Given their druthers, most people would opt for a long and healthy life. Few relish the idea of spending years, even decades, incapacitated by illness, dependent on caregivers and unable to enjoy the people, places and activities that make life worth living. In 1980, Dr. James F. Fries, a Stanford University physician who studied chronic disease and aging, proposed that a “compression of morbidity” would enable most people to remain healthy until a certain age, perhaps 85, then die naturally or after only a brief illness. Now, a group of experts on aging envisions a route to realizing Dr. … [Read more...] about Finding a Drug for Healthy Aging

Yes, even the white ones are healthy – and pack more potassium than a banana. Client: "I don't eat potatoes." Me: "Really, why?" Client: "They are fattening." Me: "Hmm. How are you eating them?" And so goes the all-too-common conversation I have in my office about potatoes – white potatoes, that is. Truth is, potatoes (yes, even white ones) are quite nutritious. There's no need to eliminate them from your diet – even if you want to lose weight. Here are seven important nutrition facts about a medium-sized white potato to set the record straight: The entire potato is nutritious.  Eat … [Read more...] about 7 Nutrition Facts About Potatoes You Didn’t Know

There’s a reason we like making healthy changes at the beginning of a week, month or year, but it’s not a good one. Human beings favor neatness. I'm not talking about maintaining a tidy garage or a clean kitchen – although we enjoy that, too – but rather psychological neatness. Consider something like list-making. Browse the Internet, listen to a movie critic or flip on (reruns of) "The Late Show with David Letterman" and you're bound to discover lists of 10. But why 10? How come there are always conveniently 10 exceptional movies during a calendar year? Or precisely 10 holiday gifts you … [Read more...] about The Psychology of Fresh Starts