Recently, a friend of mine posted on social media that he was considering a plant-based diet to reduce his risk of heart disease.  What does that means for those of us who are omnivores – eaters of food that are of both plant and animal origin? Is it necessary to eschew animal protein to have a healthy heart? Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, among others, has been an outspoken critic of both America’s obsession with healthy eating and American food policy.  In 2009, Mr. Pollan spoke to a room full of CDC scientists about how and why... Read More

As we approach bathing suit season, many Americans are planning to drop some winter weight. Changing when and what you eat could be the edge you need to see weight loss results that you aren’t seeing from just following a healthy diet. Fine tune your eating habits with the following tips to help you dump the plump this spring. Have dinner earlier. Stop eating around mid-afternoon, and don’t start again till morning. “Restricted feeding” cuts appetite and ups fat burning at night, researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center say. Go low carb once a week. Eating just three low-carb... Read More

There is widespread agreement among those in the scientific and health care communities, that certain behaviors contribute greatly to preventable chronic disease, improve productivity and impact health. In 2000, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that four lifestyle-related behavioral risk factors accounted for approximately 40% of all deaths in the United States. The optimal lifestyle metric (OLM), reflects adherence to these four positive health behaviors: not using tobacco, exercising at least 150 minutes per week, consuming at least five fruits and vegetable... Read More

From birth to death, one of the most important parts of being human is the need for physical contact. Did you know that a firm hug can make you feel less negative emotion? Scientists found that getting a hug on the day of a conflict was linked to a slight rise in positive emotions and a comparable drop in negative ones, and appeared to linger into the following day. Evidence suggests that close physical contact — such as a hug — can play a part in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure, stress, loneliness, aggression, anxiety and depression. When you hug someone, you release... Read More

Boulder, Colorado is known for its vibrant vegetarian and vegan food scene. There are several reasons why Boulder is a great place for vegetarians: A Health-Conscious Community: Boulder has a health-conscious community that values a plant-based diet. Many people in the community follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, which has led to an abundance of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the area. Access to Fresh, Local Ingredients: Boulder is located in a region known for its agricultural production, and many of the area’s restaurants source their ingredients from local farms. This means that... Read More

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 40 million adults—18% of the population—struggle with anxiety. Anxiety is normal; job interviews, public speaking and other everyday occurrences can cause anxiety.  It only becomes a problem when it extends beyond worry in an unreasonable, uncontrollable way. Anxiety can be a symptom of another mental illness, such as panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).  Anxiety and anxiety disorders are the most common behavioral health issues in the U.S. There are some important health habits... Read More

It’s no secret that our children are not the healthiest in the U.S.  One in three children in America are overweight or obese. Today’s toddlers can expect good health until about age 65 and live about 76 years. By contrast, Japanese children have the highest healthy life expectancy in the world, with Japanese boys and girls expected to live to 73 without any major illness or disability and overall life expectancy in the 80s. Why is this the case?  The Japanese eat fewer calories per day including more fish, more vegetable products, less meat and dairy and consume more reasonable... Read More

Everyone who has worked out in a fitness center or Crossfit class, with a personal trainer or on your own, read an article or even talked with a gym rat – knows about the core. “Strengthen your core,”  “Work on your core,” “Feel it in your core.”  But what does it mean to say you are working your core? The core is usually used interchangeably with your abs, but the core is much more than just your abs. Think of your core muscles as the central link in a chain connecting your upper and lower body.  The muscle groups that make up your core include the rectus abdominis, erector spinae... Read More

Boulder, Colorado, is known for its scenic beauty and healthy living, but the city also faces air quality issues that can lead to significant health concerns for its residents. Boulder is located in a valley, surrounded by mountains, which can cause a temperature inversion where cool air sinks and traps pollutants close to the ground. One of the primary causes of poor air quality in Boulder is ozone pollution. Ozone is created when sunlight reacts with pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds emitted from cars, trucks, and industrial sources. In the summertime, when temperatures... Read More

Even though spring in Colorado typically involves snow, it seems this spring will be warmer, earlier.  March is usually the snowiest month in Colorado and yet, here we are, halfway through the month with no snow.  As the longer, warmer days of spring unfold, you may still be feeling the heaviness of winter.  Since we spend more time indoors in the winter, coupled with less time moving and often more time eating, it is common to feel a little sluggish, sleepy, and possibly a few pounds heavier.  To energize yourself and prepare for the season ahead,  make some adjustments to your current routine. Eat... Read More

