It is almost impossible not to eat out, but if you are watching what you eat, don’t worry, there are still some healthy options out there for you in a world where the fast food industry is growing rapidly. Rarely is it healthy to consume a meal that is of low nutritional value and high in Trans fats, saturated fats, sodium, and calories, but there are ways to make healthier choices when eating out! Some quick tips when it comes to eating out are to make careful menu selections, drink water with your meal, “undress” your food by special ordering

Women, are you aware that you could have a serious medical issue staring at you each time you look in the mirror? Recently, I watched a show explaining the fastest growing cancers in women one of which is thyroid cancer. The number of cases have doubled since the 1970s which has left experts wondering why. Thyroid cancer is four times more common in women than men, which naturally points to estrogen as the culprit (4). However, researchers believe women are at increased risk because they are exposed to more radiation during dental and mammogram examinations.  The thyroid gland is sensitive

Diet sodas appear to be the best of both worlds, a no calorie (or sometimes just a lesser calorie) soda with the taste and carbonation people crave! Many Americans love the no calorie benefits of diet sodas but have never considered the downside.  From weight gain to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (which can increase a person’s risk of heart disease), there may be some dangers associated with the overconsumption of this sweet, low or no calorie beverage. Drinking one can of diet soda a day (that’s a 12 ounce can, not a 20 ounce bottle) has been associated

I am sure you probably responded Subway. And why wouldn’t you. That is probably the main message promoted any time you see an advertisement for their sub sandwiches. But is it really true? A recent study decided to assess if adolescents ages 12 to 21, purchased foods that had fewer total calories at a restaurant marketed as “healthy” compared to one of it’s competitors. The “healthy” chain studied was Subway and the competitor, McDonald’s. The 97 adolescents in the study purchased an average of 1,038 calories from McDonald’s and 955 calories from Subway. The difference was not statistically significant meaning

Most would agree that perfection is all about details. We have to start with small pixels to create a big picture. However, often we are so transfixed on the ultimate goal that we may look past certain elements that seem insignificant or trivial. We fail to realize that the very thing we are looking over will assist us in obtaining our prized goal.  We make this same mistake in our journeys toward healthy lifestyles. For example, have you ever rushed to the gym anticipating a vigorous 1 hour cardio session to burn some major calories, yet when you arrived you

Sound to good to be true? Well it isn’t. Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D. is a renowned fitness researcher, who also has practical insights for ways to save time during workouts without compromising results. He realizes that many of us spend time and energy in resistance training and cardiovascular programs, but fail to find time to stretch. So he conducted a study at the South Shore YMCA with 76 participants from their fitness classes aimed at showing the effect stretching exercises can have when mixed in with normal training routines.  The fitness class activity consisted in performing 12 Nautilus strength exercises

It is not uncommon to hear individuals express concerns about the potential of developing dementia as they age. They talk about engaging in activities like Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and chess in hopes of preventing a decline in their cognitive function. And while research has shown these and other mental activities to be helpful (playing an instrument, learning a new task, socializing), there is a whole lot more we can be doing to prevent a decline in our cognitive function. As with many disease conditions, we often feel powerless in terms of their development and progression. It should be empowering to

For additional health benefits not provided by aerobic exercise, it is recommended that most adults perform regular muscle-strengthening or resistance training.  What is considered “regular”? The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans state that adults should perform muscular strength and endurance activities on a minimum of 2 days per week (Haskell, et al, 2007). On each of these days, individuals should perform 8 -10 exercises with 8 -12 repetitions. During these exercises, individuals should work against resistance, which can come in many different forms including body weight, resistance bands, dumbbells, barbells and many other apparatuses. Using elastic resistance bands, or one’s

There have been tales of a spring that restores the youth of anyone that drinks or bathes in it—The “Fountain of Youth” is legendary proof of people’s historical resistance to physical aging. We’ve previously discussed finding the “Fountain of Youth” for disease prevention purposes through physical activity. Today we want to discuss it in terms of functional capacity. A gradual decline occurs in many bodily functions over a lifetime. A specific part of the body that is notorious for age-related decline and a major contributor to US health care costs (approximately $18.4 billion a year) is the loss of muscle

Do you hear the word “organic” and automatically think “healthy”? If you answered yes, you are not alone. Studies have shown that labeling something as “organic” produces a “health halo effect” or a cognitive bias of a food item as being healthy based on certain attributes of that food. Recently, researchers wanted to see just how deep this bias extends. They presented one hundred and fifteen participants at a shopping mall with three pairs of foods—2 yogurts, 2 cookies, and 2 potato chip portions. One item from each food pair was labeled as “organic” while the other was labeled “regular”