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Healthy Living

Often we don't think about our health until we've either lost it, or we have a problem. Whether you presently enjoy optimum health or have a specific disease, here are some items that may be helpful.

As always, consult your physician to determine what's best for you. Read our full disclaimer.

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Beholding Your Eyes - At the end of the day, when the business of work and supper are over, sometimes my Mom and I go for walks. And there is nothing like the last rays of sun spilling across the clouds and the flight of evening birds whizzing through the air. I see these things. Sometimes she doesn't.

What's Wrong With Me? - I believed mine to be the perfect life—a loving husband, stimulating career, gorgeous home and wonderful friends. What more could a 30-something woman desire? Then poof! Stress overwhelmed me.

Healing Relationships - Good health is associated with having meaningful relationships. Loneliness, separation, alienation, and depression are all too common in Western society today. These factors increase when a sense of community begins to disappear.

The Elusive Wolf - Lupus is not cancer. It is not related to AIDS, and it is impossible to contract from another person. Lupus is an autoimmune disease. A healthy body's immune system fights foreign substances, such as germs and viruses. However, in the person with lupus, the immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues.

Marketplace Mirage - Panaceas abound everywhere. New programs, new books, or new products continually flood the marketplace. These materials promote ways to fight disease, slow aging. Help you live longer, promote weight loss, increase one's energy level, enhance personal beauty, or show you how to enjoy better health.

Reasons to Eat Right - What if there was a pill that could reduce our risk of chronic diseases with no side effects? What if it would help keep our heart, bones, stomach and intestines healthy? Would you take it?

The Problem with Fructose - It's old news that many of us are gaining weight and increasing our risk for chronic disease. Researchers are still trying to put their finger on the causes. Some say it is lack of exercise, some say it is the fast food, others say we eat huge portions of food and still others say it has to do with our genes.

How Sweet It Is! - Honey is one of the earliest sweeteners used by humans and preceded the use of sugarcane by many centuries. Beekeeping to obtain honey probably goes back to the early Egyptians who used honey in embalming, in medicine, and for food. Honey has long been a staple of the kitchen.

Coping With Loss - The pain of grief is just as much a part of life as the joy of love; it is perhaps, the price we pay for love, the cost of commitment. In this new year, grief will likely come to each one of us in some way. I invite you to consider these thoughts about grief.

Enough is Enough - Some things are essential for life. Pure air, water, sunlight, food, physical activity, etc. Health problems result when these things are in short supply. Problems can also result when we get too much. Moderation is a very important quality for a balanced Christian life.

Mood Swings - Mood swings. Who can understand them? Who can predict them? How do we justify them? And yet they exist. This article lists some of the most common causes of mood swings.

Good Cholesterol - Good cholesterol? We hear so many negative messages about cholesterol, it seems strange to hear about “healthy cholesterol”—one that is actually good for the heart! In actuality, cholesterol is an essential nutrient necessary for many functions of the body.

Body Art: Health Hazard? - Grotesque modern-art portraits line one wall, displaying the fresh agony of proud tattoo and piercing recipents. Think before you ink or pierce—body art is designed to last forever. What are you willing to sacrifice in the name of "fashion" or "Self-expression"?

Healthy Food? - Many convenience food manufacturers are trying to meet the demands of health-conscious, though busy, consumers by cutting out trans fats, creating low-calorie options, and using various substitutes for sugar.

Nutraceuticals - Different foods have been identified as containing health-promoting properties beyond the basic nutritional value of the food. These foods became known to nutrition scientists as functional foods. Functional foods include tomatoes which contain lycopene, broccoli and cauliflower that contain isothiocyanates, oats which contains beta-glucans, carrots and sweet potatoes which contain carotenoids, spinach and other green vegetables contain lutein, while soy contains isoflavones.

Growing Healthy Bugs - The media has misled the consumer to think that carbohydrates are bad for you and should be avoided, especially if you are trying to lose weight. The human machine, and especially the brain, actually function best on carbohydrates.

