Posts Tagged ‘Personal Enlightenment’
Egg Yolks as Dangerous as Smoking, and other Weekend Reads
Thursday, August 16th, 2012
Here are this week’s reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have a truly serene weekend!
Egg Yolks As Dangerous As Smoking, Experts Say
A researcher at Western University in London said he’s found more evidence pointing to the harmful effects of egg yolks.
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Food For Healthy Bones: Olive Oil And 8 Other Picks
Olive oil may be most well known in the health world for its heart benefits, but the monounsaturated fat could also protect against breast cancer, improve brain health and perk up hair, skin and nails.
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8 Surprising Things Your Headache Might Mean – MSN Healthy Living – Headaches and Migraines
Headaches are one of the most common symptoms, taking a variety of forms and with dozens of possible causes. While most headache triggers aren’t serious — stress, a hangover, a cold, falling or bumping into something, the “brain freeze” from ice cream — others can be more concerning.
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Migraines, Headaches, and Caffeine
Caffeine is a commonly used drug that increases alertness, decreases fatigue, and improves muscle coordination. Though coffee comes to mind as the most common source of caffeine, it’s also naturally found in tea and chocolate, and it is often added to soft drinks and non-prescription drugs like pain-relievers and cold remedies. People vary in their sensitivity to caffeine. If used excessively, caffeine can be too stimulating and cause anxiety, sleep problems, muscle twitching, or abdominal pain
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Red Wine Information – Ask.com
One small study looked at 33 adults in Brazil who considered themselves regular red-wine drinkers and believed that the beverage had caused migraines in the past. All were asked to drink half a bottle (375 milliliters) of a Malbec, Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wine from South America at least four days apart.
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Crohn’s Disease Symptoms & Warning Signs: Sharp Abdominal Pain, High Fever, Blood in Stool
Crohn’s disease can cause osteoporosis, which is a condition that affects bone density. People with osteoporosis experience a higher risk of developing bone fractures. Other possible conditions that result from Crohn’s disease include seizures, strokes, peripheral neuropathy, headaches, and depression.
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How Drinking Coffee Could Improve Your Health | LIVESTRONG.COM
Though drinking coffee excessively can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol and foster a dependence on caffeine, here are ten areas where coffee consumption just might be beneficial – if you limit the cream and sugar.
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How Coffee Increases Blood Pressure | LIVESTRONG.COM
The caffeine contained within coffee is the main culprit in the effect your morning cup of joe has on your cardiovascular system. Caffeine works as both a stimulant and diuretic. Though you may be drinking coffee for a quick wake-up, it may be doing more than stimulating your brain. Cardiovascular side effects of coffee include an increase in blood pressure and heart rate.
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Ten Disease Fighting Superfoods
These 10 superfoods are proven, expert-beloved disease fighters and energy boosters, says fitnessmagazine.com. Add them to your meals and get on the fast track to a super-healthy body.
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11 Benefits of Green Tea That You Didn’t Know About
Not for the love of the taste — no way! I drink it because I’m told it’s good for me…or, to be honest, the real reason I drink it is because I believe it help keeps my weight in check. But recently I decided to look into it a bit deeper and see what are all these other benefits of green tea people talk of.
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11 Benefits of Green Tea That You Didn’t Know About
Not for the love of the taste — no way! I drink it because I’m told it’s good for me…or, to be honest, the real reason I drink it is because I believe it help keeps my weight in check. But recently I decided to look into it a bit deeper and see what are all these other benefits of green tea people talk of.
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Dr. Joseph Mercola: Cinnamon for Diabetes? A Half Teaspoon A Day Could Help Control Cholesterol
Researchers have been investigating a number of powerful natural agents that can help you stabilize your blood sugar, and once again, cinnamon has proven itself as a viable contender in the fight against diabetes, as the study in Diabetic Medicine reveals.(1)
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7 Doctor’s Secrets : Heart Health : Men’s Health Spotlight : MensHealth.com
With doctor’s offices busier than ever, you’re lucky if you get 20 minutes with your M.D. Which is why it’s not surprising that even when it comes to your most vital organ, the advice you receive can sound somewhat boilerplate: Exercise regularly, watch your diet, don’t smoke, and limit your drinking—right? But there’s more information lurking within your doctor’s language than you hear. So we asked George Vetrovec, M.D., the chair of cardiology at the Medical College of Virginia, to identify the details your doctor may not be telling you. Read carefully, your heart’s health depends on it.
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Supplements You Need : Heart Health : Men’s Health Spotlight : MensHealth.com
Don’t want to end up on a stretcher? Then supplement your ticker with these pills and nutrients to prevent any trouble in the first place. “I think of supplements as things that enable the body. A lot prescription medicines block a process, so I prefer to enable instead of block, enhance instead of stop,” says Keith Berkowitz, M.D., from the Center for Balanced Health in New York City. From the vitamin that helps boost good cholesterol to the fat that helps lube the arteries, we have five recommendations that will arm your body against cardiac arrest.
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Study: Overweight Adults Over 70 May Live Longer – TIME
Putting a smile on chubby faces everywhere, a new study by Australian researchers finds that being overweight may be a boon for the elderly: among the 9,240 adults ages 70 to 75 in the study, those who were overweight were the least likely to die over 10 years, compared with people who were of normal weight or obese
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Tags: Blood In Stool, Brain Freeze, Brain Health, Brazil, Breast Cancer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cause Anxiety, Cold Remedies, Crohn S Disease, Healthy Bones, Heart Benefits, High Fever, Migraines Headaches, Muscle Coordination, Personal Enlightenment, Red Wine, Skin And Nails, Sleep Problems, Soft Drinks, University In London, Wine Drinkers
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Honesty Linked With Better Health, and other Weekend Reads
Thursday, August 9th, 2012
Here are this week’s reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have a super weekend!
