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It's 3 p.m. on a Tuesday and you'd do anything for a donut... with chocolate filling... and those rainbow sprinkles on top. Are you hungry? Bored? You may just have a case of the "sleep munchies." According to a recent study published in the journal SLEEP, a lack of zzz's stokes your appetite just like marijuana might. Seriously! When you don't get enough shut-eye, your brain lights up with the same chemicals that cause stoners to giggle over Funyuns and chomp on Twinkies. While sleep deprivation has long been linked to overeating and weight gain, researchers at the University of Chicago were … [Read more...] about How to stop the afternoon munchies

When the topic of bone health arises, we often think of milk mustaches and calcium supplements. But what about visions of hitting the weights, jumping rope or doing pushups? It turns out there is more to bone health than consuming enough calcium and vitamin D. Not only are there many other nutrients involved in developing and maintaining bone, but also exercise is imperative. People who exercise more have higher peak bone mass, and research suggests exercise plays just as important a role in bone health as nutrition. Like muscles, bones are living tissue, and they require stress to stimulate … [Read more...] about Built to the Bone: Why Weight-Bearing Exercise Is Key to Strong Bones

When it comes to your health, you already know how important it is to eat well and stay active. But other hobbies and lifestyle changes—that have nothing to do with diet or exercise—can also offer a big payoff for your well-being. Try incorporating a few of these activities into your routine to benefit from reduced stress levels, lesser risk of certain diseases, lower blood pressure, and much more. 1. Knitting and crocheting It might be time to pick up that half-finished crochet project again. Repetitive activities that put your hands to work can help relieve stress by getting you out of … [Read more...] about 8 everyday activities that boost your health

More than half of all calories consumed in the U.S. come from "ultra-processed" foods, which can contribute to serious health complications like obesity and heart disease, new research finds. Ultra-processed foods are products that contain several manufactured ingredients that are not generally used when cooking from scratch, including natural and artificial flavors or colors, sweeteners, preservatives, and other additives. These are often used to imitate the taste, texture or other qualities of natural foods, or "to disguise undesirable qualities of the final product," lead study author … [Read more...] about “Ultra-processed” foods a huge chunk of American diet

If you knew that a certain type of exercise could benefit your heart, improve your balance, strengthen your bones, and help you lose weight as it made you look and feel better, wouldn't you want to get started? Well, studies show that strength training can do all of that and more. Strength training is not just about bodybuilders lifting weights in a gym. It can benefit people of all ages and may be particularly important for people with health issues such as arthritis or a heart condition. Strength Training: The Benefits Yes, strength training will add definition to your muscles and give men … [Read more...] about 7 Reasons to Add Strength Training to Your Workout Routine

Whether it is down to work pressure, money worries or relationship troubles, most of us experience stress at some point in our lives. In fact, around 75% of us report experiencing moderate to high levels of stress over the past month. It is well known that stress can cause sleep problems, headache and raise the risk of depression. But in this Spotlight, we look at some of the more surprising ways in which stress may harm our health. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) define stress as the "brain's response to any demand." In other words, it is how the brain reacts to certain … [Read more...] about Stress: its surprising implications for health