Stay fit, Fit walking into your life

The goal of taking 10,000 steps in a day is a rough equivalent to the Surgeon General's recommendation to accumulate 30 minutes of activity most days of the week. It should be enough to reduce your risk for disease and help you lead a longer, healthier life.

First, invest in a pedometer.Keep it closed and attached to the front of your waist to the left or right of center. Wear it all day from the moment you wake up until going to bed, except when immersed in water. At night remove it, record the number of steps you've taken in the log, and note if you did any formal exercise (wear your pedometer then, too); for example, "20-minute treadmill walk."

Also note if anything caused more (museum tour) or fewer (all-day meeting) steps than usual in your day. Attach your pedometer to your shoe if you bicycle and the pedometer doesn't seem to count your pedaling.

If you want to know not just the number of steps you've taken, but the distance as well, you can calibrate a pedometer. The simplest way is to wear it while walking a known distance, such as once around a quarter-mile track, at your normal walking speed. Then multiply that number of steps by four, and you know your typical number of steps per mile.

Probiotics: research shows high potential

Probiotics are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut. They are also called "friendly bacteria" or "good bacteria."  Probiotics are available to consumers mainly in the form of dietary supplements and foods.

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center investigated how Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 6475 might work to slow the growth of certain cancerous tumors. Their study documented the molecular mechanisms of the probiotic's effects in human myeloid leukemia-derived cells—i.e., how it regulates the proliferation of cancer cells and promotes cancer cell death. The researchers noted that a better understanding of these effects may lead to development of probiotic-based regimens for preventing colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.

In another study, researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Ohio State University looked at whether Lactobacillus acidophilus might enhance the immune-potentiating effects of an attenuated vaccine (a vaccine prepared from a weakened live virus) against human rotavirus infection—the most common cause of severe dehydrating diarrhea in infants and children worldwide. The investigators' tests on newborn pigs found that animals given both a vaccine and the probiotic had a better immune response than the animals given the vaccine alone. The researchers concluded that probiotics may offer a safe way to increase the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccine in humans.

In both studies, the investigators called for additional research into the mechanisms behind the health-related effects of probiotics.

Darker side of Popcorn at the Movie Theaters

A large tub of popcorn at Regal Cinemas, for example, holds 20 cups of popcorn and has 1,200 calories, 980 milligrams of sodium and 60 grams of saturated fat. Adding just a tablespoon of butter adds 130 calories.

Not so hungry? The medium size popcorn, which comes in a bag, contains the same amount as the large. And even the small, at 11 cups, delivers 670 calories, 550 milligrams of sodium and 24 grams of saturated fat.

The findings may surprise those who choose popcorn at the concession stand because they believe it is a relatively healthy snack. In fact, plain air-popped popcorn is low in calories and free of saturated fat. Movie theater popcorn, however, is popped in oil — often coconut oil, which is 90 percent saturated fat. Add salt to the enormous portions, and your once-healthy snack turns into a health offender.

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Using family reunions to talk about family health history, June 23, 2011, NIH Radio - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Knowing about your family’s health history goes a long way toward preventing or delaying the development of serious diseases, like diabetes. A family reunion this summer can be an easy opportunity to talk about family health.


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Risks of getting paid

Everyone looks forward to payday. Whether it's a paycheck from your employer or benefits from the government, the influx of cash to your bank account is always a good thing, right? Not according to the latest research.

Researchers report that getting paid may be associated with a higher risk of death. Among Social Security beneficiaries, military personnel and people receiving tax refunds or state dividend payments, the risk of dying in a given month was highest on payday and for several days afterward.

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Cures from Nature

CLAIM: Steam clears up sinus headaches

Is it true? Yes

This old-school treatment -- touted in more than 400,000 Google results! -- really works. "Inhaling steam flushes out your nasal passages, relieving sinus pressure," explains Neil Kao, M.D., head of research at the Allergic Disease and Asthma Center in Greenville, South Carolina.

Add a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil to make it more potent. "The minty smell causes a tingling sensation in the nasal membrane, and this has a decongestant effect," says Kao, who also suggests dabbing Vicks VapoRub at the lower rim of your nostrils.

Another natural alternative: Using a neti pot to irrigate the nostrils with saline solution, which can also ease sinus symptoms, according to one study.

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Chocolate and Wine- 2 of 7 anti aging super foods

1.      Here are some cool recipes to enjoy these in your meals and snacks..

1. Chocolate
2.  Blueberries
3.  Fish
4.  Nuts
5. Wine
6. Olive Oil
7. Yogurt

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What is Health?

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.- World Health Organization, 1948

Does cold weather make you sick?

Find out if these 11 Myths are true...

1. Cold weather makes you sick.

2. Green mucus indicates a sinus infection..

3. You lose most of your body heat through your head.

4. Milk makes you phlegmy.

5. Cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis.

6. Birth control pills don’t work as well with antibiotics.

7. Singles have better sex lives than married people.

8. Sugar makes kids hyper

9. You should poop at least once a day.

10. It’s okay to double dip in the chip dip.

11. Food quickly picked up from the floor is safe to eat.
Click here to find out

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Who is to blame? Ads or bad eating habits?

The food and advertising industries have launched a multi-pronged campaign to squash government efforts to create voluntary nutritional guidelines for foods marketed to children.

Calling themselves the Sensible Food Policy Coalition, the nation’s biggest foodmakers, fast-food chains and media companies, including Viacom and Time Warner, are trying to derail standards proposed by four federal agencies. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has also lent its lobbying muscle to the effort.

“If you look at rising rates of obesity, one in three kids is either overweight or obese. That percentage is growing. I don’t think anyone thinks the status quo is okay...” says David Vladeck, director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the FTC in an interview.

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