Fitness quiz: Test your fitness awareness - Mayo Clinic

Think you know the best way to get in shape? Why physical activity is so important? Or what happens if you stop exercising? Find out the answers to these questions and more. See how much you really know about fitness!...

Five ways to avoid medication mistakes - CNN

Story Highlights

Institute of Medicine: Medication errors harm at least 1.5 million people annually

Know exactly what your doctor is prescribing, its dosage and frequency

At pharmacy, check labels before you leave

In hospital: Ask for list of all meds, what they look like and when you should get them

Group Wants FDA to Cut Salt in Foods - WebMD

A scientific watchdog group is asking the government to cut the amount of sodium Americans consume, while regulators consider whether such a move would have widespread health benefits.

The group is calling on the FDA to set new standards limiting the sodium content of food. Americans on average consume far more that the recommended amount of sodium, a fact thought to play a key role in high rates of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Most of the sodium Americans eat is from packaged food or restaurant meals....

Graveyard shift linked to cancer risk - MSNBC

It was once scientific heresy to suggest that smoking contributed to lung cancer. Now, another idea initially dismissed as nutty is gaining acceptance: the graveyard shift might increase your cancer risk.

Next month, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, will classify shift work as a "probable" carcinogen.

That will put shift work in the same category as cancer-causing agents like anabolic steroids, ultraviolet radiation, and diesel engine exhaust....

Study: 'Use it, or lose it' - UPI

Middle-aged people, who had a reasonable level of physical activity, had less physical disability later in life, British researchers found....

The researchers found that middle-aged people who had been physically active were less likely to become unable to walk distances, climb stairs, maintain their sense of balance, stand from a seated position with their arms folded or sustain their hand grip as they got older.

Being overweight or obese was associated with an overall increased risk of physical impairment but, regardless of weight, people who engaged in heavy housework or gardening, who played a sport or who had a physically active job, were more likely to remain mobile later in life, Lang said....

Life is good. So why can't you stop worrying? - MSNBC

I open my eyes with a start, like the murderous freak in the slasher movie the audience thinks is dead but isn't. The clock reads 3:55 A.M. I've awakened within six minutes of this time for the past three nights. I shut my eyes and take a breath, hoping to ease back to sleep. Too late.

The anxiety is already gathering momentum, my brain roiling with thoughts that have no business being there in the middle of the night. It's like a Law & Order episode in my head: Opposing sides argue and counterargue, witnesses are badgered, lawyers shout objections. I bang the gavel and demand silence so I can get some rest. That works for a minute, then the ruckus begins again....

What Does Blood Pressure Have to Do With Alzheimer’s? - WSJ

The brain needs lots of blood to work well. That’s made doctors wonder whether high blood pressure, which can reduce blood flow to the brain, is connected to cognitive problems — especially in the elderly, in whom both high blood pressure and mental decline are common....

They found that those with high blood pressure had lower levels of blood flow overall, and those with high blood pressure and Alzheimer’s had lower blood flow than those with high blood pressure but not Alzheimer’s....

To Push Healthier Choices, Reset the Default - WSJ

How might people be steered toward better health decisions? Make the default choice the healthier one, behavioral economists suggest in a commentary published today in JAMA.

Make water rather than soda the default combo-meal drink. Automatically schedule routine medical procedures, such as colonoscopies, rather than ask people to remember to make the appointment. For certain high-risk medical procedures, make a second opinion the default option, say the authors from Carnegie Mellon University, Aetna and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

The concept, which the authors term “asymmetric paternalism,” plays off individuals’ natural bias to prefer the default position. Protecting people from themselves by exploiting this tendency should improve health and preserves the freedom of choice because less healthy options remain available....

Lifestyle changes can boost heart age - UPI

People are more likely to make healthy lifestyle changes when doctors clearly communicate the cardiac risk they face, a Canadian study found....

The researchers found that patients who were involved in care decisions were more willing to make changes to lower their risk of future cardiovascular events....

When Patient Calls at Year's End - WSJ

The end of the year brings a flurry of activity to the doctor's office.

Retailers have the Friday-after-Thanksgiving sales rush. My office has a rush of patients struggling with the dysfunctional health-care system.

We're trying to help everyone before the new year rolls around, when deductibles are reset, new plans are chosen and the prices go up....

