Here’s what I’ve been checking out lately. How Much Protein Should I Eat? (from Fit Sugar). This one’s for my vegetarian sister who has asked me this exact question. Great tool. Train Your Brain To Crave Healthy Foods (from CNN Health). Interesting! I doubt I could re-wire myself, like they describe in this article, to the degree that […]

It turns out being an optimist is good for your health. Harvard grads who were optimists at age 25 had better health outcomes for the next three decades. In broad sweeps, optimists have better cardiovascular health than pessimists. Their immune systems are more responsive, and they have more resilience to stress. The reason? Optimists have a […]

A new study found that celery (specifically, luteolin, a compound found within celery) had brain-boosting power in older mice. Yes, celery. So this got me thinking: are there other things you can do to upgrade your smarty-pants quotient? You betcha. Omega-3 fatty acids are well-known to boost brain function. This, in addition to all the other health benefits of omega-3, […]

Pour yourself a mug of tea, sit & relax and check out some of the interesting things I’ve been reading this week: Salt, Not So Bad For You After All? Great food for thought, highlighting the recent research that shakes up the conventional thinking that salt is a no-no for us all. (from Huffington Post Health/AOL Healthy […]

One of the best ways to lose or maintain weight is to become a portion-control pro. It’s one of the secrets of the French Paradox, and one of the reasons why a lot of women throughout the world (Europe in particular) are able to enjoy the wonderful food they do, yet stay slim. This is definitely […]

It’s true. There’s this little thing you can do to bring all of the above benefits into your life. What is this magic pill, you ask? Meditation. Now before you groan/roll your eyes/click back to facebook…just hear me out. I know meditation may seem a bit flaky to you, or maybe too spiritual, or maybe too […]

Used to be, all fats were considered bad. We gobbled down low-fat versions of everything, assuming this was the path to true health. This was not a good time in dietary history, as far as I’m concerned. Three words: Low. Fat. Cheese. Ugh. Thankfully, we now know that dietary fat is not nutritionally black and […]

Many people have no idea whether a multivitamin is essential or a total waste of money. Or something in between. So what’s the truth? As with many things, it’s controversial. And not even the “experts” can agree. Some studies have shown benefit. Others have been equivocal, or downright discouraging. For example, the Annals of Internal […]

There have been phases in my life when I had plenty of time for exercise. Now is not one of those phases. Between work and taking care of my two young kids, exercise goes right to the bottom of the priority list. We’ve all received the memo about the many benefits of exercise: longer life, more energy, improved sleep, better […]