It's Your Health

We’re a finicky lot when it comes to food. Many equate healthy with unappetizing. If we omit butter and heavy sauces, it will be bland. Or we get in a rut eating the same things and never try something different. Last week I suggested nutritious alternatives to help you drop a few holiday pounds without sacrificing flavor. This week I’ll include some of my favorite easy, delicious, better-for-you edibles. Full story »

March was a tough month for our waistlines. St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, Spring Break noshing and Easter feasting were the primary culprits (did you eat your way through the Ides of March too?) Full story »

Easter already? Peak season, Spring break, and many edgy, impatient, disgruntled people on the roads, in restaurants, and grocery stores. Reality check. This happens every year so let’s all take a deep breath, relax, and be more accommodating than we were last year. Full story »

Tranquility, invigorating, refreshing… whatever term you choose, the undeniable pleasure of immersing ourselves in water is a conundrum. Why do we feel so serene and what exactly happens to our body as we sink down into aqua? Physiological changes occur although I doubt if we ponder what they are. Full story »

Why does immersing ourselves in water make us feel so good? Note the serene faces of those sinking into a hot tub or the exuberance of children splashing in a swimming pool. Bad moods and crankiness seem to dissolve in water. Perhaps the early Romans, who built their society around pools and bathing facilities, realized the therapeutic benefits eons ago. Full story »

Hippocrates said, “Speaking generally, all parts of the body, which have a function, if used in moderation and exercised in labours to which each is accustomed, become thereby healthy and well-developed, and age slowly; but if unused and left idle, they become liable to disease, defective in growth, and age quickly.” Exercise for the elderly has apparently been around for a long time. Full story »

Pay attention. Doing something is better than doing nothing if you observe a cardiac arrest. It’s imperative to act immediately because the chance of survival plummets by as much as 10 percent every minute. Full story »

In fitness, three key words ending in “y” are mobility, agility, and flexibility. We strive to maintain these modules for independence and a better quality of life but we need to add adaptability and versatility for an overall enhanced wellness… physically, mentally, and emotionally. Full story »

Hooked on the popular “Biggest Loser” TV show? Apparently, many faithful viewers are since it’s back for another run and I believe now there is also a spin-off version involving twins. Maybe triplets next time? I admit I’ve never watched a complete episode although I get the gist of it. Full story »

Think you’re food savvy when it comes to portion size, best sources of certain vitamins, and optimum way to refuel after a tough workout? Take the following quiz to see how knowledgeable you are in these areas. Full story »

We’re all familiar with the disease-fighting benefits of broccoli, peas, beans, tomatoes and their ilk, even if we don’t regularly devour them. But consider the following often ignored color pleasing winter vegetables that not only boost our immune system during cold and flu season, but also aid in staving off heart disease and cancer. Full story »

In case you missed what seemed to be earth-shattering news, people are more concerned about their finances than fitness entering the New Year. Full story »

If you’ve ever had a massage, you know how relaxed and tranquil you feel afterwards. Your stress melts away and you have an overall sense of well-being. But now there is scientific evidence indicating massage is actually beneficial to our health. Full story »

Persnickety, perhaps … but I’ve had “flat-on-my-back-with-a-bucket-next-to-the-bed” food poisoning. I’ve also endured typhoid fever compliments of a Florida lake but that’s another article. So I’m cautious about putting anything in my mouth without first inspecting it and that starts with silverware. Full story »

Perhaps you missed these thought provoking medical briefs this past year. Some were front-page news while others were buried in back of a paper or appeared only in medical newsletters. They are worth considering and could affect your heart health. Full story »