The Biggest Losers
Slow and steady doesn't always win the race. A big loss can help offset the inevitable back-sliding....  > >
Convenience Stores Raise Risk of Obesity
That store on the corner with its bags of snacks and tall sugary drinks is a hazard to your waistline, a study has found...  > >
One down, two to go
Lorcaserin seems to help people slim down with fewer side-effects than past drugs. But will the FDA approve it?...  > >
Best Ways to Get Healthly
The American Heart Association has released a study of the best ways to change behaviors to achieve heart health...  > >
Not So Hot Salsa
Mexican food-lovers beware: the CDC says that 1 out 25 cases of food poisoning are the result of contaminated salsa or guacamole...  > >
Eat Less or Exercise More?
Kids are overweight, but what's to blame? And what's the cure? ...  > >
British Beet Pressure
People who drank a glass of beet juice had a maximum drop of 10.4 points systolic blood pressure. Nitrate is what does it...  > >
Cut, Cut, Cut
Do you know where your salt is? Most Americans, even those who watch salt intake, eat twice as much salt as they should...  > >
Read the Leaves
Drinking 3-6 cups of tea per day was linked to a big reduction in risk for heart disease and stroke...not so for coffee...  > >
The Hormone That Makes You Crave
The "hunger hormone" ghrelin not only makes you hungry, but it may make you choose fried chicken over a salad...  > >
Vitamin D Eases Asthma
Children with insufficient vitamin D are more likely to experience severe asthma attacks, a new study has found...  > >
Bigger Isn't Always Better
Obese individuals report reduced sex life, not to mention more STDs, sexual dysfunction, and unwanted pregnancies...  > >
Rice Is Nice
White rice eaters had increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while brown rice eaters had a decreased risk...  > >
Fat Cells Multiply In Fructose
If fructose didn't already have a bad enough rap, now it seems to help kids' fat cells proliferate, too...  > >
Cartoons Linked to Child Obesity
Kids say foods taste better when cartoon characters are on the label, possibly adding fuel to the childhood obesity epidemic...  > >
eAT: Dangerous Diets
Websites that hype eating disorders are too common these days. Even worse, they're often aimed at children...  > >
FDA Warning on Vitamin D Dosing
Parents can accidently overdose babies with a dropper of Vitamin D. Too little can be dangerous, but overdoses can be deadly...  > >
Feds Seize Tainted Chinese Honey
The FDA has found a potentially fatal drug in honey from China, adding evidence to support growing concern in Washington...  > >
More Good News for Mediterranean Diet
Have some nuts and veggies: a new study shows that eating a Mediterranean-style diet protects the heart from a second attack....  > >
No, Thanks, I'll Have Water
Reducing your intake of sugar-sweetened drinks (iced tea, soda, lemonade) by just one can a day can lower blood pressure...  > >
Breathing and Mickey D's
High fat meals appear to increase inflammation and decrease lung function. An immune response may be to blame...  > >
Bran Helps Heart Health in Diabetics
Diabetic women who eat lots of whole grains – especially bran – have better heart health and lower risk of death...   > >
To Lower Cholesterol, Go Nuts
Eating a handful of nuts every day may be a healthy way to bring down your “bad” cholesterol and reduce blood fats...   > >
"Eat Your Broccoli"
A new study finds that a compound in broccoli called sulforaphane may stop the growth of breast cancer stem cells....   > >
The See Food Diet
Research shows that taking serving platters off the table cuts calories 20%; a salad bar by the register gets kids eating it...  > >
It's the Olive Oil
The phenols in olive oil appear to affect genes involved in inflammation, one reason why the Mediterranean diet is healthful...  > >
Babies Deficient in Vitamin D
Most babies do not meet the crucially important MDR for Vitamin D (400 I.U.), a new study has found...  > >
Cola May Reduce Sperm Count
A study of 18-year-olds found that those who drank the most cola were more likely to have low sperm counts...   > >
Fruits, Veggies Not a Cure-All
Fruits and vegetables may not be the cancer preventives we all might hope. But they can't hurt and can help in other ways...   > >
A Really Easy Diet Tip
Sleep. A study has found that the sleep-deprived tend to consume over 500 calories more a day than those who are well-rested...   > >
Cut Fat, But Don't Add Bread
Cut the fat to help your heart, but eating more high-glycemic foods like white bread will negate the benefits...   > >
Dieting Is Stressful
Dieting raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol, making it harder to lose weight. Exercise can help...  > >
Chocolate for Heart Health?
