Category Archives: Health

Trying to Get Healthy? Convince Your Significant Other to Join You

As January comes to a close, many people are starting to realize that they haven’t really been sticking to their new year’s resolution. Whether they’ve resolved to lose weight, quit smoking or start exercising more often, many people are simply starting to give in at this point. Luckily, however, there are still plenty of ways to revive your resolution if it’s on its last legs. First, it’s important be proud of anything you’ve accomplished, even if your achievements seem small. Then, try changing your approach. For example, if you just can’t get to the gym before or after work, try bringing exercise clothes to your workplace and going for a walk during your lunch hour. One of the most effective strategies is to find someone who shares your goals and to work at those goals together. According to a new study, the best person for this task is your significant other.

Read More »

Posted in Diet, Exercise, Health, Health Facts, News, Studies, Weight Loss | 8 Comments

One of the Best Predictors of Heart Disease Is… Twitter

Social media allows people to express their thoughts and feelings on a massive scale. Information can now be shared with huge audiences at unprecedented speeds. Like it or not, however, just about anything you share on social media contributes to a huge database of information that can be analyzed by researchers and marketers. The idea is known as “big data,” and it’s allowing research to be performed using new, unique methods on a scale that’s larger than just about any data set used in the past. One of the most noble uses of big data might be to better understand risk factors for major health problems. For example, anything that researchers can do to shed some light on the causes of heart disease could be worthwhile. Heart disease is still the leading cause of death for both women and men in America. As it turns out, data provided by Twitter is a great heart disease predictor.

Read More »

Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, Mental Health, News, Studies | 233 Comments

Study Finds Link Between Coffee and Skin Cancer Prevention

Skin cancer rates continue to climb upwards in the U.S. The number of new cases each year – around 63,000 – warranted a Surgeon General’s call to action in July of 2014, and a total of about 5 million Americans receive skin cancer treatment each year. The deadliest type of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, is now the fifth most common form of cancer behind prostate, breast, lung and colon cancers. One of the most unfortunate aspects of the rise in melanoma rates involves the fact that skin cancer is, to a certain extent, preventable. People can greatly reduce their risk of skin cancer by not tanning, staying out of the sun, and wearing sunscreen. Apart from all that, however, one study has found another prevention strategy that you might already be taking part in: daily coffee consumption.

Read More »

Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Nutrition, Skin and Beauty, Studies | 247 Comments

Pizza Singled Out As Top Contributor to Childhood Obesity

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity rates have doubled for children and quadrupled for adolescents in the last 30 years. As of 2012, over one-third of both adolescents and children were obese or overweight. It probably goes without saying that those who suffer from childhood obesity endure a plethora of other health risks such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, prediabetes, sleep apnea and joint problems. Physical activity and healthy eating are of course two of the most important factors for preventing childhood obesity, but many families and schools simply have difficulty developing overall lifestyle changes that prevent weight gain. But what if researchers could narrow down the causes of childhood obesity to one or two actionable strategies? Well, a new study in the journal Pediatrics has done just that. Put simply, kids need to eat less pizza.

Read More »

Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Medical, News, Nutrition, Parenting, Studies, Weight Loss | 12,740 Comments

Physical Inactivity Deadlier Than Obesity According To Massive Study

Any busy person who’s trying to stay healthy has probably heard tons of advice about how to fit more exercise into their day: take the stairs instead of the elevator, park the car far from the store and walk through the lot, ride a bike to work if possible, use a stability ball at your work desk, exercise while watching TV, or develop physical hobbies like gardening. Indeed, several studies have shown that small amounts of physical activity can be beneficial. Performing light exercise such as household chores or workout video games can stimulate the body to burn calories. Alternatively, physical inactivity such as watching TV or sitting at a desk for hours can seriously increase the risk of several diseases. Lack of exercise is usually tied in with obesity; however, a new study shows that physical inactivity could be deadly whether you’re obese or not.

Read More »

Posted in Exercise, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Studies | 11,078 Comments