To improve medical care in this country we need to close the gaps in coverage so that private insurance and the public don't have to play shell games to cover the basics liking having a baby and treating chronic diseases like asthma and kidney failure...

Motivational interviews helps curb alcohol - UPI

Motivational interviewing and behavioral therapy helped socially anxious U.S. college students curb tendencies of hazardous drinking....

"While prior studies have shown that a brief intervention using motivational interviewing helps reduce alcohol consumption or alcohol-related problems among college students, this study is the first to add strategies for coping with social anxiety in relation to alcohol intervention for college students," ...

Training Guide from the National Institute on Aging Helps Older Adults Find Health Information Online - NIH

Health issues are a vital concern for older adults, and surveys show that most of those who go online search for health and medical information.

However, since only 34 percent of people age 65 and older are online, the majority of older adults are missing out on valuable health information.

To broaden the numbers of older adults able to search for and find reliable health information online, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) has developed a free training curriculum for those who teach and work with older adults....

Vitamin water: Better than plain water? - Mayo Clinic

Vitamin water is fortified with various vitamins and other additives, including a sweetener that adds calories to the drink. If you're eating a balanced diet or taking a multivitamin, you won't likely benefit from drinking vitamin water....

Effective to tell patients to quit smoking - UPI

Doctors advising patients to quit smoking, even just once, helps to double smoking cessation rates, Canadian researchers say.

Drs. Bernard Le Foll and Tony George of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto say they are defining the most effective ways to treat tobacco dependence and highlight the surprisingly significant role the health practitioner plays.

"Even a short intervention -- of three minutes or less -- can increase a person's motivation to quit and can significantly increase abstinence rates," the authors say in a statement. "To initiate as many cessation attempts as possible, practitioners should advise all of their patients who smoke to quit."...

Bonding at the bench press - MSNBC

It's long been an inside joke in the fitness industry that it's better to sign up new members and never see them again than to have them use the facilities faithfully. But of course, those members don't renew their memberships either, and clubs are finding that creating a social atmosphere keeps members coming back. They also stay more fit.

Beyond weights and cardio
A survey earlier this year by the Boston-based International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, which represents gyms across the country, found that 18 percent of member clubs now offer "social programming," ranging from fitness classes that bring together new moms or seniors to marathon training programs to wine tasting and weekend ski trips....

Secondhand Smoke Damages Lungs - Web MD

For the first time, researchers say they have evidence that long-term exposure to secondhand smoke can cause structural damage in the lungs that is indicative of emphysema.

Their study also suggests that the modified magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique used to detect the lung damage may be able to spot emphysema long before symptoms occur....

Tai chi: Improved stress reduction, balance, agility for all - Mayo Clinic

The graceful images of people gliding through dance-like poses as they practice tai chi (TIE-chee) are compelling. Simply watching them is relaxing. Tai chi, in fact, is often described as "meditation in motion" because it promotes serenity through gentle movements — connecting the mind and body.

Originally developed in China as a form of self-defense, tai chi is a graceful form of exercise that has existed for some 2,000 years. Practiced regularly, tai chi can help you reduce stress and enjoy other health benefits...

Tai chi is used to:

• Reduce stress
• Increase flexibility
• Improve muscle strength and definition
• Increase energy, stamina and agility
• Increase feelings of well-being ....

Chest pain - Mayo Clinic

It's the middle of the night or maybe the beginning of a busy workday when you suddenly feel pain in your chest. You try to ignore it at first, but your chest pain has you scared and worried. Could you be having a heart attack? Should you go to the emergency room?

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people call for emergency medical help. Every year emergency room doctors evaluate and treat millions of people for chest pain....

Obesity not just a matter of willpower - UPI

Being overweight has long been considered an individual problem but a researcher in Canada said it has more to do with culture and the environment.

Sara Kirk of Dalhousie's School of Health Services Administration, in Nova Scotia, said daily life has changed so dramatically in the past 50 years that most people have little opportunity for built-in activity.

"In my research I'm trying to understand what it's like for the person who has a problem to go to a doctor and then be told it's your own fault -- just eat less and do more activity -- because that's how we treat obesity," Kirk said in a statement. "But we must also recognize that there are other things at the core, our policies need to change."...

