Defeating the Fat Gene
Carriers of the FTO gene have an increased likelihood for being overweight or obese. A new study found that even small amounts of physical activity can counteract that genetic predisposition.

Can Alcohol Increase Stress?
Many people turn to alcohol for stress relief, but recent research provides evidence that alcohol consumption actually prolongs stress and causes additional harm to the liver.

Nutrient Deficiency in America
Are you getting enough nutrients in your diet? If you’re like most Americans, the answer may be “no.” Here are the results of a recent study that shows where our diets may be lacking.

Fitness Trends for 2012
Many of the fitness trends in 2012 will focus on total body wellness. This approach will provide better, longer lasting results because it will change the way you think about your health.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Is Juice Safe?
Our wellness coach answers a reader's question about a food safety issue: "I’ve heard there's some controversy about the safety of drinking juice. Is it safe to drink juice?"

Culinary Corner: Foods That Relieve Stress
Three nutrients that help relieve levels of stress are protein, vitamin B complexes and folate. All three can be found in many different healthy foods, including those in these two recipes.

Diabetes Rising
Interesting new research not only sheds light on a way to prevent diabetes, but also a way to potentially cure it. Studies like these can hopefully turn the tide on a disease that affects more and more people every day.

The Rewards of Giving
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” History attributes the quote to Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., father of our 35th President. Rephrased, it defines a core truth: “When a situation becomes difficult, strong people take action.”

Exercise to Quit Smoking
Researchers have found that even moderate exercise can reduce your craving for nicotine and your withdrawal symptoms. It also can decrease your appetite and help you to keep from putting on weight.

Yoga Breathing Reduces Stress
In small doses, stress can keep you on your toes, sharpen your mind and keep things interesting. But too much stress can have significant effects on your physical and emotional health. Yoga breathing can be a great remedy.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Target Heart Rate for Seniors
Our wellness coach explains how to calculate a target heart rate range and monitor it for a reader in Wisconsin who is 65 plus and wants to safely engage in cardiovascular exercise. Learn about the simple technique.

Culinary Corner: Lighter Fondue
While planning a holiday gathering, you may be challenged to strike the perfect balance between serving delicious, enticing food and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Cheese fondue can fill the bill with a few minor adjustments to the ingredients.

Immunity Boosting Nutrition
While there are no guarantees that you won’t catch a cold or flu bug this winter, you can lower the odds and lessen the severity and length of a virus by eating a healthy diet. Here are seven tips to keep in mind.

Consequences of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep is often something we take for granted until something happens that prevents us from getting enough rest. If you're not waking up refreshed and ready to tackle the day, ask yourself these questions.

Plan for a Healthy Holiday
During the holiday season, do you often feel so stressed out that you can’t focus on the things that are really important to you? To keep that from happening this year, take note first of the source of the problem.

Exercising Depression Away
It’s important for us to understand the causes and signs of depression, some ways to manage it on our own and when to seek professional help. Find out how exercise can play an important role in recovery.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Food Borne Illness
Our wellness coach answers a question from a reader who is concerned about food borne illnesses: "I’ve been hearing a lot about food borne illness in the news lately. What are the most common causes?"

Culinary Corner: Chicken Soup
If you feel a cold coming on or if you’ve already come down with one, a big pot of chicken soup may be in order. Here are a couple of variations to warm you up and put you on the road to recovery.

Breast Cancer Facts
Leading a healthy lifestyle can reduce your breast cancer risk and early detection is key to successful treatment. Your doctor will recommend the best method and frequency of your screenings based on your age and risk factors.

Healthy Meal Planning
Does your diet need a makeover? A quick audit of your pantry and refrigerator will give you some clues along with an honest evaluation of your eating habits. Now, clear off some shelves and get ready to do some planning.

Plan a Fall Retreat
Instead of lamenting the fact that the summer vacation season is behind us, let's redefine what we've come to view as the typical vacation. Here are three rules that we all should break immediately.

Sports Physicals for Kids
If your child plans to participate in competitive sports, a so-called “sports physical” or what is more properly termed a preparticipation physical examination (PPE) may be required. Here's what you need to know.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Youth Sports Training
Our Wellness Coach answers a question for a reader who is interested in learning the basics of coaching youth sports: "I’m coaching my son’s youth soccer team for the first time this fall. Any tips?"

Culinary Corner: Make-Ahead Meals
Make-ahead meals are a great way to save time and money while providing your family with a nutritious dinner, even in the midst of the most hectic schedule. Spend a few hours cooking over the weekend and you can be prepared for the entire week.

Web Workouts
You can pick up some great ideas for exercise routines through online videos. But before you begin, you need a basic understanding of what goes into a well-rounded workout. Here are the things you need to know.

Healthy Sleep Habits for Kids
Are your kids having a tough time falling asleep at night, or are they having trouble staying asleep because of nightmares? If so, their TV and video game habits may be to blame. A little attention to when and what they watch can help.

Red Meat Linked to Diabetes
Add red meat to the list of foods now believed to increase your chances of getting type 2 diabetes. It usually develops because the body fails to use insulin properly. Type 2 diabetes often occurs in people who are overweight, including children.

Maintaining Your Brain
Much of what we do to keep our bodies healthy will also contribute to overall brain health. But there are some things you can do that specifically benefit the brain itself including engaging your brain in mental exercises to keep your mind sharp.

Ask the Wellness Coach: HIIT Training
Our Wellness Coach answers a question for a reader about HIIT Training: "I’ve heard about high-intensity interval training, but I’m not exactly sure what it is. Is it a safe and effective exercise program?"

Culinary Corner: Healthy School Lunches
The healthiest lunches are prepared at home. They need not be expensive, overly time consuming or boring. By following some of these suggestions, parents and kids can come up with lunches that make everyone happy.

Healthy Home Staycations
Money is tight for many families, but that should not stop you and your family from taking some time to relax. This is where staycations enter the picture. Here are some suggestions for enjoying some downtime at home.

Produce Co-ops 101
If you are interested in saving money on fruits and vegetables without sacrificing quality, you may want to consider joining or starting a neighborhood produce co-op or a Consumer Supported Agriculture program.

Grow Your Own Organic Produce
Beginning an organic garden may seem like a daunting task, but given the rising cost of fresh produce, it is something you should consider. It's not nearly as difficult as you might think and can be extremely rewarding.

Benefits of Group Exercise
Exercising with a group under the guidance of a personal trainer is one of the hottest trends in fitness these days and for good reason. It increases your chances of success in some very powerful ways.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Proper Hydration
Our Wellness Coach answers a question for a reader who is concerned about staying properly hydrated during summer workouts: "When I’m exercising outside in the heat and humidity, how much water should I drink?”

Culinary Corner: Healthy Freezer Pops
Finding foods that can help you beat the heat can sometimes put your healthy lifestyle in jeopardy because many cool confections are loaded with saturated fat and sugar. So what can you do? Make your own freezer pops of course.

Eat Right for Bone Health
Nutrition and health experts have been warning for many years that most children are not getting enough calcium, putting them at risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures. Help your kids develop positive eating choices with these tips.

Hope for Headache Sufferers
If you get headaches, you know how important it is to find treatments that work. If the headache pain is chronic, finding relief can be a lot more challenging. Pinpointing the causes can be difficult, but your dentist may be able to help.

Kidney Stones
If you have a strong family history of kidney stones, you may be at higher risk of developing them. Consulting with your primary care physician about specific lifestyle changes can help prevent them.