Eating the equivalent of a square of chocolate every day can reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. Really?...  > >
Overcoming Severe Peanut Allergies
Children can become far less dangerously allergic to peanuts through a process of "immunotherapy" which desensitizes them over time...  > >
High Protein = High Cholesterol
While you may lose weight on a high protein diet, you are also raising blood fats. High−carb diets had the opposite effect...  > >
Adults: Diet Makes A Difference
It's not too late: Even older adults can lower their cholesterol by eating fish and cutting down on butter and saturated fats...  > >
Fish Oil May Reduce Psychosis Risk
A small study of young people at risk for developing a psychotic disorder found that taking fish oil may be protective...  > >
Weight Can Interfere With Vaccines
Overweight people who are vaccinated with regular needles may not receive as much vaccine as they should...   > >
Over 70? A Few Pounds Can Help
People over 70 who are a bit heavier than the ideal BMI tend to live longer than those in the "normal" range. But obesity was of no benefit...  > >
Selenium May Cut Risk of Some Cancers
Consuming enough of the trace element selenium, found in meats, grains and nuts, seems to reduce the risk of certain gastric and esophageal cancers...   > >
An Apple A Day...
It appears apples provide beneficial bacteria and a pH environment that keep the intestines healthy and the doctor away...   > >
Junk Food and Diabetes
Frequent eating of fast food fried chicken and burgers raises the likelihood of type 2 diabetes by 40−70%...  > >
The Ghrelin Made Me Eat It
Call it the chemistry of overeating. This hunger hormone may be behind that obsession you have with brownies...   > >
Better Relationships Prevent Weight Gain
When teenagers receive help with social skills and have happier peer relations, their weight tends to stabilize...   > >
Green Tea An Antidepressant?
The more green tea elderly subjects drank in a day, the less likely they were to be depressed. Theanine may be behind it...   > >
Calorie Counts on Menus Reduce Overeating
People who see calorie information on menus tend to eat less. It helps to put that 500−calorie dessert in context...  > >
Milk Thistle for Chemo−Induced Inflammation
The folk remedy milk thistle appears to help keep levels of two key liver enzymes low during chemotherapy...  > >
More Coffee, Less Type 2 Diabetes
Drinking three to four cups of coffee a day lowers a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes significantly...  > >
Eat Soy to Prevent Some Cancers
Because they mimic estrogen's effects, soy foods seem to lower the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancers...  > >
The Spice of Life
Compounds in tumeric and pepper slow the growth of cancer stem cells, which can in turn prevent tumor formation...  > >
Discovering Real Brain Food
A diet rich in polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids seems to encourage the growth of new neurons and prevents damage...   > >
Breastfeeding: New Guidelines
Breast milk is the best milk for most infants. Three organizations offer their recommendations...   > >
Higher Temps Reduce Hunger
Working out in warmer conditions (think non−AC rooms] reduces hunger, thanks to peptide YY, which signals fullness...  > >
Diet Slows Muscle Loss
Diet may help reduce frailty. Those who had plenty of vitamins C and E had greater strength than those who didn't...  > >
Selenium Raises Cholesterol
Selenium supplement−takers, beware. High blood selenium raises cholesterol as much as 8%...  > >
Yo−Yo Dieting, It's Addictive
Dieting can cause a withdrawal effect, just as other addictions do. Repeated dieting and relapsing makes the effect worse...  > >
Heart Drugs Head−to−Head
A recent study found that a drug offering a high dose of the B vitamin, niacin, performed much better than the much−prescribed ezitimibe (Zetia^®)...  > >
Keep Digestive Bacteria Healthy
When it comes to keeping the balance of bacteria in the digest tract functioning at peak effectiveness, increasing fiber in your diet should be your first line of defense...  > >
Trade Your TV For A Treadmill
Making activity part of your home life helps maintain weight loss. People who lose weight and keep it off implement relatively simple changes to their home life...  > >
Exercise Beats Diabetes Meds
For people with elevated blood sugar who are worried about developing type 2 diabetes, diet and exercise have been found to be better preventives than medication...  > >
Hot Cocoa for Heart Health?
