Health Advice
/Health
Don't let lousy weather keep you from being active
Even if you're good about getting daily physical activity during the spring, summer and fall, chances are that when winter comes, you spend more time in bed, do less light physical activities like strolling around or doing housework, and shorten the time you spend exercising.
This may happen because it's dreary and cold outside, it gets too ...Read more
Breathe easier with B3
The B vitamins are a confab of eight nutrients, known commonly by name or number as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, biotin, folate and B12. Overall, they help support every cell's proper functioning and keep your metabolism, brain and nervous system humming along. But some individual B vitamins have their own unique -- and ...Read more
Athletics boost working memory (but be smart about your diet)
It's all over the Internet that Charles Barkley remembers he ate two pizzas and drank three beers right before an NCAA tournament -- and scored 44 points! Whether that's fact or fiction, when we praise the positive impact of athletics and physical activity on memory, that's not what we're talking about.
A new analysis in the journal Memory ...Read more
Reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems in Type 2 diabetes
Around 30% of people with Type 2 diabetes have cardiovascular disease (CVD). But that's just what's been diagnosed. A new study shows that another third of adults in the U.S. with Type 2 diabetes may have symptomless or undetected CVD. That may explain why more than 70% of people with Type 2 diabetes die from cardiovascular causes.
One of the ...Read more
Making friends with nutritional power couples
You know the expression "it takes two to tango"? Well, when it comes to maximizing your nutrition, that's very true. Some vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals in food cannot be optimally absorbed or used unless they are accompanied by a partner.
-- When you combine leafy greens with healthy fats like olive oil, avocado or omega-3s, you ...Read more
It's no lie: A-Fib can be avoided
After age 45, you have a 20% to 33% chance of developing atrial fibrillation (A-fib) -- an irregular and often very rapid heartbeat -- according to a recent Lancet study. That can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular problems such as stroke and heart failure. In fact, a new study in Neurology shows that folks with A-fib are almost five ...Read more
Walking into a longer, healthier, happier future
Whether you're a fan of "Walking in Memphis" (Marc Cohn, 1991) or "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Nancy Sinatra, 1966), you have to admit that Dire Straits' "Walk of Life" (1985) says it all: Walking can transform your life.
That's also the message of a new study that determined the most active 25% of American adults get the equivalent of ...Read more
How to reduce your risk for postpartum depression
It's tough to know how many people suffer postpartum depression (there's indication that men can have it, too), but for women, it's thought to be 13% or more. And it has increased dramatically over the past decade or so, with a 60% increase among whites and a 140% increase among Blacks, according to a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics ...Read more
What's the sweetest thing you can do for your newborn?
Kids are sweet -- but it should never be from the amount of added sugars they're exposed to and consume! In utero, the average fetus gets a good dose of added sugars; data shows pregnant women consume about 3 ounces daily. And according to a study titled "Added Sugars Intake among U.S. Infants and Toddlers," around 60% of infants and 98% of ...Read more
Oh my, omegas
Omega is the last letter in the Greek alphabet, but omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are one of the first nutrients you should think about when you're looking to improve your health. And new research shows they are even more beneficial than we knew.
Omega-3s (ALA, EPA, DHA) are polyunsaturated fats that are part of the membranes around every ...Read more
Filling in your nutritional gaps one bean at a time
Native Americans traditionally planted beans using the "three sisters method," arranging for the bean plants to wind up neighboring corn stalks and enrich the soil for the corn, and for squash plants to be nestled around the other two crops, protected from the sun and hungry animals.
Using beans as the centerpiece, you can create the same kind ...Read more
Easing autoimmune symptoms
Between 24 and 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease. (That wide range in numbers gives you some indication of how hard they are to diagnose and how often they're overlooked). More common conditions include lupus, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Sarcoidosis, Addison's and vitiligo are much rarer.
While every condition causes its ...Read more
What's your Brain Care Score?
The story of your health is often told by the numbers. For example, you're healthy if your LDL cholesterol is below 70 mg/dL; your blood pressure is around 110/75; your fasting blood sugar is under 99; and you have a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9. And here's one more to pay attention to: your Brain Care Score (BCS).
A BCS is determined by ...Read more