Category Archives: Health

Powdered Alcohol Continues to be Banned, May Hit Shelves This Year

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Greg Asseff

Powdered alcohol might initially seem like a ludicrous idea, but it is a genuinely real product that could potentially end up in stores by the end of the year. The tidal wave of controversy surrounding powered alcohol didn’t stop it from being approved for sale by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) on March 10 of this year. The specific product in question, known as Palcohol, is essentially freeze-dried alcohol that comes in a small, portable pouch. The powder is available as vodka or rum, but ready-made cocktail options are also available, including Cosmopolitans, Lemon Drops and “Powderitas.” Simply adding six ounces of water (or a mixer such as Coca-Cola or orange juice) to the powder can create a standard mixed drink. Technically speaking, approval from the TTB is a green light for Palcohol to begin distribution, but there’s still plenty of pushback.

Posted in Food, Health, Health Facts, News, Parenting | 4,682 Comments

Stress Eating: Study Says Stress Derails Diet by Lowering Self-Control

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Greg Asseff

It’s a situation almost everybody has found themselves in at one time or another: you have a stressful day at work, you go home, collapse on the couch, and reach for the ice cream. Or potato chips. Or cookies. You end up eating most – if not all – of the pint/bag/box. If you’re trying to maintain a healthy diet, you’ve just obliterated any chance of meeting your daily goal. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as “stress eating,” “emotional eating” or, more colloquially, “eating your feelings,” is a real issue that’s been fairly widely studied. Most studies have shown that the stress hormone cortisol is responsible for stress eating. However, a new study published in the journal Neuron suggests that the problem is actually quite a bit more complicated. It also suggests that stress can lead to an overall reduction in self-regulatory behavior, which can affect more than just food choices.

Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Health Facts, Mental Health, News, Nutrition, Studies, Weight Loss | 2,347 Comments

“Sunburn Art” Is An Overblown Trend, But Skin Cancer Isn’t

Posted on July 3, 2015 by Greg Asseff

If you’ve spent any time on social media this week, you might have noticed a disturbing new trend – people who deliberately get sunburns in ornate and visually interesting patterns. A quick internet search of the term “sunburn art” would have you thinking that hundreds of people are risking dangerous sun exposure every day. However, when you really start to examine #sunburnart on Twitter and Instagram, it turns out that many of the pictures are photoshopped, accidents, or jokes. There only seems to be about 10-15 real examples of sunburn art – hardly a “sensational” trend. In fact, one of the most shared pictures is a clearly photoshopped image from an 11-year-old Onion article. But while sunburn art is not as big a problem as some media outlets may have you believe, it’s at least helping to spread the word about the dangers of sun exposure. Put simply, every time you get a sunburn, you increase you risk of skin cancer.

Posted in Health, Health Facts, News, Skin and Beauty | 3,523 Comments

Study Says Eating Nuts Can Prevent Early Mortality

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Greg Asseff

A varied diet consisting of nutritious food is key for living a long, healthy life. Some foods in particular are well-known for promoting longevity due to their ability to help the body prevent disease, maintain a healthy weight, and improve overall health. For example, eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon and other fish have has been widely associated with a longer lifespan. Other foods such as blueberries and green tea have been known to promote a longer life due to the antioxidants they contain. The probiotics in yogurt could also help a person live longer, as could just about any food that’s been known to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Posted in Diet, Food, Health, News, Nutrition, Studies | 197 Comments

Just 2 Minutes of Walking Per Hour Can Help You Boost Your Health

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Greg Asseff

Everybody knows that sitting for long periods of time is unhealthy. Studies have shown that prolonged physical inactivity is one of the biggest causes of obesity – even more so than a poor diet. It follows that a sedentary lifestyle could lead to heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, sleep apnea, early mortality and many other conditions. Too much sitting has even been linked with higher rates of cancer. With so many jobs now requiring employees to sit in front of a computer for hours every day, sedentary lifestyles are becoming more and more prevalent. It’s believed that a whopping 82.7 million Americans were completely inactive in 2014. Luckily, however, even small amounts of physical activity can be beneficial. According to a new study, as little as two minutes of light activity every hour could be quite effective.