Healthy Aging Tips: How to Feel Young and Live Life to the Fullest
Healthy aging is about much more than staying physically healthy—it’s about maintaining your sense of purpose and your zest for life. As we grow older, we experience an increasing number of major life changes, including retirement, the loss of loved ones, and physical changes. How we handle these changes, as well as regular day-to-day stresses, is the key to aging well. With these tips for healthy aging, you can live with meaning and joy throughout your senior years.
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How to Improve Your Memory: Tips and Exercises to Boost Brainpower
A strong memory depends on the health and vitality of your brain. Whether you’re a student studying for final exams, a working professional interested in doing all you can to stay mentally sharp, or a senior looking to preserve and enhance your grey matter as you age, there are lots of things you can do to improve your memory and mental performance.
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Honesty Linked With Better Health: Study
The researchers found that in the “no lies” group, the fewer lies the study participants told, the better their health. For example, telling fewer white lies was associated with fewer feelings of tension or melancholy, as well as fewer health problems like headaches and sore throats, the researchers found.
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Why Prodigies Fail | Psychology Today
In retrospect, it might not seem so impressive that music historian Charles Burney predicted an uncommonly bright future for the musical prodigy performing in front of him, a 9-year-old who possessed what Burney described as “almost supernatural talents.” After all, who could fail to recognize that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was destined for greatness?
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The Worst Things To Say To Someone Trying To Lose Weight
What’s the worst thing anyone ever said to you when you were trying to lose weight? That’s the question we put to Health’s Facebook audience, and boy, did we get an earful!
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Lion’s Mane – What You Need to Know
Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a type of medicinal mushroom. Long used in traditional Chinese medicine, lion’s mane is widely available in supplement form. Scientific research shows that lion’s mane contains a number of health-promoting substances, including antioxidants and beta-glucan.
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The cause of Crohn’s disease is undetermined but there is considerable research evidence suggesting that interactions among environmental factors, intestinal microorganisms, immune dysregulation, and genetic predisposition are responsible.
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Caring for Aging Parents – The New Old Age Blog – NYTimes.com
It’s such a routine thing: A nurse wraps the cuff around your elderly relative’s arm, squeezes the bulb, listens with a stethoscope and says: “120 over 60. Very good.” Smiles all around (this was my 89-year-old father’s latest reading), because everyone knows that high blood pressure is a risky proposition.
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Diabetes and the Obesity Paradox – NYTimes.com
Type 2 diabetes, a condition widely thought of as a disease of the overweight and sedentary, also develops in people who aren’t overweight. And it may be deadlier in these normal-weight people, a new study shows.
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Job Networking Tips: How to Find a Job By Building Relationships
The vast majority of job openings are never advertised; they’re filled by word of mouth. That’s why networking is the best way to find a job. Unfortunately, many job seekers are hesitant to take advantage of networking because they’re afraid of being seen as pushy, annoying, or self-serving. But networking isn’t about using other people or aggressively promoting yourself—it’s about building relationships.
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Fighting Alzheimer’s With Functional Medicine | The Dr. Oz Show
Alzheimer’s disease, like coronary artery disease, arthritis and even cancer, is triggered by inflammation. While most of us can easily recognize the role of inflammation in a painful arthritic joint, it is the exact same process that has now been identified as playing a pivotal role in Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, the same laboratory markers used by doctors to measure the degree of inflammation in the body in an attempt to determine cardiac risk are just as effective in predicting risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
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Tags: Better Health, Charles Burney, Grey Matter, Health Study, How To Improve Your Memory, Life Changes, Memory Tips, Mental Performance, Music Historian, Musical Prodigy, Personal Enlightenment, Physical Changes, Prodigies, Psychology Today, Sense Of Purpose, Sore Throats, Study Participants, White Lies, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Zest For Life
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7 Top Health Risks for Men Over 40, and other Weekend Reads
Friday, August 3rd, 2012
Here are this week’s reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have a delightful long weekend!
Greek scientists design early diagnosis tool for Alzheimer’s | Athens News
An early diagnosis protocol for Alzheimer’s has been designed by researchers at the Ionian University in Greece, opening the way for the prevention and more effective treatment of the neurodegenerative disorder, which shows rapid deterioration and constitutes growing concern for modern societies.
Memory Loss & 10 Early Signs of Alzheimer’s | Alzheimer’s Association
Memory loss that disrupts daily life may be a symptom of Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. There are 10 warning signs and symptoms. Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in different degrees. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.
Key Types of Dementia | Signs, Symptoms, & Diagnosis
Dementia is a general term for loss of memory and other mental abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. It is caused by physical changes in the brain.
Dr. Oz’s Longevity Grocery List – Foods for a Long Life – Oprah.com
Fill your cart and stock your shelves with nutrient-rich foods that can add years to your life. Start at the bottom (super important) and work your way to the top (very important) of Dr. Oz’s food pyramid. Note: Serving sizes should be about the size of your clenched fist, except for animal proteins, which should be about the size of a deck of cards.
Aging Body Changes – Aging Myths – Oprah.com
Not long ago, most people—scientists included—were convinced that the biological indignities of aging were more or less inevitable. Survive past midlife and you’d start losing muscle mass, height, energy, and your car keys. Well, nuts to that. New and inspiring research shows that the supposed physical “certainties” of aging are mostly avoidable. Muscles don’t necessarily shrivel. You don’t have to shrink or slow down. The key to aging well? One word: Move. Even minimal amounts of exercise can counteract the effects of time.