Prescription Drug Safety
Drug overdoses are responsible for more than 20,000 deaths in the United States each year. More often than not, prescription drugs are involved. Following some basic prescription drug safety tips could save your life or the life of a loved one.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Safe Home Exercise
Our Wellness Coach answers a question about safe home exercise: "My doctor says I need to get some exercise to help me get around better but I don't know what's safe for me. I can't leave my house much nor can I afford any equipment."

Culinary Corner: Grilling for Health
Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a liquid prior to cooking to create a tender and tasty product. Marinades impart unique flavor and texture characteristics that go beyond what can be done with simple spice rubs.

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Eat Right for Bone Health
Nutrition and health experts have been warning for many years that most children are not getting enough calcium, putting them at risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures. Help your kids develop positive eating choices with these tips.

Hope for Headache Sufferers
If you get headaches, you know how important it is to find treatments that work. If the headache pain is chronic, finding relief can be a lot more challenging. Pinpointing the causes can be difficult, but your dentist may be able to help.

Kidney Stones
If you have a strong family history of kidney stones, you may be at higher risk of developing them. Consulting with your primary care physician about specific lifestyle changes can help prevent them.

Prescription Drug Safety
Drug overdoses are responsible for more than 20,000 deaths in the United States each year. More often than not, prescription drugs are involved. Following some basic prescription drug safety tips could save your life or the life of a loved one.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Safe Home Exercise
Our Wellness Coach answers a question about safe home exercise: "My doctor says I need to get some exercise to help me get around better but I don't know what's safe for me. I can't leave my house much nor can I afford any equipment."

Culinary Corner: Grilling for Health
Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a liquid prior to cooking to create a tender and tasty product. Marinades impart unique flavor and texture characteristics that go beyond what can be done with simple spice rubs.

How to Lose the Last 10 Pounds
Even the most determined people often find that the last ten pounds are the hardest to shed. Rather than give up or change your goal, consider making a few minor changes to your lifestyle habits that can push you past the finish line.

Sports Injury Rehab
Sustaining an injury is not something to take lightly. Getting a proper diagnosis and completing the prescribed rehabilitation can get you back on the road faster and it may save you from further injuries in the future.

Colon Cancer Prevention
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. It usually has no symptoms, but your chance of developing it is reduced if you follow these healthy lifestyle tips.

Beat the Heat at Work
Those people whose jobs require working outdoors for extended periods do not have the option to turn on the air conditioner or take a dip in a pool. So, what can they do to stay cool enough to prevent heat illnesses?

Ask the Wellness Coach: How to Start an Exercise Regimen
Our Wellness Coach answers a question for a reader who wants to know how to get in shape again: "I am 53 years old and I haven't exercised in years. How should I start an exercise regimen? I tire very quickly now."

Culinary Corner: Fuel Your Workout
If you feel your energy lagging toward the end of your workout or you find yourself unable to finish at all, it may be a function of what and when you ate last. In order to get the most out of any exercise routine, proper nutrition is critical.

Adult Children of Alcoholics
People who grew up in a household with an alcoholic parent often have trouble developing healthy relationships as adults. They need to know there is hope and that, with the right help, the difficulties can be overcome.

The Skinny on Generic Drugs
Finding ways to make healthcare more affordable is essential, especially given the current state of our economy, and generic drugs can be a big part of the solution. But are they as safe and effective as brand-name drugs?

Maintaining Your Personal Health Data
What are you doing to make sure you and your family are getting the best medical care? In addition to establishing a relationship with a primary care physician, it’s also important to manage your family’s health data.

Earth Day Every Day
Each year, Earth Day celebrations promote the three Rs (Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle) and how to diminish your carbon footprint. But there are other ways to put the planet first by making informed, green choices in your daily life.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Taming a Chocolate Craving
Our Wellness Coach answers a reader's question about cravings: "How do I tame my chocolate urges/cravings? It is such a good flavor and I have difficulty just having one dark chocolate candy."

Culinary Corner: Healthy Mocktails
Many mocktails are brimming with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients because they often incorporate fresh fruit. Here are a few sample recipes to get you started, but be creative and come up with a few of your own.

Begin with Breakfast
Starting each day with a healthy breakfast will help you meet any challenges well-fueled and focused. Skipping breakfast is one of the worst dietary mistakes you can make. Here are some tips for starting the day right.

How to Find a Primary Care Physician
Establishing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a rocky path. Exercise, nutrition and screening guidelines can change, making it difficult to keep current on best practices. Your health is too important not to use all resources at your disposal.

Get the Most from Your Doctor's Visit
When you make an appointment with a doctor, you should take some time to prepare ahead of time and plan to be an active participant during your visit. Here are some of the steps you should take to ensure that you get the best quality care.

Farmers' Market Shopping Know-how
One of the surest signs spring has sprung is the opening of local farmers’ markets. These gatherings are great opportunities to meet local farmers and craftsmen, ask questions about what is for sale, how it was grown and buy local produce and products.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Lifestyle Change
Our Wellness Coach answers a question about making a lifestyle change: "I used to exercise all the time. I was in great shape. Then I started going to bars and drinking beer. Do you have any ideas to get me back on track?"

Culinary Corner: Cooking with Spring Produce
As spring produce starts to appear in grocery stores and at local farmers’ markets, you know warmer weather is on the way. Here are some tips to keep in mind while shopping for in-season fruits and vegetables.

Hold the Salt
Consuming too much salt can lead to serious health consequences for many people. It can cause them to develop high blood pressure, which can increase their risk for heart disease, kidney disease and stroke.

Travel-related DVT
Occasionally, you’ll hear of healthy people who have died unexpectedly from a pulmonary embolism after traveling long distances on airplanes. This is caused by a condition known as deep vein thrombosis.

Anti-aging Tips
Like it or not, there is no fountain of youth. Research has shown, however, that some of the choices we make throughout our lives can help us look and feel younger longer and improve our quality of life.

Benefits of Good Posture
Want to look and feel better, increase your energy level and decrease your risk for injuries to your muscles and joints? All you need to do is make a habit of sitting up and standing up straight.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Exercise and Diet for a Healthy Heart
Our Wellness Coaches answer a question for a reader about maintaining a healthy heart: "How do I get started on a good exercise program for heart and breathing problems? I’d also like to start eating the right foods."

Culinary Corner: Heart-healthy Comfort Food
Following a heart-healthy diet does not mean you have to stop enjoying your favorite comfort foods. With a few simple changes to the ingredients, most of these tasty dishes can still have a place at your table.

Eating Healthier in 2011
If the beginning of the new year has inspired you to lead a healthier life, modifying the way you eat is a great place to start. Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as you might think if you keep a few simple guidelines in mind.

Establishing Fitness Goals
If you’ve started the New Year with a new resolution for getting in shape, you’ve taken a big step in the right direction. But what have you done to make sure you’ll maintain your momentum so you can reach that goal?

Exergaming Safety
Finding an activity that keeps the family’s attention and gets them moving just got easier. The popular new motion-sensing video games give families an entertainment option that is fun and provides a workout.

Preventive Care Goals
Living a healthy lifestyle requires action on a lot of fronts. You need to pay attention to how you fuel, move and rest your body. But no plan for healthy living would be complete without a commitment to preventive maintenance.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Transitioning to a Vegetarian Diet
The Wellness Coach answers a question for a reader who is interested in making a significant change in diet: "We are thinking of going on a vegetarian diet. What is the best way to get started?"

Culinary Corner: Pass the Veggies
The start of a new year is a great time to make some adjustments to your diet. Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet will cut calories, add nutrients and make you feel full longer. Try one of these vegetable-loaded recipes.

Can't We All Just Get Along?
Why do we get so excited about spending time with family during the holidays, then get even more excited about spending time without them after the holidays? Here are some tips for making your family time somewhat drama free this year.

