Monthly Archive: October 2011

Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants, and Cancer

Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants, and Cancer

Vitamins • Essential • Perform specific functions in the body • Precursor: converted into an active vitamin in the body • Fat-Soluble vitamins o Vitamin A o Vitamin D o Vitamin E o Vitamin...

Miscarriage and Your Age

Miscarriage and Your Age

Unfortunately, the ratio of miscarriage increases with age because the older you are, the older your eggs are. In addition, older women tend to be more prone to hormonal imbalances that can affect their...

Keeping Tabs on Your Tablets

Keeping Tabs on Your Tablets

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are staple items in most medicine stashes. But new research sheds light on some inherent risks of taking these over-the-counter drugs. Before you pop your next gel cap, consider these concerns:...

Cut the fat – 7 smart swaps

Cut the fat – 7 smart swaps

Fats can be sneaky. Even foods that sound like they’re good for you, like granola, popcorn, and vegie chips, can be loaded with them. Take America’s Choice Banana Chips. That sounds like a healthful...

What to buy now: Brussels sprouts

What to buy now: Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts are one of the most unloved veggies; 69 percent of Americans rarely or never eat them, according to a Consumer Reports National Research Center survey. But don’t’ let their appearance fool you....

Outsmart the Flu

Outsmart the Flu

Flu season officially starts this month. But other than incessant hand-scrubbing and getting vaccinated, what else can you do to arm your defenses? Get buggy. Probiotics are believed to prime your immune system. But...

The Truth About Gluten

The Truth About Gluten

Going gluten-free has become a trendy way to eat, and marketers are cashing in, selling specialty products for a premium. Avoiding gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, is essential for people...

Fridge Facts

Fridge Facts

Think your refrigerator is a safe haven for perishables? Depending on your settings, your cleaning practices, and the kinds of foods you store, you could be eating items that are long overdue. Follow these...

More on Food Allergies

More on Food Allergies

Food allergies can be fatal In the most serious cases, a food allergen can trigger anaphylaxis, a severe reaction that happens very quickly and can cause selling of the throat, difficulty breathing, and loss...

Fall Cleaning

Fall Cleaning

Modern spring cleaning finds its roots in the soot of the Industrial Revolution — when fresh breezes chased winter’s remnants of coal dust out the window. Today, Americans often use that time of year...

Make a Difference

Make a Difference

Charity is always an act of good will, but nothing equals true altruism like personal sacrifice for another. Check out these self-donation programs that allow you to give the gift of life and hope:...

What’s really in that bottle?

What’s really in that bottle?

When you buy a bottle of water, you probably figure the contents come from a clear mountain stream or something equally pure and fresh-sounding, right? Not necessarily. Almost half of all the bottled water...

Defying Digestion

Defying Digestion

If you’re trying to shed pounds, don’t cut carbs — certain ones anyway. Dietary fiber called resistant starch is earning a reputation for fighting flab because of its indigestible qualities. Studies find that resistant...

Outrageous drug savings

Outrageous drug savings

It would be unthinkable to most of us to buy something without checking its price. But that’s exactly what happens when many of us pick up prescription meds. Only 5 percent of patients ask...

Healthy Choices

Healthy Choices

Don’t be a calorie coward Many national fast-food chains are posting calorie information on their menus, but most people are ignoring them. That’s according to a recent study based on more than 8,000 people...

Eat more anticancer foods

Eat more anticancer foods

There are many carcinogens in food, as well as cancer-promoting ingredients, but there are also many anti-cancer substances, such as vitamins A, C, D, E and minerals like selenium, calcium, iron, iodine, zinc, molybdenum,...

Sinus Setback

Sinus Setback

If your nose begs for a tissue, and your head feels full, chances are you’re 1 of 17 million Americans who suffers from sinusitis — inflammation of the sinuses that connect to the nasal...

Cystitis

Cystitis

The female anatomy, which is so complex and clever in so many ways, also makes us more prone to bladder infections, known medically as cystitis and sometimes called urinary tract infections (UTIs). A woman’s...

Sure or Smug?

Sure or Smug?

Too much praise can transform poise into pomp, yet only true confidence dissolves conceit. Form a healthy self-esteem with these tips for being sure, not smug: Recognize strengths and weaknesses… then be humbled by...

Peace of Healthy Advice

Peace of Healthy Advice

Recent polls suggest that today’s turbulent economy has 8 out of 10 adults on edge. And while unease about financial woes is valid, anxiety is downright counterproductive. Finding peace is possible… and it can...

Pizza Power

Pizza Power

While certain versions of the Italian favorite don’t do much for the waistline, you can make your pizza nutritionally sound without sacrificing taste. Indulge with these healthy ideas: Change the crust. Raise the fiber...

White Coat Syndrome

White Coat Syndrome

If hypertension mysteriously manifests because a health professional slips on the cuff, you’re not alone. Nearly 20% of the population suffers from white coat syndrome, a condition that induces elevated numbers in the doctor’s...

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone Replacement Therapy

HRT comes in a dazzling array of creams, pessaries, gels, implants, and tablets. It’s the medical approach to dealing with menopause. What is HRT? When you go through menopause, your body stops producing the...

Food Proper Packing

Food Proper Packing

Soups, Stews, And Sauces Freeze in plastic bags. For easier filling, stand an open 1-quart bag inside a 2-liter soda bottle with the top cut off. Lay the filled bag flat on the counter....

Food Mushrooms

Food Mushrooms

Black trumpets What they taste like Also known as black chanterelles, they have a kind of smoky flavor. And a tiny splash of Scotch in the pan will bring it out even more. How...

Fabulous fungi

Fabulous fungi

How to pick the best wild mushrooms and make delicious dishes You can find button mushrooms year-round. But in the fall more flavorful wild varieties are in season and easier to find. They cost...