Come on baby, light my fiber! The benefits of fiber are far reaching. Fiber is probably one of those buzzwords you have heard a million times, but you really don’t know what it is, where it comes from and why it matters to you. Dietary fiber, also known as roughage,…
Women have been taking oral contraceptives, aka The Pill, for almost 50 years to prevent pregnancy. But there are a lot of misconceptions about taking the pill, particularly those about weight gain. Most side effects of taking oral contraceptives are mild and include breast tenderness, nausea, headache and breakthrough bleeding….
Everyone can benefit from and enjoy exercise, but what if weather, transportation or time restrictions keep you away from your favorite workout? Novice exercisers may feel uncomfortable at a gym or exercising in public, so what is there to do when embarking on a fitness plan? You might want to…
Have you had your flavonoids today? Be honest, have you even heard of flavonoids? Most people don’t know the first thing about these substances known for their antioxidant properties. Flavonoids, or Vitamin P and citrin, are plant metabolites. There are upwards of 6,000 different substances found in plants. Flavonoids change…
Surely you’ve heard about the health benefits of wine through the grapevine by now. A compound found in wine – a polyphenol called resveratrol — present in red wine in particular, can reduce heart disease risk and ward off some types of cancers, plus Parkinson’s disease. But are grapes just…
Before you pop that top, do you know what’s lurking in that tall cool one? When it comes to beverages, sodas are public enemy number one. They may seem inconsequential, but it’s hard to believe how quickly the numbers add up. A 12-ounce can of cola contains 144 calories. If…
Today is Earth Day, and it’s a time to focus on all things green. Making just a small change or two, like investing in reusable grocery bags or replacing light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones certainly helps the Earth. But this year, why not help yourself, too? Instead of buying…
Want a food that’s as scrumptious as a high-fat, high-calorie snack? Tickle your taste buds with a sugary spud. Although they’re a favorite around Thanksgiving, sweet potatoes are beneficial to your health all year long. Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin A. The…
There are plenty of supposedly quick fixes for the nasty stuff women call “cottage cheese” or “orange peel” – aka cellulite. The biological explanation for it is the connective tissues that separate fat into compartments. These patterns tend to be horizontal or crisscrossed in men, but women’s compartments tend to…
Many people are unaware of the awesome powers of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are largely found in coldwater fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines. Flax and flax oil are the most popular botanical sources of omega-3. There are other sources of omega-3 including walnuts, scallops, cauliflower,…