Congratulations! You’ve decided to quit smoking, one of the best choices you can make for your health. Right after you take that last puff, your body will start to recover. Carbon monoxide levels in your blood will drop. In less than a week, it’ll be easier to breathe. Why Is Smoking So Addictive? Blame nicotine, the active ingredient in[…]
Fruit Has Protein? Fruit may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about sources of protein. But if you’re looking for some more of the stuff, every little bit counts. Certain fruits can be a sweet way to add an extra dose of this nutrient to your diet. Guava[…]
Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels are not controlled well because the body either doesn’t have enough insulin or does not use the insulin it does have as well as it should. This causes excess sugar in the bloodstream, which can lead to health problems over time. There are three main types of[…]
Getting enough, but not too much, vitamin D is needed to keep your body functioning well. Vitamin D helps with strong bones and may help prevent some cancers. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can include muscle weakness, pain, fatigue and depression. To get enough D, look to certain foods, supplements, and carefully planned sunlight. What[…]
Stress Chronic stress causes a number of health problems, including high cholesterol. Research shows that it raises your risk for high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lowers levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol. That’s because stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, trigger changes that may lead to higher blood sugar and inflammation. Over time, this may[…]
Holiday weight gain is a common concern for many adults. Various seasonal holidays may encourage overeating, sedentary behavior, and consumption of calorie-rich foods. In fact, between mid-November and mid-January, adults in Western societies gain an average of 1 pound (0.5 kg) This may not seem like a lot, but most people don’t lose this extra[…]
What is cholesterol? Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if you have too much in your blood, it can stick to the walls of your arteries and narrow or even block them. This puts you at risk for coronary artery disease and other heart diseases. Cholesterol travels through the blood on proteins called lipoproteins. One type, LDL,[…]
Lemon water is all the rage these days. Many restaurants serve it routinely, and some people start their day with lemon water instead of coffee or tea. There’s no doubt lemons are delicious, but does adding them to water make you healthier? Much of the evidence supporting lemon water’s health benefits is anecdotal. Little[…]
Caffeine Lurks in Some Surprising Places You probably already know that you can get caffeine from coffee — about 150 milligrams per cup. But you might not know about some of the other places that caffeine lurks in your diet. Breakfast cereal? Bottled water? Yes! Read on to learn more. Green Tea Serving size: 8[…]
Do Not Put Toxic Things Into Your Body Many things people put in their bodies are downright toxic. Some, such as cigarettes, alcohol and abusive drugs, are also highly addictive, making it hard for people to give them up or avoid them. If you have a problem with one of these substances, then diet and[…]