Drinking cocoa made with skim milk actually reduces the number of adhesion molecules in the blood and raises levels of "good" cholesterol...  > >
Raise Fiber, Lose Belly Fat
Eating fiber reduces belly fat, the fat associated with an increased risk of heart attack and diabetes. Those who didn't eat much fiber had a belly fat increase of 21%...  > >
Fiber Fights Inflammation
Scientists have recently discovered why fiber is so good for the immune system. The answer lies in short−chain fatty acids, the by−products of the breakdown of fiber, which act as anti−inflammatory...  > >
Guzzle Green Tea
Drinking lots of green tea (5+ cups a day) can significantly reduce lymph and blood cancers, a recent study has found...  > >
The Benefits of Healthy Fats
Certain fats actually lower blood sugar. Fats high in omega—6 unsaturated fatty acids, found in safflower, flax seed and other oils...  > >
Coffee Won't Keep You Sharp
A Finnish study has found that drinking coffee offers no protection from the natural decline of mental abilities as we age. But it did find several factors that seemed to be good predictors ...  > >
Whole Grains Lower BP Risk
Men who add more whole grains to their diet reduce their risk of hypertension or high blood pressure, a recent Harvard study has found. The study targeted men, but women see the same benefits...  > >
Leafy Greens, Folate & Cancer
A study of women has found that folic acid or folate, a B vitamin found in green vegetables, citrus fruits and beans, reduced the risk of colon cancer. The effect did not seem to extend to men...  > >
Fructose and Blood Pressure
Large quantities of fructose, the sugar sweetening most foods (don't worry about fruit), raises blood pressure and the risk of metabolic syndrome. The waste product uric acid is the culprit...  > >
Vitamin D Helps Prevent Falls
Seniors who take over 700 IU a day of vitamin D were up to 26% less likely to fall, according to a recent review article. Vitamin D3 seemed somewhat more effective than D2. Bone strength is probably behind...  > >
This is Your Brain On Fat
Eating foods high in saturated fats actually changes your brain chemistry, short−circuiting the normal messages telling you that you are full. No wonder those fries are so hard to resist...  > >
Meat Fuels Independence?
People who ate meat a couple times a week in middle age remained independent longer than those who did not, a recent study found. Eggs and fish seemed to have no effect...  > >
A Speed Limit For Weight
The Maximum Weight Limit, a simplification of the BMI, gives people what they most need – a weight over which they should not go. The calculation is easy...  > >
Mediterranean Diet & Diabetes
For recently−diagnosed diabetics, following a Mediterranean−style diet may reduce the need for blood sugar medications. The effect of this diet on insulin sensitivity is one reason it appears to help...  > >
Bad Habits Fuel Memory Problems
Two studies suggest that if you find you are forgetting more and remembering less, consider your lifestyle. Interestingly, not drinking wine at all was also a risk factor...  > >
Weight Loss Renews Heart
Your heart is more forgiving than you may think. The hearts of people who lost significant amounts of weight (45 pounds over a year) regained much of their ability to hold blood and...  > >
For Antioxidants, Grab a Snack
Snacks like nuts, cereal, crackers or popcorn may equal fruits and vegetables when it comes to providing antioxidant's to combat the free radicals that can lead to oxidative stress...  > >
Larger Waists, Smaller Brains
As your waist is getting larger, your brain is growing smaller, a new study has found. Obese and overweight people has between 4% and 8% less brain tissue...  > >
Health Is A Four Lane Road
Following four basic healthy behaviors – not smoking, eating well, staying trim, and exercising – can cut your risk for most major diseases by 80%. But you have to do all of them together...  > >
Men and Alcohol And Cancer Risk
Men who consumed the most alcohol in a recent study had an up to 700% increased cancer risk. Wine appeared not to be implicated, but it is too soon to tell...  > >
A One−Two Punch For Alzheimers
The risk of Alzheimer’s disease appears to be reduced among those who exercise and among those who eat a “Mediterranean” diet. People who did both had even less risk...  > >
Mindful Eating, The Yoga Diet
It may be no surprise that being mindful about food appears to be very useful to losing weight. But it may surprise you to learn that yoga practice may be a dieting tool...  > >
Red Meat Raises Colitis Risk
One’s risk for developing inflammatory bowel disease may be linked to a particular omega−6 fatty acid in meat and margarine. Omega−3 fatty acids greatly reduced the risk...  > >
Seafood Fights Depression?
Pregnant women who ate seafood during pregnancy were half as likely to suffer from depression. While one must be careful of mercury levels, depression puts mothers and babies at risk...  > >
Doctors and Parents Unite!