Top Fitness Trends for 2011
If you’re looking for a way to improve your physical fitness and overall wellbeing, why not check out some of this year’s fitness trends. Here are the results of a recent survey of exercise professionals around the world.

Why Measure Exercise Intensity?
No matter how fit you are, before you begin to work out, you need to give some thought to your exercise intensity. Choosing your intensity should be based on your goals, your fitness level and your health status.

Bone Health
When you’re young and healthy, the last thing you may think about is whether you have healthy bones. But since your bone mass peaks long before you reach middle age, it’s a good idea to pay attention to your bone health early in life.

Benefits of Vitamin D
If you’re always feeling tired and depressed and seem to come down with every cold and flu bug that passes through your neighborhood, you may just need to increase your intake of vitamin D.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Scales Not Moving
The Wellness Coach answers a reader's question on losing weight: "I have been on a weight-loss program and am exercising religiously with/without weights BUT the scales are not moving. I am getting so discouraged. HELP!"

Culinary Corner: Eating Well for Bone Health
Calcium is important for strong bones and teeth, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It also plays many other important roles in your body. Calcium helps muscles and nerves to function properly and it helps blood to clot.

Joining a Running Group
While some enjoy running in solitude, others like to add a social component by joining a running group. In addition to providing group interactions, running groups can add many other benefits to both your running life and your life in general.

Choosing the Right Running Shoe
If you are serious about running for the long term, you should give some serious thought to your running shoes. With the right shoes, you’ll be less likely to get injured and you’ll become more efficient when you run.

Surviving Holiday Stress
The holiday season can be a major source of stress, which studies have shown can lower your resistance to infection by suppressing your immune system. The first step for managing this seasonal stress is to identify the sources.

Digestive Health
If you’ve ever suffered from digestive problems, you know how much those conditions can affect your quality of life. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to manage these problems or even prevent them.

Self Care for Diabetics
These tips for self care can help people with pre-diabetes delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and can also help those who are living with the disease enjoy a better quality of life with fewer complications.

Male Infertility
Millions of people are struggling to conceive children and, for about one-third of them, the cause is related to male infertility. Fortunately, modern medicine offers alternatives for correcting the problem, and certain lifestyle changes can help.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Quitting Smoking
The Wellness Coach answers a reader's question on the best way to quit smoking: "Do you have any data on tapering the number of cigarettes versus quitting all at once? Which has better results?"

Culinary Corner: Turkey Redux
In the days after indulging in a traditional Thanksgiving meal, leftover turkey may be the last thing you want to eat. But with a little creative cooking, you can enjoy it as much if not more than when it was the centerpiece of your holiday meal.

Plan an Apple Picking Trip
This is a wonderful time of year to pick your own apples. In fact, for many apple varieties, October is the peak of the harvest season. But if you have never been apple picking before, the endeavor can seem a little daunting.

Vegetarian Versus Animal Protein
What do you know about protein? We’re all aware that it’s a major component of a healthy diet, but how much do you need and what are the best sources? Are there any advantages to eating vegetarian sources of protein?

HRT for Women
Hormone replacement therapy is a popular option for women who are seeking relief from the symptoms of menopause. However, it’s important to note that it’s not the only alternative and HRT does have some well-documented risks.

Breast Cancer Awareness
While age and family history play a role in who gets breast cancer and early detection is key to beating the disease, studies have shown that lifestyle changes can go a long way toward preventing it.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Potassium and Blood Pressure
The Wellness Coach answers a reader's question: "Could you give me a list of foods high in potassium? I understand that foods high in potassium are good for lowering blood pressure. Is that true?

Culinary Corner: Vegetarian Main Dishes
By adding just a few vegetarian meals to your weekly menu, you will boost your family’s vegetable intake and add some variety to your diet. If you need a place to start, why not try one of these vegetarian recipes.

Schedule Time to Relax
Relaxation is an indispensible part of a healthy lifestyle, but if you’ve packed your schedule to the max, you probably don’t have any room left for the quality “me time” you desperately need. The solution is far easier than it may sound.

Starting a Running Program
Running can be a versatile, inexpensive way to lose weight and get in shape, but your success will depend on your ability to stick with the program. To do that, you need to manage your expectations and develop a realistic plan.

Early Warning Signs of Heart Disease
Despite all the advances in modern medicine today, coronary heart disease is still the number one cause of death in America. However, you can do a lot to prevent it. Some risk factors are beyond your control, such as your age, race and family history.

The Power of Positive Words
Most of us have heard about the benefits of positive thinking on our health, relationships, and anything we’d like to achieve in life. But it’s also important to take that concept a step further and apply it to the words we speak and hear.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Running vs. Walking
The Wellness Coach answers a reader's question: I would like to know the best way to work out to firm up everything without being too "muscley." As far as using a treadmill, do you feel it is better to do more running or more incline?

Culinary Corner: Healthy On-the-Run Recipes
You don’t have to resort to fast-food fare or high-calorie prepackaged snacks when you're on the run. With just a little planning and prep time, you can take along a nutritious, delicious meal.

Home Hydrotherapy
With a little research and some common sense, you can use hydrotherapy to help treat things as diverse as headaches, insomnia, muscle and joint pain, congestion, and varicose veins. And that’s really just the beginning.

Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?
Caffeine can help to jumpstart your day, give you a boost of much needed energy, and improve your mood for the short term. But too much caffeine can pose a wide range of health problems. Moderation is the word when it comes to caffeine.

Prostate Health
Dr. Sandy Peretsman, a urologist and specialist in men’s health and prostate diseases, explains what happens to a man’s prostate as he ages and discusses the treatment options for prostate disease.

What's Love Got to Do with It?
A growing body of research is coming to the conclusion that emotions have a big impact on physical well-being. Making your emotional health as much a priority as your physical health will serve well in the long run.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Bad Knees and Exercise
A reader asks: "I have really bad knees. How can I exercise without causing more damage?" Check out what Wellness Coach Kelly Geppi recommends to help this woman get back into an exercise routine.

Culinary Corner: Flavored Water
Being well hydrated will keep your mind sharper, it will help you get sick less often, and it will help you recover faster from your last workout. Looking for some ways to make drinking water more fun? Check out these simple ideas.

Fishing for Relaxation
Looking for a way to spend some quiet time outside in a low-stress environment, perhaps with a few close friends or family members? Why not try fishing? It can be a great way to relax, rejuvenate, and enjoy nature.

Biking Safety
Because of resurgence in the focus on physical fitness, many Americans are purchasing new bikes to fit their grown-up lifestyles. In addition to knowing how to choose a bike, you also need to know how to keep yourself safe.

The Word on GERD
One of the common consequences of our busy, stress-filled lives can be acid indigestion. But if it’s a recurring problem, then you may need to visit your doctor to find out if you have developed a condition known as GERD.

How Food Affects Cholesterol
Life generally serves up enough concerns to occupy our minds, so we may not give much thought to our cholesterol levels until a doctor tells us we've got a problem. But it's something we really should make an effort to understand.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Avoiding Arthritis Through Exercise
One of the WCA Wellness Coaches answers a reader's question: "My mother has had three back surgeries and one knee replacement primarily due to arthritis. I would like to avoid a similar fate. What recommendations do you have?"

Culinary Corner: Fish Recipes
Whether you have caught them yourself or picked them up at your local grocery store, fish offer some great health benefits. Here are some delicious and healthy fish recipes for you to try this summer.

Choose Your Bike
Cycling is becoming more and more popular, not only for recreation but also as a great way to get in shape. But buying a bike is no easy task given all the choices. Here are some tips from an expert.

