Tips To Stick To Your New Year’s Workout Goals
Setting workout goals for the New Year? Increasing physical activity and aiming to improve your health are worthy goals, but can be challenging.
Why Bad Moods Might Be A Sign Of Health Trouble
Negative mood—such as sadness and anger—is associated with higher levels of inflammation and may be a signal of poor health, report researchers.
Overweight Women Can Safely Restrict Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Being obese or overweight while pregnant can pose serious health risks for both mother and baby. Now, researchers say that with proper nutrition guidance, restricting weight gain during pregnancy is both safe and feasible.
How To Get Winter Skiing Fit And Avoid An Injury
From Vail in the US to Val d’Isere in France, winter sports holidays are all the rage. And with more older people now hitting the slopes, there has been an inevitable rise in snow sport-related injuries.
Diseases Through Your Decades And What To Look Out For As You Age
Many diseases develop and become more likely as we age. Here are some of the most common conditions, and how you can reduce your risk of getting them as you clock over into a new decade.
Are Medications Affecting Your Memory?
We will present medications that have been identified as possibly causing temporary or permanent memory impairment. If you find that you are taking some of these medications, it is best to consult your physician and ask about alternative medications that might be available.
Will Wearing Your Coat Indoors Make You Feel Colder Outside?
If you’ve ever had to work in a draughty office, warehouse or classroom, you’ve probably been tempted to keep your coat on inside.
Moving Around Now May Improve Your Mood Later
Increases in physical activity tend to be followed by increases in mood and perceived energy level, research finds.
Tips On How To Avoid Heart Disease and Heart Attacks
There are many influences that increase or decrease your risk of heart disease, but, like so many issues in medicine and science, there is probably more controversy than agreement on what exactly individuals should do to help themselves live longer, healthier lives.
Making Healing Moves and Taking Play Breaks: An Ideal Self-Care Strategy
Today, virtually every form of medicine recognizes these basic truths: 1) Simple exercise can have profound healing effects. 2) Specific "healing moves" can help fight illness and enhance health. Healing moves provide an ideal self-care strategy to help prevent, relieve, and...
The Scientific Defense Of The Brussels Sprout
Brussels sprouts, like their European namesake, divide opinion. Some people embrace the flavour and familiarity of the small green vegetable. To others, they are an object of derision and disgust.
Why You May Be More At Risk For Foodborne Infections During The Holidays
There’s no place like home for the holidays, many people agree, and millions of people will travel long distances to get there. Along the journey, however, you may be at higher risk of becoming infected with a foodborne pathogen also along for the ride.
Why Windows With A View Are So Important To Older People
Windows are something that many of us take for granted – they’re just part of the houses we live in or the buildings we work in. And yet for older people, windows can be vital as a way to access the world, especially for those who spend a lot of time indoors
4 Tips For Safely Cooking And Keeping Your Turkey
For countless households, Christmas is turkey time. The bird takes pride of place in festive meals across the world – but if not stored, handled and cooked properly it can cause serious food poisoning.
How Air Pollution May Be Making Us Less Intelligent
Not only is air pollution bad for our lungs and heart, it turns out it could actually be making us less intelligent, too.
Researchers Discover A Genetic Cause That Links Erectile Dysfunction And Type-2 Diabetes
For those men who suffer from it, erectile dysfunction can cause exceptional mental angst, can ruin relationships, and can also be a red flag that indicates other serious underlying health conditions such as circulation or blood pressure problems.
Winter Blues and Broken Bones: How To Get Enough Vitamin D3
Vitamin D is often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin”. It is produced in your skin in response to sunlight and is a vital organic compound supporting the absorption of calcium and protecting bone strength, supporting immune function, and regulating mood. Deficiencies in Vitamin D can lead to...
5 Ways To Cut Down Your Food Waste This Christmas
The average family throws away about £700 (US$885) worth of food each year. This is not just a drain on our finances, but also has significant environmental impacts – both in terms of production and waste management – and Christmas is no different.
Flavored E-cigarettes Are Fueling A Dangerous Increase In Tobacco Use
An upsurge in e-cigarette use among middle and high school students occurred nationally between 2011 and 2018, with nearly 21 of every 100 high school students surveyed reporting e-cigarette use in the past 30 days.
I've Been Diagnosed with Cancer: What Should I Do?
Upon receiving a cancer diagnosis, you may find yourself facing this frightening experience without any knowledge or understanding of how best to help yourself. The sheer volume of information that is now available about cancer and various treatment options can make the aftermath of diagnosis even more distressing for you and your family.