12 Things To Know Before Letting Go
Oftentimes letting go has nothing to do with weakness, and everything to do with strength. We let go and walk away not because we want the universe to realize our worth, but because we finally realize our own worth.
Boost Your Declining Metabolism – Dr. Oz – Oprah.com
If you’re over 40 and struggling with your weight, I don’t have to tell you that your metabolism is slowing down. Our calorie converting engines are at their highest until we reach 20, and then they gradually slow as we age.
How to Deal with Difficult People – Deepak Chopra – Oprah.com
Controlling types have to be right. There is always an excuse for their behavior (however brutal) and always a reason to blame others. Controlling people are perfectionists and micro-managers. Their capacity to criticize others is endless.
A Healthy Person’s Guide to Vitamins & Minerals | Wylde About Health
Ideally, daily nutritional needs should be met through healthy eating—but the typical diet does not always supply all the vitamins and minerals a body needs. So even in healthy people, multivitamins and other supplements may help prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies and they can also provide more nutrients than diet alone, which may help to protect against or manage certain diseases. The following list gives the daily optimum amounts of nutrients that might benefit healthy people.
What Are The Top 10 Healthy Foods?
Imagine a selection of foods that were delicious, nutritious and good for you – i.e. they reduced your risk of developing diseases. According to several different surveys and sources in North America and Western Europe, the following ten foods are generally considered to be the most healthy.
The beans arrive – How Tim Hortons coffee is made – MSN CA
Tim Hortons’ roasting plant is filled with stacks upon stacks of coffee beans, which arrive from countries like Brazil, Guatemala, El Salvador and Kenya. Even before the beans are shipped to Ancaster, Ont., Tims has a sample of each sent to its tasters to ensure quality. Each pallet is marked with a bar code denoting country of origin, as well as the region it arrived from. This allows Tims to monitor the climate conditions the beans are grown in.
If you want to add serious years to your life, you need to cut serious calories from your diet.
7 Top Health Risks for Men Over 40 | Caring.com
What’s the magic in the ring? The social connectedness of marriage may lower stress levels and depression, which lead to chronic illness. (Women tend to have more social ties outside of marriage.)
15 Medical Tests Every Woman Should Have | Caring.com
Medical screening tests are a great way to stay on top of your health. Think of them as basic maintenance, just like checking the oil and tire pressure to keep your car gunning down the highway. To help make it simple, we’ve compiled a list of the most important medical tests every woman should have — along with what age to start and how often to repeat. Here’s to routine maintenance for your health.
5-Step Alzheimer’s Prevention Plan | The Dr. Oz Show
Almost everyone has experienced the life-altering impact of Alzheimer’s, either through friends or family. You have the power to help change your and your loved ones’ fates by sharing how to stop forgetfulness in its tracks and literally grow your brain so it’s stronger than ever.
Teas to try: the health benefits of green, black, and white tea – Health – redOrbit
Aside from herbal or fruit-infused teas, most teas come from the leaves of the same tea bush, Camellia sinensis. The benefit of each kind of tea from the Camellia sinensis depends upon when and where the leaves are harvested and how their properties are brewed or extracted. To get to the truth about tea, we need to gaze into the leaves a bit, too.
EatingWell: 5 Surprising Foods You Should Refrigerate
I have a small kitchen that doesn’t have a lot of storage space. Because of that, my refrigerator looks more like a pantry—a very full, disorganized pantry. After one of the shelves on the door broke off for about the 100th time under the strain of every condiment known to man, I decided to finally do something about it.
Hidden Cause of Feeling Moody, Fatigued
Nobody needs a refresher about the importance of water. Drinking water, that is. Nutrition advice includes always ensuring you get about (there is some argument here) eight glasses or so each day. However, a new study unearths a couple of consequences of dehydration you might not have considered.
Tags: Animal Proteins, Athens News, Body Changes, Brain Disease, Clenched Fist, Diagnosis Protocol, Diagnosis Tool, Dr Oz, Food Pyramid, Greek Scientists, Ionian University, Losing Muscle, Loss Of Memory, Neurodegenerative Disorder, Nutrient Rich Foods, Personal Enlightenment, Rapid Deterioration, Slow Decline, Thinking And Reasoning, Types Of Dementia
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Why Getting Older Just Might Be Awesome, and other Weekend Reads
Thursday, July 5th, 2012
Here are this week’s reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have a splendid weekend!
Summer Skin Care: 7 Summer Skin Mistakes And How To Fix Them
Bug bites, sunburns, peeling skin — summer means a whole host of different skin hangups than we’re used to combatting in cooler temps.
Red, White And Blue Superfoods!
Between the barbecues, the beers and the bon-bons being chucked at you from floats in your town’s parade, the Fourth of July can be a bit of a wasteland when it comes to healthy eats.
AARP’s Guide To Working With Boomers – AARP
A post yesterday on the Wall Street Journal’s At Work blog offered advice to Baby Boomers on how to get along with their younger colleagues in the workplace.
5 Ways to Outfox a Know-It-All | Caring.com
Know-it-alls can be as exhausting as they are annoying. The secret to outfoxing one, communication experts say, is to realize where they’re coming from. Try these five tactics:
The aging brain: Why getting older just might be awesome – CNN.com
The prevailing wisdom is that creative endeavors are good for helping to slow the decline of our mental capabilities. But what if, in fact, the aging brain is more capable than its younger counterpart at creativity and innovation?
