What we know about gratitude and giving back

There is no question that gratitude is good for you. There is significant scientific literature showing that people who feel gratitude are less likely to be depressed and worried, and more likely to feel satisfied with their lives. [Read more…]

Can You Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease with Diet and Exercise?

An estimated 5.5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, and by 2020 that number could reach 16 million. More people die from Alzheimer’s disease than from breast and prostate cancer combined. [Read more…]

Exercise and social support: What we know

It’s well-documented that fitness centers across the nation see their busiest days in January as people embark on New Year’s resolutions to exercise more, and those number slowly drop in February and the months to follow. [Read more…]

Are the benefits of grit exaggerated?

relay-race-655353_960_720Over the past decade, researchers have focused on the idea that determination and consistency can lead to success – even more so than traditional factors such as talent or I.Q. [Read more…]

What we know — and what we don’t — about standing desks

031030-F-2828D-166 Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld works at the stand-up desk in his office as he goes over his opening remarks prior to a Pentagon press briefing on Oct. 30, 2003. Rumsfeld will give reporters an update on the progress of Operation Iraqi Freedom and take questions during the televised briefing. DoD photo Tech. Sgt. Andy Dunaway, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

If you pay any attention to news stories about health and wellness, you’ve likely read or heard that sitting for long periods of time can harm your health.

There is evidence to suggest that sitting for hours at a time leads to a host of health problems including heart disease, diabetes, bone and joint problems, poor posture, weak muscles and even some types of cancer. [Read more…]

Does fasting work for weight loss and health?

obesity-300x225Every few years, a new diet becomes popular for its promise to help people lose weight and improve their health. Sometimes, these diets are based on sound evidence, and other times they are not. Often when new diets first become popular, there is not enough data to know whether they really work. [Read more…]

The evidence on avoiding holiday weight gain

christmas_holiday_dinnerIt’s the holiday season!  With that comes the cocktail hours, cookie-baking, end-of-year celebrations and countless other festivities that include delicious food.  Unfortunately, along with that delicious food and festivities, come many extra calories. [Read more…]

The evidence on giving thanks

As most of us  spend the upcoming week cooking turkeys, gathering with family and friends, and preparing for the holiday season, I found myself returning to a blog post that Karl wrote several years ago about the evidence surrounding gratitude. As my life feels increasingly busy, I find it helpful to remember that giving thanks is not simply a nice sentiment – it’s actually good for you! [Read more…]

A tough pill to swallow? The evidence on taking medicine

Antidepressant pillsThere are all sorts of medicines on the market today that help us to feel our best, prevent illness and treat disease. The vast majority of them come in pill form. But some people struggle — for a variety of reasons —to swallow pills. [Read more…]

What we know about kids and car seats

car seatCar seat technology has certainly come a long way in the past three decades. I have clear memories sitting in the front seat of my mom’s car (and playing with the radio buttons!) at age five — a practice that is now against the law in most states. [Read more…]

The body of evidence on reducing your risk of dementia

lonelyAs the world population ages, dementia is expected to affect more people than ever before — more than 65 million people worldwide by 2030. One of the first symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is cognitive decline: forgetting words and names, losing items and struggling with planning and organizing. [Read more…]

Therapy for insomnia?

insomniaChances are you know someone who has difficulty sleeping, or you experience insomnia yourself. About 30 percent of adults in the U.S. experience symptoms of insomnia and 10 percent experience sleeplessness that impacts their daily activities. [Read more…]

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