Can cocoa flavanols prevent disease?

By Rebekah Alcalde
Posted on July 17, 2017

Chocolate lovers may be on to something. A new long-term study is trying to find out if taking daily, dietary supplements of cocoa extract containing cocoa flavanols and theobromine from the cocoa bean, and/or a standard multivitamin reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer.The study is being conducted in a partnership by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the... READ MORE

Beware of the sun if you take these drugs

By Suzy Cohen
Posted on July 12, 2017

Did you know that your medication can damage skin? Most of you don’t even think about that as a side effect. Photosensitivity is a fairly common skin reaction that is sparked by taking medicines that interact with ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or from tanning beds. It happened to me once, and luckily the red burning rash and tingling affected only my hands. It took only... READ MORE

Women face as many heart risks as men do

By Densie Webb, R.D.
Posted on July 07, 2017

In the U.S., 1 in 4 women will die from heart disease — almost half a million deaths each year. Yet the perception that heart disease is primarily a man’s disease persists.An American Heart Association survey found that fewer than half of American women are aware that heart disease is their leading killer. The reality is quite different — coronary heart... READ MORE

Coping with increasing food intolerance

By Matthew Solan
Posted on June 28, 2017

Who hasn’t eaten something that did not agree with them? But when your stomach issues become more frequent and severe, you might have a bigger digestion problem called food intolerance.Food intolerances occur more often as you age, since your digestion naturally becomes slower and your body produces fewer enzymes needed to break down food.“This allows more time for bacteria to... READ MORE

How to minimize pesticides in your food

By Mayo Clinic Health
Posted on June 21, 2017

You try to eat plenty of fresh produce, but worry about your risk of ingesting pesticides. Most nonorganic crops — and even some organically grown crops — come in contact with pesticides, and may contain traces of pesticidal residue on the surface of, or even inside, the fruit or vegetable. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitors domestic and imported foods to ensure that ... READ MORE

Doing good helps body and soul

By Carol Sorgen
Posted on June 19, 2017

Ever experienced a “helper’s high?”The term was coined by psychologist Allan Luks, who discovered that the act of helping others releases endorphins (feel-good chemicals in our brain) the same way that vigorous exercise or meditation does.Also, as with exercise and medication, Luks concluded that this biochemical reaction from volunteering results in stress relief, which... READ MORE

Can a vegan diet boost your metabolism?

By Barbara Ruben
Posted on June 16, 2017

Dietary vegans follow a plant-based diet that excludes all animal products, from meat to eggs to milk to animal-derivatives.Some researchers believe following a low-fat vegan diet may help you lose weight, in part because it helps speed up your metabolism (the rate at which calories are burned). That’s the hypothesis of a study now underway by the nonprofit Physician’s Committee ... READ MORE

Never too late to learn public speaking

By Lynne Strang
Posted on June 09, 2017

As a certified project manager and leadership development trainer, Amy Brener regularly gives public interviews. It’s something she used to dread, but not anymore —  thanks to a decision she made back in 2008.At age 49, Brener joined Toastmasters International, a nonprofit organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs.... READ MORE

Ten tips that can help fight osteoporosis

By Carrie Dennett, R.D.N.
Posted on May 31, 2017

Because 70 percent of our bone destiny is due to heredity, you’re at greater risk for osteoporosis if you have a family history of the disease. But that doesn’t mean you can’t help shape the health of your bones.We actively build bone until our mid-20s, then we start to slowly lose bone mass. After the age of 50, one in two women, and one in four men, will break a bone due ... READ MORE

His job is preventing dementia

By Robert Friedman
Posted on May 30, 2017

 “We have to start in our 40s, at least, if we want to have any hope of lowering the overall personal risk for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.”That is the advice of Dr. William Mansbach, a geriatric neuropsychologist who lives and works in Columbia. Mansbach has a national reputation in the fight against the disease, and is a member of the Governor’s... READ MORE