Yale Researchers Find Obesity May be Tackled Via the Brain – But is this a Healthy Idea?
Researchers at Yale University are looking for solutions to the obesity epidemic in a rather unlikely area: the brain. A new study has found a connection between a nuclear receptor in the hypothalamus and the suppression of weight gain. While this study may lead to innovations in certain pharmaceuticals, this approach may also have its drawbacks. For their study, which was performed...
Why are So Many of Our Nation’s Kids on Drugs?
We're not talking about street drugs… we're talking about the medications prescribed to large numbers of kids and adolescents for a variety of behavioral issues. Many of these drugs have dangerous side effects, and all-too-often physicians prescribe them as their first response to an issue, not as a last resort. According to data compiled by the CDC between 2011 and...
China’s Yellow River Permaculture Efforts are an Example to Follow
All over the world - in some areas more than others - cropland is being depleted, literally sucked dry of its fertility. This has much to do with industrial practices, including unsustainable agriculture. However, as an experiment in China has recently shown, with some effort, this depletion is reversible. According to University of Michigan researchers, "the loss of arable land...
The Arthritis and Obesity Link: What You Can do to Protect Your Joints
Most people are well aware that obesity is linked to diabetes and heart disease, but did you know that being obese can significantly raise the risk of getting certain types of arthritis? And, no matter what kind of arthritis you have, obesity worsens the condition. One in five Americans have been diagnosed with arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease...
Fill up on Heart-Healthy Fat with Cashews
The cashew is a much-loved nut appreciated for its delicate flavor. Related to the pistachio, the cashew is actually a kidney-shaped seed that grows from the bottom of the fruit of the cashew tree, known as the cashew apple. The cashew apple grows to about two to four inches in length. Practically unknown in North America, the cashew apple...
The “Weed” that Could End Lyme Disease for Good
Tick season is fully upon us, and it's not just people living in the woody areas of the country that should take precautions against these blood-sucking creatures. Sure, they love the woods, they love dogs, and they love tall grass, but they are also learning to love city life. Knowing how to prevent, recognize and treat tick bites is pertinent...
5 Easy-to-Make Hand Scrubs for Baby Soft Skin
Why spend money on a hand scrub that might be filled with potentially harmful chemicals when all you need to do is grab a few ingredients from your fridge or kitchen cabinets? Most likely, you already have everything you need at home to make a great hand scrub in no time - leaving your skin healthy and baby soft. Easy hand...
The Remedy for Mental Toxicity is Quiet Time
Are you ever thinking so hard, juggling so many mental balls, that you wonder how your internal communication system keeps from exploding? We live in a culture where stress has violated even what was once the quietest part of our lives, our sleep. We move around like supercharged ants full of anger, anxiety and tension, all in an effort...
Study: Only a Minimal Amount of Doctors Recommend Daily Aspirin… But Is this Such a Bad Thing?
According to a new study performed at the University of Rochester Medical Center, only a relatively small percentage of doctors are recommending daily aspirin for the prevention of heart attack, stroke and cancer to eligible patients. While "an aspirin a day" has been a popular prevention method in recent decades, and is approved by the United States Preventive Services...
This Just In: Running a Little Each Day as Healthy – or Healthier – than Running a Lot
When it comes to high intensity cardiovascular exercise, running is a top choice for many people. It can be done virtually anywhere, and requires no gym membership or fancy equipment, except a pair of good running shoes. While you may assume that the more you run, the healthier you will be, this is not necessarily the case. New research...
