Category Archives: Health

Viewing Electronic Screens At Night Disrupts Sleep and Overall Health

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Greg Asseff

Living a healthy lifestyle requires making smart choices throughout the day. For example, choosing fruit over chocolate for a snack, taking the stairs instead of an escalator, planning out meals ahead of time and setting aside time for exercise are all little things that will have a positive impact. However, one element of health that could get overlooked among all these decisions is sleep. There’s no doubt that Americans don’t get enough – the CDC reported in 2012 that one-third of the population is sleep deprived. Also, it’s well-known that a lack of sleep weakens your immune system and raises the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Not to mention, if you’re trying to lose weight, sleep deprivation could make the process much more difficult. But the problem isn’t always just your amount of sleep – quality of sleep is important too. If you feel like your sleep quality is poor, you may want to limit your use of electronic screens before going to bed.

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Posted in Health, Medical, Mental Health, News, Studies | 14 Comments

Fast Food and Brainpower: Unhealthy Eating Could Affect Kids’ Brains

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Greg Asseff

Everybody knows that fast food is bad for your health. Eating too much of it can lead to all sorts of health conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol – all of which are serious risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. There is some hope on the horizon, though. Some studies show that calories are dropping in general among fast food items. Also, with calorie counts becoming mandatory in many restaurants, people might start making smarter choices when eating out. But while much has been discussed about the physical aspects of junk food, the link between fast food and brainpower isn’t widely known. Does fast food have any effect on your ability to think and learn? Unfortunately, a new study says yes. Even worse, it seems to affect kids – eating too much fast food at a young age could actually impact test scores.

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Posted in Diet, Food, Health, News, Nutrition, Parenting, Studies | 290 Comments

What Causes Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Greg Asseff

We’re now at the height of winter – temperatures are staying low, the days are at their shortest and the sky is most often just a sea of grey clouds. If this time of year tends to make you feel depressed, you’re not alone. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, around 14 percent of adults in the U.S. suffer from seasonal mood changes or “winter blues.” Six percent are thought to suffer from full-blown seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In addition to typical depression symptoms such as low energy, feelings of hopelessness, difficulty concentrating and irritability, seasonal affective disorder patients can suffer from weight gain, oversleeping and a feeling of heavy or “leaden” extremities. People who live farther north in the country are much more likely to suffer from SAD. Unfortunately, the causes of seasonal effective disorder aren’t widely understood.

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Posted in Exercise, Health, Mental Health, Women | 3,613 Comments

Benefits of Yoga Actually Pretty Similar to Aerobic Exercise

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Greg Asseff

The commonly accepted benefits of yoga are numerous. It’s thought to improve flexibility, reduce stress, improve posture, build muscle strength, increase focus, enhance mood, improve balance – the list goes on and on. Yoga is often also associated with an overall healthy lifestyle that involves eating nutritious foods in smaller portions. In addition, some practitioners adopt the more spiritual and meditative elements of yoga, which allow them to experience stress relief, relaxation and an overall piece of mind. Despite all these benefits, however, yoga does have its naysayers. People who criticize yoga often state that its effects are exaggerated and that it’s not exactly “exercise.” Indeed, yoga programs don’t always have the aerobic elements that are essential for achieving certain health goals such as weight loss. Now, however, a new study suggests that yoga could be just as effective as aerobic exercise when it comes to heart health.

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Posted in Exercise, Health, Health Facts, Medical, Mental Health, Studies, Weight Loss | 9,362 Comments

Lack of Exercise Blamed in America’s Poor Health Rankings Report

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Greg Asseff

For the last 25 years, the United Health Foundation has provided a health rankings report, which aims to provide an overall snapshot of the U.S. population’s health in each state. While there is always some good news and some bad news in the health rankings, the 2014 report is anything but encouraging. Despite a decrease in obesity rates over the past few years, the obesity rate in 2014 was the highest it’s been since the health rankings began. It’s 24.9 percent – over double what it was 25 years ago. This also means that well over one in four Americans is obese. At the same time, the number of people who reported engaging in no physical activity has gone from 22.9 percent last year to 23.5 percent in 2014. Of course, some areas of the U.S. are healthier than others. For the third year in a row, Hawaii is considered the healthiest state in the nation. Southern states tended to show up near the bottom of the list.

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Posted in Diet, Exercise, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Nutrition, Weight Loss | 5,403 Comments
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