Male Andropause
You may be familiar with the symptoms that women experience when they go through menopause; but did you know that men go through a similar phase as they age? It’s called andropause, and simple herbal remedies can relieve the symptoms.

Office Ergonomics for Injury Prevention
If you spend a lot of time at your desk working on your computer, you may be setting yourself up for some painful injuries. But it’s possible to prevent them with some attention to proper workstation ergonomics.

Common Food Myths
You hear a lot of advice about what it means to eat a healthy diet, but sometimes it’s difficult to sort fact from fiction. As a result, many people have a tough time maintaining a healthy weight because they've fallen for some food myths.

Ask the Wellness Coach: Splenda
The Wellness Coach responds to a question from Kim in Albemarle, North Carolina, who wants to know if Splenda® Sugar Blend is a good choice for diabetics to use when recipes call for sugar.

Culinary Corner: Sugar Substitutes
If you’d like to reduce the caloric content of some of your favorite sweet treats, try making them with a sugar substitute. However, be sure to read all directions carefully. Here are some recipes for you to try at home.

Recovering from Email Mania
While email has improved our ability to communicate with co-workers, friends, and family, it has also become a major source of stress for a lot of us. Here are some ways to get control of your inbox and reclaim your day.

Kids Fitness
A majority of American adults are overweight and inactive; and our children are following our bad example. Here are some ways to help children develop fitness habits that will keep them on the right track the rest of their lives.

Rethink Your Drink
Eating a healthy diet involves more than watching what you put on your plate. You also need to keep an eye on what you drink because many beverages are loaded with hidden calories. Follow these tips for selecting healthier beverages.

Ask the Wellness Coach
One of the WCA Wellness Coaches answers this question from a reader about a very common problem: "Why is it that some people cannot eat fiber foods such as oats, wheat, barley, bran due to bloating?"

What Is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease affects more than two million people in the United States. This genetic digestive disease begins with exposure to gluten, the protein in wheat, rye and barely, and can be mistaken for a gluten allergy.

Culinary Corner: Coffee Shop Alternatives
When faced with the staggering number of delicious beverages at your local coffee shop, it can be difficult to remember that some of those choices contain an exorbitant number of calories. Try these healthier alternatives at home.

Healthy Home: Green Cleaning Products
Many commercially available household cleaners contain chemicals that have been linked to numerous health problems and in general are awful for the environment. Here's how to find some healthy alternatives.

Curbing Cravings
One of the biggest obstacles to maintaining a healthy weight is food cravings. If you’re a slave to cravings, take heart--even the strongest cravings can be tamed. All you need is a little willpower, knowhow, and pre-planning.

Synchronizing Goals
When trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle, you need to make sure that you don’t set goals that conflict. It’s best to prioritize and work toward one goal at a time. Here are some guidelines for getting your goals in sync.

Healthy Listening Skills
If you’d like to do your part to develop healthy relationships, practice what is called “active listening." That means not only hearing the words that are being said but also trying to understand the total meaning of the message being sent.

Ask the Wellness Coach
One of the WCA Wellness Coaches answers this question from a reader who wants to manage stress and get in shape: "Is it a good idea to begin exercising again, after not doing it for a while, during times of great stress?"

Culinary Corner: Using Local Fare
One of the best ways to provide the freshest, most nutritious food for your family is to use locally grown produce. Not only will it give you the best flavor, it is also great for the environment because it cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions.

Stress Relief Through Time Management
If you’re frequently stressed out because life’s coming at you too fast and you have no room to breathe, you may need to work on your “time and space management.” Make these tips part of our routine.

Fundamentals of Repetitions
To reap the many benefits of strength training, it is important to perform these exercises with proper form and technique, while always keeping your focus on control. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Yogurt 101
Yogurt is a good source of protein and calcium for building strong teeth and bones. In addition, recent research shows that it can help to prevent gum disease and may assist with weight loss. Here's how to select the best brands.

Ask the Wellness Coach
One of the WCA Wellness Coaches answers a reader's question: "Please tell me some abdominal exercises that will not strain the back. I am not overweight. I am conscientious and I swim laps every other day."

Culinary Corner: Yogurt
Yogurt is an incredibly versatile food. It can be a wonderful part of a healthy breakfast or an easy snack. It's also great paired with savory foods. Here are a few recipes with yogurt that you may want to use the next time you entertain.

Mind Over Stressful Matters
You’ve probably heard that prolonged stress can be very bad for your health. On a more positive note, however, stress is also one of those things that you can manage—with willpower and a lot of practice.

Healthy Leadership
Some people are born leaders. They intuitively know what it takes to inspire others into action. But the rest of us can develop these skills with a little direction, so we can step up to the plate whenever we are called upon to lead the way.

Preventing Back Injuries
Back pain seems to be a common malady for a lot of people, and those of us who have not had the problem are likely to develop it at some point in our lives. But we can save ourselves a lot of misery if we put some effort into prevention.

Ask the Wellness Coach
Reader's question: "How can I eat healthier when I go out to restaurants for lunch?" Wellness Coach's answer: "Always start your meal off with a salad. Salads are full of fiber and make you feel full."

Culinary Corner: Gold Medal Snacks
Snacking doesn’t have to make you feel guilty. With a little research and some planning, you can easily fill the snack table at your next event with wholesome, nourishing food. These recipes will be a hit among your guests.

Getting Past a Plateau
No matter where you are on your fitness journey, you may occasionally hit a plateau—a place where you just aren’t making any progress. You won’t have to stay there long if you learn a few tricks to get you moving again.

Healthy Hobbies
Unfortunately for many of us, our action-packed lives and financial limitations curb our ability to take frequent vacations. That’s where the diversion of hobbies we thoroughly enjoy can be a lifesaver—literally!

New Laser Treatment for Gums
In the past, the treatment for gum disease was very painful and often left your teeth exposed and sensitive. But that’s not the case anymore. A procedure called LANAP is providing exceptional results.

Ask the Wellness Coach
The WCA Wellness Coach answers a reader's question: "When I quit smoking, I gained a lot of weight. I’m wondering what I should do to remove the spare tire I gained around my midsection?"

Culinary Corner: Cold Weather Soups
Nothing is better on a cold winter day than a nice warm bowl of soup, so why not try your hand at some new, healthy versions of your favorite recipes. These three soups are guaranteed to fill you up and to keep the cold at bay.

Managing Stress Through the Holidays
During the holiday season, do you often feel so overwhelmed that you can’t focus on the things that are really important to you? Here's some advice for managing holiday stress.

Maintain Don't Gain During the Holidays
The holiday season is notorious for sabotaging healthy diets. Food seems to be the focus of every gathering, and an overabundance of food at that.

Savoring the Season
What is something that will distinguish THIS holiday season from all the rest? What can you do each day to ensure that THIS season does not pass by as just more days on the calendar?

Successful Smoking Cessation
As the New Year approaches, many people are starting to think about making healthy resolutions, including quitting smoking. Deciding you want to quit is the first step to quitting.

Yoga for Men
Many men are discovering that yoga is one of the best ways to manage stress and stay in shape. Plus, it’s convenient—you can do yoga anywhere, even when you’re traveling.

Ask the Wellness Coach
The WCA Wellness Coach answers a reader's question: "I would like to know how I can become more motivated. It seems to be hard for me to burn off fat or lose weight in my midsection."

Exercise Playlist: Alternative Christmas Songs
This month, we have compiled a collection of holiday songs that will cheer up even the grouchiest of Grinches and get you back into the holiday spirit!

Culinary Corner: Healthy Holiday Appetizers
Instead of taking the same old casserole to share at your next holiday gathering, try one of these easy and quick appetizers from 3-A-Day of Dairy.