Eating more fish may reduce ‘senior moments’ - MSNBC

Misplaced your keys? Can't place that face? Study findings suggest that you may be able to lessen the frequency of these "senior moments' simply by eating more fish. And the more fish you eat, the bigger the effect, according to research conducted in Norway.

Investigators found that elderly men and women who more frequently ate fish scored better on memory, visual conception, spatial motor skills, attention, orientation, and verbal fluency tests....

Smoking, alcohol hurt heart worse in combo - UPI

University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers say drinking alcohol while in tobacco smoke-filled air is bad for cardiovascular health.

Lead author Scott Ballinger exposed mice to smoky air in a laboratory enclosure and fed a liquid diet containing ethanol -- the intoxicating ingredient in alcohol. The mice exposed to smoke and alcohol had a an almost five-fold increase in artery lesions, compared to mice that breathed filtered air and ate a normal solid diet. Artery lesions are common among heavy smokers and a key sign of advancing cardiovascular disease, Ballinger said....

Is Exercise on the Rise? - WSJ

More Americans say they are exercising regularly.

Between 2001 and 2005, the prevalence of regular physical activity increased 8.6% among women and 3.5% among men, according to an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published today. The biggest improvement came among black men and women: Regular physical activity among black women rose 15%, and increased 12.4% for black men.

Overall in 2005, the prevalence of regular exercise for both men and women was still edging toward a national goal of 50%. (The report defined “regular physical activity” as at least 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise five times a week; or 20-minutes a day of vigorous exercise at least three days a week)....

Men, women respond differently to stress -- UPI

Men have a "fight-or-flight" response to stress while women are more likely to "tend-and-befriend," a U.S. researcher suggests.

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers found that different parts of the brain activate with different spatial and temporal profiles for men and women when they are faced with performance-related stress.

Lead author J.J. Wang said evolutionarily, males may have had to confront a stressor either by overcoming or fleeing it, while women may have responded by nurturing offspring and affiliating with social groups that maximize the survival of the species....

People walk 1 mile more if wearing pedometer - MSNBC

A $20 fitness gadget stood up to multiple research studies, helping people walk an additional mile each day — but only if they logged their steps.

Those who did lowered their blood pressure and lost a few pounds, an analysis found.

Pedometers, also called step counters, clip to a belt or waistband and count the steps the wearer takes during the day. They range in price from $5 to $60, with simple yet reliable models costing around $20...

Weight training: Do's and don'ts of proper technique - Mayo Clinic

Weight training looks easy. But for best results, proper technique is essential. Here's help maximizing your weight training program.

You don't have to be a bodybuilder or professional athlete to reap the benefits of weight training. When done correctly, weight training can help you lose fat, increase your strength and muscle tone, and improve your bone density. But if done incorrectly, weight training won't give you these benefits — and may even lead to injury.

High-calorie beverages add to obesity - UPI

Not only soda, but fruit drinks, alcohol and a combination of other high-calorie beverages are adding to the U.S. obesity crisis, a study found.

Professor Barry M. Popkin and doctoral candidate Kiyah J. Duffey of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill say that during the holidays when eggnog, cocktails and spiced cider are abundant, the problem can be even more apparent.

The study, published in Obesity Research, used nationally representative data to quantify both trends and patterns in beverage consumption among 46,576 American adults age 19 and older from 1965 to 2002.

The researchers found that over the past 37 years, the number of calories adults get through beverages has nearly doubled -- providing an average 21 percent of daily energy intake among U.S. adults, or an additional 222 calories from all beverages daily....

12 Best Exercise Videos for Beginners - WebMd

As the cold weather approaches and darkness falls by 5 p.m., thoughts of getting to the gym may give way to thoughts of hibernating. But winter doesn't have to mean giving up exercise. You can start, maintain, or improve a fitness program from the warmth of your own home using exercise videos.

If the phrase "exercise videos" calls to mind Buns of Steel, purple spandex, and leg warmers, you'll be pleasantly surprised. The fitness video industry has come a long way. These days you can find anything from walking and dance programs to Pilates and yoga on DVD. In fact, there are so many out there that finding the best exercise videos can be a daunting proposition...

Aging: Walking Faster and Outpacing Death - NYT

Researchers who followed the health of nearly 500 older people for almost a decade found that those who walked more quickly were less likely to die over the course of the study.

