Sugars
A variety of foods and beverages contain simple sugars. Some are naturally occurring, but many are created through refining and added to processed foods and beverages to enhance their taste, smell, texture, and color....
Category: Supplements and Vitamins
Physical Activity and Exercise
Physical activity is the umbrella term used to describe any bodily movement produced by contracting skeletal muscle that increases energy expenditure above a basal level. Exercise is physical activity that is planned, structured, and...
Underweight
Underweight is defined as having a BMI below 18.5. The World Health Organization (WHO) created the following definitions for thinness based on BMI: • Mild thinness – BMI between 17 and 18.99 • Moderate...
How to Lose Weight
To lose weight, you need to create an energy deficit, or use up more calories than you consume. But before you cut calories or increase energy intake, it’s important to see where you’re starting...
Overweight and Obesity
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLB), BMI is the common measurement used to determine weight status. Overweight, obesity, and extreme obesity are defined suing BMI as follows: • Overweight –...
Determining A Healthy Body Weight
Body Mass Index Body mass index (BMI) is a common measurement used to asses body weight; it is also an indirect but reliable way of gauging a person’s body fat level. BMI is determined...
Trace Minerals – Selenium and More
Selenium Functions Selenium is a trace mineral that works with vitamins C and E as an antioxidant to protect cells from damage caused by harmful free radicals. It also supports immune and thyroid function....
Trace Minerals – Iron and Zinc
Iron Functions Iron is a trace mineral found in many parts of the body that performs many vital functions. It’s a component of two proteins that carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest...
Phosphorus and Magnesium
Phosphorus is a mineral found throughout the body (but mostly in bone) that helps all body cells function optimally. It works with calcium and vitamin D to build and maintain strong bones and teeth....
Nattokinase and Blood Pressure
Natto has been used as a traditional folk medicine in Japan to treat high blood pressure, and recent studies confirm this benefit. In 1995, researchers studied the effects of nattokinase on high blood pressure...
Nattokinase
Perhaps you’ve heard about nattokinase, a natural enzyme that recent studies have shown to have anticoagulant properties. Perhaps you’d like to know more. Any discussion of nattokinase must begin with a discussion of natto....
Calcium Functions
Calcium is a major mineral that plays several important roles in the body. It’s more abundant in the body than any other mineral: most of it in bones and teeth and a very small...
Potassium and Chloride
Potassium Functions Potassium is a major mineral that’s involved in a variety of important processes in the body. It helps two other minerals – sodium and chloride – balance water levels, help the heart...
Functions of Minerals
Minerals are micronutrients that have vital functions in the body. Although they’re needed in very small amounts and don’t provide calories or energy the way carbohydrates, fats, and proteins do, they help the body...
Carbohydrate – Help Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
Blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels are closely regulated to make sure your body cells have enough glucose for energy. If your blood sugar level is low, you can feel shaky or weak; if...
Functions of Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are critical components of a healthy body and a well-balanced, nutritious diet. In the Body Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, its key source of energy. The brain, red blood cells, and nervous...
Glaucoma
During your last visit to the eye doctor, he or she probably measured the internal pressure of your eyes and then administered a few drops to dilate your pupils. Both of these tests screen...
Diabetes
Call it the epidemic of the 21st Century: one in three Americans has either diabetes or its precursor, prediabetes. The full-blown disease, also known as diabetes mellitus, occurs when the body ahs either a...
Hypertension
, is often called a silent killer, because the condition usually has no symptoms. If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke. That’s worrisome, considering that one in three...
Mammograms
Mammograms are the best screening tool for early detection of breast cancer and other problems with a woman’s breasts. The earlier breast cancer is found, the better chance a woman has of survival and...
Acupuncture
One of the oldest healing practices in the world, acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago. The practice of stimulating specific points on the body, often by puncturing the skin with needles, is...
Congenital Heart Disease
In 1 in 100 births, an infant is born with a defect or malformation of the heart, called congenital heart disease. This birth defect needs to be carefully monitored: Some cases require surgery, while...
Iron Supplements
Iron is essential to many proteins and enzymes your body uses to maintain good health. It is also necessary for the delivery of oxygen to your cells and the regulation of cell growth. For...
DHA and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The term healthy fat may sound too good to be true, but that’s exactly what docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and other omega-3 fatty acids are. They are monounsaturated, which means they are room temperature –...
Bone Age
Most parents can imagine how a child will look as an adult, based on what traits run in their families. But there’s a true crystal ball when it comes to height: a bone age...
Parkinson’s Disease
In his 2000 autobiography Lucky Man, the actor Michael J. Fox describes his battle with Parkinson’s disease (PD) as a “Jekyll-and-Hyde melodrama” that cycles between times when his medication is working and times when...
Acne
Every year, Americans spend more than $100 million on over-the-counter products to treat acne. That’s because this skin ailment is a frustrating and unsightly condition that affects about 85 percent of teenager and young...
Skin Cancer
A glowing, tanned complexion seems healthy, but when achieved through unprotected exposure to the sun, it an be dangerous or even deadly. That’s because changes in skin color, such as tans and sunburns, may...
Fiber
Dietary fiber is an important component of a healthy diet. It is recommended that men under the age of 50 eat at least 38 grams of fiber daily and women under 50 eat at...
Mediterranean Diet
A Mediterranean diet is generally rich in olive oil, grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and fish. It also includes a moderate amount of red wine and restricts meats, high-fat dairy products, and other types of...