Colorado is frequently ranked high on lists of the most dog-friendly places. Denver has gotten positive feedback for its overall dog-friendliness, including rankings on the dog-centric community website Rover and financial consulting company SmartAsset. Match.com ranked Colorado as the number one dog loving state. Spending quality time with pets, specifically dogs, provides humans with companionship and can improve health. From a physiological standpoint, being with your dog can release feel-good hormones such as serotonin and oxytocin that elevate your mood. There are also other ways in which... Read More

Are you a glass half-full person? In other words, are you hopeful and confident about the future?  If so, you might be healthier than your friends who believe that the worst will happen. Many studies have reported that optimism influences health. Among the findings:   Highly pessimistic men were three times more likely to develop hypertension. People with positive emotions had lower blood pressures. The most pessimistic men were more than twice as likely to develop heart disease compared with the most optimistic.   It is hard to know if optimism is the result of good health, or if... Read More

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 six to seven hours every night. People who get less than five hours during the week, but who catch up on some of that lost sleep on the weekend, do not have the same risk. These results suggest that sleep is not a risk factor for mortality if it is combined with a medium or long weekend sleep. Some... Read More

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 fat. In response to higher blood sugar levels, the pancreas releases extra insulin, which has the effect of lowering blood sugar rather quickly, causing a craving for foods rich in carbohydrates. Cortisol is considered a catabolic hormone, which... Read More

Boulder, Colorado is a vibrant and thriving city located at the base of the Rocky Mountains. It is known for its beautiful natural surroundings, abundant outdoor recreational opportunities, vibrant cultural scene, and dynamic entrepreneurial spirit. Here are some of the top reasons why people move to Boulder and why they love it: Natural Beauty: Boulder’s location at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains provides residents with easy access to world-class outdoor recreation opportunities. The city is surrounded by over 45,000 acres of open space and 155 miles of trails for hiking, mountain... Read More

Sugar is everywhere, almost impossible to avoid.  It’s in foods like bread, pasta sauce, salad dressing, and ketchup. It can be challenging to find sugar in your food because nutrition labels are not required to list all sugar.  In 2018, nutrition labels will be required to call out all added sugar but, in the meantime, you’ll have to do some sugar sleuthing to manage your sugar intake. The Institute of Medicine has made recommendations for sugar intake.  Since sugar isn’t a required nutrient in the diet, the institute has not issued a recommended dietary allowance, but does suggest... Read More

This year was a crazy one, with a tumultuous election cycle, protests, shootings, issues of sexual assault on college campuses — it was a year to remember. Some important things happened that informed our health habits.  These events will have impact on our lives and our health now and in the future.  Here are some of the 2016 news stories that have and will shape how we think about well-being. The Good News Panera Bread goes clean.  Panera Bread vowed last year to serve only “clean ingredients” by the end of 2016. that vow involves removing artificial preservatives, sweetener,... Read More

As a young adult, I taught multiple fitness classes and played recreational soccer.  At that time in my life that much physical activity was not only desired, it was a great way to expend my abundant energy.  As I’ve aged, I’ve noticed shifts in my physical activity levels and preferences. You may have noticed that, as you age, your interests have shifted as well. Changes in your activity level and interests are normal. As we age, there are some activities that become more difficult or risky.  For example, if you were a wrestler in your youth, you are not likely able to tolerate the physical... Read More

If you’ve ever worked in a cube farm, you know the difficulty of establishing a temperature that suits everyone.  As someone who was cold natured, I frequently wore a sweater in the office on sweltering August days. Now that I work from home, I have complete control of the environmental temperature in my work space. While there are factors that influence how cold natured you are, such as low body fat, being cold could be a symptom of a health condition.  The most common condition that causes one to feel cold is anemia. Anemia is a blood disorder caused by a shortage of red blood cells,... Read More

Perhaps you’ve heard that sitting is the new smoking?  Sitting all day is not good for our health.  We’ve actually known this, from a public health perspective, for over 60 years. Back in the 50s, researchers studied men (yes, not much research done with women in those days) who had jobs that required them to sit, compared to those who were standing or walking during the work day. The study showed that the rates of illness and early death were highest among those who were the least active. As we are now a society of desk jockeys, it makes sense that scientists would revisit this... Read More