The findings, the researchers said, suggest that gait speed may be a good predictor of long-term survival, even in people who otherwise appear basically healthy. The study was presented at a conference of the Gerontological Society of America....

More reasons to quit smoking than cancer - UPI

The American Academy of Otolaryngology says smoking is associated with much more than lung cancer giving U.S. adults more reason to quit.

Dr. Michael G. Stewart of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York said health complications from smoking affect the entire body. In addition to cancers of the lungs, smoking contributes to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular disease...

Clinton: U.S. risks 'collapse' without obesity solution - CNN

Story Highlights

Experts gather at CNN's first Fit Nation Summit to propose obesity solutions

Former President Clinton: Without obesity solution, nation risks "collapse"

Motivating youngsters, removing shame, embarrassment called key

Experts: Removing trans fats, finding healthy replacements also critical

UnitedHealth Agrees to Cuomo’s Report Card For Doctors - WSJ

Patients just got a step closer to having a national standard for picking good doctors and avoiding the duds.

United Health and two other large insurers, Group Health and Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York, which are both units of EmblemHealth, have agreed to follow New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s rules on how to rank doctors. They follow Cigna, Aetna and WellPoint’s Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield....

Pedometers help people stay active, Stanford study finds - Stanford

The pedometer, a small, inexpensive device that counts the number of steps walked per day, could be key to ramping up a person’s physical activity.

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found that the use of a pedometer is associated with significant increases in physical activity and weight loss and improvements in blood pressure....

Heart disease killing more younger women - MSNBC

For decades, heart disease death rates have been falling. But a new study shows a troubling turn — more women under 45 are dying of heart disease due to clogged arteries, and the death rate for men that age has leveled off.

Heart experts aren’t sure what went wrong, but they think increasing rates of obesity and other risk factors are to blame....

Health Tip: Less Stress in 7 Steps - WebMD

Feeling stressed? Here are seven simple steps for breathing your way out of stress:...

Health Care: Next President's Top Job? - WebMD

Health insurance for everyone should be the top health care priority for the next president, according to recommendations issued Thursday by a group of the nation's top health policy experts.

The experts are calling on the next president to push for coverage of all the 47 million Americans who now lack it. They should also move to overhaul how doctors, hospitals, and patients handle medical treatment in the $2 trillion-per-year health system, the group says.

If that sounds like a huge job, it is. Most observers believe that "universal" health coverage will take many years to achieve and will cost tens of billions of dollars. Some candidates have said they want to try to lower health care costs first before directly tackling the numbers of uninsured....

Non-smoker heart attacks down after ban - UPI

After an Indiana county smoking ban was implemented, heart attack hospital admissions dropped 70 percent for non-smokers -- but not for smokers, a study found.

Lead author Dong-Chul Seo of the Indiana University Bloomington examined the effect of public smoking bans on heart attacks in non-smokers. He analyzed Delaware County, which had no smoking bans during the study period, and Monroe County, which prohibited smoking in restaurants, bars, retail spaces and workplaces.

The study, published in the Journal of Drug Education, exposure to secondhand smoke for just 30 minutes can rapidly increase a person's risk for heart attack, even if they have no risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or previous heart surgery...

America's Most Obese Cities - Forbes.com

Once considered an affliction of the lazy and indulgent, obesity now affects about one-third of Americans. The epidemic has swept up the wealthy, middle class and the poor; city dwellers, suburbanites and those in rural areas; and people of all races and ethnicities.

The causes, researchers say, are numerous. These include a diet of calorie-dense but nutrient-deficient food found in grocery and convenience stores, public planning strategies that favor motorists over walkers and cyclists, and simply bad habits....

Diet soda: Is it bad for you? - Mayo Clinic

Drinking a reasonable amount of diet soda a day, such as a can or two, isn't likely to hurt you. The artificial sweeteners and other chemicals used in diet soda are safe for most people, and there's no evidence that these ingredients cause cancer. Some types of diet soda are even fortified with vitamins and minerals.

But diet soda isn't a health drink or a cure for weight loss. Although switching from regular soda to diet soda will save you calories, some studies suggest that drinking soda of any type leads to obesity and other health problems. And healthier choices abound. ...