What About Flaxseed? - Some of my earliest memories of my grandmother are of her trying to put flaxseed on my morning cereal. She was what we considered a health nut and espoused many of the teachings of John Harvey Kellogg: natural healing, nutrition, hydrotherapy, and, of course, enemas. She and a few of her eight sisters established a nursing home in northern Virginia and used many of those healing practices to keep their patients in the best physical condition.

When You Lose - One in every 5 persons in North America is obese, that is, more that 20% above ideal body weight. Excess body weight is a major public health problem today. Furthermore, we are seeing an increasing number of children and adolescents who are over-weight.

Sunshine: Everyone Needs It - The mere mention of the word osteoporosis brings to mind brittle bones, painful compression fractures of the spine, permanent lower back pain, hip fractures, and permanent disability or death. This year over a million Americans will suffer a bone fracture due to osteoporosis.

Fitness Fact, or Fiction? - With so many theories and claims about exercise out there, it's sometimes hard to separate fitness fact from fiction. We've rounded up nine common fitness myths, and uncovered the truth behind them.

Tolerance to Dairy - Many people complain about their inability to handle dairy products, and may experience unpleasant symptoms after consuming such products. About 50 million Americans are believed to be lactose intolerant. People with lactose intolerance are unable to digest significant amounts of lactose, the major sugar found in dairy products.

Opting Out of Real Life - My sister's story represents those of a growing number of high school and college students who live in an online would of their own creation.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - Every morning, many of us jump out of bed and never think about how we are going to cross the floor or button a shirt. We just do it. However, there is an estimated 1.3 million rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sufferers in the United States who are challenged to take on what we do with ease.

What Goes Up Must Come Down - Cocaine gave me the best high I've ever had!" Josh said. He didn't seem to fit the druggie profile, too clean-cut, so I asked, "Well are you still doing it?" "No way!" he laughed. "The half-hour high was awesome, but the next day I bombed.

Brain Health - Lifestyle habits can have a significant influence upon brain functions such as memory, learning, judgment, and mental acuity. Firstly, it is important to manage stress since chronic stress can negatively affect memory. Under stress it is harder to remember things and to create memory files for new information.

Smoking Dangers - Smoking has very negative effects on health generally, and on the cardiovascular system specifically.

Addictive Behaviors - What is addiction? How can you tell if someone you care about is addicted to a mind-altering substance, activity, or process? And what should you do if you discover that they are? These are important questions—questions to which there are no simple answers.

Healthy Herbs - Culinary herbs and spices not only provide a unique aromatic quality to food but also provide health-promoting properties.

Controlling Blood Sugar - About 11 million Americans have diabetes, a disease that takes a heavy toll. Medical costs attributed to diabetes exceed $15 billion a year. Diabetes, which is associated with cardiovascular disease and kidney complications, claims over 130,000 lives a year.

Aging Gracefully - Edward sat gazing blankly out the window of his small, drab room in the care facility of his children's choice. Breakfast had been less than satisfying and lunch would probably be the same.

D is for Defense - Few foods have it and most people don't get enough sun to make it. Skin cells can manufacture vitamin D when exposed to adequate sunlight. Ten to fifteen minutes of bright sunlight on the arms and face 2 to 3 times per week is usually sufficient time to manufacture enough vitamin D to meet one's needs.

Hype and Hoopla - Magazine articles and advertisements often appear in the media making all sorts of false or misleading claims for various food and dietary products. Then there are the food quacks that make exaggerated claims, promise quick and miraculous cures, zealously believe that all disease is caused by a faulty diet.

Good But Tasteless - Most Americans don't drink enough water. The average intake is only about 3.5 cups of water/day. For optimal health we need 6-8 glasses/day. Insufficient water can make you feel physically and mentally sluggish, cause dry skin, bad breath and constipation, and increase the risk of kidney infections and heat exhaustion.

Warning Signs of Diabetes - The most recent diabetes statistics in 2007 from the American Diabetes Association states there are now 23.6 million adults and children in the United States, or 7.8% of the population, who have diabetes.