Help for ACOA
People who grew up in a household with an alcoholic parent often have trouble developing healthy relationships as adults. But with the right help, the difficulties can be overcome.

Maintain Your Brain
Much of what we do to keep our bodies healthy will also contribute to overall brain health. But there are some things you can do that specifically benefit the brain itself.

Good News About Carbs
While over consumption of any food group can lead to extra pounds, it is important to understand that carbohydrates—sugars, fibers, and starches—are not by themselves the culprit.

Ask the Wellness Coach
One of the WCA Wellness Coaches answers a question for Joe of Huntersville, NC: "Is there a list of healthy carbs that I can refer to and also a list of bad carbs?"

Teaching Gratitude
Would you like to give each of your children one present this holiday season that will have a tremendous impact on their physical and mental health?

Gifts of Gratitude
This year, we urge you to put aside your usual gift-giving tendencies and focus instead on giving your friends and loved ones “gifts of gratitude.” Here are some ideas to get you started.

Holiday Fitness
These tips will help you get the most from your workout anytime of year, especially during the holidays. If you're starting a new fitness routine, be sure to watch the video too.

Exercise Playlist: Thanksgiving Tunes
If you need motivation to burn off the extra pounds you put on over Thanksgiving, this play list should do the trick. Who knew there were so many fun songs about turkey, football, and family?

Culinary Corner: Turkey Leftovers
If you're having a traditional Thanksgiving dinner of turkey with all the trimmings, have you considered what you'll do will all the leftover turkey? Check out these three recipes for some ideas.

Top Fitness Myths
Knowing what works and what doesn’t can be a big part of the battle when it comes to getting in better shape. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of information out there about fitness that’s not true.

Health Benefits of Massage
Massage is available everywhere these days and with good reason. It not only helps you relax and feel better; it’s also very beneficial for your health—both mentally and physically.

Hope for Headache Sufferers
If you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines, pinpointing the cause and finding relief can be difficult, but your dentist may be able to help.

You Can Achieve Success AND Significance
This is the first of a three-part series by executive coach and consultant Joan Wright that will help you achieve more success and significance in your life.

Advances in Breast Imaging
While mammograms have long been credited as an important tool in the early discovery of breast cancers, digital mammography makes early detection more likely.

Kids Corner: Fever Phobia
What is fever? Is it good or bad? Should it be treated? If yes, what is the best way? Here are some answers to those questions from a board-certified pediatrician.

Exercise Playlist: Girl Power
In a tribute to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we've assembled a list of songs that celebrate women and "girl power."

Culinary Corner: Corn and Green Chili Chowder
Get your soup pots in gear for this high-test, high-taste 'corn and green chili chowder.' It really warms up your insides for those cool fall activities outside. Plus it's a snap to make.

Healing Power of Hope
We often enlist the help of top medical personnel, technology, and medications to get well. Add hope to that equation, and you can enhance your body’s healing process even further.

How to Lose the Last 10 Pounds
Even the most determined individuals often find the last ten pounds are the hardest to shed. These minor changes to your lifestyle habits can help to push you past the finish line.

Yoga Breathing for Relaxation
Yoga breathing can help you to prevent stress from building up and to remain calm, cool, and collected so you can handle whatever comes your way. It can be done anywhere, anytime!

NPs and PAs: What's the Difference?
When you visit a doctor's office, you may by examined by a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner instead of a physician. What's the difference?

Healthy Lunches Your Kids Will Eat
Do you ever worry about the choices your kids are making when they go through the lunch line at school? Maybe it’s time to explore sending some healthy options from home.

Digest the Facts: Prepackaged Lunches
Before you go shopping for school lunches, digest the facts first! Check out the best and worst in prepackaged kids' lunches as well as WCA’s picks for the best options to feed your kids.

Exercise Playlist: Pump It Up
Whether you are at the gym or in your own living room working on those kickboxing moves, these energetic songs will get you pumped up and ready to sweat it out.

Culinary Corner: Healthy Italian Recipes
Nothing says "comfort" quite like Italian cuisine, but it's often filled with fat and calories. Here are three recipes that will satisfy your craving for taste without derailing your healthy diet.

How Exercise Affects Mood
Stress has a huge impact on mood, which in turn affects our relationships. The place to turn when you are stressed or in a bad mood is good old-fashioned exercise.

How Dental Health Affects Overall Health
Are you aware that what’s happening inside your mouth is often an indication of problems elsewhere in your body? Your dentist can help you identify conditions that you might not notice.

Pet Therapy
Research shows that regular interaction with pets can help us lead healthier, even longer lives. The benefits seem to be especially evident in institutional settings.

H1N1 Flu Update
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its latest update on the H1N1 flu virus and its recommendations for vaccination. Here's an overview.

Kids Corner: Back-to-School Health Tips
Kick off the new school year right by getting your child’s health information in order. There are several items to think about when making back-to-school preparations.

Vacation Makeover
Instead of lamenting the fact that summer and "vacation season" are drawing to an end, let's redefine what we've come to view as the typical vacation. A vacation makeover!

Exercise Playlist: Zumba
Zumba is a fun and exciting way to get in shape without feeling like you’re exercising. It’s also a great stress reducer that keeps you fit mentally as well as physically.

Culinary Corner: Quick and Healthy Quesadillas
Need a recipe for a healthy, tasty meal that you can throw together in minutes? Keep the ingredients on hand for quesadillas.

How Food Affects Mood
You know how important it is to pay attention to what you eat. But did you know food can play a major role in determining your mood and ensuring proper brain function?

Warming Up and Cooling Down
The time you put into your workout is time very well spent, but to optimize that time and to help you avoid injury, there are two components of a workout that you should not overlook.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Perhaps the single best thing you can do to increase your quality of life and significantly reduce your risk of a host of chronic diseases is to maintain a healthy body weight.

Kids Corner: Summer Skin Hazards
Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the great outdoors, but you must be careful while you commune with nature. Potential hazards include contact with poison ivy, oak, and sumac.

Shape-up Shakedown: July 2009
Find out how BOSU training, deep-water running, and kickboxing can benefit your fitness routine. They're great ways to try something new, change what you do, and double-time!

Healthy Home: Green Cleaning Recipes
Green cleaning products are much more readily available than ever before, but many are rather expensive. Fortunately, you can easily and cost-effectively make these cleaners at home.

Exercise Playlist: Meditation and Yoga
This month’s playlist features the perfect combination of music for tranquil meditation and relaxing yoga. You also may enjoy listening to these artists anytime you need to unwind.

Culinary Corner: Summer Grilling
Grilling on a barbeque during the summer is a staple in our lives—it is a universal cooking technique that can be found in every country around the globe.

Health Benefits of Meditation and Prayer
In the past twenty to thirty years, we’ve seen a resurgence of public interest in the healing powers of prayer and meditation, and medical professionals are taking note as well.

Starting a Walking Program
One of the best ways to ease into a more physically active lifestyle is to start walking. This low-impact exercise is great for just about everyone and can be done anywhere, anytime.

Healthy Eating at Work
It’s not impossible to stick to a sensible diet at work, but it will take a little planning. Coretta Chaffin, a registered dietitian, offered these tips for maintaining your healthy eating strategy.

Digest the Facts: Burgers
Ever have a craving and only a burger will do? Check out the best and worst in the fast food industry as well as WCA’s picks for your best options when eating at home or away.

Kids Corner: How Safe Are Your Kids?
There's no greater devastation than losing a child, but the loss is compounded when it's due to a preventable accident. Here are some ways to eliminate the hazards and reduce the risks.