Hospitals Better on Quality, But Don’t Ace Tests Yet - WSJ

More patients are getting the right treatment more often at hospitals. But, even so, hospitals could do a better job.

The Joint Commission – or as the Health Blog thinks of it, the organization formerly known as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations — recently released its latest examination of hospital quality and safety, and calls the results encouraging.

The analysis shows that, overall, more patients got the treated in line with certain accepted standards. Specifically, there’s better uptake for a host of practices that have been shown to improve outcomes, primarily for heart-attack, heart disease and pneumonia. (See the full results.) The JC’s soon-to-retire president, Dennis O’Leary, says, “The improvements achieved have saved lives and resulted in better quality of life for thousands of patients.”

But, broadly speaking, hospitals had a hard time getting things right consistently. The real measure of success is when a hospital can do the right thing nine times out of 10. We used to call that an “A”....

Chocolate, and 7 other foods to lower blood pressure - MSNBC

Optimal blood pressure is at or below 120/80 mm Hg.

If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor has probably already told you the basics. You can control blood pressure by getting to and maintaining a healthy weight; reducing your “bad” cholesterol (LDL) if it’s high; limiting the salt in your diet; exercising; and adding calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and potassium to your diet.

The following eight foods are among the best of the best when it comes to lowering your blood pressure....

FDA to consider salt content of processed foodsStory Highlights - CNN

Story Highlights

• Public health advocates pressuring FDA to food makers to cut sodium
  AMA: halving sodium in processed, restaurant foods could save lives
• Food makers seeking tasty ways to make deeper cuts in salt, fear backlash
• Guideline: 2,300 milligrams daily; average American gets 3,300-4,000 mg

Stomach virus races through cruise ship passengers - CNN

highly contagious virus that causes stomach flu sickened about 220 passengers aboard a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship that returned Monday to Honolulu after its weekly seven-day cruise around the islands, officials said.
Lab tests confirmed a norovirus -- which causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea -- aboard the Pride of Hawaii, said Janice Okubo, spokeswoman for the Hawaii Department of Health.
"It's one of the common viruses we've been seeing on cruise lines," Okubo said. "Most of the time, people recover."
The Norwalk-like virus infected about 9 percent of the ship's 2,500 passengers, and no one was hospitalized, the cruise line said. Virus symptoms typically last a day....

5 foods that should have a place in your diet - CNN

Story Highlights:

• Scientists are finding redeeming qualities for some often-maligned foods
• Eating peanut butter or peanuts has been associated with lower total cholesterol
• Caffeinated coffee helps improve memory in older adults

Fish Really May Be Brain Food - Medline Plus

There may be truth to old adage that eating fish can make you smarter, according to three new studies.

Each suggests that fish intake, particularly the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids in fish, may improve cognitive performance....

Health Tip: Try Tea for a Healthy Resolution - WebMD

For disease-fighting antioxidants, tea is hard to beat. Black tea and green tea have the most health-boosting effects, but green tea seems to be especially beneficial.

Some research suggests that these teas may help:
Lower cholesterol when you eat a heart-healthy diet
Improve blood vessel and heart health
Reduce damage to DNA caused by smoking
Reduce the risk of some cancers

Who knows, there may be more positive effects from drinking tea!

You have to know your limits - Mayo Clinic

My colleague and friend said, "Ed, I never saw it coming."

Here's the rest of the story. High octane power broker, age 52, on umpteen corporate boards, Master of the Universe, with multiple irons in the fire, uber-multi-tasker, with nonstop commitments on a global scale. His belt sagged from 4 techno-gadgets keeping him connected to the rest of the world. Get the picture? No, I am not kidding.

He gave 3 black tie presentations in 1 week in 3 different cities, 3 different hotels, and 3 different time zones. Got off his exercise and food routine, was sleeping poorly and drinking too much. Knew what to do but admitted that he got swept away in the energy of these events. It was a very seductive week and " ... how could I say no to so many worthy causes?" ...

Arthritis Takes Major Toll on Workplace - Medline Plus

Arthritis-related disability can have a major impact on a person's employment, forcing them to change work hours, the type and nature of their work, or even lose their job, a Canadian study reports.

