Archive for October 2011


Study identifies staying healthy tips to avoid colorectal cancer

October 26th, 2011 — 8:25am

In today's culture of fast food and readily available entertainment, inspirational tips to lose weight may be much needed. New research from Simmons College in Boston suggests that these recommendations may do more than just help a person shed excess body fat, as they may also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

In a large study of women's dietary patterns and health data, authors observed that those with a particular diet had a 35 percent higher risk of colorectal cancer than counterparts with different eating patterns.

"High red meat intake, fish intake, sugar-sweetened beverage intake, but low coffee, whole grains and high-fat dairy intake, when taken as a whole, seemed to be associated with higher levels of C-peptide in the blood," said lead researcher Teresa Fung, S.D., R.D.

Authors of the study noted that C-peptide is a marker that indicates insulin levels, and that high amounts of the hormone may signal a higher risk of colorectal cancer.

Philosopher and trailblazer Ilchi Lee believes that staying healthy tips should include recommendations that nurture the whole self, including the mind, spirit and body.

Comment » | Staying Healthy

Inspirational tips for kids include less television time

October 18th, 2011 — 10:57am

The presence of "educational" children's programming on television and on DVD can give parents an excuse to set their toddler down in front of a screen for hours each day.

However, experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report that kids may not actually be learning anything from the programs, but they could learn a lot from parental interaction.

In an AAP survey, researchers found that 90 percent of parents with kids 2 years old and younger allow their children to view some sort of media. Of these youngsters, the average time spent in front of a television or computer was two hours daily.

The scientists reviewed much of the programming labeled "educational" and found that the children to whom the videos were being marketed were likely too young to understand the information presented.

Moreover, they noted that unstructured playtime with parents or other kids is an integral part of the learning process and cannot be replaced with media.

"In today's 'achievement culture,' the best thing you can do for your young child is to give her a chance to have unstructured play – both with you and independently. Children need this in order to figure out how the world works," said lead author Ari Brown, M.D.

Parents should begin assisting their children with developing a mind-body-spirit connection at a young age. Such inspirational tips for living apply to the whole family.

Comment » | Inspirational Tips

Staying healthy with nutrition may reduce risk of heart disease

October 12th, 2011 — 10:36am

Everyone knows that consuming a healthy diet is key to preventing a host of conditions and keeping weight at a normal level. But researchers at McMaster and McGill Universities in Canada believe that good nutrition may be powerful enough to curb the risk of diseases thought to be genetic.

In a study of 27,000 people from Europe, South Asia, China, Latin America and the Middle East, researchers discovered that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables resulted in a significantly lower risk of heart disease.

In fact, individuals with a certain gene associated with the cardiovascular condition who ate a lot of fresh produce had similar chances of developing heart disease as those with fewer genetic risk factors.

"Our results support the public health recommendation to consume more than five servings of fruits or vegetables as a way to promote good health," said Sonia Anand, joint principal investigator of the study.

These results go to show that staying healthy with nutrition is an important part of attaining longevity. After all, these are more than inspirational tips for weight loss. They can also help keep the heart healthy.

Comment » | Staying Healthy

Tips for staying healthy include avoiding fast food

October 4th, 2011 — 10:30am

For some children, the thought of a kid's meal from a fast food restaurant seems like a reward. For parents, it's an easy and inexpensive way to make sure the youngsters are fed.

Unfortunately, consuming this unhealthy, low-quality food is not helping the child's health or well-being in the long run. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, recently compiled the nutritional data of these "mini" meals.

Apparently, fast food targeted toward kids can account for between 36 and 51 percent of a child's daily caloric intake. Moreover, those seemingly small portions of french fries and hamburgers can make up nearly 40 percent of their allotted calories from fat and half of their daily recommended value of sodium.

"Considering the high prevalence of fast food consumption by adults as well as kids, it's important to recognize the impact of fast food on the current obesity epidemic in the U.S.," said researcher Kerri N. Boutelle, Ph.D.

Staying healthy with good nutrition entails eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. Parents should communicate these inspirational tips to their children as often as possible.

Comment » | Staying Healthy

Back to top