Summer Picnic Food Safety
When you plan a picnic in the summer, you need to give some extra thought to properly handling and storing your food. To keep it simple, just remember to clean, cleave, cook, chill!

Exercise Playlist: Fun Songs of Summer
As summer gets into full swing, take a break from that indoor treadmill and find some new ways to get moving outdoors to these fun songs of summer.

Culinary Corner: A Picnic With Panache
If you’ve invited guests to join you this year for a Fourth of July picnic, why not surprise them with a healthy menu that’s as appealing to the eye as it is to the taste buds.

Pandemic Pandemonium
If you’re in the habit of watching or reading the news, you’ve heard a lot of reports lately about a possible H1N1 flu pandemic. Just how much should we be concerned?

Benefits of Group Exercise
For many people, exercising solo isn’t enough to keep them motivated to reach their fitness goals. One way to increase your commitment to your workout is to join a group exercise class.

Relaxation Through Play
Many of us leave play behind as we assume adult roles and responsibilities, but play is one of the best ways to relax, reinvigorate, and get those creative juices flowing again.

Preventing Skin Cancer
With summer around the corner, visions of lounging by the pool or on the beach may be distracting you at the office. But also top of mind should be protecting your skin from sun damage.

Combating Stress in the Workplace
Stress can have a negative effect on employees and the overall business, so making an effort to reduce workplace stress makes sense from both a human capital and balance sheet standpoint.

Digest the Facts: Sugar Cravings and Carbohydrate Addiction
Food cravings can be a very natural response by the body when blood sugar is low. Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of fuel because they are a quick energy source.

Exercise Playlist: Dance Music
Whether you are getting ready for a high-energy cardio workout or a night out on the town, this month's playlist of up-tempo dance music will be sure to get you moving!

Culinary Corner: Super Foods
This month’s Culinary Corner recipes feature two nutrient-rich ingredients that have been rated as 'super foods' for their ability to fight disease and boost energy.

Gardening for Your Health
Tired of the same old workout? Treadmill got your spirits down? Before you totally give up on working out, try gardening on for size. It's rewarding in more ways than one!

Double Time: A Garden Workout
With beautiful weather on the horizon, skip the gym this weekend and work in your garden! Check out this calorie expenditure chart to see how much your efforts will pay off!

Green Up Your Workout
Why not care for the Earth while caring for your health. All you need to do is get outside, unplug at home, fill up, and change your clothes.

Flexibility Training
While a well-balanced exercise program should incorporate three components—cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training—flexibility training is often overlooked.

Know Your Family History
Knowing your family’s medical history could save your life. That might sound like an overstatement, since your genes are one health factor you cannot control. But “knowledge is power.”

Benefits of Social Networking
You’d probably agree that spending time with friends makes you feel good, but did you realize your social network is also a key to improving your health and to overcoming life's challenges?

Fast Food Dining Do's and Don'ts
The key to eating healthy away from home is to steer clear of high-fat meals that are packed with calories and have little nutritional value. Use this chart to help you navigate!

Exercise Playlist: Loud, Fast, Intense
For all you rockers out there, this month’s playlist focuses on songs to get your adrenalin flowing and your intensity level through the roof.

Culinary Corner: Fresh Produce
Produce stands across the country will soon be brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables for your spring and summer table. These recipes help you take full advantage of the seasonal fare.

Maintaining Healthy Skin
You’ve probably heard a lot about protecting your skin from the sun, which is extremely important, but it’s just one of many ways to keep your skin looking and feeling its best.

Keeping a Wellness Journal
Self monitoring or keeping track is often the key to losing weight, being more active, adhering to a medication regime, or maintaining other healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Conquering the Pit
Ever have a feeling in the pit of your stomach that something is not right? That's a warning sign—a red flag that you can use to your advantage if you know how to act rather than react.

Fitness Challenge
This month, I challenge you to train your body without using any equipment. Here is a full-body circuit, which can be performed three times per week at home, on the road, anywhere.

Kids Corner: Allergies in Children
Your body may be exposed to allergens from foods you eat, elements you breathe, or direct contact with your skin or the lining of your nose. The scope of the problem is tremendous!

Digest the Facts: Artificial Sweeteners
A Purdue University study suggests that artificial sweeteners may affect the body’s natural ability to estimate caloric intake, contributing to increased food intake and weight gain.

Healthy Home: Indoor Air Quality
All too often, we take the air we breathe for granted. Except for the occasional ozone alert in the heat of summer, we don’t give much thought to what goes into our lungs.

Exercise Playlist: Country Music
For those of you who would rather tug on your cowboy boots than lace up a pair of sneakers, here’s a playlist to inspire you to get moving!

Culinary Corner: Breakfast Recipes
Looking for a fast, nutritious way to start the day? Try these delicious breakfast recipes from 3-A-Day of Dairy. They're low in calories and fat but loaded with healthy ingredients and taste!

Finding the Right Gym
A wide variety of fitness centers are available—from very small local gyms to large fitness centers offering every kind of class imaginable—so how do you find one that meets your needs?

Eating for a Healthy Heart
An unhealthy heart may be the result of genetic factors, but it can also be blamed on modifiable lifestyle factors. The way you eat is one of the easiest factors to change.

Mindful Eating
Some of the most common reasons we eat when we are not hungry are boredom, depression, anxiety, anger, stress, and habit. Do any of these excuses sound familiar to you?

How Vein Problems Affect Health
Unattractive leg veins are often ignored altogether or they draw attention solely for cosmetic reasons. But varicose veins can be a symptom of a major health problem.

Take Time to Rejuvenate
Taking a vacation removes us from the familiar stressors of our everyday lives (both work and home) and is crucial for “recharging” our batteries, creating a sort of stress “detox.”

Supporting Your Spouse in Tough Times
During tough economic times, you may need to work extra hard on your marriage, especially if one or both of you are worried about losing your jobs or you’re already unemployed.

Kids Corner: Upper Respiratory Infections
Wintertime is the height of the respiratory illness season. It seems like you or your child just finishes with cold symptoms and once again you are faced with another episode.

Medical Myths: About Heart Disease
By dispelling some of the medical myths, we can make more informed decisions and improve our chances of preventing, detecting and treating heart disease more effectively.

Culinary Corner: Stir Fry
Stir frying is a cooking technique that’s quick and only takes a couple of pans and small appliances that don’t generate much heat. It’s also a very healthy way to cook.

Kids Corner: Healthy Resolutions for the Family
Now that you have finished making New Year’s resolutions for yourself, think about incorporating those same ideas into the lives of your children.

Managing Stress in Today's Economy
It's normal to feel stressed when major work and life changes occur. While a major economic recession can lead to even more stress, we can still learn to deal with it in a productive way.

The Role of Stress in Eating Disorders
Eating desserts and other comfort foods is one way we choose to soothe or distract ourselves from uncomfortable feelings and thoughts. Here are a few ways to stop stress eating.

Healthy Eating on a Budget
If you’re trying to feed your family a healthy diet but struggle to do so on a budget, take heart! Check out registered dietitian Coretta Chaffin's Top 10 Tips for cutting costs.

Medication Adherence
Not taking medications as directed accounts for 10% of hospital admissions, $300 billion in additional healthcare costs annually, and 125,000 deaths each year.

Stretching for Low Back Pain
You can prevent low back pain and injuries by stretching and strengthening your low back muscles as well as the other muscles that support and oppose your back.

Exercise Playlist: Get Pumped for the New Year
Kick-start the New Year by downloading a soundtrack for 2009, and setting attainable goals to go with them. Connie Norris provides a list of tunes to get your head in the right place!