Alcohol and Your Health - Almost every organ and process in your body can be negatively affected by alcohol. And beyond your person, its consumption has negative repercussions for families and community. It needlessly kills people every day, for one reason or another. But for now, let's just look at the personal health-related problems.

The Last Laugh - Recently, a German man took his female neighbor to court, for, of all things, laughing too loud! According to CNN, the unemployed man complained that the 47 year old woman who lives in the Berlin flat above his own, kept him awake with over four hours of loud laughter as she enjoyed a meal with eight of her friends.

Your Amazing Genes - How is it that two children from one family eat the same food and have similar lifestyles and later on one suffers from diabetes and the other child does not? Over the past decades, scientists have explored this question and although a few theories have emerged they seem to agree that our genes play a role in how our bodies respond to food.

A Body to Die For - Horror stories about eating disorders abound. Grotesque images of obese men and women, emaciated adolescents, and over/underweight public figures capture our attention. The notorious struggles of Delta Burke, Christie Alley, Calista Flockhart, Mary Kate Olsen and others fascinate us because so many of us can relate to their problems.

Vitamin C Beyond Citrus - When we think of citrus, many people think of vitamin C. However, an orange does not top the list of fruits for vitamin C content. Guava, kiwi fruit, or a cup of strawberries have more vitamin C than an orange. Vitamin C is one of the beneficial antioxidants found in our food that may provide protection against heart disease and cancer.

Menopause: Get Moving - One thing women can expect in life is that our bodies constantly change. From babyhood to our golden years, we constantly undergo some type of transition. The changes during our older years, however, are more pronounced when we face menopause or the time when menstruation stops.

Our Caffeine Fix - We live in a world that runs to and fro, and to keep up with the pace it seems that we have a coffee shop on every major city's corner. Fancy names label the choicest drinks that are laced with two to three times the caffeine levels found in a regular cup of coffee.

Mobilizing Your Defenses - Common colds and the flu account for about one-third of all absenteeism from school and time lost from work. With the colder months approaching, it is important that our immune system functions at an optimal level, so that we are protected against the many infections we face.

The Science of Addiction - For many years, our understanding of addiction and the brain emphasized the brain's so-called pleasure or reward circuits: Drugs made people feel good so people took drugs. Over time, addicts' brains developed tolerance to their drug of choice so more and more of that drug was needed to get the same pleasurable effect.

Living with Fibromyalgia - When the mysterious pain and debilitating fatigue plaguing a loved one is diagnosed as "fibromyalgia," the first reaction is usually relief at finally having a name for the pain followed by confusion as everyone scrambles to get information.

Fitness for Life - People everywhere are walking, cycling, jogging and swimming for the sake of their health. A regular aerobic exercise program along with a balanced diet is essential for the maintenance of good health. There are now so many ways to keep fit.

Nutrition and Cancer - What relationship does food have to disease, particularly the various cancers that continue to wreak havoc in people's lives? Read short summaries of recent findings and thinking.

Freebies For Your Health - We often take the free things of life for granted. The fresh air we breathe and the life giving rays of the sun are invaluable blessings. We especially note their value when the air becomes polluted or we experience a string of dark, cloudy days.

Fat Replacers Gain Popularity - To better manage their weight, an increasing number of people are looking for foods that taste good, yet do not contain too many calories. Studies show that people tend to consume a constant volume of food irrespective of energy or fat content. This suggests that if the fat or energy content of food can be reduced, overall energy intake may also be lowered.

Going With the Grains - Fruit and vegetables, nuts and soybeans have received a lot of publicity recently because of their health-promoting properties and protection against heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. The value of grains in the diet has been somewhat overshadowed by all of the attention given to these other food groups.

Health Benefits of Vegetarian Diets - Recently, there has been a renewed interest in vegetarian diets. Today there are countless books, cookbooks, and magazine articles promoting vegetarian diets and providing guidance for those who wish to follow a meatless diet.

French Paradox - A high intake of saturated fat is normally associated with increased rates of heart disease. This correlation does not hold true for certain regions of France.

