Did you wake up this morning feeling like you could take on the world? No? If you’re like most of us, you could use a little extra energy. Between getting the kids ready for school, making breakfast, trying to squeeze in a workout and catching your favorite morning news show, the first hours of the day can be hectic and exhausting. Today we are sharing five excellent ways to add some pep to your step first thing in the morningContinued
Diet & Exercise
Why Your Kids Should Turn Off the Television
We all know that excessive television viewing does not fit in to a healthy, active lifestyle, but now a new study gives us more reasons to turn off the tube, especially when it comes to our children. A new study published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine notes that television-watching appears to be linked to a less-healthy diet in children. This study found that when students in 5th through 10th grades watched television, they were less likely to eatContinued
Diabesity: The Diagnosis You Need to Know About
What is diabesity? If you are unfamiliar with the term “diabesity,” you’re not alone. However, if Mark Hyman, M.D., a five-time New York Times bestselling author and health advocate, has anything to say about it, you’ll soon be familiar with this concept. “Diabesity is an all-encompassing term that includes prediabetes and diabetes,” says Dr. Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution. “I want people to understand diabesity because it reframes the notion of obesity being one [completely separate diagnosis] andContinued
Can eating a low-fat version of this food reduce your stroke risk?
If you are a dairy lover, you may be in for some good news – that is, if you stick to low-fat varieties. According to a 10-year Swedish study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke, participants who ate four or less servings of low-fat dairy per day reduced their risk of stroke by 12 percent, compared with subjects who consumed high-fat dairy products. It is important to note that no cause and effect relationship has been demonstrated inContinued
Simple Ways to Cut Down Your Salt Intake
You probably hear it everywhere – from your doctor, on the news and in the latest health studies – Americans consume too much salt. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a whopping nine out of 10 Americans consume too much sodium on a daily basis. While salt can add plenty of flavor to our food, it can also have negative health effects, such as increased blood pressure and fluid retention. If these symptoms continue overContinued
Is your child getting enough exercise? What you need to know.
According to a recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, only half of preschool age children have a parent-supervised playtime each day. This news is alarming because exercise – particularly the kind that comes from playing outside – is crucial for children’s health and physical development. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who take part in physical activity outside can experience improved mental health, motor development, cognition, vision and vitamin D levels. Additionally, accordingContinued
Foods that Fight Arthritis
Do you suffer from painful, achy joints? Though special diets cannot cure your condition, they can go a long way to help you manage it. A diet that includes the right healthy foods can help fight the inflammation caused by arthritis. It can also help you lose weight, which can take some pressure off of your joints. Salmon Foods with omega-3 fatty acids can prevent inflammation in the body. Salmon is a great source of omega-3s, as well as herring,Continued
Links We Like: March 30
Each Friday, we share our favorite articles, recipes ideas and workouts of the week. See something you’d like to share with fellow readers? Let us know in the comment section below and we may feature it in next week’s post. Study of the week: Weight-loss surgery may help reverse diabetes Recipe of the week: Whole wheat pasta with tomatoes, goat cheese and asparagus Feature story of the week: The link between technology and psychology Workout of the week: Fat-burning weightedContinued
Need to get fit fast? The workout you need to try.
If you’ve ever thought pumping iron was just for body builders or professional athletes, you are missing out on a fat-torching, calorie-burning, body-changing workout. For those of you who are shaping up for a big event, such as your wedding or a vacation, weight training should be a crucial element of your fitness routine. Many people, women in particular, tend to shy away from lifting, fearing that it will cause muscles to become bulky. However, weight training is a fantasticContinued
Eating Chocolate Linked to Lower BMI – Too Good to Be True?
Yesterday’s issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, a Journal of the American Medical Association publication, included the results of a study in which more frequent chocolate-eating was linked to lower body mass index (BMI). Does it sound too good to be true? Let’s discuss. Previous research has demonstrated that dark chocolate can have a variety of health benefits when eaten in small quantities, including lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and increased insulin sensitivity. These effects are owed mainly toContinued