Hypertension and its causes – Health – redOrbit
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). A person’s blood pressure varies throughout the day. It changes depending on the time of day and a person’s activity and may increase in stressful situations.
Alzheimer’s Disease – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis – Health – redOrbit
Another type of Alzheimer’s disease, sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, also runs in families, but to a much lesser degree. It rarely appears before the age of 70. If one of your parents had Alzheimer’s disease but didn’t carry the APOE e4 gene, your risk is only slightly higher than that of the general population.
Brains Show Reversal Of Aging-Related Decline, Honeybee Study Shows
When older honeybees take on tasks usually handled by younger bees, aging of their brains is effectively reversed, a new study finds. The discovery suggests that in humans, social intervention ought to be considered in addition to drugs as a way to treat age-related dementia.
Tags: Aging Brain, Apoe, Baby Boomers, Bon Bons, Cnn, Communication Experts, Creative Endeavors, Creativity And Innovation, Hangups, Honeybee, Mental Capabilities, Millimeters Of Mercury, Mm Hg, Peeling Skin, Personal Enlightenment, Sporadic Alzheimer, Stressful Situations, Summer Skin Care, Superfoods, Wall Street Journal
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Ten Things You Must Give Up To Be Successful, and other Weekend Reads
Friday, June 8th, 2012
Here are this week’s reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have an awesome weekend!
Caffeine In Coffee Linked With Delayed Alzheimer’s Onset: Study
More good news for people who can’t function in the morning without a cup of coffee.
7 Things Successful Leaders Do Differently | Psychology Today
They put relationships first. Successful leaders not only build networks, but they also nurture the connections they make. They make time for their clients and colleagues. They make time for people they mentor. They make time for their personal relationships. It takes a great deal of energy to keep connections thriving, but successful people are willing to put in the time and the effort. I’m reminded of a quote by Robert Martin that illustrates this point: “Taking an interest in what others are thinking and doing is often a much more powerful form of encouragement than praise.”
Charisma: What Is It? Do You Have It? | Psychology Today
On the surface, charismatic individuals, such as Bill Clinton, Mohandas Gandhi, and Oprah Winfrey seem to have little in common (besides being in positions of influence and leadership). But they all are recognized as having that “something special” that is charisma. Source:
Dangers on the Plane | Men’s Health News
Forget the window seat next time you’re booking a flight longer than six hours. According to new research, enjoying window views from 30,000 feet ups your odds of suffering from deep venous thromboses (DVTs)—or blood clots—than being in an aisle seat. Some studies have suggested it can increase risk two-fold. (Read more: What Is Deep Vein Thrombosis?)
Milk Ingredient Nicotinamide Riboside ‘Helps Prevent Obesity’ And Burns Fat
A natural ingredient found in milk could help tackle obesity, as it prevents weight gain by burning fat in the body – even in those who enjoy a high-fat diet, scientists have discovered.
Daily exercise can reduce risk of developing Alzheimer¿s, study finds – latimes.com
Even if you’re 80 or older, it’s not too late for daily exercise to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study. And if hitting the gym isn’t quite your style, here’s more good news: You can also benefit by doing housework, researchers say.
Too Much Screen Time, Too Little Playtime
Many Canadian kids are failing to make the grade when it comes to reaching physical activity targets, with too few hours devoted to active play and too much free time fixated on TV, computer and game screens.
Honey does not cure cancer but what many people don’t think enough of or have overlooked is – honey possesses carcinogen-preventing and anti-tumour properties! Read: Honey is Anti-Cancer!
10 Things You Must Give Up to Be Successful
When we think about how to achieve success, we often focus on the skills and habits we should add to our lives. But sometimes the key to success actually lies in our ability to give up certain habits and behaviors. So starting today…
Tags: Aisle Seat, Blood Clots, Caffeine In Coffee, Charismatic Individuals, Cup Of Coffee, Deep Vein Thrombosis, Diversions, Dvts, Men S Health, Milk Ingredient, Mohandas Gandhi, Natural Ingredient, Oprah Winfrey, Personal Enlightenment, Personal Relationships, Psychology Today, Thrombosis, Ups, Venous Thromboses, Window Seat
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Say Hello to “Healthy Junk Food,” and other Weekend Reads
Friday, June 1st, 2012
Here are this week’s reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have a splendid weekend!
To make sure you’re not sabotaging your style, have a glance at the sock rules and make an effort to rectify any deviant sock tendencies you may have.
Too much fat in men’s diet could lower chances of fertility: Study
In a study of 99 U.S. men, researchers found an association between high total fat intake and lower total sperm count and concentration. It also found that men who ate more omega-3 fats (often found in fish and plant oils) had better formed sperm than men who ate less of these types of fats.
Eight great travel tips for retirees | BrighterLife.ca
If you’re travelling for pleasure, it’s your adventure – so be adventurous! Eat something you’re not used to. One of my nephews once travelled to Rome, home of one of the world’s great cuisines. What did he eat? Peanut butter from home, spread on whatever bread or rolls he could get. You can do better than that. Whenever you can, eat at local restaurants for a more authentic experience. And talk to the locals. They know when the bus comes, what to do, where to eat. Just ask!
What if every day was Valentine’s Day? | BrighterLife.ca
In the heart of Paris is perhaps the most romantic spot on earth. Couples huddle on the picturesque Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge. With the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre as their witnesses, they bring a padlock, tenderly hold hands and make private commitments to each other. After a smooch or two, they fasten their padlock to the bridge and to symbolize that they’ll never go back on their commitments, they toss the lock’s key into the river below.