Good Nutrition and Exercise at Work
By following some of the suggestions in these two lists, you and your co-workers will be able to eat a healthier diet and get more exercise during the workday.

Culinary Corner: Healthy Super Bowl Treats
Most Super Bowl partiers have two things in mind—food and football. This year, let us take care of the menu and give you some healthy alternatives to traditional football fare!

Outdoor Exercising
Aside from the obvious benefits of exploring and connecting with nature, taking your workout outdoors instantly adds variety to even the most mundane regimen.

The Relaxation Response
By identifying things that cause us stress and looking at the ways we’re coping with them, we can begin to change unhealthy behaviors to healthier ones and elicit the relaxation response.

Connect With Your Goals
Do questions like “What do you want from life?” and “Where do you see yourself in ten years?” leave you speechless and feeling overwhelmed? Here are some tips that can help.

Importance of Hand Washing
December is the time of year when people share more than holiday joy. They often spread germs and get each other sick. One of the best ways to stay well is to keep your hands clean.

Food Safety for the Holidays
The last thing you want to serve family and friends is a dose of food poisoning, yet sometimes in the rush to "get it all done," shortcuts in the kitchen lead to digestive disaster.

Healthy Holiday Snacks and a Movie
When the weather outside is frightful, what better way to spend an evening than curled up in the warmth of your home with a great healthy snack and a fun holiday movie?

Exercise Playlist: Holiday Favorites
Happy holidays, loyal music fanatics! I'm sure more than a few of you are getting in some additional exercise sessions—not at the gym, but in the shopping malls and discount stores!

Culinary Corner: Favorite Holiday Recipes
The chatter around the office these days is usually about family holiday traditions. This month, The Wellness Coalition staff is sharing some of our traditional (and healthy) family recipes.

Strength and Core Training
The United States Department of Health and Human Services has released new guidelines on exercise, which recommend at least two sessions of strength training each week for adults.

Reading Food Labels
If you want to eat a healthier diet, you need to have a basic understanding of good nutrition principles and how to read food labels. Here are some tips to get you started.

Managing Stress Through the Holidays
During the holiday season, do you often feel so overwhelmed and stressed out that you can’t focus on the things that are really important? Take note first of the source of the problem.

Connecting With Self
Taking time to deepen and strengthen your connection with self will provide you with more than peace of mind—it will help improve your overall health.

Motivating Yourself to Kick a Habit
You don’t have to feel motivated all of the time to make healthy choices. Here are some things you can do to prepare yourself for the days when motivation is non-existent.

I Kicked the Habit
I got addicted in my twenties and continued to smoke until my late forties at which time problems started to appear—particularly allergies and asthma.

Digest the Facts: Holiday Choices to Save Calories
Try our “Holiday Revision Menu" that emphasizes the flavors of herbs, spices, and fresh fruits and vegetables—your guests will never miss the extra fat, salt, sugar, and calories!

Exercise Playlist: Back to the 80s
This month's playlist is Wellness Coalition America’s tribute to neon, slap bracelets, Jams shorts, leg warmers, and all things totally eighties. Enjoy the time warp!

Culinary Corner: WCA Holiday Favorites
The WCA team is sharing some of our favorite family recipes for the holidays. Not only are these dishes delicious, most are lower in calories and fat than the usual holiday fare.

It's All About Mom: Tips for Total Body Health
It is very important for mom to take care of herself, because women are actually at greater risk for certain diseases than men. These tips can help mom improve her total body health.

Cardiovascular Exercise for Heart Health
By committing to a program of regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, you can reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Organic Foods and Farming
It's true that organic fruits and vegetables are often a bit pricier than their conventionally grown counterparts. Are they worth the extra expense?

Managing Stress at Work
On-the-job stress is more strongly associated with health issues than any other form of stress. A great way to get that workplace stress under control is through exercise.

Do You Need a Primary Care Physician?
Your primary care physician is your first contact in most medical situations so having a good relationship is extremely important. To get the most out of a visit, you need to be prepared.

Attitude of Gratitude
Keeping a positive attitude can be a challenge but the benefits are worth the extra effort. In addition to changing your outlook, it can improve your overall health and wellbeing.

Senior Corner: Memory Impairment and the Holidays
Regardless of which holidays you celebrate, if you are the caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, your holidays may take on special challenges.

Exercise Playlist: Girls' Night Out
In honor of this month’s focus on women’s health, we have compiled a list of songs from female performers, or at least women who front the band.

Success Story: Rob Loy
Rob Loy, an employee of the SC State Ports Authority, was aware he needed to make some lifestyle changes. However, other obligations and excuses got in the way.

Culinary Corner: Recipe Makeovers
Fortunately, there are many ways to alter recipes to make them healthy—either by substituting ingredients or decreasing the quantity of less healthy ingredients.

Three Basic Components of Exercise
Many of us say we don’t have enough time, money, motivation, equipment, etc. to include daily exercise in our lives. But the good news is that everything counts!

How to Make Sure Your Produce is Safe
Food safety and health concerns related to buying and consuming fresh produce have been on the rise, especially regarding bacterial contamination and pesticide residues.

Impact of Sleep Deprivation
We often take sleep for granted until something happens that prevents us from getting enough rest. If you're not waking up refreshed, ask yourself these questions.

Know Your Numbers: Blood Pressure
Hypertension has no symptoms and is detected by screening blood pressure measurements. That's why everyone should have his or her blood pressure checked annually.

A Relationship Workout
Research has proven that your health and longevity improve if you are involved in a healthy and stable marriage. Here are some very basic steps to maintain the health of that relationship.

Kids Corner: Health Education for Kids
Our role as parents is to prepare our children to live in the real world and this includes helping them achieve health literacy. But what we teach them needs to be developmentally appropriate.

Senior Corner: Lifelong Learning
Many organizations encourage lifelong learning to help their employees perform at their absolute best. The benefits include an improved memory and a boost to self-confidence.

Healthy Home: Green Glossary
This edition of Healthy Home features a top ten list of green terms that are now making their way into our mainstream conversations.

Exercise Playlist: Tracks for the Treadmill
Thanks to Suzanne Root for submitting her list of favorite "Tracks for the Treadmill." Also, thanks to our loyal readers for making this one of the most read columns in our eZine!

Culinary Corner: Keep Produce at its Peak
Fruits and vegetables can lose some nutrients when exposed to air, water, and heat. Fortunately, you can do several things to make sure your produce holds onto its healthy qualities.

Balanced Nutrition for Active Families
Who has time to eat (let alone cook!) a nutritionally balanced meal with the family? We have some great suggestions to preserve your family mealtime and ensure that you get a nutritious meal, too!

Sleep and Balance for Students
As the school year creeps up on us again, sleep should be a main focus—not only for children but also for their parents. The proper amount of sleep is necessary for all of us to function well and stay healthy.

Kids Corner: When to Keep the Kids Home
Anyone with children knows that awful feeling at 6 a.m. when you're getting ready for work and you realize that your child is ill and can’t go to school. What are working parents supposed to do?

Self-esteem and Student Success
Students of all ages who have high self-esteem are more likely to be successful in school than those whose confidence may be lagging. Here's what you can do to bolster the self-esteem of the students in your life.

Healthy Home: Green Schools
Why should you care if your children attend school in "green buildings"? One 2005 survey found that 70% of school districts with green buildings noticed less student absenteeism and better student performance.

Fitness in Your 50s (Your 40s Too): Exercising Outdoors
The summer is rapidly coming to a close, but there are still many weeks of beautiful weather—perfect for exercising outdoors. Living in the Southeast has its advantages!

