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Common IUD questions answered

Michele Borboa, MS — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 01:29:00 -0800

You've heard of the IUD, but is it the right birth control for you? Unlike the pill, which you take daily, or barrier contraceptives, which you use at the time of intercourse, the IUD is inserted in your uterus and stays put for years -- or until you want it removed. Sounds convenient to us.

3 Healthy chocolate dessert recipes

Michele Borboa, MS — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:27:00 -0800

It's true: A bite of dark chocolate a day is good for your heart. But who can -- or wants to -- stop at a bite? To give you delectable nibble after nibble of the rich, delicious treat, here are three healthy chocolate dessert recipes that are big on chocolaty flavor but easy on your waistline.

Acid and alkaline foods and your health

Michele Borboa, MS — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:30:00 -0800

You're already watching your saturated fat, sodium, refined carbs and sugar intake to improve your diet, but are you also watching the pH balance of your foods? What? As if limiting unhealthy fare from your diet isn't enough, now you have to worry about whether your foods are acidic or alkaline? Before you run screaming into the night out of diet information frustration, here's what you need to know about acid and alkaline foods.

10 Great reasons to get more sleep

Michele Borboa, MS — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 07:58:00 -0800

Skipping a night or two of quality sleep won’t likely cause you any long-term harm, but if you suffer chronic sleep deprivation, you are setting yourself up for myriad health problems. Sleep medicine specialist Dr. Michael Nolledo, FAASM, director at the Institute for Sleep Medicine at Deborah Heart & Lung Center in Browns Mills, New Jersey, www.deborah.org shares the top 10 health reasons we should all get more shut-eye.

Why do women gain weight in the winter?

Michele Borboa, MS — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:12:00 -0800

Do you dread the cold weather because it means packing on the winter fat until the spring thaw? We talked with Dr. Lisa Davis, vice president of scientific and clinical affairs at Medifast, to find out why we gain weight in the winter and what we can do to counter it.

5 Fabulous phyllo appetizer recipes

Michele Borboa, MS — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:00:00 -0800

If you're intimidated by those paper thin sheets of phyllo dough, we've got five appetizer recipes that will give you finger food confidence for your next cocktail party or multicourse dinner party. Using phyllo dough is easy and here are five appetizer recipes to prove it.

Anti-inflammatory diet: Foods to reduce inflammation and restore health

Michele Borboa, MS — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:58:00 -0800

Do you know the foods you eat every day can cause chronic inflammation in the body and put you at risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and arthritis? Diet book author and registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer gives us the dish on the foods that cause inflammation and how to follow an anti-inflammatory diet.

Delish 400-calorie dinner recipes

Michele Borboa, MS — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:30:00 -0800

If you’re counting calories as part of your weight loss program, put these healthy 400-calorie dinner recipes on your meal plan. They are packed with lean protein, high-fiber grains and vegetables and a delicious variety of everyday ingredients that come together quickly so you can get a wholesome homemade dinner to the table in a fast and easy fashion.

Thinner thighs: 6 Moves to leaner legs

Michele Borboa, MS — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:30:00 -0800

Oh, those elusive thin thighs! What we all wouldn't do to have them! Cindy Sites, founder of The Figure Method and owner of Go Figure Fitness Studios, says it’s time to put away the Spanx and put her six best thigh-thinning moves into practice. Yes, you can have enviable ballerina legs – no equipment required. Here’s how.

20 Fast fitness tips from the experts

Michele Borboa, MS — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:33:00 -0800

Wouldn’t you love to have a personal trainer tell you exactly what you need to do to slim down and stay fit for the new year? We caught up with Promax Nutrition’s team of elite health and fitness professionals to get the skinny on getting in shape. Here are 20 top tips from Billy Blanks, Jr., Kathryn Budig, Holly Perkins, Billy Miller and more. Even better, Promax is inviting fans to like them on Facebook for a chance to win a Trainer for a Year.