Taking Care of Yourself – Advice for Caregivers – Pets & Stress – Oprah.com
Researchers who tracked 24 hypertensive stockbrokers who adopted a cat or dog found that pet ownership blunted the blood pressure response to mental stress (incidentally, the standard hypertension drug did not). Don’t have a pet? Visit a neighbor who does or stop by an animal shelter on your way home.
Life Experiences You Won’t Regret Missing – Lisa Kogan – Oprah.com
There are people who search and delve and pioneer, and we are all the richer for it. But there’s something to be said for the occasional road not taken. Sometimes the quest to restore creativity and courage begins with a single, mascara-free Saturday filled with fettuccine and flannel and more than a few episodes of Downtown Abbey (and, of course, by Downtown Abbey, I mean reruns of CSI: Miami). Here, a little encouragement for anybody who’s looking to sit this one out.
Four cleansing benefits of dandelion and a… | Chatelaine.com
Still skeptical? Here are four reasons to consume these weedy wonders (and yes, they’re available at grocery stores too):
Aspirin May Lower Skin Cancer Risk | Men’s Health News
You already know sunscreen may help protect you against the sun’s rays. Now, a new study finds common anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin may lower your risk of developing life-threatening forms of skin cancer, too. (Here are 20 Little Changes for a Healthier Life.)
Say Hello to “Healthy Junk-Food” | Men’s Health News
Consuming dark chocolate can leave the body feeling fuller and less hungry, reports a recent study published in Nutrition and Diabetes. The study monitored the appetites and energy intake of men who consumed portions of dark and milk chocolate
Information About Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s disease is a chronic and serious inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, specifically the lower intestines. The disease is also sometimes referred to as ileitis, regional enteritis, or Crohn’s colitis. Gastroenterologists may use one of these terms to differentiate the portion of the bowel that is affected by the disease.
Secondhand Smoke Symptoms, Causes, Treatment – Secondhand Smoke At A Glance on MedicineNet
Thirdhand smoke exposure is a new concept; it is exposure to many of the toxic agents in smoke that have accumulated (as residue) in clothing, drapes, rugs, furniture, dust, and other items due to secondhand smoke. The toxic agents, deposited in and on items from secondhand smoke, can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes of non-smokers, especially by infants and young children. Prevention of secondhand smoke exposure can prevent thirdhand smoke exposure.
Smoking Effects Pictures: How Smoking Affects the Teeth, Face, Lips, Skin & Breasts
There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, and many of them trigger the destruction of collagen and elastin. These are the fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. Smoking or even being around secondhand smoke “degrades the building blocks of the skin,” Keri says. The consequences include sagging skin and deeper wrinkles.
Staying social could shield your brain from the effects of aging, shows a study from the Harvard School of Public Health. Among a group of 16,638 older adults, the least socially active participants showed twice the rate of memory decline compared with the most gregarious folks.
Pet ownership’s effect on your health: for good or bad – latimes.com
There are obvious pluses and minuses to living with pets, not only with respect to your happiness and housekeeping, but also with respect to your health. Here’s a sampling of some of what scientists know about how pets can affect your physiological and psychological well-being — the good, bad and downright gruesome.
7 Foods That Don’t Need to Be in Your Fridge | Shine Food – Yahoo! Shine
There are impostors in your refrigerator! Foods that you may think need refrigeration, but in reality, are totally fine without it.
Gallery: These foods have super powers vs. diabetes
Beans, such as navy, black, kidney or pinto, are very high in fiber, with about a third of the daily requirement in a half-cup. They’re starchy vegetables, but a half-cup provides as much protein as an ounce of meat.
Tags: Authentic Experience, Eiffel Tower, Heart Of Paris, Local Restaurants, Mental Stress, Omega 3 Fats, Padlock, Pedestrian Bridge, Personal Enlightenment, pet ownership, Plant Oils, Pont Des Arts, Pressure Response, Private Commitments, Romantic Spot, Rome Home, Sperm Count, Stockbrokers, Types Of Fats, Valentine S Day
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Why Cupcakes are the New Cocaine, and other Weekend Reads
Friday, May 25th, 2012

Here are this week’s reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have an awesome weekend!
Poultry – 13 Best Foods for Crohn’s Disease – Health.com
Here are 13 foods that should be easy on your digestion. However, the right Crohn’s diet is highly individual—so use trial and error to see what works for you.
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Reasons Why Your Eye Keeps Twitching
Eye twitching is a common condition and is more of an annoyance than anything else. Rest assured, the majority of instances of eyelid spasms are indicative of minor health problems that can easily be remedied:
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Really? Never Brush Your Teeth Immediately After a Meal – NYTimes.com
Acid attacks the teeth, eroding enamel and the layer below it, called dentin. Brushing can accelerate this process, said Dr. Howard R. Gamble, president of the Academy of General Dentistry. “With brushing, you could actually push the acid deeper into the enamel and the dentin,” he said.
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Children and travel: How to travel with kids without going crazy – Canadian Living
Until you’re a parent, you cannot possibly appreciate how much is involved in getting every member of the family ready to get out the door each morning, let alone for a family vacation. Family vacations take a lot of planning and preparation. I know this from experience. I also know that it’s worth it, because family vacations can provide some of the best memories of your life. Following are tips and advice to help you make your next family vacation memorable, more stress free, and above all, fun.
Involve the kids
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Cheeseburger blues: could high-fat foods be making us depressed?