Meat-Free Alternatives Can Be Dull So We Need Exciting Vegan Christmas Dinner Ideas
Bangers and mash, toad in the hole, shepherd’s pie, Lancashire hotpot – meat is tightly interwoven with British culture and dining.
Why A Little Bit Of Leftovers Really Kills Our Self-Control
New research looks at the tendency to overeat when we only have a little bit of food left over—and how we justify it by convincing ourselves that it’s not as unhealthy as it is.
How The Sounds Of Nature Can Help Us Understand Environmental Change
Our hearing tells us of a car approaching from behind, unseen, or a bird in a distant forest. Everything vibrates, and sound passes through and around us all the time. Sound is a critical environmental signifier.
Homeopathy: History from Germany to the USA
Today, homeopathy is widely accepted in most Western or industrialized countries except the United States. In France, some 25 percent of all pharmacies are homeopathic. In England, half of all physicians either use or recommend homeopathy. In India, it is taught in almost all medical and pharmacy schools.
5 Ways To Encourage People To Reduce Eating Meat
Meat makes a meal, so goes the saying. But with more people than ever before ditching meat for plant-based alternatives, it seems meaty dishes are starting to go out of fashion.
Meet The Trillions Of Viruses That Make Up Your Virome
It may be hard to fathom, but the human body is occupied by large collections of microorganisms, commonly referred to as our microbiome, that have evolved with us since the early days of man. Scientists have only recently begun to quantify the microbiome, and discovered it is inhabited by at least 38 trillion bacteria.
Are Your Grandparents Getting Tipsy At The Holiday Party?
November and December are defined by parties and social events. And in the U.S., alcohol is synonymous with socializing, with Americans particularly likely to overindulge during the holidays.
10 Ways To Indulge and Stay Healthy This Holiday Season
Before the holidays ruin your wellness plan and make you turn as green as the Grinch, try these 10 ways to help you stay on track and keep your festive spirit.
What Is 'Green' Dry Cleaning? A Toxics Expert Explains
The winter holidays are a busy time for many businesses, including retail stores, grocers, liquor stores – and dry cleaners.
How 'One Health' Keeps Humans One Step Ahead Of The Microbes
For a healthy planet, the health of all living creatures is equally important. One Health is a fairly new concept that prioritizes an interdisciplinary approach in science
This One Gene Error Is Linked To Early-Onset Dementia
Scientists have discovered a lone mutation in a single gene that causes an inherited form of frontotemporal dementia makes it harder for neurons in the brain to communicate with one another, leading to neurodegeneration.
Once You Lack Folate, The Damage Can’t Be Fixed
Folate deficiency creates more problems in connection with cell division and DNA replication than previously thought, a study shows.
Opioids And These Socioeconomic Factors Mix For Deaths Of Despair
The overprescribing of opioid-based painkillers may be the main, but not sole, driver of the increased abuse of opioids in rural America.
Why People Who Live In The Country Are Less Likely To Survive Cancer
It is easy to romanticise about escaping to the country, with its clean air, green space, and idyllic views. But our latest research, a review of 39 studies from around the world, suggests the need for a bit of an adjustment: it turns out that people living in rural locations are less likely to survive cancer.
Why Vegan Diets Are Adding To Malnutrition In Wealthy Countries
Hidden hunger affects over two billion people, globally. The cause is a chronic lack of essential micronutrients in the diet, such as vitamins and minerals.
How Financial Loss Can Have Catastrophic Effects On Health And Life
People who have a financial shock are at greater risk of depression and a raft of other physical and mental health issues.
How An App Can Help Fight Loneliness In Old People At Christmas
Loneliness, as a leading cause of depression and obesity, is believed to cost £6,000 per person in health and social care services. Loneliness is especially prevalent during the winter holidays, perhaps intensified by the short days, bad weather and the impression that everyone else is enjoying the festive season with family and friends.
Why The Key To Humanity Isn't Genetic But Microbial
What if the key to perfecting the human species were actually … yogurt? The fantasy of trying to perfect humanity through genetics was recently reignited by the announcement of the Chinese scientist claiming to have made the first “CRISPR babies
5 Ways To Reduce The Risk Of Stillbirth
Stillbirth is defined as the death of a baby of at least 20 weeks’ gestation or 400 grams in weight. Most stillbirths occur during pregnancy.
What Are Allergies And Why Are We Getting More Of Them?
Allergies are reactions caused by the immune system as it responds to environmental substances that are usually harmless to most people.
