Tell fitness enthusiasts to sit still, and they'll scoff. Tell sick fitness enthusiasts to sit still, and their response will likely be the same. But should you really exercise when your body doesn't feel 100 percent? Medical professionals hear this question a lot and, with the flu season not too far away, it's a topic worth addressing. Most clinicians recommend that if your symptoms mirror a common cold without a fever – in other words, the illness remains above the neck – you can exercise moderately by doing activities like walking. The American Council on Exercise supports … [Read more...] about How Sick Is Too Sick to Exercise?
Pass the Butter and Pour on the Olive Oil, Experts Say
People who lay off butter and cheese and pour olive oil onto their salads instead live longer and lower their risk of heart disease, researchers reported Monday. It's one of the longest and most detailed studies yet about what, precisely, to substitute for artery-clogging fats and the answers are clear: although most Americans substitute sugary treats and white bread, the better path is to go for vegetable oils and whole grains. While the advice is nothing new, this study done by the Harvard School of Public Health puts numbers on it. It doesn't take much to cut the damage done by … [Read more...] about Pass the Butter and Pour on the Olive Oil, Experts Say
Sleep Fights Colds, Study Finds
If you're loading up on vitamin C and zinc to stave off the sniffles, you should try an earlier bedtime instead. People who regularly sleep six hours or less each night are four times more likely to get a cold than people who sleep just an hour longer, a new study finds. Short sleep was more important than any other factor in predicting who would get sick after exposure to the cold virus, researchers say. "It's almost alarming how strong the effects are," says Aric Prather, an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco and lead author … [Read more...] about Sleep Fights Colds, Study Finds
Exercise in adolescence may reduce adult cancer risk, all-cause mortality for women
Researchers assessing the health of women aged 40-70 have suggested that the amount of exercise they participate in during their teenage years appears to have an impact on their risk of dying from cancer or other causes as adults. The study was conducted by Sarah J. Nechuta, an assistant professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center in Nashville, TN, and colleagues. Their findings are published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Participating in exercise as an adolescent was associated with a reduced risk of cancer and all-cause mortality, regardless of the level … [Read more...] about Exercise in adolescence may reduce adult cancer risk, all-cause mortality for women
How to Bust Your Binge
Pizza and ice cream are calling. Here's how to avoid their tempting siren songs. There's a scene in "Sex and the City" where Miranda comes home from a particularly rotten day, takes a distressing phone call and then whips up a batch of brownies, gobbling one after the other. Disgusted with herself, she tosses the rest into the garbage. Hearing more bad news from another call, she stumbles back into the kitchen, grabs the trash can and does a full-on dumpster dive, stuffing her mouth with whatever brownies she can retrieve. Now, consumed with shame, she calls her best friend Carrie and … [Read more...] about How to Bust Your Binge
Skipping meals tied to increased belly fat, prediabetes
A new study of mice suggests skipping meals may disrupt metabolism in a way that leads to extra fat accumulating around the middle and signs of prediabetes. Writing in the The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, the researchers, including members from Ohio State University in Columbus, describe how they compared mice allowed to nibble their food throughout the day with mice that ate their food in one session and then fasted for the rest of the time. They found that the mice that gorged all their day's food in one session and fasted in between developed insulin resistance in their livers - … [Read more...] about Skipping meals tied to increased belly fat, prediabetes
What are the health benefits of popular foods?
Though the field of medicine continues to advance and branch out in so many ways, nutritionists and health experts continue to praise the benefits of certain foods. In fact, eating healthfully has been shown to reduce the risk of obesity, cardiovascular illnesses and even certain types of cancer. However, understanding which foods to eat for specific benefits can sometimes be difficult, which is why Medical News Today previously supplied a list of the top 10 healthy foods. Now, MNT specifies the health benefits of a much wider range of foods, providing a cornucopia of delicious and … [Read more...] about What are the health benefits of popular foods?
April Fool’s Day: How to avoid being the fool?
The history of April Fool's Day or All Fool's Day is uncertain, but the current thinking is that it began around 1582 in France with the reform of the calendar under Charles IX. The Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved from March 25 - April 1 (new year's week) to January 1. Communication traveled slowly in those days and some people were only informed of the change several years later. Still others, who were more rebellious refused to acknowledge the change and continued to celebrate on the last day of the former celebration, April 1. These people were labeled … [Read more...] about April Fool’s Day: How to avoid being the fool?