Universite de Montreal researchers are reporting that high-fat diets increase anxiety and depressive-like behaviours in mice — a finding that a leading Canadian obesity expert said runs counter to almost everything we have been told about fat-dense foods.
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Why cupcakes are the new cocaine
Along with prescription drugs, internet porn, computer games and dozens of other consumer items, we are forming an intimate relationship with sugary snacks that supplements and complements the “traditional” addictions to alcohol, gambling and illegal drugs.
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Deskercise! 33 Ways to Exercise at Work | Greatist.com
Remember the days when “work” meant manual labor with a side of blood, sweat, and tears? Neither do we. These days, it seems we’re more likely to log hour after idle hour with our bums glued to our seats. And while you may be an Excel champ by day and gym rat by night, recent research suggests that the recommended 30 minutes of cardio five times per week may not undo the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle[
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Why We Love Salt (And How to Break the Sodium Addiction) | Greatist.com
Many foods have more salt than we may realize. (We’re lookin at you, Cheerios.) And since salt helps preserve food — not to mention making what’s on the dinner plate taste even better — it can be hard to cut back. In certain cases, salt may even be addictive[6]. (And we thought sugar was the only culprit[7]!) So here are some tips to keep that salt intake under control and help stop cravings for good:
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Are Your Allergy Medications Making You Fat? | Women’s Health Magazine
Allergy season is upon us, and the record pollen levels we’re experiencing this year may have you heading to the allergy relief aisle at your local drugstore. But what you take to alleviate your symptoms could have unpleasant side effects on your waistline. Researchers have suggested that allergies and weight gain go hand in hand, and that could have to do with the drugs you take or more subtle underlying problems.
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Easy Allergy Tips: Your Body On Allergies | Women’s Health Magazine
It all begins with a mating game. Male pollen grains drift off in search of female plant parts to fertilize. Cute, except that the powdery stuff is so pervasive that you’ll undoubtedly breathe it in or rub it into your eyes. If you’re allergic, your body makes antibodies called IgE. Pollen launches them into action.
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Coffee linked to lower risk of death – latimes.com
Researchers have some reassuring news for the legions of coffee drinkers who can’t get through the day without a latte, cappuccino, iced mocha, double-shot of espresso or a plain old cuppa joe: That coffee habit may help you live longer.
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Sugar Makes You Dumb, and other Weekend Reads
Friday, May 18th, 2012
Here are this week’s reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have a wonderful, long, Victoria Day weekend!
Probiotic Remedies: 6 Ways Live Active Bacteria Can Boost Your Health
For most people, the mention of probiotics conjures up images of yogurt. But don’t dismiss the microbes as a marketing gimmick or food fad. The latest probiotic research suggests that live-active cultures of these friendly bacteria can help to prevent and treat a wide variety of ailments.
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10 flu-fighting foods: Wild-caught salmon | MNN – Mother Nature Network
In a recent study, participants with the lowest levels of vitamin D were about 40 percent more likely to report a recent respiratory infection than those with higher levels of vitamin D. Increase your intake with salmon. A 3.5-ounce serving provides 360 IU, and some experts recommend as much as 800 to 1000 IU each day.
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What is Greek yogurt? | MNN – Mother Nature Network
As far as Greek yogurt’s nutritional benefits, there is more protein because the yogurt is denser. When the lactose is strained, the yogurt loses some of its sugar and carbohydrates. (Does that mean this kind of yogurt is better for those who are lactose-intolerant, too?)
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Sugar Makes You Dumb, Scientists Warn
Eating too much sugar can eat away at your brain power, according to US scientists who published a study showing how a steady diet of high-fructose corn syrup sapped lab rats’ memories.
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Ann Brenoff: Is Looking Foolish A Boomer’s Birth Right?
In a culture where someone live-tweets a birth and in the same week a 70-year-old announces to the world that she’s tired of being a virgin and is looking for someone to do something about it, maybe it’s time to have a national conversation about what it means to “act appropriately.”
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Coffee Drinkers Live Longer, Big Study Finds
The study of 400,000 people is the largest ever done on the issue, and the results should reassure any coffee lovers who think it’s a guilty pleasure that may do harm.
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Women’s Health: Specialists For Women To See By Decade (INFOGRAPHIC)
Women are more likely than men to go to the doctor, but that doesn’t mean they’re getting better care. In fact, doctors are still likely to miss heart attacks in women, because the typical symptoms are different than those in men, and autoimmune disorders, more common in women than men, are notoriously hard to diagnose.
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High Sugar Diet ‘Sabotages Learning, Memory And Cognitive Skills’
If you can’t get through the day without a can of fizz, two sugars in your tea or a junk food binge, you are not only ruining your waistline – you could be dumbing down your brain, too.
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5 Foods That Can Trigger a Stroke | Caring.com
Whether your weakness is pastrami, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, or a smoked turkey sandwich, the word from the experts is: Watch out.
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Can aspirin really reduce the risk of cancer? | Science | The Guardian
Beyond its painkilling effects, aspirin prevents blood platelets sticking together and so thins the blood. This reduces the risk of blood clots that can cause heart attacks and stroke.
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Aspirin tied to lower lung cancer risk in women | Reuters
The findings, which link regularly taking aspirin to a risk reduction of 50 percent or more, do not prove that aspirin directly protects against lung cancer. There may be other explanations for the connection.
