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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

If quitting smoking isn’t the hardest thing you’ve ever tried to do, it surely ranks right up there. The nicotine in cigarettes is as addictive as it gets. Plus, throw in the psychological addiction — like lighting up when you’re nervous, having a drink with friends, or doing the Sunday crossword puzzle — and you’ve got one serious habit to break. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 70 percent of smokers really do want to quit. There's no question that quitting smoking is difficult — the American Lung Association reports that quitting smoking often requires … [Read more...] about Exercise Away the Urge to Smoke

Just in time to help with your New Year's resolution to eat more healthily, the government announced its latest dietary guidelines this month. The 2015 guidelines recommend a "healthy eating pattern" with limited sugar and saturated fat, less salt and more vegetables and whole grains. You might remember the food pyramid poster from your grade school classroom, or the "My Plate" icon from your child's cafeteria. Those earnest posters are a boiled-down version of a complicated food science discussion between government-appointed experts and all the other players in this food fight, including … [Read more...] about New U.S. dietary guidelines limit sugar, rethink cholesterol

We would all love to consistently have a perfectly healthy diet, but life often seems to get in the way and we are quick to forget our commitment to improving our diet. Maybe you've set ambitious healthy eating goals in the past and you know how overwhelming it can be. But eating healthy is certainly not about being perfect. Most people tend to get much better results when they start small and make incremental changes to their current diet. Here are five ways you can start eating healthier even when you've failed before. 1. Start with the drinks Sodas and processed fruit juices are loaded … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Eat Healthier Even When You’ve Failed Before