Shape-up Shakedown: August 2008
Make physical fitness a family affair with these tips on incorporating fun activities into your daily routine. Be sure to watch the video to learn ways you can train young children for a life of total body wellness.

Exercise Playlist: Get Fit Hits
This month's playlist was submitted by one of our readers, Lauren Staley. Thanks, Lauren, for sharing the "Get Fit Hits" that inspire you to work out. What are YOU listening to while you’re sweating it out?

Culinary Corner: Kid-friendly Breakfast Recipes
The best breakfast choices include whole grains, a low-fat source of protein or dairy, and some fruit. Try these kid-friendly breakfast recipes from the 3-A-Day of Dairy campaign to get your kids ready for a successful school day!

Healthy Communication at Work
Communicating effectively at work may sound simple but it can be challenging at times. Here are a few things we all can do to improve our workplace communication.

Healthy Eating in the Workplace
Our health is influenced by what we eat, by how we live, and by our environment. Since most of us working folks spend a quarter of our time at work, we should watch what we eat there.

Relief for Common Workplace Stressors
The first step in managing stress is to identify the stressors in your work environment. Here are some common culprits and a few helpful tips for dealing with them.

How to Navigate Your Healthcare Plan
Health insurance helps to protect you from rising medical costs by providing coverage for various healthcare services, which can be very costly if you have to pay them fully out of pocket.

Healthy Home: Green Workspaces
You may think you’re doing all you can to help the environment at home. But odds are you spend more waking hours at the office. What are you doing to green up your workspace?

Shape-up Shakedown: July 2008
Here are some ideas for incorporating movement into your day at work. Watch the video for a demonstration of some simple exercises you can do at your desk to relieve stress.

Kids Corner: Sports Physicals
Sports physicals ideally should be performed at least six weeks before the beginning of a scheduled activity or season so any follow-ups or referrals can be completed prior to that date.

Senior Corner: Care Options for Seniors
Older adults are living longer, healthier lives thanks in large part to advances in medicine. But this year about nine million men and women over age 65 will need long-term care.

Exercise Playlist: Curls, Dips, and Crunches
This month's playlist is geared toward lifting weights and/or pushing you through your abs workout. Now it's your turn. We'd like to hear what's on your MP3 player during your workouts.

Culinary Corner: Healthy Brown Bag Lunches
If you’ve been taking your lunch to work for a while and need some fresh and healthy ideas for lunches, check out these recipes from 3-A-Day of Dairy.

Healthy Communication: Between the Sexes
For men and women to communicate more effectively, it's important to understand some basic differences in styles of communicating and to develop appropriate communication skills.

Kids Corner: Stay-at-Home Dads
I’ve been a stay-at-home dad for 11 years and in my case, the decision was simple—my wife makes more than I do and it didn’t make sense to spend my entire salary on daycare.

Healthy Home: Green Lawn Care
For the past fifty years, the “perfect” lawn generally has been the result of a chemical cocktail, which includes toxic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Here's a healthier recipe.

Summer Survival Kit
Parts of our country are already experiencing record temperatures. Knowing how to properly move, fuel, relax, and maintain your body in the heat is essential.

Digest the Facts: Food Safety and Grilling
Grilling is certainly one of the culinary pleasures of summer. Next time you fire up your grill, keep the following tips in mind to ensure a tasty, safe, and healthful cookout.

Medical Myths: Fuel for Fitness
One good thing about fad diets—as a spectator, you learn what not to do. But since the popularity of high-protein diets continues to rise and fall, it is essential to eliminate misconceptions.

Senior Corner: Brain Fitness, Part 2
In the May edition of this eZine, we learned how to keep challenging our brains with basic brain fitness activities. Here are seven more brain fitness tips you can use in your everyday life.

Shape-up Shakedown: June 2008
Getting in shape may be your sole responsibility, but it doesn't have to be a solo activity. Here are some ways to get fit while having fun with family or friends.

Exercise Playlist: Miles of Sole
It's no secret that a fiery, upbeat song can push you through those last fifteen crunches or inspire to you complete one more set of curls. Here's a list of songs that can help!

Success Story: Ken Moore
In December 2007, Ken realized it was time to make some important lifestyle changes. He was active during his younger years, but work and family responsibilities slowed him down.

Culinary Corner: Healthy Grilling
If you'd like to become a Grill Master, try marinating before you grill. Marinades impart unique flavor and texture characteristics that go beyond what can be done with simple spice rubs.

Mental Health Benefits of Exercise
Exercise physiologists and psychologists have become as interested in the benefits of exercise on mental health as they have been on the benefits of daily activity on the physical body.

Digest the Facts: Brain Food
Although research focusing on nutrition and mental health is limited, some data suggest that people diagnosed with mental disorders may have certain nutritional deficiencies.

Kids Corner: Depression and Teens
Data over the past two decades suggest that the issue of depression in children and adolescents is genuine and is grossly underestimated in this younger age group.

The Happy Quotient
Do you still search for that authentic happiness—one that fills your soul? Research suggests happiness stems from four main areas of our lives.

From Fear to Faith
The opposite of fear is faith. And when we are talking about faith, keep in mind this isn’t a particular religious belief. We’re talking about faith in terms of spirituality and love.

Brain Fitness, Part 1
Where did I put my keys? What time is my next appointment? For many of us, remembering the little things is not as easy as it once was. But with a little training, we can change that.

Healthy Home: Creating a Home Retreat
One of the best ways to insulate yourself in an overcharged world is to make your home into a retreat from stress. Taking back your home can be your first step in taking back your life.

World No Tobacco Day
The use of tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death. With all we know about tobacco and its ill effects on our health, why are so many people still smoking?

Shake-up Shakedown: May 2008
Here are some tips to help you get better results from your workout . Watch the video too to see how core stability training can help you to prevent injuries and to function better.

Cooking Corner: Brain Food Recipes
The best way to promote and maintain mental health is the same for achieving a healthy body. Each of the following recipes contributes nutrients that help ensure proper brain health.

Eco Guidelines for Pregnancy
If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, suddenly concern for the environment becomes more important than ever. Here are some simple tips to help you have a green pregnancy.

Digest the Facts: Benefits of Vegetarian Eating
Plant foods include all kinds of fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, and seeds. Eating a diet consisting of mainly plant foods can be beneficial to your health and the environment.

Healthy Home: Green Building
We’re reaching a point where most people are aware of the need for green building and are taking it upon themselves to find out how to make the change. Here are some tips to get you started.

Top 10 Ways to Go Green: Work, Home, Play
With Earth Day coming up on April 22nd and all the buzz about treading lighter on our Earth, you may ask yourself what you can do to help. Here are some easy ways to live greener.

Eco Volunteerism
Are you concerned about global warming? Endangered species? Protecting ecosystems? Keeping your neighborhood clean and safe? Check out the following ways to GET INVOLVED!

Kick Butts Day 2008
On April 2, thousands participated in Kick Butts Day, raising awareness about the need for Congress to crack down on Big Tobacco’s marketing efforts that target kids. What can you do?

Kids Corner: Recycling
Everyone knows that recycling is important. It is never too early to start teaching our children because—as we all know—habits that are developed early stay with us for the rest of our lives.

Senior Corner: Foot Health Is Vital
If people are mobile, most of their activities require contact between the ground and their feet. So, the condition of their feet may largely determine whether they can be physically active.

Shake-up Shakedown: April 2008
Here are some great ideas for environmentally friendly workouts. Be sure to watch the video too to learn the benefits of meditating outdoors.

Cooking Corner: Vegetarian Recipes
This month, we're featuring seven delicious vegetarian recipes from the Wellness Coalition America team. We prepared these dishes for a healthy potluck luncheon at work.