As the days grow shorter, many animals, such as bats, bears and bees, begin getting ready to hibernate. It’s a process that allows animals to spend the winter months conserving energy by reducing metabolism, oxygen consumption and body temperature. So why don’t humans do it, too? Well, a new study suggests that some humans—specifically those … Continue reading Shhh … I’m Hibernating!
Endocrine System
Your Immune System Makes You Mentally Tough
When we have an extremely stressful experience, such as losing a loved one or being constantly bullied by a classmate, our body can react in different ways. Sometimes we overcome the psychological stress and come out stronger than before. Other times, we fall victim to the stress. These experiences build mental “toughness,” also called psychological … Continue reading Your Immune System Makes You Mentally Tough
The Anti-Aging Cure May Be in Your Medicine Cabinet
Rapamycin, a drug used to prevent organ transplant rejection, may also turn back time—in dogs at least. A study is underway to see if rapamycin can delay aging in dogs, and the puppy-like energy of one canine participant, eight-year-old Bela, gives some hope that the drug might work. Rapamycin is one of several drugs prescribed … Continue reading The Anti-Aging Cure May Be in Your Medicine Cabinet
Yoga Can Help You Mind Your Weight
Reduced calorie diet and physical activity are common ways to help with weight management, but many might not be aware that yoga can also help. Researchers at the Wellness Institute of the Cleveland Clinic came to this conclusion after extensively reviewing the studies on the health impacts of yoga. According to the Centers for Disease … Continue reading Yoga Can Help You Mind Your Weight
Does Weight Have to Yo-Yo? Secrets for Keeping Weight Off
It’s the million-dollar (possibly billion-dollar) weight loss question: How do you keep lost weight off? This question is receiving renewed attention after a recent study reported that most of the contestants on Season 8 of television’s “The Biggest Loser” regained the large amounts of weight they’d lost on the show. Studies in rodents and humans … Continue reading Does Weight Have to Yo-Yo? Secrets for Keeping Weight Off
Dear Mom: Happy Mother’s Day … and Thanks for Sharing Your Bones
Warning! Understatement of the year to follow: Many fascinating changes take place in a mother’s body during and after pregnancy. One of the most interesting changes for many new moms, myself included, is breastfeeding. Often called “nature’s perfect baby food,” breast milk seems to contain an almost magical mix of essential elements—proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water, … Continue reading Dear Mom: Happy Mother’s Day … and Thanks for Sharing Your Bones
Capsaicin Causes Pain, No Gain
Capsaicin is a chemical people love or hate. It’s the chemical in hot peppers and spicy foods responsible for their spicy (and sometimes painful) taste, but researchers in Maryland and Pennsylvania think it may have some health benefits. William Yang, a high school student who worked on the project at the Temple University Lewis Katz … Continue reading Capsaicin Causes Pain, No Gain
Hungry, Hungry Hormones: What Keeps You from Saying No to a Second Slice of Pie?
Now is the time of year when family and friends gather together and share large meals. We eat … and keep eating … and keep eating. Our body has a number of signals that tell us to stop eating, but the mashed potatoes and stuffing tempt us to ignore them. What are those signals? The … Continue reading Hungry, Hungry Hormones: What Keeps You from Saying No to a Second Slice of Pie?
Look to the Sky for Lessons in High Blood Sugar
So much of what we hear in health news today involves how what we eat or how much we move affects the way we live. For example, if we overeat sugar or unhealthy foods and don’t get enough exercise, we can find ourselves at increased risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These can affect our … Continue reading Look to the Sky for Lessons in High Blood Sugar