The First Effective Drugs For Preventing Migraine May Be Available Soon
I suffer from migraines. At least once a month, I have excruciating head pain, sensory problems and intermittent bouts of vomiting. The attacks can last for two weeks or more.
After 50, Death Risk Climbs In Wake Of Loss Of Wealth
Adults in their 50s and older who suffer a catastrophic loss of wealth have a 50-percent higher risk of dying than those who do not have such loss, according to a new study.
Learning to Let Go, Relax, and Be More Vibrant and Alive
When you are able to detach yourself from the areas of stress, tension, and pain in your body and just be aware of them without the interference of your analytical mind, they have room to unwind and release. This is not to deny or ignore pain; it is to be present with it in a relaxed, open, non judging way.
How The Mediterranean Diet May Help Your Neurons Live Longer
Historians consider it one of the ‘cradles of civilization,’ but for many scientists today the real value of the Mediterranean basin does not lie in its contribution to history.
Why Snacking Could Be Damaging Your Health
Breakfast simply didn’t exist for large parts of history. The Romans, for example, didn’t eat it – usually consuming only one meal around midday
Your Poo Is Mostly Alive. Here's What's In It
If you’ve ever thought your poo is just a bunch of dead cells, think again. Most of it is alive, teeming with billions of microbes. Here’s what studies in healthy adults reveal makes up our poo.
How Kids With Overweight Genes Can Lose Pounds
Children who are genetically predisposed to being overweight can still lose weight by changing their diet and exercise habits, a study of about 750 children shows.
When Avoiding Type 2 Diabetes There Is More Than One Diet To Choose From
If you have high blood glucose, but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes (so-called prediabetes) you may have been advised by your doctor to lose weight and to eat less fat and more fibre.
Which Diet Is Best, Low Carb, Paleo Or Fasting?
We are bombarded with books and TV shows telling us what we should be eating and how best to lose weight.
How Important Is Eating Breakfast?
In the middle of the last century, popular nutrition author Adelle Davis advised people to eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.
Do You Get Diabetes From Eating Too Much Sugar?
There is a widespread belief that sugar is the sole cause of diabetes. After all, the disease is characterised by high levels of sugar in the blood.
Why Vaping Marijuana Might Be Too Much For First-Timers
Vaping marijuana instead of smoking an equal dose increases short-term anxiety, paranoia, memory loss, and distraction, a small study of infrequent users suggests.
More People Are Experiencing Severe Food Allergies Than Ever Before
The recent inquest into the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse from anaphylaxis after eating a Pret A Manger baguette she was unaware contained sesame, could lead to a change in labelling legislation.
Fine Particle Air Pollution Is A Public Health Emergency Hiding In Plain Sight
Fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 millionths of a meter, known as PM2.5, was the fifth-leading cause of death in the world in 2015, factoring in approximately 4.1 million global deaths annually. In the United States, PM2.5 contributed to about 88,000 deaths in 2015 – more than diabetes, influenza, kidney disease or suicide.
5 Ways To Boost Your Nutrition Before Pregnancy
Thinking about trying to have a baby? Then now is the time for future moms (and dads) to “spring clean” food and lifestyle habits. Here are our five nutrition tips before pregnancy.
Why You Might Get The Nervous Tummy Runs When You're Nervous
So, you’re going on a date and you’re understandably a bit nervous. And then you feel it– a churning and cramping in your gut.
Symptoms of IBS: Medical Investigations and Treatments
In the past, indeed until quite recently, people with IBS had appendix removals, intensive abdominal investigations, major gynecological operations, numerous x-rays, and prescriptions for a whole range of pills and potions to rid them of the strange collection of symptoms we now recognize as Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Why It's Lifestyle Changes, Not A Magic Pill, That Can Reverse Alzheimer’s
Last summer, a research group from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) quietly published the results of a new approach in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Defending Homeopathy, An Audacious Notion Of Healing
Homeopathy has been maligned, and vilified, and homeopaths have been charged as liars and frauds. All this in spite of 200 years of therapeutic successes.
Here's The Skinny On Fasting For Weight Loss
The “new” weight-loss strategy known as the 5:2 diet has been receiving much attention in the media since the book The Fast Diet: The Secret of Intermittent Fasting - Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, Live Longer was launched late last year.
How Weight Monitoring During Pregnancy Could Help Save Lives
There are times in a person’s life when specific events can have long-term implications on their future health. Pregnancy is one of those times – when major and dramatic changes occur within a woman’s body composition in a short period of time.
