health
Obesity poll: Americans reject policies that force healthier food choices
Americans blame too much screen time and cheap fast food for fueling the nation’s fat epidemic, a poll finds, but they’re split on how much the government should do to help. Most draw the line at policies that would try to force healthier eating by limiting food choices, according to the poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Too embarrassed to go to the gym? Chain offers judgment-free environment
Downsize Fitness in Chicago is an exclusive health club, evocative of the nation’s trendiest gyms. But there’s a strict requirement to join: You must be 50 pounds or more overweight. The chain wants its members to feel comfortable while exercising, so there are no mirrors inside and the windows are fogged. Even the equipment is designed for heavier people.
3 tips for losing weight in 2013
Millions of Americans resolve to lose weight and eat healthfully at the beginning of each year, but resolutions are notoriously broken. Registered dietitians weigh in on why resolutions fail and how to best set yourself up for success in 2013.
Tips to help quit smoking
It’s a new year, good time to clear the air; do so by quitting the smoking habit. To help, suggestions include developing a plan, consulting a doctor, seeking support and even using a Nicotrol inhaler.
Three good tips for a healthy 2013
Among some of the suggestions for a healthier year in 2013 are pursuing a specific diet, exercising with a buddy, and planning ahead.
Eat right, exercise to increase energy
Those looking to increase their energy level this year should consider some familiar advice: eat right and exercise. That means snacking smart with such items as peanuts, sunflower seeds and dried fruits.
Lower cholesterol to avoid atherosclerosis
Adults need to consider lowering their cholesterol to avoid developing atherosclerosis, a progressive disease where plaque builds up in the arteries slowly over time.
Focus on healthy lifestyle in 2013
Those looking to commit to New Year’s resolutions should focus on a few key areas to commit to a healthier lifestyle for 2013.
Tips for staying with workouts
Among some good ideas to stay fit this year are establishing goals, find good apps and freshen your workout wardrobe.
Swimming offers multiple types of exercise
Learning to swim is not only a safety precaution, it also gives access to a popular exercise that improves cardiovascular as well as stamina and flexibility.
PHOTOS: 10 tips for a healthier 2013
Have you made your New Year’s resolution to live a more healthful lifestyle? We asked experts at the Will County Health Department to give us their top 10 tips that lead to a healthier lifestyle. Click on our photo gallery to flip through a visual tour of their top health tips for 2013.
Battling obesity an emerging priority for black women
African-American women have the highest obesity rate of any group of Americans. Four out of five black women have a body mass index above 25 percent, the threshold for being overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Changing perceptions about body shape, making positive food choices, and validating and overcoming exercise obstacles are some of the ways African-American women are combating the obesity epidemic.
New tests could aid food poisoning diagnoses, hamper outbreak detection
It’s about to get faster and easier to diagnose food poisoning, but that progress for individual patients comes with a downside: It could hurt the nation’s ability to spot and solve dangerous outbreaks.
Top 5 pathogens contributing to foodborne illnesses
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following five pathogens contributed to the most domestically acquired foodborne illnesses in 2011.
Are dangers lurking in your holiday buffet?
Food poisoning is arguably one of the worst things you can give friends and family this holiday season. An estimated 250,000 cases of foodborne illness occur each year in the state. The Illinois Department of Public Health offers the following safety tips for cooks preparing food for holiday parties.
7 tips for avoiding holiday headaches
Holidays are a time for family, friends, and happy memories. But those joyful moments can be associated with stress - from marathon shopping, preparing for celebrations, and traveling. Stress and other stimuli may trigger or increase your headaches. The National Headache Foundation recommends the following to avoid those holiday headaches.
Documentary analyzes ‘Twilight’ saga’s effect on female pysche
About 10 years ago, Stephenie Meyer had a dream that inspired her to write one of the most esteemed series ever created. As the “Twilight” craze has continued to grow during the last decade, one psychologist has made it her mission to explain Meyer’s ability to tap into a collective unconscious of the female psyche.
Too much or too little activity bad for knees, new study finds
Both very high and very low levels of physical activity can accelerate the degeneration of knee cartilage in middle-aged adults, according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. According to the results of the study, participating frequently in high-impact activities, such as running, appears associated with more degenerated cartilage and potentially a higher risk for development of osteoarthritis.
Alcohol aids survival of traumatic injuries, UIC study shows
Injured patients were less likely to die in the hospital if they had alcohol in their blood, according to a study from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health — and the more alcohol, the more likely they were to survive. Read on to learn more.
Healthy for the holidays
In the mist of the holiday mayhem, don’t forget to take care of yourself. Ensure that the only weight you put on this holiday season will be on your shoulders from hosting a holiday meal. Drink lots of water Jason Miller, operator at Fitness 19 …
New American holiday tradition: exercise before you feast
Many Americans find holiday breaks an ideal time to pursue fitness-oriented activities, from holiday-themed races to just exercising together.
Upcoming Chicagoland Turkey Trots
More and more Americans are using the holidays as a time to pursue fitness endeavors. Locally, here are some of the Turkey Trots that are scheduled to take place in the Chicagoland area over the Thanksgiving Day weekend.
Architecture's 'active design' can combat office-induced obesity
"Active design" -- the architectural principle of creating spaces that encourage healthy lifestyles -- is gaining popularity as more cities and companies join the fight and embrace healthy initiatives and "green" measures.
Parental stress linked to children’s obesity
Parents with a higher number of stressors in their lives are more likely to have obese children, according to a new study by pediatric researchers. Furthermore, when parents perceive themselves to be stressed, their children eat fast food more often, compared to children whose parents …
Pros and cons of electric cigarettes
Smoking is bad for you, and many smokers know it. However, that knowledge is not enough to keep millions of people across the globe from lighting up. Though smoking was once a habit primarily associated with men, the reinvention of advertising geared toward female consumers …
Scientists race to halt a deadly meningitis outbreak
Scattered across the carefully landscaped main campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are the staff on the front lines fighting a rare outbreak of fungal meningitis: A scientist in a white lab coat peers through a microscope at fungi on a glass …