A Good Investment - Health is much more than life without disease. It is a state of complete physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being. It is the optimal functioning of every system of the human mind and body working in perfect harmony with every other part.

Anyone for Some Rat Poison? - Yes, there are people who say, "It's my life, I'll live it the way I want to. You have to die some day." You may have even thought that yourself. Listen, it's not our life to live any way we want. We owe it to the people who love us to live as healthfully as we can.

God Will Guard Your Heart - It was 6:30 in the morning of June 23, 1997, and I was doing my daily exercise. Suddenly my arms went numb and I felt a terrible explosion and pressure in my chest and upper body. I felt paralyzed and realized I was having a heart attack! I was only 51 years old and I was shocked that this was happening! My husband called 911 and within three minutes the paramedics were trying to get me stabilized.

Menacing Microbes - A recent government-sponsored report estimated that 90 million cases of food-borne illness occur in the United States every year, with about 9,000 deaths from such illnesses. About three-quarters of all illnesses and deaths resulting from food poisoning are caused by eating meat and poultry contaminated by Salmonella and secondarily by Campylobacter bacteria.

Forgive to Live - Several hours after his unsettling doctor's appointment, Lester still felt shaken by the ominous words that continued to ring in his ears: You could die. His thoughts raced back to his late father, who had died at age 47 from heart disease.

Onions are Beneficial for Your Health - The onion has been used as an ingredient in various dishes for thousands of years by many cultures around the world. World onion production is steadily increasing so that onion is now the second most important horticultural crop after tomatoes.

The Silent Killer - The ongoing pressures of daily life can wear you down. Unmanaged stress can lead to high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and blood lipids, ulcers, tension headaches, allergies, backaches, a depressed immune system, or a premature heart attack.

10 Ways to Walk Smart - Walking is a fantastic and diverse form of physical activity. It's an easy, accessible, and enjoyable way to lose weight, get fit, reduce stress, and boost your energy levels. It can be done almost anywhere, anytime, by anyone, and it's free.

Smoking: You Can Be Free! - Tobacco You Can Be Free! A plan for recovery from addiction to nicotine. Addiction to tobacco involves three issues: Brain Chemistry, Attitudes, and Habits. Every addiction has all three parts, and the barriers to quitting usually involve one or more of these.

Just Do It - Four out of every five adult Americans do not exercise enough. They say they don't have enough time. Studies reveal that regular exercise not only adds years to your life but also improves the quality of life. And those who enjoy their physical activities gain the most benefit.

Body Clocks and Rhythms - There are many human body functions that occur with amazing regularity. The heart beats about once per second. We breathe, on average, once every four heart beats.

Eight Factors to Health - Every human being wants to be happy and enjoy a measure of good health. The pursuit of health and fitness, or wellness as we describe it now, is a lifelong journey.

Weed Out Weed - You've been warned about "party drugs" like Ecstasy. You know they can be deadly after only one use. By comparison marijuana isn't so bad, right? Wrong! Marijuana, a depressant made from cannabis, or hemp, leaves, is illegal and dangerous.

Chronic Fatigue - Take a Time Out - No part of the human body is powered by the Duracell bunny. Any system of the human body that is overworked or excessively stressed without appropriate rest will soon fatigue.

Plants That Heal - For centuries native Americans have used plants and plant extracts for medicine. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in Western society in the use of botanical therapies for the relief of various illnesses.

Make Mine Carob, Please - Chocolate, while delicious, is one of those addicting substances that have been proven to upset the body's delicate systems. Some of the substances found in chocolate can change the tissue of the breast, affect the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, and cause itching, headaches, depression, and anxiety.

Depression - I know I'm supposed to be happy about New Year and all that stuff. My friends tell me that I should come up with some New Year resolutions, but the truth is that I feel very depressed. Nothing's going well, and I don't see any signs of improvement in the near future, which sucks bug time. What does the Bible say about coming out of depression?

The Miracle Bean - Soybeans have been used for everything from soap to ink. The Chinese believe that soy can cure a number of diseases and medical conditions. In the word for soybean is ta-tou, which means "greater bean".