Why Drastic Cuts In City Air Pollution Could Extend Lifespans
The average lifespan of residents of Copenhagen could increase by an entire year in 2040 if there were cuts in pollution to the level found in the countryside.
Want To Eat Fish That's Truly Good For You?
Seafood is very healthy to eat – all things considered. Fish and shellfish are an important source of protein, vitamins and minerals, and they are low in saturated fat. But seafood’s claim to fame is its omega-3 fatty acids which are beneficial to health. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans strongly suggest that adults eat two servings of seafood, or a total of eight ounces, per week.
Is Intermittent Fasting Any Better Than Conventional Dieting For Weight Loss?
With a global diet industry worth US$168.95 billion, it’s clear the world is obsessed with weight loss. But what’s the best diet for losing weight and improving health?
How A Self-Powered Glucose-Monitoring Device Could Help People With Diabetes
Diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S., with about 30.3 million adults having the disease. One in 4 adults does not even know he or she has diabetes.
Children With Arthritis Lack Vitamin D
In an analysis of global research, we recently found that children with the most frequent type of arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), have abnormally low vitamin D blood levels.
Why Do People Get Cancer?
Lots of very clever people are working hard to try to answer it. I have worked on this problem for many years, and to be honest it still blows my mind to really think about just how complex it is.
Can Virtual Nature And Poo Transplants Solve City Dwellers' Health Problems?
Nature is good for your health. Perhaps predictably, the world of technology is now offering technical solutions that seek to replace the need for authentic nature experiences.
Is There Hope For Cannabis As A Treatment For Opioid Addiction
Canada currently finds itself at the intersection of two historic social phenomena with massive implications for public health.
Why Bigotry Is A Public Health Problem
Over a decade ago, I wrote a piece for a psychiatric journal entitled “Is Bigotry a Mental Illness?” At the time, some psychiatrists were advocating making “pathological bigotry” or pathological bias
How To Get Rid Of Head Lice Without Spending Loads Of Money
Parents are being warned there could be a big rise in head lice outbreaks in schools this winter. The health charity Community Hygiene Concern has predicted that low-income families will be hit hardest after a change in NHS England guidance, means GPs are now routinely prevented from prescribing any treatment for the parasites.
Why Women Get PMS And Why Some Are More Affected
Women have been menstruating throughout history. So it’s curious the earliest documented record of what we now know to be premenstrual syndrome (PMS) appeared pretty late in the game.
Alternatives To Taking A Contraceptive Pill Every Day?
The arrival of the pill in 1961 was pivotal in enabling women to control their fertility with a method unrelated to sex.
Weight-loss Surgery Data Reveals There Are 4 Types Of Obesity
Understanding the very different characteristics of subgroups of obese patients may hold the key to devising more effective weight-loss treatments and interventions, according to new research.
Biology Is Only Partly To Blame For High Rates Of Mental Illness In Women
Depression and anxiety are known to affect around one in five people, but depression occurs twice as often in women as in men.
How Dust Storms And Hazardous Air Quality Can Harm Your Health
A major dust storm swept through Sydney and regional New South Wales this week. Red skies over Broken Hill on Wednesday night and Sydney on Thursday resembled those seen during intense bushfire activity and the massive 2009 dust storm.
How Hormones Affect Our Mood
The process of shedding the uterine lining with vaginal bleeding every month has an obvious reproductive focus, but it has also long been linked with changes to mood and behaviour. Unfortunately, this has often been an attempt to consign women to a “biologically” determined place of inferior mental functioning.
Is Alcohol Bad For You? It Depends On The Drink And How You Drink It
Recent headlines claim that a glass of wine or a pint of beer a day shortens your life. It’s enough to dampen any thoughts of a celebratory drink or two at Christmas. But those conclusions are based on a partial view of the alcohol debate.
What Students Don’t Know About Boozy Blackouts Increases Risk
Though most college students typically don’t intend to drink alcohol to the point that they “black out,” many don’t fully grasp what specific drinking behaviors present the greatest risk, a new series of studies finds.
Why People Become Vegans: The History, Sex And Science Of A Meatless Existence
At the age of 14, a young Donald Watson watched as a terrified pig was slaughtered on his family farm. In the British boy’s eyes, the screaming pig was being murdered. Watson stopped eating meat and eventually gave up dairy as well.
Why We All Need To Be Proactive About Our Bowels
Manipulating environmental exposures to optimize a healthy microbiome may hold the promise of preventing chronic inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Testosterone Levels Are Determined By Where Men Grow Up
Boys who grow up in healthier, wealthier environments tend to have more testosterone as adults, our latest research shows.