How to prevent heart disease and diabetes

Michele Borboa, MS — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:31:00 -0800

In breaking news this week, Paula Deen, the queen of southern cooking, confirmed her recent diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a disease that is frequently a testament to the chronic health problems associated with a high-fat, high-calorie diet. The host of the popular Food Network show Paula’s Home Cooking also confirmed her deal to endorse a diabetes medication frompharmaceutical company Novartis. Deen’s curative approach using medication is typical of many Americans, but do you really need to wait until you’re plagued with health problems to finally change your lifestyle? Absolutely not. We turned to with Danine Fruge, associate medical director from Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa in Miami, Florida, to get the dish on the power of prevention when it comes to chronic illnesses. Fruge shares her thoughts on Deen and 10 ways to reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

10 Power foods you should have in your kitchen

Michele Borboa, MS — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:00 -0800

If you can significantly improve your health, lose weight, think clearer and have more energy by simply eating a tasty variety of nutrient-dense foods, why would you even think twice about doing it? If it's because you aren't sure what foods are the most super-charged with health-promoting nutrition, put the following 10 super foods on your shopping list. Though these are just a few of the super foods you should have in your kitchen, they have you covered from breakfast to dessert.

The truth about drinking and your health

Michele Borboa, MS — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:14:00 -0800

We've heard it for years: A drink a day is good for your health. But some experts don't recommend tipping a glass back for health's sake. We talked with Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD , contributing editor at Shape magazine and author of the New York Times best-selling book Cinch! Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches, on whether or not women should be drinking to reduce their risk of disease.

Ask a trainer: The final word on post-exercise meals

Michele Borboa, MS — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:00:00 -0800

After those grueling boot camp workouts or 10-mile runs, your muscles are depleted and in need of nutrition. But how soon after your sweat should you be refueling and do you need to eat after short, easy bouts of exercise? We reached out to Illinois-based fitness expert Angie Miller, founder of AngieMillerFitness.com, to give us the final word on the best time to eat after exercise and the benefits of a post-workout meal.

Ask a trainer: The bottom line on the best time of day to exercise

Michele Borboa, MS — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:40:00 -0800

Are you one of those cranky morning exercisers that reluctantly drags yourself to the gym or do you bound out of bed ready to charge the health club doors at 5 a.m.? We’ve heard morning workouts are best because it jump starts your metabolism and gets your workout behind you before the day gets in the way, but is morning exercise really best? To find out, we called on Illinois-based fitness expert Angie Miller, founder of AngieMillerFitness.com, to give us the muscle on the best time of day to get fit.

3 Protein-rich salad recipes for lunch

Michele Borboa, MS — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:10:00 -0800

If your idea of a healthy salad is a handful of greens tossed with a nonfat dressing, no wonder you skip lunch or opt for less-than-diet-friendly fare. Boring salads that have no substance will never win your thumbs up when it comes to healthy eating nor will they ever become anticipated and satisfying midday meals. We couldn’t agree more! So we’ve come up with three amazing protein-rich salad recipes that will make lunch your favorite meal of the day.

3 Tasty high-fiber breakfast recipes

Michele Borboa, MS — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:28:00 -0800

The best way to start your day is with a healthy breakfast recipe that powers your mind and body through the morning, promotes your long-term health and is so lip-smacking delicious, you actually look forward to waking up for a meal. These high-fiber breakfast recipes, featuring whole grains, fruit, nuts and even beans, are quick to the table, family-friendly and give you three tasty ways to help meet your daily fiber needs.

Victory over verbal abuse

Michele Borboa, MS — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:18:00 -0800

Did you know that nine out of 10 teens witness bullying on social networks and 50 percent have been the target of such attacks? The anonymity and speed of the Internet makes it possible for bullies to strike without parents even being aware that their child is being harrassed. We talked with Patricia Evans, author of Victory Over Verbal Abuse: A Healing Guide to Renewing Your Spirit and Reclaiming Your Life about the damage verbal abuse can inflict, ways that parents can help children who are victims of the abuse and the best steps to take to put a stop to bullying.

Traditional Mexican Christmas recipes

Michele Borboa, MS — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:14:00 -0800

Whether you’re celebrating a Mexican-inspired Christmas or want to start a new Christmas food tradition, here are some of our favorite Mexican Christmas recipes

Christmas menudo recipe

Michele Borboa, MS — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:12:00 -0800

Before you think this is an article about Ricky Martin’s former boy band, get your mind in food mode and think about sitting your family down to a dish of menudo, a traditional Mexican meal for the holidays. Here’s how to make menudo, a popular Christmastime soup recipe.