Hitting the Bottle! - Many Americans are concerned about the quality and safety of their drinking water. Since rivers and lakes are easily polluted by industrial wastes and agricultural run-off, underground water has become the major source of drinking water.

People Need People - Dr. Karl Menninger was once asked, "If you knew a person was heading for a nervous breakdown what would you suggest?" Everyone expected that the famous psychiatrist would say, "Make an appointment with a psychiatrist as soon as possible," but he didn't.

Fake Fat of the Future - Fat in the diet is important since it provides both essential fatty acids and serves as a carrier for important fat-soluble vitamins. While some fat is necessary, too much fat and saturated fat are associated with an increased risk of obesity, heart disease,cancer and other diseases.

Get An Attitude! - The condition of the mind influences our physical health greatly. Research has shown that the brain and the immune system communicate with each other. This could explain why a positive mental attitude helps the body fight off disease and recover more quickly from illness.

Holiday Eating - It's that time of year again. A time of much feasting, fun and festivities. A time when we are tempted to the limit of endurance with tasty and tender delicacies at Thanksgiving and year-end Christmas parties. And by the time the New Year has come around some of us will have developed some extra baggage around our waist and hips.

Prozac is Hot - One in five Americans suffer from depression. The milder forms may go unrecognized and untreated. Mental depression can be associated with grief, discouragement, despair, loneliness, hormonal changes, and other factors.

Beware of Osteoporosis - Osteoporosis killed my mother. It's taken me a while to reach this conclusion, but now I'm almost sure. The final blow to her body came because of a terrible head-on collusion. But, I wonder, would her injuries have been so many and so ultimately fatal, if it weren't for osteoporosis?

Going Nuts! - Nuts provide a number of useful nutrients. On average, one ounce of nuts provides about 4 grams of protein, 2-3 grams of dietary fiber, between 160 and 200 calories, and about 13 to 20 grams of fat. Nuts are naturally low in saturated fat with only 1-2 grams per ounce (although Brazil nuts have 5 g saturated fat), and nuts are free of cholesterol.

Breast Cancer Caution - Women who take soy or herbal supplements, such as black cohosh, red clover and ginseng, should do so with care, says a Cornell University expert affiliated with the Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors (BCERF) at Cornell, the land-grant institution of New York state.

Relieve Stress Naturally - Everyone gets stressed. Problems arise where you work; you lose money with a bad investment; you have an argument with your spouse; your child gets injured or sick; you do poorly on an exam; you strain your back. The possibilities are endless.

Antioxidant Foods - Health food stores are well-stocked with all kinds of antioxidant pills and capsules. Magazines abound extolling the virtues of vitamins C and E and beta-carotene. Just how important are antioxidants? Can they prevent disease? In what foods do we find them? Can we get too much of them?

Oil Change Needed? - Adults should consume at least 15 percent (but not more than 30 percent) of their calories from fat. So says the latest report from the World Health Organization. Dietary fat is necessary for the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and also the carotenoid pigments that are important for our health.

What about Vitamin Supplements? - There is an adage that says that if a little is good, more must be better. This saying does not hold true for vitamins, since too much could be unsafe. Many people today are unsure as to whether or not their daily food can supply them with adequate nutrition, and so they take a vitamin pill to provide nutritional insurance.

You and Your Child's Diet - Health professionals have described it as a national epidemic. About nine million kids are affected. That amounts to 15 percent of American children, aged 6 to 11 years, who are considerably overweight. This number has actually tripled in the past 30 years. And the rates for obesity are actually greater for minority children. Over 25 percent of Black and Hispanic kids are overweight.

Coffee and Caffeine - We live in a fast paced society - fast cars, fast computers, and fast food. Anyone who is not pumped may be considered dull or boring. Many people get revved up artificially with the use of caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee, tea and cola beverages.

Don't Cheat Yourself - Too many Americans are short changing themselves on sleep, to spend more time at work, at play, or chatting on the Internet. On an average week day, Americans get 6 to 7 hrs of sleep per night, while research suggests we need 8 hrs. Lack of sleep affects our ability to judge accurately.