Pediatricians can help parents plan a realistic strategy for helping kids lose weight. Make small, gradual changes and keep the health risks and benefits in mind...  > >
Protein Lowers Blood Pressure
Eating a little more vegetable protein (think whole grains, beans and tofu) reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Glutamic acid appears to be the source of the benefits...  > >
Glycemic Load & Breast Cancer
Women who ate the highest glycemic load were at an 81% increased risk of developing estrogen receptor (ER)–positive/progesterone receptor (PR)–negative breast cancer...  > >
Caffeine As Anti−Asthma Aid
A big dose of caffeine may work just as well as an albuterol inhaler for exercise−induced asthma, according to a recent study. But don't replace that inhaler yet...  > >
Red Yeast Rice, Natural Statin
When red yeast is grown on rice, it produces an effective, natural statin that lowered cholesterol by 31 points without side effects. But is it an unregulated drug, or is it a dietary supplement?...  > >
Young Adults Need More Milk
Teenagers and young adults are not getting enough calcium. Their intake drops off even though their bone mass is due to peak between ages 20 to 30. What can be done?...  > >
The Breakfast Of Arteries
Eating a low−glycemic index breakfast, such as high−fiber cereal, can actually improve your arteries' ability to dilate and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease...  > >
Let Them Drink Water
When kids switch from sugar−sweetened beverages to water, this simple change can result in a reduction of 200+ the calories a day. Eventually, pounds follow...  > >
Lettuce Praise The UV Boost
Darker leafy greens like kale and spinach are more nutritious than lettuce. But the antioxidant content of lettuce − polyphenols − increases when the leaves are hit with ultraviolet light...  > >
Colored Labels Help Consumers
It could end squinting at food labels in the grocery aisle: A system of red and green dots on labels helps shoppers make better nutritional choices, an Australian study has found...  > >
Acidic Drinks Erode Teeth
The acidity of soft and sports drinks, as well as tea and fruit juice appears to be taking a toll on our tooth enamel. But wait before brushing...  > >
Hidden Salt − How to Find It
What's the first thing you should do to reduce the amount of salt in your diet? We'll give you a hint: It does not involve putting away your saltshaker, but you do need to plan to...  > >
How Fiber Fights Cancer
Butyrate, the byproduct of the bacteria−driven breakdown of fiber in the gut, actually acts as an anti−cancer agent, helping the colon prevent cancer from becoming established...  > >
Go Green − Lose Weight
Epidemiologists estimate that global obesity raises carbon dioxide emissions (and thus global warming) by about 450 tons a year. And then there's the extra fuel to needed to move such big bodies around...  > >
Better Put That Donut Down
Women who ate a low−glycemic breakfast − eating high fiber foods which take longer to break down and result in a slower rise in blood sugar − felt fuller and burned fat more quickly than...  > >
Real Men Eat Vegetables
It's about potency. Eating vegetables (and not eating meat) raises the quality of sperm men produce. In another study, cooking some vegetables actually raised their antioxidant content...  > >
Fructose Poses Risk to Heart
Sweeteners might seem a simple subject, but unfortunately, the truth is fructose has a negative effect on cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while glucose does not...  > >
Omega−3 Oils Reduce Tumors
Research on mice with tumors has found that the more Omega−3 fatty acids the mice consumed, the more their tumors shrank. Other variables related to tumor growth also showed...  > >
Teen Vegans, What to Know
Vegetarianism in all its forms can be a very healthy thing. But for some, particularly adolescents, it can be a cover for an eating disorder that is far from healthy. New research looks at the odds...  > >
Lipoic Acid & Triglycerides
A study of fat rats with high triglyceride levels has found that when they were given the coenzyme lipoic acid, their skyrocketing levels were cut in half...  > >
This Is Your Brain On Fish
Teenage boys who ate plenty of omega 3 fatty acids − primarily through consumption of fish − had improved memory and other cognitive skills...  > >
This Is Your Brain On Fish
Teenage boys who ate plenty of omega 3 fatty acids − primarily through consumption of fish − had improved memory and other cognitive skills...  > >
Get Fresh −− Antioxidants
Foods like green tea and olive oil need to be fresh in order to pack their full load of antioxidants. Buying in bulk or from a store with low turnover may mean you are not getting full benefit...  > >
3 Grams Less Can Save Lives
We're talking about salt, of course. A computer model predicts that if Americans reduced their salt intake by just 3 to 6 grams a day, it would save up to 800,000 life−years over the next decade...  > >
Green Tea May Help Gums
Japanese researchers have found that men who drink more green tea have healthier gums and fewer periodontal problems than those who don't. It may be the antioxidants in green tea..  > >
Don't Try This At Home
Giving children with peanut allergies tiny amounts of peanut protein can help build tolerance over time, according to a new study..  > >
Keep It Simple 100 Steps/ Min.
Walking at a rate of 100 steps a minute, for 150 minutes a week, ensures that most people will get the moderate level of exercise recommended by doctors..  > >
Hey Kid − Get a Bike!
For most kids, bikes are a readily available ticket to controlling weight. A new study suggests that riding a bike beats most exercise programs for effectiveness and instilling...  > >
Exercise, How Much is Enough?
Numbers may not lie, but they can confuse. There is a great deal of inconsistency among the various exercise guidelines out there today. What's a person to do?...   > >