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The Avengers — Dr. Banner’s Wisdom About Bipolar | Psychology Today
Those who do not understand depression and mania think that the only way to control it is to make it go away. It works for a while, but, just like with anger for The Hulk, when mania or depression returns they find themselves back in crisis with no awareness or skills to do something about it. When mania, depression, rage, hallucination, delusion, or any other manifestation return, chaos ensues just as anger triggered The Hulk in previous movies.
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The Mirror Speaks in the Mother-Daughter Connection | Psychology Today
If adult children of narcissistic parents discuss their upbringing, they are usually met with disdain. “Good girls or boys don’t hate their mothers!” “There must be something wrong with you, if you are not connected with your mother.” “It must be your fault.” So, this population of people goes into hiding. They go back to what they were taught and practice superficial pretending which does not help their own recovery process. They are told once again to “put a smile on that pretty little face and pretend that everything is just fine with this family.”
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Tags: Birth Right, Brain Power, Coffee Drinkers, Coffee Lovers, Food Fad, Fructose Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Lab Rats, Lactose Intolerant, National Conversation, Nature Network, Personal Enlightenment, Probiotic Research, Probiotics, Respiratory Infection, Steady Diet, Study Participants, Victoria Day, Victoria Day Weekend
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What Your Skin Says About Your Health, and other Mother’s Day Weekend Reads
Friday, May 11th, 2012

Here are this week’s reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have a great Mother’s Day weekend!
What Your Skin Says About Your Health | 10 Things Your Skin Tells You
The skin of someone with hypothyroidism also tends to be dry and cold, and sometimes more pale than yellowed. Feeling tired, sluggish, weak, or achy are the main symptoms, along with possible unexplained weight gain. Women over 50 most often develop hypothyroidism.
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Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Lower Alzheimer’s Risk, Study Suggests
Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center found that eating a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids — such as fish, nuts and chicken — is linked with lower levels of of beta-amyloid protein, which is linked with Alzheimer’s disease.
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Mother’s Day Sayings: Quotes About Our Favorite Women
“Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.” -
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Mike Bender: Awkward Family Photos: Mother’s Day 2012
When it comes to celebrating the woman who gave you life, you have to do something special. So, when we decided to launch our official Awkward Family Photos app for the iPhone right before Mother’s Day, we wanted to do something that honored Mom in all of her awkward glory. Using some of our classic images of the woman in charge, we put together a set of Mother’s Day e-cards which are available through the app. Preview twelve of our favorites below.
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Skateboarding Past a Midlife Crisis – NYTimes.com
“It’s a total midlife crisis,” said the group’s leader, Tom Barnhart, 47, of Cresskill, N.J., who started skateboarding two years ago for the first time since the Carter administration. His life, he said, had been in a rut. “My kids grew old, so I got a dog. My dog grew old, so I got a skateboard.”
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Fiber From Whole Grains Could Cut Colorectal Cancer Risk: Study
However, these researchers didn’t find that getting extra fiber from vegetables or fruits was linked with the decreased colorectal cancer risk, which means that there might be something else in the whole grains at work, too.
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Mothers Day History ~ The Complete History of Mother’s Day ~ Mothers Day Central
The majority of countries that celebrate Mother’s Day do so on the second Sunday of May. On this day, it is common for Mothers to be lavished with presents and special attention from their families, friends and loved ones.
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Insomnia causes, sleeplessness symptoms… | Chatelaine.com
Counting the ceiling tiles when you wish you were catching some zzzs? You may have insomnia, the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. If you have the condition, you may wake in the middle of the night or awaken too early in the morning and be unable to fall back to sleep. Insomniacs also describe waking up and not feeling refreshed or rested. About 3.3 million Canadians have insomnia. It’s the most common sleep complaint.
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Tags: 3 Fatty Acids, Amyloid Protein, Cancer Risk, Carter Administration, Classic Images, Colorectal Cancer, Columbia University Medical, Family Photos, Gain Women, Great Mother, Iphone, Midlife Crisis, Mike Bender, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Personal Enlightenment, Photos Mother, Risk Study, Tom Barnhart, Unexplained Weight Gain, University Medical Center, Whole Grains
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(Diet) Soft Drinks Linked to Strokes, and other Weekend Reads
Friday, May 4th, 2012

Here are this week’s reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have a fantastic weekend!
Moderate Sun Exposure Necessary for Adequate Vitamin D Intake
Vitamin D is linked to a remarkable number of health issues. Studies have shown that a lack of the vitamin may help to cause heart disease, birth defects, skin cancer (read the article Can Vitamin D Prevent Cancer?), depression, multiple sclerosis, and pregnancy problems
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Joe Lupo: TGIF! Dressing Beyond the Office
The casual category is all too often the forgotten or neglected area of a man’s closet unless he is going casual to work. The way to solve the problem is to build a solid foundation, the essentials or a ‘casual capsule’ as we would call it at Visual Therapy. Taking it from the from the top and working my way down, I will review a formula for you — focusing on spring/summer for now since that’s what’s in the stores.
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What is Type 2 Diabetes | Type 2 Diabetics | Caring.com
Type 2 diabetes strikes when a person’s body loses the ability to produce or properly use the hormone insulin. The result is too much sugar in the blood.
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Is Gluten Bad for Your Body? | Women’s Health Magazine
Gluten is a protein found in the grains wheat, barley, and rye. Most of us unknowingly love it, because gluten gives our favorite foods that special touch: It makes pizza dough stretchy, gives bread its spongy texture, and is used to thicken sauces and soups.
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Drink Water, Work Harder | Men’s Health News
Need a little fuel to help you ace your big presentation today? Forget energy bars—chug a bottle of H2O instead. Researchers found that students who drank water during an exam performed 10 percent better than those who didn’t, according to a recent study presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference.
