Health

Worry and Obsession Linked to Alzheimer’s Risk

neuroticismAre you often anxious, fearful, and moody? Do you worry often or have feelings of envy, jealousy, and loneliness? These are characteristics of neuroticism, a personality trait might increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease significantly.

The association between neuroticism and Alzheimer’s later in life was so strong that researchers suggested people with such traits seek cognitive behavioral therapy to help reduce their risk…

 

16 Apr 2015

Exercise Can Be an ADHD Medication

physically-active-kidAbout two-thirds of US children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) take some form of prescription medication to treat it. While ADHD makes it difficult for children to pay attention and control impulsive behavior, powerful stimulant drugs like Ritalin and Adderall help to improve focus and self-control.

The drugs come at a price, however, since many of the side effects are worse than ADHD itself (think brain damage, personality changes, sudden death…

 

15 Apr 2015

Why Most Americans Don’t Own a Bidet

bidet-toiletIf you live in the US, there’s a good chance your bathroom does not contain a bidet. Yet, if you travel to certain parts of Europe, South America, the Middle East, or Japan, bidets are commonplace – and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

For those who aren’t familiar with how they work, a bidet looks similar to a toilet but it is designed to help you freshen up after toilet use. Most modern bidets have one or more jets that spray water, allowing you to straddle the device for a cleansing far superior to toilet paper…

 

14 Apr 2015

Pumpkin Chili with Chicken

pumpkin-curry-chickenIf you live in the US, you may regard pumpkins primarily as an ornamental squash, and use them to decorate your home for fall or carve into a jack-o-lantern on Halloween. However, the vast majority of pumpkins are grown not for ornamental use but for eating.

Most pumpkin that is processed is made into canned pumpkin and canned pumpkin pie mix, but you can also purchase fresh “pie” pumpkins and puree the flesh yourself. There is, of course, far more to do with pumpkin than make pumpkin pie…

 

13 Apr 2015

My Top Five Superfoods

fruits-vegetablesSeasonal changes come with abundant health benefits, including a bounty of wonderfully tasty superfoods. Eating more fresh vegetables is one of the simplest steps you can take to improve your overall health.

A vegetable-rich diet can help protect you from arthritis, heart disease, stroke, dementia, cancer, and even slow down your body’s aging process. I almost hesitated to write a top five list as there are so many wonderful vegetables…

 

12 Apr 2015

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Honey

honey-jarHoney has been valued as a natural sweetener long before sugar became widely available in the 16th century. Honey production flourished in ancient Greece and Sicily, for instance, while animals other than humans – bears, badgers, and more – have long raided honeybee hives, risking stings for the sweet reward.

Honey is truly a remarkable substance, made even more extraordinary by the process with which it is made…

 

11 Apr 2015

Yoga Best Against Back Pain

o-YOGA-HEALTH-BENEFITS-facebookThe vast majority of Americans will experience back pain at some point during their lives. In most cases (upwards of 90 percent), the pain will go away on its own, allowing you to go about with your normal activities.

Still, if you’re in the midst of a back-pain episode, the pain can be severe and debilitating, and this is why back pain is the leading reason why people visit orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons, and the second leading reason why people visit primary care physicians…

 

10 Apr 2015

Artificial Sweeteners Raise Your Risk of Diabetes by Altering Your Gut Microbiome

diabetes-risk

This popular substance is one of the worst to consume if you want shed pounds. Out of these seven volunteers who consumed it for one week, four developed…

 

10 Apr 2015

7 Signs You May Have a Vitamin D Deficiency

vitamin-d-deficiencyVitamin D deficiency is incredibly common in the US, but many Americans mistakenly believe they aren’t at risk because they consume vitamin-D-fortified foods (such as milk).

There are very few foods that actually have therapeutic levels of vitamin D naturally and even fortified foods do not contain enough vitamin D to support your health needs…

 

09 Apr 2015

Smoking Is Major Factor in Alzheimer’s Disease

alzheimers-disease

You can’t go wrong by ditching this habit that boosts Alzheimer’s risk by 45%. Besides dementia, it can cause heart attacks and stroke. Do you or a loved…

 

09 Apr 2015