The study tracked 490 people with osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory arthritis (IA) for more than four years. During that time, 63 percent of the participants remained employed, but work changes were common: 45 percent reduced their work hours due to arthritis; 52 percent switched their type of work; 18 percent weren't able to seek and accept promotions and job transfers; and 41 percent weren't able to take on additional responsibilities.

In addition, many of the participants used vacation time and missed work to deal with their arthritis....

Brushing Innovations, Built on Titanium - NYT

Titanium, the multitalented metal used in everything from jet engines to eyeglass frames, has taken on yet another role as the crucial component of two toothbrushes that aim to shake up the staid world of dental hygiene.

One of the brushes dispenses with toothpaste, instead employing a core of titanium dioxide that generates a plaque-removing electrochemical reaction. The other uses fine, flexible titanium bristles that can last for years. Both are getting favorable, if preliminary, reviews from scientists, dentists and consumer testers....

TIA: It's an Emergency - WebMD

One in 20 people who suffers a transient ischemic attack -- TIA -- has a stroke within seven days, a new study confirms.

TIAs are like strokes except for one thing -- people fully recover from TIAs and there is no permanent brain damage. How dangerous are TIAs? Different studies have come up with different answers....

But when they lumped all major studies together, Giles and Rothwell find that a person who suffers a TIA has more than a one in 20 risk of having a stroke within one week. That drops to about a one in 100 risk if a person gets emergency care immediately after a TIA....

Scale won't budge? Time to tweak your habits - MSNBC

You snack on fruit, check calorie counts, and start most days with a walk or swim. So when you step on that scale and the needle stays put, you wonder what the heck you're doing wrong. Even with such healthy habits, sometimes a seemingly inconsequential snack choice or a larger (but common) food myth can keep pounds in place. Take heart: A simple, slight adjustment in how you eat and think can help you reach your weight loss goal....

Mother Teresa: Lessons for us all - Mayo Clinic

My wife and I recently returned from personal and professional activities in Guatemala. Since the total flight was six hours, including layovers, my wife shared with me a book titled "Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light."
I was not particularly enthusiastic about reading a book about a saintly woman with whom I could hardly relate.

However, once I started the book I could not put it down. Here is what I learned, and this directly relates to some of the insightful comments from our stress community....

The Best Mattress for a Good Night’s Sleep - WebMD

When it comes to getting a good night's sleep, there's no question -- your mattress matters. But with so many choices -- traditional coil, air, latex, and memory foam mattresses being some of the top contenders -- buying a new one can be a nightmare.

Neither bells and whistles nor a super-expensive price tag necessarily mean one mattress is better than another, say four experts consulted by WebMD. The right stuff, they say, should be firm enough to provide support to your back, neck, and legs, while still offering some cushion and recoil for comfort....

Get Wired, Get Wasted & Get Hurt - WSJ

If Red Bull gives you wings, as the energy drink’s advertising suggests, what happens when you mix the popular beverage with alcohol? Broken wings, all too often, says a study from Wake Forest University.

Researchers there found that college students who down cocktails of booze and energy drinks, such as Red Bull, run a significantly higher risk of injury compared with students who stick to uncaffeinated alcoholic beverages. The students sucking down Speed Balls, Bullgaritas and Bull Breezes were much more likely to be hurt or injured, to ride with an intoxicated driver or to take advantage of someone else sexually....

Optimism Comes Standard in Humans - WSJ

A belief that good things will happen in our lives appears to be hard-wired in our brains, Robert Lee Hotz writes in his WSJ column today.

Being somewhat optimistic is often related to positive behaviors, such as working hard, saving money and taking care of our health....

Optimism is so fundamental to us that it probably relates somehow to basic survival...

Ostrich, and the 7 other foods you should be eating - MSNBC

We've heard it all before -- eat your spinach, your broccoli, your whole grain pastas. But there are a whole host of other good-for-you foods that most of us aren't eating.

Nutritionist Joy Bauer shares her list of healthy items you should add to your next shopping list....

Feeling Stressed? - Medline Plus

Pending job cuts at the office. Back-to-back final exams. A messy divorce. An unexpected surgery. What do they all have in common? In a word – stress. While everyone knows that stress can take a toll on a person physically and psychologically, it also can lead to dermatologic problems, such as acne, brittle nails or even hair loss......

Blood pressure harder to control in winter - MSNBC

For people with high blood pressure, the condition can prove tougher to control in the winter, researchers said on Monday.