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Stand Up for Fitness – NYTimes.com
Studies of daily movement patterns, though, show that your typical modern exerciser, even someone who runs, subsequently sits for hours afterward, often moving less over all than on days when he or she does not work out.
Avoid salt-cured, pickled, or smoked foods. Avoid all processed foods and trans-fatty oils as if they were the cause of your cancer itself. Avoid inorganically raised foods.
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Detox Foods | 8 reasons to love lemons
It supports your liver detoxification: Fresh lemon juice contains several detoxifying compounds. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice in your morning glass of water to help your body to detox naturally.
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Now that the weather is a wee bit warmer, many of us are thinking about getting outdoors to enjoy the spring air and sunshine.
May offers a welcome chance to get out there and be active, whether it’s by taking a walk with friends (good for the body and the soul!), enjoying a bike ride or — depending on the temperatures where you live — taking a refreshing dip in the nearest body of water.
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Vital Signs: Early Menopause Linked to Bone Fracture Risk – NYTimes.com
Women who reach menopause early are at significantly greater risk for osteoporosis and bone fracture later in life, a Swedish study has found.
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Bugs In Food: What You’re Eating Without Realizing It
If you thought finding a fly in your soup was enough to turn you off your meal, try finding a maggot in your canned mushrooms or caterpillar remains in your spinach salad. Just about everyone has heard a horror story when it comes to food and insects, and part of that might be thanks to relaxed policies when it comes creepy crawlers and governmental food agencies.
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Best markets in Canada | Chatelaine.com
May’s mild weather gives rise to a favourite pastime with market stalls across the country opening up to sell everything from jams to jewels!
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Hyperthyroidism Symptoms in Men | eHow.com
Doctors use the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test to diagnose hyperthyroidism in men. The TSH test detects even the smallest amounts of thyroid stimulating hormone in the blood and provides accurate measurements of thyroid activity. Your doctor may also use a thyroid scan to detect the location and amount of iodine in your thyroid. Using a thyroid scan allows doctors to detect the cause of hyperthyroidism and provides images of thyroid irregularities such as nodules.
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Jogging Linked With Increased Life Expectancy, Study Shows
The optimal amount of jogging seems to be be one to two-and-a-half hours per week, spread out between two or three jogging sessions, the researchers found. The study was presented at the EuroPRevent2012 meeting in Ireland.
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How to Eliminate Tension Headaches | eHow.com
Use a cold pack on your forehead. The cold will reduce any inflammation, as well as numb the area. This can provide you with some relief from your tension headache.
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How to Do Math Problems in Your Head at Lightning Speed | eHow.com
Calculate the square of a two-digit number ending in 5 quickly in your head by multiplying the first digit by that digit plus 1 then adding 25 to the end of the number. For example, 45 x 45 = 4 x 5_25 = 2025.
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Top Superfoods to Boost Your Mood – Oprah.com
If you’ve ever felt your attitude dipping while you’re on a diet, you’re not alone. It’s common to feel anxious, moody or stressed out when you’re trying to lose weight. Luckily, there are 3 super-healthy super foods that will not only be welcome in your weight-loss regimen, but help you feel great, too.
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Healthy Snacks to Beat an Afternoon Energy Slump | Eating Well
As the afternoon rolls along (or drags on, depending on your take), the office candy bowl sees an uptick in traffic. But a new study shows that it’s not sugar, but protein that you should reach for to beat an afternoon slump.
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The truth about tanning beds is not pretty | Health & Fitness | Life | Toronto Sun
Are tanning beds the new tobacco? Cancer causing and poorly regulated, they may be just that. Last year the World Health Organization put indoor tanning beds in the highest cancer risk category, along with mustard gas and cigarettes.
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Calcium and vitamin D for Osteoporosis | Bone Health & Osteoporosis | HealthandBone.ca
One of the most frequently asked questions about a dairy-free diet is, “How will I get enough calcium?” For those who can’t or prefer not to consumer dairy products, it is still important to make sure you get enough calcium from other sources. Luckily, there are many other ways to ensure you eat a calcium-rich diet. Foods containing calcium include broccoli, kale, bok choy, canned fish with bones such as sardines, nuts (almonds and Brazilian nuts in particular), and tofu set with calcium.
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Soft drinks – even diet ones – could lead to a stroke – The Globe and Mail
Once consumed, soft drinks cause a rapid increase in blood glucose (sugar) and insulin, the hormone that removes glucose from the bloodstream. Over time, this can impair the body’s ability to use insulin and cause inflammation. These two changes influence hardening of the arteries, the stability of fatty plaques in artery walls and blood clotting – all risk factors for stroke.
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Natural Health: Headaches Be Gone « Sustain Me
Because I suffer from headaches and migraines frequently (as do many of my family members and friends) I am always on the prowl for headache remedies, especially natural ones.
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Parenting Styles: Is Your Child’s Temperament A Good Fit With Yours?
Many personality traits like these are inborn, but “temperaments can also be colored by the environment in which children are raised,” said child psychologist Brian Daly, who teaches at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
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Tags: British Psychological Society, Diabetes Type 2, Drink Water, Energy Bars, Favorite Foods, Health Magazine, Hormone Insulin, Men S Health, Movement Patterns, Personal Enlightenment, Pizza Dough, Pregnancy Problems, Remarkable Number, Skin Cancer, Soft Drinks, Spongy Texture, Type 2 Diabetes, Vitamin D, Water Work, Wheat Barley
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