Do Omega-3 Supplements Reduce Heart Attacks?
A recent widely-reported study has reignited debate around whether omega-3 supplements reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. The study showed a particular form of omega-3 oil lowered the risk of people with heart disease experiencing a major “end point” event by 25%.
Why You Like Coffee, And I Like Tea
Do you drink freshly brewed coffee to start off your day? Or is a cup of English breakfast tea a better option for you?
Are Fish Oil Supplements Beneficial?
There are suggestions that fish oil is good for a range of health conditions including arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, mental health and heart disease. It’s even been suggested that fish oil might make people smarter, so should we all be taking supplements?
A Low-Gluten, High-Fiber Diet Could Settle Your Stomach
Eating a low-gluten, high-fiber diet changes bacteria in the gut, decreases gastrointestinal discomfort such as bloating, and is linked to modest weight loss, according to new research.
Why Doctors Are Starting To Prescribe Exercise
There is a movement afoot (pun intended) to get more people exercising by involving their family doctors.
How To Heal Asthma The Natural Way
Deaths in children from asthma are growing at an alarming rate. One can't help but wonder if the powerful steroidal drugs that are used to control symptoms and that also suppress immune function play an important role in this death toll. Don't let this type of drug abuse hurt your family. Seek out alternatives and consider these strategies.
Healthy Guts Are Swarming With Bugs, So What Do They Do?
The healthy human body is swarming with microorganisms. They inhabit every nook and cranny on the surfaces of our body. But by far the largest collection of microorganisms reside in our gastrointestinal tract – our gut.
6 Surprising Drug Interactions You Should Know About
As the population grows older, more and more people are using a combination of drugs to treat multiple conditions. This can lead to interactions and side effects that we all need to be aware of.
Basics of Healing Energy: Being The Conduit Through Which Energy Flows
Movement is energy. Emotion is energy. And we all know when we are lacking in energy, for without it we cannot function. The power of our healing work comes from this understanding of energy: we can effect form intentionally...
How Alcohol's Calories End Up On Your Waistline
Alcoholic drinks should all carry calorie counts according to a leading UK public health doctor writing in the BMJ today, because of their contribution to obesity. Fiona Sim, Chair of the UK Royal Society for Public Health, writes that while adults who drink may be getting as much as 10% of their daily calories from alcohol, most people are unaware drinking contributes to their energy intake.
Why Some People Overeat When They're Upset
The idea of eating a tub of ice cream to cope with being upset has become a bit cliche. Though some might not need a tub of chocolate swirl to help perk themselves up again, there do seem to be systematic differences in the way that people cope with upsetting events, with some more likely to find solace in food than others.
Environmental Hygiene: Simple Measures You Can Take To Combat Environmental Pollution
We are living in a world where environmental pollution has become part of life. Civilized humans today must live in cramped urban areas, drink contaminated water, take in polluted air, eat contaminated foods, and endure loud, disturbing noises. What can we do?
Why The World's Plastic Problem Is Bigger Than The Ocean
As you read this, a strange object that looks like a 2,000-foot floating pool noodle is drifting slowly through the central north Pacific Ocean. This object is designed to solve an enormous environmental problem. But in so doing, it brings attention to a number of others.
Marijuana Expands Into 3 More States, But What About Nationwide Legalization?
The midterm elections have further loosened marijuana restrictions in the United States. Voters in three of four states with ballot proposals on marijuana approved those initiatives.
Making Time For Exercise -- But How? And When?
It’s that time again. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services just released a new edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. That sound you hear is Americans collectively sighing.
Should You Take Probiotics When You’re On Antibiotics?
Antibiotics kill harmful bacteria that cause disease. But they also cause collateral damage to the microbiome, the complex community of bacteria that live in our gut. This results in a profound, though usually temporary, depletion of the beneficial bacteria.
Exploring Human Potential and Psychic Healing
Various esoteric sources have long suggested that human beings are capable of healing one another. Only in the last several decades has modern technology and the consciousness of enlightened scientists evolved to the point where laboratory confirmation of subtle energetic healing has been made possible.
Letting Go of the Fear of Pain and Opening the Door of Your Heart
Fear is the major ingredient of pain. It is what makes pain hurt. Take away the fear and only feeling is left. In the mid-1970s, in a poor and remote forest monastery in northeast Thailand, I had a bad toothache. There was no dentist to go to, no telephone, and no electricity. We didn't even have any aspirin...