Veterans treated in the winter were less likely to see their blood pressure levels come down to a healthy level than those treated in the summer, researchers told an American Heart Association meeting.

The five-year study focused on blood pressure readings for 443,632 U.S. military veterans with hypertension, or high blood pressure, in 15 cities, including such far-flung locales as chilly Anchorage, Alaska, and warm San Juan, Puerto Rico....

Cutting Through Medical Babel - WSJ

Medical information is more accessible to patients than ever, but it’s of little help to them when a rushed doctor is speaking jargon.

Laura Landro’s column, however, says many medical professionals and health-care groups are offering advice on how to improve the conversation between patients and their doctors. One radiation oncologist, Marisa Weiss, puts on a skit about the subject and has now turned the material into a book....

Staph at the Gym? Not if You’re Careful - NYT

THE news has been scary: a virulent strain of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a staph bacterium usually associated with hospitals and nursing homes, has been surfacing in other settings. In the last month, schools across the country have reported outbreaks, some of them deadly.

The infection can be spread by a shared towel, razor or piece of sports equipment, or through skin-to-skin contact.
This may have fitness enthusiasts wondering if they can contract MRSA at a gym. Health officials say yes, although the risk is low....

Report: Excess body fat linked to cancer - MSNBC

Keeping slim is one of the best ways of preventing cancer, as is avoiding excessive amounts of red meat and wine, a landmark study has revealed.

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) said the link between body fat and cancer is closer than generally realized.

It found convincing evidence of a link to six types of cancer, five more than in its last report, 10 years ago....

Most Americans Have Poor 'Eye-Q' - Medline Plus

Even though almost half of all American adults say eyesight is their most valued attribute, many have poor eye care/health habits, says an American Optometric Association (AOA) survey released Monday.

The American Eye-Q survey of 1,000 adults 18 years or older found that Americans lack awareness in two key areas: eye diseases and contact lens hygiene and compliance....

Less Ouch in our Future? - WSJ

We may be getting far more immunizations than necessary, according to findings from a study in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Antibodies from some vaccines stay around in the blood stream for much longer than previously thought, which means that the current schedules for some vaccinations may be overkill, the WSJ reports.

Tetanus shots, for instance, could be given every 30 years instead of every 10. And we seem to be protected from measles, mumps, and rubella for life, the researchers at Oregon Health and Science University find....

Older U.S. residents getting healthier - UPI

U.S. citizens more than 60 years of age are becoming healthier and better educated than their predecessors, a gerontologist and psychiatrist said.

The Arizona Republic reported Wednesday that, according to health experts, while U.S. citizens are living dramatically longer, they are also becoming healthier and more intelligent about old age than the previous generation....

Energy drinks may pose risk for some - UPI

U.S. researchers suggest energy drinks may pose risks for people with high blood pressure and heart disease.

James Kalus, senior manager of Patient Care Services at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, and a former Wayne State researcher who led the study said some studies have found most energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine and taurine -- an amino acid that has had effects on heart function and blood pressure. Sports drinks generally contain various mixtures of water, sugars and salts, Kalus said.

In a small study, Wayne State University researchers found energy drinks increased blood pressure by about 7 percent and heart rates by about 11 percent in adults who drank two cans a day of a popular energy drink....

Fatty Diet Scrambles Body Clock - WSJ

Lovers of fatty food beware. Now comes evidence the treats you crave may disrupt your sleep. A fat-laden diet throws off the body’s internal clock for regulating slumber and wakefulness. Well, at least it does in mice, a new study says.

Circadian rhythm is considered the body’s master clock, and diet can “change the speed at which the hands of the clock are turning,” the study’s senior author, Joe Bass of Northwestern University, tells the Health Blog. Disruptions of our internal clock have been found in previous work to be related not only to changes in sleep, but also in metabolism, obesity and diabetes....

Vigorous exercise reduces weight gain risk - UPI

People who say they do about 30 minutes of jogging, bicycling or swimming a day were twice as likely to maintain a stable weight, a U.S. study found.

Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine researchers said a consistently high level of physical activity -- 30 minutes a day of vigorous activity -- from young adulthood into middle age increases the odds of maintaining a stable weight and lessens the amount of weight gained over time....