Improving Health

For many, the word “inflammation” conjures an image of a swollen body part or injury, but there is inflammation that occurs within the body that you cannot see. Many common diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and even certain cancers, are precipitated by or accompanied by chronic low-grade inflammation.

National blood donation awareness month is coming!

Since 1970, January has been recognized as National Blood Donation Awareness Month. The combination of recovering from the holiday rush, unpleasant weather, and seasonal illnesses has a strong negative impact on donations and blood drives. In this article, you will learn why blood donation is necessary, how to donate, and how to maintain adequate iron stores when donating.

“For breath is life, so if you breathe well, you will live long on earth.” - Sanskrit Proverb

You take 25,000 breaths every day. While these breaths don’t require conscious effort or thought, the way you breathe impacts everything from your psychological well-being to your physical health.

Next month is family health history month – a perfect time to discuss health history with your relatives! While discussing health and disease may not be a typical dinnertime conversation for you, arming each other with the power of knowledge can have huge impacts on your whole family’s health. Your family health history includes any chronic disease or condition suffered by blood relatives such as parents, siblings, grandparents, and your parents’ siblings. Specific conditions to note can include diabetes, cancer, heart disease, psychological disorders, kidney disease, and gastrointestinal disorders.

To Eat or Not to Eat … Organic!
Have you ever stood in the produce section at the grocery store, wondering if those organic blueberries are really worth the extra $2? If so, you’re not alone. Many consumers have questions about organic foods. Others just have general concerns about the presence of pesticides in our food, or the health impact of genetically modified foods (GMO’s).

Men’s Health month is a great opportunity to remind all men that good health lies in the hands of man. According to the CDC, on average, men die five years younger than women and are often more likely to be afflicted with chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and depression. Statistically, men are less likely than women to seek medical care. Men also have unique health concerns related to prostate and testicular health. Here are a few simple things that men can do to improve health and well-being.

It’s probably safe to say that everyone is done with 2020. What a year it has been! Most people are welcoming 2021 with open arms and hoping for a better year ahead. For many, the new year comes with a newfound resolve to get healthy. This desire to reset habits may be more applicable than ever as we say goodbye to an unprecedented year of stress and uncertainty. Stress may have contributed to unhealthy coping strategies, like overeating, too much alcohol or smoking.

Prediabetes, a condition characterized by elevated blood sugar, is a precursor to diabetes. It affects 1 in 3 Americans, and more than 84% of those affected are unaware that they have the condition. (1) If gone undetected, prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes and lead to many health complications in the body, affecting the heart, kidneys and blood vessels.

More than half of all cancers are preventable (1). What you eat matters and can impact your risk. Certain foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and nuts can do a lot more for you than just deliver your basic nutrients. These foods are “functional foods,” meaning, they deliver health benefits that go beyond basic nutrition. Research suggests that these foods may help protect us against diseases like cancer. So make a point to include these stellar seven foods which can help you fight cancer with your fork!

The immune system is our body’s defense against germs, viruses, and other diseases. In many ways it functions much like our military. When a threat is identified, the troops are sent out to fight. It’s a complicated system with many parts that require several resources to keep it strong. Nutrition plays an important role in keeping the immune system strong and ready to fight. Here are five foods and a select list of healthy habits that have been shown to play an important part in our immune system.