Americans are still getting fatter.  Here are some eye-opening statistics about the health of American adults. About half of all adults get the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity per week. Only 3% of Americans meet the definition of a healthy lifestyle: Have a healthy body fat percentage (less than 20% for men and less […]

Mild dehydration can have adverse effects on mood and energy. Sometimes the signs of dehydration are less obvious than thirst and fatigue. Dehydration can be caused by hot, humid weather which increases sweat and fluid loss, but dry heat is actually more harmful. Certain medications, such as diuretics and some blood pressure medications, also can […]

New research suggests people who get too little sleep during the week can make up for it on the weekends. According to a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, people who slept less than five hours each night throughout the week had an increased risk of early death compared to those who slept […]

During the holidays, advice about coping with the mountains of food available to us abounds. The most common advice about eating includes tips designed to help you eat less, but really just take away from the joy of the holiday season. So, I’m not going to tell you to have a snack before you go […]

Ever heard of the glycemic index?  It refers to a carbohydrate’s ability to raise blood sugar to a particular level within a given period of time. Some starchy foods have a high glycemic index that may cause high blood sugar levels after meals. Most non-starchy vegetables, fruits, and legumes have a low glycemic index. The […]

Studies have shown that hormones play a role in elevating the desire to eat foods containing carbohydrates during prolonged periods of stress. When our brains are notified that we are experiencing stress, they respond by releasing cortisol, a hormone whose primary function is to raise blood sugar and promote the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein and […]

Thirty percent of Americans only brush their teeth once daily.  That is certainly enough to reduce the level of plaque-causing bacteria–it takes about 24 hours to develop on teeth–but you are more likely to have cavities if you only brush once daily, particularly if you are only brushing in the morning.  If you are going […]

You may have already heard about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar.  Some of its uses include treatment for weight loss, leg cramps and pain, upset stomach, sore throats,  sinus problems, high blood pressure, cholesterol redand fight infection.  While there is insufficient scientific evidence to substantiate all of the claims made about apple cider […]

Maybe you’ve had JuJubes at the movies? The precursor to gummy bears, JuJubes are faux fruit flavored chewy candies that keep your dentist in business. The hot JuJube right now is actually Ziziphus jujuba, commonly called jujube, red date, Chinese date, Korean date, or Indian date. Mounting evidence shows the red date can protect us […]

It’s long been known that improving your physical fitness is associated with living a longer life. Studies show that past age 65, your walking speed at your natural pace is a surprisingly reliable predictor of survival. The study looked at the natural gait speed of more than 34,000 participants age 65 and older from nine previous studies. These studies followed […]