Everything You Need to Know… Page Thirty-Four
The Health News and Reviews section addresses current health- and lifestyle issues as they are discussed in the press and respective publications. You may search by topic, by key word(s) or by date. At the end of each article, you are invited to leave your own insights, comments or questions.
Younger Consumers Are More Health-Conscious Than Previous Generations, Studies Find
When it comes to health matters, people seem to become more proactive than they used to be. While professional healthcare is generally still practiced in response to disease, an increasing interest in preventive measures shows a shift in awareness and behavior, especially among the young.
Why Some People Never Seen to Get Sick
Winter weather makes most of us apprehensive about getting a cold or the flu, and often enough those fears are justified. No matter how religiously we wash our hands, keep our distance from others who already have the sniffles, or try to fortify our immune system with extra doses of vitamins, it seems to be a losing battle year after year. Yet some folks never appear to get affected. They just sail through this treacherous season without a hitch. How do these lucky few do it?
What Is the Right Amount of Sleep
The importance of getting enough sleep is undisputed among experts. But research also suggests that too much shut-eye may do just as much harm as too little. When it comes to the right amount of rest for good health, a perfect balance, it seems, is not easy to strike.
Health-Conscious or Self-Obsessed? In Terms of Diet and Lifestyle, Millennials Want To Do Better Than Their Parents
Millennials are said to be particularly discerning in their choices, from where and how they like to work to what they shop for and what they eat. But this insistence on always having one’s needs met is sooner or later bound to encounter a reality check, experts warn. In an era of exceedingly high expectations, millennials are already experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression, leading all too often to dysfunctional behavior, including towards diet and lifestyle.
Price and Convenience Remain Top Priorities in Most Consumers’ Food Choices
Food is not cheap. High quality food can be prohibitively expensive. Even people who want to improve their diet may be prevented from doing so because of the costs involved. There are ways to stretch a limited budget, but that takes time, knowledge and careful planning. For most consumers, money foremost determines what goes on their plate. No nutritional guidelines or recommendations can ignore that simple fact.
Think Yourself Healthy
There is nothing magic about eating right, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, or managing stress. We all know that those are crucial elements of a health-promoting lifestyle. So why are so many of us seemingly unable to make them a reality? As some experts suggest, it may all be a matter of thinking styles, of getting into the right mindset.
The Healing Power of Food
“Let food be your medicine” is a well-known quotation by Hippocrates, a physician and philosopher who lived in ancient Greece and is commonly considered the forefather of modern medical practice. But while the evidence supporting the benefits of wholesome nutrition is overwhelming, there is still not enough research being done to back it up as a primary mode in fighting disease and preventing illness. In other words, an entire segment of potential treatment options is being ignored. Thankfully, there are signs that things are finally changing.
What Gives “Health Food” a Bad Name?
The perception that healthier foods like fruits and vegetables are less palatable than, let’s say, comfort food, is widespread. Research has long shown how fat, salt and sugar trigger pleasure responses in the human brain and add to the enjoyment of eating. Eliminating or reducing these ingredients obviously will send out signals that something is amiss.
Malnutrition Affects Not Only the Poor
When we hear of malnutrition or undernutrition, famine and food insecurities – most prevalent in the developing world and perhaps among the poorest in more advanced societies – come to mind. Less attention is paid to the fact that lack of important nutrients in fast food and snacks, especially if they are the main or sole dietary source, can lead to symptoms similar to actual hunger. The consequences are just as devastating, even when they are not as obvious at first sight.