From Atkins to Zone - With Americans eating more and exercising less, obesity rates are climbing. So too is the interest in diet books. With one out of two Americans overweight, the pursuit of weight loss has become a national way of life. All told, Americans spend $40 billion a year on weight loss regimens, and diet books have taken up permanent residence on the NY Times bestseller list.

Eat a Healthy Breakfast - What if you had the opportunity to interview for a dream job or take a test that would give you an "A" in class? But what if you did this without breakfast? According to researchers, you probably would miss the opportunity to do your best. Why? Because eating breakfast is the way to refuel the mind for top performance.

Winter Health Woes - For some people, winter is a time associated with long months of cold weather, grey skies, short days with limited sunshine, and depressive moods. Winter is also a time when sniffles and sneezes, the flu and colds are more common.

Winning the Losing Game - Trying to lose weight? Check out these 12 principles for safe and effective weight management. As always, before staring a weight loss venture, check with your personal physician to make there aren't any problems.

Let's Get Moving - Regular physical activity is an important component of a healthy lifestyle, as it promotes health and enhances the quality of life. Regular physical activity helps protect against abnormal blood lipids and heart disease, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, certain cancers, osteoporosis, and depression.

I'm Not Crazy - You probably know us. We check locks we know are fastened, cell phones we know are silenced, hems we know are straight. A crooked picture frame is the first thing we notice in a room. We fold things just so, we see patterns in everything. Disruption of our routines upsets us. We color inside the lines, even when the lines are invisible and of our own devising.

Managing Diabetes - Diabetes is a serious disease and is known as a silent killer. Many people are not even aware that they have diabetes because the symptoms are often absent until the blood sugar is over 250 mg/dL.

Going Raw - Why are so many people switching off their stoves and turning to raw foods and discovering the art of non-cooking? There is a growing belief among some that a raw food diet comprised of uncooked foods is the healthiest diet and that it most closely resembles the original diet.

What Is Tardive Dyskinesia? - Tardive Dyskinesia, or TD, is one of the muscular side effects of anti-psychotic drugs, especially the older generation like haloperidol.

The Gift of Soy - Using soy products four or more times a week markedly reduces the risk of breast and prostate cancer. Asian populations using tofu regularly have one-half the rate of cancer seen in similar communities not using soy products. A regular use of soy lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth - In the U.S., consumption of sugar and corn syrup amounts to about 130 to 140 pounds per person per year, or 40 tsp. per person per day. This represents a daily intake of about 650 calories of sugar.

Laugh a Little - We cannot escape illness entirely. It is a normal part of life. However, research has revealed that laughter is a useful factor for combating the negative effects of illness. Laughter can promote good health by increasing the number of disease-fighting immune cells. Laughter can also combat the negative effects of stress.

The Long Good-Bye - We sat together on the patio in the shade of the grape arbor. It was the first time the three of us had eaten lunch together since Jane's mother had received a tentative diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Stem Cell Research - Is stem cell research mad science run amok? Or can we carefully monitor this type of research? Perhaps I'm naïve, but I think our societies can create a system of oversight and monitoring that will kept mad scientists in check.

Obesity: A Growing Problem - Sixteen-year old Rosalita was down and out. If I can just lose some weight, then everything will be OK, she thought. Her boyfriend had just dumped her for a slimmer girl, and it was almost more than she could handle. Soon afterward Rosalita thought she found the answer when she noticed an ad in the Sunday newspaper for a "safe, all natural" herb tea that promised she could lose weight fast.

Navigating U.S. Health Care - I would have never guessed that when my Mom came to visit me that I would spend so much time in doctors' offices; that I would wrestle with her health status; and that I would get a better understanding of the matrix of our health care system.

Your Sodium Intake - Americans like to eat tasty foods and one ingredient we love to have in our foods is sodium. Sodium is the ingredient that wakes up flavors, cuts the bitterness and erases the blandness of our favorite foods.

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