her glittering manifesto, in images and words, in this piece first published in Vogue's December 2017 issue.

ocial media has revolutionised how beauty is curated, captured and consumed. When Pat McGrath Labs was born two years ago, it encapsulated my obsessions, inspirations and addictions. My intention in creating it was to thank my make-up-obsessed followers with the most divine gold pigment ever formulated. When I discovered it, I knew I couldn't wait the two years most brands need to do a full production run.